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

Oh cross post with @Lunamoon23 re the omeprazole lol.

Yes I had a massive spurt just this week! Like overnight. Was feeling fine, painting bedrooms and walking the dog at the weekend then suddenly woke up on Monday (34+3) absolutely massive and definitely in the "heavily pregnant" category

Thanks everyone.

I've done nothing other than laundry loads and making kids meals, the rest of the time I've been on the sofa with my leg elevated so have taken it pretty easy, but it's still been "one of those days". Hoping for a better sleep and for a better day tomorrow.

Couple of points raised -

I was on omprezole before pregnancy and it got raised to two tablets a day at the start but it done nothing for me neither did Rennies or Gaviscon. In a last ditch attempt at not feel nauseous I tried Tums and it was like a switch within a day. Hoping they kick in again soon.

Thankfully I think kids will be back at school/nursery so I am hoping to do nothing other than clean the bathroom and nap tomorrow. I am a SAHP so I feel even worse for complaining as atleast I don't need to content with commuting to work etc etc.

Do live near parents but unfortunately one doesn't keep well and while they would put themselves into a early grave trying to help me out I'd rather not ask their help too much - and they my kids atleast one afternoon a week/help with school runs. The other parent works shifts so it's difficult there too.

DH is out the house 6am until 6/7pm with work and travel - plus works most weekends on overtime but has told me today he is dropping most of the OT as of next week as knows it's time to be at home.

Sorry for ranting and thank you again for the kindness.

@OnNaturesCourse
I hope you're doing okay, so nearly there now.
You really are doing amazing things. Being a mummy and growing a baby.
Just the last push now.

Also... I find pregnancy absolutely shit. And I am so happy to be pregnant. I just hate being pregnant.

Also yes, I have also gone from not looking overly pregnant to "oh my god that woman is very pregnant" pregnant...

This pregnancy insomnia is going to kill me off. Every night I’m awake for an hour or two, then I sleep horribly the rest of the time as I’m tossing and turning.

I’m only 32 weeks. I can’t imagine 2 more months of this!

Has anyone else had the fundal height that the midwife measures come out higher? They put me in for scan sunday. I'm already having regular growth scans and had my next one due Thursday 21st..?

Yep me. I went from 50th to 98th in 2 weeks.
been stressed since. Scan showed abdomen is large.
its too late for me to be retested for diabetes but they also feel that it wouldn’t be that.
theyve raised no concerns so I guess I just have to live with it!

Oh damn! I haven't been tested for diabetes, was never offered it. Well I guess if they raised no concerns then your fine? I'm surprised they don't want to potentially induce you early for measuring 98th.

@Firsttimetrier - the insomnia peaked for me around this time, and as she has moved down it has got a bit better, although not perfect.
My bed time sleep position is like a military operation with pillows strategically placed and a fan on.
My other half is freezing every night! But never once moaned bless him.

And, fundal measurement for me shot up with one midwife, then had another a few days later and was back to normal again!

How much bigger @starryx? In my last pregnancy one visit to my community midwife had bump 4cm ahead all of a sudden after being spot on the whole time, then a visit to triage for sth else a few weeks later she was back to normal! Fundal height isn't the most accurate so hopefully the scan is just for a bit of reassurance.

And yes @Firsttimetrier the insomnia is brutal. But it is actually getting better at 34/35w, I'm still uncomfortable but I'm able to actually get to sleep and fall back to sleep rather than lie wide awake like before. No idea why. Maybe cos I'll be finishing work soon and my brain is winding down, maybe just sheer exhaustion! Who knows!! I can't wait for my newborn to get here so I can get some proper sleep 😂😂

@starryx with my first my height actually dropped and I had a panicked growth scan - it went from being on track at 30ish weeks to being behind at 36ish weeks, basically hadn't grown at all. Scan showed all was fine the next day.

This time round I've had a trainee in with my midwife and she measured it, raised some concerns and the midwife redone it. Turns out it was spot on where it needed to be. The midwife commented that they all do it slightly differently as it's very objective to touch etc.

I guess it's not the most reliable method of tracking but that's why they scan if any concerns.

Are you getting a scan??

I'm not sure to be honest! She just said slightly bigger and rushed me to triage because my blood pressure/baby's heart rate was "high". Triage said neither was high 😅.

Every appointment she sends me to triage 🫡

Oh damn! Yeah I've got a scan booked in for Sunday now
And yeah I've seen many say its not very reliable form of measuring.

Nope no mention of induction but i also flat out said I do not want induction on my birth plan 😅😅

@Twinkletwinklelil same - they have all been warned not even to bring up the "I" word lol.

Speaking of birth plans, how are we all getting on? Has everyone done theirs? I need to get on it, have been putting it off 😬

I'm going for ELCS and I want

-no mention of induction or else
-immediate skin to skin
-initial support with breastfeeding but back the F off thereafter
-music if possible

That's all I know thus far

No, no birth plan done. I ferl a bit silly doing it, ad it really isn't something you can reliably plan, right? If all goes well the things I want (other than a healthy baby) are things that the hospital seem to do by default anyway, like immediate skin to skin and breastfeeding support. Should I write those down?

I have done all my births with no plan.

Only thing I stated in my 2nd was verbally - "do not place me on my back".

Delivered on my back with my first and it was horrific.

Was planning on just doing the same this time round but I am now playing with the idea of writing an official plan/request list to include information about my previous loss and how I speak of her as freely as my living children, I'd like her included in conversations etc. I also want to use the birth centre like I did with my 2nd if possible, skin to skin, left alone as much as possible then to get home ASAP. I don't know if those are reasonable requests though.

Has anyone's midwife spoke to you about birth/labour or anything like that?

@starryx my midwife asked if I was doing antenatal classes, but hasn’t mentioned the birth/labour really.
I’m having an ELCS, not really doing a birth plan. Just that I want skin to skin as soon as possible, but I think they do that anyway. Same with attempting breast feeding. I guess there are a lot less options and preferences with an ELCS!

I've gone through my birth plan with both my midwife and a prenatal worker. I'm having a ELCS too.

I asked for skin to skin as soon as possible (all being well) or husband to have if I'm unable.
Delayed cord clamping.
Screen to be lowered slightly when being born.
Music to be played.
Baby to be weight after we've left theatre to speed up the skin to skin process.
Also about choice of terminology used. I have a history of PTSD due to previous hospital issues. So it's quite important for non-alarming terminology to be used and reassurance offered if there are any problems.
I've asked to not be told what's happening step by step, but you can request to be kept informed throughout alternatively.
Also things like numbing gel for the cannula.
Only one person down that end when placing the catheter.
Husband with me when having the spinal.
And Pictures and videos to be taken throughout by a staff member.
I've got a midwife appointment this afternoon and I'm going to also ask about pain management post section.

Xxxxx

Did you have to have something wrong to have an elcs? As I been told that you have to speak with a doctor and they wouldn't allow you unless there's significant reason?

My midwife hasn't but did say she would go over it at my next appointment (36 weeks) so I was to have a think about everything.

Just realised I'm 35 weeks today 😁 hoping for no more than 5 weeks to go! (preferably 3 as all my other babies were pre 38 weekers!)

Ah fair! Nothings been mentioned at all for me. My next midwife is 37 weeks so I better prepare my own notes just in case baby wants to play early lol

@HelterSkelter224 honestly, plan as much as you like but be as open to fluidity.
mine is:
water birth, active management of placenta, do not put me on my back, gas and air me up, bright room, Vit K, skin to skin, delayed cord clamping, BF asap.

but from my last experience… they don’t even look at the damn thing 😣

this time I’m hoping is different. My main want in capital letters is KEEP ME INFORMED AND COMMUNICATE WITH ME. 😂

@Twinkletwinklelil @HelterSkelter224 yes I had a full birth plan written out last time and not one part of it was stuck to. Convinced they didn’t read it. It felt like Everything was on their terms, and for their convenience rather than what I wanted.

But yes one thing I will want to push for this time is not being on my back. And I don’t want an epidural either. Couldn’t feel what I was doing when pushing last time so probably wasn’t doing it very effectively, and then ended up needing forceps.