Due October 2023 - thread 7

[Soda123x]

Hi guys. Another new thread here.
Baby #2 for us. Currently 17wk5. Baby due 24th Oct.
20 week scan on 9th June - planning to not finder out sex. We didn't with our 1st and loved the excitement of not knowing. We literally bought a pack of 6 white babygrows to take to the hospital and then when our DS was born we got loads of boys clothes from family & friends as gifts.
This worked well for us as I felt he did wear everything more than once.
My sis who found out she was having a little girl bought loads of clothes herself and then all the gifts from family too. She felt as though alot of it was wasted either only worn once if at all. Some stuff still had tags on when she took it to the charity shop xx

@Summer022 I'm using my remaining annual leave to take 3 weeks before due date and start mat leave on due date. Hope baby doesn't come too much past dd, don't fancy having 5 weeks twiddling my thumbs at home with no work to distract me... 😬

I'm getting lots of low kicks, quite often get a shooting sensation that kind of feels like a sudden need to pee but then passes so assume that's bladder rather than cervix. She's starting to mix it up a bit with more kicks/punches higher up now.

I'm not sure if it's Irish law or just a company rule but latest I can finish is 2 weeks before due date so finishing 22nd sept at the moment. I have a few days leave left so could finish a bit earlier if I needed to but would rather keep the days as I can carry them over to next year and add them on at the end of my maternity leave.

I'm starting leave about a week and a half before DD. I wfh so I think the distraction will be good for me while I'm uncomfortable and waiting. I've also used up some leave to have Fridays off for a few weeks prior to starting mat leave :)

Oh wow @OrionNebula that's quite a strict rule. Not sure if it's the UK or again just the company but I could start leave next week (29 weeks). Not that I would want to 😂

Oh sorry, read it wrong, so you basically can't work 2 weeks before or less. Interesting.

@kingfisher168 that's the latest I could finish, as far as I know there is no reason I couldn't finish earlier if I wanted to. But planning to work up to the end at the minute anyway, I'll see how I get on!

My little one seems to be moving all over the place. Sometimes it’s super low and others it’s right under my boobs! I think it’s got lots of room in there at the moment.

@monsteramunch another self-employed mama here too 😬 think I’ll stop 2 weeks before due date though as I have a lot I want to get organised and know I probably won’t do it before then and will be nice to take advantage of little one in nursery for 3 days a week. Some final me time before new one comes along.

Although saying that my first was born 42 weeks exactly so it could be a long wait!

Anyone had their 28 week appt and bump been measured? I’ll be 28 on Monday and bump measuring 31cm so off the scale!!!! I’m worrying now…:

Just had my 24-week midwife appointment. Bump not being measured by the midwife, as I have plenty of scans booked in at the hospital to measure me. Baby’s heartbeat was lovely and strong though 💗

I’m planning on working til the end if I can, maybe having a few days of annual leave beforehand. Being on statutory pay it just seems a waste to go off too earlier. But I’m lucky I can work from home. If I was on my feet it would be an entirely different story!

@LWestYorks did you have yours measured by the midwife? They should generate a growth chart based on your height and weight etc, so doesn't have to be 28cm at 28 weeks. I had mine this week and was measuring out of bounds too, so was sent for a growth scan. I think this method is probably as accurate as measuring BMI - so many caveats, so I wouldn't worry unless scan shows baby is actually too small/big (though even then I'm sure they would keep you under close observation)

@LWestYorks I had a 28 week appointment on Monday. My bump is measuring 29cm, they were not concerned but it may be because I have growth scans anyway

@kingfisher168 yes by the midwife, what were you measuring? My bump is big anyway so we’re predicting slightly bigger but I’m worrying now!

@LWestYorks were you sent for a growth scan if it was measuring out of bounds?

I was supposed to measure between 27and 28 and was at 24, so massively off. But quite likely to be that she's just wedged in properly 😂

@LWestYorks i was exactly the same so sent for a growth scan this week, sonographer wasn’t concerned though predicted baby was 63rd centile by her measurements

@OrionNebula that is quite strict.

I am taking 2 weeks A/L and then mat leave to start on due date, which is the latest it can start.

Last time I took 3 weeks a/l and she was 5 days late, I was so bored so this time, especially as I travel less I'm not too worried leaving it an extra week.

28 weeks today and THREE times this week I’ve had people say to me something along the lines of:

’You must be due soon, you don’t look like you’ve got long left?’ Feel embarrassed when I have to say it’s 3 more months 😂

It’s making me really paranoid that my bump is huge and I really can’t believe I’m going to get much bigger!! I know I’ve posted something similar before a couple of months ago but is else feeling the same a little later on???

Pic attached for reference!

@VanillaOat I think you look great! Sorry to say that, but I don't think you look like you are due soon! You will get bigger! People forget the size of 8 or 9 month old pregnant women! Although some are on the small size. One of my colleagues is 34 weeks, I am 25 and I am shocked looking at how much bigger I'll become! And I have been pregnant before! Ignore the comments and enjoy your lovely shape!

@VanillaOat you look great! Please don’t let other people’s comments doubt that.

I’ve had quite a few people comment on how big I am, including one person who at 5 months guessed I was 7 months. I try to just let it go over my head, I think in reality shapes and sizes vary so much that even now having had the experience of being pregnant I would struggle to gage gestation based on bump size myself so I guess I’m giving people a free pass and putting it down to ignorance rather than malice.

I definitely relate to feeling like I don’t know how I can possibly get bigger though 🙈. Already feeling like bump is quite heavy and in the way at 28w so goodness knows what I’ll be like at 36w!

@VanillaOat you look amazing! I dont think people mean anything by comments but I do wish people would just say you look nice and leave it at that! People carry in all different ways, with different size babies, with growth spurts at different points and all different body shapes so there really isn't a norm. If it makes you feel better in one day I had a colleague say I was really quite small for 24 weeks, and then about half an hour later another say I'd really popped recently so I'm not sure people's perception is very accurate 😂

@Alexandra07 @Saturnsmoon @ForeverAndEvers you are all so lovely thank you! To be honest, I feel great and I absolutely love my bump and being pregnant - I think I will miss it! I’m just stressing she’s going to be a huge baby I guess and it panics me when people are shocked I’m only 6 months 😂

Got a midwife appt on Tuesday, so I’ll check in with her about it just to put my mind at ease 🥰

@VanillaOat I'm really glad you feel great. On the big baby thing, my first was - always over the 90 percentile and this baby is currently measuring 56 percentile and looking at past pics, I think I look similar so wouldn't read too much into it. I don't live in the UK anymore but my midwife told me this baby was big the other day and I laughed and said 56 percentile is very average when you've had a baby in 90 percentile. Maybe it seems big where I live now, I don't know. But anyway long story short, I wouldn't read too much into it and just focus on how you feel (and any medical advice obvs!).

@VanillaOat i had the women in the post office the other day ask how far I were and then went on to say I looked full term when I told her I were 28 weeks 😬 I’m so much bigger this time round! Ps - you look fab x

@VanillaOat you look fab! I hate people commenting on bump being too big or too small 😂 why can't people just say you're looking great!

@VanillaOat you look beautiful and the bump is gorgeous. People have all different perceptions of pregnant women, I don't pay much attention to it. I keep hearing I am carrying well. I guess that means generally people think I look ok? No idea but I did get a question how old my child was when I was buying some clothes :) I guess they assumed my bump is post-partum?? :)

For weeks I have been feeling small and I carry quite low but I don't mind as long the baby and I are fine. That's all that matters. Enjoy the pregnancy and I'd be surprised if midwife comments on the size of the belly much - I have seen doctors, consultants, midwifes, nurses - not one commented on the size of my bump. We come in so many shapes and sizes that everything goes as long as the health elements are fine.