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 💛

@CityKity you don’t have to do colostrum harvesting. I’m purely hoping to do it as I don’t plan to actually breastfeed, just going to express and combi feed but a little head start of the first feed or two would be ideal for me. If you’re planning to breastfeed anyway then there’s no real reason to harvest colostrum. It’s more for people who have more risk of being separated from their baby after birth or them needing NICU. I think sometimes people with gestational diabetes etc are encouraged to do it and I’ve seen some things say they encourage you to if you’re having a C-section (I’m guessing because it doesn’t come in so quickly). I got slightly the opposite advice from my midwife last time though as it can cause contractions which may lead to labour so she actually put me off doing it before my section.

No clue on the massage situation but I’m guessing it can only help 😬

@CityKity great idea going off at 36 weeks! Gives you at least a week before full term. I went off at 37 with my first then baby was born my first day of mat leave 😅 was so jealous I didn't get to nap and relax for at least a few days before baby came like all my NCT friends.

On your questions, I didn't colostrum harvest with my first because I didn't really understand it and planned to breastfeed anyway. But then in the hospital the breastfeeding specialist lady harvested loads with me in a syringe to give to my son because I took a while to get the hang of breastfeeding and I found it quite tiring and sore... So I'm going to do it myself but they advice is to wait to at least 37 weeks in case it brings on labour so I'll do it the first day I turn 37 weeks because I have a feeling baby is going to be early again (I might be completely wrong and baby might come at 42 weeks 😅)

Perineal massage... My husband says I did it a few times last time around - I have no recollection of this 😂 I thought I tried it once and hated it but apparently I did it quite a few times. Not doing it this time!

@BCxx Yes I guess babies grow at different rates and are just ready at different times.

@Paintandpots Yes, we have the name picked - I think! I wasn't 100% on it but it's the one we keep coming back to, and to be honest with all the Fetal Medicine investigations the name really has seemed insignificant, and I'm glad to have something certain amidst all the uncertainty, if that makes sense? I hope things have calmed down with your husband. You'll need all the help you can get and if he isn't able to provide that then you need it from somewhere else. Hopefully he'll be able to tolerate the situation in light of the bigger things going on!

@sally16 and others who were feeling poorly, I hope you're on the mend.

@LS888 thank you for sharing those stories about the early babies. It's mad, isn't it? Depending on how it goes with Fetal Medicine, I could be having this baby on Wednesday, or I could be having her in a number of weeks. It's so hard to plan around! Mad that people have ideas about gender from just casting their eyes at your bump 😂They should get a job in the x-ray department.

@Marmaladebear ah I find it so annoying when people keep pushing to know the exact due date! If I'm allowed to go to full term, I really don't want lots of messages from people saying 'had the baby yet?' Like, I'll tell you when I am ready!

@Rowanandremy I hope you're feeling more settled after your scare. Fingers crossed baby is head down!

@CityKity I'm going to try colostrum harvesting - my midwife said to start at 37 weeks, which is Saturday for me, so I am planning to do that if baby doesn't come out this week. I've also been doing the perineum massage - I've just been doing a bit every other day just using one thumb. Wouldn't say it's pleasant but it helps me feel like I'm in control and doing what I can. Enjoy your mat leave! Before all my FMU stuff kicked off I decided to go off on mat leave at 39 weeks so I've got a bit to go, but I'm feeling a bit done with work now. Which is not like me and I genuinely think in the last few days something has switched in my brain to prepare me for the next bit.

I'm massively suffering with SPD and the last two days have barely been able to walk. I think it's because baby has dropped - midwife today said two fifths of her head are engaged, which I know is still a way to go, but she wasn't at all engaged at my last monitoring, and I can really feel the difference. My hip is so bad and I don't really want to take paracetamol as it's ok sitting, just walking... Please tell me SPD magically disappears once baby is here?

I did milk collection when pregnant with DS and had no idea what I was meant to do with it 🤣 he ended up in Nicu so it was used then thankfully but otherwise I would have had no idea 😂
I'm going to do it again, purley because this baby's a planned section and if he needs nicu for any reason Atleast I can send DP home to get it.. as I did not enjoy being milked by a midwife in the middle of the night last time 🤣

How is everyone this week? I am feeling more pregnant than ever! I am so breathless and tired doing simple things. My 32 week bloods came back and my iron was a bit low so I'm starting to try and eat more iron rich foods.

I've also started feeling sick on and off since the weekend, is this normal towards the end? I'm 32 plus 4 today.

Had a massive panic yesterday as I got a letter saying the health visitor would be visiting Friday, but I haven't put any of the baby furniture up or anything yet so I don't know what I'm supposed to show her!!

My growth scan went amazingly. I still don't know what we're having. But baby has grown to 4lb 4oz which puts it on the average line so gone from 28 percentile to 50 percentile within 4 weeks! I have a general midwife appointment next Sunday and then another growth scan at 36 weeks.

I'm planning on visiting London for 4 days to visit family at 35 plus 2 to 38 weeks so I'm hoping baby stays put until I get back from there 😃 xx

@unluckyinlife I'm 36 weeks but for the past couple of weeks I did be sick a few times unexpectedly if I ate something to acidic and it burned my tongue, I did feel better and stuck to non processed foods as much as possible from then onward

@airmaxJ I hope you're feeling much better now! That makes sense actually as I've been suffering awful acid reflux and heartburn the last couple of days. I'll definitely keep an eye on my food for a while and see if I can notice a difference. 36 weeks is so close! Not long now! xx

@unluckyinlife yes try to eat food that is easy on the tummy , I'm fine now x

@unluckyinlife hv doesn't go for a look round don't worry! Just asks some questions with a cuppa if you offer haha!
I've also felt so sick in the evenings! No matter what I eat I feel like it's waiting to come back :(

@DesertSnow thank you I wasn’t quite myself for a few days but feel a lot better about it all now.

@unluckyinlife fantastic news about your growth scan! Try not to worry about the health visitor, it’s usually a sit down and a chat so no need to have any furniture built up to show her.

So had my midwife appointment today and it went really well. This morning I woke up and baby felt low so I suspected that he had started to engage which was confirmed at my appointment so thankfully he has finally turned the right way and I was told that she couldn’t get his head to move much so there isn’t a worry about him suddenly flipping around and going transverse again. I’ve most likely got to go back on iron supplements and I’ve been referred for a growth scan because I’m 35+2 but I’m measuring as 40 so I should hear about that in the next few days.

@unluckyinlife yeah definitely don’t worry about the health visitor. If you get a nice one they’re great and you see them much more than you see the midwife after baby is born. Mine came last week but as it’s baby number 2 she didn’t even bother bringing her notes in and said I’d done it all before so I’d be fine. My HV last time was really judgey and gave me a big lecture when I said I was probably planning to formula feed, was planning to do colostrum and expressing too but was too scared to tell them this at the time in case I was somehow forced into it after the birth 😂 This time I have a younger lady and she’s lovely. I told her about my plans to express if I can and she said ‘you do you’ and was so supportive. Hopefully you get a nice one!

@DesertSnow exactly!! I really don't want people asking me questions like that near the actual due date if I manage to get that far this time.

Am so shattered, pregnancy insomnia wrecked me today - been up since 4am. Was sooo uncomfortable on the sofa so have gone to bed and my pregnancy pillow is an actual dream 🥰

Evening all! Completed didn't realise we're on a new thread so just spent a while catching up with what's been happening! @DesertSnow thank you for sorting!

I had a call with consultant today. She said they will re-scan my placenta location at 36weeks and then a follow up call to discuss my options at that stage. She also said if I do need a c section then it would be at 40weeks not any earlier.

So happy To hear some of you ladies are on mat leave already! I'm 33 weeks and going on mat leave at 38 weeks am I mad??

I am with everyone on the insomnia as I'm up at 4am every morning. Also spent £300 on weekend as I panicked myself that I didn't have anything for baby. Still so much more to buy as well!

Any good recommendations for where to put baby to sleep during the day and any decent rockers? I'm so confused, there's just so much choice out there!

Thankyou for the advice everyone and I've had a good think age reading it all and spoken to a few mums at toddler groups and they have all said the same a what you are all saying, take the help and go stay with mum and dad during recovery period.
Oddly enough other half said he was OK with that today, that really it is so long s I'm ok with it.
Funny how quickly people can change their tune.

@CityKity colostrum harvesting i never knew to do that last time at this stage and only really tried it in hospital after giving birth to my first child. Someone told me if getting a c section or baby is a premie then to certainly harvest some.

@P1pk we will be using the moses basket for daytime naps, until baby doesn't fit in it. The basket itself is light weight and has a rocker, purchased from Argos.

@Marmaladebear pregnancy insomnia is crazy isn't it? I mean you'd think our bodies would be sleeping more now in prep for when baby is here and we can't get a much sleep.

@P1pk thats strange I thought most trusts were 39 weeks or at some point in the 39th week anyway! Good you’re getting another scan first 😊

It’s madness how easy it is to spend £300 on baby stuff without even really buying all that much, it just adds up so much! I would rather just have it than have it playing on my mind still to order last minute though. We’ll use the Moses basket in the living although because we have a dog we would quite often use the pram last time and it meant he didn’t stick his head in. The pram was also a bit bigger than the Moses basket, he had outgrown it at about 2 months 🙈

Good morning everyone. After my panic of last week, I am feeling much more relaxed now. I’ve managed to get most of the hospital bag packed - just need snacks and for my husband to pack his bits. But the baby and I are all covered! Also have been spending a fortune recently too! But I am a total sucker for all the cute baby things, I just can’t help myself 😂

Had my 3rd trimester ultrasound yesterday (not UK based and it’s standard here) and the doctor said ‘wow your tummy has grown so much! Looks like there’s 2 in there!!’ (😂🫠😭) luckily everything looks good and there is definitely only 1 baby!! Dr is super nice and I’ve seen him for all my scans so I didn’t actually mind that comment. But as others have said, I’m getting sooo many comments from people (mainly strangers actually) about how it must be nearly time ! About a month ago a taxi driver said that I looked like I was 8.5 months pregnant but I was only 7 😫! Funny how people feel like they can comment on what you look like. I suppose I am all belly atm and haven’t really put on any weight anywhere else (not that I have had any control over that) but still it’s a bit annoying! The worst is when they come and touch your belly - my (female) boss did that to me a few months ago which I feel like crossed a line! That was really weird…

Also feel like my brain is slowly grinding to a halt. Yesterday I was in a shop and I completely forgot what I went in for, how to speak to the lady and how to pay for anything! She must have thought I was a bit weird! I’ve also left the oven on, the fridge open, often walk into rooms and forget what I’m doing and get I distracted in the middle of conversations and walk away! Does this get better or am I just a bit of a dunce now?!?

@HRSC that's actually hilarious!(*to read if not experience!!); I actually haven't been affected by any of same and unfortunately despite thinking I was off on maternity leave,I have been flat out working (day and night) forthe last week and looking like continuing for a further week or2). At least it's from home mainly though.
The thought of someone touching my abdomen is unbearable, apart from my children or other half. I think a man did that in my last pregnancy and I was absolutely horrified, albeit I just froze at the time in shock probably!
@CityKity I am definitely going to do.colostrum harvesting; actually waiting at my midwife appt now so going to see if they give you the stuff for it as am 36weeks Friday which is when we can do it in Ireland it seems.
I however am not peeing into any more plastic cups! Have decided my days of that are behind me!!(';) @Rowanandremy am going to fins out hopefully if baby is still transverse or whrther has turned. I'm so uncomfortable I fear it has to be still lying across,but I hope not as I actually really really don't want a section.
Am really looking forward to going for breakfast after this!!

@Paintandpots so glad that your other half has had a change of heart and you can get the support you need without any other type of stress about that choice.

@P1pk for dd we had a rocking Moses basket until she outgrew it and was beside the sofa where we would sit. This time we’ve got a crib that should last longer and it’s between my armchair and the sofa so we’ve both got easy access - can’t for the life of me remember what the crib is called 😂

@HRSC so glad you are feeling more settled! I am also a sucker for all the cute baby things, I could drop hundreds in baby shops (that I’ve got that spare 😂) so I know to avoid them unless absolutely necessary 😂 I was genuinely gutted at dw’s friend saying I was huge, all my insecurities just rushed to the forefront. I have honestly never been more grateful for having a resting moody face, no one has ever dared come up to me and touch my belly - I find the thought of it horrendous so not sure how I would react if it happened. Oh the forgetfulness! I’ve had it this time round, I’ve forgotten what I’m doing or what I’m meant to be doing more times than I can count. I left the hob on the other day, luckily I noticed when I took my plate back into the kitchen.

@CityKity I’m planning on harvesting colostrum again this time around, I didn’t get a lot last time and dd wasn’t keen (she’d always know which bottle it was in) so some didn’t get used which I was quietly devastated by because I’d built it up to be a big thing she needed. I feel a bit more relaxed about it this time round.

@BMK hope you have had good news and baby isn’t transverse! I was super nervous yesterday that I would be told he hadn’t turned and I would need to go down the c section route. I wasn’t wanting one either, medically it would be a bit more complicated for me and baby would have to be born without me awake and without dw in the room which I really didn’t want. Really hope you’ve had good news and got to have a fab breakfast!

I'm only 34 weeks tomorrow, but will I know when my colostrum has come in? FTM here!

@jollydollyirl you won’t necessarily know that your colostrum has come in. For some it comes in a bit earlier and you know that by gentle pressure or after a shower but it’s not recommended before 36 weeks to try and harvest. For me, this is my second, it has come in but not in large quantities and only after a shower and if there’s pressure.

Tags aren't working well so apologies if this reads strangely!

@jjollydollyirl : You might find you have some before baby is born but you also might not. Both are normal. I've woken up twice to find I have one slightly crusty nipple which I assume is colostrum but nothing else. I'm 32wks.

My midwife didn't really encourage colostrum harvesting when I asked. She told me it was mainly suggested for babies more likely to need it and I was low risk. In addition, if I took it to the hospital it would probably spoil before I need it and as I'm the only driver, I can't really send anyone else home for it.

And for daytime sleeps, I plan on using the bassinet from the buggy. Our living room is tiny so not keen on buying too many "options". No idea what we'll do when Little One outgrows it but that's a consideration for another time!

TMI but I appear to be having the oddest discharge mixed with a tiny bit of blood. I assume its because I've done a fair bit of walking the last 2 days. I was planning on sitting in bed the rest of the evening and resting but my sister seemed to think I should be calling the hospital as any blood is bad news?

I can't get through to my maternity unit and the nearest check-in is 30 mins away and I'm alone with the kids until Friday (husbands working 3.5 hours away) so don't particularly want to cause chaos if its a false alarm/unecessary panic..

I'll carry on attempting to contact the maternity unit in the meantime, but has anyone had this?

@unluckyinlife sounds like it could be your mucus plug/bloody show but still call definitely! X

@unluckyinlife if you can't get through to the maternity line could you try 111? I've had something that sounds like that after sex before but I'm prone to that tbh but can't be 100% sure it's the same as that you have

@Paintandpots so glad you're getting the support!! And totally agree, pregnancy insomnia is such a cruel joke from mother nature.

Just had my last day of work and I'm now on maternity leave 🥳🥳🥳🥳 I already feel lighter. Work has been so intense and taking up all my head space so I've had no room or energy to prep for baby so are the end of today I made a huge to do list of both prep and fun things to do before baby arrives 😁

Or as @Amme18 says it could be your mucas plug!!