Due October 2023 Thread 8

[Chanteuse]

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

@Ss32 I’m with you - totally ready to not be pregnant any more, I’ve had ENOUGH! 36 weeks Sunday, I’m ready for him to get out 😂 he’s measuring big so I think I’ll be booked in for a section at 39 weeks, have a consultant appt Monday. Hopefully I’ll go early though!

With this weather it is making me want to not be pregnant right now, once it cools again I'll be happy.

Baby boy has dropped from 97Th to just above 50th so going for a scan next week. Will be good to get a weight estimate and see the little guy again 🙂

Oh don't get me wrong I totally can't wait not to be pregnant any more 😆 but there is definitely a part of me that will miss the connected feeling too.

Does anyone who has had a c section previously have any experience/advice about getting breastfeeding started afterwards? I am mentally preparing for section if baby remains breech, but I really want to breastfeed again... planning to buy an Elvie pump and bring it with me to the hospital.

@OrionNebula Have you had your midwife appointment yet to see if baby’s still breech?

@Flying12 not yet, it's Tuesday.

@OrionNebula i had an emergency section last time and was able to feed straight away. I’m hoping to have VBAC this time but know there’s a chance I’ll end up with a section again. I’m planning to try harvest colostrum this time just in case feeding is difficult to start with x

@OrionNebula good luck! I’ve got my 38 week appointment Tuesday (mine always seem to be early as I’m 37 weeks on Saturday)
pretty sure baby’s not turned yet for me though

@Flying12 fingers crossed for both of us!

@Ss32 I might try and harvest colostrum too - is there any trick to doing that, or is it simply a case of pumping in the run up to the due date? (And then storing properly of course)

A breastfeeding specialist from the hospital gave me a colostrum harvesting kit (sounds more exciting than it is) Its more hand expressing and collecting in syringes and they can go straight in the freezer

@OrionNebula for colostrum harvesting you need to hand express and you only get a few ml you collect in a syringe. Check with your hospital if they offer a session on breastfeeding where they explain how to hand express as there is a technique, or there must be youtube videos.

@OrionNebula my friend is 38w and has just used a medela hand pump to express some colostrum … she managed a few syringes and used both breasts. I will try to give it a bash 😅🤞

@Alexandra07 @NSx thank you both, I will look into it a bit more.

I ordered my Elvie Stride pump today. Just a note to others buying them, check your nipple size before ordering as you may need to buy nipple cushions as well. There is a sizing guide on the Amazon page but it's not immediately obvious.

Is anyone struggling with swollen hands? I wake up in the night and they actually hurt!! Can barely bend them for a while

@katherine123x mine are terrible, it’s part of carpal tunnel syndrome. I started with it quite early too but it started as pins and needles through the night. I sleep better now than I did before but, like you say, when I wake up my hands are so painful and I can barely use them at all!

@Ss32 oh it's awful!!!

@Ss32 I have same!!! I hope it will go away once my baby is out. Very painful!

Anyone else feeling the overwhelm and almost sense of pressure about getting close to the end? I dunno if it's hormones or what and can't even really articulate the feeling properly to DH but god some days I just feel overwhelmed and anxious that birth is coming up.

Like we've got lovely friends and family around us and I had my baby shower yesterday, so think that's contributing, but it's almost like I feel like we've now got all these eyes on us until baby arrives. And I know no one is putting any pressure on us for anything at all, but it's like they are all there waiting and I feel the pressure as the one who actually has to birth the baby. Even though I know baby will come whenever he's ready and however necessary.

I dunno it's so weird. In one minute I'm excited to get to finish work and get to the end so I don't have to be heavily pregnant any more but in the next minute the thought of that it's actually nearly time is overwhelming!!

I blame hormones!

@Sagittarius25 yes I so relate to this! On one hand so excited to finish work and welcome baby into the world and on the other hand utter overwhelm at the actual thought of birth and beyond 😆 Also not getting any sleep due to really bad restless legs at night. It’s the most horrific burning aching sensation and I can’t seem to find any solutions for it.

Does anyone else feel really sick of people saying things like “oh you’re tired now?! Just wait til baby arrives, you’ll never sleep again” etc. It’s so unhelpful! I’m personally quite excited to not be pregnant anymore and enjoy my baby as a separate person (if that makes sense). People’s insensitive comments can be so frustrating x

@Summer022 100% with you on those comments - it’s a real bugbear of mine, totally minimises the discomfort and sleep deprivation we are currently going through.

I also feel the same as you and @Sagittarius25 very ready to not be pregnant but not so ready for the baby to arrive. Also feel like I was feeling quite positive about birth but as it comes closer I’m really struggling to stay in a positive mindset about it.

I have two weeks left at work so am kind of just focussing on that at the moment but god forbid this baby arrives early because feel like I need some time off to both mentally and physically prepare myself 😂

@Saturnsmoon yes I feel that also, a few weeks ago was really positive and excited, and now it's coming closer it's harder to stay positive and feel like I'm having a wobble all the time 😂 although other mums have assured me everyone goes through the nervous/wobble stage 😬

YY to the sleep comments.

I mean, yes, sleep will be interrupted, but there will be a bloody POINT to getting up in the night. Now it's just to change position again, be too warm again, and to pee again.

And I won't be expected to do my job. Or do anything much but look after the baby. And I get to meet the baby! And I'll be able to, you know, crouch down and get back up again.

So baby is still breech 😞 I decided to have the ECV, I am booked into that for next Tuesday.

To those feeling anxious about giving birth, have you looked into hypnobirthing? It's not at all 'hippie' as it sounds, it's more about understanding the body, and how to stay and keep calm during labour to help with managing pain and anxiety. I found it really useful and have not had any negative labour-related feelings so far and feel quite ready and excited! There are lots of resources, some free, some paid, I tried the Positive Birth Company who do a a digital pack of videos for around £30, which I thought were good value (I might even have a referral voucher if anyone fancies I think!). I promise I have no affiliation with them 😄 just think it might be helpful to others x

@OrionNebula sorry to hear it! Hopefully ECV goes well ❤️

@kingfisher168 I think a few of us were discussing wanting to try hypnobirthing! I’ve got the PBC app and it’s fab.

I'm doing hypnobirthing somewhat half heartedly, because I do find it awfully hippy, but I think it's useful to take a modified approach using some of the techniques. E.g. putting the breathing techniques into my own routines.

I'd say that if you don't enjoy yoga and sing-song voices, it's not for you, but the breathing and mindfulness can still be useful if you work out how to make you feel more "you".