♡ October 2020 Mummies ♡

[Kitana]

@Kitana You’re giving me hope! One week all of a sudden feels like such a long time. I hope we make it to 37 weeks (watch me go to 42 now that I’ve said this lol)

I feel for you! I even once had such regular and strong contractions that we dressed DD1 while asleep, shoved her in the car and drove her to my OH's parents. When we got to the midwife's birthing center, she hooked me on the monitor and we saw the contractions diminish slowly in intensity and frequency. It was frustrating to say the least. I was only 1cm!! She sent us home and told me to take a paracetamol so I could sleep through them. I didn't even need to take one since they stopped completely a few hours later. Joy!
I hope she stays in there for one more week! Fingers crossed!x

 

[WinterWolf]

I feel for you! I even once had such regular and strong contractions that we dressed DD1 while asleep, shoved her in the car and drove her to my OH's parents. When we got to the midwife's birthing center, she hooked me on the monitor and we saw the contractions diminish slowly in intensity and frequency. It was frustrating to say the least. I was only 1cm!! She sent us home and told me to take a paracetamol so I could sleep through them. I didn't even need to take one since they stopped completely a few hours later. Joy!
I hope she stays in there for one more week! Fingers crossed!x

Oh how annoying, that was exactly us. I Thought for sure I had to be going into labour so got everything ready... and then they started to go away. Very frustrating! I’m still getting them but they’re not very close together or regular anymore so I think we will manage 37 weeks!

 

[MammaOfMany]

How are things going @WinterWolf? No more contractions? I had an irritable uterus with my second baby which caused what you describe. For me it was due to a UTI. Make sure you are well hydrated too.

How is everyone else?

I'm looking to get a belly band or belt to try to help with the pelvic girdle pain. Are you using one @WinterWolf? Has anyone else used one?

 

[Natalie8964]

How are things going @WinterWolf? No more contractions? I had an irritable uterus with my second baby which caused what you describe. For me it was due to a UTI. Make sure you are well hydrated too.

How is everyone else?

I'm looking to get a belly band or belt to try to help with the pelvic girdle pain. Are you using one @WinterWolf? Has anyone else used one?

Is your pain bad? Mine seems to come and go, not very good at remembering to do my exercises! But when I do them it helps. I have a band but again forget to put it on most of the time.

I've just put up the moses basket, mainly so the cat gets used to it and everything else, she's acting strangely and I think she's anxious. We've also got a Joie swing so with that and the moses basket the living room is filling up and its starting to feel very real! Next2me is going up this weekend too!

 

[MammaOfMany]

@Natalie8964 it's much better than it was now that I've been doing the exercises. It was feeling so good that I took off the tape that the physio put on my back as it was getting itchy. The problem is the next day it was very twingy and it hasn't been as good as when it had the tape on. I didn't realise how much it was helping.

How exciting - it's getting so close now!

 

[kj1]

I have such an awfully painful lower back, I’ve barely been able to walk today! We are visiting my grandparents this weekend and OH stayed home to get on with some house admin whilst the house was child free so it’s been pretty full on trying to look after him all by myself in my condition haha. These next few weeks are going to fly by - I’m scared! X

 

[WinterWolf]

@MammaOfMany I’m still having a lot of contractions. They’re every 20mins all day but then they’ll randomly ramp up to every 5-10mins for an hour or two at least twice a day. I told the midwife I’m terrified I won’t actually know when I’m in labour and I’ll show up at the hospital pushing lol. As for the SPD, they did give me a support belt that does help when I’m walking around. It’s hard to sit down in and my day involves a lot of up/down with a toddler, so I don’t actually wear it all that often. Walking makes the contractions worse so I’m trying not to do much of that anyway.

So because of my issues they referred me for a scan. Baby is happy as anything and was supposedly 2.8kg at 35+6, so if the scan is accurate, by now she’s already bigger than her sister (born 2.9kg at 39+4). Seems very possible as I’ve just gotten my first ever stretch mark, and my belly button has popped! It never popped all the way last time.

 

[MammaOfMany]

@kj1 is it down near your tailbone?

@WinterWolf I think for sure this one will be larger than your first. My belly button is super deep and has never popped. I think I'd need to have twins to have any chance.

I feel for you with the contractions. Prodromal labour can be so tiring. I'm pretty sure you will still know when the real thing hits. I know when mine starts my husband will be like "are you in labour?"and I'll be "I don't know..." And then usually within 1 or 2 more contractions I'll know for sure. Keep an eye on the other things that happen in labour to help you be sure too (bloody show, emptying of bowels (sorry), shaking and so on)

 

[WinterWolf]

@MammaOfMany My first was pretty small and had issues feeding so if this one is a bit sturdier that can only be good! I had a half-popped bellybutton last pregnancy, it looked ridiculous haha.

Yeah this is not fun but the end is in sight!! I don’t really remember what active labour felt like last time but everyone says you can’t miss it. I do remember being in too much pain to talk last time so I guess once I’m at that point I’ll go to the hospital.

How are you going? Are your other children excited about this baby now after they’ve had time to adjust to gender?

 

[kj1]

@kj1 is it down near your tailbone?

@WinterWolf I think for sure this one will be larger than your first. My belly button is super deep and has never popped. I think I'd need to have twins to have any chance.

I feel for you with the contractions. Prodromal labour can be so tiring. I'm pretty sure you will still know when the real thing hits. I know when mine starts my husband will be like "are you in labour?"and I'll be "I don't know..." And then usually within 1 or 2 more contractions I'll know for sure. Keep an eye on the other things that happen in labour to help you be sure too (bloody show, emptying of bowels (sorry), shaking and so on)

Yes! I got my brother to give me a deep massage last night and I feel like a new woman today xx

 

[MammaOfMany]

I'm glad the massage helped @kj1

@WinterWolf the kids have all adjusted to the idea of having a boy. I think some would still have preferred a girl but are happy to have a boy too.

I'm looking forward to meeting this baby. I'm starting to get dreams about having the baby. I had a really interesting one the other day where I had my hands on my belly and realised the baby was holding my fingers with its hands so I pulled it out by its hands hahaha

 

[Xsarahh]

Eeeeek! I was 37 weeks yesterday. No.1 was born at 37+6. I feel like this pregnancy has flown. I want this one to stay in until the 22nd (pay day) so I get an extra month full pay! I’ve started to have giving birth dreams. I’m sure I had loads last time but I’ve just started having them. Carpel tunnel in my hands and swollen feet are driving me mad! But my coccyx has healed! Yay!

I’ve been drinking one cup of raspberry leaf tea
I daren’t drink anymore because I really want this one to stay put!

No.1 has had a cold this week and my husband has got a cough and a cold. Not sure what that means for him being with me in labour if he’s coughing! Trust this to happen now when none of us have had anything since before lockdown!

 

[kj1]

Happy 37 weeks @Xsarahh - I’m 35 weeks today and also can’t believe how quickly it’s flown.

@MammaOfMany of interest, how much did your babies weigh and at what gestation were they born? Is it true what they say about consecutive babies generally being heavier or does it depend on babies sex etc?

 

[Natalie8964]

I'm 36+4 and I just hurt everywhere, when I get up (roll out of bed like a pig) on a morning it literally feels like I've been hit by a bus! I can't sleep so I'm always tired but feel it in my body. I don’t want to wish the time away but I'm definitely ready to have my body back!

 

[Xsarahh]

What are you measuring like @kj1? I’m measuring the same as last time and she was 5lb 8oz not that they’re an accurate measurement but I’m certain this one is bigger! My bumps not that but but he just feels bigger. X

 

[MammaOfMany]

@MammaOfMany of interest, how much did your babies weigh and at what gestation were they born? Is it true what they say about consecutive babies generally being heavier or does it depend on babies sex etc?

Baby 1 was I think 40+2. She weighed 3.05kg (6lb11½)

Baby 2 was 39+5. She weighed 3.18kg (7lb)

Baby 3 (I suspect undiagnosed gestational diabetes) was 40+1. She weighed 4kg (8.8lb)

Baby 4 (GD) was 39+4. He weighed 3.8kg (8.38lb)

Baby 5 (GD) was 40+6. She weighed 3.4kg (7.5lb)

Baby 6 was 40+3. He weighed 3.61kg (7.96lb)

Baby 7 was 39+5. She weighed 3.72kg (8.2lb)

Baby 8 was 40+3. He weighed 3.4kg (7.5lb)

I'll let you try to figure out a pattern there. Yes at first the babies got bigger each time but I don't think it's something to worry about unless it's a huge difference.

 

[WinterWolf]

What are you measuring like @kj1? I’m measuring the same as last time and she was 5lb 8oz not that they’re an accurate measurement but I’m certain this one is bigger! My bumps not that but but he just feels bigger. X

My bump looks bigger and feels heavier but my fundal height is measuring exactly the same. Baby is estimated to be a good amount bigger than the last so it’s a bit weird!

@MammaOfMany Glad your other kiddies have come around! What a funny dream, if only giving birth were that easy huh? haha.

 

[kj1]

@Xsarahh I’ve only had fundal height measured once and I was a week ahead, but I have a growth scan on Wednesday so we will see! I don’t think they’re very accurate tbh, my son was way off.

@MammaOfMany interesting! Thank you for sharing. I have visions of going overdue again this time as I was 10 days late last time but this has given me some hope!

 

[Xsarahh]

Yes they’re definitely way off! No.1 measured on the 50th centile at all my appointments then the day before I had her she was plotted on the 90th and came the next day on the 2nd centile so way way off!

All of yours have come pretty much around a similar time 39 and 40 weeks @MammaOfMany did you go into spontaneous labour for them all?

 

[MammaOfMany]

Absolutely @WinterWolf. At least we can dream that it's that easy.

That's amazing @Xsarahh! I knew they could be way off but from 90th to 2nd...wow.

Usually I do a lot of walking, cleaning etc when I'm getting to those last few weeks. I also do stuff like on spinning babies to get baby into a good position. Walking usually does a good job of getting contractions going but if I'm getting lots of prodromal labour bit it's not kicking into full gear I will ask to have a stretch and sweep. I'm not sure how things will go this time as I've been pretty limited with how much walking and cleaning and moving my hips I can cope with in the last few weeks. I really hope the belly band will help me have a bit more mobility soon.

With my 5th who was 6 days over and I had GD I had my membranes artificially ruptured because she was just so low and the hospital was getting a bit twitchy.