Pregnancy #36 Mother In Laws… please shut up!!

[LittleBluebird]

Anyone else stressing about having any clothes and what to take in the hospital bag ??

How many vests do I need, sleepsuits??
Plus he will be here in the next 4 weeks so it will be warm, what do I need

Yes! So much so that I had a dream about it. I’m not not sure how big she’ll be so I’m not sure what sizes to bring! I’ve basically packed most of her wardrobe and worst case scenario, husband goes to city center to buy more. Our hospital is right in the center of the city so it’s not too much of an issue.

My hospital gave me a list. Maybe check and see what yours would like for you to bring?

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

Our hospital is very tight on space and don't let you keep more than the bare minimum in your bay. Everything else has to be kept in cupboards at the end of the ward.

I'd recommend having a back up bag with extra outfits and supplies for you and baby, that you can keep in the car and your partner can bring stuff in for you if you need it.

Also, I've said it before, but I'd recommend packing each outfit (vest, sleepsuit, hat, mitts) in its own food bag and writing the size on the outside. That way it's easy for you or your birth partner to grab without digging through everything. Especially if they're anything like my husband, who even after extensive lessons, still couldn't tell you the difference between a vest sleepsuit 6 years on

 

[imtakingabath]

Thanks for the reassurance everyone, you’ve made me feel a lot better Very mild symptoms so far thankfully! No existing respiratory issues and I’m fully vaccinated, I just keep reading that vaccines aren’t as effective against the new strains so got a bit worried.

 

[fairylights2000]

The hospital must be reading here, they rang earlier to book my first appointment, it's all getting a bit real now

 

[angelicajames]

Did any of you experience painful cramping early on? Think I’m about 6+4 and getting what feels like “period pain” most days, it’s so bad just now it’s woken me up. This is my fourth pregnancy but never had a good outcome, and I didn’t have this with the rest. Trying to be optimistic and hoping this is a good sign that this one is the one that will be ok, but I’m also on progesterone so worried it’s my body trying to push something out but the progesterone is masking it. Got a scan on Thursday but terrified it’ll be bad news like all the previous pregnancies.

Obviously everyone is different, but I had horrible cramping with this pregnancy from the week my period was due until about 9 weeks.

 

[baxter2021]

Cautiously posting here .. I’m 6 weeks pregnant today after basically over 9 years of infertility (1mc, 2 failed ivf rounds) and have no children

The first time round I was under the Welsh nhs and they were very quick to get my appointments booked, I believe I had both of them around the 6w mark? - even though sadly mc’d before 7 weeks.

We moved to England 2 years ago and I know they both run a bit differently. I’ve just done the self refer thing this morning and booked my first 2 appointments over the phone, but I realised they’re not until 8w for a telephone app and then 9ws for bloods etc
Is it normal to have no support until then? Or those appointments at that time ?

I know it’s only early pregnancy but with my history I guess it’s just a slightly worry about not having the support there if anything I’m unsure of is happening as my GP is crap!

I live in Northern Ireland and we have no contact with midwives until the first scan and booking appointment at 12 weeks! Are you able to change GP or speak to another GP in the practice? They might be able to refer you for an early scan to reassure you?

Alternatively you could pay for a private scan? I had one at 6weeks as i was unsure of dates and it cost around £60. Seems a lot for a 15minute appointment but helped to put my mind at rest.

 

[Married2019]

Cautiously posting here .. I’m 6 weeks pregnant today after basically over 9 years of infertility (1mc, 2 failed ivf rounds) and have no children

The first time round I was under the Welsh nhs and they were very quick to get my appointments booked, I believe I had both of them around the 6w mark? - even though sadly mc’d before 7 weeks.

We moved to England 2 years ago and I know they both run a bit differently. I’ve just done the self refer thing this morning and booked my first 2 appointments over the phone, but I realised they’re not until 8w for a telephone app and then 9ws for bloods etc
Is it normal to have no support until then? Or those appointments at that time ?

I know it’s only early pregnancy but with my history I guess it’s just a slightly worry about not having the support there if anything I’m unsure of is happening as my GP is crap!

Firstly congratulations I know how scary it can be during early pregnancy, especially after loss. You're certainly not alone, I know there is quite a few of us in that boat.

As for early appointments, I can't give you any advice about the system in the UK but here in Ireland with my hospital, you go to your GP initially to confirm the pregnancy with a urine test. They then refer you to your hospital. You have a booking appointment via phonecall at approx 10 weeks and then are booked in for your scan at 12 weeks where they will do bloods. That's the system I'm under anyway. My GP also sent an early referral to the EPU because I conceived very shortly after my miscarriage so I had an early scan at 7 weeks to check viability and to check everything was ok post miscarriage. As far as I'm aware it's very common to not see anyone during the very early stages though. My GP doesn't even do bloods so it will be at my 12 week check.

Try not to panic and just take each day as it comes. Hope that's of some comfort

 

[shadowofdoubt]

Cautiously posting here .. I’m 6 weeks pregnant today after basically over 9 years of infertility (1mc, 2 failed ivf rounds) and have no children

The first time round I was under the Welsh nhs and they were very quick to get my appointments booked, I believe I had both of them around the 6w mark? - even though sadly mc’d before 7 weeks.

We moved to England 2 years ago and I know they both run a bit differently. I’ve just done the self refer thing this morning and booked my first 2 appointments over the phone, but I realised they’re not until 8w for a telephone app and then 9ws for bloods etc
Is it normal to have no support until then? Or those appointments at that time ?

I know it’s only early pregnancy but with my history I guess it’s just a slightly worry about not having the support there if anything I’m unsure of is happening as my GP is crap!

So I’m in Northern Ireland and we don’t have anything until the booking appt at 12 week but I’d definitely get in touch and ask for a referral to EPU. My miscarriages weren’t on the system cos I moved here a few month before and they didn’t have my full file, but I had a panic around 6 weeks and EPU did a reassurance internal scan & booked me for two more every two weeks to keep an eye on everything with my history, they were honestly amazing. I’ve had a few private scans in between just cos sometimes it feels ages till the next one and that helped loads too xx

 

[Nayalove96]

So I’m in Northern Ireland and we don’t have anything until the booking appt at 12 week but I’d definitely get in touch and ask for a referral to EPU. My miscarriages weren’t on the system cos I moved here a few month before and they didn’t have my full file, but I had a panic around 6 weeks and EPU did a reassurance internal scan & booked me for two more every two weeks to keep an eye on everything with my history, they were honestly amazing. I’ve had a few private scans in between just cos sometimes it feels ages till the next one and that helped loads too xx

In wales you get referred to the midwife through your doctor where you get an appointment at 9 weeks and then they’ll book your scan etc which will take place at 12 weeks. Up until then we have nothing not even a test to confirm pregnancy x

 

[WhatABore]

How long after self referring to maternity services did you hear back? I did the online form at the weekend and wondering when to start worrying that it got lost in the ether!

With my area, we don't get contacted until just before our booki t appointment. So around 9 weeks we'd be contacted. Regardless of when we self refer

Cautiously posting here .. I’m 6 weeks pregnant today after basically over 9 years of infertility (1mc, 2 failed ivf rounds) and have no children

The first time round I was under the Welsh nhs and they were very quick to get my appointments booked, I believe I had both of them around the 6w mark? - even though sadly mc’d before 7 weeks.

We moved to England 2 years ago and I know they both run a bit differently. I’ve just done the self refer thing this morning and booked my first 2 appointments over the phone, but I realised they’re not until 8w for a telephone app and then 9ws for bloods etc
Is it normal to have no support until then? Or those appointments at that time ?

I know it’s only early pregnancy but with my history I guess it’s just a slightly worry about not having the support there if anything I’m unsure of is happening as my GP is crap!

We don't usually have anything until then.
In my area, booking appointments and bloods are done at 10 weeks and you don't hear anything before then.

You can call up your EPU and just ask though as sometimes they will offer you a scan if you've had reccurent miscarriages (usually in my trust, they only offer this if you've had 3 or more miscarriages though)

 

[Clickbait]

I remember being amazed that you don’t get the pregnancy confirmed by the GP, so other appointments are triggered and held without any proof of pregnancy!

 

[fairylights2000]

Exactly, what if I've imagined it all and get to the scan and there's nothing there? what if the midwife shouts at me for wasting their time!

 

[shadowofdoubt]

In wales you get referred to the midwife through your doctor where you get an appointment at 9 weeks and then they’ll book your scan etc which will take place at 12 weeks. Up until then we have nothing not even a test to confirm pregnancy x

It’s crazy isn’t it! Luckily I needed extra hormones as soon as I knew I was pregnant but even when I rang my doctor and told her she was like oh.. okay! I literally had no idea what to do and then you’re just left for weeks, convincing yourself there’s nothing there x

 

[Nayalove96]

It’s crazy isn’t it! Luckily I needed extra hormones as soon as I knew I was pregnant but even when I rang my doctor and told her she was like oh.. okay! I literally had no idea what to do and then you’re just left for weeks, convincing yourself there’s nothing there x

that was literally me x

 

[anything at all]

Good to know it’s normal that my appointments aren’t for 2-3 more weeks, thank you everyone

I did have a look into booking an early scan, my hospital offers them for a fee but I’m not sure if it would make me feel worse or better! Part of me wants to know everything is okay and progressing as it should be but I think I’d maybe worry about the smallest of things if something wasn’t quite right.

 

[pink_lemonade]

Did any of you experience painful cramping early on? Think I’m about 6+4 and getting what feels like “period pain” most days, it’s so bad just now it’s woken me up. This is my fourth pregnancy but never had a good outcome, and I didn’t have this with the rest. Trying to be optimistic and hoping this is a good sign that this one is the one that will be ok, but I’m also on progesterone so worried it’s my body trying to push something out but the progesterone is masking it. Got a scan on Thursday but terrified it’ll be bad news like all the previous pregnancies.

not sure if this will give you any peace of mind but I’m getting the same pains and I’m 5+4

I don’t suppose anyone here had Covid early in their pregnancy? I’m just under 6 weeks and my partner and I have caught it worried it could cause a miscarriage this early…

i am so glad to see this comment, I’m 5+4 and I’ve got covid, all the comments have put me to ease!

 

[ProphecyGirl]

Very TMI so I am sorry

Over the last few days I’ve been going for a everyday and normally I don’t do that..
I googled it and it said it means labour is close by? Has this happened to anyone before ?

 

[Nipslips]

Thanks for the reassurance everyone, you’ve made me feel a lot better Very mild symptoms so far thankfully! No existing respiratory issues and I’m fully vaccinated, I just keep reading that vaccines aren’t as effective against the new strains so got a bit worried.

I had a positive antigen today too and just waiting PCR result now. I have all the symptoms. I woke up this morning with a sore throat but just thought it was from the air con. Had pains earlier but after being on hold for 45 mins to a midwife I hung up. Pains went away. Gonna try call again in the morning…

 

[TreeTrunksApplePie]

Cautiously posting here .. I’m 6 weeks pregnant today after basically over 9 years of infertility (1mc, 2 failed ivf rounds) and have no children

The first time round I was under the Welsh nhs and they were very quick to get my appointments booked, I believe I had both of them around the 6w mark? - even though sadly mc’d before 7 weeks.

We moved to England 2 years ago and I know they both run a bit differently. I’ve just done the self refer thing this morning and booked my first 2 appointments over the phone, but I realised they’re not until 8w for a telephone app and then 9ws for bloods etc
Is it normal to have no support until then? Or those appointments at that time ?

I know it’s only early pregnancy but with my history I guess it’s just a slightly worry about not having the support there if anything I’m unsure of is happening as my GP is crap!

Yes, I had IVF so had an early scan at 6 weeks, but didn’t get my first NHS scan until just over 12 weeks, and had a midwife appointment around 8 I think. From speaking to others on here that’s pretty normal

I think I’ve mentioned on here before but pregnancy has made my 15 year long dormant asthma return, including the chronic cough I used to have which makes me sound like I smoke 40 cigarettes a day such fun post covid times. People move away from me.

Has anyone else had asthma while pregnant? I’m a bit worried about how I’ll manage as the pregnancy progresses. Already struggling with walking up stairs and I’m only 19+2

 

[Married2019]

I think I’ve mentioned on here before but pregnancy has made my 15 year long dormant asthma return, including the chronic cough I used to have which makes me sound like I smoke 40 cigarettes a day such fun post covid times. People move away from me.

Has anyone else had asthma while pregnant? I’m a bit worried about how I’ll manage as the pregnancy progresses. Already struggling with walking up stairs and I’m only 19+2

Me I've had severe asthma since being a small child. I'm on a fair whack of medication for it to keep it under control and I'm also under a respiratory consultant and respiratory nurse. They have told me being pregnant can either make your asthma worse (as in your case), make your asthma better to the point it doesn't effect you or have no change to your asthma. However if it's any consolation, from the leaflets they gave me, apparently there's a hormone that kicks in while you are in labour to ensure you don't have an asthma attack while giving birth- I thought that was pretty cool!

The time of year probably isn't helping you if you find pollen etc a trigger either. I'd recommend making an appointment to see your GP nurse and just ask for an asthma review if you can? She might check your peak flows and make a plan for you from there. I know you probably don't want to use inhalers after such a long time but I'd rather have a reliever on hand just in case lovely.