Due April 2019

scarepanda

So we got down my eldests baby clothes at the weekend, and I've just gone through them.... They are so small and cute, especially the newborn size. She was a 'big' newborn, but is only a little thing now, but it's still hard to believe she was once soooo small!

Ive gone through the hospital bag list for both of us. I have pretty much nothing to get for baby, and mainly just maternity and breast pads and a few small things like that for myself. Now to figure out what needs to go into the bag Vs what can be sorted out and left at home for my husband to bring up with him everyday.

Im officially in the third trimester since Sunday, and woke to leaky boob leaking! It happened at 29 weeks last time and really weirded me out then, but it was kind of reassuring this time!

Aprilanon

Hi everyone, I hope you are all doing well.
Just wondering if anyone would care to share their hospital bag list? For baby really, I've a good idea what I used myself last time around.
I think for baby it varies a bit from hospital to hospital?
I'm in UCH Galway.

sheepeee

Late jumping in here - couldn't remember my old log in details so had to start again. Due no.3 in April. 31 weeks and looking forward to finishing up work in 7 weeks. Pregnancy number 3 is a different ball game to 1 and 2!

staticdoor71

sheepeee wrote: »

Late jumping in here - couldn't remember my old log in details so had to start again. Due no.3 in April. 31 weeks and looking forward to finishing up work in 7 weeks. Pregnancy number 3 is a different ball game to 1 and 2!

Omg you can sing that sista
7pm comes and I'm like please just shut up and go to bed already guys, I'm exhausted!!

staticdoor71

Aprilanon wrote: »

Hi everyone, I hope you are all doing well.
Just wondering if anyone would care to share their hospital bag list? For baby really, I've a good idea what I used myself last time around.
I think for baby it varies a bit from hospital to hospital?
I'm in UCH Galway.

I think I just brought 4 vests, 4 baby grows, a blanket or two, hat, mittens
I can't really remember. Can't imagine ya needing much else to be fair. Bar the obvious nappies and wipes.
If you need more they can be brought in

scarepanda

Aprilanon wrote:

Hi everyone, I hope you are all doing well. Just wondering if anyone would care to share their hospital bag list? For baby really, I've a good idea what I used myself last time around. I think for baby it varies a bit from hospital to hospital? I'm in UCH Galway.

I'm planning on bringing 2/3 sets of clothes (hat, one long and one short sleeved vest and a grow) and then the usual nappies, cotton wool pads, small tub of nappy cream (just incase, we needed it last time and didn't have it), wipes, 2 blankets, 2 cot sheets and a towel ... And I think that's about it. I'll have more clothes in ziplock bags and general supplies at home ready for my husband to bring as needed. I'm purposely bringing the minimum to the hospital as I felt like I was always searching for stuff last time around.

Has any one any advice on what's needed/was useful during delivery and before going onto postnatal ward? Usually how long are you left in deliver room after birth before being moved? Im planning to have a labour ward bag packed with the essentials so that everything else can be left in the car until needed. But I had an emergency section last time around, didn't make it to the delivery room, so no idea really what's needed.

staticdoor71

How we doing ladies?

8 weeks left on Sunday coming

Feeling very pregnant the last few days. My bump feels stretched and my back is sore. The movements are also getting vicious!!!

Going to pack my bag next week.. Get ready to rock.

carleigh

staticdoor71 wrote: »

How we doing ladies?

8 weeks left on Sunday coming

Feeling very pregnant the last few days. My bump feels stretched and my back is sore. The movements are also getting vicious!!!

Going to pack my bag next week.. Get ready to rock.

All good here I’ve 6 weeks left from this coming Tuesday, can’t believe it! I’ve one more week left at work so I have a few weeks to rest. Suffering with Carpal Tunnel and some swelling.

I’ve my 34 week appointment in the hospital next week, I’ve not seen them since I was 28 weeks. My GP thinks the doctor made an error by leaving so long between appointments so I’ve seen my own GP every fortnight recently and have the thumbs up from her so far. But I’m very nervous about what’s ahead seeing as this is my first.

I have my hospital bag packed so must get starting on baby’s bag. I feel like I have way too much, even though I’m following the list provided by the hospital. Been preparing our dog for the big arrival as well, we got a Baby Born and take it out every few day to show him and let him get used to the different sounds. So far he’s been great and not really too bothered! All we have left to buy is baby monitors but it’s so hard to choose!

Hope everyone is doing well, we are almost there!

honerbright

staticdoor71 wrote: »

How we doing ladies?

8 weeks left on Sunday coming

Feeling very pregnant the last few days. My bump feels stretched and my back is sore. The movements are also getting vicious!!!

Going to pack my bag next week.. Get ready to rock.

I actually had my April baby last month! I went in for my 28 week appointment only to be admitted due to preeclampsia and had an emergency c-section 2 days later. Little guy was 2 pound 2 ounces at birth is 5 weeks and 4 days old now (and 4 pound 1 ounce!), in the NICU and doing pretty well.

awny

Hi Girls,

I’m 34+1 today and I’m starting to get very uncomfortable. I feel like I’ve gotten away lightly so far but now I’m slowing down and finding it more difficult. I’m finished work this week coming I hope. I’m meeting my consultant this week and I’m finding it very hard going to with the rib pain and lower back pain.

My hospital bag is 95% packed, hoping to finish it today and have it ready to go. I’m a FTM too so I’m not too sure what to expect. I’m trying to get the house sorted and hope to get it all done over next 2/3 weeks.

Congrats on your new arrival honerbright. Great to hear that they are doing well x

scarepanda

Congrats honerbright!

All is good here.

Bags are packed, all that I need to pack is my going home outfit into a bag so all my husband has to do is grab and go.
I felt like I had way too much stuff with my first as well, which is why I'm only bringing the bare minimum this time and have everything sorted here for my husband to grab what I need before he comes over each day.

The baby's room is pretty much sorted. I just need to get a cot mattress (there's no panic on this except for we have to go to Dublin to get it) and the rocking chair from my dad's. It broke a while ago so he's repairing it for us. There's a few other small bits to get, but nothing major or essential.

I also have the house sorted out. Was on a mad cleaning/nesting spree this week, suffering a bit now, but delighted all the same coz it means pretty much just general housework between now and the babies arrival. Have a small bit too do in the garden which we will hopefully get through after lunch.

I have a suspicion that I have a touch of SPD the last couple of weeks. I'm not sure if I should mention it to the hospital when I'm in this week or not. Its not severe by any means and I really want to try for a VBAC this time around and at the moment I don't want it to impact the final decision. Part of me wants to wait till I have the growth scan next month and see what the story is after that.

We had a small breakthrough with names last night. We've the boys list down to two. But the girls list is still a bit of a ****show. We're not going to pick the final name till baby arrives, but I want to have a shortlist picked so that I can mull over them. Unfortunately my husband doesn't really give a fiddler's till the baby arrives. Hes the kind of person that if he was any more laid back he'd be horizontal.... Drives me around the twist at times!

carleigh

honerbright wrote: »

I actually had my April baby last month! I went in for my 28 week appointment only to be admitted due to preeclampsia and had an emergency c-section 2 days later. Little guy was 2 pound 2 ounces at birth is 5 weeks and 4 days old now (and 4 pound 1 ounce!), in the NICU and doing pretty well.

Congratulations! Glad he is doing well

I finally have both mine and the baby's bag packed for the hospital. I have 2 days left in work now and I am ready to finish now.

I ended up in MAU this morning for reduced movements. All is fine thankfully. They kept me in for a few hours and did a couple of traces. I have an anterior placenta but movements had lessened the last day or two and I work walking distance from the hospital so I decided when I got to work earlier I would go up and so delighted that I did. Two doctors checked everything, gave me a scan, and all good with baby. They put my mind at ease that any type of abnormal pattern etc should be checked out and said if it happens again to make sure and see them, that's what they are there for. Baby measuring 5lbs 5oz today, 34 weeks exactly. After all that excitement I am ready for bed!

Aprilanon

Huge congrats Honerbright, hope you are doing well yourself? our first baby was a premie, the staff in the NICU are amazing (95% of them anyway, there's always one or two!!).

Just trying to pack my hospital bag today - did you cut the labels off the vests & babygros before packing them? I've washed them & cannot remember if I cut the labels off last time or not

awny

I washed all mine Aprilanon, didn't know anything about the tags?? I don't think there was any tags? I'm clueless tho cause I'm a FTM

scarepanda

I've never cut off the labels.

It occurred to me today that I never looked for the buggy car seat connector's.... Searched high and low this evening and we haven't come across them..... Its a head wreck coz we can both picture them somewhere just can't figure out where. It wouldn't bother me so much only for I've all the usual nooks and corners we'd use to put that sort of random stuff sorted and tidied up....

scarepanda

How's everyone getting on?

We're all good here. I had a growth scan last week. Baby is 6lbs already and all measurements are tracking similar to No1, so looking at a 8.5lb baby at least, with a big head :-0. I got the go ahead to try VBAC as well from the Dr I saw after the scan. Not sure if she was part of my consultants team or not, so will wait till the next clinic to confirm it.

TrixIrl

Humongous GD baby here- estimated 7 12 at 35 weeks! So they're bringing me in for a sweep on 25th (36+3) and then induction on 29th (37).

Haven't really wrapped my head around the fact that shell likely be here this day fortnight!

Have been a bit upset as policy in Waterford is that all GD babies go to scbu for 24-48 hours and I just don't have the energy to fight them on it!

teggers5

TrixIrl wrote: »

Have been a bit upset as policy in Waterford is that all GD babies go to scbu for 24-48 hours and I just don't have the energy to fight them on it!

Sorry to jump in here. Currently 35 weeks on baby no 3.
Trix is that a new policy in Waterford?
I had GD on last pregnancy and baby never left my side. Have it again this time so hoping for the same!

TrixIrl

I've been told it's policy by both the midwife who gave the antenatal classes and also by my consultant Dr Khalid for zGD babies whose mums ended up on medication- were you diet controlled last time maybe?

It's after breaking my heart to be honest, very long road to getting and staying pregnant so it's just upset me way more than it should. Particularly as I ended up controlling all my meal readings but on insulin due to fastings which are out of my control. Dr Khalid has said she doesn't agree with it but it's down to the postnatal midwifes being understaffed and feeling baby monitoring is a neonatal responsibility. Completely against the national HSE guidelines too.

But now that I'm being induced at 37 weeks it's likely they would have ended up in scbu for a day or two anyways...or do I'm trying to tell myself.

shesty

Trix, why is that? Is it because they monitor the baby's blood sugar levels?


I am curious just because my third was born in the Rotunda and was unexpectedly very large - 10lb6oz. No markers for GD showed up, but their policy is to monitor blood sugar levels for the first 24 hours on babies above and below certain weights. So I had to feed a bottle every 3 hours exactly, make sure he took a precise amount (can't remember - 40mls?) and they would check his sugars 30 mins after the feed. I also breastfed, and once he maintained his levels over the first 24 hours, they stopped checking, and I could change over to breast milk only. They told me if I didn't keep to the routine and his sugars went down I would have to start the 24 hours all over again. Postnatal midwives just came around and did their checks every few hours, along with baby's temperature, oxygen levels etc. That was just part of their job. I had to record all his feeds , the length of time (BF) and the mls taken from bottles, along with wet and dirty nappies, on a sheet they gave me though.


Short-staffed being the reason seems nuts, surely having the babies away from their mums requires more staff to feed them???Doesn't make sense.

TrixIrl

I totally agree. It's even more frustrating that the lead diabetes consultant in the hospital Dr Roberts was a co author of the national HSE guidelines. I'm going to stand my ground and hope they work with me, if the postnatal midwifes get difficult, I'll offer to do the baby's blood levels myself. Just think it's ridiculous that they would want to separate us when establishing breastfeeding is even more important for babies with potentially questionable blood sugars.

shesty

Well I could see that they mightn't let you do the blood levels yourself, but I don't see why you couldn't record all his feeds, making sure the baby gets what is needed, and then give them a call 30 mins after each feed to spend 2 minutes taking sugar levels. That's how it works in the Rotunda anyway.....surely NICU staff have better things to be doing. Also each feed I gave was a bottle, and then he could breastfeed away afterwards or in between, once he got his bottle every 3 hours.After the 24 hours, he just looked for more and more breastmilk and it naturally replaced the formula.

TrixIrl

That's exactly my point. But apparently postnatal midwifes feel that if baby needs additional monitoring (even just bloods) that's scbus remit. OB and Diabetes consultant and GP all agree with me and support me having baby with me but apparently as it's written in postnatal policy for hospital the midwifes won't budge. Ive sought a meeting with DOM but no answer yet.

Like if baby needs extra help of course scbu/NICU is where she needs to be but this just seems ridiculous. I'll be heartbroken to be separated from her and be down on postnatal ward without a baby while all the other new mams have theirs. And im so worried it'll affect breastfeeding. It's been a difficult enough pregnancy without ridiculous policies making it harder.

teggers5

Ah ok, I've been diet controlled both times so that's why there was no mention of Scbu.
Fingers crossed they listen to you and you get to keep baby with you.

cant26

shesty wrote: »

Trix, why is that? Is it because they monitor the baby's blood sugar levels?


I am curious just because my third was born in the Rotunda and was unexpectedly very large - 10lb6oz. No markers for GD showed up, but their policy is to monitor blood sugar levels for the first 24 hours on babies above and below certain weights. So I had to feed a bottle every 3 hours exactly, make sure he took a precise amount (can't remember - 40mls?) and they would check his sugars 30 mins after the feed. I also breastfed, and once he maintained his levels over the first 24 hours, they stopped checking, and I could change over to breast milk only. They told me if I didn't keep to the routine and his sugars went down I would have to start the 24 hours all over again. Postnatal midwives just came around and did their checks every few hours, along with baby's temperature, oxygen levels etc. That was just part of their job. I had to record all his feeds , the length of time (BF) and the mls taken from bottles, along with wet and dirty nappies, on a sheet they gave me though.


Short-staffed being the reason seems nuts, surely having the babies away from their mums requires more staff to feed them???Doesn't make sense.

I find it mad at how different our hospitals approach certain situations. My first was 10lb8oz and we had none of the same strict checks that you had with your big baby. Like you there were no GD markers. We just received a few comments on his size and away we went. I remember we had to record nappies and feed quantities where possible for the first 24 hours but I think that was standard day 1 procedure!

Op I would definitely question this at a higher level at the hospital. Seems crazy that you would be automatically separated from your baby just because you have GD.

TrixIrl

I've requested a meeting with the Director of Midwifery but no response yet. I've also emailed AIMS for support on this.

At the same time I'm terrified of losing the midwifes support if they think I'm criticising them. Pregnancy hormones and anxiety have me a bit paranoid I think!

shesty

cant26 wrote: »

I find it mad at how different our hospitals approach certain situations. My first was 10lb8oz and we had none of the same strict checks that you had with your big baby. Like you there were no GD markers. We just received a few comments on his size and away we went. I remember we had to record nappies and feed quantities where possible for the first 24 hours but I think that was standard day 1 procedure!

Op I would definitely question this at a higher level at the hospital. Seems crazy that you would be automatically separated from your baby just because you have GD.

It is mad.Now that being said, my third was only born last May, and I have been in the Rotunda for my other two aswell-I definitely noticed this time a lot of changes in how they do business.Even the fact that I had to record feeds and nappies etc myself-on the last two, the midwife recorded them all on the chart.So this may be a newish policy, I'm not sure.

To be honest, it sounds like the other hospital is covering itself, and also, the Rotunda NICU could be a lot more busy, and just not able to take that kind of extra work.

Aprilanon

Is it just because of the size of baby that they are inducing you at 37 weeks? My baby is estimate similar size at 36 weeks & UCHG won't budge on booking me in for a section any earlier than 39 weeks.
Seems very random that each hospital has different guidelines. There has been mention of baby possibly having to go to NICU to be monitored if born before 39 weeks, I'm really hoping that won't be the case but just going to have to wait & see.
I did think they would bring me in for a section at 38 weeks due to baby's size but no way no how do they want to do a section before 39 weeks.

TrixIrl

Yep size of baby, the fact I'm on insulin 4 times a day and they have repeatedly said they don't think she'll fit so sweep at 36+3 and induction at 37+0.

Aprilanon

TrixIrl wrote: »

Yep size of baby, the fact I'm on insulin 4 times a day and they have repeatedly said they don't think she'll fit so sweep at 36+3 and induction at 37+0.

I'm also on insulin 4 times a day, baby is already measuring big, I went early on my first & ended up having an emergency C-section and they still will not do a planned section before 39 weeks 🀷