r/PregnancyIreland

Hello Ladies,

We might be able to find out our babies gender this week or next.

We have planned a gender reveal with family.

Im really hoping for a girl. I would rather find out in private before anyone so I can mentally get my head around the sex.

Dont get me wrong I will be delighted with either. I just could do without an audiance when finding out initially. But im still up for having a reveal for family too.

Is this odd? Should I have a peak and not tell anyone I already know? My family really want to be there for the "surprise" I dont want to let anyone down.

Anyone else receive their nipt results without the gender being reported? Thankfully everything came back low risk but we were so excited to find out and are being told now it could take another 7 days to find out. Just wondering if anyone else experienced this or were we just unlucky? Not sure if it’s the fault of the clinic or the lab but we definitely said multiple times we’d like to know 🥲

Hi all,

I’m working in HSE and currently trying to calculate my maternity leave and all other entitlements so I can calculate my return date. I am due 29/09
Am I correct that I’m entitled to:
Payed maternity leave 26 weeks
Unpaid 16 weeks
Public bank holidays
Then holidays 10 days from 2026 which get carried over into 2027 so full entitlement is 33 days.
Parents leave 9 weeks.
I don’t know if it’s my pregnancy brain but I can’t seem to be able to calculate my return date, is there anything that I’m missing here? Could someone help please?

Thank you!

Hi just looking for bit of reassurance/advice, baby had first vaccs Tuesday and is still very out of sorts fussy and generally upset, is feeding but more little and often, temp has been fine, this is our first so just not sure is this considered normal?

Could anyone recommend a private Obstetrician in Cork?

Also I am a FTM and I was wondering if people who have experience in both, would recommend going Private or Public?

I’m currently 10 weeks FTM, have been nauseous since 5 weeks, but it has amped up to all day sickness in last few weeks. Started cariban which initially helped but now every time I try to take it I vomit! Not keeping food down at all. Sips of water has been wrenching but if I don’t eat it stays down.

Booked in to GP later today but if anyone has anything that helped them get through this phase!

Hello, I am soon entering my third trimester and despite contacting close to 10 creches around our home and our workplaces we are still pretty far in the waiting lists. Most creches also don’t take in babies under 12 months old 😕

Would anyone have any childminder recommendations for Celbridge/maynooth/Lucan/leixlip area? We’re hoping for a full time childminder for one baby to at least bridge the gap until we can get a space in a creche. It’s tough out there!

Thank you 🙏

Hi All,

Looking for recommendations on Non Wifi baby monitors please?

Thank you ☺️❤️

Been offered a sweep at 38+2. Pros and cons?

Hi all,
I’ve been booked in for an induction next week at 39.5 weeks for medical reasons.

Very little was explained to me. Please can somebody explain simply what the process is, any positive induction stories are very welcome.

Will a sweep or cervical check be performed before the induction? I thought I might get one before they went down the route of induction but nope.

I’m a private patient in CUMH if that makes any difference. Thank you

Would you fly 32 weeks pregnant?

My sister is getting married in June. The flight to the destination is 8hours (Dubai-Dublin), I’ll be 32 weeks at the time.

To be allowed on the flight I need a medical cert and the doctor also said she advices clexane injections.

The is an IVF pregnancy after 2 years of infertility. We had vanishing twin syndrome but other than that everything is so far progressing normally.

I really want to make my sisters wedding but also don’t want to take any risks….

I’m 6 months pp and still dealing with my episiotomy. I don’t feel it ever healed properly. The wound reopens every now and then and I get bouts of bleeding and stinging. Sex is also a struggle because of it. I’m too nervous to go to a doctor- something about having someone down there again just feels so overwhelming but I know I need it checked. Is it normal to take this long to heal? Is there treatments? Will I need to be restitched?

Hello everyone! You were all so helpful last time that I’m back. I’m going public in Galway.

I just got my initial letter from the hospital today for my first consultant appointment (around 13 weeks). Is this the booking appointment I’ve heard about?

It also says to book my scan appointment with the midwives. Is that separate to the consultant appointment? Or what is that?

Thank you so much. ☺️

Hey everyone, I’m due in roughly 2 weeks at the NMH so preparing my hospital bag.

Can anyone advise if they gave birth there recently or have been told (my next appointment is next week) what they don’t need to bring? I’m watching a lot of videos but mostly are based in the UK and US.

Things I’m unsure to bring or not:
- some formula / nappies
- postpartum things for example ice pads / disposable underwear

Also is their dressing delivery gown bad? I didn’t want to go and buy one.

Thanks!

Hey everyone!

I'm gonna try to make this as short as possible. My wfie[27F] and I [29M] have been expecting our first baby for 18 weeks now. We have a history of multiple miscarriages last year so we were followed this year by a specific clinic to help us conceive.

Everything has been stressful but luckily our fine, our baby boy is growing well, with a good heartbeat etc.
However, yesterday night, my wife had some light dark spotting and, with our history, we ran to the hospital immediately. It was fine, what happened exactly is a bit unclear for us but we understood it my be a ectopy. We understand that it's something on the top part of cervix that was very sensitive and blood or got "pushed" by the baby growing closer to the vagina and that caused some bleeding but there is nothing wrong or dangerous.

My wife was trying to calm down from the scare but we got some blood results today that her thyroid antibodies were still a bit high (they are what caused the miscarriages at first) and her liver enzyme too. Her cholesterole is a 5.1 which, from what we understand, is still fine during pregnancy. She has no high BP or any other bad symptoms, only lower back pain so nothing surprising.

She asked me if I could ask her for some reassurance/positive experiences of pregnant people having maybe similar things that still carried the baby to term all fine.

Right now her mind is on loop on some videos of very exceptional sad cases and kinda convinced that it's gonna happen to her so we're trying to counter those thoughts.

(Before anyone asks, she also contacted her therapist and we're waiting for an answer to set up an appointment fast.)

Thank you for anyone willing to share and help!

Hi everyone 😊 I’m pregnant and would love to hear what helped make your pregnancy easier, healthier, or just more enjoyable.

I’m looking for everything that helped you — foods you loved, snacks, drinks, supplements (if recommended), activities, exercise, walks, hobbies, books, podcasts, apps, routines, self-care ideas, anything really.

What made you feel better physically? What helped mentally? Did you do anything that made the experience more interesting or enjoyable?

Basically, if something made pregnancy easier or more positive for you, I’d love to hear it 🤍

Hi Ladies, I am currently 34 weeks pregnant and my little babba is breach. Her head is under my ribs and her bum is at my pelvis.

How would I go about turning her? What has worked for you in the past? Any experience with turning a baby that was in this position?

Any advice appreciated as I am a first time Momma!

Hi everyone.

I am currently on paid maternity leave which ends in July. I dont want to take unpaid maternity leave after this as we cant afford it- can I go straight to paid parents leave? All I can see online seems to mention only taking it after the unpaid maternity portion- but I dont want this!

Hey, so I’m losing my mind a little bit.

My cycle is relatively consistent 28-32 days and we are TTC. However this time around I ovulated around day 22. I am currently on day 34 and I have had cramping the last two days really bloated and my period is technically late. The pregnancy test is negative but still no sign of my period.

Should I keep testing or just wait it out? We have been TTC for the first time for about 6 months and it is so much harder and more lonely than I expected.

My husband is great and really caring but he doesn’t seem to be as stressed as me and when he tells me it’s ok and to not put pressure on myself I feel like throttling him (I won’t obviously, I love him to bits).

Friends of my have gotten pregnant without any issue and have said the typical things like “relax”, “have fun”, “go on holidays and forget about it”. I know I am stressed but I just find it condescending so I am kind of avoiding everyone because I just don’t want to have any arguments.

Sorry for ranting but I think I just needed to vent.

My employer has refused my part time request, I am devastated to be leaving my child for 5 days only to have 1 hour an evening with them and weekends cleaning, cooking, meal prepping, laundry… How do people cope with the emotions?! I have literally been crying for 3 days straight over this

The only reason I am going back is because they pay full pay for maternity leave and I would like to have another child