Due in June - Thread 11!

[PlodandPod]

@Brightsmoke
@EarlGreywithLemon
@fpeg
@PeeAche2
@pregnancydiaries
@Rolledthedice
@Vimto1991
@Annabell1
@Prema112
@Lostintranslatio
@Roxystar23
@PleaseSendNoodles
@imhereforthecake
@RoseValleyRambles
@t0nim92
@Yecats22
@AlbatrossSociety
@unknownscot
@beansprout55
@MrsNT
@Letsbekindplease
@GrowBabyGrow
@MrsTwentyNine
@Flowerbug1994
@DaimDillyDoo
@MsBubbles85
@Octoblockisadick
@C1ueless22
@CurryandSnuggle
@rathernotshare
@InvisibleDragon
@4thtimethecharm
@ALHCTPS
@RooSut25

@Vimto1991 probably not but maybe I should, it's rather uncomfortable. Best way to describe it, is whenever I stand upright or lean forward on a chair I feel like I really badly need a wee, to the point where it hurts. But I definitely don't need a wee!

So exciting all these babies starting to arrive! I’m hoping mine stays put until his DD as our renovation still not finished 😣 hopefully moving in in two weeks time once kitchen is done!

feeling v sorry for myself today as gave myself today poisoning last night from some reheated pizza. Be careful folks! I was puking from 1am till 10am and been feeling awful all day as a consequence. Also obviously worrying about the baby loads although midwife said they are protected and not to worry….

@Octoblockisadick oh I’ve been like that today! If I try and pee hardly anything comes out and it’s like a weird pressure plus really needing to pee on top. Hopefully just the position of the baby!!

On cot mattresses, Which have good info on the best brands. I was surprised on how many have safety issues that I'd never think to check like the zip for the mattress cover being a choking hazard or the mattress becoming saggy quickly. They actually rate the IKEA mattresses the highest so I think we're just going to get one from there

Is anyone else seeing both a consultant and a midwife? I had my first consultant appt a few weeks ago, and am now waiting for my second. Feels a bit of a waste of time, tbh. Another hospital trip (and hour long wait) for what seems to be no different checks than the ones the midwife does. Sigh. Do they get more purposeful as they go along?

I don't begrudge the extra checks (Doppler etc) but doesn't seem to be anything the midwife couldn't do which is a bit odd...

@pregnancydiaries we also used Which to look at the mattress ratings and bought the standard Mamas and Papas one - not the deluxe, which gets bad safety ratings. We would have gone for IKEA, but we didn’t fancy a trip there and delivery is ridiculously expensive.
@RoseValleyRambles I am also seeing a consultant as well as a midwife, but it’s a joint cardiology and obstetrics clinic, so there’s a specific purpose to it. As far as I’m concerned the next appointment (at 37 weeks) I can talk to the obstetrician about the C section date - I’m currently booked for 39+5, which feels like it’s cutting it very fine!

@Northofthebordermum how many weeks are you now? Hopefully you get all moved in before baby makes his appearance!

@Vimto1991 I phoned triage in the end, because i thought I better ask if there was anything I needed to watch out for after last weeks bug too. She said babies like to "test the waters" at this stage, so mild pain/pressure when standing is considered normal. The peeing thing is to do with their head squashing the bladder, so not a concern as long as can still pee.

@RoseValleyRambles I'm seeing both due to previous c section and "big baby". My consultant is pretty chilled to be fair, and I work at the hospital so it isn't too much hassle. I can imagine it being a pain if I had to travel for the appointments though, because they don't do very much tbh.

@Vimto1991 it takes me a few minutes now to properly empty my bladder and baby's head definitely acting like a pressure valve stopping it from doing so all in one go. That and the fact that I literally need to go every hour to 90 minutes is very frustrating!

Glad someone else did this with the M&P mattress. I read about the standard one being better than deluxe, the sales lady convinced us to go for the deluxe as it was 'better', a week later we changed it back to the standard on our order 😬

Has anyone else got gestational diabetes?
Just been diagnosed at 34 weeks. Feeling really sorry for myself and feel like I've let baby down.
Anyone got any food tips or anything please?

How are we meant to know where baby is? I’m finding this really tricky to understand (not helped by anterior placenta). Today the midwife set off some anxiety by saying she thinks she can feel head is down but it’s far back in my pelvis and my next scan will confirm. I’m 35 weeks today and baby was head down 3 weeks ago, surely I’d have felt a 360 spin?! I feel like I get bulges to the right or left, and that she changes sides. Has anyone managed to get belly mapping to work? What are the kicks etc like with a breech baby?

@rolledthedice mine is breech and the kicks are in my bladder / what feels like my lower intestines. Feels very weird! I feel good arms moving gently at the top of the bump if I put my hand there, but not much major movement higher up. I'm also getting no bladder pressure, so no issues with frequent weeing or similar, as I don't have his head pressing down there.

@imhereforthecake So sorry to hear, unfortunately it's a total pain in the arse 😢 But, it's not painful or dangerous if you monitor it. Just get used to setting an alarm for an hour after every meal to stab yourself in the finger.. And order your first glucose test strips prescription in plenty of time - they're expensive and they only give you 10 days or so at a time.

In terms of blaming yourself, I did the same as I was eating so much cake before I was diagnosed and asked I'd "brought it on". I'll tell you what I was told repeatedly by medical staff: it's not your fault and you didn't cause it.

The best tips I can give are from reading up here: www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk I've attached their 8 golden rules which are spot-on. Here's my personal rules which I've found to be the most important:

1. Breakfast is a bugger: Cereal is just no-go for me; one slice of toast in the morning max(with fat or protein) is ok; but the easiest option is yoghurt, nuts and a few berries.
2. Food pairing - definitely pay attention to this: ALWAYS pair your carbs with fat and/or protein.
3. Water, last thing at night - make sure you drink a big old glass if your fasting(morning) readings are high! Means more toilet trips during the night but it's effective.

Hope that's a bit helpful and good luck 🍀🌷

@Rolledthedice I'm like you, I have an anterior placenta and can't figure out where the baby is. I haven't had any extra scans throughout the pregnancy and I'm 34 weeks now. Are you having regular extra scans?

Is it worth taking a breastfeeding pillow to hospital? C section baby so don't know if it'll be helpful...

Thank you @RoseValleyRambles - I’ll watch out for the things you described!

@Katiebaby13 I had one growth scan as an earlier private scan showed up a short femur. My second scan tomorrow is to check she has grown and is still on track for 10th percentile. 🤞🏻 It’s so hard understanding what’s going on in there with our babies isn’t it!

I still don't have my C-section date, which I'm a bit miffed by. I did however get a text this evening about a pre op covid test on May 29th. Hopefully they are starting to book things in! I have a 36 week growth scan on Wed, so am hoping to ask the sonographer if they can see future appointments on their system 🤣.

I packed my bags this weekend. Well, I did the majority of them! I sent hubby a list of what needs adding just in case!

Reading info on elective C-sections from my hospital (thanks to Google), I've added chewing gum and lucozade sport to my online grocery shop. Apparently they recommend that you have both. Watching their pre op video (on YouTube) they say that the lucozade sport should be flat. How do I know until I open it?

I almost went to Morrisons to stash some Pampers nappies as they have an amazing deal atm (80 for £5.50). Hubby then asked why we weren't just using Aldi nappies as we did with DD. In the end I went to Aldi and bought a few packs of 24 nappies for 79p. We went through 10ish a day to start with for DD, so I was worried that we didn't even have a week's supply in with the 1 pack I'd bought previously.

There's so much to do and virtually no time and I can't do much before being knackered. I also can't physically do everything that I used to.

I was asked last Thurs at DD's toddler group if I was looking forward to no.2 's arrival. My response was that I'm looking forward to not being pregnant, but having 2 kids in quite daunting 🤣🤣🤣.

I've also been offered induction at 39 weeks.

I don't have health complications or anxiolytics, my OB just really believes in it.
He said baby has fully developed and let's just get him out as there can be complications after 39 weeks.

I'm a bit as I don't technically have the need for an induction, but he's a very experienced OB and one of the best ones in the whole area..

How are my fellow COVID sufferers doing? My breathing has been a bit better today apart from when talking a lot. I have completely lost my sense of smell and taste though, which at least makes the GD diet easier - no point craving oranges and chocolate if I can’t taste them! Although I am worried how long it could take to return I’ll be devastated if I miss my newborn baby smell. For those that have had it and lost this, how long did it take to return?

@unknownscot that was my plan too however consultant now saying she doesn’t recommend taking on the risks of initial induction only then to need an unplanned c-section. Feeling very deflated about it all. Either way it looks like it will only be three weeks to go!

@pregnancydiaries @GrowBabyGrow we used Which and got the upper end IKEA one.

@Northofthebordermum sorry to hear about your food poisoning and @imhereforthecake your GD diagnosis. Hope all those with the return of sickness have had a better day. Seriously I thought the end of pregnancy was just uncomfortable but we all seem to be in the wars so much.

Oh forgot to ask. Has anyone started harvesting colostrum yet and if so any tips? I believe my midwife should be giving me a kit tomorrow.

@RoseValleyRambles I’m taking one this time (also C section). I didn’t for our daughter (vaginal birth) and it’s the one thing I really wished I had. Not sure how the section will change the equation, but I reckon I’ll need “padding” even more!

Shall reply to comments up thread shortly but first I need to rant (sorry guys this is like my safe haven where I can rant about this stuff!)…

Ok so… it seems the universe is telling us that the following wasn’t enough for one household to suffer: tummy bugs (DS and DH), warts (DS), nits (all of us, brought home by DS), wart became infected requiring antibiotics (DS) and covid (Me and DH). Now it appears that DS probably has a urine infection. GIVE ME STRENGTH.

I was awake 2 hours in the night silently seething at our luck!! My hypnobirthing course is like “eliminate stress from your life so you can build up a good level of oxytocin and your baby will come!”, my life is like “HA! No have covid and give your son another infection” ffs 😂

Hi all, lovely to read about what everyone is up to, been struggling to keep up, somehow I'm MORE busy now I'm not a work!

@laurenGame That sounds strange to be offered an early induction for no reason... I'd be a bit perplexed by that too!

@imhereforthecake Sorry to hear about your GD, hope it's not too much of a pain to manage.

@slowrunningteacher I hear you on the so much to do no time thing! Now I've finished work I feel I should have loads of time but 6 hours while DS is at school goes so quick and I physically can't do much now without needing loads of rests- when I get home from drop off I have to lie down for 30 mins 😂 Hoping to get baby blankets washed and baby cupboards organised today 🤞🏼 Also need to make DS a ninja cake for birthday tmw 🥷🏻 (Please baby don't come on his birthday!!)

I had my first peanut date yesterday! I never did online dating and it was quite fun meeting someone in real life you've only known online! She had had a sweep that morning and was 2cm dilated, I was like ummm don't you wanna be at home with your husband rather than out meeting someone you don't know?!?

What's everyone packing for snacks in their hospital bag??

@CurryandSnuggle Ergh that SUCKS! So sorry. Nits is such a pain they constantly go round DS class. Hope he's feels ok with the infection ❤️ I have to say the thing I'm most stressed about with the labour is getting my son to someone to look after him, being due the bank holiday week doesn't help, everyone away!

@Prema112 oh gosh I know the feeling. DD is due on 3rd June as well. Brighton gets horrendous traffic during bank holidays especially if the weather is nice, so that worries me further as will add time to journeys.

but I guess we just need to remember we can only control what we can control 🙂