Due July 2022 (thread 5)

[Lianna93]

Baby Calendar 🧡 Please add your names & keep it going 🥰

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I have my ELCS tomorrow 😖 so weird to think tomorrow I’ll be meeting my baby 🥰Hope everyone is ok and plodding along!

@annie1994 good luck! Hope it all goes well for you x

Good luck @annie1994 sending lots of hugs!

@annie1994 wow good luck to you! It must be amazing knowing when you are going to have your baby, it's the unknown and surprise element that I'm not really liking right now!

@ChinChilly my hospital only offered online antenatal classes via Zoom. They were helpful for me as a first timer for some of the practical aspects of caring for baby such as videos of how to make up a formula and how to bathe baby and change a nappy, and positions for labour (being on your back on the bed is the worst), and especially for my partner to get more of an understanding, and to see how to do a decent back massage! One thing I had no clue about was the cord nub, had no idea you keep that dry and lower the nappy so it doesn't rub against it, and then it drops off about 2 weeks later 😳 Although the classes were helpful, I feel like I learnt more about the actual labour process from the positive birth company hypno birthing videos so it's worth considering those and they have made me feel less anxious about things.

@Fizzybubblegumbottles @SamanthaVimes thanks both, I worked in childcare for years before my current job so I like to think I’m not completely clueless but I guess it’s a lot different with your own. @ShellUK09 I did look on my hospital website but it says they’re all fully booked but I’ll have a look on the positive birthing company.

@annie1994 ahh exciting! Good luck

@annie1994 how exciting!! Good luck and I hope it all goes well!!

Im starting antenatal classes tomorrow. As a first time Mum I just thought knowledge would be power and also help my partner understand things, and I’m hoping to make some friends there too as I don’t know many people around where I live!

Good luck @annie1994 🥰

I've induction booked for next Tuesday. All packed and ready to go! Got soo many snacks at the ready 😆

@annie1994 Good luck!
Can't believe we're mid June & starting to welcome babies already 😁

Everything I've been feeling over the past 48 hours seems to have just disappeared, so no idea what's going on 🙈😂
Just gonna keep monitoring myself. DH literally only has tomorrow to work & then he's off for the next 4 weeks so we're hoping she'll stay put for another day or two at least 🤞🏻🙈

Good luck @annie1994 how exciting! I’m very jealous of the people that have dates set for the babies arrival!

I’ve got my growth scan later today. Hoping everything is okay. I’ve had awful cramps for the last 24 hrs just don’t feel myself today. Hope everyone else is feeling good

Hi all, I’ve just had my 38 week (+5) midwife check and she’s suggested I start collecting colostrum in little syringes she’s given me (plus it can’t hurt she said to try and start getting the oxytocin moving and seeing if that helps stir the baby into moving!)

DH got very excited when I said he now had full permission to “massage my breasts” 😂 and then less excited when I explained it wasn’t as a lead up to anything else 😂

Thank you very much everyone! My first son was a spontaneous vaginal birth so it’s so weird knowing exactly when it’s happening this time 😂 I’ve lost more mucus plug this morning so I’m just hoping baby stays put till the morning!!

With antenatal classes, we never had them as we were in the first lockdown where everything was stopped. I managed to wing it luckily! But I definitely think if it’s something you think will help, do it!

@annie1994 so excited for you!

I have one week left of work - wahoo

Bump has definitely dropped more and I've so much pressure in my pelvis and it actually hurts
Wondering if I will go full term (getting induced at 39+1)

Also another highly active day for bubs

Happy to leaving work now as I'm so uncomfortable 😣

My work have asked when I would like to take my KIT days, they said I can take 10 which I am happy to (having 9 months off) suggesting a month with baby and then spreading them until I return

What is everyone else doing?

I feel I would like at least 3 months off with baby! And then think about kit

What's everyone's thoughts on this? X

@strawberrysummer19 I’ve told work I’m not interested in KIT days until at least 6 months, probably more like 9 months (unless it’s “fun” days like our team building days)

My boss thinks it’s more useful to use them closer together near the end anyway so it works out well!

I know from DD that if I’m still bfing (which I currently assume I will be) it’ll be impractical to do a whole day much before then anyway as I’m crap at pumping

@strawberrysummer19 I had a similar conversation with HR today and they left it totally in my hands. They said that some people like to start doing them when the money drops from their policy amount to SMP (so around 4 months), but that there was no pressure. I have no idea how I'll feel but assuming I'll only want and need to start "keeping in touch" when I'm thinking about going back. So probably around 6/7 months. Either that or we'll be completely skint by Xmas and I'll have to take them all at once 😅

@HotToddyColdSauvignon oh bless your DH, good effort on his part 😂 did the midwife tell you how to collect it? I'm guessing there'll be stuff on YouTube I can watch but I wouldn't know where to start. Probs should look up some BFing stuff too as that baffles me

Yes, she had a crochet boob and went into far too much detail about squeezing and cupping and nipples….

I think I was blushing more than DH was!

I'm taking a year off work, so may use one KIT day for a Christmas thing and then will keep the rest for when I'm actually thinking about going back to work.

I've managed to avoid being in pain in general up until now which is good going I think, but I just tried blowing up my gym ball and I guess I didn't inflate it enough as the minute I tried sitting on it I got really intense pelvic pain 😖and now I can't get the cap out to blow it up more, so annoying lol.

@strawberrysummer19 I spoke to my boss about KIT days before I left but I don’t think I’ll do any until after 6 months.

Saw the midwife today, baby’s head is engaged and her back is facing towards my stomach so she’s in a good position.. Quite abit of labour and birth plan chat which was quite scary. I’ve not felt right today really uncomfortable and unable to settle 🥴 currently packing mine and baby’s hospital bags. Growth scan tomorrow, hopefully she hasn’t put too much weight on in the last 2 weeks 🙈

I'm going to use my KIT days on Mondays (which are our meeting days) as I never get Mondays off & DH will always be off on Mondays, so for me it's about making that transition for both of us & then it's not a sudden change in routine.
I'm looking at March before I return but will have annual leave from this year to use up, so might be a while before I return full time - which is probably a blessing. Can't imagine being off work for 9 months & then going back into my shifts 😩

@strawberrysummer19 there's no way I'll be doing any kit days this side of Christmas, they'll be lucky to see me by about April maybe! I'm not going back to work until July but will see if I'm desperate for money/adult conversation nearer the end!

Has anyone else got intense pressure and pain in pelvic area?
Feels like she's dropped since yesterday
Only 35wks - is this normal?! X

Juat catching up here :)
Congratulations @Capricorn8990 hope you and Alora are getting on well ❤️ sounds like it was all a bit scary in the end!
@annie1994 good luck for tomorrow. Hope eveything goes smooth, youll be holding baby in no time 😍

Its very exciting to see everyones getting geared up for labour!

Im still only 35 weeks, totally sick of work in this heat (finish on Thurs!).. tried perineal massage today... Literally struggled with 2 thumbs so really looking forward to squeezing a baby out 😂👍 also ordered my rasberry leaf tea and collostrum syringes. Would any of you seasoned mums say these things actually work??

@JJ1992 I think the evidence for all the things to bring on labour is a bit dodgy but it can’t hurt to try. I’m going to start bouncing on the birthing ball a bit as it’s meant to help.

One thing I’ll give a go that I didn’t know about last time is curb walking where you walk with one foot on the pavement and one on the road, apparently it helps baby move down your pelvis and put pressure on your cervix to tell your body it’s ready to go.

Generally though I think they come when they’re ready but at least you feel like you’re doing something!

One thing I had last time which I won’t have again was a sweep. The first one my body was just not ready and it bloody hurt, subsequent ones didn’t hurt as much but that’s because things were already happening on their own iyswim.

@JJ1992 I'm also sceptical about all the various techniques for bringing on labour plus I also question whether it's a good idea. They come when they're ready to.

I'm also not having a sweep, I've always had my doubts about the effectiveness of them because your cervix opens when your hormones tell it to not because someone stuck their fingers up it. But then my midwife with my last baby managed to break my waters by accident during a sweep which led to threats of induction to avoid infection so I have a rather dim view of sweeps!

I'm not going to bother colustrum harvesting either. Just going to feed small person when she arrives.

I sound really grumpy today don't I!

@annie1994 good luck for today!
Exciting to meet little one ☺

@JJ1992 I know of people that have tried most things including sex to bring on labour & its not worked so I'm a bit sceptical.

The only thing I've had / going to have is a sweep. Had 1 last week & thankfully unlike @SamanthaVimes & @Mattieandmummy my experience was OK! Not pleasant but just similar discomfort as a smear.
The midwife did say she would try rather than just do so im wondering if yours was a bit more hellbent & you weren't really dilated enough Samantha?
I did feel like baby dropped 48hrs later whether that was coincidence or not 🤷‍♀️
I'm having another today as they said even if it doesn't work then they often seem to make induction easier/more likely to work. I'm getting induced Monday & I really don't want a section if at all possible!

It's not even 9am and it's hot af already. Gonna reach 25 degrees in Birmingham and I am not ready for this level of heat today. Is it hot elsewhere for the rest of you too?