Due October 2023 Thread 8

[Chanteuse]

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

Is anyone super tired? I’m really struggling at the moment, I were 37 weeks yesterday and the tiredness has really come over me - I also feel dizzy too but I don’t know if it’s just my body telling me I need to take it easy!

I’m booked in for a section on the 6th and I’m feeling super anxious as it’s only 3 days before my due date. It can’t be done earlier as my hospital are on strike 😖

I am super tired today... but I also woke up with a bit of a head cold 😏 so hoping that passes quickly! typically work is so so busy this last two weeks so not much time to rest.

Had my 36 week scan today! Baby estimated at 5 lbs 15oz which sounds enormous to me but is apparently on the smaller side of average! I’ve managed to jar my shoulder which isn’t fun, going to look into if I can have physio massage at this stage tomorrow I think because the thought of doing labour with the shoulder too is not ideal!

@FirstTimeMamaAtHalloween 36 weeks today, 2x days ago he was 8lbs5 on the scan!!
Get your shoulder sorted if you can lovely, anything to be as comfortable as possible x

I am down with a massive cold, I can't breathe properly and I can't take any medicine (apart from paracetamol) because everything contains sugar. I am hoping paracetamol kicks in and I get a bit more operational - I have my 34w midwife appointment today and I am meeting my new midwife and don't want to cancel. I am just so tired. Any advice what else I can do? Or how to get a fairy to cook me some chicken soup? :)

@peonygirl sorry to hear you are unwell. To help breathe can you try and decongestant spray? Like otrivine? They technically say not suitable for pregnancy but I used mine back in the hayfever season in spring and actually been using it again recently as getting congested at night, and all ok. Only a very very small amount travels into the blood via blood vessels in the nose but otherwise it's a very localised effect.

@Sagittarius25 thank you for your suggestion, I actually have something like that prescribed because of asthma, I don't use it often now because it contains steroids but I will use it today. I need some relief. And maybe Uber up to the midwife to avoid this horrid rain and wind we're having.

On the bright side - the baby seems to be ok, he's kicking happily. :) I just need him to stay in there a bit longer because this mama is not ready right now.

Funny to see that everyone is suffering with colds - I’ve been sniffly the last few days and then last night it really hit me but seems to be passing quickly.

@OrionNebula sorry that ECV didn’t work, baby’s obviously very comfy bum down. I stopped doing the exercises from spinning babies after about 10 days as I figured there’s a reason why baby doesn’t want to turn.

@LWestYorks I’m booked in for my c section next Thursday which is 2 days before my due date (technically a sept baby but was oct when I worked out the dates) I feel the same as you and I’m surprised they’ve booked it so close to due date

@katherine123x wow! Does that feel really heavy in your pelvis? My brother in law was just over 9lbs when born but my MIL said it was one of her easiest deliveries!

@peonygirl time for some old school fixes, garlic, chilli and turmeric in absolutely everything!

Colds in our house too, I blame back to school germs!

It’s a shame ECV didn’t work for you @OrionNebula, at least you know you’ve done everything you can and that a c section is the right thing for you and baby.

Exciting that babies will start arriving soon. For those of you having planned c-sections (or have had one previously) what are you packing for your recovery? Any good tips? I’ve heard peppermint tea is supposed to be good for wind, a little pillow to hold against scar if you need to cough and mesh pants that come up over the scar. Also silicone scar patches but maybe those are for later on

@peonygirl could you try a menthol inhalation? I used them in my last pregnancy and felt like they helped

@FirstTimeMamaAtHalloween yes!!! That and too much fluid it's extremely heavy already!!

Another one here woken up full of cold! I'd been a little congested and sneezing all week. Then last night sneezing has stopped but I had a temperature and hardly slept. Have woken up with the worst congestion headache.... but hoping this is the peak and a day in bed with lots of water and paracetamol will help.

Typical it's our wedding anniversary today, but do have an Indian takeaway planned for tonight which might help!

It's just hard not having much choice of what you can take to ease it.

I have my 36 week midwife appointment tomorrow (although I'll be 36+2). So really hope I feel more human!

@katherine123x hey! can I PM you? Think we’re in the same boat 😅 x

@katherine123x lots of time on the ball needed! That’s so impressive, at 5lbs 15oz I already feel like mine is weighing down on my whole pelvis!

@LWestYorks course you can!

@FirstTimeMamaAtHalloween not allowed on the ball due to too much fluid 😩 i still sit on it though as it takes weight off. Just no bouncing or excerise

@katherine123x you poor thing! Hoping for lots of easing of discomfort for you!

Is anyone having any luck with expressing colostrum? I'm 36 weeks today and noticed mine leaking, which I thought was great! But I can't get the stuff into syringes! If I pull the syringe back to suck up a drop, I then have to depress it to get the next bit?! I assume I'm missing how you do it so any advice would be appreciated

@PeopleAreToads 37+ 4 and haven’t started expressing any yet as this is my final week at work and want to get finished first but I’ve ordered a kit which has a spoon and syringes - thinking it might be better to squeeze what you can onto a spoon and then syringe after? Also meant to be much easier after a warm bath or shower I’ve heard.

Has everyone had the flu vaccine? There’s a walk in tomorrow at my doctors. We can get it so late on can’t we?

@LWestYorks I had my flu vaccine on Friday and covid on Monday, midwife said definitely worth getting at this stage. And I had minimal side effects, just a sore arm

@PeopleAreToads Ive been using a spoon to collect mine. First tried how you are with just the syringe and it was impossible to get collect it without having to press the syringe back down. I just fill the spoon up as much as I can and syringe it all up in one go

@LWestYorks i had my flu jab last Wednesday at 36+4 as that was the earliest appointment I could get. The pharmacist did say that it takes 2 weeks to work though so essentially the baby could be born before it takes full effect/antibodies produced but I thought I would still give it a go! I guess antibodies are still transferred via breast milk after birth too.

Those doing colostrum harvesting, where are you getting the syringes from? And what are you storing it in?

@OrionNebula I bought a kit for £18 from a company called Mama’s milk which comes complete with freezer bag, labels, spoon, collecting tube and syringes but I believe you can also get syringes on Amazon. Mamas milk

@OrionNebula i got given them from my midwife. My doctors offer a breast feeding session and then they give you syringes at your 36 week appointment. I then just date the syringe and put it in the freezer. Will take some to the hospital with me when I go in