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!

@hopingfor23 it's really scary, I feel for you! I didn't stay on bed rest no but I did stop work and took it easier than usual. I stayed active though, just walking the dogs every day and pottering around the house. In all honesty, the last five weeks of my pregnancy were my favourite because I just appreciated every day that I had left of my pregnancy! I bought a proper thermometer and monitored my temperature a few times a day for signs of infection but other than that just did everything as normal apart from no baths or swimming!

The Facebook group is called 'PPROM Premature rupture of membranes waters break, Little Heartbeats Support' - i got so much advice from there and it really helped!

Thanks everyone I read these and was quite assertive on ward rounds although they were all ready with a plan following the strep b diagnosis

Because of the strep b they won’t leave me til 37 weeks now. He will be delivered between 34 weeks and 37 weeks and it depends on signs of infection or labour. Doc is going to re run all my bloods and speak to her colleague and then make a decision on delivery. If I have any signs of infection it’s likely they will deliver him 34 weeks which is next Friday June 7th but have to wait and see. Happy for me to stay in another night while we reassess the situation and keep monitoring baby as he’s been a bit quiet.

Feel a lot better now and just see what the bloods come back with as I do feel a little ropey x

I had a little bit of a scare yesterday evening, we thought my hind waters had gone and when I was on the ctg I was having 2 contractions in 10 minutes. Thankfully some codeine and paracetamol calmed them down and the swabs came back clear.

I had a scan today and I have polyhydramnios so they want me to do a gestational diabetes test tomorrow but I did get my c-section booked in for my due week so that's one thing off my mind!

Oh gosh sounds like a lot of us are currently having to get check ups and scans! Hope everyone is doing well, I’m currently waiting for my scan!
question - had reduced movements over night again. Have had a ton of sugar this morning which seems to have got her moving, but surely I shouldn’t need to be having lots of sugar/food for her to move, she should be moving without this as normal?
now I feel silly because she is moving, but I’m sure it’s only because of the obscene amount of sugar I consumed 😂

@hopingfor23 I’m glad to hear they took your concerns seriously. It’s a shame people need to assert themselves in order for concerns to be taken seriously, I often wonder what it’s like for women who can’t advocate for themselves.

How do you feel about baby coming a little earlier than planned? We must be due date twins (19 July), my c section is booked for exactly 35 weeks on the 14th of June. Let us know how the blood results go and try and get some rest.

@justanotherlaura sorry to hear you had a scare! That’s exciting you got your date for your c section, I got mine yesterday. It makes it feel so real and very exciting!

@missmoosh dont feel silly for getting checked over for reduced movements, they’d rather you went in than sat at home worrying! What are the midwives saying about you needing to consume a lot of sugar to get baby to move?

Exciting lots of people getting their section dates - hope those with them earlier than expected are all doing ok. Had my bloods taken for another iron check though as I keep accidentally falling asleep in the afternoons and have no idea if this is just normal 3rd trimester stuff or not.

Had my 32 week growth scan and check today and all still going ok - baby measuring on the 50th centile and already bigger at 4lb 7 (estimated) than his brother was when we brought him home from nicu!

I asked for my date for my section today but they don’t want to book anything until I’m 36weeks, think they’re still playing it by ear a little in case pre-E shows up again but they did say we’re aiming for 39weeks now so fingers crossed

@Oatmilktea scan was all good, she’s measuring on track at approx 4 pounds. Will keep an eye on movement and just keep going in if I need to! Nobody seems concerned, so I’m trying to remain calm lol. She had her back to the camera the whole time though the little pickle!

@missmoosh that sounds positive! Sonographer complained mine wasn’t back to camera for mine today - or at least he was but when she went to check his kidneys he turned around so it was harder for her to see them. I think at this size they’re always in the wrong place for something!

@Morningcoffeeaddict hahhaa yes I imagine they are, because if they move to much it also makes it harder for them as well!
also good news in your scan too, glad we both got a bit of reassurance today!

@missmoosh - ha yes! She referred to him as “busy” which is obviously a good thing generally but not ideal when she was trying to measure him.
agreed, glad we both got some reassurance today

@Oatmilktea yes we are due date twins!!!! All my bloods have come back clear but iron is super low which explains how dreadful I feel. I had an infusion Tuesday so hoping it kicks in soon! They are happy to keep bub in as long as possible so booking the section in for 37 weeks but with a view for that to change v quickly if infection happens. I'm really pleased with that as want him in as long as possible - also getting a tour of special care which is good as prep just in case!

Sounds like everyone is going through to these naughty babies 🙈🙈🙈🙈

Had my 32 week scan today as well : ) baby measuring 'average' and position 'fine'. The hospital I am with this time around is super chill and doesn't ever tell me about the centiles and whatever, saying it is just an estimate anyways, so I'll just take their word for it being ok haha.

@hopingfor23 very valid concerns you have especially in regards to the strep B. I hope things work out beat for you both.

@AnonymousXXIX thank you I will have a look!
Yes I breast fed from day one on demand every 2 hours day and night. Yet my period was determined to come back 6 weeks 😭 I felt so cheated as I really didn't need a horrid heavy period lasting 8/9 days each month on top of a newborn. I hated it.

Omg didn't they give you your chart. They still have paper notes in Wales so I have my chart and everything. I like to make photocopy for comparison and my records.

Yes i heard the Abena from Amazon are good. I got a free packs of Always pants as we got posted vouchers last year and this year so I went and picked up from Tesco. They are £8/9 usually. So getting them for free was fantastic.
I used the disposable breast pads last time amd hated them! This time I opted for reusable and got 10 large ones hope that will be enough. But I didn't suffer with leaking until weeks 6-10 that was the worst. Waking up at night drenched. If DS slept more then 2 hours (rare occasion he did lomger stretches) I rember having to put a towel down just incase as well as putting 2 flannels into my nursing cami.

Is anyone going to Colostrum Harvest?

@hopingfor23 oh no really how low are yours? My Ferritin was 16 and iron was 105 but classed as Anemic. So I am on supplements x4 eveey other day. I am worried as I was feeling so bad and run down. They will recheck it at 36 weeks and make a plan of action from there.

@Morningcoffeeaddict we had the same on Tuesday baby kept moving just as sonographer tried to get meaaurments. He didn't seem to like the probe and just kept moving and getting more.and more scrunched up the lpmgee the scan went on 🤣 when we first started He was in a nice open position by the end he was curled up into a ball.

@missmoosh from what I have been reading from 32 weeks baby will spend 70% of the time snoozing. If they are turned towards your spine you may not feel kicks or movement very much.
They say to lay still on the left side and that can get baby moving. But if they are snoozing it.might not work or if faced the other ways.
It is all new to me as I had an anterior placenta with DS1 and rarepy felt movement. Maybe once a day for a short time but the rest if the time barely anything.

@MixedCouple2 I got drenched, I had a massive over supply and remember waking up cold and wet very well. Plus my daughter was constantly sick (it never bothered her!) so overall we were really soggy!

I am going to, didn't last time as I had to have a caesarean so my midwife didn't want me to go into labour ahead of that. I think it would really have helped me last time as my daughter was chompy and the pain was terrible!

@MixedCouple2 yeah she is facing my spine, since the scan she has been having a party in there though! So that’s calmed me right down thankfully!

@MixedCouple2 - I only leaked the first few days after my milk came in and then barely anything but I exclusively pumped and really struggled with my supply after a few weeks of that so I imagine that’s why I didn’t get much leaking.

I'm considering colostrum harvesting - although haven’t spoken to midwives / consultants about it and I am having a planned section so maybe they’ll advise against. I had to do it a bit after DS was born early to get my milk to come in so I could pump for him in nicu but I just couldn’t get the technique and a MCA had to basically do it for me in the end so I was relieved when I got enough milk to just pump

Last time I tried the colostrum harvesting pre-birth and got nothing... but this time I might give it a go as I am already leaking a small bit sometimes! I think my body was noooot ready to let go of the nearly 2 years of breastfeeding lol.

Equal parts excited and terrified about bf this time around. It was so hard the last time, so painful, and not just the first 6 weeks. However, everything that could possibly go wrong has already gone wrong. I feel like I am armed with so much information now, I could probably train as a lactation consultant. That's got to count for something right!

@AnonymousXXIX I hear you, after a couple of days I had to express for a couple of days as I just couldn't handle it! After that it all worked out but was left with an oversupply which I was able to donate. Hoping all works out this time.

I'm hoping to colostrum harvest. I didn't last time but ended up having to hand express while a midwife helped my screaming baby who was struggling to latch. Hoping to be a bit more prepared this time! I am also reading Lucy Webber's "breastfeeding and the fourth trimester" to remind myself of newborn feeding.

@MixedCouple2 my iron was 90 yesterday and that was 2 days after an infusion. Hoping it picks up they said it can take a few days but I'm booked in for another next week. Previously I was 102 and on tablets but they did nothing for me!

I harvested colostrum for my son and ended up in an emcs. I credit the colostrum for the positive breast feeding journey. I felt like because of it my body knew what to do and it was a good send when my milk hadn't fully come in. It's also so much goodness for baba especially when they haven't been down the traditional birthing route! I am definitely going to do it again just need guidance as to when as I'm trying to avoid labour with my leaking waters 🙈🙈🙈🙈

My midwife has recommended I try to do colostrum harvesting at about 36 weeks. Given my health conditions we aren’t sure how well breastfeeding is going to go, so it’s a good way to make sure I can at least pass on some of the goodness! I have been leaking since like 24 weeks so don’t think I will have too much of an issue lol

@hopingfor23 I think it would really have helped me last time as we struggled initially after the section but then understood why my midwife thought given my situation at the time she didn't want me to induce labour before my planned section.

Definitely want to this time, they have said from 36 weeks, midwife will give me my kit at 34 weeks so my next appointment with her but I will try and get what I can! Had expected to leak this time considering the supply last time and also I had a random leak maybe 6 months after I stopped feeding last time 🤣. There was still milk there for ages!

I lost the thread for a bit. I guess I forgot to follow the 4th version so didn't receive any notifications!
I had read all 7 pages. It's been moving fast.

As seems to be a common factor for our July babies, my pregnancy journey has become a little more complicated.
Following Growth Scan at 28wks, baby was enormous 99th centile. Had GD test all clear. Next growth scan, she had stopped growing. Now, they're concerned re:placenta (they checked blood flow etc all fine) so I have to go back every 2 weeks for extra growth scans and appointments.
Luckily, just 4 weeks left in work but if baby continues to show slow growth, C-section will be moved forward from 39 wks to 37 (if they can wait, they'd prefer 37wks)

@Nocoffeenotalkie welcome back to the thread!
im sorry to hear there are worries around growth! How many weeks are you now? It’s good there is a plan in place for you both