Due March/April 2022 Thread 3. Third trimester and babies!!

[Dyra]

Didn't quite realise we were so close to the end of the second one. So let's have another one! I'll post the due date list in a moment.

Congratulations @Dyra wish you a speedy recovery, do you know when you will be going home?

Thanks @onedream. Hopefully home tomorrow. Have to stay in two nights because of the pre-eclampsia. Though funnily enough my blood pressure has absolutely tanked overnight. So no meds for me. Save the pain killing kind.

Is anyone else stocking up on lateral flow tests before they stop being free at the end of the month?

Do you think people visiting you will be happy to lateral flow before you meet them indoors until you deliver and whilst you're recovering/baby is newborn?

@Dyra congrats on little max ! Hope you get home soon.

@Countingchicks congrats on your new arrival too 😊

@SouthwestSis luckily here in Scotland they are still free for now. My friend has organised a baby shower for me tomorrow at 37+6 and hoping everyone will be sensible enough to take a lat flow before. I have no issues asking people to do one. It seems to be everywhere right now. My sister and neice have it as do lots of others I know so happy to ask people to check before meeting.

Massive congratulations to @Countingchicks and @Dyra! So lovely to start seeing the little ones appearing 🥰 x

Came back to hospital for monitoring this morning. Bp and hr were through the roof, been put onto labetalol which I had with my first daughter at exactly the same stage too at 37+2! Had bloods taken and cannula put in, been admitted for the night. One plus to having covid I have my own room and bathroom right at the end of the ward😂
They mentioned about induction at some point but because of how awful my last delivery was I’ve asked if I can have a C-section. I’m petrified of having the same labour but I stupidly kept quiet about it the whole time for fear I’d be refused or pushed into a vaginal delivery😭

@SouthwestSis start getting a few boxes or asking people too. I don’t think people will mind if you ask them to do one, you’re vulnerable and it’s safer for you and baby

@Caass45 yes LFTs are still free in England to order online but only for 2 more weeks so I wonder how people will react to requests to do them before we socialise once they are no longer free....

There seems to be just as much covid about as ever before, and hospital admission numbers rising in my area again

@Cxjai792 how are you feeling now? It sounds like a c section is the best way to go for you.

Well I can’t believe it! My baby has decided to flip back to transverse and it feels like she’s trying to go back to head down. I’m having increased movements and I’m literally screaming out in pain every time she moves. The hospital have said they cannot accept me for monitoring as there’s staffing issues. If I’m not happy I can go to another hospital but it might be a long way away. I’ve been told to lay on my side for 30 minutes and call back if she’s still moving lots so we can make a plan. Just a bit shocked really as last time I was told to come straight in if increased movements. Hopefully she’ll calm down. It seems like the hospitals are really struggling. Xx

@Catconfusion I feel much better thank you, it’s more like a mild cold now. I think so too, and thankfully the midwife’s here have been on my side about it!

Have they said that to you more than once or was it just one person you spoke too? They should accept you in really🥴where I am they go by clinical need. Maybe try ringing again you might get a different answer.

@Cxjai792 Hope your BP has come back under control and there's a plan for you to give birth.

@Catconfusion Oh no! Naughty baby. Given how long it was for my induction to continue, there is definitely massive pressure on maternity services atm. Don't let that stop you from going in if you feel you need to. Hopefully little one has calmed down and things are much less painful now.

@Dyra it’s doing a lot better now thankfully!
Just spoke with a doctor about CS who basically put the fear of god into me over it. Said because I had major blood loss with my first baby that if I have a CS then I’ll bleed a lot again so surely wouldn’t that be the same outcome if I have a vaginal delivery? Told me cause it’s my 2nd baby they’ll come quicker and easier…so they have terrified me either way now

Any advice ladies? My contractions started last night at 1.30am coming every 5 mins for about 4 hours then as soon as I got a shower they started to slow down. Now periodically throughout the day they've been speeding up and slowing down again..currently at around 25 mins apart. Any tips on how I can speed it up or what I can do? Hospital don't want to see me unless I have 3 contractions within 10 mins or my waters have broke...which I'm not actually sure if they have or not..how are we to know? 😓

@Twinkles18 my waters breaking was quite obvious, especially when I walked up and down the stairs. Do stuff that brings on oxytocin so a nice cuddle, a bit of a dance, maybe try a bit of colostrum harvesting, baking. Stress and anxiety will bring on adrenaline which will slow things down.

@Twinkles18 how exciting things are happening! Sorry I can't give any tips as a newbie I have no idea but wish you the best of luck!

I had midwife today who when checking babies heart rate she located it really high and thinks baby might have turned and might be breech so having a scan Thursday. Also might have another uti. Had a lot of mucous twice when I've wiped and loose bowel movements as well as braxton hicks here and there so not sure if things might be moving in the right direction 🤞

@Cxjai792 glad you’re feeling a bit better. The MAU was definitely closed last night and were diverting monitoring to other hospitals. Literally not enough staff to monitor births and monitoring. They were lovely and told me to have a lay down and a drink then call back. The baby did settle down and the pains calmed down too. I was happy enough to get some sleep and arrange to go in first thing when MAU was open again. It would have meant getting my toddler up and potentially driving for an hour to get seen.

This morning they were really lovely and put me on the monitor. Baby’s heartrate was perfect and movements were back to normal. She was transverse when I arrived and by the time I’d finished monitoring and the consultant came, she’d gone head down. She’s clearly got an unstable lie. They were happy to send me home but I need to go back if I think she’s transverse again and be admitted. She seems much more settled this evening.

@Cxjai792 I can’t believe they were so awful over you having a section. I know someone who had one due to blood loss during a previous birth. It was felt it would be easier to control while she was opened up. Surely it’s more unpredictable with a natural birth and therefore more traumatic. I hope you get to speak to someone else about it and it’s on the table if it’s your preference.

@Dyra they literally couldn’t see me last night as MAU was closed. If I was super worried I’d have travelled to another hospital. It’s crazy when everybody you speaks to tells you to come in with any concerns and then they’re closed when you need to. Luckily I got in early this morning when they reopened and all is fine.

Good luck @Twinkles18 no advice as I had a section last time but I hope it progresses quickly!

@Caass45 good luck for your scan. I hope baby has moved by then.

@Cxjai792 🤨 I'm living proof that second children do not necessarily come quicker or easier. Please don't be terrified. There's no guarantee whatsoever that you would bleed again in either a vaginal delivery or a C-section, despite what they might want you to think. Given they'll know about your previous history, they can take advanced precautions with both options to help prevent it happening again. And if you think a C-section will result in you and the doctors having better control over the situation, then that is your right to ask for one.

@Catconfusion It is crazy yeah. Glad you got in to be seen, and you're more comfortable again. Hopefully that unstable lie becomes a nice stable head down lie in time for your caesarean.

Good luck @Twinkles18! Hoping labour starts for real for you soon!

Best of luck at your scan @Caass45. These babies sure are movers and wrigglers!

@Catconfusion glad your little one is doing good
@Dyra they really are. I'm down as being breech but she thinks she feels the head is down but as she's hearing heartbeat under my left ribs she said its possible she's breech.

She said they can offer sweeps from 39 weeks so might request one next week

@Catconfusion Ahh wow didn’t think they were that under staffed! Glad baby seems to be more settled now, fingers crossed she stays head down!
Thank you, I have phone app with consultant tomorrow so will bring it up then and mention how this particular doctor was.

@Dyra exactly so many women like yourself who have a second baby don’t always have them quicker or without intervention. Just felt so patronising, questioning why I hadn’t asked for one earlier. They made out a vaginal birth is the only best option but I’ve been through one and my experience was unfortunate. Sorry to rant they just made me so angry. I ended up in tears when they left the room.

It’s in my notes from consultant and midwife that I need to be monitored closing during labour anyway and have things on hand incase I have the same outcome. Just got to make that decision now.

@Twinkles18 hope your labour progresses quickly! Exciting!

I’ve just been for my midwife appointment. Baby is fully engaged, head down and in an optimal position. So all good news. The consultant was insisting on inducing me at 40+6 (GD) rather than 40+10. I told the midwife I wasn’t happy, and she’s referred me back to the consultant to go and argue my case. Am hoping the extra 4 days won’t be needed, but will give me an extra chance to start labour naturally if I haven’t had the baby yet

Hope everyone's doing OK ❤

Went in for a scan yesterday and ended up admitted for an urgent induction as baby girls growth was static from 2 weeks previous. Had the balloon inserted and fell out after a few hours, things progressed extremely quickly and delivered our beautiful baby girl at 10.30 last night ❤ best feeling in the world!! Good luck to everyone over the next few weeks!!x