Due February 2024 Thread 7!!🤰🩷💙

[AllAboardTootToot]

Cannot believe we are on the 7th iteration and the babies are starting to arrive 😭❤️

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 we're doing well, just about to head home. So excited!

My little ones head measured 33cm at birth, but the midwife said because I asked about it when they measured that because of the soft spots their head squishes right down while in the birth canal by 8-10cm and become cone shaped rather than round so I probably pushed out a 23-25cm head if that makes sense? Because honestly looking at him straight after his head was SO much bigger than the aniball and quite frankly the over stretching to get to 25cm during my practice at home i couldn't imagine how he'd got out (despite having been there 😂)

@Hankthehonk little girl is still breech here too. Have scan on Monday and then looking like c section, I am not up for the ECV 😳

Can tell with the kicks she is still very much breech.

Still have a way to go, due date isn’t until end of Feb, feel like I’m gonna be last woman standing in this chat 😂

So great to hear the exciting birth announcements and that so many of you are booked in to deliver in the next week or so. I’m still working and envious of your mat leave - I think I was a touch optimistic as I plan to work up to 4 days before my due date but a part of me thinks she’ll have other plans and arrive next week or something whilst I’m still working! Trips into the office are definitely touched with a bit more anxiety these days!!! Just hoping my waters don’t break whilst there!!!

I finish for some annual leave at the end of this week, 36+3 on my last day, and I’ve felt ready to go for weeks! I’m not at all in the baby headspace or ready to bring a baby into the house and don’t feel like I have the time or headspace to get ready until I finish. Hats off to people working right up until the end, I’m struggling to concentrate so much

@Mismatc I'm the same as you! Using some annual leave to stop at 37 weeks and it already feels late to me. I'm not organised at all, even though I've got a 3 year old and also want to try and rest in the couple of weeks I've got before my section, I've also got a list of things to do to get ready for baby! Really wish I was doing that today instead of my work list

@LavenderSweetPea haha I’ve got half a day tomorrow then im on annual leave until my section, I start Mat leave the day after baby is born 🤞🏽

Been rather emotional since yesterday, happy emotional over the fact no matter what next week I'll be holding my much desired baby boy 🥹

38 weeks today so of course it was coming up anyway 😄

After my sweep I'm gonna bounce more than tigger on my birth ball to see if that does anything a little more 😄

I'm just glad that apart from a cough occasionally I'm over that bad cold now 😀

Oh yay @LavenderSweetPea enjoy taking your little one hone and having all of your stuff around you ❤️ hah okay maybe that's why they say stop at 25 cms!

@Gardenfingers23 you and me are in a similar situation, I'm working up to my due date (or birth) and office trips are a bit fraught. Have started carrying my notes (38+3 weeks).

I almost don't want to be off because our house renovation is such a mess, and if I was off I'd have to do something about it 🙈 and there's so much lifting I can't do, paints I can't use, and I don't like climbing ladders in the house on my own

Anyone else struggling with sciatica? Mine has gotten so bad that I can barely walk.

2 more days until my c section thankfully but i’m also full of guilt that I haven’t been able to do as much with my 2 & 4 year old in the last few days before baby is born as I’d have liked.

Getting very anxious to find out if but is a boy or girl though. I had a gut feeling with my last 2 but absolutely none this time and it feels so exciting

@xTinkerbell I get it on odd days - mostly when I misjudge how much I can do which feels ridiculously little at the moment. It’s no fun at all! You are doing all you can - fingers crossed it will clear up quickly after your c-section and you heal up quickly too. I find baths, deep heat patches and the birthing ball help give some relief on bad days.

Anyone else find they are reacting weirdly emotional at the slightest thing?

I keep randomly getting teary when I don’t even feel all that upset 🙃 - it’s driving me nuts. I’m guessing it’s hormones but I wish it would stop!

@KayakingBex I’m literally in the bath right now 😂

@KayakingBex I was really teary coming up to 38 weeks and this is what came up on my pregnancy weekly app for 38 weeks, so very timely:
"Feeling a little blue? Lots of women suffer with a little ante-natal depression around now. It’s down to a mix of emotions: anxiety about the birth, fatigue due to lack of sleep and a desire for the pregnancy to end. Fears for the birth can be partially allayed by being prepared. Have an idea of what is likely to happen, so there are no nasty surprises. At the same time, you will need to keep an open mind, as births rarely go to plan, unfortunately. And most importantly, try to take time out for yourself right now; put your feet up and grab a ‘feel-good’ DVD box-set."

I've watched Bridgerton and chilled and been much better. Had a chat with my DH about my worries as well and that really helped. Now just waiting for baby to come!

@xTinkerbell i do most of my posting from the bath too 😆

@Ihatewinding - that’s what I’m finding so weird - I’m not actually feeling depressed, blue or anxious, I actually feel fairly chilled out. My physical emotion doesn’t seem to match my internal emotion.

The slightest hint of sadness in a film or something goes very slightly wrong in my day and my body reacts dramatically with tears.

It’s very hard to explain! No one believes me when I say I’m not actually feeling upset - I honestly don’t know why my body chose to cry 🙃 it just seems to massively overreact. Ah well hopefully it will pass after birth.

Just tucked my two babies into bed, the last time as the pair of them! Feels very surreal ❤️

@babythreeincoming - good luck I hope everything goes smoothly 🤞

I'm also having unexpected crying episodes! I'm not particularly sad - just oddly moved by the most peculiar things.

Good luck for tomorrow @babythreeincoming - hope all goes smoothly.

I had my 38 week appointment today. The midwife said baby boy was head down and “fixed”? I’m guessing that’s the same as engaged? She said he could come anytime but she would do a sweep on 13/02/2023 if I wanted, so I might get my Valentine’s baby! 🤣

Good luck @babythreeincoming ❤️

How are you getting on with colostrum harvesting, if you’re doing it? I’m 38 weeks tomorrow and can’t even get a glisten.

I could see tiny bits a month or so ago but didn’t want to start harvesting too early due to premature labour worries. But now I just can’t stimulate anything.

@redxlondon I haven’t tried harvesting colostrum (it’s never been mentioned!) but I haven’t had any leaks and there is no signs of anything been in there so I think I would be the same as you tbh. I plan on trying in the hospital but I have bought formula too so just going to go with the flow.

@redxlondon I leak randomly through the day but then when I try to harvest at night following all the tips, it just doesn't work.

I can't seem to get a good grip because my chest is quite big.

I might try again this week but I have had a few failed attempts. Sigh!

@redxlondon @Mangotango39 I found need to target the ducts closer to the nipple than I expected, when just squeezed the fleshy bit of breast like in videos I got nothing or minimal and just made boobs sore. Also massage for a bit first and then persevered for a bit longer than thought and the beads started coming and seems to trigger the surrounding ducts as well. Was slow to build up but now getting decent amount as approach 39 weeks but I'm 2 weeks into doing it tbf!

Hi all!

My contractions escalated to every few mins within a few hours! I went from starting contractions at 1am to being 7cm dilated by 6am!

Baby girl arrived midday - the latter part of labour was long and admittedly very tough! Didn't end up having the epidural because I was managing okay until it came to pushing!Had to have kiwi and an episiotomy which was much more traumatic than I thought! In quite a lot of pain and my husband is traumatised haha but we are so, so in love!

One night in hosp and then we get to go home - can't wait.

Wishing you all the best with your deliveries ❤️

Many many congratulations! Hope you’re resting well! ❤️