Anyone due in April 2024 #3

[XenaTheWarriorPrincess]

New thread for April due dates!

Feel free to tag people from the old thread so they can find us easier.

I was measuring 2 weeks ahead at my last bump measurement and did some research and yes, it seems like a really inaccurate measurement and doesn’t seem to relate to the babies actual size. Also how easy it is to give birth vaginally to a baby doesn’t seem to have much correlation with size either as they are squishy! Extra weight could be because they are longer or have a larger body. It doesn’t just mean a giant head!

Anyone else got really sore/painful nipples. It's getting quite bad now 27+1 driving me insane and can't bare to wear a bra!

@Ttcmumma I’ve got itchy nipple in the past days. I tried not to scratch it as much as I can. 😞

@Ttcmumma mine have also been so so itchy and sore this last week too. And I’ve not had any problems with boobs up to now in the pregnancy (week 25 currently).

What are everyone’s movements like now? I still have quieter days but not sure whether to call triage or if it’s too early at this stage. I have an anterior placenta as well and not sure how much that muffles movement as I’ve not been pregnant before! I’m 24+6 today.

@Pinkstuffs I'm 26w tomorrow and started feeling movements from just before 25w not regular at all yesterday was quiet today is also I think I'm going to phone my midwife tomorrow for a reassurance scan or something

@Pinkstuffs Reduced movements was one of the things my midwife spoke to me about yesterday and she was saying if you quite regularly have “quiet days” or days with little movement, then those days aren’t reduced movements for you because if they are happening regularly that is just your normal. So the baseline is different for everyone. Like for me, I feel my baby constantly I don’t actually know when she ever sleeps and especially the last couple of weeks you can watch my tummy move with her constantly kicking and moving, so if I had a day where I barely felt her then that would be worrying and reduced movements because my normal is almost constant movements the entire time I’m awake.

She also said the NHS typically say reduced movements is only from 26 weeks+ so maybe wait and see what it is like by then?

For reduced movements she said they don’t offer a scan they put you on the monitor for half an hour and the monitor tracks movements and as long as they hit the threshold within 30 mins then everything is fine even if you can’t feel baby the monitor can track the movements. I would say try not to worry though, some people never feel huge movement especially with an anterior placenta but if you’re worried get in touch with your midwife x

@Pinkstuffs I'm 26 weeks today with an anterior placenta. I have only started to feel any movement at all in the last couple of weeks but can go a number of days without feeling anything. It's tricky as there is no guidance really but they told me just to call MAC if I felt worried myself. I called yesterday and they only listened to the heartbeat for one minute but apparently if I would have called today they would have monitored for longer as that's what they do from 26 weeks. The first time I called them was a couple of weeks ago and they checked heartbeat on the Wednesday but then referred me for a scan on the Friday. The sonographer who did it suggested it would be sensible to call MAC every 2 weeks to request a scan until the point I was feeling regular movements. Yesterday they told me they don't do scans in my situation which was a bit of a contradiction! It's really hard feeling like you're the one responsible for deciding when to be concerned, but MAC is open 24/7 so even just knowing there is a professional you can discuss your concerns with at any time I personally find reassuring.

Well straight after I wrote that post, I started feeling baby and have been feeling him all afternoon! I never know who to call really as my midwife only works 1 day per week so doesn’t get back for a while. Will try triage in future.

@Pinkstuffs hurrah 👏

I had a quiet day over Christmas at 26 weeks and was worried as I normally wake up to a lot of kicking and there was none. Then the whole day I only had the odd feint movement which was really unusual as my baby seems to have really active periods every 3 hours or so. My midwife notes said to call direct to the hospital. They said to come in. First they checked his heartbeat which was all fine. They then said if I was still worried they would scan me. I thought I may as well while I was there. We saw the baby and he was lying on his back with his feet crossed and his feet were basically on the placenta. He was moving but not much. The doctor wasn’t concerned and said baby seemed fine and probably the crossed legs and the fact that any movement was towards my placenta meant I would be less likely to feel anything. I was in the hospital a total of 4 hours which did feel like a lot of waiting around but they were really nice and said to come in whenever I felt worried. So I think if you are worried it’s best to get checked. There were a few others in there getting checked at the same time as me, so they are very used to dealing with this and it’s better to be safe than sorry. But as others have said, it’s about what is normal for you as every baby is different and some move lots and others don’t.

Hey everyone,

Hope everyone is doing well!

This is just a PSA for any of you ladies who are suffering from heartburn. Get the prescription!

I've been suffering so bad with excruciating, almost constant heartburn that antacids weren't touching anymore. Waking up several times, not being able to lie down or sleep at all, being reluctant to drink water because it would flare it up.

Finally had my phone appointment with the GP yesterday (had to wait over a week) and got my prescription for omeprazole. Took first pill around 5pm lastnight and have been totally pain free since

It's a miracle!

Still woke up in the night to pee and because of cat shenanigans, but at least I wasn't in pain so I'm much less miserable now.

@XenaTheWarriorPrincess That’s reassuring to know! And omeprazole doesn’t harm the baby in any way? I have a bit of heartburn (sometimes in the evenings) but I’ve just bought my second bottle of Gaviscon in three weeks. I didn’t realise how much I was using it and it’s expensive! So I was wondering if I could get that on prescription at least.

On moments, it’s so reassuring to hear that everyone seems in a similar boat. I’ve felt baby kick since 22 weeks and she has 3-4 really intense days of kicking and movement, then I’ll have 3 quieter days again, which is technically “reduced movement” so it’s made me anxious. I’ve been into hospital twice just to get things checked up and she’s always been okay. But then I feel so guilty ignoring the quieter days just in case something’s wrong with her. The nurse said the same as another poster - it might just mean that the active days followed by non-active days are just her pattern. They have always been very kind when I’ve gone in though, so do always go in if you’re worried x

@BuzzybeeMum this sounds like me and I'm never sure what I should do, I'm 24 weeks now and have been feeling movements for around 3 weeks but similarly to you I'd have a couple of days of loads of movement followed by some quieter days. When I've spoken to midwives up til now they've said as long as you feel some movement every day at this stage it's OK, but now I'm 24 weeks I'm thinking should I still be accepting the the quieter days because at least I'm still feeling something or should i be getting checked out, is it normal to not have a pattern yet?

@1994jk Yes, it is normal.
They dont even ask you to count movements until 28 weeks.
I am now 28 weeks and theres no pattern. Even last week she had quiet days!

Haaa I got a text today to remind me about the glucose test appointment this Sunday. Though I was aware that it’s a 2-hr wait. I didn’t realised I was not allowed to go out and have to attend alone. 😑easy to say bring a book or sth. But seems quite a task to kill time! I presumed I will be low in energy from the fasting, hard to read sth either. I wonder any other suggestions or experience best use of the time? Thanks!

@Mrsttcno1 a bit late to your post but had my 28 week appt Tuesday and got referred for a scan the next day as bump hadn't grown on the same curve and dropped down (only increase of 1 cm in 3 weeks) so was worried baby was small, only for them to tell me at the scan yesterday that baby is 94th percentile and measuring quite the chunk! They have said depending on how my bump measures they might scan me again but will probably scan me again at 36 weeks and discuss my birth options then! There's still 3 months to go so I'm thinking a lot can change in that time.

Also, anyone going for the glucose test had mine on Tuesday and they let me go home for the 2 hour wait, they just told me I had to take the lift down, drive, and not to do anything once home as they don't want to sugar being used for exercise.

@Cora24601 thanks for sharing!

Hi everyone. Is anyone having trouble falling asleep? I'm 27+3 and for the past week I'm having trouble sleeping. Sometimes my right rib hurts, but I try to sleep on my left side so that's not the biggest issue. Nothing else brothers me, but still when I get to bed around 10:30pm I'm still wide awake by 2am.

Anyone had that and found a solution?

Hi @SummerOak that sounds like a nightmare! I’m not having issues falling asleep but I do have issues staying asleep, I never ever manage a full nights uninterrupted sleep anymore! I fall asleep quickly but am waking up between 5-6 times in the night for the toilet, a drink, or just being a bit uncomfy! Have your evening habits changed, or your activity levels maybe?

@Mrsttcno1 Nothing's changed much with what I do before going to bed. And I actually feel quite tired at the end of the day and start falling asleep on the couch. Then I go get ready for bed and I'm wide awake. Once I do finally fall asleep I don't wake up till I'm supposed to. Think I might just have to start sleeping on the couch 😅

Your interrupted sleep also sounds pretty exhausting. I've only read that it's best to not drink anything 2 hours before going to bed to avoid having to go to the toilet during the night. Not sure it works though.

That’s so frustrating @SummerOak bless you! I have heard the advice of not drinking water before bed but honestly I am so so thirsty ALL the time, I take a litre bottle of water to bed with me and it’s all gone by the morning! I wake up so thirsty I don’t think I could possibly fall back to sleep without having a drink😂 I’m just grateful to be on the countdown to baby now so at least it’s all temporary! X

No advice on the sleep front, just found out at my midwife appointment that my iron is low so that explains me falling asleep within seconds, anywhere and everywhere lol. Tho I do struggle to stay asleep also, waking with aches/cramps/dead leg or need for a wee lol.

For anyone whose been worried about bump measurements... I had a 4d scan on Saturday at 27+5 where baby measured 28+6!! Mainly because she's so tall but all measurements were atleast 2-4 days ahead of my dates, having already been put forward a week at dating scan from my lmp. Anyway, went to 28 week appointment today and my bumps measuring 26 weeks. I'm not worried as I know she's fine in there and the same happened with my son. I have growth scans in February and march to keep an eye on her growth but just shows we all carry different 😊

@Ttcmumma great that she's doing well and you won't be worried by the bump measurements.
Did you get nice 4D pictures? I have one next week and I'm hoping he shows his face.

@SummerOak yeah loads of her face and little videos! She just wouldn't let us see her little hands and feet lol. But we saw her stick her tongue out, suck her thumb etc it was lovely for my son to see and understand a bit better what's going on in my belly! He's 5 so he gets it but he has a lot of questions lol