Due December 2023 part 4

[wannabemum38]

Part 4 thread ladies

@SMG1992 thank you it feels bit better today did too much walking om Sunday I think in flatish sandals.
@Mushroo I've only put on about the same 5 or 6lbs. I told midwife yesterday really not worried about weight gain they are more concerned with baby growing which will be at my next appointment 28 weeks so don't fret. Whatever you eat baby is getting their nourishment and taking all your energy so as long as.you are eating well and not losing weight think all is well

@Mushroo it's called pregnancy weight tracker. It's just a simple weight tracker. Add in a new weigh in every week (or every 2/3/4/etc if you're not comfortable weighing every week) and it'll plot your weight against an "expected" low-high weight gain range.

Obviously take this with a pinch of salt and don't stress if your weight is out of range. Pregnancy is stressful enough without worrying about the number on the scales too!

Forgot to add I've also become very inactive - I used to run 90-120 mins per week and did 20mins energetic or calm yoga daily, since being pregnant I've done 40 mins yoga and that's it, that's been my exercise 😂. I do need to start moving again now I'm feeling better again.

@Nclktnntt you sound exactly the same as me. I feel absolutely fine and I’m definitely eating more.

Before pregnancy I was running 3 times a week plus the gym and now just doing yoga every so often.

@wannabemum38 thank you :)

@Pitstop1986 great, I’ll get it downloaded to just keep an eye on things!

Weight gain - Urgh. Unfortunately I reckon i’ve put loads on. My BMI went from 26 to 32 in a year (It was 32 at my booking in appointment when I was 8 weeks pregnant) I’ve had back to back IVF rounds and been pumped full of all kinds of hormones and unfortunately it just piled on me! Then when I started the embryo transfer process I was put on high dose Prednisolone steroids until 12 week’s pregnancy and that really did bloat me, I was swollen and massive on it.

Still now i’m swollen, struggling to get my engagement ring on and off and I just feel “big”

I haven’t weighed myself, I daren’t, but my sweet tooth is off the scale this pregnancy and I just know i’ve piled it on.

Must rectify it come January 🙈

Anaemia - Anyone suspect they have this? Is anyone else shattered?

@VillageFete If you suspect anaemia I would definitely speak with your midwife and get some bloods taken.

I'm going to ask mine to do my bloods at this meeting as I'm watching my b12 levels. I was found to be extremely low back in jan and had to have an intense set of 6 injection over 3 weeks followed by every 3 months thereafter, for at least 12 months, however I then fell pregnant and asked the midwife at the booking apt if it's safe to hve the b12 as well as the pregnancy vitamins I was having as I was due my top up injection, she said we'll check my levels. My levels were fine so I want them checked again now as it's been another 3 months.

From what I've read it's common to be low on b12 & iron during pregnancy and it needs kept an eye on.

@Nclktnntt I have the forms for bloods for 28 weeks but it’s only a full blood count that’s offered. I did go my GP around a month ago and explained my symptoms and asked for bloods. He said ferritin/B12/Folate weren’t necessary 🙄 But agreed to a full blood count. That showed lower than “normal” Haemoglobin but because I’m pregnant, apparently that’s normal. He was very unhelpful.

I then paid for a private Ferritin blood test. Normal range starts at 30, i’m at 21, which again is apparently not terrible for pregnancy but does point towards depleted stores as far as I can tell.

I was going to start on something like Spatone or Floradix and see if that helps until my 28 week bloods. I’m just shattered and getting a bit breathless!

Does anyone have any experience with nursing chairs? I’m planning on getting one but it’s hard to decide which.

@VillageFete I'm shattered all of the time. It was my thyroid levels at first, my thyroid became under active but I was put on levothyroxine and my most recent bloods have shown everything in the normal range, so now I'm suspecting low iron may be playing a role.

I get my 28 week bloods done in a couple of weeks, but I have some spatone in the bathroom cupboard so may have one a day and see if it helps. Obviously if my levels come back as low, I'll up it to 2 sachets per day

Eurgh 26 weeks here and the sickness has resurfaced big time also feeling huge already, though my husband says I look like I've lost weight other than the huge bump. No idea as we don't own scales

Ughhh if any of you plan to fly when you might need a fit to fly certificate - plan ahead! Speak with your doctors to find out how much it costs in your area. Ours is reduculously expensive! There is online options too one of my clients used due to having issues getting a doctors apt before she flew.

We fly when we're 25 weeks and return 2 days before we're 28 weeks. Our airline want a fit to fly from 28 weeks but we thought we would get it just in case. It HAS to come from your doctor which means trying to get an appointment, this is also a chargeable request. So knowing the hassle I've been trying for a while and It's taken 3 weeks to get an appointment (managed to book online but called to check it would be done then or in time as we fly the following week) on speaking with the receptionist I needed to send an email requesting the fit to fly cert with dates of the flights, I then got a call to tell me this certificate was going to cost £60-£85 depending (on what they couldn't answer) and if I was happy to proceed. I was expecting around the £25 mark. So no I didn't proceed as we wanted it as a 'just in case they asked'.

Im fortunate that we are just shy of technically needing the cert so I cancelled the docs and my midwife is going to write a letter to state how many weeks we are, our due date and there's been no complications as proof, just in case they do ask, of how many weeks we are. It's on the nhs trust paper just not from a doctor - who I don't need to see as I'm low risk anyways and has nothing to do with me through the whole pregnancy so far. I don't get why it has to be them in this case. Anyway.

The thing is even if we were over the 28 weeks - they might not even ask for it. Which if I'd spent nearly £100 on a piece of paper, you know for sure I'd make sure they looked at it 😂

So just be prepared in case you need one at all.

I know a few people have mentioned this already, but I’d echo a recommendation for the John Lewis baby appointment.

Zero pressure to buy anything as they just send everything you’ve picked out in a follow up email. We got a full 90 mins with an advisor and spent ages going through prams, car seats, cots, everything!

I've finally felt baby every day now for over a week and today I had a couple bumps that you could actually physically see my bump move slightly 🥰 movements still feel fairly faint and aren't too often just yet, just 1 - 3 bumps every now and then. But I just had a mini spell of being able to see them and there was a few happening, so ran to my husband to show him and of course they stopped, knowing they're being stared at 😂 so my husband just asked if he can hold bump for a minute and they started going nuts! And he saw them too. It was so magical. I know in a few weeks when they're stronger and keeping me awake I'll be fed up but for now I'm in awe of this little being that is growing and gaining strength and my body for actually growing this little human.

Anyone still waiting - it's amazing when they start 🥰

I'm also having this nightmare!
Which airline are you with? I'm with tui and guidance is very limited!

@Soundbathfan @Nclktnntt i hadnt event thought of this.

I’ll be 26+4 when we fly back, so seems daft to pay for a fit to fly just to prove I don’t need it? Also with TUI.

I think I’ll just wear baggy clothes and take my Mat1b which has my due date on it. No idea what happens in practice and how strict they are!

@Soundbathfan this is with virgin - we're headed to America in a just under 3 weeks now. What's tui's guidelines?

@Soundbathfan just found these links for you - tui say fit to fly letter from 28 weeks from either your doctor or your midwife, so maybe ask your midwife like I have

That's the main faq info site
www.tui.co.uk/destinations/faq/Can-I-fly-if-I-m-pregnant?catId=265&subcatId=273&docId=933

That answer links this article:
www.tui.co.uk/discover/safe-flying-during-pregnancy

My midwife offered as she said it can be difficult to get one from the doctors especially as it needs to be dated Within 2 weeks of you flying out and they have to see you and it's impossible to get an apt. Virgin say doctor only on their information section but as we're technically not needing it I've asked the midwife. She hasn't mentioned that she'll charge for it because I did mention I'm not paying the 60-85 so I'd have thought that would be the perfect time for her to let me know it's also charged from them too. But I'll find out next week when I see her I guess.

I’m flying on Tuesday with Ryan air and they’ve told me I don’t need a fit to fly letter until 28 weeks. I’m 24 weeks and My bump is quite small so thinking they won’t question me. Probably won’t wear anything too tight just incase!

Tui are from 28 weeks too so no need to tell them or get a fit to fly. I'm only asking my midwife because we're so close to the 28 week mark on the way back and if they ask (big if) but if they do I was like how do I prove I'm not 28 weeks yet. But I'm not paying that much which is why my midwife's offered to do it for me as proof of how far I am and that's everything all ok anyway. If I wasn't so close I wouldn't bother because you don't have too 😊

You'll be fine at 24 weeks. You could even show your app because that has your due date and how many weeks you are on there, if they ask, which I doubt they even will.

@Nclktnntt that's lovely for you 🥰 It's a great feeling!

@Nclktnntt aww that's lovely so happy for you it's such a weird yet wonderful feeling. Was talking to my boss about it other day and she said it was her favourite thing to feel them move. I have had a a few low down kicks which have taken my breath away but I remind myself I never thought I was ever going to experience being pregnant let alone feel a baby move inside me so feeling blessed at the moment and enjoying it. But roll on being a lot bigger and the big kicks in ribs prob different story as u said

@wannabemum38 its definitely a time to feel blessed especially with what you have gone through. Is it this weekend you get married?

@Nclktnntt it's amazing to feel baby move isn't it! I'm experiencing only a few bumps a day usually in the morning and evening when I sit still.
Only seen my bump move once in the bath, but when it happened it made the water ripple 😄
I can't wait for my husband to feel our little one move, at the moment he keeps missing movements becasue I also only get a couple of kicks/bumps at a time, but he does talk to baby bump every day which makes my heart melt 🥰

22 weeks tomorrow and feel like I've definetly expanded over the last couple of weeks, I dread to weigh myself! Also my belly button looks like it might pop out soon 😳

@Beans1982 my belly button is on its way out too! I hate belly buttons so it’s freaking me out a bit.

DH also keeps missing the bumps, I hope he gets to feel it soon.