Due July 2022 (thread 4)

[CaptainCarp]

Hi all another new thread as the old 1 was almost full!

Previous thread
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/4445441-Due-July-2022-thread-3?pg=1

@strawberrysummer19 Mine lies on the right side mainly - can tell cos my stomach is harder at that side & you can see my stomach lies squint too 😂
Baby's breech so lots of kicks low down but think she's starting to move now as can feel kicks in other places.
I have an anterior placenta too but can feel loads of movement now and you can physically see my stomach moving when she kicks 😁 (I'm 25+2)

@strawberrysummer19 yes low down to the left for me too, has been that way since I started to feel any movement, though sometimes it's a bit more towards the middle now too. Wish I had a window in to see how they were lying and what they are getting up to all the time, lol.

@strawberrysummer19 until last week (I’m 24w5d) our baby only kicked around my right hip, but I think that was because she was transverse on her back.

This week she’s kicking both sides and higher up so I think she has moved into a more upright position (?).

That and my bump absolutely exploded between 22 and 24w. I was out admiring the new lambs in the fields and a stranger said “you’ll have a little lamb of your own soon!” as they walked past. Despite being tall, it doesn’t look like she’s going to be a neat bump

@Porridgeislife I feel the same with my bump since 20wks it's really really grown! So many people have commented that I actually look really pregnant! So I'm sure over the next few weeks it will look even bigger, I feel it most weeks anyway but have really noticed it.

Also re the movements that's interesting- it's so nice to feel them daily now as opposed to thinking is that her ?!

Cooking dinner last night felt like she was having a party!!
X

@strawberrysummer19 @Porridgeislife same over here - I'm nearly 23 weeks and my bump has definitely exploded! Can't imagine how huge I'm going to be in the last few weeks.

I feel as though my aches and pains have increased along with the bump size too... been out with the dog for an hour this morning and I now feel like I've been in a cage fight. Is anyone else feeling more tired the past few weeks too? Can't decide if it's pregnancy or the last few symptoms of covid hanging on

On the subject of chairs - I've bought a 2nd hand nursing chair for upstairs. Mainly because it was being sold by someone i bought something else off and it was £35. I'll sell it on after. But I thought I might need somewhere upstairs to sit and feed, out of DHs way. I'm hoping it'll fit in the babies room.

Movement wise- I've definitely been feeling more. I'm 22+5 today. And @strawberrysummer19 mine are all to the left, or centre. Never to the right. My placenta is posterior. So I don't think you need to worry. Probably just the baby and its preferred way of lying?

@KizboBaggins yes I have noticed feeling tired and being on my feet makes me ache more and then the aches in general seem more some days
I read from this stage there's a huge growth spurt before 3rd trimester so putting it down to that

My lower back also seems more achey
I've definitely tried to listen to my body more xx

@strawberrysummer19 that makes sense about the growth spurt. I'm sleeping over 9hrs every night without fail!

My lower back is in bits too. I've been fortunate not to suffer too badly with round ligament pain but the backache is real.

I went for a pregnancy massage the other day. It was good, but I wanted them to really dig into my lower back but understandably they kept things fairly light touch... so I'm gonna make DH do it instead

On the topic of movement, does anybody know when is one supposed to feel real kicks? I’m 21+5 and have been feeling flutters/twitches for the past 4 weeks. They’ve gotten more frequent and a tad stronger but it doesn’t yet feel like someone is kicking me. It still feels more like flutter. When does the real movement begin? Also when would DH be able to feel her? I sometimes think it can be felt on the outside but whenever he puts his hand, he doesn’t feel a thing, so it must be all inside still.
And is it normal to feel more of these flutters one day, and the next much less/more muffled? I guess she is still small enough but some days they’re really pronounced and others seem really far away and much gentler.

@Danani I’m the same! I’m 22+2 and I think I’ve started to feel one or two kicks the last couple of days because they’ve actually made me go “oh!” out loud as it felt so strong 😅 I’ve felt like I’ve felt her kick from the outside, but same as you, my partner can’t feel it so I’m wondering if I can only feel it from the outside because I also felt it on the inside. I did watch my bump the other day when she was moving and saw my stomach move when she kicked 🥰 I think what you are feeling is perfectly normal for now..I have notes from the midwife that just says to contact triage if I haven’t felt anything by 24 weeks but I think it’s just a case of them getting stronger as they get bigger :)

Since about 24 weeks mine have intensified and I feel loads now so definitely a case of giving it a couple more weeks I reckon :) also for the ladies saying about sore backs I 100% recommend getting a maternity support belt - least sexy thing ever but definitely help with the back ache as they take the pressure off and I didn't get stretch marks last time with DD and I wore it all the time (not sure if that's relevant but I feel like it might help if the stomach isn't being dragged down by gravity?! Who knows!) Anyway I manage walking around school all day long and teaching 5 lessons back to back without back ache when I'm wearing mine so definitely worth a shot.

@kiwi17 oh really? I'm so on the look out for one of those then!! Any recommendations?
Ok really suffering with my back

As for the movements it's kind of the same for me, I can feel her more in the day little periods here and there, some feel strong and some feel little and sometimes the flutter so I think it's just down to our gestation and being 21-22 wks
I think like pp has said, by 1-2 weeks I think they will be much stronger

That's what I'm telling myself anyway!

When I'm busy/driving/at work I feel I haven't felt her for ages so when I sit down and relax she's quite for a while and then I feel something -Infact once the other night she was kicking when I was cooking dinner! But that was the only strong one, it does tend to come and go and then go quiet x

Thanks friends! Good to know! I cannot wait for the full on kicks!!! 😄 Hope everyone is having a glorious weekend ☀️

@strawberrysummer19 I think I got mine cheap from Amazon tbh! But it does the trick - it's like a thick elastic bit at the back and then a slightly padded strap that sits under the bump and Velcros on the other side. Its black if that helps 😂

24 weeks today, finally reached viability 😁 not quite ready to meet baby just yet but good to know if he comes, he stands a good chance.

24+5 now and I've been having serious muscular pain at the top of my ribs, just under my breasts, at the end of every day. I had exactly the same with my first pregnancy. My midwife has told me it's from exertion so a belly support will help when I'm in the gym or walking or whatever. Really don't want to give these up because would like to be fit for labour and recovery, and my appetite is so gigantic at the moment I dread to think how massive I'll be if I don't exercise. I also really treasure my me time that exercise gives me. What brands are you ladies recommending, how much do they cost and do they ship to mainland Europe?

@MollyRover I'm having this pain too - it's so painful and I'm worried for when I get bigger

What I've found helps is to sleep with two large pillows so it raises me up and it's not as bad but sometimes even when I move it kills

I too will be looking for a maternity belt

I don't even do much or exercise so for me I can't be over doing it x

My midwife said have I been lifting anything because it can be from that but I definitely haven't!! X

@strawberrysummer19 @MollyRover I have the same pain on the left hand side but only when sitting. Walking and lying is fine. Oddly walking a lot seems to help rather than hinder?!

I have been pretty careful as I have back problems anyway (do weekly private pilates, see a physio fortnightly) and everyone thinks it’s to do with the baby forcing my ribs wider and the muscles struggling. I have been wearing kinesiology tape in a big X over the sorest part and that helps a lot.

It's not sleeping position because it's fine in the morning and gets progressively worse as the day goes on. Definitely exertion because if I've had a physically "busier" day then it's more painful. The midwife suggested only using the support whilst the exertion is taking place because overuse tends to be a hindrance to recovery too.

There tend to be 2 different types of support as far as I can see, a thick Velcro one and another one that is more like the band of maternity jeans with light elastic support. I'm tending towards the latter because it's getting warmer where I am so don't want to be wearing a very thick support under my clothes, but just don't know if it would be totally useless. Any advice?

Ooohh I need one of these belt things too! I'll have to have a look. I definitely feel it when I've done too much and yet I look at myself and think but you aren't that big yet?! Think the last 2 months might be hell.

Movement wise I've kid of had the same. Some days I've had stronger movements and I can feel them from the outside. Others I've had much smaller ones and I've even queried if I've felt it at all some days. But I think it does depend what angle they are at. Today I've felt more again. I'm 23 weeks.

I've just ordered each type now so we'll see how it goes. The pain is pretty unbearable today and I've done nothing strenuous so can't put up with this for the next 3+ months

Hi All - l have been following this thread as I am due my first baby at the end of July. Hoping for a hand hold / advice… sorry I’m advance for the long post!

I’m currently 22 weeks and I have a question about weight gain after a really upsetting appointment with a new doctor. We just moved to a new country and I had my first OB appointment this morning at which they weighed me and after tutting and telling me I’m overweight told me that I can only gain a maximum of 2kg more over the next 4 months or I will be harming my baby.

To give some context I’m 5’11” and have a pretty athletic build when not pregnant (broad shoulders etc, toned and not much in the way of boobs or bum). I am usually a size 10 and currently wearing a 12 and I weighed 73 kg today. I haven’t been weighed at all during my pregnancy by my previous doctor (as she said it wasn’t necessary) and I don’t personally weigh myself regularly due to an eating disorder when I was younger but I was probably around 67 kg when I got pregnant (i know because it was ivf and they weighed me on transfer day and I think I saw the result on the scale even though I tried not to look) and I think around 62kg normally.

Before pregnancy I would usually work out 5-6 days a week in the gym (a mixture of reformer Pilates, weights and cardio) but I wasn’t allowed for the first 12 weeks due to bleeding from a sub chorionic haematoma (now resolved) and the fact that they then promptly closed all of the gyms in my previous country due to Covid right when I was green lighted to resume exercise.

I was too shocked to say much as the appointment but I then cried all the way home afterwards. Am I being unreasonable to be so upset? I don’t really know how I can slow the weight gain down without skipping meals / restricting calories to the point of feeling hungry all the time as I am eating fairly healthily and have recently got back into gentle exercise as gyms are open in my new country. I now can’t face eating anything at all because I’m worried that I’m harming my baby by getting too fat.

I have made an appointment with a different doctor but I would really welcome any advice / your experiences in the meantime.

Well I am 5'7" and slim, not much in the boob department. My weight when I fell pregnant was 58 kg and on Friday morning last week it was 68kg when I saw my GP who told me that's an absolutely fine weight gain. I am 24 weeks pregnant.

I really don't see how you putting on weight is going to harm the baby as long as you have a healthy diet, how on earth could it? Babies are meant to have a fat layer so I really wouldn't worry about that at all. I am not a doctor but I would have thought that restricting your eating is going to do a lot more harm than good as babies need you to eat healthy and well in order so that they can grow. Personally I think you need to see an alternative doctor.

@Fingerscrossedfor2021HK I’m sorry you had such a horrible experience, definitely look for a new doctor!
You don’t sound that heavy to me, especially as you’re so tall (I’m also a 10 usually and in a 12 now, although I’m a short arse at 5’3 and not one medical person has mentioned my weight negatively out at all apart from weighing me at booking)

I also don’t keep scales at home because it’s not helpful for me to know the exact number.