Due November 2022 Thread 3

[NotAdultingToday]

Hi everyone! I looked but couldn't see a thread, if there is one ill ask to get this one deleted. I hope everyone is ok!

Ah thank you ladies, that’s really helpful.

I was rushed back into hospital the day after I came home post birth for 5 days so I probably just didn’t give it enough time and no encouragement to stimulate my milk to come in.

I’ll be honest, I’m terrified but I really want to give it my all this time. I’m meeting my midwife on Wednesday so I’ll have a chat to her to see if there are any face to face classes/help for me.

Hoping someone might know if thats normal. Yesterday morning the skin on my back and hips started burning pretty bad. I thought it was just the stretch marks appearing at first and put the bio oil on etc but it was so achy/burny that i couldnt sit or lay all morning. It calmed for a bit in the middle of the day when i exercised/had a good scrub in the bath and i thought it was fine when i went to bed but it started to hurt again through the night so bad i couldnt sleep at all. I put an ice pack on the small of the back and ended up sleeping in tight leggings (it helped because the skin didn't rub onto anything but the leggings, it still burns through). Anyone in the same boat? It only is on my hips and the small of my back, nowhere else, i try to moisturise but it just looks like a sun burn. I asked about in similar local groupchat and nobody on the has anything like that, they said they were a bit itchy and had dry skin before stretch marks came through so im not sure if I should worry it being something else. It is so so uncomfortable to even just sit at work :(
Was crying all night as it was so burny that i could only imagine the completely shredded deep purple skin all over my back. I know stretchmarks will happen but by the way it feels i wont have any skin at all, just terrifying.

Sorry @LittleJumpingBean I've not heard of anything similar. The closest I have is burning skin where my ribs are but it's internal pain manifesting itself as if it's coming from my skin (if that makes any sense at all).

Not burning as such but tingling in my muscle in my shoulder. Driving me mad. I'm assuming it's a trapped nerve in my neck somewhere. I can't seem to release it at all 😔

@LittleJumpingBean I haven't experienced anything like that either I'm sorry. I'd give the midwife a ring. I have burning but it's more muscular, rather than my skin.

Yeah i’d check with midwife about that too @LittleJumpingBean, I only have the burny/numb/tingly skin on my ribs the same as I’m guessing @greenerfingers has, but it’s from muscles and stretching rather than anything else, it’s not actually my skin

Ouch! I'm sorry @LittleJumpingBean that sounds awful! I'd also check with the midwife, but after a quick google it does sound like pretty extreme stretch mark pain. Gosh I hope it passes quickly for you!

Hello!
due nov 10th with baby no.3 :)
my youngest will be one on this date! 😂
not sure I will go the distance this time having severe pregnancy cramps, constant braxton hicks and a ridicilous amount of pressure feeling like I could burst!

x

@Domibeva

so sweet they will be so close in age! How is everything going with your pregnancy? I feel like I want this baby out and have over 7 weeks left to go 😅!

On an entirely different note Where does everyone stand on social media posting/ photo sharing of your children.. I feel very protective of photos being taken and shared of mine and and shes not even here yet 🫣 X

@Ccatalina absolutely text book pregnancy so far with no issues thankfully! Hopefully it remains that way.
I feel your pain I have well and truly had enough of being pregnant haha counting down the days!

I only have IG no FB - I don’t share pictures of my girls just out of personal preference but I know so many people who do! It’s definitely down to personal choice ❤️

@Domibeva hi 👋 I'm also feeling alot of pressure, currently 35 weeks. I feel like a can barely walk now and I've got so much pressure on my bladder it feels bruised! @Ccatalina I don't have social media, as I think it can do more harm than good and wouldn't share photos of children just because of stories I've heard about photos getting taken and used on other websites. I guess once they are online, they are there forever and you can't control who else sees them/uses them. But I know lots of people who do and it is lovely to share memories with family and friends, I guess I'm just a bit cynical about social media in general 🙈

@Elle1709 i think the baby is trying to push his way out the pain is unreal with movements and pressure. My waters broke both times previously and literally popped with pressure it feels exactly the same but with no contractions! Hoping baby hangs in there a little longer!

@Ccatalina I feel the same. Not saying I won't change my mind but IF I share on social media I want it to be on my terms. Feel it will be a battle as DP's family have a very much "photos on FB or it didn't happen" mentality...

Oh the pressure! I feel as if my insides will actually fall out shortly! I have also been getting very regular braxton hicks practically all day yesterday and then today. I normally only get them if I’ve been quite active but I can’t put my finger on anything that would trigger them.

i have a midwife appointment tomorrow so I’ll check in with her.

With regards to social media, I only use twitter. I also only post photos of my son on twitter as his school is very active on there and like to showcase work, activities etc. I never showed his photos until he started in school and even then it’s a private profile.

I have a lot of pressure too this time, although the midwife confirmed the head is not engaged. tbh at 32+3 I'm glad. Midwife measured my bump and it hadn't grown at all in the last 4 weeks. I was sent for a scan and baby is below the ideal line. I have to go back again next week for another scan to compare and then the doctor will review. Thinking about it my bump doesn't seem any bigger. Last time I went I had a scan then too as bump was measuring a week behind but scan then showed baby was average size. Trying not to over think it, but also maybe the kick up the bum I need to start organising things for the baby.

Welcome @Domibeva, due date buddies!
Yes, the pressure is there all the time. I joked that with all the braxton hicks I feel half dilated already. Dh keeps telling me I need to rest more, easy to say but I hate feeling incapable & there's always so much to do...

We don't do child pics online, I don't have fb or ig. The most I'll do is a private whatsapp group. We just personally prefer our kids to grow up with as little internet footprint as possible, then they can build their own reputations. Just our preference, have many friends who do differently nbd 🤷🏻‍♀️

@OtiMama fingers crossed it's nothing serious. What does below ideal line mean? Has bubs grown compared to the last scan? Did they measure placental flow etc? Hugs, it's so hard feeling helpless when they're literally right there inside you!

Can't remember the last time I dropped in here, rushing to get everything sorted and loose ends in life tied up 🙈

@OtiMama please don't panic about growth scans, they're not actually meant to use scans to measure growth as it's so unreliable (the accepted margin of error is 15-20% each way!) Too many factors can affect the measurement right down to who is doing the scan, how full your bladder or babies bladder is, position, if they move etc etc.

Baby usually gains about 1/2lb a week from 36 weeks until they're ready to stop gaining so the longer you can keep them in the more chance they have to grow to their natural size. My first went 41+3 and was exactly 7lb on 30th centile. If they'd tried to get her out early for no reason other than measurements (she was measuring at 8lb at week 38 or something), she'd have been small.

Also remember for the average to exist so do all the other sizes around that and a lot of the factors for size are genetic after week 12!

And I've had a look through posts and just want to highlight that YOU make the choices for your labour, your birth, your body.

Health care providers don't get to TELL you what you can and can't do or have or withhold care because of your choices going against their policy. You can listen to their advice, look into what their advice is based on, ask about the risks involved of taking their advice...

I've been researching a lot and a lot of the studies they use to write policy are old and absolute rubbish. Highly recommend also looking at BRAIN (acronym) when it comes to discussion of what they're recommending and why. I've refused a few things and will continue to do so, right down to no vaginal exams, no sweeps or induction, and no hat for baby! I'll also be cancelling my consultant appointment at 41 weeks once I've got the birth pool hired because I can't see a reason for the appointment other than to coerce me into an intervention I don't need based on rubbish studies.

If there's a real risk to life then they'd need to give me a c section under anaesthetic, not let me go away and think about whether to induce and then put baby through the stress of a 4 day induction before they're ready to come earth side. It's just illogical to me 🫣

@ALittleBitofVitriol hey due date buddy! :)
I had regular pains last night until gone ten then bam just stopped thankfully i was getting ready to ring the midwife and cry 😂 all these hormones are lethal. There’s still so much left to do!

we have new beds coming this week as we’ve been re decorating and moving things around, will definitely try and take it a bit easier just incase!

nesting is on top form every corner of the house has had a clear out a clean and paint 🙈

Got a call with midwife who said its fairly common for skin to go very sensitive later in pregnancy so we think itll be the stretchmarks but Im just too sensitive to the feeling 😬 advised to use after sun or aloe vera to soothe the feeling but noting else really. its gotten a little better now, but i still sleep in leggings 😅

@OtiMama fingers crossed your next scan shows growth and it's nothing serious for you!

I'm so glad I'm not the only one feeling a lot of pressure and braxton hicks, I didn't get any in my last pregnancy but this little one is making up for it, just hope they stay in there for another 4/5 weeks at least! My daughter arrived at 37 weeks so hoping this one stays until at least then too! My husband is hoping he/she stay put until my due date 20th Nov so he gets some of the World Cup off on paternity 😂

I had a midwife appt this morning and I’m still showing as measuring big so she has chased up my referral again for a growth scan. I was always 2cm ahead with my son and no obvious reason on the scans, he was 8.2lb when born.

@OtiMama hoping next scan shows everything is fine for you. I’m sure it will.

I cannot for the life of me find a comfy spot in bed, I don’t know how many pillows I’ve got surrounding me, it’s just not right. I do have a pregnancy pillow but feel it doesn’t give my painful ribs support. Then I have a mountain of pillows behind me to stop me rolling onto my back, but I still somehow end up there. How do you ladies do it?

Thank you @Kaykiscout I needed to hear that. I was reflecting on the language that the midwife used in my last appointment, 'you are under consultant care. you are high risk, see the scan results.... allowed to go to go into labour naturally'. I'm pleased I have had the blood, urine and heartbeat checks but she wasn't that helpful when I wanted to discuss epidurals, I found out from her my trust doesn't do mobile epidurals.

For context, I'm not high risk, my BMI had gone from 26-29 in pregnacy. I'm 30 and have no medical conditions, second birth, first was vaginal. Blood pressure, featal movements all fine. The only thing was one out of two Doppler measurements in my 20 week scan was abnormal. Followed by 2 extra scans so far and baby not exactly following a trend, but only a week or so behind on growth....I agree with you but I'm not sure my DH is on the same page. Need to have a proper talk about it. I'm worried about the next scan in 2 weeks because of the suggestion of induction that seems unnecessary. I have heard of the brain acrynm and said to my DH how we should use it if the induction discussion comes up. He didn't say much.

@Bramblecrumble22 if the thought of the scan is upsetting you and they've started saying you are high risk when you aren't, if you're happy baby is fine and moving as normal, cancel the scan. Growth scans and fundal measurements are utter crap. BMI is utter crap. Measuring BMI in pregnancy is totally absurd!

Highly recommend investing some time in listening to the Midwives Cauldron podcasts, they debunk a lot of the policy and methods used to guilt and coerce us into accepting medical interventions on the conveyor belt of care.

If your other half isn't learning your breathing techniques and how to help you during labour and advocate for your birth plan then he's not much use. He needs to be on board or out of the room and out of your head space. You won't go into natural labour as easily if you're not chilled out and feeling safe.

If I attend my consultant appt I'll be writing down what they say and taking it away. Fact checking against the studies the policies are written based on rather than agreeing on the spot, and making sure they aren't using coercion.

My community midwife at my home birth risk assessment (also voluntary to have, imagine having a risk assessment for where a potential ambulance might park in an emergency for any other emergency, totally mad!) went over the policy for each stage, I told her what I wanted, and she just wrote it down with very little comment.

And think about it, @Bramblecrumble22 if baby isn't growing on a silly graph trend but is growing (and is just about to start gaining weight more over the next month), doesn't make sense to rush them out before they want to come! Get your other half on the podcasts and listen to together. See if he also snorts at the "herstory" instead of "history" bit 🤭