Hi everyone, I haven't checked this thread for a few weeks but finally caught up now. I don't know where the time has gone...work has been busy as usual and it's always the same before going off on holiday or in this case maternity leave (as others have said), everything seems to get busier or you're expected to just carry on as normal up to your mat leave starting. I only have 2 shifts left so 7th is my last working day and I can't wait. I love that phrase "mentally checked out", and I did that weeks ago aswell! I'm so ready to be off...not sure I'm as ready for a baby to arrive in 5 weeks though, or sooner! I don't know if I'm feeling more excited or nervous, probably a bit of both at this stage, but I'm looking forward to meeting her at last 😊
I'll just comment on some previous posts below, sorry as some of them are from a few weeks ago!
@NamelessBaby1 Thanks for the welcome! And I hadn't heard of a snot sucker until you mentioned it, it makes me feel slightly queasy but I suppose I'll have to get used to dealing with these things when baby is here!
@ShellUK09 I'm glad your baby has moved/engaged. Hopefully they stay there now! I have my next midwife appointment tomorrow morning so will find out if my baby is still in breech or not. I can't really tell...sometimes I seem to get the sensation that she's a bit lower down and pushing on my bladder more, and other times I still feel movement at both sides of my tummy so I don't know. I'll see what the midwife says tomorrow and take it from there.
@KizboBaggins My belly button seems stretched/flat and I have a line above it but nothing below. About the TENS machine, I decided to buy one as I had read positive things about them giving a bit of relief from the pain at least in the earlier part of labour. I know they're not guaranteed to work for everyone though, but I thought there was nothing to lose by getting one just so I have it handy when the time comes. If it doesn't work or I don't end up needing it then I'm sure I can sell it on again. I'm also considering using the birth pool although not totally sure if I will actually give birth in it, I suppose I'll only know at the time how I feel about that. The midwife told me that water births can be more gentle for the baby but we'll discuss that more tomorrow. In the end birth plans can change so I'll try to go in with an open mind but try to be prepared for all scenarios. I'm trying to decide whether to take any bikini bottoms for the pool if I go in for a bit before the baby comes, or will I even care by then and just go without? 😄
@ChinChilly Like you and many others too, I'm now struggling to get comfy in bed, mainly with lying on my sides and my hips aching because of the extra weight. I can fall asleep ok but wake up at least 2-3 times to turn onto my other side and usually get up for the toilet aswell. By 5am (sometimes earlier) I struggle to get back to sleep because I just can't get comfortable. I suppose it's probably the body's way of preparing us for what's to come.
@strawberrysummer19 I was so glad to see that your baby is alright and hope you're doing well. I've had periods of time on a few days where I feel she is quieter than others, and I'm never quite sure whether to phone triage, but then she has started moving again and I suppose it can just vary a little bit day to day. Yesterday though it felt like she was doing somersaults at my right hand side, she seemed a bit more active than normal, but it might be if she's facing different ways I can feel her more some days than others. Maybe she's trying to move downwards, we'll see!
I've also been trying to pack my hospital bag during the last week or two, I just find it hard trying to decide how many of certain things to take. I got those disposable padded pants aswell, but they're for incontinence really so I'm not sure if they're absorbent enough for what's going to come out after the baby is born, or are you supposed to put a maternity pad inside them? I suppose they could just be disposed of after that, but I also bought some big pants/full briefs because in the end they'll probably be a bit more comfortable...good to have both options! I was wondering too how many nighties/pyjamas to take, one of my antenatal classes suggested 2 nighties for birth and 2 for after but that seems like loads. Right now I have one nightie which is like a shirt style so has buttons down the front which would be good for afterwards/breastfeeding...one normal style nightie and comfy loose pyjama bottoms and a tshirt type pyjama top. Surely that would be enough? Oh and I've also been wondering about tops for breastfeeding aswell, so thanks for the strappy vest top tip, whoever suggested that (sorry I didn't note down your user name!).
I also bought a birth ball a few weeks ago, well I think it's officially a gym ball but loads of reviews were left by women who said they had used it during pregnancy and it was totally fine. My physio recommended getting one so that I can use it to try to help ease the hip aches a bit, and also that it can help to encourage baby to engage, so I've been trying to use it a little bit every day and it does feel quite comfortable.
@Danani Yes I definitely get different movements now compared to a few months ago, they kind of feel more squirmy now than just kicks, and I often see body parts sticking out or can feel the hard bits of a head or bum under my skin! I can never really identify what the body part is though!
@kiwi17 I know what you mean about finding nice maternity clothes. I haven't bought loads but I got some (in sales or discounted where I could!) from New Look, H&M and Next...a couple of things from George at Asda too. I mainly ordered online though which is not ideal, but there are hardly any shops here with actual maternity ranges you can go and look at. I've been wearing maternity jeans from H&M which have been really comfortable, but now the band at the waist keeps falling down because my bump is getting too big. It's slightly annoying but not long to go I suppose! I need to try to find some nursing bras aswell. I want to try breastfeeding and not too sure how it will go, but I can only try...nursing bras look a bit faffy but with practice I'll probably get used to it. I'm just not sure what my actual bra size is anymore, I've always been quite small so I don't think they've grown that much, but they have a bit and probably will more so if and when milk increases. I'll need to try to measure and maybe go up a size or two...I've never really found it easy getting bras that fit perfectly!
@Lianna93 I'm also in Scotland and my baby box was delivered this morning 🙂It does make it all feel more real doesn't it! 😳I haven't opened it yet because my husband is in Canada until Thursday (he was born there and had to go and deal with some family things, so I'm hoping nothing happens before he's back!) and I've asked if he wants me to wait until he's back to open it together, or whether I can have a peek now! Maybe I should just do it, I can be far too patient sometimes!
I think you also mentioned the health visitor in one of your posts - I got a letter over a month ago from the health visiting service at my GP surgery and they said they'd contact me to arrange an initial home visit between weeks 32-34. I'm now 35 weeks and haven't heard anything else from them so far.
@HotToddyColdSauvignon I was actually going to ask about perineal massage in this post but you beat me to it 😊It has been mentioned in a few antenatal classes and I've come across it online, so am willing to give it a go as I do get a but nervous at the thought of tearing, although apparently it doesn't necessarily stop a tear from happening...just might make it less potentially severe if it does? I suppose these things are not guaranteed to work but worth giving it a try just incase! It's not the most comfortable thing in the world though. I started trying it last week at 34 weeks, and I've done it 3 times as I think I read that was recommended somewhere, but I'm not sure. I know that there are instructions on how to do it, but I've no idea really if I'm doing it properly. I'm using almond oil which seems ok, and I can reach but it just all feels quite awkward. Some of the guidance recommends using 2 thumbs but I don't seem to be able to contort myself to the position to be able to do that! 😆I'm trying to just stretch the skin in that area the best I can, and right now it does feel a bit of a burny/stinging sensation but not unbearably...which I've read is normal...so I'm hoping if that subsides a bit then it might mean that the muscle is becoming more stretched...otherwise I don't really know! I've read about a device called the Perimom which is supposed to make it a bit easier but it costs over £50 so I'm giving that a miss, especially when I don't know if it's definitely going to work. I've bought the perineal soothing spray (Spritz for Bits) for after the birth, from My Expert Midwife website (which has great reviews so I'd rather have it just incase). I got one on ebay a lot cheaper than from the website 🙂
@Mattieandmummy I was also told in one of my antenatal classes that if you eat 6 dates a day from 36 weeks it softens the cervix and "significantly reduces the risk of induction", according to the notes I wrote down! I'm sure they said there had been studies into it and there is some evidence that it has this effect, but who knows really. But I'll give it a try...I've bought a big bag of them ready for next week!
A few of you mentioned/asked about what we've bought so far for the baby. I've got most of the bigger things I need I think, like bedside crib, pram/car seat...also bouncer, high chair (although she won't need it for quite a while), play gym mat thing, baby bath, changing bag, some clothes for various ages (it's hard to resist when there are so many cute things!), and the essentials like nappies, wipes, some gentle bath soap/shampoo although I know that it's recommended to just use water for the first while...I've bought a lot of things second hand where I can, as long as it's still in good condition, as some things can be so expensive and she won't be using them for that long. I don't have a changing table although did want one, but then I thought that I could maybe just use the desk in the spare room which will eventually become the baby's room. Usually I've been working from home in the spare room, and the desk is kind of built in to the wall but I might need to take it out in future when she gets a bit older. Right now this room is just full of piles of things I've been buying, as well as some of our own things too. I just feel like I don't have enough space for everything and wish this house had an extra room, but I'll need to try to have a bit of a clear our or at least rearrange some things. I still have at least 7 months before she moves to her own room, hopefully!
I wasn't sure about buying a baby monitor yet because if she's going to be mainly in the same room as me most of the time, and sleeping in my room, would I really need one for the first few months? And also a baby carrier...I like the idea of carrying her like that and having my hands free, but as with baby monitors there seem to be so many different types. I'm not sure about the cloth type ones as I have a fear of it coming undone somehow and the baby falling out! Probably just be being paranoid and overthinking it! 😄A friend mentioned one that she had which clips at each side and also has a bit at the back which you can pull up on the baby's back and clip that too at the sides. I saw this one on Amazon which at first glance looked ideal, but then one of the reviews mentioned that it didn't hold their baby's hips in a good position so despite all the good reviews, I'm not sure now! www.amazon.co.uk/Infantino-Advanced-Convertible-Carrier-Light/dp/B01FF518KK/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=baby%2Bcarrier&qid=1654368241&sr=8-5&th=1 I suppose I'll just need to keep researching!
I was going to ask, probably another personal question, haha. But how have everyone's toilet habits been? I know that at this stage digestion is supposed to be more sluggish so that the baby can get more nutrients from what we eat, and last weekend I had been quite constipated for 2-3 days. But then at the start of the week it seemed to resolve itself and for maybe 3 or 4 days I was going twice a day (one day 3 times! Sorry, too much information!). I've read that before labour the body tends to have a bowel clear out and I know that I'm not quite at that stage yet (at least I hope not!), but I wonder if it's going to be more like this the closer I get to the big day. Or it might just be hormone related too. I've been feeling more hungry these past few weeks aswell...I know that in the third trimester we only need an extra 200 calories or something but some days I just feel starving and definitely eat more than that! Which I know is not good, but if I feel hungry then I suppose my body is telling me to eat, but I try not to be too unhealthy although crisps and cheese can be a weakness sometimes....
Final question or thought was back to the hospital bag....I've read that it's recommended to take snacks and drinks for labour because we need to keep our energy up when we're going through it, and we don't know what time of day it will be so there might be no food available in the hospital for hours...I'm thinking that eating during labour is the last thing I'll feel like doing, but I've got a few snacks together just incase. I just wondered if anyone else had any snack ideas for labour. So far I've got some oat bars, Soreen slices, fruit/seed oatcakes, nuts/dried fruit (like a trail mix style), mini Snickers bars, some fruit pastilles and wine gums, etc. Crisps will probably be in there too and possibly fruit but it's probably more messy to eat that. I've got some Lucozade sport (non-carbonated) which seem to be recommended during labour. Water too of course and a little carton of coconut water but I'm not sure if I even like it! That list seems like far too much though, haha. A friend said she took sandwiches to the hospital when she was in labour, but how can you be that prepared? Unless I get some before the hospital if I have time, but then what if there isn't a fridge? I'd need to be trackled with a cool bag too, although having cool drinks would be nice. I keep reading tips about batch cooking so you can have lots of nice meals in the freezer ready to go, when you come home from the hospital, but I'm the kind of person who fills my freezer to the brim with various things (I like to get yellow sticker bargains sometimes which I then just freeze, which can take up a bit of space!), and I really need to use it more quickly. So I don't really have space to fill up my freezer with batch cooked meals although it would be nice! Maybe I should just purge some things to make space....or my husband might need to learn to cook over the next 5 weeks and spend some time in the kitchen for a change when we come home! 🙄
I'm sorry for rambling on with the longest post ever, but I just wanted to get all caught up! I've always enjoyed reading the posts here, everyone seems so friendly and I've learned a lot during what has been and is a brand new experience for me (and for many of us), so thank you ladies xx