Due October 2023 Thread 8

[Chanteuse]

New thread for our October group - third trimester time!!

I had a letter through last week inviting me to go and meet the health visitor at the local library at the end of the month, so both me and DH will go along.

I don't have one booked and from memory, I didn't see one last time until after baby was born.

My next contact will be MW at 34 weeks .... so first week of September.

I do have a scan on mo day to make sure my placenta has moved out the way of exit! So I am looking forward to seeing the little guy as it's been ages!

@Smiffette I am keeping fingers crossed placenta has moved. If you haven't seen the little one for a while you'll be surprised how big they've grown and how baby-like they look now :) I saw my boy last week and I was so surprised to see a full face, not just the skull shape.

@ttcttc I received a call yesterday for a health visitor to visit me next week but I am moving place I'll fall under a different support group. I don't have the date yet but they'll visit me at home - partly to check if I need any support and partly to see how I am arranging the flat for the baby.

@peonygirl I am really excited to see his face, when I had a private gender scan his face was completely hidden behind my placenta the whole time.

Then the NHS ones quality isn't as good and it was just more of a fuzzy side view.

Ahh I think this is optional in my area. I don't need any support at the minute so haven't booked one as I know resources are stretched. I'm sure they'll be on the case when baby is here. Isn't it strange how all trusts operate so differently. Obviously in my case there's no issues but I think they probably should come out and check where babies will be living.

@ttcttc I wouldn’t have booked it myself, it’s just standard in my area! Received a letter saying she will be here at 10am on the 27th and that was that really! Although I’m glad I met her now and not when I’m in the throes of newborn life 😂

@ttcttc I’ve not had any contact with the HV 😂😅 no1 has contacted me, I’m not particularly bothered about it at the minute anyway as I’m going on holiday next week.

I'm totally sympathising with those who have had sciatic pain...I have been getting it the last couple of days and it's horrible. 😩

It happens out of no where.... I go to get up and it's so painful. I'm just glad I've been working from home when it's been happening.

It's awful isn't it @Smiffette?! It's one of those things I had heard of but never really understood what exactly it was.

When it suddenly hits me (mine seems to be if I lean slightly forwards / bend at all) it's so painful it takes my breath away and makes me do an audible yelp. Really hope to improves for us all soon!

Our little girl is still a non stop wriggler which is lovely, if exhausting! Can't imagine how it's going to feel when she's even bigger - I'm 31+3 now and she's 1.8kg as of this week's scan.

It's crazy but I really feel like she already has a little personality that I'm getting to know!

Yeah my letter just said if I wanted to arrange a visit let them know but can't see a point really. That being said I think they should be visiting homes of new babies when you look at all the horror in the news about neglect and stuff. Obviously not anyone on this thread who are all excited and preparing but some people do need support and it's probably lack of resource that some areas don't do it.

Where are you located ?

@Smiffette yes is so not fun is it! 😩 I did find a stretch that I think helps me a bit. Very awkward but bend your leg and place it laying flat on a table or desk in front of you, so your leg is laying at a right angle at the knee and outside of knee is touching table. Then keep back straight and lean forwards into the stretch. Every other stretch I found doesn't accommodate a bump!

Also unrelated, think I had (or noticed for the first time) my first Braxton hick last night. Very strange and has for some reason made me anxious that I'm suddenly going to get them all the time and it could be more than just Braxton hicks, when I know in reality Braxton Hicks are very normal and that's defo what it was 🤦🏽‍♀️

First meeting with consultant today (29+4), anything I should ask about/any advice?

34 weeks on Monday! At what point are you setting things up?
Got lots set up upstairs, but downstairs, like pram/ Moses basket / sterliser etc?
sick of looking at the boxes piling up 🤣

A very early time in the year to be considering this, I know, but given all of our estimated due dates - I'm thinking about Christmas and vaccinations!

Do jabs happen on schedule over Christmas? If on time, our baby will hit 8 weeks during Christmas week.

I don't know whether I'm being antisocial or overprotective when it comes to big family gatherings over Christmas! I have no issues at all going out to spaced out venues, or with having a few guests at a time in our home, but the idea of the ILs big 30+ get togethers with kids back from university and older second cousins who think we're making a fuss crammed into an ordinary sized house gives me the heebie jeebies.

I'm not remotely a germaphobe and generally take a "dirt is good" approach, but I always postpone visits to other newborns myself if I'm ill. If nothing else, I don't want to floor the parents with my germs. And I happen to know there are anti-vaxxer, purposefully attending get togethers with covid etc types who've cause trouble around newborns and people travelling during the pandemic in this group.

But I sort of wonder if it's also because I don't give a shit about seeing the wider group, haha.

I gave myself a soft start time of around 37 weeks, that seems a good balance between getting used to stuff and not having them up empty for.too long. Curious to know what others' plans are.

@Mamabear345 I'm 32 weeks today and in 2 weeks I plan to order the bedside crib and mattress and sort the last few bits of kit I need (changing mat, diaper caddy, etc). Aand start packing the birth bag! I've got the pram and carrycot still in their boxes as we weren't sure we were moving house before baby is here but that's now very unlikely.

When are people thinking about going on maternity leave? I’m a secondary teacher so luckily on Summer hols atm and feeling exhausted - 33 weeks tomorrow. Planning on going back in September from 35-38 weeks but not sure how I’m going to cope! Zero flexibility in teaching aswell. I guess I’m going to have to get my hospital bag etc packed before I go back to work. My worst nightmare would be waters breaking at work surrounded by teenagers!

@Esl17 I’m also a secondary teacher and my last day is 15th Sept. DD isn’t until 08/10 but it’s very very likely that I’ll be induced early or have a c-section. I’m totally knackered now so I’m glad I’ll be finishing early! I don’t have a timetable as my mat cover has already started so it’s 11 working days of not doing too much hopefully 🤞🏼

I’m due 7th Oct so the day before you but planning to go until 22nd Sept due to our shocking 4 weeks full pay only! Also won’t have a TT but head said I can either act as a HLTA (no thanks to walking around a classroom/on my feet) or small group tutoring - hoping to stick to this! Hoping to break it up with the insets and more frequent midwife appts etc and just generally keep a low profile! Just can’t imagine going back at this stage - think I’ve got too used to being off! How long are you planning on staying off for?

@Esl17 I’m a SAHM so can’t really help with the maternity leave advice.
but… try to not to stress too much about waters breaking. Only 10-20% of pregnancy’s actually have their waters break before labour starts. So odds are you will have contractions before they break and can go home!
With my DD the broke them just before I started to push, and it was a spontaneous labour.

@Mamabear345 ah thanks that reassures me a lot - my friend had a baby last year and she said she had the big dramatic movie style gush and soaked through 9 pads before she even got to the hospital so that’s put the frighteners up me!

@ttcttc I totally agree, I definitely think it’s necessary after the birth of the baby. I’ve had quite a lot of contact with my midwife, she’s been lovely and I feel that is enough for the time being 🩷🩵
I am based in Glasgow, Scotland- you?

@Esl17 I’m going back after may half term. DH gets 12 weeks!!! Fully paid paternity. He’s taking 4 weeks off when baby arrives and the rest when I go back to work so we will be back on full wages from June thankfully!

@NSx I haven't had much contact with mine but not needed to either so can't complain.
I'm in Cumbria 😊

@Chanteuse same as you - May half
term- have you looked into SPL? You can use it to get full pay for Feb half term and Easter hols x

Thats very lucky - my partner is a teacher too so just the 2 weeks stat. That being said I’m very fortunate that my parents have offered to do all our childcare 4 days a week once I go back to work so I’m hoping to go back 4 days after Mat is up.