Due June 2022 (thread seven!)

[PeeAche]

New Thread!

Hello all! Joining as I have a baby due on the 30th June. This will be my second child. Having a much worse pregnancy this time than last!

@fpeg

Just going to repeat a question here as I asked it in the wrong place... end of the last thread 😁

For those of you where this isn't your first rodeo... Did you do NCT classes? And were they worth it?

I'm Not bothering as they are SO expensive. I've found a local class for £30 for six sessions online 😂

Hello, and welcome to @peony12 and @Elskerdeg Congratulations to everyone who has had good news from their 20 week scan! At 18 weeks our little boy was also smaller on the head measurements but larger for weight (and 80th percentile for femur length), so it'll be interesting to see if that has changed in 2 weeks!

Thank you so much for the new thread and tag @PeeAche!
@fpeg we did NCT and the answer is both very useful and not. It was very good for the group of people we met, we were very lucky that we all got on well and are still in touch. It was so helpful that they lived so close, and we could walk to each other for meet ups at each other’s houses, for coffee, walks, baby classes (and then of course covid struck!). Even in lockdown we had video calls and lots of chats on WhatsApp about anything and everything we needed support with.
The course itself- not so much. I didn’t think we were told anything we couldn’t (and had!) researched ourselves. It was very focused on the birth, with only a little bit on what happens afterwards (how to look after the baby etc). Also, I think it’s more useful if you don’t want pain relief/ an epidural or obstetrician involvement - our teacher at least was very suspicious of these things.
So on balance I’m very glad I did it, but for the people rather than the course.

@fpeg does your hospital not offer free classes? Ours (new cross) has started up again, and have to book after 25 weeks.

@unknownscot @EarlGreywithLemon @Vimto1991 thanks all really useful, think I'll leave it then ☺️ moving to a new area not long after the birth so even the meeting people but probably not that useful! I've had a quick look online about NHS classes but can't find any for my area 🤷‍♀️ (definitely not ruling out it being that they are there, I just can't find them 😬)

@fpeg I agree it with what @EarlGreywithLemon said, I'm so so glad I did NCT but mainly for the wonderful friendships we still have from it. We used to meet up almost daily when our babies were tiny and the support was invaluable. The content was ok, very focussed on natural birth. If you're moving though I'd say not worth it, but do get some kind of birth 'training'!

@fpeg we did NCT and didn't find it useful, mainly because there's not much that prepares you for the reality of parenthood. But we did make friends who we stayed in touch with while the babies were little but then after maternity it got more difficult and we were all spread quite far apart geographically. Worth it for the friend group if you're all close by maybe.

I'm thinking of doing a hypnobirthing class but as I'm having an elective section, I need to check it won't be completely focused on a vaginal delivery and labour.

I was given a leaflet for antenatal classes by the midwife but they're during work time, we're allowed time off for classes right? I can't see it going down well either way....

Ah such great scans to see today! It's great to be able to see them doing things inside the womb, makes it so much more real. Getting so excited for mine next week now (although has been reassuring to be able to discuss gender disappointment here as I'm worried about it).
@Vimto1991 I'm also wondering about the mat b form as my midwife did tell me but old sieve brain that I am forgot immediately what she told me. If anyone can advise that would be great!
We've booked nct partly because I feel like we literally know absolutely nada about babies and how they work but also it's so close to our house I'm looking forward to meeting local parents.

Joining the new thread!

Congrats on all your scans!!! So many boys!!! 💙

Wow, thread 7!

Thanks for tagging me @PeeAche

So lovely to hear about so many positive scans this week too -- good luck with any coming up next week too

@fpeg

Just going to repeat a question here as I asked it in the wrong place... end of the last thread 😁

For those of you where this isn't your first rodeo... Did you do NCT classes? And were they worth it?

I did NCT last time. I found the classes useful as me and OH had no experience of babies between us, but it is expensive for what it is. I'd never even changed a nappy before so just things like that helped me! I basically used it as a way to get "mum friends" in a similar situation to me. We were all really close to begin with but once lockdown happened and people went back to work, the group sort of fizzled out.

Thanks @PeeAche for the new thread! We are such a chatty bunch and I love it.

Congrats to all those with their 20 scans the past few days, amazing to hear all about your beautiful little babies.

@PeeAche great news on the quad test. I am seriously jealous of your 3 day turnaround. Mine will be 4 weeks on Tuesday and still nothing. Text midwife this morning then had a missed call but no answer when I called back so of course, I'm paranoid as hell.

Thanks for starting the new thread and tagging me @PeeAche!

So lovely to hear about all the scans today! Congrats on seeing your little ones moving about everywhere. 😄

Also @PeeAche what a relief to get a positive quad result - that is a super fast turnaround, impressive!

@PeeAche do you know where your tests went? Mine were sent from Glasgow to Bolton for testing xx

Thanks for starting new thread

Checking in!

@Roxystar23 I had a bit of a gender disappointment, I'm only having one kid - finding out it's a boy I kept thinking how I'll never have a daughter. I'm glad I found out at 10 weeks because then I focussed on boys clothes, cute boy newborn photos. It took a month but now I cannot imagine not having a son 💙 I'm so connected to him now and feel nothing now when I see girl baby clothes.
It took about 3 weeks to fully feel like this but I fiercely love my boy and genuinely would not want another gender/sex.

Just caught up, @beansprout55 how did the scan go? Xx

Agree, so lovely to hear about everyones scan. Such good news. ❤️
Thanks @PleaseSendNoodles for tagging me. ☺️
I also heard about NCT and was wondering whether it's worth it. So thanks for the feedback.

I signed up to NCT because I don’t know anyone in the area and it seemed like a practical (and yes expensive!) thing to do for birth prep. No idea if it will be worth it yet.

Is anyone looking into getting a doula or private midwife? I’m on the NHS but would feel better having someone like that around to advocate for me. Have any mums with little ones gone down that route before?

@Rolledthedice I've just been researching on the doula topic as I didn't know much about it.

From what I've read they provide amazing emotional support and they're there for you all the way BUT they cannot provide medical advise.

My question was ok what if a dr advises something but doula is against it? Am I going to go with doula because that's also what I'll want, without realising what dr advises is critical for my health/delivery?

My OB said they 'get in the way' but that could be just his opinion.
What if there is tension because of different opinions?
I decided to go without doula; drs will provide medical care and DP will be there for emotional support

Wow, new thread already! Thanks for the tag ❤️