Sept 2024 - Thread 9!

[SpicyMoth]

Continuation from the previous thread before it fills up - we're getting so close ladies, ahhhhh!!!

Previous thread here; https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/pregnancy/5094920-september-2024-thread-8?page=39&reply=136855271

Mine has never done this before in the whole time I've been pregnant typical it's when I'm pj tenderhooks waiting for results 🙄

ALT Levels have dropped from 102 to 52 so going down!!!!! And bile acid levels fine soooooo it's improving! Must of been the COVID!!

I'm going on a well deserved few days away/babymoon now next week!!

Oh amazing news glad they seem to be going down.

Hope you have a lovely peaceful break after all the worry xx

Does anyone know if it's absolutely necessary to buy new replacement pads for a tens machine? I got given a second hand one but it says to have replaced the pads before now but they haven't even been opened? I definitely want to make sure I've got the tens machine ready as currently baby is back to back and I'm worried about going into labour without it but buying replacement pads means a trip into town with 3 kids while I'm exhausted and sweating non stop 😂🥵

@SantasRubiksCube I wouldn't bother if they've not been opened! Thanks for the heads up though I didn't even think about replacement pads, I used my tens machine in labour 4 years ago and the pads need replacing they're not sticky anymore! Didn't even cross my mind lol

Has anyone else experienced terrible rib pain?! I spent 5 hours in maternity assessment last night with it as they wanted to run pre-eclampsia tests. Thankfully it wasn’t that, but they didn’t have an explanation for the rib pain. Right under my right rib and all round the bottom rib on the right.

My BP was high and my heart rate was over 120 at times, but it did come down. Unfortunately they had a student try to take blood from my terrible veins and I don’t know what happened but all of a sudden I had a panic attack mid-draw and had 3 more midwives come running into the bay. It was terrifying and has never happened to me before! They did manage to get the blood later with a different midwife and when I was just sat normally in a chair instead of on my back. I think the machines triggered me as it was making a beeping noise of doom as my HR went over 130.

I have @RosiePH since maybe 25 weeks, I'm 35 now. Its my second pregnancy, I never had anything like this with my first. Its right under my ribs on my left and feels almost like a stitch. There's no stretching or pushing that relieves it. I've discovered it's linked with the lie of the baby - when they're more breech/transverse position it feels worse but when they shift in a head-down position it eases. The medical teams have told me its ligament stretch, general pregnancy pains and the lie of the baby - as I have no other systems and all my vitals are perfect. So annoying. What I have found helpful is a hot water bottle and paracetamol. Good luck!

@RosiePH ive also had rib pain and high bp this pregnancy, however after a few triage trips bp has returned to normal. I think the rib pain is because baby girl is kicking me morning, noon and night so it’s become quite sensitive. Always been sent on my way and told it’s nothing to worry about

My worst "pain" is in my left shoulder. All under my shoulder blade and just below. I just can't get comfortable sitting on the sofa or in bed at night it's getting unbearable 😐

@RosiePH yes! For me it’s muscle strain, posture related. There is quite a bit of strain in everything in there…organs are squished, we are carrying more weight. So we might get pains in places we normally wouldn’t be getting. It was baffling me for weeks at end, I could not figure out what was causing this ache…until I started putting a pillow behind my back when sitting on a chair on which I would normally like..between sit and lounge! And it took the pain away. Try that. If I am going to be sitting poorly again it will come back though!

Wide awake club 😐😐😐 And wondering why do babies need a hat these days when they are first born? Wasn't a thing with my daughter 20 years ago? Does it need to be a proper woolie hat as I've seen so many pics of newborn babies in proper hats as if it's winter?? I've just packed a cotton one with matching mittens similar to these......?

@TripleESept24 Also in the wide awake club 🙋‍♀️
Not sure why they have to wear a hat - it’ll be something to do with how much colder the real world is compared to the womb, I expect. I’ve also just got little cotton hats and mittens like yours - absolutely certain they’ll be fine!

@TripleESept24 they apparently do get v cold, especially when born, and hospitals are generally quite cold.

So I had a dream my waters had broken and it’s given me a kick up the backside to get sorted as bar a few babygros, this baby had nothing (poor baby number 3 🙈).

How many newborn babygros do people have? I am trying to avoid what I had with number 1 & 2 (excessive clothes which I just didn’t get through).

I have the big ticket items from baby 1 & 2 but need the basics for having another tiny human and for hospital. If anyone can share their list I would be eternally grateful (today is about to get expensive 🙈).

@TripleESept24 definitely use a hat. We’ve found that little lady is more disturbed due to cold without a hat even when we were in the hot hospital. Although she’s that tiny all hats are too big and keep falling off or slipping over her eyes like a monobrow. They are also a cute keepsake.

Good to know I’m not alone with the rib pain! All I could find on google was pre-eclampsia or broken ribs and the midwife and doctors didn’t think it was a particularly common pregnancy symptom!

Posture is definitely becoming an issue so I’ll try the pillows when seated @Xur.

I am hoping my regular midwife refers me for a scan to check position this week. We’re now 5 midwives and a doctor down in terms of people who can’t find him or agree where he’s positioned! Midwife and doctor actively disagreed in maternity assessment. Midwife though head deep in pelvis and back to back so they couldn’t feel the bum easily. Doctor thought breech. I agree with the doctor as sometimes when I get the rib pain, I can also then feel movement below it but it’s not hands or feet.

I’m really starting to wish these next few weeks away now. So uncomfortable, tired and fed up with 5 weeks left.

I'm hoping the ones I have aren't too big 🙈 xx

I keep getting told my baby's head is on 97th centile so at least I don't have to worry about his hats being too big 😅

38 weeks tomorrow, so uncomfortable, in so much pain, sweating all the time, can’t sleep but always tired. I don’t want to wish away these last couple of weeks and I’m so thankful to make it this far having had a premature baby before. But these last few weeks are hard.

Gone past caring about make up and cute maternity outfits. We went out for a zoo visit the other day for my daughters birthday and she saw a meerkat sprawled out, everything god gave him hanging out, and she shouts look mummy it’s like you in the bed. Accurate but still..

@Emmaev i feel you about not wishing the weeks away but honestly had enough now. Im 37 weeks tomorrow and c section booked for 2 weeks time. I know I dont want any more children so I want to enjoy every kick etc but at the same time I'm just so exhausted. Doesn't help that I'm barely sleeping.

@Emmaev I'm only 36+2 and I feel you. I feel ok in the day, until I start doing stuff we have done loads of washing today hung on the line, tested the car seat out in the car, polished and vacuumed the whole house now I am absolutely shattered and can barely move! It's night time where I am just up and down up and down cannot get comfortable at all. 😭

My friend has just made me paranoid..... I'm going to Bridlington on Tuesday, I will be 36+4 and we are 2 hours from home. She said what if you go into labour 😐

Would it be silly to put my hospital bags and the car seat in the boot "just in case"? Imagine going into labour two hours from home and having nothing at all with you 😵‍💫 would be a nightmare

Nipple cream........ Is it an absolute must when breast feeding? I only breastfed for 6-8 weeks 20 years ago and can't remember using it!!

Is the below a good one? Looks the best one from boots......

@TripleESept24 I am a first-timer so can't answer for how essential but one of my friends who has two kids (one very small) made me up a mum kit and she put the Lansinoh cream in it so she obviously rates it!

@TripleESept24 I'm putting my bag in boot today, though I am not venturing too far away as I'm just not able! I'm 37 + 1. No help on nipple cream I'm afraid as i changed over from breastfeeding to bottle feeding on my last after a few days and plan on bottle this time round.

Baby movement has completely changed since 36 weeks but have been traced every few days, whatever way baby has moved I couldn't feel them much for a few days (anterior placenta). Baby passed all monitoring and now baby is back squirming away. Though it has moved right in to my pelvis.

I think I'm ready now, I even bought biscuits for visitors for after😂I'm just wrecked, so glad I finished up work a few weeks early - I'm having 2 hour naps every day. Not sure that'd be a good look at my desk. Hospital said they won't let me go to far over so possibly 3 weeks left eek!

Hi everyone. I might have joined an earlier thread I can’t remember. I’m 38wks now with my second child. Had a late loss between the two. It’s all getting very real now.

@TripleESept24 the Lasinoh nipple cream is great, you only need a tiny bit. I used it more as a lip balm. They do advise carrying your maternity notes with you from 36wks, so if you’re going a bit further away why not take the bag too.

@Emmaev is your DC a toddler too? Mine is making similar too observant comments!

Congratulations to those who have had their babies. Really recommend birth debriefs, try and get a consultant too not just midwife. There was a lot I internalised as “I should have..” “could have”, and 4 years later talking to a covenant Consultant now in advance of this birth, been told there is no correlation between actions and baby size/position etc.

Is anyone under home birth team on this thread?

So glad to see so many non first time mums also unprepared 😂