Due June 2022 (thread seven!)

[PeeAche]

New Thread!

@ChildOfFriday it was really useful for us, this is our first baby and although we have done some research online we wanted to have the option of trying the pushchairs, learn how to fold them, how to set up the car seat...also if you go to the appointment and have a myjohnlewis membership (free) you get 10% off if you spend over £750 and 15% off if you spend over £1250. The lady that show us around didn't push us to buy anything and shared with us the list we put together with her. Also they gave us a goodie bag!
We have another nursery appointment at Mamas and Papas later in February.

That sounds great, thanks @MsBubbles85

@MsBubbles85 thanks! I think I'm going to schedule appointments with John Lewis and Mamas and Papas just like you. Such a great tip.

Okay guys, this may be TMI but I’m not sure if this is pregnancy or not. I currently feel like my lower stomach is super heavy, and get sharp pins and needles types of pain if I move. I have had a bit of a bad stomach the past two days, so not sure if this is just my gut (maybe like trapped wind 🙈) or something I should be looking out for as I know someone mentioned to watch out for feeling pressure? I’m still feeling baby move at the moment, I just panic at everything at the moment. 🙈

@MrsNT good luck for tomorrow. I am extremely nervous!

@Vimto1991 I can't remember who it was but I'm sure someone one here had a heavy lower abdomen/ felt like it was pushing down and was advised by midwife to just get checked. I know it ended absolutely fine so telling you this to try and reassure you mostly likely everything ok, but if it's causing you stress best to ring midwife to check xx

Loving the lists, thanks for posting them guys!

@Vimto1991 It was mean who was having the heavy pressure, it was more pelvic/vaginal than lower stomach though and was more of an ache not pins and needles. It sounds like normal pregnancy pains to me, but get checked in you're worried. Hope you feel better after a good nights sleep xx

Me not mean!

Thank you both!! I’ll see how I feel after a sleep and contact my GP if nothing has improved. It’s so hard trying to figure out what’s normal and what’s pregnancy these days 😂

@Vimto1991 I was also experiencing lower pressure but again not pins and needles. My scan revealed baby was shoved right down there squashed into my pelvis so I assume that's why it hurt so much!

Considering the extreme vulnerability of women in their third trimester and their babies (admittedly, it’s worse for those who are unvaccinated themselves, who may well not object to unvaccinated staff), do I have a right to ask what the vaccine status is of staff I interact with? A significant proportion of those in ICU are late term pregnant women and there is an increased risk of still birth if you contract Covid towards the end of your pregnancy, but how are you supposed to protect yourself if members of staff are unvaccinated? They get a choice, but do we? Normally, I’m all for free choice, but on this subject, I simply don’t understand how a trained health practitioner could be unvaccinated, unless there was truly something valid, such as an allergy to one of the ingredients used.

@ALHCTPS I wondered this too, every NHS worker I've come in contact with has asked my status and I would very much like to know, especially now it seems likely they are likely scrapping the requirement for all NHS staff to be vaccinated 🙁

@destiEos Given her vocal approval of my attitude to vaccines (i.e. bring it on), I’m pretty sure my midwife is vaccinated, but I’m going to make a habit of asking back when asked myself from now on.

@ALHCTPS so I'll start by saying that I'm very pro vaccine...
I think it's a difficult one, I don't think the NHS can afford to lose all the workers and being vaccinated yourself is the biggest thing stopping you from ending up in ICU. The vaccine doesn't stop transmission and in many cases doesn't stop you getting the disease, but it does significantly reduce your chances of needing hospitalisation. I think it's likely we'll move to a world in the next 2-3 months where we no longer test, so we won't know who has it anyway (especially asymptomatic carriers).

In the long term I think the best we'll be able to do is only worry about our own vaccination status, although in an ideal world I agree all frontline workers should be vaccinated unless unable to do so due to medical reasons.

Honestly, by the time we're giving birth I don't think we'll be monitoring covid anymore in this country (and it does make me nervous)

The midwife I’ve seen so far (twice) did say she is vaccinated and boosted in general conversation - but I see a team so in theory I might see others I have no idea about. They are the specific team for women with medical issues so it would be even worse if they are unvaccinated.
Interestingly, my husband tested positive for covid yesterday (very mild symptoms). The thing is - the only place he’s been - and I mean that literally - is nursery pick up. So he either got it from our daughter at nursery, which is possible, though everyone involved would have been asymptomatic. Or he got it from me, as I felt a bit wiped out, headachy and grotty last weekend. And the only place I’ve been is the hospital for the midwife and 20 week scan!!

[quote ALHCTPS]@destiEos Given her vocal approval of my attitude to vaccines (i.e. bring it on), I’m pretty sure my midwife is vaccinated, but I’m going to make a habit of asking back when asked myself from now on.[/quote]
Same here - I'm sure my midwife is, and the doctor too, for the same reason as you. Also, the poor sonographer I saw for my 20 week scan had to deal with an aggressive unmasked partner who refused to mask up, so I'm sure she is. The thing is - I default assumed everyone working in a hospital is vaccinated and then watched in horror on the news this morning: a doctor in scrubs, in a hospital, saying they'd had the virus, so had antibodies and didn't want to be vaccinated.

Think I'm going to try and be brave and make a habit of asking back when asked myself from now on too!

/end rant, sorry!

@fpeg totally agree. No way the NHS can handle losing 70k of staff (not all of whom may be frontline, but still). I do find it mind boggling that medical professionals can be vaccine resistant, though. Seriously?

I suppose it just feels like being unvaccinated and working with vulnerable people, like pregnant women, is akin to being uninsured.

@RoseValleyRambles - thanks for the list! I know someone posted one a while back and I meant to copy that and forgot. I'm starting to buy bits now, so very useful!

@MsBubbles85 and thanks for this I couldn't find a way to make appointments for John Lewis for some reason but googled your specific words and voila! Booking in now too :)

@destiEos great! It was really useful for us.

Anyone has any lists of what we need to take in our hospital bag?

I can tell you what I took in our hospital bags if helpful:
Me:
Slippers
Nighties x2
Nightie for Labour
Thin dressing gown
Change of normal clothes - I ended up going back in what I was wearing when I went in
Extra pillow in a non blue/white cover - so as not to confuse it with the hospital ones
Hair bands
Hair brush
Wash bag with travel size shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, face wash, toothbrush, toothpaste etc
Flip flops for the shower
Travel hair drier (not all hospitals would allow you to use one though)
Towel for me - not needed, the hospital had lots
Mesh knickers - not needed, the hospital had lots
Phone charger
iPad
Headphones
Ear plugs
Eye mask
Hand sanitiser
Tissues
Lots and lots of maternity pads - though the hospital had lots
Breast pads
Breastfeeding bras
Lots of snacks: Haribo, dried fruit, crackers, baby bell cheese, fruit juice
I wish I also had a breastfeeding cushion but frankly we already had so much stuff!
Straw and sports cap water bottle - never used the straw

For my husband:
Slippers
Pyjamas
Change of clothes
Wash bag with toothbrush, toothpaste, shaving stuff, shower gel
Phone charger
iPad
He was allowed to stay overnight though so it might be different now

For the baby - we took her stuff in her changing bag
Three baby grows - we were in hospital 5 days so my husband had to go back for more - twice
Three vests - as above
Blanket - we did need it for her medical examination, but I think the hospital did provide one; they also provided disposable changing mats, which we would have needed otherwise
Two hats
Cotton wool pads - the hospital had lots
Nappies - we had a pack but husband went to get more
Muslins
Cardigan
A nice baby grow for coming home - in the end the baby grow she first wore when born was the more special to us, and this baby will wear it too, all going well
She was a winter baby so she also had a woolly hat, gloves, pramsuit - no need to worry about those
We didn’t have a car then, so she went home in her pram in a black cab- otherwise, car seat

I think that’s it!

Morning all.
We had our 20 week scan today all looked well apart from because of babies position they couldn't check the heart, stomach or lips so we have to go back before I'm 23 weeks.

Slightly disappointed as wanted to get a sigh of relief today.. looks like I'm going to have to wait slightly longer.

Does anyone have a growth chart they use to see if baby is on track? I don't seem to have one yet.

@EarlGreywithLemon I would hope this wouldn’t be necessary for most, but we were in for three days of labour (little sod wouldn’t tuck his chin under and needed to be yanked out with forceps in the end) and Beloved had only just changed his clothes on the last day when I projectile vomited all over him. He ended up borrowing scrubs from the staff (which he fancied himself rotten in).

@LM42 - your scan pictures look lovely! Just FYI, you might want to crop the images and repost, ASI think they have your name etc on them!

Thanks a lot @EarlGreywithLemon, that list is really useful!