November 2023 babies - thread 4

[AngeloMysterioso]

Here you go!

So sorry you're feeling so crap. While I agree you need to look after yourself, what is your works maternity and sick pay like? At 18 weeks you're entering your qualifying period for SMP so if your sick leave isn't paid well, if your time off takes you under the threshold you may not qualify for SMP. It's shit but I wouldn't feel right not warning you in case.

@FlyingHighFlyingLow thanks for letting me know, I had a good Google about that last night! I should still get full pay for the week, but if work told me I need to go onto SSP for the week then my average over the 8 weeks would mean that I’ll still qualify for SMP, I think …
I get enhanced maternity pay for 18 weeks and then drop to statutory, so I’m on the base level then anyway.
It’s actually quite hard to get my head around.

Or I could have it completely wrong 🙈 but I am only self certifying this week, so if I feel well enough to go back before Friday I can.

1st scan of the week done and dusted, proper 20w scan tomorrow. This scan was for preterm clinic, but got to have a look at baby. Been feeling really uncomfortable for the last few days, turns out baby is kicking my c section scar constantly and triggering more bh. But cervix is looking good, need to go back in a few weeks and will need a 32w scan as placenta is close to cervix.

I'm finding the frequency of appointments really frustrating, was out all morning as the hospital is over 40 minutes away and while work have been really good, I just feel like I'm dropping the ball constantly. Another 3 appointments this week 😑

So I woke up early this morning with a full bladder and went to empty it. When I got back to bed my lower abdomen had gone rock hard but there was no pain. Was terrified and started googling. Turns out it was a Braxton Hicks contraction! Had had one after my husband and I had sex the other day too but had thought nothing of it then. Apparently they’re common in second and third trimester after certain activities like sex, having/emptying a full bladder, baby moving around, etc and generally last for about 20-30seconds.
I’m 17w1 and after my uterus relaxed I could feel baby kicking/punching and so could my husband for the first time! So amazing! 🥰 I’d had the butterflies at 16w but started actually feeling movements like rumbling 2 days ago.
Anyway, just thought I’d share the info on Braxton Hicks for any other first timers as before this, I’d thought you only got them in the third trimester/close to term.

Morning everyone,
I think I felt movement last night for the first time! I’m 19 weeks and it’s my second but I’ve got an anterior placenta they think so I didn’t expect to feel anything for another couple of weeks. I can’t be sure and I can’t wait for when I’ll regular movements. I’ve got my 20 week scan on Monday and I’m impatiently waiting, I can’t fully relax until I’ve seen that everything looks ok..

How is everyone coping in the heat? I’m struggling and it’s barely 30 degrees 🥵 We’ve decided to get an AC installed as our house has been horrendously hot the last few summers and my DS room is the worst, it’ll be great for both us and him.

My placenta is at the front too and I was told I would feel kicks more on the side and they will be strong cause my little one is so active .

I've been feeling little movements here and there and I'm 16 weeks with my 3rd xx

Hope your doing well @Travellingislife - I’m struggling in this heat & I live in a new build apartment in London which feels like a pressure cooker 🥵 we are gonna rent an AC unit. I have an anterior placenta too & haven’t felt a thing. I can feel an obvious hard bump, that switches between the left & right side which makes me laugh - so I’m guessing there is something in there that is keeping active! I’m 20 weeks & have my scan tomoz, likewise will be relieved when they hopefully confirm all okay!

This is my first baby so really have no clue what to look out for movements wise, I've had a few moments where I thought something might be movements but hard to tell!

@CliniMama you’ve had an exciting morning! And how lovely @Travellingislife that you’ve started to feel baby 😁

I have my first in person midwife appointment today at 17 weeks 😊 I’m under the home birth team like I was with my first baby so all of my appointments apart from scans are at home too.

@TMI2000 do you have a bath? With my first I’m sure there were a few weeks where I could only feel movements when I was lay in the bath 😂

I've felt a few things I thought could be movements but I have no clue! I'm 16+1 today, first baby.

I do have a proper bump below my belly button though, and its odd because last night I was watching it and at one point my right side was clearly up obviously higher than the left, even my DH could see my belly button was sloped 😂, then 5 mins later it went back down to more equal. Yet I couldn't actually feel movement when it was happening? Bizarre.

@FlyingHighFlyingLow thats literally what is happening with me at 20 weeks, can’t feel movement but can defo see it! I have a picture where my right side is way higher than the left. It happens frequently so there must be something in there moving about but my placenta is shielding me from feeling the movements!

@PinkPlantCase I do! I might have a god hopping in the bath although I am quite a bit bigger so maybe that's why I am not feeling much!

Another thing I am not sure if anyone else has had, been nausea/sickness free pretty much since 10 weeks. Woken up today at 17+2 feeling like I am going to throw up! It might be a bit of anxiety since we are awaiting to hear if we get a house we have gone for (renting) but also could just be a small relapse of symptoms.

I'm 18+2 and would love to feel baby, I've also an anterior placenta which isn't great for me given I've mad anxiety.

Two new symptoms this week, I have piles I think 🤔 constipated and bleeding started yesterday after loo, anyone any good advice?

Also taken carpal tunnel in my right hand, my sister also suffered with this during pregnancy, it's weird because I genuinely thought I'd get away with no symtoms, partly because I still can't believe I'm pregnant lol

@Mldn haha I saw that my bump moved from left to right yesterday too! But didn’t feel it 😅
Renting an ac unit makes sense, I never thought about that..
Very exciting you’ve got your scan tomorrow! Good luck 😊

@38andtrying I’ve not been to the toilet today and that’s super unusual, I hope I’m not getting constipated as it sucks. I have lots of water and fibre ( raspberries, prunes, rye crispbread, oats, etc) which in theory should help so not sure what’s going on. Do you eat lots of fibre and drink enough water?
There are creams and suppositories you can get online or in Boots for piles, I had a mild case after having my DS and the creams solved it very fast.

20w scan done and dusted, all good, though very thorough. They didn't want to play along so had to do some moving about, but everything that was seen looks OK. And found out its a boy 😊

@38andtrying I have an anterior placenta too, I’m 19+5 and haven’t felt much although the last two days there has been the odd very light movement on the left side of my bump and I don’t know if it’s digestion or baby. Lol. I don’t usually feel digestion happening like that, so I think it might be baby! It’s super light though, happens when I’m trying to sleep, could easily be missed.

regarding constipation are you eating lots of fibre? I’m veggie so my meals are 75% fruit and veg and the rest is carbs and stuff, and I don’t feel constipated at all. I have a big smoothie in the morning with scrambled eggs and toast on the side. Lunch is a big salad and dinner is another big salad with some sort of carb and maybe some veggie nuggets. In between all those meals is lots of chocolate and crisps, lol I am eating so much more than usual but I’m still trying to make sure every plate I eat is half filled with some sort of salad. It seems to be working but maybe I’m just lucky and it will become a symptom in time. Good luck ❤️

I was on 2 kiwis a day by the end of my last pregnancy, that did the trick for the constipation 😂

Does anyone have a recommendations for a cream I can start using to prevent stretch marks? Or is it all genetic and I can’t do nothing to prevent it either way…

This one is good xx

Hi! I’m 18 weeks tomorrow and today I’ve been having bad stretching pains it’s making me feel a bit sick, I’m guessing there’s a growth spurt going on? Has anyone else had pains around this time? X

@LeeanneD11 thanks so much! Will order some now! Been putting it off but my jeans don’t fit anymore so I better get started. Lol

That's ok xx

Mortified doesn’t even begin to cover it… we’re away at the moment and me and DH tried to go out for a nice dinner. Didn’t even make it through starter before I threw up everywhere in the nicest restaurant in the area. They were lovely about it but I’m so embarrassed and feeling sorry for myself. At nearly 20 weeks I thought the sickness would’ve gone by now.