September 2024 - Thread 7! 🐣🧡💛❤️

[BeautyAndTheBump1]

As requested a new thread for us all! 🥰 can't believe its thread 7 already!

Then hopefully by thread 14 we'll all have our babies in our arms talking all things post partum!

Straightforward** far too aggressive typing 💬 lol

@Honeyandsunshine1 I actually had 6/7 checks and coincidentally developed sepsis while in labour, so I 100% will be denying them this time. Can’t say for sure it’s connected.. but it’s a coincidence!

@lillers I did their hypnobirthing trial session last week too and was surprised how good it was. I'm going to sign up for the full course as well definitely seems worth it

Ooooo I love medjool dates! I'm Defo doing this!! But not gonna do it till like 38/39 weeks as I'm not finishing maternity till I'll be like 37.5 weeks!!

Hi all, 23 weeks tomorrow and my MH has taken a nose dive. Want to just run away and be alone, despite having my beautiful family at home. Very emotional and just can’t shake this feeling. I’m just so yo and down. Some days I’m fine, others I feel terrible. I’ve spent most of the day in bed, avoiding everyone even though the in laws over over for lunch. DH told them I wasn’t feeling well which is good but now I feel trapped upstairs. Feel like I’m letting everyone down.

@HRP1990 @BeautyAndTheBump1 I also tried it all last time - had her at 41+6. I cried that I was one of the most pregnant women in the world 😂

My labour was fairly quick though less than 10 hours from first contraction and only 4 hours in established labour with 12 mins of pushing. I will probably try all the tricks again this time but be more relaxed about being overdue if the same happens.

@tierneytarny I’m sorry you’re feeling so awful - I have no suggestions but just wanted to say you’re not alone. What we’re doing is SO hard, and it takes a toll in so many ways. Be as kind to yourself as you can ❤️

Thanks @Lillers. I’m a bit lost. I know this is probably all hormonal but it is just hard. Been a harder pregnancy than I thought. I feel old. Nothing booked to look forward to so just feels like a slog through work. Lots to sort for the baby but no real support. I’m just hoping tomorrow is better. I had a nap in the hope it’d change the course of the day but no such luck.

@BeautyAndTheBump1 haha we're exactly the same!! No sex since we convinced end of Dec and both very happy with that 😂 I feel uncomfortable, immobile and like a whale so not very sexy... sex can wait until next year now!

@tierneytarny I'm sorry you're feeling so down.. I have had days like this or full of panic.
I've just started therapy with a perinatal CBT therapist through the nhs and it's been so helpful so far. Maybe see what services are in your area? Usually under well-being or iapt xx

Thanks @WinsandSam I’ll see what’s offered or reach out to my works programmes. Just feels like I’m wasting this time and it’ll probably be the last time I do this. But I can’t shake it.

@tierneytarny yes do, don't just hope it'll go away. Now's the right time to work with someone rather than waiting for baby to arrive. Good luck x

@SC126 ekk I’ve also been decorating and cleaning like a mad woman. But recently finding that so hard.
🫣 so I will rest until I see midwife now!

Bump pic from me! My belly is still small compared to others but it does feel big to us.
Today was the second day in a row when I spent all day on foot, lots of walking.
Even though I didn’t attend gym yesterday or today it feels like with the amount of walking I’ve invested maybe even more energy than I would in a gym day by being active?
I am for sure a very active pregnant woman it seems.

I am also absolutely in love with carrot cake. Had it yesterday, had it today. I won’t have a chance to have it tomorrow, but if I did I would.

@Xur Carrot cake is my absolute favourite - love it so much! My MIL makes a good carrot cake, although she hasn’t made one for ages…might need to drop a few hints in her direction!
Lovely bump pic!

Oh feck! @HRP1990 that’s awful. You must have really been through it?? My eldest was born not breathing due to suspected sepsis and because I spiked a temp during labour, they treated me with antibiotics in case I also had it. This was because they broke my waters and let me go over 24 hours without antibiotics, so with my second birth I was like nope, no examinations, no infection risk, just give me my 24 hours in peace before you do anything. And thankfully, it worked. So I truly understand why this time you want 0 examinations! Hope the birth wasn’t too traumatic for you 😔

Another reason why having no dilation examinations is good, is because women can feel like they’re really progressing, only for a midwife to say “you’re only 2cm” and that “only” can feel like a proper gut punch. Then mentally, you’re a bit disheartened ☹️

Bit late to the party here, but I am incredibly "up for it", but dry as the Sahara x-x Anyone else having the same? 😅
I've never had a problem in that department before but since becoming pregnant it is an ISSUE.

I'll still blag DH up for some action just for a wee confidence boost because frankly I am ROUND and it makes me feel better about myself but good god is my downstairs just not playing ball for it 😂

In terms of positions, from behind is the only way to go for us really, bump is in the way and is deffo pushing all my insides up into my bloody throat - though I do find sex in general makes me quite badly motion sick and acid refluxy afterwards x-x

Intimacy aside though, is anyone else snoring for all of England?!!
Sleeping like a log, but apparently I'm snoring something chronic to the point DH is having to get up and leave for the sofa in the middle of the night!! 😭

I also caught Covid too, but my daughter didn't have either when she was born, weirdly! I think I’m over it now I’ve had a birth stories appointment and kind of “de-briefed” it!

That is also awful! I’m glad you stood up second time around! It’s so good to be informed and to know you don’t just have to say yes to everything.

Totally agree on the kind of language used too, I think that’s also part of the hypnobirthing as it can totally slow you down or even stop you progressing. I think I’m going to do a refresher soon!

@Honeyandsunshine1 that's really useful info, thanks! I've heard the hypnobirthing podcasts mention refusing examinations before but hadn't realised that preventing infection was one of the reasons for it. Deffo planning to do the online course that's been mentioned upthread.

A slightly obvious question though- how does everyone know when it's time to move you to the deliver ward and time to push if you've not had an examination? I'm somewhere on the autistic spectrum and am a little bit concerned that I'll be one of those people who's saying that I'm in pain or ready to push but won't be pulling the right expressions or making the right noises so might not get listened to straight away! DP knows it's his job to make people listen to me but still a worry!

since I’ve not been in a hospital setting before, do you reckon it’s acceptable to request staff to thoroughly wash their hands before inspecting me if they insist they must?

For reference I once told a police lady who came to my house to question about an event (if I seen anything) and asked to provide CC tv for certain times of the front of the house. (Neighbours car got vandalised and I caught it on my CCTV) and I requested her she takes off her shoes before coming in (carpeted house) and she got really angry with me about that.

@Xur They should be wearing gloves for any examination, but the bottom line is that it is your birth experience and you are in charge of what is or is not done with your body. This is just my first baby, but the biggest thing I’ve learned from the hypnobirthing course so far is that it is ok (and more likely to give you a positive experience) for you to be the one in charge. If you don’t feel comfortable telling them, make that your DP’s job to be on hand/glove inspection duty.

@Xur I’d pop all your requests on your birth plan. Once you read more into them/hypnobirthing you can request/deny what you like. For example, I requested no students, I wanted questions etc to be directed to my partner instead of me so I could stay in the zone, I wanted to request pain relief myself vs being offered it (I thought if I was offered I’d say yes, vs I’d be able to hang on longer and I’d ask myself when I needed it.) I also wanted dim lights, my music played etc!

Like @Lillers says they’ll wear gloves anyway, but you could just mention to keep examinations at a minimum, or not at all.

I am starting to feel anxious about GTT on Thursday, had it before and not worried re the bloods or actual process
just the results 🫣

Not even sure why! I have PCO and I know it’s higher risk … anyone else having theirs at 25 weeks?

@longingtobe23 I have mine on Friday at exactly 25 weeks. I’m anxious too, I feel I’m more thirsty during these past few days and I take it as a sign that I might have GD but that’s probably all in my head. Also I think that I’ll be starving because my test will be 11.30-1.30pm, and that I’ll probably throw up the sugary drink on an empty stomach. 🙈
Edit: yes I’m overthinking/overdramatic 😂

@PoppingUp So generally they can tell by how you are handling things and also your body essentially takes over when you need to push so you will feel it. I would say however, sometimes they can use general expectations of times especially for first time mums. This happened to me and if I hadn’t of had a vaginal exam they wouldn’t have known I was 10cm but my body was involuntarily pushing. I was also using hypnobirthing breathing techniques so they wouldn’t have guessed based on how I was acting. I don’t say that to scare you as I was already in the delivery room so I’m sure without that exam they would’ve realised shortly after but I definitely knew in myself my body was pushing. Women also generally push for a while it’s not the few minutes seen in film/ tv.

For getting moved to delivery suite, established labour is from 4cm so there’s normally a good bit of time between that and being ready to push. Obviously you hear stories of people getting to the hospital already at 10cm etc but that’s not the norm.

I always think of it as women have been birthing long before modern medicine and monitoring so our bodies do biologically know how to do this.

For anyone planning to use hypnobirthing techniques please put it on your birth plan/ mention to the midwives who are seeing to you as it can make you appear more calm than women not using those techniques.