Sept 2024 - Thread 10!

[SpicyMoth]

Saw we hit page 40, so figured I'd get a head start on the next thread just in case!!

Oh gosh, I just thought, there may not be very many more of these threads - I wonder if this one may even be the last?!

HUGE congrats to @MudandMoet on their gorgeous wee one!!
Best of luck on your way home this afternoon/this evening, I'm desperate to ask all about what it was like but I'll avoid that as I don't want anyone to get nervous/anxious about what's to come!!

Super glad you're feeling mostly okay and so so SO happy for you! <3

@Waitinggame42023 my baby also currently measuring on 92nd centile but that's down from where he was (97). I'm also not a petite person but quite tall, which has maybe made me a bit more relaxed about things. Nobody has offered me a c section but I was offered induction. The evidence on induction for larger babies where the mother doesn't have diabetes is pretty thin - NICE says they are supposed to offer it and it's up to you basically as it's not a case where they have strong clinical indicators to support it but more pros and cons either way (you could Google nice guidelines for lga/fetal macrosomia if you want to read more about it). I have one more scan on Friday when I'll be 38 weeks but if he's still at 92 percentile I'm not going to be induced before 40 weeks, would maybe consider it at 41. The main thing they worry about is shoulder dystocia ie baby's shoulders getting stuck on the way out, but although this happens proportionally more often to larger babies the ultimate outcomes are fairly similar regardless of whether you're induced or not (all the babies are mostly fine!).

At my trust they consider a large baby to be over 95 centile so I'm technically just under it now at 92 but the other thing to bear in mind is that there is about a 15% margin of error on the scans so your baby could actually be like 77 percentile and not as big as you think! So don't stress but just think about what feels most comfortable for you. Especially if you don't have GD it's not a big indicator for problems to have a larger baby so it will all be fine, it's just whatever you prefer 🙂

@Waitinggame42023 definitely take the growth scan with a pinch of salt. They are confirmed to be not 100% accurate, my friend got told baby was measuring on 97th centile, tried to induce her etc but she refused an induction. Went into labour naturally and baby was born 40+2 weighing 7lb8! I've also heard soooo many stories like this!

Fingers crossed this is really it this time 🤞🏻 had a sweep at midwife appointment yesterday, woke up at around 3 with sharp pain on one side which felt like a pulled muscle but coming and going. Took some paracetamol and went to sleep around 5 and have got up today still with some niggling pains, but more like lightning crotch in my cervix and sort of sharp period pains, I'm 41 weeks today and booked for induction on Tuesday which I'd really rather avoid so come on baby, let's get you outttttt

Fingers crossed @SantasRubiksCube , baby has to come some time!!

@Waitinggame42023 I'm due 24 Sept so not far off from your date and it's my first birth! Quite ridiculous that the hospital does not allow partners to stay overnight. My DH also has only 2 weeks leave. I have my mum coming over for some weeks so counting myself really lucky.
Hope you get the birth you want.

Seeing all you ladies still waiting for baby at 41 weeks is making me feel like I still have a way to go although 38+2 today.

@hol92 it's so sad isn't it 😭 I feel on the edge. I'm not low or depressed just all very overwhelming.

People keep asking to see me for a final time before baby arrives, I said I feel like I'm dying and people want to say goodbye 😂 it's a bizarre feeling

@Waitinggame42023 I've been told the same, she's jumped from 53rd to 97th or similar. I don't have diabetes, she's just a chunk with too much fluid. I've already opted for a c section (maternal choice) before this news as didn't want to be induced. But this is my first baby and my partner will be home for a month. He is also allowed to stay over night so will be a lot of help. Big decision to make

I’m joining team Emotional, or probably I’d be classified as insane at this stage. Spent the night sobbing and want to cancel my elective c section this Saturday. I don’t feel ready at all, not for the surgery, recovery, and maybe not even to have this baby. Sorry for rambling like a madwoman, really hope this is just a crazy mix of nerves and hormones.

@Waitinggame42023 I just finished being in this boat! I spent the last few weeks of my pregnancy panicking over the estimated size of my baby. I didn't know whether to try hold out for spontaneous labour or induction. For a finish he was in the 99th centile and born at 10lbs 6oz at 40+3 in my literal dream delivery. I feel like I definitely made the right choice for me, but there were a lot of things I considered in the process.

If your growth scan has jumped after 34 weeks I'd take it with a pinch of salt. Scans are way more accurate before this point as it's hard to measure when they're squished in there. The growth curve they've followed up to that point if consistent is likely to be more accurate. You should also be offered a repeat scan to confirm. My son was measuring large from scan #1.

For me, all measurements were 99th+. The head measured the biggest and the midwives said if I could get that out ok his body would fly out - they were right.

Plus the risk of big babies isn't as high as you might think, with induction not lowering that significantly. As a starting point for research, drsarahjmurphy on Instagram has some posts with resources on big baby stats that I found helped my conversations with my care team. Unless you have an underlying cause like GD, it's very very rare for your body to grow a baby you can't birth.

I was also induced on my first, who was 9lbs 8oz, and personally found the induction harder than the size. My larger child was way easier to deliver.

If you do decide to try vaginal delivery there's lots you can do to help make it easier too. The position you birth in makes a big difference. Plus even before birth doing optimal fetal positioning exercises really helps too.

I know this isn't for everyone but I also went to reflexology for induction, to try anything to get him out before 41 weeks as I personally didn't want to go past 41+3.

@Cinai2 It is getting really stressful now the big day is approaching, isn’t it. 🫂 What was the reason for booking a CS in the first place? If it was maternal preference then I’d imagine you could choose to try a vaginal birth instead?

@Decaffe yes, it crossed my mind…but I’m 41 and I’d probably need to be induced soon-ish due to my age. I’d also definitely want an epidural and chances are that it would end in an EMCS. Probably best if I trust the decision I made earlier on when I wasn’t in such an hormonal and anxious state and stick with the elective.

Team 41 here too so yes I see what you mean. I have daydreamed a few times about trying for vaginal if I were to go into labour before Tuesday and then I remember the stats and how the rational decision I made from day one would be much better!

I think it’s so natural to be anxious about it. I certainly am. As much as the PGP is severely curtailing my daily activities I feel like I’d be happy to be pregnant for a while longer yet because at least I know he’s safe and doing alright in there. I’m sorry I don’t feel I can offer much in the way of reassurance but just know that you’re not alone in how you’re feeling!

Thank you @Decaffe, it does help knowing that I’m not the only one feeling like this, although I’m sorry you’re a bit anxious too - we got this! I’m actually better now and hopefully my pre-op today further reassures me that this is how things should be. I hope you have a nice weekend ahead of you and it will all go well for you next week!

@Cinai2 I know exactly what you mean I have mine Monday and don't feel ready in the slightest my 17 month old is full of cold and I've just caught it, i feel the same in the sense of not ready for surgery , recovery or even to look after a new born... I ended up having a section with my first and it was a lovely experience even with it being emergency, make a playlist of songs that make you smile as I've been told you can pop your music on while they do it :) just offering support in that I know how you feel as it's so daunting but it's so worth it when you first see that face you have been imagining for months, I'm just letting myself feel the feels even if that Is sobbing at points It's such a big and beautiful thing - I promise you will be just fine :)

@Cinai2 I'm sorry you feel like that. I feel this way too! I think I'd rather be pregnant for 2 more years that have to get the baby out. I don't know how to look after a baby. I'm not prepared for an operation. It's all very overwhelming. Part of me has hoped she came early and I just had to get on with labour.
Like you, I have to have her next week so being induced is my only other option due to to my age. I am really against that! I think our brains are trying to trick us because we're anxious and stressed out. We made this decision for a reason. Like @Decaffe said, we're over 40, we've looks at the statistics and risks early on.
Remember it's ok to panic, cry, shake and freak out on the day. They're used to it and will do what they can to help relax us.
Hope your pre op goes well, I have mine tomorrow and know I'll be a crying mess

In the same boat as you lot re; anxiety and being emotional! 😬

Had my final MW appointment just now and she said there wasn't much point in giving me another sweep as I'm due to go in for the balloon induction at 8pm tomorrow, so no idea what the state of my cervix is - It was soft and 1cm last MW appointment but had no signs of labour really at all since then so hard to know what I'm going to be in for.
Blood pressure was high for the the first time, though the lift was out of service so I did have to tackle 2 flights of stairs and also had a stressful as fuck morning.

Asked about the odds of emergency C-Section as that's my biggest fear and she wasn't massively reassuring honestly, just a lot of "it's out of your control" which objectively, of course it is, but my emotions are so all over the place and seeing as I have an anxiety disorder and struggles with emotional dysregulation as it is... I'm... Having a big wobble.

Probably doesn't help that my hospital is somewhat far away (I think about 30-40 minute drive) so practically it makes more sense for me to stay overnight with the balloon, but partners are only allowed to stay with you until 9pm - So I'd get an hour with company and support from DH then I'll be entirely on my own!😩

The thought of labour possibly starting and having to give birth without DH there is.... Not a fun one.
The thought of things going wrong on top of that and ending up having to have an emergency C-Section on my own in the early hours of the morning are literally my worst fears entirely.
For some stupid reason I hadn't even let the thought of being on my own for an emergency enter my mind as a possibility, and frankly now I'd be quite content if baby just stayed inside forever lol....

"Go home and relax" MW said, yeah... Sure... Totally doable.... 😬

@SpicyMoth 🫶🏼 to all us anxious Annie's

Surely if you go into labour your partner can come back? Same as if an emergency? That seems crazy to me...

I honestly have no idea @WinsandSam , I'm incredibly inexperienced with hospital anything for myself - Only time I've had to go in for anything as an adult has been wisdom teeth extraction and that was a good 8 years ago now and in England not Scotland!

I've been googling for the last hour trying to find out for certain what could or couldn't happen re; being on my own - I could just be flustered and not seeing something obvious but there's very little info it seems.
There's still stuff up about bloody lockdown precautions on half the websites specific to my hospital so it's hard to know what's even in date vs what's not 😩
Bloody nightmare!

It's nice to know there's solidarity with others on here though honestly, having these threads to turn to is just about holding me together~ 💞

@SpicyMoth I totally agree! It's so nice to know you're not alone and others experience the same crazy feelings 💕

Like you I have little experience of hospitals apart from being an out patient for my thyroid.. I wonder if you could call up and ask? I know I wouldn't be happy being alone on the ward. It's crazy that they have Covid stuff still around/shaping decisions. I work for the nhs and think it's often used as an excuse

@SpicyMoth the hospital I gave birth in has a very strict policy of kicking partners out at 10 pm unless you're in labour or going in for c section, at which point they call your partner back in even in the middle of the night. I doubt they would let you labour on your own but maybe call and ask.

That's a good shout actually, I think I'll do that - thanks for the recommendation! ❤Hopefully I get through to someone! 🙏

Thank you for the encouragement, ladies. We’re all in the same boat, crazy days ahead…I’ll try to only focus on the positives now. My DH is such a happy go lucky person without a worry in the world, occasionally I manage to join in. (But sometimes I also feel like strangling him, like when he suggests a weekend trip for us two weeks post c section 🤦‍♀️).

For those who were wondering about pre-op, I saw a midwife for taking bloods and doing a sweep (throat, nose and vaginal sweep). I also had a separate appointment with my consultant straight after where I had to sign the consent form and was informed about the risks.

Good luck for tomorrow @SpicyMoth!

Thanks @Cinai2 I’m guessing the swabs are to check for some kind of infection..? Did you have to do an ECG?

@Decaffe yes, swabs to check infections. No ECG for me.

@SpicyMoth you and me both, I also have to check in to hospital at 6PM Tonight for an induction. Was pressured into a corner by being Overdue and with no plan in place. I tried to voice a plan on several occasions but they didn’t listen.

Ugh, that sounds absolutely awful, I'm so sorry! I've just ended up here due to naivety I think :/
Best of luck to you hun, I'm an absolute emotional wreck honestly - I hope you're doing better than I am, hopefully we'll have our wee ones to distract us from it all sooner rather than later! 🙏