August Due Date Crew (Thread 4)

[AnnieApple123]

Here’s a new thread for the upcoming new year.

I think we’ve got all due dates covered now but newbies are still of course most welcome. We’re a friendly, chatty bunch so do feel free to join in.

@AnnieApple123 I was wondering about the NIPT testing too. Are you having it done privately and if so why? Do they offer a better screening process than the NHS? Does the NHS NIPT test offer gender testing?
Sorry for all the questions I don't have a clue what I'm doing 😬

@MinnieFirstTimeMum NIPT is more accurate than a scan. So if we’re going to find out, this is the best opportunity and it seems silly to miss it.

That said, scans are really very accurate these days too.

Thank you @AnnieApple123

What is the NIPT? I was offered DS testing at a scan last time but didn't bother? Is it like that but earlier?

@LBF2020 The NHS screening is not as accurate as NIPT. However most (if not all?) areas will now offer you NIPT if you get a high risk result from their screening. They won’t usually tell you the sex though.

When I was pregnant with DS my area didn’t offer NIPT at all so I got it done privately. I’m going straight to it this time too as I found the high accuracy so reassuring last time and would prefer to avoid an anxious wait following a false-positive from NHS screening. The one downside is that it’s very pricey unfortunately.

@sally16 It’s a blood test which detects fragments of fetal DNA in your blood for analysis.

DS hair cut didn't happen...
refused to even go into the shop.

He's just gonna have to go about a mess till the weekend when his dad can take him 🤦🏼‍♀️

It sounds like you're having a similar day to me! I'm sorry he didn't cooperate. What a pain! How old is he?

We've just been to local baby and toddler group. Randomly TONNES of people there. My son was feral. Like, mental. Running around the village hall with one of those tunnels that come with pop up tents, literally dragging it round the hall. Ignoring me, wouldn't cooperate at all. Got overtired and insisted I carry him until after 5 mins I had to put him down because 1) my back was killing me and 2) I felt like I was going to pass out.

Also, randomly loads of people at group who've just had a second child and were saying how hard it is. Which I obviously know, but my pregnant brain was like "F£%k off, don't need to hear this right now, can barely cope with 1st child today" 🤣🤦‍♀️

Send help!

@Createcomet he just woke up and chose violence today 🤣 usually can't wait to get in the plane chair and have his sweets getting his hair done but today I had to physically drag him in 🤣 and he just screamed and kicked until I gave up and he walked nicely back to car 🫠🫠

Omg 😂😂😂 I actually hate toddler groups lol!
DS just turned 3 but possible ASD and he is also wild! Like at level 100 at every opportunity and I just sit with a coffee trying to ignore the looks 🤦🏼‍♀️ love it when someone else is there with a feral child so I can talk to them 🤣🤣

We never did make it to the library. Weather is quite dreadful here with wind and rain (not surprised your group was so busy @Createcomet ) and I couldn’t face it. I’ve got a very slight earache and am paranoid about it developing into an infection and needing antibiotics in the first trimester. Annoying as we could really do with a new selection of books.

DS is doing something involving Noah’s ark and a fire engine. I’m just hoping he stays occupied while I make soup for lunch.

I’m not a great fan of toddler groups either!

@AnnieApple123 I had antibiotics a few weeks ago for sinusitis but did lots of research and as long as you're ok with penicillin, amoxicillin is absolutely fine in early pregnancy.

Oh gosh, that sounds so typical 🤦‍♀️ not very helpful! I'm sorry he decided not to cooperate.

Yeah I have time admit I struggle with baby and toddler groups but this one is round the corner and by far the best one I've been to. I always get about an hour into it though and hit my limit of both toddler-chasing and being sociable...today I was first out of the door🤦‍♀️ I already know that I won't bother with baby groups etc for the new baby 🙃 I had my first in lockdown and we did eventually do baby sensory for 2 or months ish. But by when he about 9 months old I was finding it dull and so was he 🤣 he just kept trying to escape! I think he and I are just not baby group people! We're better at puddle jumping and exploring forests 🤣

I hope you feel better soon! I'm not sure about how antibiotics affect pregnancy/when you're allowed to take them, but def phone a GP for advice if you're feeling ill.

I have no idea what me and 2 year old are doing this afternoon. 4-6pm is always challenging here 🤣 that seems to be his "witching hour" 🤦‍♀️

Agree re the baby groups! My little boy was 7 months when we went into lockdown, so had pre covid times when he was a baby. The only thing I enjoyed doing was baby massage, and only because I made 1 friend there who was just really like me, we’re still friends now. We would go for coffee and cake after. I found a lot of intense opinions on all things raising baby at groups 😬

My little boy much more suits puddle jumping and exploring too! He’s much less feral and far easier out on a walk than at a play group 😅

Just wanted to check in and say thank you to everyone for their reassuring blood test comments! I had mine done today and it was so quick and painless I definitely won't be worrying about them again!

I'm even thinking of becoming a blood donor now once this pregnancy is done and I can 😂

Major respect to all you ladies with a little one already, just reading your comments makes me sure I couldn't handle more than one 😂

Hope everyone with scans this week go smoothly 🤞

@marleyandme as a fellow patient who's rubbish with needles/blood, any tips? I ALWAYS faint!!

Thanks so much for this. Really useful info to have. I seem a little better now so fingers crossed. I’m just on my way to my obstetrician appointment, trying to swig water so I can produce a ‘sample’ easily!

@Amme18 and @Createcomet makes me wonder how much anyone really likes baby groups. There’s an outdoor play group in the woods here which might suit you both better. I still find the having to make small talk with others for an hour and a half a strain to keep up with if I’m honest.

So happy but also terrified. We’ve already got a 2 year old

😂 hopefully

Yes! The small talk is what I struggle with! I have actually made some friends at the group I go to, in that a few of us go regularly and know each other a bit better now. But otherwise, just making small talk with people is so draining, I'm really rubbish at it as well which doesn't help!

@BananaBread3 I also have a 2 year-old and would feel the same.

If there isn't tea and coffee at the toddler groups I don't go 🤣 I like a local church one as the people who run it know my son well so they just let him run riot and feed him constantly 🤣
And we get a hot roll so it suits me 🤣

We go to a local ASD group and it's lovely seeing I'm not alone but omg it is chaos.. we last 30 mins tops and majority of the time we're in the gardens 😂 but most of the parents have similar attitudes as me which is 'christ he's being annoying today' 🤣

@jollydollyirl I hate needles too and have fainted several times in the past, but I’ve had 2 blood tests so far and been fine each time. What I’ve found helps is to make sure I’ve eaten and drank a lot before, tell the nurse/midwife you’re prone to fainting and ask if you can lie down, and really focus on regulating your breathing. I found I used to faint if I got worked up and my heart rate was high. Oh and look away as well. It will be over before you know it!

@jollydollyirl i don't know if this will help for you but I watched some videos online showing someone having a blood test and looked up what happens exactly. I find I'm less nervous if I understand what's happening and the video I found was aimed at children but just watching a child go through it calmly and the process being explained really helped. I watched it a few times to desensitise myself and can share the link if you want it.
Other than that, like @buttercupbee said, make sure you're hydrated and have eaten. Don't look and focus on your breathing. I put one hand on my stomach and thought about the little one growing in there to distract myself.
It was over so quickly though I shouldn't have worried!