Due May 2023 - thread two

[Flowersflowers121]

Hiiii everyone. Thread two as the first one filled up :)

Has anyone found a good hospital bag packing list? I’m totally overwhelmed because they all seem to be different!

@Awkwardusername I’ve put together my own list, based on advice from friends and lists I’ve found online.

is anyone else doing aquanatal? I’m 30w and due to start this week and I’m having a total nightmare finding a swimming costume, and I don’t want to go. I hate two pieces but my boobs are huge compared to the rest of me, so every one piece I try leaves me totally unsupported - I’d only have to sneeze and they’d fly out the sides! Normally I’d go to Bravissimo, but their only maternity suit stops at H (not many sizes in stock anyway) and I need JJ 😭

@raffika
im not doing aquanatal but I’ve worn just an oversized T-shirt in the pool before over a swimsuit, don’t know if that would be any good?
@Awkwardusername i tend to underpack and then have to ask people to bring me staff lol I would agree with asking friends/family what they found useful. And anything you forget the midwife or hopefully friends/family will be able to help out! Last time the thing I forgot and wish I had was shampoo!

Anyone got low lying placenta? Back from my 29wk placenta check and it's still low....back in 3 weeks for another check. Little bit disheartened but apparently nothing I can do about it.

I had a blood sugar clinic appointment today and there was some problem where they didn't realise I'd arrived despite checking in and I ended up waiting an hour before I was seen. I'm already not keen on this hospital/department and experiences like this do not help.

I was referred at my 28 week appointment because baby is measuring 90th percentile.

Two readings today are in the normal range. They've also referred me for an additional growth scan in 2 weeks' time.

I've been told to eat like I normally would, but also to take my blood an hour after main meals. I have a question for anyone in the know: What if I have a snack 30 minutes after say lunch? Would I take blood 30 minutes after that or wait another hour? I'm very confused!

I am even more confused about baby's movements. There are days it is active and days it is quiet, but I can't say it's on alternative days or anything like that. I also have an anterior placenta and tend to notice movement on my sides or if the baby makes a big move.

@TheBeesKnee I assume they are looking out for Gestational Diabetes, so what you would do is take your bloods an hour after you stop eating. So, either wait for the snack or incorporate the snack into your meal.

@TheBeesKnee I have been diagnosed with Gestational diabetes again in this pregnancy. I have to test an hour after meals, and it’s likely I will be on medication for it.
I usually wait until I’ve done my blood sugar to have snacks, especially if sweet snacks (which I don’t have a lot of now obviously) but I did test after eating a snack sized Milky Way bar the other night (1 hour after) and my sugar was only 5.0 so that’s really good.
So sometimes it’s good to test after snacks to see what you can have and what you can’t, but your not required to record it.

if I have healthy snacks like raw carrot or salad, snack-a-jacks rice cakes I won’t bother testing.

Anyone else’s baby currently breech? Baby has 5 weeks to move… or another c-section for me, hmpff

@Leostratts mine is too! Midwife advised I spend my life bouncing on my ball!

My baby was lying across my belly at my scan last week but has definitely moved since then. I’m not worried about it as I’m having a section anyway, but there’s still plenty of time for them to move.

Has anyone else had the absolute fear of god put into them re: movement and what counts as "different"? I've spoken to the midwives a few times and no one can give me a proper answer.

Today I was up unusually early and the baby was very active. The movement also felt stronger, but is this unusual and worth flagging or was I just awake and the baby is getting bigger? 😫

@TheBeesKnee I find the same! There is usually movement first thing in the morning and always just as I’m trying to sleep, and usually around when I eat but it’s definitely not like clockwork and movement tends to be different day to day, some days it feels really strong other days less so. But also I think the baby is changing position a lot which is partly why it feels different from one day to the next? I’m now feeling movement more and more often as well so if I’m worried I sit quietly for a bit and try to do some deep breaths to relax then I usually get a few kicks. I think the main thing is trust your instincts if you feel like something is wrong flag it and everyone says don’t worry about making a fuss better to check and be sure.

@TheBeesKnee I ended up in hospital being assessed for unusual movement last week. Baby kicked and wriggled from about 5am and didn't stop. By 11am he was still going so I was concerned and not feeling well myself so they took me in. Baby moved constantly until about 4pm, it was the strangest day. I felt ridiculous because baby was so active (whereas most things you read talk about less movement) but it was a change for me and increasingly uncomfortable so felt better getting checked to be safe. Everyone was so lovely, no judgment at all. Baby is well and was just "having a party". I think movements are just a bit clearer as they get bigger.

Had a growth scan today at 32 weeks. Baby's head is down and weighing just over 3lbs. 8 weeks to go and all of a sudden feeling very real that he needs to come out soon.

The scan was to check my low lying placenta. It's moved and they're really happy but still lowish so waiting for another appointment.

@Bananabreakfast123 wow I didn’t realise too much movement could potentially be a bad thing! I'm glad everything is ok. My placenta is low too, waiting for a scan next week, I hope it moved up as well.

I agree that a lot of it depends on how much attention we're paying. For example, today I was on PTO, I was really busy, walked a lot, cleaned, etc and I can't remember feeling him kick during the day. Yet, I normally do when I sit at my desk. It's only now that I'm in bed, with my hands on my bump that I feel him.

@buuuka86 I've honestly no idea how risky too much movement is but it was the strangest thing and a change from the norm so asked. In my head I think I just worried it was distress but seems it was just a busy day for him. He's settled back down and has been far more at peace ever since.

It was lovely being back for a scan today as much as I was worried about the placenta movement. It was so nice to see baby and it feels so much more real, a little boost to see me through the final weeks. Hopefully your scan goes well.

I’m another one who hasn’t found much of a pattern with baby movements. As long as I feel it moving regularly I’m happy, though I would be concerned if they had a party day like @Bananabreakfast123 - I’m glad everything was okay for you!

Bit of a random question. It seems like a few of us have dogs, what things are you buying for baby to keep them out of reach of your dogs? I’ve only bought a crib for the living area, so baby can sleep out of reach of the dogs, and I can be in the same room but not necessarily right next to them.

But I’m wondering whether to get a raised seat or bouncer, so baby can be at the table when we eat or with me in the kitchen (if they’re awake), but they’re out of reach of the dogs. Something like either the Babymoov Swoon Air or the Chicco Molly high chair.

I should say my dogs are lovely and I think they’ll love the baby, but obviously there can never be total trust and I’d never want baby to be at their level if I‘m a little distracted by cooking, eating a meal etc., especially as food can be a source of discord for pooches.

Am I being totally mad or is this a good idea? I don’t want to have a house full of stuff I won’t use, but I’m being asked about things people can buy for baby, so this might be an option if it’s a good Idea?

I had too much movement with my 2nd born, he basically moved and banged around really heavily for 2 hours but they weren't fussed on seeing me. When he was born 5 weeks later I ended up having an emergency section and his cord had a massive knot in it.

Wish I'd pressed more on going in now, but I find if I think about it this time it sends me into panic so I try not to think about movements too much.

Mine seems to have a party day every day.... I went in for yet another anti-D and they hooked me up to the monitor to check the baby's heartbeat which they couldn't hear consistently for the required amount of time for almost an hour due to the amount of movement muffling the monitor 🙄 all 4-5 nurses and midwives I saw commented on them having a party and seemed fine with it - 'an active baby is a happy baby' is what I kept getting told.

My placenta is low too, and was anterior but I don't see how it can be anymore when I feel movement in every part of my tummy. Got a scan at 32 weeks to check placenta position again. Glad yours has moved @Bananabreakfast123

Hope everyone is doing well. I've had to go to assessment unit for reduced movement. So busy here so could be quite a wait 😔

@RugbyGirl1 placenta has moved and is now 3.2cm away (last time was good) but apparently anything less than 5cm is still considered low so been referred to a consultant. Not too worried with more time to go but still being watched, maybe need another scan. The sonographer really wasn't worried so keeping that in mind.

@raffika we have a large dog, age 2.5 so very much a puppy. We've not bought anything to keep her away from the baby but with her being quite big, we've always been really strict with her training. She goes to bed when we eat, has a spot when we cook and isn't allowed in our room or the baby's so she'll happily sit outside and is responsive when told. We'll do the same when the health visitor comes, for example. She has, until recently, had freedom of the couch and spare bed but we've stopped that so she can't come up unless invited and it's going well. She'll never be left unsupervised with baby but we're very much counting on her training so far and if we continue as we have been, hopefully it won't be too overwhelming when baby arrives. We still want her to have her usual freedom so she doesn't feel put out but will maintain a safe distance and have her in her spot when we need to. She's been great with our six month old nephew, shows a bit of interest by checking his car seat when he arrives then continues with her own business. Hopefully she's just as relaxed when our baby comes along.

@wintersun21 hope everything is going ok for you and you didn't have to wait too long

@RugbyGirl1 thank you! Still waiting to be seen 😬 obviously he chooses now to start kicking and moving a little but hopefully I'll get seen soon

Is anyone any good at telling what position the baby is in? I seem to just get movements all over the place, except up towards my ribs, which makes me think baby is either transverse (they were at 26 weeks but head down at 28 according to the MWs) or curled up, but as to whether they're head down or breech right now, I cannot tell. Sometimes I get something pressed against my stomach that I can feel and I'm like, "well that's their head, shoulder, butt or thigh..."

Apparently wherever you feel hiccoughs is roughly where the head is, and I always feel those in the lower left, but that's also where I mostly feel small movements (hands, feet?) whereas the bigger movements are usually over to the right or sometimes a bit higher up on the left. So maybe that suggests head down, and just at a weird angle?

@Melusina123 funnily enough I was thinking about this the other day. I feel movements everywhere, sometimes in multiple positions at once (I swear the other day they had hiccups (down low) kicking (high up) and punching (to the side))!! Some have been very much round the side so assume they're transverse at that point, and sometimes they're kicking right down into my cervix 🤷 I'm sure they'll settle.... Eventually!

This morning I officially joined the gestational diabetes club.

I had my third high reading last night and 2 more high readings in a row this morning so had to go in to the clinic.

Hoping to manage with diet as I'm 31+5 at the moment.

I'm kind of devastated because this will probably mean an early induction, right?