Due December 2024 - thread 2

[CatCaretaker]

Follow on from the first thread here:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/pregnancy/5032929-due-december-2024?page=40

Thanks everyone, they’ve now confirmed I have preeclampsia and so baby needs to come out, induction process was started this morning (but no signs of labour yet). Very excited and very nervous now.

@Lunamoon23 I haven’t been able to get into my trainers for weeks, but was told it was normal at every appointment. The last few weeks my calves and thighs swelled so much I couldn’t bend my legs by the evening and I was still told it was normal..I would recommend taking some photos of your legs and feet now, so if it gets worse you can show them the comparison x

@Lunamoon23 is it all the time? Or just when you've been on your feet/sat a certain way like the ball?

I'd maybe get your BP checked just to be safe.

My BP is normal now but I'm still having swelling in feet and ankles by 5pm most days, been told that's normal but waking up etc with it isn't

Still not in active labour! Been 13 hours :(

@Lunamoon23 yeah by that stage I was getting it daily but it would go down as soon as I rested!
get your feet up and make sure you’re getting massages - always feel they help get the retention down x

@HopefulElle - ah I'm sorry you have preeclampsia, but thank goodness you know now and they can monitor you and baby.

@Lunamoon23 - personally I haven't experienced much swelling yet and am a week behind you (only in my hands first thing and they're a bit stiff) and then when I move around it goes away. Push to be looked at as both my mum and sister had preeclampsia and it was by and large put down to "normal swelling", which seems similar to @HopefulElle
In saying that the scales are now dead to me...

@Twinkletwinklelil keep active and move around, eat your favourite food, and do something/ watch something you love. Get that oxytocin flowing!!

I’ve not had any swelling yet either but 35 weeks. I’d definitely recommend giving the hospital a call so they can check your urine and blood pressure and rule out preeclampsia.

Have you had any headaches, blurred vision or anything else?

Hello ladies, sorry for the delay. I rang triage and they got me into see my midwife, she took my urine and blood pressure, both are absolutely fine. Had no headaches or blurred vision and feel generally well within myself (bar uncomfortable), she had a look at my feet and agreed they are swollen but she's certain at this point it's water retention which is very normal at this stage in pregnancy (although not all women do get it). She's advised to keep my feet elevated when sat resting, which I'll start doing from this evening.

@HelterSkelter224 I also got my date through today! Huge relief - 11th of December got to go in for 7.30am!! 12 days to go, also have my pre op appointment on Monday.
I got sent a load of information through via email too, did you get this? Some of it seems outdated, some was dated back to July 2022 and says a lot about covid etc.

@Lunamoon23 great news 😁 really pleased for you xx

@Lunamoon23 brilliant news that you are checking out OK! Rest up!

That's fantastic news @Lunamoon23! So pleased you got your date in plenty of time. Also re the swelling defo right to get it checked out if unusual for you but I think by this stage it's pretty common. Feet up and plenty of water helped me last time (thankfully avoided it this time!!)

@HopefulElle thinking of you!! Hope all going well and sorry about your pre-eclampsia! I had to be induced in my last pregnancy due to it, pretty scary but baby getting here safe and sound is the most important thing. Hope all is going well and looking forward to an update xxx

Likewise @Twinkletwinklelil sounds exciting!!! Hope things are moving for you!!

Losing the will 😅
early labour/contractions stopped and started all day yesterday!
I am exhausted… nothing to report.. baby isn’t interested in coming out 😂

Hope you’re ok @HopefulElle! any progression?

Oh I spent the whole day doing this.. and then ended up having a huge cry because I was so fed up 😂

Thinking of you both @HopefulElle @Twinkletwinklelil !

After having no swelling all pregnancy, out of nowhere yesterday my partner pointed out my legs looked swollen and in the night I struggled to sleep due to achy hands (I suspect carpal tunnel due to swelling). Isn't it crazy how pregnancy symptoms can completely change overnight!! I'll never not be amazed

@Twinkletwinklelil
Ahhhh I bet you're shattered and frustrated, so nearly there though.
I don't blame you for crying. I would have too. If I though "finally I am here" and then it all stopped again.

I have everything crossed baby makes an arrival soon. Xxx

@GammaTheGecko was just thinking the same thing, I've woken up this morning with that horrible feeling of not being able to take a full breath, I had it with my daughter and thought I'd escaped it this time

Pregnancy is such hard work, I can't wait for this to be over 37 weeks so hopefully within the next 5 weeks she will come

Thank you @GammaTheGecko @LilyJessie
im just going to try and forget it’s happening until my body decides to ramp up 😒😅

@GammaTheGecko yes! This happens to me. I find massage and keep feet up helps. Usually would happen on a day I was on my feet a lot.

I've tried this afternoon to collect some colostrum and just can't seem to get any. I had a lovely long shower before hand too. I get the tiniest little pearls (think popping the head of a tiny spot) and that's it, which I can't even get into a syringe, and when I tried to put it into a pot it just smeared 😣 feeling abit defeated by it.

How important is it? X

@Lunamoon23 don't worry, they say it's not necessary to do it at all!

I was feeling disheartened yesterday because I got barely any but I kept trying for about 10 mins total, even with nothing coming out, and today I've had the most I've had so far! I guess it had the same effect as a cluster feeding baby 😂 have you tried persisting for several minutes even if you're not getting any, in case the same thing happens to you and you get more the following day?

I'd also say that the advice on it says to be relaxed which is difficult when you're getting frustrated. To combat this, when I tried for the first time the other day I told myself I wasn't going to collect whatever came out because I didn't want to put pressure on myself. Have you tried that? Doing it without prepping the syringe etc?

If that fails maybe you could ask your midwife to look at your technique if you're worried xx

@GammaTheGecko unfortunately I'm not seeing my midwife again now, I'm 37+5 today and having my ELCS in 11 days.

I said I'll give it another go tomorrow, so see if that yields anything.
I did give it ago for a good 10 mins and then it started to hurt a little and nothing was really happening, so I stopped.

I've been getting a lot of braxton hicks today too. Feeling quite uncomfortable. So maybe today wasn't a great day to try, as I don't feel overly relaxed. Xxx

Sorry to change subject, has anyone had rib flair pain? I've had it for months on right hand side (it's definitely rib falir, nothing more sinister) but it was mild. Now it's ramped up and on both sides. It's just painful all the time, and sleeping is really very painful on whichever side I'm on. Any tips anyone?

@Lunamoon23

I didn't have any colostrum harvested with my daughter

You have it in your boobs and baby will be more effective at getting it out. Also I found collecting colostrum very easy after I gave birth, my partner had to catch it with the syringe because it was coming out so quickly.

It's meant to be good as a back up, but you've tried and it's not worked, that's ok it's not worth stressing x

@CatCaretaker
Ouch! I've definitely had this but got short periods of time and not realising it had a name.
NHS recommends stretching to open up the ribs. Although I'm not sure what stretches to do. But have you tried that? X

@LilyJessie yes I saw that, will need to increase my stretching! Was just feeling sorry for myself last night 😅.

Any update from @HopefulElle or @Twinkletwinklelil ?

@Lunamoon23 I haven't tried expressing yet but I'm pretty sure the midwife said not to worry if it doesn't work at first. Just try again the next day (and maybe the next, see how you feel). I don't think it's at all unusual for it not to work straight away.

@HopefulElle @Twinkletwinklelil thinking of you both, hope things have progressed!

Can’t believe it’s 1st of December and officially baby month. I am slightly bricking it now it’s so close.

36 weeks today and been having tightenings/ period like cramps and back pain on and off all day. Feels like baby has dropped too. Haven’t even my hospital bag packed! May get on that tonight.