Sarah's Pregnancy and Baby Diary

[sarahG31]

So first antenatal class last night. We've got private ones through the NCT and I'm glad we did (admittedly I've not been to the free ones yet so have no comparison). 8 couples there, so a reasonably small group, and about 3 others are due within a day or two of us too. We also get to pretty much list out what we want to talk about or learn from the classes which is really good.

Everyone seems around a similar age to us too, and the women all seem quite friendly. A few local people and a couple who don't come from here (which I can relate to). Hopefully I can make a couple of new friends too from it

Woken up this morning with a blocked up ear though. Not sure if it's from my sinuses. Just hope it goes soon as it's annoying me! At least it's Friday

 

[lisalulu]

Glad you enjoyed your first antenatal class Sarah, I loved doing mine (6 years ago with DD1) Its lovely to meet other (nearly) new mums, and such a relief to know that other people are worrying about the same things that you are.

Its nice to catch up on your diary and see your pregnancy is still going smoothly and weight is still under control. It won't be long until we have our little bundles here now eh? 9 weeks to go....

 

[sarahG31]

Yes, not long to go now Hope your pregnancy is going well for you?

 

[lisalulu]

Yeah, its pretty much textbook, thank you! Considering I'm a bigger lady and my horrible consultant was convinced I'd have everything from GD to high BP- I think I've given the old idiot a shock. I've got crippling SPD, totally bed bound most days and on codeine and crutches for the school run, but since that has nothing to do with my BMI, I'm refusing to let it be classed as a side affect. Just really really ready for her to make an appearance in a few weeks, hope to god she isn't lazy and late like her big sisters xx

 

[sarahG31]

Aww sorry to hear about the SPD. I know the feeling with annoying consultants (not that I've actually met my consultant, just his registrars who are inconsistent and major time wasters!). I've now got an anaesthetists appt next monday which is stressing me out as I know they may be pushy and pushing me into a c-section which I really don't want if I can avoid it. To be honest I don't want an epidural or even pethidine if I can avoid it (I'm not ruling anything out but just want to avoid it if possible).

I'm going to chat to my MW on friday when I see her and tell her that the registrars and appointments with them (which can take up to an hour to just be seen, compared to a 5-10 minute wait for my MW!) have just caused more stress and all they do is take my BP, check my urine, everything she could do!

Eek, sorry, am going off into a rant. I'll stop now! Glad everything, bar the SPD, is going well for you! I think I've had a fairly easy pregnancy (besides the major headaches to begin with). Everything's pretty much fine now. Bit of tiredness creeping in, but nothing major

 

[lisalulu]

Its a total hassle having to see a consultant isn't it (or not, if they're not even going to show up!) Mine is always running late, normally at least 40 minutes behind, plus travelling to and from the hospital and paying for parking...

I had a hellish pregnancy last time around, which started with a blood clot in my lung, and resulted in the hospital overdosing me with Heparin and then telling me to terminate my pregnancy for the babys sake- so glad I ignored them, my almost 4 year old DD was born perfect in every way! /end major rant.... Anyway, the drawback of all of that is that they like to keep an extra close eye on me this time, meaning I feel like I live in the blooming hospital. Getting extra growth and positioning scans to put my mind at ease is nice though.

I'm really surprised your consultant hasn't signed you back to Midwife led care if your BP and GTT were all okay. Seems such a waste you having to trail back and forth between them all the time. I know thats what policy here would be if it weren't for my previous troubled pregnancy.

I also found out from my midwife on Monday that I'm going to have an anesthetist appointment sometime soon- apparently they like to check us larger ladies out in case we're so hideously fat that they can't even put a cannula into your hand or a needle into our chubby backs... In seriousness though, the midwife just said they'd look at my back, hands, throat and maybe my belly and I'd be in there no more than 5 minutes. Like you say- total waste of a morning, especially since the chances of the same anesthetist being on call if you DID need an EMCS are very slim. Hope it goes smoothly for you next week though x

 

[sarahG31]

Sorry to hear of the situation of your last pregnancy. Glad you ignored their recommendation of termination! I know they go by statistics and risk assessment but they need to stop putting unique people into categories all the time.

I'm going to just see if my midwife can't get them to stop with the hospital appointments and I'll see her more often if necessary. I know they're very busy so possibly not, but I do find it's a waste of time when she could do all the same tests and send me to hospital if she was concerned (which she would do anyway!)

Our problem is that when we're both out at an antenatal appointment (and DH comes to pretty much all of them), no one is earning money for the company. It's all very well them saying 'oh you have the right to attend antenatal classes/appointments without a loss in pay, and yes we do, providing the wages are in the bank! Downside to working for yourself. A hospital appointment will take typically about 1.5 hours out of the day, so that's 3 hours lost work compared to perhaps 1 hour overall lost with a MW appointment.

I've read a few scary stories about anaesthetist appointments elsewhere so I'm hoping it's just what you say. I've read where a few people have been talked (or tried to be talked) into opting for a planned c-section, or told they'll just get an epidural as soon as they go into labour, ready in case they have to have a c-section (because statistics dictate it). I'm at the very bottom end of the high risk cut off here so I'm hoping they don't say anything like that but DH is under strict instructions to be my defence as I'm useless

Just depends on the area, the procedures they have to follow etc. Nevertheless, I won't be going into hospital until the very last minute if I can help it!

 

[sarahG31]

Well, saw the MW today and all is good. BP is normal (surprise, surprise!), the baby is still lying across (transverse?), the lazy sod! Plenty of time to him to get upside down, plus I bought a birthing ball the other day (well a gym ball, same difference!) to use during the day to help give him a nudge.

Had a bit of a chat to the MW about all these hospital visits and she double checked with her supervisor and said that unless my BP goes up or they feel there is anything to worry about, I just stick to community care now which is great. So just the anaesthetist to see on Monday (still not happy but DH has assured me he won't let me be talked into anything) and then the MW in 3 weeks time again.

I also weighed myself yesterday and was still at 6.5lb gain which I'm really happy about and my MW seemed pretty happy too.

Good start to the weekend

 

[sarahG31]

Saw the anaesthetist this morning. To be fair to her, she didn't push anything or put me on the spot with decisions etc. She ran through a bit of medical history and then explained all of the pain relief options. Only trouble was she explained the epidural and spinal ones in a bit too much detail for my stomach to like, leaving me feeling a bit sick and faint!

So basically everything she asked is in my notes already and I already knew the pain relief options. Bit of a waste of time again, but at least we didn't have to wait and were actually led straight into the examination room before my appointment was due, so were out pretty quick.

Then went and bought too much in sainsburys!

 

[bajoleth]

Glad it wasn't too much of an ordeal for you, hopefully they will leave you alone now, under the care of the community MW's fingers crossed anyway

 

[sarahG31]

Thanks! Yes fingers crossed. So long as my BP stays down. I missed out the other good news from Friday in that the MW said providing there were no concerns (ie. BP stays down, no signs of pre-eclampsia) then I can go into the midwifery led unit / birthing centre rather than the obstetrician unit which I've been put down for in my notes for some reason. All I said was that I didn't want a home birth!

Would much prefer the MLU. Apparently doctors aren't even allowed in there (it's right next door to the obstetrician unit too so it's not like I'm taking myself away from help if I need it!).

 

[sarahG31]

8 weeks to go! that means 9 weeks + 2 days until christmas...!

Yesterday we were out for appointments so popped into town after to pick a few things up. About an hour or two of walking around and blimey my pelvis was sore afterwards. Towards the end I was feeling like I had a tonne weight on it. I'm guessing the baby decided to turn and nestle itself in there. Haven't felt that uncomfortable at all. It wasn't major pain as such, just very uncomfortable. It's eased off today, probably after a night of lying flat I think the baby's moved up a little again. Plus my Mum says I'm carrying low so not sure if that made it worse.

I'm guessing it's a bit of an idea of what's to come as he puts more weight on!

Weigh in today and I've put on a pound, but yesterday was a bit of a treat day and we had a wedding to go to, so I'm going to blame that! Hopefully I can keep this week's weight the same to counteract it. I know it's usual to put a pound on a week now but I'd rather not put 8lb on!

 

[bajoleth]

Well done on the weight control Sarah you are doing amazingly well, unfortunately it all becomes a lot more uncomfortable as the weeks go on, so much weight concentrated in one area. At the moment I feel like I have a bowling ball in my tummy, I find I am having to support my tummy with my hand when I am walking as It is sooo heavy, oh well it will all be worth it when our little bundles of joy arrive

 

[sarahG31]

Thanks Jo. Yes a bowling ball, that's a good comparison (I got one of those in the garage too!).

I must admit I do find the belt support useful which supports under the belly and around the back. Obviously not worth it for what little time you have left now but I'm starting to use it any time we go out and I know I'll be on my feet for more than 5-10 minutes.

 

[sarahG31]

Oh dear, my weight suddenly seems to be shooting up too quickly I've put on about 2.5lb this week which isn't good. I know my MW said they'd re-weigh me at some point (36 weeks I think) so I've got 3 weeks to curb the gain.

I think the baby has turned and stayed put down as I'm feeling a lot of big movements right below my rib cage, all the time, and if I'm on my feet for more than 15-20 minutes the top of my right leg starts to go numb and it's uncomfortable for the rest of the night. I don't know if the baby is maybe trapping a nerve as that's how it feels. If it was round the back I'd suggest sciatica but it seems to be at the front, across the 'crease' of where my leg joins my pelvis.

I'm also finding that it's uncomfortable to sleep on my right side now so I'm stuck on my left all night long (which I know is the right side to be on). Which means by morning (if I've managed to sleep much), my left side is feeling the strain! Thankfully the pillow I have really helps, it'd be far worse without it!

Last antenatal class tonight, however a few of us have already decided we're going to the aqua natal class on Mondays in one of the local pools, which is great as I'd intended to go (well I've been intending for ages!) once I cut my working hours down. This'll get me out on a Monday and give me a better incentive to go if I'm meeting people too! Hopefully it'll help slow the weight gain down too.

Best get back to work. Got too much to do

 

[bajoleth]

I really wouldn't worry about a 2.5lb weight gain at this stage as baby is putting on weight fairly rapidly now, you have done fantastically well and the MW should be very pleased with how you have kept your weight down
I get that pain at the tops of my legs too, the way I describe it to OH is its like someone turning a hose on full but the other end is closed off , the discomfort feels like that sort of pressure:sigh:
Enjoy your Aqua natal class, sounds like you are on your way to making some good friends from your AN classes

 

[sarahG31]

Thanks Jo. I just hope the 2.5lb doesn't become a weekly thing! I'm hoping to come out of this back to my normal weight if not a little less to reflect me actually losing weight during pregnancy. We'll see! Hopefully the aqua natal will burn a few calories

The top of my legs are more dull, slightly numb and not painful as such but a funny ache, with the odd stab in it! I think the baby's possibly catching my sciatic nerve (well someone suggested that). I seem fine providing I don't stay on my feet too long, so I've got DH doing the cooking at night and even lunch

Hope you have a good weekend x

 

[big bear]

Hi Sarah, hope your doing well. Just popped by to say a quick hello. Xx

 

[sarahG31]

Hi big bear, I'm good thanks, hope you're well too and Eryn's doing well?

 

[mummytummy]

Hiya Sarah, Just wanted to say your doing so well with your weight gain, 10lbs in 33 weeks is something to be really proud of, and I'm sure most if not all will be gone when your baby boy is born! x