August Due Date Crew (Thread 9)

[DesertSnow]

Thread 9! I wonder if this will be the one most babies are born in - can't wait to hear all the happy announcements 😁

I'm really sorry if I've missed anyone, I've done my best. Do give me a shout if I've missed you or have your info wrong (apologies if so!), and I'll make a note.

Delivered! 👶

June 20th - @Miraclesdohappen88 💙

Due Dates 💥

July

26th - @MidnightSunshine12 💛
27th - @Spiralout 💙
29th - @DesertSnow 💖, @Mulner88 💖, @Porcupette 💛, @Loudmouth1 💛, @overwork 💛
31st - @BusyBushBaby 💖, @jjeanii 💖

August

1st - @CityKity 💛, @SnowL2021 💛
2nd - @sprollie11 💛, @ChloeN 💛
3rd - @PumpkinEverything 💙, @Chl0o 💙, @LS88 💛
4th - @BMK 💖, @Alpacabag22 💖, @Amme18 💛, @DomesticElf 💙
5th - @LBF2020 💛, @Desperatelyboredhousewife 💛, @BoodifulGoose 💖
6th - @buttercupbee 💛, @somuchtolearnabout 💛, @Rowanandremy 💙, @TattyTil 💛
7th - @marleyandme 💛
8th - @RGxo13 💙, @JT2021 💙, @Wineismybestfriend 💛
10th - @VickiGo 💙, @Sjw30 💛, @AlexM7 💛
11th - @tax19 💛, @nadsc 💛, @Rose05 💛, @sally16 💙
13th - @newmummie 💙, @Fizzmatizz 💛
14th - @Babykingincoming 💛
15th - @Gizzyanne 💛
16th - @Recoba 💛
17th - @Narwhal88 💖, @jollydollyirl 💛, @cococat88 💛
18th - @sommeliermama 💖, @EsmeSusanOgg 💛
19th - @Firsttimemomma1 💛, @P1pk 💛, @Marmaladebear 💖, @Stuwe 💛, @MartaEly 💛
20th - @BB1993 💖
21st - @BCxx 💖, @Justdancinginthedark 💛, @honeymirabella 💖, @allgoodthings84 💖
23rd - @MinnieFirstTimeMum 💙, @Owlgirl14 💖
24th - @Daisy155 💛
25th - @unluckyinlife 💛
26th - @MummaYoung2023 💛, @Wife2b 💛, @HRSC 💖
27th - @ropo34 💛
28th - @Shinea 💛
31st - @chickpea1982 💖

September

1st - @froglou 💛

@Marmaladebear I am terrible for writing long messages on here and somehow losing it all, me and technology don’t often get on 😂 I have loved being apart of this group and I’m so glad to have been part of it - ds has had a good feed and is conked out on my chest doing the baby snuffles in his sleep 🥰 we have to keep him elevated after a feed for at least half an hour which I am shamelessly taking as snuggle time 😂 how ridiculous of that midwife, we have fantastic neighbours but still wouldn’t have wanted them to have dd any longer that it would have taken for a relative to pick her up from them. I’m so sorry that’s been your experience when it should be about what you are comfortable with and what you want. I struggle with being a people pleaser and it can be soo hard to advocate for what you want and what you need - and with birth often those things are intrinsically linked because it is important that you are listened to. Really hoping that you are able to get a more understanding and empathetic midwife if you go for a home birth.

@BCxx @DomesticElf we also really questioned ourselves about having a second baby, before, during and after getting pregnant. We often looked at dd and thought ‘how could we possibly love anyone as much or equally as we do her?’ And the further I got in pregnancy the more we’d wonder how the dynamics would work because for 4 years it had been the 3 of us and our routines were so good and settled. I worried that dd wouldn’t take to being an older sibling, mostly because I was the youngest and one of my siblings didn’t at all appreciate my existence so I was worried it would be something like my experience growing up. I can obviously only speak from my experience but DD’s arrival and DS’s was the same feeling of love and like they were always meant to be with us. The heart definitely expands and that’s not to say there won’t be some teething troubles, dd adores ds but when he had a crying fit yesterday she wasn’t very happy - but that’s all part of adjusting as a family. This is my very long winded way of saying how you are feeling is absolutely normal but it will work out and when your babies arrive all that worry washes away.

@DomesticElf i think it must be very normal and it’s not like you’re being brought a second child of the same age, a baby is very different. Newborns really do just lie there a lot of the time so I will still have a lot of time to spend with him and if we go days out, soft play etc it still will be all about him and baby will just sleep in the pram at first.

That’s a good way to think about the feeding situation. I pretty much just formula fed last time as nothing else worked out and he’s just fine so if it comes to that again I won’t beat myself up about it. I also don’t see me bf/expressing long term so my aim is probably only about 6 weeks or a few months anyway

Getting really fed up of the blood sugar testing kit thing now. Just another 3 days of it at least.

Congratulations again to newborn babes and mummies so far.

@BCxx exactly what my relatives have told me too, not to worry as when baby is all quite young he can just be in pram or hugging you or in a wrap whilst you and your toddler can go and play at exciting places again as you will have your mobility and body back.

@Rowanandremy I don't think love works like that, the idea of dividing love up for people, i think it is a bit reductive. Love is maybe more like a growing plant, the more people or children in your life and it just grows?

Yes exactly what @Paintandpots - love doubles not halves ❤️

@DomesticElf @BCxx @Rowanandremy really reassuring to hear you say you've had/are having worries about no. 2. I said last night to DH that I was in no way connected to the feelings I had when thinking about trying for another. But I also think I've been feeling quite (hormonally) down recently, so I was putting it down to that.

Hoping that the hormones mean labour will be soon - I've had some uncharacteristic "just wanting to be shut in my room and not interact with anyone" desires which I didn't get last time.

Ooh @Paintandpots I've just been given one of those kits too. My GTT was negative at 26 weeks but I had a bit of glucose in my urine at my 38 week MW apt. Hope that the negative test was correct and that I've only more recently developed GDM (I'm assuming I have it as my second strip test was over the limit yesterday, will see how today's look). Baby is measuring average though.
Partner appears to have come down with some D&V thing, I'm hoping it's food related and not a bug so that I can't catch it, but either way I've relegated myself to the sofa!

@Paintandpots I really didn’t mean to give the impression that I thought love could be divided - I don’t think that at all. You explained what I meant far better than I did 😂

@Rowanandremy I’ve had the same big feelings, I get it! It’s so hard when you’re adding an extra and turning your little ones life upside down wondering if they will love you or hate you for it later on 😅 my little boy is 4 too and I think it’s almost harder with the bigger age gap because they will remember a time before baby! Xx

Hey everyone. Haven’t posted on this thread for a while as always feel like I’m butting in mudflow conversation but hope you’re all well and congrats to the new mamas xx

I’ve just had a midwife appointment at 37+3 and she is sending me for a growth scan because my bump was below the trajectory line. I’m now terrified and have to wait until Tuesday for the scan. Have any of you had growth scans? Is this just a precaution? I’m absolutely flapping now. Google doesn’t help, says small babies are at a higher risk of being still born so as you can imagine, I’ve put the fear of god into myself x

@RGxo13 I had a growth scan at 34 weeks as my bump hardly grew than 3 weeks before and it put me on the 10th centile rather than 50th. It was all fine for me, baby weighed 50th centile again so must of just been an off measurement xx

@RGxo13 hey lovely, I am having growth scans this pregnancy. First of all, take a deep breath and step away from Google, otherwise you can end up all sorts of rabbit holes.

Fundal height measurements are notoriously unreliable, it's a very gross way to measure growth. For example, for me there is 2 centile difference between what comes out on fundal height measurement and measurements on growth scans.

Is you baby moving ok? That's a more accurate indication of how happy your baby is at this point in time. If they are wriggling away, then it's a good sign they are doing well. I'd focus on movements until Tuesday rolls around.

@ChloeN @DomesticElf thanks so much for replying. This is really good to hear. Baby has been moving fine which is reassuring :) heard his heart beat too when I was at my appointment so that helped me. Just so scary when it’s so close isn’t it and like you say, google is not the place to be!! X

@RGxo13 to repeat what others have been saying... I have also been having growth scans. Each time I go to a MW appointment (5 times) they refer as my belly isn't following the upwards trend that it should be. In fact at the last one my bump had gotten smaller. However each time baby has been on the 70th centile at the growth scans and growing accordingly.
Try not to worry about Tuesday, and just think of it as a better to safe than sorry precaution and a chance to see baby once more.
I do think, although not confined by a MW the measurements also have a lot to do with Baby's position at the time of the appointment x

*confirmed not confined

@RGxo13 just to echo what others have said, I’ve also had 2 growth scans for my fundal height not going up as it should and/or being smaller than it should be for gestation. Every time the scan shows that baby is still tracking at 50th percentile (as it has been the entire time).
Fundal height is such a variable measurement, and definitely agree it changes with position of baby and even time of day. My bump is definitely smaller in the morning for example.
Please don’t be anxious ahead of Tuesday, like others have said it’s a precaution to have a scan. I’ve had another low fundal height measure at my 38w appointment and me and my midwife decided not even to go for another scan anymore.

How’s everyone getting on? Currently 38w+3 and it’s all getting very very real. I actually thought last night might be go time, but I think I was just getting in my own head a bit.
I’ve had dull period like lower back ache the last couple of days and last night also felt nauseous and had the urge to clear out my bowels (which I’ve heard can be a sign that labour is imminent). Anyway false alarm, probably nerves more than anything!
At the 38w check up, baby’s head is 1/5th engaged so still a while to go, but going in the right direction at least. What a waiting game, could be today, could be another 4 weeks!

@CityKity im sure 5/5 means not engaged and 1/5 is fully - I’m pretty sure it’s backwards??

Ive also had a “clear out”, lots of cramping/lower back pain and thought it was go time…still here 3 days later but figure it’s all just “prep”. 38 weeks today ☺️

I would guess it depends on how your notes are worded.

Mine say "fifths palpable" so if it said 4/5 I would assume Baby was one fifth engaged because the midwife could feel a lot.

If the notes said "fifths engaged" and it said 4/5 I would assume Baby was mostly engaged.

@Amme18 @CremeEggsForBreakfast very interesting! I really wasn’t quite sure from the examination, I don’t have any notes to refer back to as this was just said in passing and I didn’t even know that engagement was measured in fifths! I’m so curious which it is now!

@RGxo13 if it makes you feel better my bump changes size throughout the day! This morning it was massive and solid then later it was squishy and half the size 🤣 so could just be a positioning thing! Try not to worry! The end is in sight finally!

@BCxx People are so quick to give you their opinion on names, aren't they? I'm hoping we won't care what people think as we'll be so distracted.

@Marmaladebear I hope you're feeling better after your convo with the midwife. I know they're overstretched but it's terrible if she just didn't want to do the assessment. It's so important that pregnant women are listened to and empowered to make their choices, and yours are very practical!

@CityKity Glad to hear you're feeling better about the flat situation. Sometimes I feel like the days are flying, other times dragging.

@HRSC fingers crossed you test negative for group strep b, but if it's positive much better to know now and just means you will need antibiotics during labour.

@Rowanandremy hope little man is doing well and you're all adjusting. Not sure if my moodiness is a sign of anything happening as much as it is a sign of being heavily pregnant and uncomfortable 😂

Hope all is going well @airmaxJ!

Glad you're feeling better @DomesticElf. Made me smile about the 'dying swan' comment - totally get what you mean! DH complains so much about the smallest of ailments and at this point it's a bit much which all that I'm contending with!

@RGxo13 Hopefully the above responses will help you feel less alone on the growth scan - lots of us have been having them and most of the time it really is nothing to worry about. Fundal height measurements are not always an accurate measurement of baby's growth, but quite rightly they are super cautious. I don't know if this will help, but on the flip side our growth scan has shown there may be something wrong, and we've been monitored closely by Fetal Medicine since 28 weeks (CTG twice a week, multiple scans etc.). I'm not saying this to worry you but to say that when there is a potential problem they keep a really close eye on you and are constantly reassessing the situation on whether baby is better off out than in. If there was a problem you would be in good hands. Also, at this stage you'd be more than fine for baby to come out, so as long as baby is moving as normal I wouldn't worry too much. Hope all goes well with the scan.

It sounds like a few people are getting early signs - clear outs, cramping, etc. I hope I'll be able to keep up with the list with all these babies coming! 😂

I'm finally on mat leave, can't believe I'm 39 weeks tomorrow.

Next appointment for me is fetal MRI on Wednesday which I'm a bit nervous about. Has anyone else had one/knows someone who has had one? Seems bizarre to be having one so close to when I'm due, but I guess it might indicate the need for intervention earlier.

@sally16 @CityKity @DesertSnow @MinnieFirstTimeMum thanks so much for the reassurance ladies. Have managed to calm myself down now and persuade myself this is positive to keep an eye on baby.

@CityKity my midwife today said I was 2/5 engaged and she said it was a 2 because she could still feel some of his head otherwise it would be a 1. With your other symptoms, sounds like you could have your baby sooner than you think! Good luck lovely xx

@DesertSnow I've not had one done for the baby but I had one done for me at 26 weeks, and I work with a department that performs them regularly - it's thought of as perfectly safe under the set parameters they use it in

@RGxo13 good luck for the scan, definitely see it as a positive not a negative. I had lots last time and really worried before the first one but then quickly realised how routine they are. They just have to send you for one if you’ve moved up/down by much and it’s all down to who’s measured you and how baby happens to be lying on the day so can change so easily!