June 2023 Babies ☀️ (thread four)

[firsttimelondonmummy]

Hey all,
We are getting close to full so getting another thread ready 😊

Could it be reflux / heartburn? I’ve had that happen to me a couple of times outside of pregnancy and that’s what the doctor told me. I’m also normally v fit/active/healthy etc so sleep apnea would have been an odd cause. It almost feels as though the body has shut down the airway hole to protect it from a bit of stomach acid or something!

@PurBal . That’s sounds awful asking you to make up time for appointments. During pregnancy they should be accommodating . Are you able to get signed off by a doctor whilst you clear your head and if you feel up to it you should raise a case . Sending you lots of good vibes and hugs x

@DrinkingAllTheGin I am team go for it ! Is a huge financial loss if you aren’t able to attend?

anyone else still getting bad acid reflux or just me 😞😞😞

Like a few of you I've had an awful week and I've been very stressed and crying quite a bit, with work stresses, building work and now my OH has been in contact with someone who has had covid (although he is currently showing no symptoms) so I've had to move out and stay with family which has been hard and uncomfortable since Monday. I am not sure when I can return home I've asked him to do a lateral flow on Friday which would be 5days after coming in to contact and I'm not sure if this is even long enough to know for sure.

@PurBal if you can get signed off for a couple of weeks with 'stress and pregnancy related symptoms' and collate all of the evidence you have in chronological order and get some legal advice. Yours and baby's health is the most important thing. If you don't submit a grievance then there is a fit to work note and you can get your GP to add in adaptations. I had an OH referral and they were extremely helpful and sympathetic and agreed to all adaptations my GP had advised and some others.

@Dewintergarden sorry you had an awful week ❤️

3am crew awake 🤪

What’s everyone’s thoughts on Tommy tippie prep machine ? I don’t think I can breastfeed with a toddler .

@Zaalfruit im still suffering with acid reflux. I wake up choking on it most nights. Seems to be the one guaranteed symptom I get every pregnancy. I really need to get in touch with gp about it, but I'm really good at putting stuff like that off. Going to get some peppermint squash if I can find any. That's helped a bit the other times.

I had a prep machine with my last, I loved it. I've got another for this time. I'm hoping to breastfeed, purely based on cost tbh, but haven't been successful with that before so have the prep machine ready to go. I just can't believe the cost of formula now!

@Kladebs I've been struggling with acid reflux too, since around 21 weeks. I picked up a prescription for Omeprazole yesterday so will see how this helps! Xxx

@PurBal this all sounds so tough. Thinking of you! I was referred to OH when I was battling my old employer about making covid related adjustments (they wanted us to work in unmasked environments pre vaccine when I have chronic asthma) even though I had fit note from the GP. From memory, OH were supportive and wrote a report that aligned with my GP’s advice.

I’m currently off sick because the extra antenatal appointments, pregnancy stress, rib pain and trying to be great at work was too much. It runs out soon & I’m a bit :s about how I’m going to manage when I’m back.

Like @Dewintergarden and @pippabg I have been really emotional this week. Been having lots of back & forth with DH about his paternity leave, which has made me feel frustrated & upset & a bit down.

@Zaalfruit DH loved our prep machine last time that it was one of the first things he bought this time. It was a god send early hours when everyone asleep and DD was hungry. I'd take her in kitchen, put her in the highchair and make the bottle to bring back to bed. Worked fine for us.

@PurBal I manage a team & can assure you that OH will completely align with what the other medical professionals have recommended. I would defo encourage you to do one as it's actually in your favour as your employers really won't have a leg to stand on if all the advise is written in one place.

Also I'd look at your absence policy around pregnancy as usually you can be off with pregnancy related symptoms, albeit with a drs note, until x amount of weeks before you have to start Mat leave early. They shouldn't be able to give you warnings etc for pregnancy related time off.

I think your employees need signposting to the gov guidance around pregnant employee rights as it clearly states you should get paid time off for antenatal care.

www.gov.uk/working-when-pregnant-your-rights

Hope you're okay and please try not let them get to you ♥️

@Leaf86 I woke up about 10 times last night but not sure if it was from being scared about the breathing thing or it was the breathing thing again 😒

Thanks for your point about reflux though, I had that bad a few years ago so that potentially could be it again... not getting pains like before but I'm guessing it could manifest differently when pregnant. Have you had it since preg? What did dr recommend? Just Gaviscon etc? Xx

@PurBal @AstroH Im sorry to hear your work have been so rubbish. I understand the feeling as with my first pregnancy it was exactly like that, I didn’t end up going back after maternity leave. The companies policy was statutory only so I didn’t owe them anything and they didn’t compromise on reduced hours - full-time or nothing so I took the nothing option…it’s crap that we still have to fight for parental leave rights, some of the Nordic countries seem to have such better systems than us!

@Belami oh rubbish, I bet you’re exhausted this morning. I only woke up once last night (3am) but still feel shattered right now. Strangely I haven’t had it too bad in pregnancy at all, I don’t know if it’s because baby is sitting REEEeally low in my pelvis (which is causing all other kinds of discomfort and issues!). The few times it’s been bad it has been gaviscon and then sleeping on left side, slightly propped up with pregnancy pillow. Seems to have worked.

Sorry to hear people have had such appalling experiences with their workplace. It’s awful. Looks like there has been some really good advice on this thread already, but it’s definitely worth not letting it slide and prioritising yourself/your health. I think workplaces or management do it not believing it will be challenged (or in ignorance of the rules, sadly).

@PurBal Your employer has to legally complete a risk assessment with you when your pregnant (I’ve completed one) and this should cover other factors such as stress and how your employer is going to help you manage it - it allows you to document that you feel stressed and the lack of support you feel you’ve received and puts your employer on notice for failing to address this risk. As part of this process you can ask for a referral to OH as well.

I know you’re feeling overwhelmed by all of this, but have you completed one of these? If so, and it didn’t capture factors around workplace stressors, ask for a review (which again, your employer must do!)

Good luck xx

@justbelieve @Belami Thank you both, been signed off today. Will see how it all looks in a couple of weeks when I’ve had some space to process. Sounds like OH is a good step forward. No one at work has asked me how I am, though I received a harassing message today about outstanding work (yes, whilst I’m off sick).

Thank you all ! I think I am going to invest in a prep machine - they seem to go on sale quite often . Noticed two types - one has a night setting but I don’t think I really need that .

called doctors about acid reflux - they can up my dosage of reflux meds . I swear there are three constants - the need to pee in the night , hip ache and acid reflux for me.

when does everyone feel kicks more in the night or day. I feel like this pregnancy I feel the kicks more in the night .

@Zaalfruit Also night. I think moving soothes baby so when you’re bustling about they relax and sleep. Also at night you’re still so more aware of movements.

@PurBal bless you , they sound awful :( I know it's not easy but as others have said try ignore work as much as you can and focus on the health of you and your baby ♥️

@Leaf86 I was 😴 & last night I barely slept either. I've had a weird hip sensation when I lay on my side since 12 weeks and that's really not helping either. Feel like I'm falling apart 😂 Glad you've avoided the reflux so far! How do you know where baby is sitting? Sometimes I feel kicks above my belly button and then sometimes I feel him really low near my pelvis in the same day! Feel like he must be just stood up or something haha.

Went to look at prams yesterday & have to say we're very tempted by the silver cross reef travel system. It seems to come with everything, really easy to compact. Safe for baby to sleep in basket overnight (you can get a stand for it) so wouldn't need to get an extra Moses basket, looks gorgeous, sturdy for dog walks. However ... and it's a big however, it costs a bloody fortune! Don't know if we can really justify paying all that but then would we end up paying all that anyway on separate bits? Anyone got one ? What's it like?

@PurBal I hope your time off from work gives you time to relax a bit.

@Zaalfruit I didn't go for the night one. I think it's just maybe quieter but if I'm in the kitchen no one's going to be bothered.

I'm still full of cold and coughing. Up between 2-4 last night coughing and weeing myself. I'm struggling to cope with it. Seeing midwife next Friday and I'll speak to her but seriously don't expect any solutions. The coughing isn't going away. Constant tickly cough. DD and DH have it now too.

@Belami I only feel kicks on my lower stomach so I just made an assumption baby is really low . I have no idea .

My hormones are so bad everything annoys me . I need to get out of this funk.

I can literally feel the shape of the baby’s body through my skin/bump, plus this feeling of heaviness in my pelvis / lower part of stomach. So I suspected he was low (I mean, I don’t really know what I’m looking for) but I had to go to Triage a week or so ago and they found the heartbeat very low down. Tbh it’s freaked me out a little as I’m petrified of preterm birth and it’s also quite uncomfortable, but the midwife told me that all babies have their preferred spot in the uterus and he’ll probably move up as time goes on. The kicks for me have all been below or in line with belly button, but change from middle to side to side all the time.

@PurBal I'm sorry your work is so inconsiderate. To be messaging you when you're off sick... Really... Have they always been this crazy?

@ScrantonDunderMifflin they were pretty good in my last pregnancy but I had a different line manager. I think she must have protected me from a lot of the crap.

@DrinkingAllTheGin we are off to Lanzarote in just over two weeks.
Can’t wait!
We’ve specifically gone for a posh hotel that’s adults only knowing it’ll likely be the last time we can do/ afford that 😂

@firsttimelondonmummy I am so jealous !!! I loved Lanzarote last year .