Due June 2022 - thread 10! Rolling into third trimester!

[imhereforthecake]

Thread 10!
Please tag anyone who may be missed!
Nearly there everyone.

rathernotshare
@earlgreywithlemon
@matilda30
@olive60
@growbabygrow
@sunflower198
@rolledthedice
@czycoup
@mrsnt
@curryandsnuggle
@beansprout55
@prema12
@unknownscot
@pregnancydiaries
@northofthebordermum
@clueless22
@imhereforthecake
@pleasesendnoodles
@hellointhere
@pregnancydiaries
@invisibledragon
@destiEos
@flowerbug1994
@fpeg
@rathernotshare
@jennixxx
@rosevalleyrambles
@peony12
@PeeAche
@Turniptracker
@ALHCTPS
@MrsTwentyNine
@ChildOfFriday
@InvisibleDragon
@Vimto1991
@fpeg
@Starbeach
@Lostintranslatio
@JAR1981
@BunBun221
@nikita22
@mrkb

@pregnancydiaries I also had a transfusion after the first birth and had no issues. I immediately felt so much better, like a switch had been flicked. Hope it’s the same for you!

Yes these Mumsnet glitches! I've been trying to comment for a few days but it won't go through. Basically, congratulations to those who have already met their little ones 🥰 I can't keep up with the chat anymore but still about, 34 weeks today

@pregnancydiaries OK! I'd love to!!

My little girl is doing well. She's put on quite a bit of weight and the midwives think she will be ready to feed by sucking in the next week and ready to come home the week after. She's still in the neonatal unit with 3 other babies - of which she is both the eldest and the baby born nearest to term! 🥺 (some of them are so teeny tiny)

She has a name and one of the midwives made me some paper bunting with her name drawn on it and hung it on the wall near her cot, which is just so darling.

I have been discharged but I have 24/7 access. So at the moment, either my husband or I are there at all times. Other people can visit during set hours, one at a time. But the nurses make exceptions for my step children.

She has started having daily baths now. Up until a few days ago, we only top and tailed her. We get to do the baths ourselves and it's literally my favourite time of day. My step daughter bathed her on Monday (she's 9) and I almost died at how cute it looked.

Tonight, husband and I are going to do her bath and read to her and then we'll leave together. We've booked a table at a nice restaurant and then we're going home to actually share a bed for the first time in well over a week. So, it's date night. Both feeling anxious (and a bit guilty) about leaving her, but the hospital counsellor suggested it and we think it would actually be a good idea.

@PeeAche2 I am in floods. That post is everything we all needed to read today I am more. I am so proud of your darling little princess as I can tell you are too.

What weight was she born?

Date night sounds like it's both necessary and deserved. You'll get back to her tomorrow feeling refreshed and ready to tackle another week. 💗

*today and more....

@EarlGreywithLemon @annie1994 so good to here positive stories. The risk of potential permanent staining has freaked me out but I can't take feeling like this any longer.

@Letsbekindplease book and snacks packed, although I just know I'll end up spending the whole time online shopping for bub...it's all I seem to do these days!

@PeeAche2 what a wonderful update I'm just so happy for you ❤️❤️❤️ so many special moments!

OH had to go out for a bit a couple of hours ago but he's just rung me and he's bringing me a McDonalds 😁 it's like he knows we've been talking about it on the thread!

@Prema112 yep I'll be refining my bag after this! I'm glad to see that I've been into most of the stuff that I packed for me so where I was feeling like I may have over packed I now don't think I have. I do find the air in here very drying so moisturiser has been good as my skin was getting very dry. Snack wise I've added crisps to the list as I really wanted these once I was allowed to eat again. Drug wise they've given me anything I needed, but there is often a bit of a delay so I'll keep the paracetamol in there as it is instant access. I was nil by mouth whilst an EMCS was still a possibility, so didn't eat for 24 hours, I was allowed water and I asked about Lucozade sport and this was also allowed and just gave me a bit of an energy kick, so that's being topped up when I get home as it's an absolute essential for me now! Tissues, as there's none near the beds and a pen I think completes the things that I need to add in. iPad has been fab for watching movies, OH brought me a book in too but it keeps making me sleepy reading it so the iPad is easier. Having my own towels has been nice too. The lists posted in this thread have been really good though and I feel hospital bag wise it's been fabulous prep! After my experience I would say make sure your bags are packed ladies and if you need to go in for any reason put them in the car! That was my mistake as I just didn't think there was a chance in the world I'd be staying in so I didn't bring it with me, then had to wait until we had a window where it definitely looked as though she wasn't arriving straight away (EMCS looking more unlikely) and then OH could go home and collect it and sort the dogs out because we hadn't been able to initiate any of our emergency protocols on them (only other key holder for our house - my mum- is on holiday 🤦‍♀️) so they were literally stuck in the house unfed until that point and I felt so guilty!

She was born weighing 4lb 6 and she's now weighing a whopping 4lb 14. So she's gained 7 ounces in 7 days which I am assured is very impressive!!

So, for anyone that is wondering about what would happen to you if your baby is prem... this is how it went for me:

Day 1: baby born early in the morning via c section. I'm whisked off to standard post natal care while baby is taken to neo natal ward.

Neo natal consists of 3 rooms: ICU; High Dependancy Care Unit; and Neo Natal Nursery. All 3 rooms are next to each other in a secure ward.

ICU is where they all go to start with. This is the room with the incubators and millions of tubes.

In ICU, I met one other lady who's baby was actually too young for the neo natal unit and was waiting transfer to Birmingham. Other than her, I didn't meet any other prems.

Day 2: After a consultant agreed and signed her out of ICU, baby and I then spent 2 nights in a side room off HDCU. HDCU looks quite similar to ICU but there are fewer machines. She was still incubated but I could hold her now. No funny gloves or anything.

Day 4: After our two nights together, (3 nights in hospital for me in total) I was discharged and baby moved into the main room of HDCU. Next to her incubator was a large, soft and high backed chair where one of us could sit all of the time. It wasn't bad really and it became my bed for a few nights. 😂

In HDCU I didn't meet anyone for a few days. But suddenly 3 other prems all appeared within the space of 24 hours! They were all smaller and than my girl and only 1 of them was breathing on their own. They all were admitted into ICU. 2 of them are still in ICU and 1 of them is in HDCU.

We all share facilities so I've become quite friendly with the other parents.

There's a tea and coffee room and a room for pumping. The pumps are really bloody good too!! There is a freezer and a fridge.

My girl has now been moved again into the Nursery next door. She's the only one in there. It's decorated much more like a children's bedroom and there are no incubators in this room. Again, I have a big chair. I bring books to read and telly to watch but tbh I mostly just stare at the baby all day. 😂

The nurses said that they don't usually put them into the nursery until they're suckling but since there's no one else in there and she's doing so well, they didn't mind this time.

Neo natal unit is all prem babies and parents so you don't share with any full term babies. I'm not constantly looking around at all the other mums and feeling sad or anything. It's a totally closed off and prem focused environment.

When you arrive, they're hot on the hand washing and you can't bring through your outside coats etc. they get left in a locked hallway.

It's warm, all the time. Like... waaaaay warmer than I keep my house. 😂

So, there you go.

They're better off inside your bellies but, if they do decide to make an early entrance, neonatal care on the NHS is amazing!

@PeeAche2 this is a wonderful post to read and so helpful for putting minds at ease!

I have to agree that NHS care has been just fabulous for me too as I've had this scare, I've felt totally secure in professional hands and had everything explained to me and been given choices all the way along. I've chosen to do what they tell me is best at each stage as they've done this hundreds of time with specialist training and I'm doing it for the first time with only Google and Mumsnet for advice! (And Google in particular if full of terrible advice!) they've given me the risks vs benefits at every decision to be made and outlined why they want to do what they want to do. I really can't fault the whole process for making me feel like I'm being guided to make properly informed decisions. I don't think the NHS copes well with the day to day non emergency stuff, but my God I think they're utterly fabulous when it really matters 💖❤️💙💜💛💚🧡

H

@Prema112 and @EarlGreywithLemon my baby is similar, head low in my pelvis, back across my right hand side, feet over to the left. He feels really low though, I swear my bump has dropped at work today.

@fpeg it's great news you are doing well, I get what you mean though. I am also very ready for baby to come by now!

@pregnancydiaries I've just sent my husband to get me a mcspicy haha. Looking forward to it!

@PeeAche2 so happy to read your update, your daughter sounds amazing, massive congratulations. Its so good that you can see her as much as you want too, must be a relief there's no visiting times. Do you get free parking too? The hospital i work in gives free parking to parents visiting nicu so worth asking if you haven't been told anything. I love it when I'm working on nnu, and the parents are all so lovely. I'm having my baby at the hospital I work in, and if i needed to go to the nnu for any reason I would feel 100% comfortable because they are just amazing in there.

Parking is still completely free for everyone at my hospital. It's a mixed blessing. Usually takes about 25 minutes to find a space!!

So lovely to read your updates ladies and that babies and you are doing fab.
@PeeAche2 enjoy your date night. Well deserved.

I started packing my hospital bag last night and will finish it hopefully by next week. I had 3 toddler free days just there and did absolutely NOTHING in terms of organising.

@PeeAche2 Glad to hear that your baby girl is doing so well 💕

@fpeg Also good to hear your contractions have stopped although I echo @pregnancydiaries wanting them to be here already 😂

Has anyone recently had to go back to see their midwife for an additional measuring or a growth scan? I'm measuring 31cm at 34 weeks. I had a growth scan initially at 26 weeks when I measured 23cm, then the next 2 appt's I was only 2cm 'out'. Seems now I'm back to 3cm difference. If I understand right I would have to be back to only 2cm difference to continue following my original curve. Not sure if I should be worried or not! 😟

So after I went in yesterday for a liver and bile test as I was itching without a rash, this has appeared on my arm and belly. 😬 anyone else? I googled and maybe PUPPP? I guess a positive is I’ve 1) not heard anything back after my blood test 2) I have a rash now which goes against the liver issue.
it’s that or somethings been eating at my this evening. 🙈
sorry for my gross belly photo!!

@PlodandPod yes, I measured 3 cm off yesterday (so 30cm at 33 weeks). The midwife said she would have sent me for a scan, but I had one booked for half an hour later anyway. The scan showed the baby on the 50th centile and all looking good. Same thing happened in my previous pregnancy several times, including at 40 weeks!
Bump measurements can be very inaccurate - good that they check up on them, but try not to worry (easier said than done, I know). Have they booked you a growth scan?

Ahh I can’t keep up!!! 😂

@PeeAche2 omg amazing news regarding your little girl, so happy for you ❤️

@Vimto1991 aww bless you, I had severe PUPPP in my first pregnancy and it was horrendous. Hopefully it doesn’t worsen for you. Try ordering pine tar soap. Stinks but it does help a little bit.

@EarlGreywithLemon That's good to know, thank you!

No I had the standard scans 12 & 20 weeks. An extra one at 26 weeks as a growth scan but haven't had any more since. They haven't yet booked me one in based on today yet no, I'm just struggling to see how I'll go up by 2cm in a week but I suppose anything is possible 😬 I'm tracking at the 10th percentile on the graph on my notes app. I certainly don't feel like bump is small 😂

Amusing story today.. DH had his head in my lap earlier as I gave him a head rub, next thing Bubba gives him two big kicks in the head 😂 never seen DH sit up so quick 😂😂😂 “I didn’t expect to get beaten up by a 0 year old” hahaha

@CurryandSnuggle ah thanks! I’ll give it a try :) anything to stop the itching 😂

@Vimto1991 aww bless you, it’s so difficult because the only thing that really gets rid of it is the birth of the baby, but I found slathering myself in calamine lotion every 10 minutes and an oat bath a few times a day plus pine tar soap helped. I hope it doesn’t escalate.

A GP might prescribe a steroid cream as well. It sadly didn’t do
much for me though but different things work for different people xx

@CurryandSnuggle fingers crossed! It may just be what I was wearing, it’s weirdly only on my left hand side! Hopefully doesn’t get too much worse, but ordered the pine soap off Amazon and going to lather in it regardless of PUPPP or not 😂
I may speak to the maternity unit tomorrow (I don’t have a midwife), and see if they do an official diagnose of PUPPP or not.

I also had my growth scan and midwife appointment on Monday.
My bump is still measuring small, about 5th percentile. But the scan was showing that she is actually on the 50th percentile for most measurements, except for weight which is 22.
My midwife mentioned that it can definitely depend on their position.

@Prema112 & @EarlGreywithLemon mine is exactly in the same position now, after being transverse for a few weeks.

I just ordered a pack (8) FridaMom disposable highwaist knickers. Also works in case you need a c-section . Was hoping that's good enough. 🤔

@fpeg Such good news. 💕
Oh @PeeAche2 that sounds lovely. Enjoy! Xx

Is anyone else getting period type pains? Definitely not round ligament but more light period pain. I had a tiny bit of spotting yesterday (I mean tiny) which didn't happen again so decided to monitor closely but all seemed ok.

@PleaseSendNoodles Hope your trip will go OK. Enjoy the time together. Xx