November 2023 babies - Thread 5

[Shaker21]

I couldn't find a new thread open as the old is now full.

Got a few of the usernames to tag, definitely missed people but hopefully they find the thread :)

@spareincoming @Pinkplantcase @leeanneD11 @LilmissCa @FlyingHighFlyingLow @Psqueak87 @spanglesj @BabyBabyBaby123 @Houseonthehills @GreenAventurine @reememberly @Cegbee @DollyGx @38andtrying @JD90 @travellingislife @mldn @sb86 @TMI2000

@FlyingHighFlyingLow Thanks so much, I have a midwife coming for a home visit tomorrow to take my bloods to start the extra monitoring so I’m going to be armed with questions, but I also have an appointment and a growth scan next week with my consultant so I’m going to ask him about it too. My husband is being really positive and says it’s the anti d they are picking up so not to worry and I know deep in my heart that’s the case, but it’s just not nice to have even just a small amount of uncertainty. I’m definitely with you on the anti d front though, I’ve followed all their advice and had the injection when I’ve been told I needed to, regular doses and precaution doses and now following their advice has led me to this new worry. I asked the nurse about it when she gave me an injection two days before I was due my normal one, I said will there be any issues when I have my bloods taken for antibodies, she said it may show up but no, it won’t cause any problems! I wish they would have explained all of this to me before because today she said, we see this a lot with women who’ve had precaution injections alongside their routine ones.

Anxiety during pregnancy is awful at the best of times, never mind when you have various different complications to deal with. I’m so glad your last few appointments have been positive. Thinking of you.

@LeeanneD11 im 34 weeks today! I haven’t tried a belly band yet. I have been considering it. I always felt like it was more for really big bumps that hang down, and the band would fight gravity, whereas cause this is my first my bump isn’t that big and it’s sitting quite nicely, doesn’t feel like it’s pulling. But I may be completely wrong. I’ll try anything at this stage because I’m really in agony, I know there’s only 6ish weeks left, but it’s making the time really drag now, it was going so fast before!

@Psqueak87 I had exactly the same thought process as you about a belt, but my physio said I might be surprised and measured me up for one. As soon as we fitted it I admitted she was totally correct. It provided counter pressure on my hips and pelvis as well as support for my bump (which is also pretty small). However I'd do some research into it all as the one I have isn't made to be worn while sitting down, not sure if this is the case with most bands or not?

@JD90 thanks so much for that info! I’ll see if I can get in to see a physio next week and see what they say. Maybe they can get me measured for one too! Glad to hear it’s working for you ☺️

I've got the pregnancy belt , as my bump is a neat one too . I'm 31 weeks so 9 weeks and counting , have they told you where baby is laying? As can affect the backache too. My backache is so intense and same as the pressure too, I'm struggling so badly and this is my 3rd baby , I don't think this one will make it to his due date lol . Xx

Hi everyone, anyone know if hospitals provide bath towels?

@JoyApple nope, not usually. I recommend a gym towel. Those super lightweight ones as they take
up less room in your bag and dry quickly.
Don’t forget a dressing gown if you’re having a section, otherwise you’re walking down to theatre holding your gown closed or with your backside on show!

Also, for a 3 night stay in hospital (that's what I'm assuming for a C-section?) how many babygrows and vests would you take in for baby?

And would a pack of 22 nappies be enough?

Thanks :)

Perfect thank you! I also feel very cold too just generally so I think I might just invest in a long warm gown.

I stayed in for 3 days , but mine was emergency , I packed 4 baby grows & 4 vests and pack and half of nappies just be in safe side xx

I stayed in for one night with my last c-section and have been told it’s be about 24 hours for this c-section, provided no complications.

I'm just packing for one night, and then if I need more i have my husband and parents on hand as I only live about 15 mins from the hospital and my parents live about 2 mins from me so it will be fairly easy to fetch things to me.

I’m glad you’ve reminded me about dressing gown and walking to theatre! I have thought about packing one because I’m always warm, but I think I will now!!

@LeeanneD11 not sure where baby is lying as last ultrasound was in June. She was transverse then, but I’m hoping she’s flipped and ready to go now 🥴

I have an ultrasound on Tuesday, and then OB apt on Friday. So hopefully I can find out then. Sometimes I feel the odd rib kick and I think she’s head down, but then sometimes they’re back to feeling on my right side, which makes me wonder is she actually head down?

did you get a special made to measure belly band? Or an off the shelf generic one? Wondering if I should just buy one off Amazon or not…

@Psqueak87 I've had 3 scans now saying mine is head down but all my kicks have still been pretty low. However all 3 scans have also shown baby likes tucking his knees right up into his head, and is kicking out from there rather than straight, which means almost all my kicks are to the side. Basically kicking from a kind of russian twist position. In 2 of the scans he was amusing himself playing football with the cord!

I got mine of physio but you can get them of Amazon and they stretch too xx

@FlyingHighFlyingLow oh that’s good to know, thank you! I’m dying to see where she’s positioned!

Anybody know if bad labours can be hereditary? Now it’s getting closer I can’t help thinking about mum telling me about her awful ones. I was her first born, she said she was in labour with me for over two days and they had to do an emergency c section because I was getting stressed. Then for my brother he was breech, plus they said she would never give birth naturally due to the pelvis hole being too small. I did ask my dr, and he said it’s not hereditary, but thought I’d see if any of you who have had babies before have noted any similarities between yours and your mothers birth experiences?

also, hiccups, on the other group I’m in everyone seems to be feeling hiccups, I have never felt any? Also have anterior placenta, not sure if that makes a difference.

@LeeanneD11 ok, I’ll try get into a physio next week. I tried a couple in my area but nobody had appointments for a couple of weeks so was thinking of maybe just ordering one off amazon.

@Psqueak87 the way women in labour have been treated historically had a big impact on how well their labours went and how medical professionals spoke to them at the time.

Eg. My grandma was of the generation where it was routine to partially sedate women, strap them to the bed and deliver the baby with forceps regardless of how labour was naturally progressing. She doesn’t actually remember the brith but they told her she was ‘very naughty’ during it. Her baby was then taken to a nursery and she wasn’t allowed to see her for 3 days. She then had difficulty breastfeeding (most likely because of the separation) but was told it was because her milk was no good.

For my mum things had changed a lot but she was only allowed to give birth on her back with her legs in stirrups, she said it was so painful being made to lye on her back when her body really didn’t want to be in that position. She had a big, awkward tear (probably because she wasn’t allowed to move) and needed a blood transfusion because of it. She was able to breastfeed.

I had a home birth in a pool, no problems, a small tear, and an all round great experience. Breastfed for 2 years.

@Psqueak87 no evidence labours are hereditary or when labour starts. Which is unfortunate because my Mum's labours all sounded pretty smooth and started before her due dates (my first was a post dates induction).

I'm feeling lots of hiccups, have a posterior placenta. I felt them last time too with anterior placenta but less obvious and I think I noticed them much sooner this time. I think some babies are just more hicuppy!

@PinkPlantCase oh yeah that makes a lot of sense! And your poor grandmother, that sounds awful! I know my MIL said that my partner literally just “fell out” lol, so I’m hoping for one of those scenarios.
Wish I’d thought ahead to try for a home birth. It wasn’t mentioned as an option here, I was asked on week 6, a few days after finding out I was pregnant, who I wanted to deliver my baby. I had no clue, obviously, so they just assigned me an OBGYN. I was a bit naive and clueless, for my next I will push for and research a home birth.

@Cegbee thank you! Good news for me! Hopefully your birth is as smooth as your mums though! Thanks for the hiccup info too. I’m not worried I haven’t felt them, I just saw a comment that it was sign of good lungs or something, and I know I haven’t felt any at all!

@Psqueak87 The chances are that baby has had hiccups but you’ve just not felt them. I have posterior placenta so have felt hiccups, but then on Monday I was having a trace and could feel her kicking and moving but then the next minute the midwife said oh she’s got hiccups bless her and we could clearly hear them on the monitor but I couldn’t feel them at all.

Hey everyone, if I'm having a c-section does that mean I don't need to get maternity pads, and can use my usual ones (always night)? I've already got 2 boxes of maternity ones but I don't normally like thick pads so I was wondering if my normal ones would do the job just as well?

I don't think births would be hereditary, my mums were all diff to mine. And my first & second total opposite. So interested to see what this one will bring.
If only we could get answers of what it would be like!!
I'm trying hypno birthing more this time, did an online course with my 2nd but an in person one seems so much better so far, really hoping to fully immerse myself into it !

Hiccups you could be feeling them but not realise they are hiccups. Altho I only just started feeling them over the last week or 2, in almost 32wks

@JoyApple everyone is different but I don’t know anyone who’s not needed the maternity ones! Sorry!
I use Tena pants for the first few days to a week usually, then a week or so of slimmer but long maternity ones and unscented nighttime ones then see how I’m doing before going to normal towels.
Just bear in mind that with a c section you may want to feel like everything is being held in place. After my last one the midwife
recommended big pants with a pad etc then high waisted cotton cycling type shorts to hold everything in place, then trousers! I stole a few pairs of DP’s new-that-Christmas-unused posh boxers and definitely felt secure and supported!

Are the tena pants good.? As I'm considering using this time round I didn't use them in my both my pregnancies, and just using normals towels with the Tena pants or do you not need pads with them? Sorry this is new for me with the tena pants xx

@LeeanneD11 I’ve found them to be excellent - I get the bog standard, adult nappy ones and just use them as disposable pants. No additional pads etc. They have never leaked or let me down and frankly they’re less faff than pants and pads straight after birth!
This will be my third time of using them, I recommend them to anyone having a baby!

Post section they’re easy to rip the sides to take off and have enough stretch to be shuffled up the lower leg until you can grab them and pull them up.
Oh so glamorous!

Do you have a link for them please ? I'll defo be using this time round they sound so much better than normal big knickers and pads lol 😂 , thank you for that info it really helpful to know that too . I would love to try them but don't want to get the wrong ones lol 😂 xx