Due March 2025 thread 3

[Zuzu2020]

Hi guys.. Just saw the old thread is full so thought I'd make a new one :)

We went into the scan saying we weren't going to find out and as soon as the lady asked would you like to know we both went yes 🤣🤦‍♀️

I always worry after though imagine they got it wrong so try not to buy too much 🤣🤣

Can someone tell me it's normal to freak out?😂 Since finding out we're having a little girl I suddenly ... feel out of my depth.

I really want to be sensitive as to how much I say here as I know many have had some long journeys to reach this point. But for myself, it's been very quick. Our first TTC was successful, and it's been a very safe and smooth journey (thank goodness) so far. But suddenly I've started to spiral, It's all I ever wanted, but has happened so much quicker than I ever anticipated. I feel out of my depth, like I'm never going to be ready. It's like it's hit me baby girl is real, and is going to be here in a blink, before I've even got my head around the idea it's really happening.

Can someone just reassure me that the feelings are normal?! I feel like they probably are but I'm also panicking that they're not😂

I think that’s really normal. It’s a massive, life changing thing, having a child! Definitely don’t panic, I felt the same, and lots of my friends felt the same as well.

Feeling a bit down after my 20 week scan. Her structures all look good but she’s quite small, from the screen it said 4th percentile overall, but head is particularly small. Due to that I need to go to a small baby clinic and have fortnightly growth scans and also been tested for some infections. Got offered amniocentesis but quite confident I don’t think it’s worth the risk of miscarriage in this case. Made the mistake of googling it and it just comes up with reduced fetal growth which apparently is what 50% of still births are due to. Been told if I get reduced movement to contact hospital (consultant seemed surprised I’m getting full on kicks rather than just flutters at nearly 22 weeks and with anterior placenta).

Just feeling a little down and deflated now. Despite the fact she’s not even here yet I feel really attached to her, feeling her move about every day and the idea of something going wrong is quite anxiety provoking. Just hoping the scan in 2 weeks shows enough growth and decided to still go pram and furniture shopping this weekend!

Anyone previously had baby measure small?

My little one was a bit bigger at birth - 9th percentile (apparently looks chubby in photos so they thought she was 20th!!)

since birth, she’s dropped and is on the 0.5th percentile so 4th seems huge to me! She’s three now- healthy, unnaturally strong, just a super high metabolism.

Also - how tall are you and the baby’s donor/dad? I’m really petite so no one was surprised when a tiny baby popped out (although I’d deliberately picked a donor over 6ft to give the poor kid a fighting chance 😂)

my 20 week scan isn’t until next week but I’ve already been told I’m likely to have a small baby having had one on so tiny.

On the positive side, she’s just worn the same adorable pumpkin romper for the third year in a row because she’s still so dinky so you do get more use out of your clothes.

Did they ever say there was a reason she was small? Or just small? Dr said it could be that she’s just naturally a bit smaller but I think the fact her head is disproportionate and smaller is why they offered amnino test.

I’m 5’2 and my husbands 5’8 so we’re not the tallest! I think what’s got in my head a bit was at her 17 week gender scan she was 2 days behind so in 4 weeks she’s only grown about 2 which sounds really off 🫤

My husbands got a genetic condition which google says can be inherited so it may be she’s got that as it causes jaw to be smaller as one of the things. He was really lucky to have it mild and no other family with it so we never thought too much about it. Whilst not a great condition could also be a worse one in the grand scheme of things.

little pumpkin romper sounds so cute! I’ve been avoiding buying new born clothes expecting her to be big so may have to rethink my buying plans! Her kicks are really strong for nearly 22 weeks to the point you can see and feel them on the outside so I really expected her to be big! The Dr seemed surprised by that too but I’ve got video evidence of her outside kicks lol.

Same on the outside kicks at 18 weeks - but midwife said it’s probably more down to the fact I’m so small rather than the baby being big .

Her head measured big (50th against the 9th, now 0.5th ) but you wouldn’t think ‘ blooming heck what a huge head’ until she does a handstand and runs out of arm.

Nope - the two friends I know with small babies have had so many consultants…. My little one did catch Covid and dropped off the charts but that doesn’t necessarily explain why she hasn’t regained - especially because she literally eats for England. They’ve said it’s probably genetic ( really high metabolisms run in my family ) but also she is unbelievably strong and agile so she’s just … not normal. ( As in it’s physically impossible to do the things she can do - the doctor is mystified) She’s also scarily ahead on all her milestones ( in with the 6-9year olds already ) there’s never been anything to worry about other than the fact she just … doesn’t grow.

And growth scans are notoriously unreliable - particularly private ones . She was tracking the 20th and came out the 9th so that’s quite a difference.

@GlitteringCat
rationally my questions would be:

• where all the measurements in roughly the same centile or was the head much smaller?
• how easy were they to get with position?
• how big you and dad were/are and particularly dad as a child before growth spurt?
• what would amnio change for you?
• what is the plan if not changed at next scan?

in reality I was really distressed by a throw away comment about head size, very protective of my little bump and very anxious. I went for a private scan (ex nhs cons and not a commercialised ‘well-being’ one) for some reassurance.

The head smaller. When I had my scan with the sonographer they hadn’t been overly concerned about the body size which is on small side but more the fact the head was even smaller. Dr today had been a bit more concerned about body size but again more so the head.
I’m going to add what the plan would be question when I see the consultant on Thursday as that’s maybe bothering me a bit. It almost felt a bit like I was told me a bit but they wanted to leave it to my actual consultant to explain fully which probably hasn’t helped. I do know I don’t want to do amnio though like it’ll be hard not knowing but her brain looks fine structurally just small so don’t think it’s worth the risk.

Didn't someone say up thread about muscles feeling like they're changing?

Woke up the last 2 mornings and it feels like I've pulled a muscle/something has changed on my lower right hand side, under my stomach just above my groin. Almost like something has "popped"

Do we think this is just muscles stretching or should I give triage a call?

I'm counting down the days til maternity, I feel like I've half checked out already which is really naughty! I have a really mind numbing project they want me to finish before maternity and each time I try and start it I just can't motivate myself to

Wish I could wfh more, but here's its based on need/managers discretion and I've barely got to lately. Dragging myself out of bed and completing the drive in with all the traffic is just MEH.

I STILL don't have that flush of energy, I have my 20 week scan next week (which is scaring me on just how intense it is) and I feel like it's never coming even though everyone keeps saying it will. Just want to hibernate and stay in bed. I've been going and lying down on the bed for about an hour after work thinking "I need to get up now" and keep thinking it about half an hour later!

It wasn’t me but I can really relate to this feeling, I’ve been getting it quite a bit, that pulled muscle feeling and the same area. I figured it was just stretching to accommodate growing baby but if you’re worried, you should ring for advice, it’s always better to be safe 😊

Also not sure if I've felt baby or just gas, sort of feels like waves/ripples. Not consistently but usually when I'm lying down at night before sleep. Really hard to describe, I'm another with an Anterior placenta and they said it might be a little later, plus this is my first so I have no idea what's baby and what isn't and my digestion feels all over the place so could just be wind!

May just give the triage a call re muscle pain, or even the midwife a little later this morning

I’m definitely counting down too. Got 13 weeks after this week but got 2 weeks AL in that so actually 11! 🩷 although going to ask consultant today what chances are I may have to give birth earlier due to her being small… only positive I can see is earlier mat leave because I’m so done!!

Have called the triage line, pain seems to be more with movement e.g. rolling over (went and lay down in the meeting room to test!) Or moving leg to sit cross legged etc

As it was still there after paracetamol they've advised to pop to hospital maternity ward to be checked, they think it's probably ligaments but want to check no UTI etc

So will be trekking there after work

It sounds a lot like pelvic girdle pain. I had it with DD and have it again now. It got steadily worse throughout pregnancy and then dissappear the day she was born but was harmless (other than the pain and the limp I walked with!)

Was pretty impressed at their care, although had to wait 2 hours after midwife did the initial tests as doctor was doing a cesarean. They gave me a sandwich which was nice

Yeah a friend said it maybe pgp, it sounds hideous. The doctor thinks it's ligaments, it's movement that is agonising, rolling over in bed is really hard and getting out of bed and getting ready this morning I was shaking a bit with it. They gave me codeine for the headaches but want to try and avoid that as much as possible and only use in an absolute last resort, they said I could use for the pain but don't want to unless necessary

Felt horrendous hauling myself out of the bed this morning like I was 1000 years old it was a struggle to even reach over and turn off my alarm

@plumphobbit so sorry to hear that, it sounds incredibly painful. I have been to see a pelvic health physio for my PGP and the exercises they have given me have helped a little. Plus advice on how to get out of bed (not one leg at a time in my case as it kills me) plus sitting down to get dressed has stopped aggravating it further. (Mine is more pelvic pain atm.)
It's a struggle and miserable not being able to do basic day to day stuff - I am feeling for you and I hope the ligament pain eases asap.

It's grim as you're pretty much expected to get on with everything as normal with regards to work as you're not "ill" so can't get anything different or be off sick.

I feel like I'm really struggling for work motivation and have 2 tasks to do that I just can't get up for as they're just hard work and dull, also my brain feels like it's mushy and I've been sent a load of technical jargon of what needs to be done and I'm looking at it like it's a foreign language

Is anyone else feeling like this? Yet I'm nowhere near maternity leave so if I continue to perform this woefully I'll be having concerns raised at this rate as I just can't motivate myself! I think if I was at home I'd find it easier

Yeah I’m completely the same. My brain feels like mush and sometimes I’m reading things and it’s like my brain can’t compute what I’m looking at. I’m also getting a lot of movement now which I love but can also be quite distracting!

Have you decided when you’d like to take mat leave? I’m thinking 36 weeks which may be on the earlier side. Just telling myself I’m taking a weeks AL for christmas and then only back 3 weeks then hopefully done! It feels both so close but also so far.

Has anyone who has been having regular scans noticed that their placenta is changing positions?! At 16 weeks it was fundal, at 18 weeks posterior, and now at 20 weeks it is anterior... is this normal?! Feels like it shouldn't be....

I've never know the placenta to move from posterior to anterior but maybe it can happen! It can definitely move but seems a bit odd to go from back to front

@ChristmasJumpers yes I thought that was weird! I understand fundal to posterior, but this is odd! Haha.

They also couldn't get all my measurements so going back to a rescan, due to baby's position. Hopefully all will still be OK!

We had our gender reveal yesterday evening and were Team Boy! 🩵