Halfway there chat thread🤰🏽

[Ladyinpink1]

Hello! I'm halfway through pregnancy now, and hoped to make a thread for anyone at a similar stage who wants to chat through these next months 🙂

@firsttimepregnanthelp I definitely still get days where I feel this baby alot less than other days too. As you said when rushing around, I don't notice as much, but in the evening when sitting you do notice it more. I hope things are feeling a little better for you now.
Aw that sounds fun, the John Lewis appointment. Looking at baby things is so nice. I'm finding there are so few baby shops now to look around, everything is online and it's just not the same. I loved Mothercare for a stroll around when it was open.
Any classes you can get will be great. I did a hypnobirthing class before, it's not actually anything to do with hypnotising or anything, it's all about your mindset and breathing etc, I recommend it if your local hospital offers a class x

@EmilyMay89 Ohh that's exciting. We had discussed doing similar in our house at one point, please let me know how you find it all.
Have you started organising what you need yet? x

@Judgejudysno1fan That's good you still have your pram and are able to reuse the girl clothes. My dc are boys so all of my baby things are blue, I'm excited to do some pink shopping 🎀

I also still have my pram in really good condition as well, but we need a new cot, baby monitor, moses basket and a few other bits. When I said to DH about getting these things organised, he said ahh yeah we will prob just leave it until March!

I feel like that's a little too late to get organised so I will try to convince him February would be a good month lol x

@Ladyinpink1i pretty much kept everything from my first, so the big stuff is ok. Need a new mattress for pram basinet and snuzpod which I’m using as a Moses basket downstairs. It’s more a case of finding the various things and checking they’re in good condition still! I have gone a bit OTT on the girl clothes, I need to stay off Vinted haha!! How about you?

@firsttimepregnanthelpi hope you’re having a fab holiday!

@EmilyMay89thank you! It’s a bit different to other holidays - early nights, no drinking and not much activity due to back pain but still lovely to have some sun ☀️

@EmilyMay89 Sounds like you are getting organised. Yes I need to go into the loft and check on everything too, but I thought I might do the big items closer to the spring so that I can wash them and put them outside to air. I will go through the clothes etc before then.

Payday is Wednesday for me so I would like to get a few things that we need then.

Haha, I have been on Vinted a few evenings a week mostly window shopping but got a few things ... I feel like it's about the right time to start getting lots now. You can get some great things on it can't you.

Just trying to work out what type of clothing for each age range weather wise. I'm so excited for a spring/summer baby though 😍 x

@firsttimepregnanthelphow is your back pain? Have you been more comfortable with movements when away?

@Ladyinpink1the loft work is definitely causing me to have to be more organised! Ideally I would leave things later just for storage and yes being able to get them outside for some air! Ooh definitely get a few bits on payday! I’m obsessed with Vinted, I really do need to stay away. The bundles I’ve been getting have been insane! But yeah it is tricky to know what sizes you need for when. My first was a big baby so that’s throwing me off. We go to Croatia end of July so I’ve been getting 3-6 months for holiday clothes, I figure better to be too big and then means I have summer clothes for August here - if we need it that is 😂

Have they started the work on the loft yet?
Oh wow, that will be lovely. Have you been to Croatia before?
Yes I got a few things ordered and my friend who has girls is very kindly giving me clothes too, i'm excited to see them all. x

@EmilyMay89thank you for asking ❤️ back pain is really awful, I can barely get dressed! There was one day on holiday where I felt like I hadn’t felt any movements and got quite upset but then I felt them at night. Have since been back to triage and they made a huge deal of it and wanted to monitor me every day but then brought a scan forward and everything was fine although they keep saying to go back if I don’t feel anything - which I often don’t! I find it all so upsetting and stressful.

@Ladyinpink1hopefully start end of March. So got some time to finish sorting and moving bedrooms around! No, I’ve never been to Croatia, so I’m looking forward to that! How did you get on at yoga? A friend of ours passed on some baby clothes. I do need to sort them out so I can see what we’ve actually got.

@firsttimepregnanthelp oh no that’s such a shame it’s not got better. Have you been referred for physio or anything? How are you getting on with movements since you went in? Did you have your John Lewis appointment yet?

@EmilyMay89i had a ‘physio’ appointment that lasted 6 minutes and the guy just text me some links to some YouTube videos of exercises - such a waste of time, I could have googled them myself! I’m really struggling with movements. Felt some last night but nothing today yet so am wondering whether to go back to triage. It’s very difficult and my work is suffering. How are your movements?

@EmilyMay89oh and we had the John Lewis appointment, it was really good! Would defo recommend if you need advice on things

@firsttimepregnanthelphow frustrating. Hopefully the exercises on YouTube will do something to help though! Have you had any more movements today? In what way is work suffering? Because you’re distracted and worried? It sounds really hard.

Did you buy anything at the appointment or make any decisions on the bigger things?

Hi ladies

Update on me 26+3 and laid up.pretty bad with flu. Had the flu jab last Thursday along with whooping cough so really frustrating isnt it. Can't take anything apart from paracetamol...sigh!

@EmilyMay89i don’t even know about the movements, I end up questioning every sensation. I’ve had random pulses and twitches but not sure that’s enough? Work is suffering because I’m worried and spending so much time at appointments and triage. I’ve called them today but they’re not answering and as I’ve been typing this I’ve felt some flutters so maybe I can relax a bit for today at least?

We didn’t buy anything - John Lewis is very expensive, the travel system we like there is £1200 and you can get it for £600 online! It was good to get an idea of what is out there though. Have you bought much yet? I’ve picked up a few free things from Facebook which has been great

@Judgejudysno1fanoh no!! I hope it clears soon, it’s awful being poorly and only having paracetamol!

@firsttimepregnanthelpi would guess the pulses and twitches are baby and that’s their movements. I saw an interesting video on instagram today about why first time mums don’t feel movement until later, it’s all about your core being more in tact that second time plus mums and that mixed with anterior placenta will make it tricky. Yours obviously likes hanging out tucked away really behind your placenta. Work just have to put up with the appointments but I understand it feels worrying and you feel like it’s impacting work. If you’ve had some movements I think you can relax, but that is easy for me to say because I’m not the one who is worried. I wish baby would start making themselves more obvious for you so you can enjoy this time a bit more.

which travel system are you looking at? Definitely
shop around when you know which one you want. Facebook is great for freebies or cheap
bits. Travel systems are so expensive, my in laws got us one as a present last time and hopefully that’s all ok still. I need to check the bassinet in storage, fingers crossed!! I kept everything from my first in terms of big items, so don’t really need much this time.

@EmilyMay89thank you so much for your kindness and reassurance. The movements thing is such pressure - I don’t want to be responsible for missing something and something being wrong, you know? I wish I could enjoy it more too, it should be a magical time. At least I have felt something today and maybe this is baby getting a pattern - quiet in mornings and a bit active in afternoon?

I really liked the cybex travel system we looked at. The bugaboo seemed quite heavy and I am weak lol but the snobby part of me would quite like one or a silver cross 😂 which one do you have?

@firsttimepregnanthelp I was talking to my partner about the responsibility the other day. When baby is here you can talk about it, other people can see and you can make a decision together whether medical help is needed. But when you’re pregnant, it’s all on you and it is a lot of responsibility. I would start writing it down any kind of pattern. I know when I’m anxious or stressed I find it hard to think about movements. But if you had something to refer to then that could help. How are you feeling today?
A few of my friends had bugaboo and loved them! I have a mamas and papas Ocarro, which I do love. Held up really well, but it is heavy to lift in and out of the car and the bassinet is quite small. But I had a big first so maybe that’s why the bassinet felt small and he outgrew it quickly!

@EmilyMay89im glad you can relate re the responsibility. My bf is like ‘but every time you go to triage it’s been fine’ but my fear is the one time I don’t go it won’t be fine. I am actually at triage now due to increased movements overnight - can’t win! They did a CTG and want to do one twice a week now - maybe that will stop me stressing so much although I’m not sure how to juggle it with work, I may have to take some time off. Does your partner understand the whole responsibility thing?

@firsttimepregnanthelpthats good they do a CTG, how many weeks are you now? Im guessing that was all good? Apart from work, how do you feel about twice a week ones? Did they say for how long? He does understand it yeah, but across two pregnancies I’ve only been to triage once so I think he realises that if I’m worried it must be something really bad if that makes sense?

@EmilyMay89im 27+6, what about you? The CTG was good but heart rate on the Doppler when I arrived was low so that has worried me a bit. They didn’t say how long the twice weekly CTGs would be for - it’s an inconvenience but maybe will provide me with a bit of reassurance? I hope they don’t last too long though as the parking costs will cripple me if I’m there twice a week for as long as I was today! I feel drained by it all tbh, the movements overnight were really scary - like frantic thrashing around. I couldn’t sleep when I got home so I’ve come out for a walk to try to calm my nervous system.

Oh wow, you’ve only been to triage once? That is very restrained! It seems to me that they make you come in whenever you call up - there probably have been times where I’ve been told to go in and didn’t need to but I suppose it’s defensive practice

@firsttimepregnanthelp i'm sorry your holiday was tainted with worry too and pain from your back 😩
I habe just caught up on your messages, the lack of feeling movement must be really stressful, I really hope as baby keeps getting bigger, that you feel movement more clearly.
That's great you will get a CTG regularly. Although thinking of the time it takes getting parked and into my maternity hosp, I can imagine it's a pain.

This might sound silly, and you have maybe already tried it, but have you tried getting a bath, and concentrating on your tummy when it's super quiet and calm. Being in the bath makes them move lots and maybe you might be able to see/feel something that might help reasurre you.
How have things been this evening? x

@EmilyMay89 I'm definitely jealous of your Croatia trip 😎 especially with the weather we have been having.

Yoga was good thank you, but she talks for half, then yoga, then relaxation so really the yoga only lasts about 15/20 minutes, which is disappointing, it's a really big class so ppl must like it.
Did you find anything useful in your bag of baby clothes from your friend? x

How is everyone's aches and pains? I have just started getting quite a few down below this week which is a pain as my job can be quite physical 😩

@Ladyinpink1thank you so much for your kind words ❤️ today has been the most stressful! The CTGs are definitely a major inconvenience but at least I will know that everything is (hopefully!) ok.

i have wondered about baths - usually I’m so busy with work I don’t have time for them and just have a quick shower but I’m going to go off sick because I have so many appointments now (next week I have CTG x2, consultant and health visitor) and because my mental health is being affected - my job is busy and stressful and I can’t do it all - so that will free up some time and I will give the baths a go!

im impressed you’re managing a physical job! I’m not sat at a desk all day, I’m out and about, but doing something properly physical would kill me at this stage 😂 will they give you lighter duties?

@Ladyinpink1 what is she talking about? Did you manage to chat to other mums to be there? Yes so many lovely clothes, some were ones that another friend had given her, so our girls will all have worn the same clothes which is cute. It’s all 6-9 months plus though. So I’ve sorted that into storage bags.

A physical job sounds tough, I have an office based desk job and even then I find myself getting sore and achey hips. I feel like I’m starting to walk like a pregnant lady, maybe I should say waddle slightly!

@firsttimepregnanthelp when are you next in for CTG? Sounds like you could do with some time
off, are you going to call in or see if you can get signed off? Hopefully some relaxed time at home and baths etc will help you notice some more movements. How are you feeling today?

@Judgejudysno1fanhow are you doing? Feeling any better?

Hey how is everyone? Due dates are creeping up!