May Marvels 2018

[ricschick]

Congrats again emzy!! Good job you had the scan!!

38 weeks today!!

 

[BrokenfoREVer]

Wicky posted in the fb group today. Her LO is still in special care, but out of the NICU and doing well.

 

[mrsstrezy]

Congrats to Emzy, Reiko, and Wicky!!

I was feeling great early in the week, but then yesterday I felt like I got a big spike in umcomfortability...I think baby might have descended a little bit. A lot of hip pain and I’m just plain tired and irritable. Could barely walk at work yesterday.

Saw OB yesterday and I’m 2cm dilated! So I’m happy about that. He said cervix is nice and soft and that he could induce me in a week and a half if I wanted, but I’m gonna hold off. I’d rather go into labor naturally instead of getting nasty Pitocin and then having to spend a bunch of time in the hospital getting poked and prodded.
ricschick-I have a feeling I’ll be the last one to have a baby on here. I’m due on 5/22 and I went to 41+2 with my son.

 

[KittenLifter]

Chel, membrane sweeps/stripping membranes is something in the List of Cervical Ripening Things from our midwives...apparently they'll typically start it around 38 weeks, when they do them, and can do them at every visit, although we haven't discussed it at all for me yet. But I also haven't heard anyone I know in the States talk about them, either!

Chibi, congrats, and welcome to Magnus!

mrsstrezy, that's so weird about your OB thinking your first has anything to do with how early/late this baby will be! I keep thinking about all those midwives saying first babies come late and take forever; second babies come early and labor goes a lot faster!

Reiko, congrats, and welcome to Summer Anne! Your "I wish I hadn't told anyone my due date" also reminded me of this article I saw months ago, mostly for this very excellent line:

But by having a 'due month' - even if it’s just for your adoring public - you can claw at least some of the power back. After a nightmarish 'overdue' experience in my first pregnancy, I’ve experimented with this myself: in pregnancy 2 I told everyone 'June' when in fact my dates said mid-May, and - as if to illustrate how you indeed become more laid back with every child - with pregnancy 3 I just said, "When the blackberries come."

emzy, good to see you again, busy lady! And congrats on the birthday baby!

Broken, thanks for the update about Wicky and her LO; I've been thinking about her but don't get on FB very much at all.


All's quiet here. I feel totally fine physically and mentally. We have a fancy dinner booked for Wednesday (due date!), which we'll either get to enjoy, or send a couple friends in our place. I'm 100% fine either way. My mom arrived in town today (she lives a couple hours away), and she sorted all the baby clothes and folded all our laundry and cleaned the kitchen and tidied up a back porch mess and swept the front steps and just generally was a magical tornado of helpfulness (!!!). She's staying at my aunt & uncle's until the baby's here, plus however long seems helpful. I am SO RESISTANT to help generally but am already so thrilled to have her in town.

Had slightly high BP at my midwife appt. yesterday though (long story short I think I was pretty wound up/excited anyway, talking about the lady who delivered her own baby alone in a Turkish hotel, after the student midwife talked about it, and they forgot to retake my BP when I was still lying down)...so they drew some blood to check liver/kidney function, and told me I had to collect 24 hours of pee (!), all of it, and keep it refrigerated the whole time (!!). The little indignities of pregnancy never end. I filled up the whole dang 3 liter jug. Champion pisser right here. Dropped it off at the lab today and they'll check the protein levels.

The student midwife did my blood draw, and was (bless her heart) so bad at it. I have a little scab where she put the (giant!) needle in, a scratch of a couple inches where she drew it out, a little blood blister or something nearby, and a massive bruise underneath today. I am very very patient with students, and I was this time too, but ughhh. I've gotten very good at blood draws this pregnancy and this was the worst one I can recall in years, if not ever.

 

[Riveted Rosie]

Hey all!

Congrats to all who have had their bairns, and sorry to all of you who are fed up.

I had a mixed week. I attended my community MW last Monday armed with my notes of the registrar suggesting I get membrane sweeps from 38 weeks; I was 38+3. The midwives I saw advised they don't do it pre 40 weeks in community (and it is not until 41 weeks for a first). I already had a growth scan scheduled for 38+6 so they called the Unit and said I could have a sweep after that.

Thursday rolled around and I went in for the scan and immediately told the sonographer that I was having growth scans that showed baba to be just below the 10th centile, but I felt the difficulty in obtaining femur length was skewing it. Sonographer said she would do femur first, before baba realised she was being prodded and poked and did her usual wriggle routine. Lo and behold my baby is NOT on the 10th, more like the 30th. Therefore no reas

on to induce early!

They asked if I still wanted a sweep. I am pretty keen to see if my LO can stay put until after due date so I said I was keen to know how favourable I was. The MW who did the exam said the cervix was shortening but I wasn't even sweepable, so that is all telling my that induction at this stage would be long winded and unlikely to do much more than invite intervention.

However, because "baby has suddenly jumped up the chart" [IMHO she hasn't....just been measured wrong twice] they gave me another GTT on Friday but there has been no call so I assume I have passed this and don't have to be brought in by Friday for that reason.

I have clinic on Thursday so I will now be asking how many days post term our Trust allow you to go. It used to be 14 but could be as little as 10.

My preference is always going to be spontaneous labour, so I can do as much as possible at home. I know it can be frustrating in the late stages but I have elected to see the positives so I don't drive myself mad...Easy to do when you've got little in the way of aches and pains and no toddlers though, I guess!! My youngest is 8.

I love having a bump. I am not looking forward to having a jelly belly and the gunkfest of post delivery down-belows...obv having a new baby makes it all worth it and more though!!

 

[yazzy]

Congratulations Reiko...fab news that Summer is here!

Rics, I don't think they will induce me, the fluid level is just above the cut off and my bump isn't very big so I can't see that I have a lot of fluid in there really...I will find out on Thursday if it is back to normal.

 

[ReadynWaiting]

Ricschick how has the weekend been? Relaxing?

Broken any more going on with you?

Rosie I’m glad to hear baby is measuring bigger and no intervention is needed at this point. As hard as it is to wait you make a good point about leaving her in there longer to get all the growth she needs.

Kitten you sound very calm and cool about everything. I could learn a thing or two from you lol. I have had a few (not so great) experiences with students poking me and causing me pain/bruising that I’m just not so keen to be a guinea pig any more.

Mrs-sorry you are feeling poorly but glad to hear you are dilated. I agree with you about not wanting to be induced. I’ve heard awful things about long and drawn out labour’s due to the Pitocin and the constant monitoring. It all just sounds horrible.

Afm cramping was coming and going most of the night and I woke up with loose bowels and a yucky tummy. It could be the crap I’ve been eating but my fx’d that it’s my body moving along. I’m due to have another sweep today so hopefully that does the trick. My hips and pelvis have been so sore the last 2 days that I just need some relief.

 

[Agcam]

Hooray!! Babies

Congratulations Reiko and Chibi, and welcome to your babies

Emzy - Congratulations. Good to "see" you again, and hope all continues to be well.

RnW - Props to you for raking! I'm making use of the warm weather to get through a huge backload of laundry. I hope things are moving for you (from what you describe).

Ricschick - Happy 38!

Broken - Thanks for the update on Wicky. I was hoping somebody had heard from her.

Kitten - Your mum sounds awesome. Mine is the same - I wish she could be here, but they live really far away and will be able to come by only after a couple of months.

Strezy - Sounds like things are starting to move for you. FXd

Rosie - I'm glad that your LO is above the 10th centile. I'm hoping to have as natural a process as well. I've been told that they don't offer sweeps until 41 weeks (this is my 2nd). It's funny how policies vary by region.

On my end, I'm not worrying about anything. I figure that LO will arrive when she's ready, and have decided not to stress about it. I'd only like to avoid an induction, but have almost to the end of May for that. In the meantime, I'm trying to enjoy the quiet (while DS is in school), and rest as much as possible.
My body seems to have stopped everything anyways. No more BHs, etc. Ever since catching this virus, it's like my reserves have been shunted towards fighting the invaders
On another note, FIL is arriving tomorrow. This is going to sound horribly mean, but I'm not looking forward to it. He doesn't cook, leaves a mess in the kitchen and bathroom, expects everything to be done for him. I mean, theoretically he could do the school run, but given that school is a 5 minute drive away, it hasn't been an issue at all. I also have friends on standby who will more than happily do it after LO arrives. It's just going to be extra work for me. I also won't have freedom around my own home. These days, I'm just lounging around braless in a tank and tights....sleeping, eating, everything whenever I want to. Won't be able to do that any more. Sigh. Okay, rant over.

 

[BrokenfoREVer]

Still nothing happening over here. Having some random cramps and losing my plug in bits and pieces. I think I probably am in early labour but who knows how long it will take to actually get going.

Rosie that's great your LO is actually measuring bigger and you don't need induction and intervention. I hear you on the pointless second GTT though. They sent me for a second. It does vary trust to trust but I think 12 days over is the usual time for induction. Assuming you are uk.

Mrs yay for dilation! Come on baby!

Kitten why did they need a whole days worth of pee!? They check urine for protein at every appointment here and all you need is a small sample vial. Not a big jug. Heck!
I'm sorry you had a bad experience with blood draws. I know the students have to learn, but it's still not nice when it's you getting the newbie.

We're having another heat wave here. 20 odd degrees. It's flipping hot! I'm so miserable. I'm always really warm anyway so sleeping is right out, doing anything is out.

 

[Agcam]

I hear you on the heat, Broken. It's 24 degrees indoors at the moment, despite me keeping the windows open and curtains shut. Blech. Definitely need to buy some fans!

I made myself get some stuff done, but I've had enough. I'm sitting with a damp muslin on the back of my neck.

 

[BrokenfoREVer]

Agcam all I did today was get out for half hour to watch/help DS with his bike practice. He's finally figured it out without stabilisers. I'm very proud. I haven't got anything else done at all.

Lost a few big chunks (tmi sorry) of plug when I last went to the bathroom. Tummy feels a bit upset too. Maybe baby tonight or tomorrow? Who knows!

 

[ReadynWaiting]

Broken def sounds like things are moving!

I’ve been feeling nauseous most of the day so far and bowels are upset. MW is coming in an hour to do another sweep. I’m bouncing on my ball and keeping active just to feel like I’m doing something.
Also, baby feels like she has dropped some and my belly looks different.

 

[cheluzal]

Chel, membrane sweeps/stripping membranes is something in the List of Cervical Ripening Things from our midwives...apparently they'll typically start it around 38 weeks, when they do them, and can do them at every visit, although we haven't discussed it at all for me yet. But I also haven't heard anyone I know in the States talk about them, either!

I also wonder if it's more midwife versus OB. I see a lot of midwives doing it, but I'm pure OB.

 

[BrokenfoREVer]

Good luck with your second sweep Ready!
if I'm the last May 14th to give birth I'm gunna be sad

 

[cheluzal]

We're having another heat wave here. 20 odd degrees. It's flipping hot! I'm so miserable. I'm always really warm anyway so sleeping is right out, doing anything is out.

OK, I did the conversion to Fahrenheit and that's like 68, lol.
I'm in Florida and it's in the 80's (think 27 Celsius)!
Wait until summer....plus our humidity....dang I am sure glad I am not pregnant in summer but we can't really take the little one outside without melting come June. :/

 

[cheluzal]

if I'm the last May 14th to give birth I'm gunna be sad

I'm due the 18th but we're going in on the evening of the 13th to be induced! ONE week, yahoo!
Hopefully born on the 14th! SOOOO ready.

No pooping in the night and serious cramps kept waking me up but I'm sure it's BH and the need for more boring water.

Hubs did say I let out a super stank fart in my sleep that pulled him out of deep sleep, rofl!! He was smashing the sheets down because it kept escaping. LOL!

 

[BrokenfoREVer]

Chel I know our weather sounds ridiculous to you guys who really live in the heat. But we're not built for 20+ degrees over here. About 17/18 is good for us.

Every single summer we whine that it's cold, then it warms up for about a week and everyone is crying it's too hot. We are a ridiculous nation

I hope you get your bubba on the 14th. I'm 99% sure this one will be here by then. I'll find out my induction date on Tuesday.

 

[ricschick]

RnW I’ve had a lovely weekend and I’m glad I did go!! Been quite busy walking places and going to car boot sales! Where I got a jumperoo for £3!! It’s been a nice distraction.

Thanks for the update on wicky broken!! And sounds like it won’t be long!!!
Rosie glad they managed to get a correct measurement at last!!

Reiko fx the sweep works!!!

Babies been a bit quite today. She’s moving but not so much if that makes sense, I think she’s more straight and that might be why?? Idk.

 

[ReadynWaiting]

Sweep is done and having lots of yucky cramps. Just went for a walk and now sitting with my fat feet up. MW said I’m about 3cm and baby is down further than Friday so here’s to hoping she’s ready to come out

 

[BrokenfoREVer]

Ricschick I've been thinking of you with the weather we've been having. I hope it's not too hot for you, but I hope you're having a nice time anyway.

Ooooo Ready that sounds promising. Maybe baby tonight?

I'm still having irregular cramps and tightenings. I'm trying to just relax, baby will come when he's ready. And I have a second sweep booked so I'll know more then.