Due July 2024 - part 4

[Oatmilktea]

The other thread was filling up so thought I would set up a new one!

@Sophie3003
@ceruleansky
@Amberellaella
@wannabe123
@glasshalffull0
@Morningcoffeeaddict
@missmoosh
@Jess725
@AnonymousXXIX
@Busyhedgehog
@Nocoffeenotalkie
@justanotherlaura
@Honeymint
@Savvy21
@hopingfor23
@chilliflakesmum
@ExpectantEs
@AimeeLou84
@Welshgal85
@TooHappyToday
@Bali200

I’ve tagged people from the last few pages of the previous thread, hopefully everyone makes there way over here when the other one fills up!

I was prescribed antihistamines last time I was pregnant for a super bad skin reaction to something unidentified (pregnancy sensitivity, covered my whole hand and arm in dark breakout). Can't remember what the brand was though, and it was in early first trimester.

Sooooo… Jr, placenta etc was fine on my growth scan today so I’ve booked an induction in for next week Weds when I’ll be 38+6. However! My consultant has cleared me for a sweep any time from now, I just need to arrange it with my midwife if I want one. Has anyone had a sweep at 38 weeks-ish before, did it work?

@Amberellaella glad to hear growth scan has gone well!
can’t help with the sweep, but I am booked for two one at 38+3 and 38+5 before my induction at 39 weeks, so be interested to see what others say! I am only 35+3 so have what feels like an eternity to wait for them haha

@Amberellaella I am currently in hospital cuddling my new bundle of joy because of a sweep! I was booked in for this Saturday for induction, I had a sweep yesterday at 3pm and he was born this morning at 9.19am :) contractions started about 2 hours after the sweep. Good luck!

Forgot to add, I was 38+5

Can I ask why people choose to go for a sweep? I don’t want to sound rude but it sounds uncomfortable and I thought was an infection risk!

Awwww, @Yummum19 congratulations on the new arrival! 38+5 seems like the perfect time to me ☺️

Congratulations @Yummum19!

@Cattattack in my case (and I expect for @missmoosh too) it’s because I’m not supposed to go past 39 weeks due to being old and a sweep is less invasive, and potentially leads to a less painful labor, than induction.

I think I’ll message my midwife tomorrow and see what she says. Got an appt with her on Thursday, so maybe we could try one then (bang on 38 weeks!)

ooh I see, thank you - yes it deffo seems less invasive than an induction! Thats quite exciting if it gets you started!

@Cattattack I have requested an induction due to my health conditions. So they have agreed to a 39 week induction due to them, with early sweeps to hopefully avoid the induction altogether 😌

@Amberellaella i just remembered my sister had 2 sweeps in her 38th week, and she had her little one at 38+5 after the second sweep

@Yummum19 ahh congratulations! I pray to be like you! 😂😂

@Amberellaella @missmoosh my midwife said that she is only allowed to do them from 39 weeks (I think) unless a consultant gives permission. I'm booked in for an induction at 40+5 but not allowed an earlier sweep.

@Yummum19 ooh congratulations!
@Cattattack a sweep is to get labour going for whatever reason you might have. I was desperate for a sweep my last pregnancy, as my midwife had said she'd do one on my due date (and no sooner!) - but then she got COVID and it never happened! I had a Christmas due date so I guess I was just kind of keen to avoid any inconvenient birthday for baby, and also my baby was measuring pretty big so I was not super excited about going 2 weeks late lol. In hindsight now though, I don't know what I was so desperate about. I had a sweep when I eventually went into labour and arrived in triage, at about 3cm dilated, and it was horribly uncomfortable without pain relief amidst the very worst of my contractions. Plus, even at that stage of labour, it did nothing! Did not help dilation or progression, just started losing my mucus plug very slowly. She threatened I had to go home though, because I wasn't 4cm, so I guess that's why I put up with it. So I think this time I'll prob decline any sweeps, unless there's a midwife who can give me a very good reason that it'll do something.

@wannabe123 yes I am under a consultant due to my health conditions, so they had to write in my notes about it, so I could get it booked in with the midwives. And we have timed it so I get two sweeps with 48 hours in between each and then 48 hours after the second is the day of induction (assuming a bed is available that day!)

@missmoosh fingers crossed it works for you 😊

That sounds rough @AnonymousXXIX, I can see why you wouldn’t want to go through that again. They definitely seem a lot more chilled about it with baby #2! I am also under a consultant though @wannabe123 (my age and the fact that DD was born below the 5th centile) so that probably helps.

@missmoosh apols, I know someone else on here is over 40 but lost track of who 😂 I do like your plan, I might try and do a variation on the same midwife schedule depending!

Eek my midwife just told me off for not having my hospital bag packed yet (36 weeks) 😅😂 Gotta get on my baby laundry and go buy snacks this weekend!

Ah so many babies arriving! Congrats again all!
@Amberellaella I am over forty 👋(bit apprehensive about repeating that as there are so many threads berating older mothers on mumsnet at the mo!) I am booked for a c section on 18 July which makes it all sound a bit serious now.

Congratulations on all the new babies. 😊

Ours is taking her time. Went to the hospital yesterday because I had stabbing pains in my stomach. No contractions and baby is still a bit too far up so might take a little while, yet. I didn't think they were contractions, to be fair. It was just on the right side of my tummy but wouldn't go away for hours. Obviously, as soon as they but me on the CTG, the pain went away. 🤦‍♀️ They checked everything, though. Baby is a bit over 6lbs by now.
I'm quite glad I went. DH was staying at the same hospital last week and it seemed really disorganised. When we went to the maternity ward, though, it was all calm, there was someone there straight away and they seemed to know what they were doing. Puts my mind at ease a little. 😁
I'm over 40 as well. However, my OB/GYN doesn't seem too worried about that. Apparently, they won't let me go over 40+10. Ahem...yeah...OK. With DS, I was induced at 40+12 and it drove me nuts. I don't really want a repeat of that. I'm currently 36+5.

@MyNameIsBatty I’m also over 40. I think if anyone wants to berate us about that, it says more about them. Quite frankly it’s no one business. That being said there are definitely times when I feel insecure about my age and being judged for it.

medically, I was put on aspirin because of my age (and multiple miscarriages) but other than that I don’t think I’ve been treated any differently by midwife’s/medical professionals. I was told by one midwife that I might get some pressure if I go over 40 weeks but to make sure I have information to make an informed choice. I think it’s nice to hear stories such as mine and @Busyhedgehog , that there seems to be an improvement on how us more ‘life experienced women’ (🤣) are treated by professionals!

Not that anyone needs my opinion, but I think it's great to see over 40 mums! I am sure if the 'biological clock' didn't exist altogether, loads of women wouldn't even contemplate babies till after 40.

Also not that anyone asked my opinion but I think it’s much better to have a child when the time is right for you, then when society tells you it is! Given how many women also struggle to conceive I think it’s insane that we should just what stop trying when we hit a certain age?! No matter what age you are, you will face challenges they just may be different ones! There is my two pence 😂

@Busyhedgehog I had a trip to the hospital yesterday too. Baby had been moving but only the odd bit here and there and seemed very quiet compared to normal and the usual tricks to get him to move weren't working. Like you, I actually found it really reassuring going to the hospital and it felt like a practice run for when we go in when I'm in labour.
I'm 38+3 now and my first was born at 38+4 so I'm really hoping baby comes soon. I barely slept last night because I kept having contractions about 20 minutes apart with a little bit of discomfort but then they'd fizzle out to nothing.

I'm another that just joined the 40 club!

Baby is breech so I'm having a section, it was supposed to be 8th-11th July as the 11th is my due date but I just got a call and my section has been brought forward to the 5th as they are busy the next week. Feeling very real now, I was not expecting that call!