May mummies and rainbows to be :) the wait is nearly over!

[snowbee]

I sleep whatever way up doesn't hurt... Usually thrash about a lot all night trying to get comfortable! I do still sleep on my front, but I sort of use pillows to sleep on an angle so I'm not actually laying on the bump.

I had another growth scan today. Baby measuring pretty much spot on, just a few days behind. So far they are saying if my growth scans stay the same and my bloods stay the same (so normal) they will let me go to 39 weeks. My blood pressure was through the roof though! But about an hour before the appointment my builders flooded my house and splattered mucky water through the ceilings, up the walls, everywhere, so I was a little stressed lol! It had started to go back down by the end of my appointment so they were happy enough.

I'll fill the guesses in shortly, need to have a think and research how long babies grow lol!

 

[kabuk1]

The reflux has only gotten bad recently, so I haven't seen GP about it and had to wait for my registration to be complete. I'm going to have to try and get an appointment as I need something. It's the worse at night.

As a teacher, flexibility isn't great with start/finish times. I might be able to leave a little bit earlier, but I'd prefer being able to start later, but that is more difficult to do.

As for mat leave, I could go earlier, but I can't afford to. I need to at least return after the Easter break so I get paid over the holiday. My current leave already includes 13 weeks unpaid, so every week I add is another week without money.

I'm swelling a little now too. It sucks. The pregnancy has been great, enjoyable even, but it's now reach the uncomfortable point. Really hoping this little guy doesn't come any later than when he's due.

 

[Emily0505]

You'll just have to stock up on Rennie's and Gaviscon in the meantime and then hopefully you can get something stronger. Maybe call your MW and see if she can sort anything from you? I've had to get extra pillows so I can sleep more upright and I've got Rennie's on my night stand within easy reach for when it strikes in the night.

Even if you could finish a bit earlier that might help? Then you could hopefully have a bit more downtime each day.

XX

 

[kabuk1]

Glad the scan went well Snowbee.

My transfer of care has me a bit stressed too. I've had a growth scan and a booking in, but I wasn't able to book the appointment with a consultant in 3 wks time. They took my appointment card and said I'd receive an appointment letter. Well, when will that be. I have a feeling I'll be making calls again. The mw I saw didn't leave me with confidence. She even suggested that I keep my scan appointment on the 29th with my old hospital.

I wonder if I could even get through to a mw at this point. We'll see. Gaviscon isn't helping. I find it's better for heartburn, which I don't get. For reflux, it's rather shite- for me at least.

 

[nikkix86]

Glad the scan went well snowbee not long for you now then will they induce you at 39 weeks?

 

[Eryinera]

Hi girls. I've started having to sit down more at work my feet are killing me by the end of the day. I'm trying to keep as active as possible. I've still got so long to go though 8 more weeks of work. But it will be worth it lol.

 

[BettyHoop]

Yes, she mentioned that and because the knee joint is having to work hard, it protects itself by causing inflammation. Do you find it hard to walk up and down stairs, kneel down etc? I have been told not to stand in one spot at all. At work today, I literally couldn't stand for more than a minute. Each time I helped a child I had to get a chair as was too uncomfortable. Will definitely be worth it. Do you have to go to physio too? I am dreading that. Hate people touching me xx

At its worst I can't walk upstairs at all, and I have found the knee joints to be the most painful. I just hobble around like an old lady these days when I used to be so fit and active! I am dreaming of my strength returning. I did go to physio - they massage specific muscles which does help. One of them is in your bum though so you might not like that! The reason for the pain is due to the muscles being less supported by tendons and ligaments, so massage does help if you can stand it.

Snowbee - are they wanting to induce you because of one high sugar reading? When baby isn't abnormally large? Or is there another reason? It seems a bit overzealous to me and if they were saying that to me I would decline.

Still no luck on the midwife front for me. But all the bits and pieces arrived yesterday and I performed my own health check. Blood pressure, urinalysis, fetal heart rate and measured bump. All seems within normal ranges. Going to ask my doctor to do a full blood count too, I can't afford the kit for doing my own blood work!

I don't know what to do about wanting a home birth. I would like a midwife there but with the independent midwives unable to work and nhs ones letting me down all the time it's not that easy to secure one that will be there. Also spoke to my mum about having a home birth for the first time and she's so dead against it I was quite disheartened. Her plan is to arrive a few days before I give birth and be at the hospital. So I feel like I can't have the birth I want and it's becoming really stressful.

Awake at my usual hour. 4am is first wee o'clock! Xx

 

[lisey]

Bum massage? No!! I don't want that lol.
Did you have to do all your own midwife checks? Am I reading that right? That's awful and unacceptable!! Xx

 

[kabuk1]

Gosh Betty, that sounds awful. I hope you can find a way to have the birth you want. It's crazy that there are still so many people against home births. You get that a lot in the US. A friend of mine is a doula there and deals with the negativity around home births all the time. Whilst in the Netherlands, they have the highest rate of home birth in Europe (although that's come under fire in recent times).

Well, I'm home today. I finally got a solid 4 hours of sleep last night (ate dinner really early and added more pillows under my head to keep me more upright), but my legs, especially my calf muscles are achy, with each calf seizing up. I tried to get ready for work and as I was walking from one end of the flat to the other, one seized again. Not to mention they feel bruised and walking doesn't feel great. I didn't fancy trying to get across London on public transport with the possibility of one seizing up again.

 

[nikkix86]

Morning girls got a funeral today. Ohs nan passed away a few weeks ago so going with him today i did make him a lantern tho with noce wording on it tho and her name and year she was born and passed. Its going to be a hard day for him today

 

[BettyHoop]

Bum massage? No!! I don't want that lol.
Did you have to do all your own midwife checks? Am I reading that right? That's awful and unacceptable!! Xx

Lol! Well the physiotherapist will at least show you where the muscle is that needs attention, then perhaps hubby can do it? My physiotherapist said my oh needed to massage me at least a few times a week to help, and that I shouldn't lift, hoover, mop, go shopping etc. That he needed to help more round the house. Did that happen? Did it ever!

And yes I'm now doing my own checks. I've had two nhs midwives go awol on me and my car has broken down so I can't get any further out to the third nhs midwife, and independent midwives are not licensed to practise at the moment. It was quite empowering actually and means I can check everything once a week instead of waiting for my next appointment. And just in case anyone is worried - I did a biomedical science degree so am blessed with healthcare knowledge xx

 

[Dovekie]

I did biomed too Betty! But I didn't finish it. I did two years plus a placement year in a hospital, then switched to a zoology degree! I was specialising in haematology/transfusion - you?

 

[BettyHoop]

I did the unacredited route so didn't do any nhs placements or anything. I did get a paid job after my first two years working with the uni I was attending then my final year I specialised in immunology. I loved it and now want to do another degree, not that I could afford it! My oh has never done a degree so he's thinking about doing one in a year or two also along healthcare lines. I ended up running away with the circus instead of settling into a steady job xx

 

[nikkix86]

Got my ball today! What do we do on it? Haha thought it might help my spd rather than sitting on the sofa

 

[missyeovil]

Betty I'm going to send you a PM with some rambling information that may or may not help haha... xx

 

[BettyHoop]

Yay nikki! Mine is coming next week. I think you just sit with legs apart and straight back - however you feel comfortable bit it will definitely be better than the sofa. Missyeovil I will look out for your message xx

 

[nikkix86]

Thanks betty ill pump it up later and have a go lol

 

[missyeovil]

Kabuk I hope a day at home helps you. DH had an unexpected day off on Sunday and let me stay in bed for as long as I wanted and I felt a lot better for it. I managed to eat more that day too, I think probably because I was 100% focused on myself and how best to eat and digest it rather than having to bend down to put kids shoes on or something straight after food (yuk reflux).

Starting to feel really worn out this week again though! Trying to get things done so I can crack on with baby prep but it's just neverending!

I just like to sit on my ball nikki! Think it's a better posture and makes sure both my feet are on the floor, not crossed which is crap for SPD. Pelvic tilts are meant to be good a bit later on I think too xx

 

[snowbee]

My ball has arrived too. I'm not pumping it up until the builders have gone though as it is just something else to cart around the house from room to room each night! We have had to move into what will be little ones room while they work on ours, gosh it is tight in there with our bed! The room looked quite big until we stuck our superking in there lol, now it goes from wall to wall! We are going to be in there at least two more weeks, then hopefully I'll be able to get little ones things in there and sorted.

I think they are wanting to induce me at 39 weeks. Not sure if I'll let them or not at the moment. I need to look into it more and all they have said is that they will discuss birthing options with me at my next appointment in 4 weeks. I'm really not keen on having it done just because I failed the gtt when everything else is fine. I'll wait and see how things go over the next few weeks. I've always been higher risk of not making it to term though as the thyroid antibody issue I have is associated with slightly earlier births.

Going to sign up to the online antenatal classes, I've decided this is the best option for me as I'm already spending a shed load of time at the hospital and fitting stuff in as it is.

I got stuck on the floor yesterday lol! Got down and couldn't get back up!

 

[kabuk1]

Thanks missy. Being able to relax has been good. I have tortured myself a bit though working on my calf muscles. I've just gone for a little walk to collect deliveries from the post office, and walking felt better since having some rest and self-treating. I had two calf strains a few years back and was regularly receiving treatment, but I hadn't had problems so I stopped them. This pregnancy has seemed to reignite them. I'm looking into a full body massage and a nice pedicure to book in the coming weeks. I'm debating if I should do it before or during my break. Maybe I'll book a pedi at the weekend and leave the massage until my school break.

I got a good size bundle of boys 0-3 month clothes off ebay and they just arrived. With each item I get it gets realer, especially the clothes that just arrived. I also got a nappy bag too.

Well, it seems my dw has people at work who want to throw a baby shower, so we will now be having one. We got most of the big items already, but we still need the baby monitor, bath stuff, breast pump, bottles, nappy bin, changing table and other odds and ends. My dw also just booked a photography for some bump photos. We really want them for the memories, especially as we will only be doing this once each. Gotta book my hair appointment now. It's getting shaggy and too many white hairs are poking through.