Due September 2022 (Thread 7!)

[HaresHoping]

Hiya everyone,

Just starting a new thread for when we need it as thread 6 is almost full! ☺️

My midwife got in touch not long ago and wants to talk to me about a birthing plan early, given baby might be coming early.

The way I approached it with DD was that it was a useful way to express what I thought my preferences might be. It certainly wasn't set in stone, which is good as I'd planned a home birth and had an EMCS! But for me it was a good way to talk and think through what might happen and what would be helpful in different situations.

Thanks everyone :)

@annlee3817 that sounds like a lovely little getaway! Definitely feeling the downwards pressure, my back was cramping all night last night, and my boobs are tingly/milk has definitely come. I think my body must hit the 32 week mark and just decide it is done.

@110APiccadilly i'm so sorry, it sounds like you have had an incredibly stressful ride of things! I'm amazed how well your little one is doing staying in there and growing, gives me some good hope!

@GlitteryGreen i've never successfully made it to the stage of making a birthing plan! When I came in for labour at 34.5 weeks last time the hospital asked and I think I was like "get baby out?!". As things are so up in the air right now, i'll likely have a C section, they think the baby being so small would be in distress from a natural birth, and he is upside down still, so we will just wait and see. I have a personal fear of spine tap type needles after a lumbar puncture as a child, but i'll have to get over that. Needles/knives phobias be damned. I seriously wonder how people pre modern medicine did this. I guess they just didnt!

@HaresHoping my birth plan was pretty much followed so it isn't always out the window. The only thing I changed my mind on was VEs. This time I'm not sure I will change my mind as I got stressed out thinking I wasn't 'far enough' which just made labour longer!
I had a home birth last time and I'm hoping for another.

I agree @GlitteryGreen! It's so unknown. I was keen on a birthing pool but have been told I'm too heavy 😔

That's a great approach @110APiccadilly thank you.

@madeleine85 bless you. You can 100% do it! Phobias be damned like you say. I hate needles but the amount that I've had to give my blood over the course of this pregnancy has helped a bit I think.

@awwwbiscuits it's great to hear that it doesn't always go out the window! A home birth sounds lovely 🥰

@Sweetbabydust1989 bless you that sounds scary. Definitely a good idea to try to set a robust plan in place if you can. Third time's the charm!

@HaresHoping this may be interesting to you:

www.aims.org.uk/journal/item/waterbirth-high-bmi

Don't let them stop you from having the pain relief you want. And water is a brilliant pain reliever, I can vouch for that from my first.

@HaresHoping that's the only reason they're doing it I see my consultant and consultant midwife and they do the plan together I just want some control this time I didn't want drugs as I didn't have it with either of my boys but knowing she is back to back like my second son was I am going for them the back to back prolonged my second sons labour contractions kept stopping so I was like sod that give me the drugs... my babies have a tendency of coming earlier than planned so I no it will all probably go out the window I dread going into labour on the school run 🙈 xx

That's really interesting! Thank you @awwwbiscuits. My consultant said that the hospital doesn't have a hoist and that emergency evacuation is the issue, the second consultant I spoke to said I might die if they couldn't get me out 😫 so I think I'm erring on the side of caution. Which is a huge shame because look at all the benefits listed there! But without a hoist it's not safe for me (or... anyone?!) so I'll probably stick with my birthing ball! Thank you though, it's something I'll maybe keep shouting about with my hospital trust to try to improve things going forward x

Weird one but....does anybody else feel sooooo achy in the morning? Every morning I get up and my whole body is so stiff and aching as if I've been hit by a car, but then once I've moved around a bit for 5 mins I'm fine.

It's really making me hate the mornings!

@GlitteryGreen oh yes I am like that I have carpal tunnel atm and it's been a nightmare I just want to cry xx

I just had my consultant scan and follow up from last week's restricted growth panic admission to hospital. Little guy is still very little, but they want to keep him in for now. They still see good placenta blood flow, even if the nutrients he's getting aren't great, and the amniotic fluid has increased so tall in all, things are as good as can be. Measuring around 2 weeks behind, and 3lbs 9oz at 33+3. Head and legs are ok sized (25% ish), but belly still tiny (which is actually good as his brain is ok). Still breach and most likely a c section by 36-37 weeks. I thought I had contractions last night, and my milk has started coming in, so if we make it there I will be very pleasantly surprised! Overall it was actually a positive doctors visit, and at this early stage every day he stays in is a good thing :).

That's really good news @madeleine85 💕 crossing everything for you that he stays cosy in there a while longer x

I've definitely started to have some braxton hicks. Annoying as they are at least it means we're nearly there !!

That scan result sounds encouraging overall @madeleine85 . The midwife told me that once you get to 34 weeks the long term health risks to the baby from being premature really drop, and you've only got a few days to go before you get to that milestone.

Mine is measuring about three weeks behind and unlike yours has a comparatively small head and a chubby tummy! However, all the many scans they've done haven't shown any problems other than size, and baby's following a growth curve (somewhere around the 2nd percentile) so they're not panicking yet. In fact, I've asked to be transferred back to the smaller, more local hospital for the rest of the monitoring and they seem sympathetic to that as long as I understand I can't give birth there as they've not got a NICU. I should get a definite answer on Monday about that, really hoping they say yes - going to the big hospital wipes out the whole day and all the travelling does a bit of a number on my slightly dodgy back.

That's brilliant @madeleine85. Such a stressful time but great youv been checked and reassured.
We are exactly 3lb 9oz too at 32 weeks. Not far behind you! You must only have 3-4 weeks left now. Hope your ok :)

Has anyones else's colostrum come in? I had a stressful day yesterday when I found out that my manager is having to fight to get my maternity cover approved due to cost cutting, so started panicking about being made redundant when I go back. Then on my way to bed I noticed a little drop but assumed I was seeing things. There's no doubt about it today, it's yellow and everything! It's made me really excited and now I don't care about the work stuff 😂 I've made a big planning list for my hospital bag just now and am going to order bits I need so I can pack it all ready. 33 weeks on Tuesday 😅 where is the time going?

Hope everyone is coping ok in the heat 🍉

Thanks everyone, feeling much better at the moment. Minus the baby’s head in my left rib cage (ow). @HaresHoping mine came in this week too at 33 weeks so guess that must be normal. Sorry about the job situation, but at least you’re protected through mat leave, so please try put it out of your head.

Getting used to the idea of a Csection. with a tiny baby an induction can cause a lot of stress on them so the doctor isn’t recommending a natural birth. He’s also breech. Mostly terrified of the spinal tap aspect as I had a lumbar puncture when a child with a huge fever and hallucinating and of course the NHS nurse showed me the giant needle 😂. I’ve been terrified since. But honestly I’ll get over it. Only really 2.5-3.5 weeks now at absolute most! Its also amazing we haven’t had any babies in the group yet, so far so good!! Hope you’re all eating ice creams and staying in the cool.

@HaresHoping without being too graphic, when I squeeze my nipples I get a drop of wetness. I think my body is well on its way to starting to produce colostrum. With GD, they are keen for me to harvest some to help baby after birth.

Has anyone got any advice on how to deal with haemorrhoids? I have just discovered them after a few days of discomfort :(

@madeleine85 glad your scan was positive, I had a lumbar puncture when I was seven, but it took four attempts to get it right, it's what have me my fear of needles, so completely get why you're not keen on the idea of a spinal tap.

@HaresHoping also getting collustrum, but very sporadically. Sorry you've got the worry of your maternity cover, hope it gets agreed.

@BambiEll the only thing I know to use is anusol, but not sure about use in pregnancy.

To avoid constipation I am trying to drink plenty and was having prunes before bed.

@110APiccadilly good that you can be monitored nearer to you!

We've just got back from.our camping trip, had such a good time, slept so much better with all the fresh air :)

@HaresHoping you are legally covered for
Maternity leave. If you are in the UK your employer can't decide to not give you maternity cover! See a solicitor if in doubt, most give free advice.

In my last pregnancy I was told not to try and collect colostrum until 38 weeks as it can actually induce labour!! I tried 3 times a day from 38 weeks and nothing! As soon as baby was born though I had lots! So don't stress if you don't get any. Plenty of time to squeeze out loads while baby sleeps a lot in those first few hours.

Has everyone asked about rules with partners? Last time (2020) in Covid my partner was allowed in for hourly visits just and of course the c section but that was it. I'm
Hoping he can stay for the day after we have our elective c section 🤞🤞

I also didn't collect colostrum last time and still managed to get enough out once DD was here to feed her (and they were monitoring her blood sugars pretty closely to start with as she was so small). So I agree, don't stress too much if you can't get any before the birth.

My health board are in the middle of ramping up restrictions on visitors (which is scaring me a bit) but I think DH can still be in during the day once baby's born as things stand at present. I'm just hoping I'm not in for any significant length of time as DD won't be allowed in at all - that's worrying me a bit. She's great with other people and adores my mum, who'll most likely be the one looking after her, but she's never been away from me for more than a day really.

My first baby is 5 tomorrow! Just hoping the hall for her party is cool enough. Am going to die a little bit I think!!

Anyone got sunburnt 🥺 I topped up 3 times today factor 50 and still got burnt on my legs I was drinking so much water and juice too hope my lady is ok xx

@BambiEll You can't use Anusol during pregnancy, if you ask in the pharmacy they can advise. I have one called Preparation H which was helpful... But... I might see my gp about any superior alternatives!