Due January 2024, Part 7!

[RG9895]

Thought better make a new one!

This is what I took with my first (breastfed)

for me

• maternity pads
• couple of pairs of pants,socks and bras
• a few comfy outfits
• hairbrush, toothbrush, shower gel etc.
• a really long charging lead for phone so I could still use it whilst on charge/reduce having to get up especially if having a c section and have a catheter
• snacks, huge water bottle with straw
• nipple cream
• own pillow

for baby

• 5 vests, 5 babygrows, a hat. Mix of newborn and 0-1.
• nappies (probably at least 10 unless you expect to be in more than a night).
• wipes
• Nappy bags
• cardigan
• blanket

I was still packing my bags with DS1 during my IOL, and DD2 on the day of IOL. I will have something packed by Christmas I suspect.

lots of snacks
i take a diffuser with some oils
battery tea lights
stuff for DH

I only had a bag packed for ds (was super unprepared and went into labour at 37 weeks)

• outfit to come home in (new born way toooo big)
• nappies
• 3 or 4 vests (also HUGE)
• waterwipes (although they gave me cotton pads on the ward to use)
• bottle and a bottle of ready made formula in case breast feeding didn't work
• spare hat
• blanket

Dh bought a travel washbag thing from boots for me that had body wash, shampoo, toothbrush etc and then grabbed me knickers, bra, pjs, spare clothes and a hairbrush from home.

I remember the lady who ran the prenatal yoga I did saying "what you go home in is as important as what baby does." Considering dh also had to get a whole new outfit for ds that was small enough for him, and he had the experience of dressing me while I was curled up on the landing naked having the most random pattern of contractions before taking me to hospital, I don't think he gave a hoot what I came home in. I think he got me leggings and an oversized teeshirt.

I'll probably pack similar for baby this time and add underwear, pj's and a travel wash kit thing for me to the bag 🤣 and ask my mum or mil to bring an outfit for me ready for being sent home...

Is there a shop nearby to the hospital @LittleAlien24 , I'm a similar distance to you and am taking comfort that there are various supermarkets close. Although also packing a spare suitcase to leave in the car full is extras. Won't be dragging it all up to the ward then.

Also not a FTM but definitely worth packing earlier rather than later. You never know. Also worth doing in case you need to go in for monitoring and they end up keeping you in overnight etc.

i woke up at 1am with acid reflux and not feeling great. After sitting in the bathroom and wandering round I had an enormous vomit 🤢 which did settle it, took some Rennie and was okay, but had me up for an hour 😴 hope that’s not the start of getting acid reflux, hoping it was just my dinner not agreeing!!

@Mummyme87 same here! Not quite that bad yet but I had pizza at 4pm the other night and at 10.30 it was still lying in my stomach, I felt sick all night and into the morning. Last night I consciously ate less and i still felt it lying in my stomach though not as bad! I never have issues with indigestion etc I usually can eat and immediately lie down and go to sleep, eugh! Also more wind and some snoring going on over here which are both new 😂🙈

@Kalodin yes luckily there's few shop in that city but i doubt my OH would remember what to get, his youngest kid is 25 lol he did say we can leave some stuff in the car for just in case.
@Mummyme87 and @suz2285 hopefully ye feeling better now

My DH had to run to Tescos after a surprise birth at 28 weeks, he was clueless too @LittleAlien24 😂 he ended up asking a woman for help and she did pick me out everything just right

Oh also useful to have:

• own pillow with a silk pillow case. Hospital ones are crap and flat and I clung to it in labour
• kindle and earphones - I needed stuff to focus on and zone out with
• downloaded meditations
• water bottle with a straw
• nipple cream for dry lips
• snacks
• something to put hair up with out of way
• Ginormous cotton pants
• your colostrum from the freezer to give straight to midwife if you're taking any in

Also i was shocked how much fluid keeps coming out for hours after waters have broken. Maternity pads couldn't keep up. I think I'd take a couple of adult diapers next time so I could bounce on the birthing ball easier without being humiliated. My midwife said people do but didn't have any for me

A lady I follow on Instagram posted these two lists. One for baby and one for mum which I think I will follow in case anyone needed any help for their hospital bag.

Another FTM here - everyone I ask says pack for 35 weeks but 2 of my friends have had theirs between 29-31 weeks in the past 6 months so I think I'm going to get most stuff together / readily available for DH to pop together just incase from 30 weeks. Some very useful lists of what to get together here - thanks guys.

I used the always discreet disposable pants after birth. Worked well for me.

I also used my expert midwife spritz for bits to spray into knickers after birth can also use in the bath once home for some relief. Not cheap but well worth it.

Also some kind of pile treatment!

Will all be on my list this time.

I’ve bought some giant M&S period pants (pack of 3 for a tenner). I’m still planning to use pads but figured it’ll be a good back up. They are the epitome of Bridget Jones pants.

@Mushroo and @Luhou actually I think the reusable period pants will be better than adult diapers! That's a good idea for the bleeding in the weeks post birth also. Thank you, I'll make sure to get some of those

Hello! I am 24 weeks + 5 and I wanted to ask those who are further along when you started to notice a consistent pattern of movement? I went to see the midwife at 23 weeks and I didn’t think I’d felt baby move yet, the day after I could feel her and I’ve felt her ever since, a pulsating feeling low down. This week I am off work so my routine has changed and I feel as though her kicks/movements are not as strong or as frequent as they have been. I had a booked midwife appointment yesterday and she listened to her heartbeat and said it was fine.

When I’ve had scans before I’ve always had to go away and come back because baby doesn’t want to move position and she has always been head down. Maybe she’s just a quieter / stubborn baby? I don’t want to ring MAU if they’re not going to take me seriously with me being 24 weeks.

When did you all start noticing regular movements? Did you have days that were quieter?

Thanks!

@DaisyHH regular not until 26 / 27 weeks (I feel her everyday but there’s still not really a pattern to it, just when she feels like it!).

Before then I’d still have quieter days when I wouldn’t really feel her at all.

@DaisyHH I don't think they'd send you away at 24 weeks! Give them a ring, if it's like where I am there'll be a triage midwife who will call you back and talk over what you're experiencing.

I went in on Saturday as movements were not there/barely detectable which was a change, the lovely staff said they'd rather you came in every day if something's worrying you than sat at home worrying.

@DaisyHH I'm 25+2 and still no patterns here, sometimes he kicks high up super strong, other days it's just pulses down low. Midwife told me that's probably normal for this age as they flip around a lot but to ring anyway if I was concerned that something has changed. Another one who said they'd rather you ring them than sat at home not sure. That's what they're there for.

So I mentioned I had my 25 week appointment yesterday and was measuring big via the measuring tape. Had a call this morning from the hospital saying I've been referred and they'd like to scan me. I know the measuring tape can be super inaccurate (especially if you're a bit fat which I am!) but now I can't help but worry. Anyone else been through similar? I don't even know what happens if he's too big?!

@DaisyHH as others say it's about what you're used to feeling, I was in triage this week too with reduced movements, but think he had just moved to the back, so i wasn't getting the feelings I was used to, after about 5 hours of not really feeling much I panicked and went in, they were very nice and said that was the right thing to do - i was 25 +1 - they just check the heartbeat, do your BP and urine and send you off

@Onedayatatime24 that's exactly what happened to me this week, So i measured quite big at the midwife on Wed, then went into triage on Sunday with reduced movements, they measured me again and it was "small" so i had to go for a scan, que panic etc etc! Anyway I had the scan within 24 hours and he's not small at all, he's more in line with the first measurements and on the 90th percentile at the moment. Just like i've been told at all my scans. Not massively impressed with the fundal measurements tbh! Apparently super inaccurate but they use it as a guide, high probability nothing is an issue. Midwife said to me they only worry if you're miles over the line for weeks on end. In which case they'd want to check for Gestational diabetes or too much amniotic fluid etc to account for the size. But also everyone's bumps are different sizes! My guy is def on the larger size for now, but also they all grow at different rates and even the scans are just a guide....

@suz2285 my 20 week scan measurements were bang average so I'm trying not to worry too much but they don't half panic you, do they?! DH is 6 foot 5 (and was 10.5lbs himself when he was born!) so we weren't expecting a small baby anyway tbh. But still worries you, even when I know the chances of things being wrong are low. 🤦‍♀️ I have a gestational diabetes test in a couple of weeks too so fingers crossed it's not that and he's just a chunk!

Definitely go in if you have any doubts! Ive been in at 20&23 and theyve always taken me seriously! Im 26 weeks now and she used to always go mad from 10:30pm but for the last few days I feel her all day long so maybe as shes bigger now I can feel more or shes changing patterns or getting into one...who knows! But as long as I do feel her here and there then im ok she does worry me when she leaves it a while though! Shes been a bit quieter this morning but still the odd tiny kick and I'm sure i felt her early this morning but not sure if i dreamt it as i was half asleep 😂

@Onedayatatime24 i'm sure he's just growing how he's meant to, same as my boy, and yeah if your DH is tall and was a big baby then baby will be bigger! Same with the GD, I was expecting a test but the midwife said I don't need to have it and she'll do some other blood test next time I see her in a few weeks, i don't think i'm near off the scale measurements yet so hoping not to have GD! If it helps i'm 25+3 today and yesterday they estimated baby was around 1lb 15oz....

@DaisyHH - I'm 26 weeks today and I'd say although I have regular movements there still doesn't seem to be much of a pattern.
I did have a strange one last night where I was badly constipated (TMI sorry) but that seemed to effect movements / make them less noticeable.
Deffo worth calling them if you're worried at all

@suz2285 that's good, I've heard the test isn't fun! 😅 Ah thanks, I'll see what they say Friday and will report back to compare. 😂

@Flossiepot I thought I was going mad but yes!! I always notice him less when I'm constipated (which feels like constantly atm!).

My bag is pretty much packed but only because of being kept in once already. Won't pack a bag for baby until around 32 weeks, she'd be extremely unlikely to be wearing clothes for at least the first few days if born before that gestation. The only thing our nicu ask you to provide us nappies so I might buy one pack of size 0 and leave them in the car boot.