Due December 2022 - the home stretch! (thread 5)

[Mommabear20]

Thought we were getting close to filling the last one!

@TheOnlyException1 I've got 23 days (ish) if they do decide to induce at 39 weeks, but have 30 days till my due date. I've never worked it out in days before and now I'm even more aware of how quickly it's coming round!!!

I've been for check up today at 34+3 and am measuring the same as 2 weeks ago so I'm joining the growth scan clang. Got appointment for Wednesday
I'm measuring 34 so nicely in the chart they had predicted but have been above the last 2 times, she said he is already engaging hence my stabbing pains when I walk too fast or too far 😫

Different sorts of symptoms here. Still ravenous most of the time, but I can't eat too much because of reflux. Today my hands felt kind of swollen in the morning so I thought I'd do a gentle prenatal yoga class at lunch (online) but now my abs feel so sore. My belly is rock solid right now, too, so I must really bloated to top off all off (or baby's having a growth spurt and I'll have extra stretch marks in another day or so). I've been sleeping (flip flopping all night) with a pillow under my side, which I think is helping, but my hips are so sore by morning I can't sleep past 6 or 7am (if I make it that long). Ahh the joys of the third trimester!!! I'll be 34w in a couple of days but likely to be induced or c section at 37-38w for very small baby, so not too long left. I'm finishing work at the end of the month.

@Vg92 my first was 36+6 spontaneous and 5lb11, I hadn’t had any growth scans etc. so didn’t know what to expect size wise.
We were in for a day, went home for 2 days then had to go back in due to jaundice. That was the only issue in the end, she’s on the small side in general (although was never going to be tall with my genes!)

Can I join the uncomfy club? 33+1 and everything hurts. Hips hurt when I sleep, feet hurt when I stand, tummy ache this evening from trapped wind, can't walk because baby is so low down, and so so gassy. Honestly feeling sorry for anyone who has the displeasure of being around me at the moment, I can't stop complaining about it all! 😂

I need to join in on the moaning too, absolutely full of wind in an evening, so so bloated, I’m that bloated it’s making my pelvis hips and back even more sore. I literally start the day feeling just ok and by dinner time I’m starting to flag, my hips and back are aching and I need to rest but manage the odd job, then come tea time I can barely move so just lie there like a beached whale feeling sorry for myself until either I or DH can drag me to bed. I’ve 4 weeks left of work and it all feels too much x

I've got my 36 week midwife appointment tomorrow morning, wonder if my bump is still measuring 2 weeks ahead 😂 has everyone else that's had their 36 week appointment made their birth plans? I'm feeling rather ridiculous that as a third time mum I'm stuck on what to include! 🤦‍♀️

@buzz91 thank you so much for the reply. It helps me a lot reading positive experience. Wish you all the best!

Can I throw my moan hat in the ring too?
Thoroughly fed up, everything aches and I'm so tired yet cannot get a decent night's sleep due to my hip/pelvis pain or heartburn.
I have a consultant appointment tomorrow where I will hopefully get my induction date, currently 36+1.
I'm so done with being pregnant, I'm actually looking forward to the birth!

@Mommabear20 I found a birth plan template on the NHS website earlier today. I am thinking we may go through birth plans in my NCT class, which starts tomorrow night, so I'll report back if we do. Also I think Emily Oster's book 'Expecting Better' has a chapter on birth plans.

Has anyone written one yet and packed it in their hospital bag? It seems like all the lists I've found for what to pack include a birth plan and your hospital notes.

@Mommabear20 I'm only 33+5 but have no intention of making a birth plan this time.

I was completely ignored in my first labour for being a first time mum and my detailed birth plan didn't leave the hospital bag! I know you've had babies before so likely a far different experience to me, I just don't see the point in them at all now!

My plan is to expect the unexpected: my section is booked and I'll probably go into labour beforehand 🤪.

@Mommabear20 @Bluebonnet3 I'm in Scotland and they have a section for filling out a birth plan in the app that all your maternity notes go in, and my midwife went through it with me at the 36 week appointment - so I guess no paper copy needed!
In terms of what went in, for me it was mostly establishing preferences on things like pain relief options, induction, when to use intervention methods, and whether you want active management for the third stage. They also asked about whether the baby should get the vitamin k injection, and asked you to state who your birthing partner was/who would be making decisions on your behalf if needed. Not sure if that is the same everywhere, but hopefully it helps!

I have used the NHS template and another one I found that uses images rather than all text so its easier to see what you do or dont want. They are currently in my work bag which is always either with me at work or in my bedroom so easy to grab. I think I might do a copy of each though to have with the hospital bag but if anyone uses Badger Notes there is a birth plan conversation on there where you can fill things in and a lot of it is multiple choice for say where you want to give birth etc. I have heard that the hospital team can stick to that really well too if its filled in! FTM so no actual experience for me yet

Anyone feeling nauseous after eating? I'm 33+4 and this morning started to feel ill after having breakfast. Starting to settle now.

@Orcarain not specifically after eating, but my nausea has definitely crept back in. I started with it again when I started my iron tablets, but with my antisickness tablets it settled, but now it's back (mildly but still) even with the tablets.

32 week appt today and of course Twin 1 is breech! C-Section my consultant couldn't book in because she has to refer me for it. She said theatre should be looking at 37 weeks which would be the 10th December.

She said they will scan me before I go off to theatre to double check position of Twin 1 as if they're head down I can opt for induction instead but would be kept in if there were no beds due to being high priority.

Both twins have slightly more amniotic fluid but they're not concerned as both seem to have the same level and can be common in gestational diabetes so they will keep an eye on that.

@Orcarain I'm just having nausea in the mornings - doesn't matter if I've eaten or not I still feel rough. I'm also feeling a little less hungry the rest of the day which is a miracle for me!

I honestly wouldn’t bother with a birth plan, based on my first birth, I would just be clear what pain relief you’re happy with, (I just got everything on offer but knew I wanted an epidural) pethidine, gas and air, paracetamol, bath, finally epidural…so be clear and know that past a certain amount of cm’s they don’t give them, have a birthing partner who is firm and can relay your needs well to the midwives. Giving birth doesn’t really go to plan a lot of the time 🥴

I agree @Ababy0506
I might as well not have bothered with my plan, I didn't even get taken to the right hospital 😂
They refused to let me leave due to pre-eclampsia so I was induced rather than waiting an unknown amount of days/weeks
Didn't get my water birth as they were too busy and barely got gas and air as they took it off me to get him out in 4 mins 🤷🏼‍♀️ I figure they know best and will do what's right for baby, I've an idea what I'd like this time round but I know not to expect to get it!

36 weeks today and I've got some kind of D&V bug which was horrendous yesterday and a bit better today but I am wiped out. It's just been one illness after another here thanks to the toddler. Got my induction date now for 39 weeks. All feeling a bit real!

Had my 33week growth scan today and after the 31week scan which showed baby was measuring under the 10th centile…today it’s jumped up over the 10th centile and back around where it was for the 28 week growth scan, so all is going well again! Very relieved! She thinks baby was probably just in an awkward position to measure last time and that’s why it came out on the small side. She thinks it’s going to be a fairly average sized baby 😁 and I’m back to 3 weekly growth scans as opposed to 2 weekly x

Since a lot of us seem to be heading for induction or elective sections, would anyone be up for starting a calendar of when we're going in? Hopefully be getting my induction date on Tuesday 🤞

I’ve just been sent for a growth scan. I’m 36+3 but baby is measuring over 38weeks and is already 7lb 2. So now they think I might have gestational diabetes so I have to prick my finger 4 times a day for the next week. I HATE blood so not sure how this is going to go!
On the plus side, midwife said he has dropped into my pelvis so I can get bouncing on the ball!

@Laughingmole that's exactly the same position I'm in! I'm 36 weeks and measuring at 39 weeks. I'm having to do the blood sugars 4 times a day as well so i can sympathise! It's not fun, but it's not terrible once you've done 1 day its fine, and it's only a very tiny bit of blood so hopefully you'll be okay 🤞

@Mommabear20 thank you for the reassurance, nice to hear someone else is in the same situation. At least the end is near and in about a month, our little people will be here and it will all be worth it xx