OCTOBER 2024 BABIES - Thread 4

[CluelessInLondon]

Just getting another thread going as we are about to run out of space on the old one - hope nobody minds me taking the initiative on it!

Previous thread here: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/pregnancy/5028774-october-2024-babies-thread-3

@mrssunshinexxx yeah I've gone back and forth on whether to get any. I think it depends how the colostrum goes. I don't want to be left in a situation where it's 3am and my partner is desperately trying to find vegetarian formula.

@Sara1988 jd imagine hospital would have some , maybe ask your midwife what they tend to stock then you can just concentrate on BF. Tell yourself it's going to be hard but there's no reason you won't be able to do it x

Mines bruised in a circle around my tummy button!

I asked my midwife (south London) today about the RSV vaccine and she said that they hadn’t been trained yet or given the vaccine supplies so she didn’t have a date of when they’d be able to start but potentially later in September.

I always pack a new starter bottle kit and I've breastfed both my babies. I just personally feel more reassured to have it with me in case it's needed. My hospital don't provide formula unless it's really an emergency type situation, they'd otherwise expect my DH to go out and buy some which I'd find very stressful in a situation where baby wasn't feeding well. But I can see both sides as to whether to pack formula or not, that's just my personal choice.

I think the only vegetarian formula is Kendamil or however you spell it. I'm not sure they sell ready made though or if they do I don't think it's widely available in shops? Unless that's changed since I've had DC2 and I've just not noticed.

@Sara1988 @RobynC28 Mine isn't bruised but the area immediately around my belly button is really tender. The best Google can do to explain it is that it's just the result of everything being stretched!

I had my gestational diabetes test this morning - they told me it will take about a week to get the results, so it all feels a little bit pointless considering I'll be well past 36 weeks by then and I'm not even sure what the implications are at such a late stage. I've got an appointment with a consultant next week as well to discuss birth options because of baby's abdomen measuring big - I've already decided that I'm not going to agree to any changes to my birth plan without having another growth scan. My big worry is that they're going to try and bounce me into an early induction based on baby's estimated size.

Hi @CluelessInLondon

I no each hospital is different but if it's any help I had my gestational diabetes test on a Wednesday and had a phone call with the results the following afternoon but they told me results would be back on the Friday morning I don't no if mine was quicker in telling me as I have developed it x

Thanks @nervousn3lly - I assumed it would be sometime this week so I was a bit surprised when she said about a week! I've got a midwife appointment on Friday morning and she said the results would go to the midwife so I can check then whether they've got the results yet if I haven't heard anything. Apparently some hospitals don't even do the OGT test for GD after 32 weeks gestation but I haven't been able to work out why some do and some don't...

@CluelessInLondon if the results show GD I assume they'd suggest induction at around 39 weeks. Hopefully you receive the results quicker than a week.

I was fully against an induction but Ive read a few medical papers about the risk of doing nothing vs induction beyond 37 weeks and it has changed my mind.

@Sara1988 @WeightoftheWorld I saw the ready made (sterilised with teats) kendamil bottles in boots at the weekend.

My sister had GD recently and was induced dot on 37 weeks. As far as I know there were no concerns about baby's growth on the scans but she did have really terrible GD that was not controlled at all and was on insulin etc.

@LuxeBiscuit That's interesting, the bits of reading I've done so far suggest that there's no real reason to be induced before 40 weeks with GD unless there are other complicating factors. There seems to be some fairly mixed information about the risks as well - some studies seem to suggest severe tearing is more likely with induction and some don't, some suggest reduced risk of shoulder dystocia and others don't...it's not the easiest thing to get informed on to make decisions! And it seems as though I'm going to have to have a conversation about it anyway even if the GD test is negative, as I've got to see the consultant because of baby's measurements - even though I'm not really all that convinced of how accurate the estimates are, I've seen loads of first hand accounts where people have been told they were having a massive baby and then it turned out to be totally normal sized.

Kendamil is the only vegetarian one I've found and they do do the ready made bottle just not that easy to find (so thanks for heads up @LuxeBiscuit ) if colostrum harvesting works I will take that frozen. If not will take a pack of this just in case.

We’ve found it most often in Waitrose but very low stock

@CluelessInLondon I think it's a very personal decision on whether to go ahead with induction, only you know what's best for you.

My consultant knows that my preference is still not to have an induction unless it's medically required. Previously I thought hospitals were being overly cautious but I now understand the reasoning behind it a bit more. Btw the papers that I read weren't specifically about GD or the size of babies so that does make the decision harder as scans aren't 100% accurate.

@LuxeBiscuit Tell me about it! I read something yesterday that said there's up to a 15% margin for error in the measurements taken at scans, which could actually make quite a fundamental difference to whether they think baby is over the 90% centile or not. I had quite a scatty sonographer at my scan last week too, she kept forgetting to check things and ended up scanning me three times, and couldn't get a clear view of the edge of baby's stomach because the legs were in the way, so I didn't have massive confidence in her!

@Sara1988 Just wanted to say thanks for the recommendation for the perineal massage wand - I got mine yesterday and it is definitely a game changer, I can actually reach now and concentrate on trying to do it properly rather than only being able to think about how uncomfortable it is and feeling like I can't breathe properly when I try to do it. No idea whether it will ultimately help but at least I feel like I'm doing something now!

Is anybody else finding that their coccyx is starting to get sore when they've been sat down for a while? I'm assuming it's just due to the extra weight and changes to my pelvis, but it's annoying when I'm working and need to sit for a long time. Need to make sure I force myself to take plenty of breaks to walk around as I don't notice it when I'm on the move.

@CluelessInLondon yes with the coccyx pain! Getting up from my office chair hurts every time. Sliding forward to the edge of the seat helps slightly

@CluelessInLondon maybe baby has started to drop / engage?

I use a below band / strap thing when I get a bit sore. I can't sit for too long either.

@CluelessInLondon yes I have this pain if sitting on a harder chair especially! I use a special cushion I bought off Amazon.

Is anyone doing antenatal classes? I have been doing NCT which I've found really good.

@LuxeBiscuit You might be right - I'm also getting a bit of pressure around my pubic bone, it's not painful but it's noticeable so I wonder if baby is getting a bit lower. I'll see what the midwife says at my next appointment on Friday.
@sazzlondon @rachisamumtobe Sorry to hear you're both feeling a bit sore too - though I don't know about you guys but I find it reassuring if someone on here is experiencing the same thing as it means I don't worry too much that something weird is happening to me! I've just bought a bigger gym ball so I think I'm going to inflate that and see if I can replace my desk chair at home with it, as I find I'm more comfortable if I can keep my lower back muscles engaged. I think I slouch and slump a bit too much at my desk!

@rachisamumtobe We did Bump & Baby Club, which was really good - there was a lot to get through and I think they could have run an extra session as part of the course, but the midwife who led it was lovely and we had really good conversations in the sessions. They provide a hypnobirthing online course as part of their package as well so we're just working our way through that at the moment. My husband went to the hairdresser yesterday and came home to tell me that he'd been practising his 'up breathing' and 'down breathing' while he was having his hair cut. 😂

@CluelessInLondon I've had pain in my coccyx since I was bout 18 weeks, I think it's just hormones relaxing our ligaments and the added pressure with the weight of the bump. I have tried everything to ease mine but nothing seems to work completely so just resigned to putting up with it! I hope it goes as soon as the baby is out though haha!

Had midwife today (35 weeks), and baby is still transverse . I know I have a section booked in anyway but I did have a small glimmer of a thought that if I went into labour naturally I would go through with it, but no it's like I was destined to have a section !
Hopefully, as I already have a section booked in, this won't mean even more monitoring I am already being seen twice a week. Scan tomorrow so we will see if he is still transverse.

@spudnik1 my first was transverse until the end nearly and moved head down at one of my last mw appointments, don't write it off 😌

Has anyone had braxton hicks yet as I haven't?

Do you mind sharing which cushion you bought please? I’ve been getting coccyx pain and PGP after sitting so hoping a cushion might help take pressure off my pelvis.

@LuxeBiscuit never had them and it's my third x