Pregnancy #64

[opintionatedperson]

I'm barely pregnant, I'm only 6ish weeks now symptoms really sometimes I feel as I'm not even pregnant. However, I'm struggling to fall asleep I don't know had the pregnancy insomnia hit sooner or what , I'm tossing and turning I'm annoying myself.

Pointless message just needed to rant as my husband is snoring beside me

 

[ThisIsMyDragName]

My 16 week appointment wasn’t too bad. Got the whooping cough vaccine, had blood taken to check my iron levels because I have fatigue, breathlessness and heart palpitations as some sort of pregnancy holy trinity. They were absolutely perfect at 8 weeks but the midwife thought it was worth checking. The obstetrician has a ‘plan’ to manage my pregnancy being high risk (which is only because I’m fat and old and it’s my first pregnancy combined) but it all sounded ok and I kind of appreciate the extra monitoring. And I’ve been referred to physio therapy for my mad bladder problems and they’ve accepted the referral and I’ve already had a text to call for an appointment. Impressive! (Until I find out I can’t be seen till 6 years after the baby is born but it’s the thought that counts!) the conversation was less speedy and intense too. All in all, a much more positive and experience than I have had.

 

[hazmaz]

38 weeks and loving hearing that people have found it easier toddler + newborn than toddler + pregnant. I am struggling!!!!

 

[ThisIsMyDragName]

I had a private scan on Monday, measuring 10 weeks 3 days, saw heartbeat etc. The woman doing the scan said that baby looked fine but I’m now totally over analysing the scan photo as the baby’s forehead looks massive!! Would a private scan necessarily tell you if anything looked concerning? Did anyone else have a scan around this time and think the baby’s head looked huge? got my 12 week scan in a couple of weeks so trying to relax until then but it’s hard!

The private scan clinic I use (national chain, Ultrasound Direct I think they’re called) say that they will make onward referrals back into the NHS if they see anything that concerns them. The sonographer we’ve had started her career in the NHS before I was even born and this was her drop down to something less stressful pre-retirement (I think she is both a midwife and a sonographer), so I felt in incredibly safe hands with her. I really think that, regardless of where you go, if something looked troubling they’d advise you to go to EPU or maternity triage or give your midwife a call as appropriate.

I was also totally surprised when I went to my first scan where JuniorDragName was more than just a smudge and a heartbeat and they weren’t just sedately floating about. I have one scan picture which is ‘face on’ where it looks like an actual devil child/the son of that weird rabbit thing in Donnie Darko. So, whilst they do look a bit alien at first anyway till all their growing catches up with each other, their position relative to the scanner when the image is taken probably plays a part. Mine is often upside down no doubt over the heritage here…

 

[clmay]

We had the occaro travel system from mamas and papas, great for bumpy terrain. Then we had a cybex car seat with a swivel base that attached to the occaro. Mamas and papas sales assistant was great with helping sort this. We booked a personal shopping session and got freebies too. M&P tend to have a lot of offers on around bank hols so keep an eye out!

 

[Spencerskates]

Thank you for your reply and I’m so glad your work has been so accommodating. Maybe this sounds silly, but I’m worried they’ll think I’m being pathetic (it’s a very male heavy working place). I am glad I’ll have an excuse not to have to go to so many events and work dinners! You’re probably right… I’ve got an early scan on Sunday, so perhaps after that I might tell someone.

I actually found the men I work with to be better than the women - because they appreciate that they can’t understand how you feel. Whereas if a woman has had an ‘easy’ pregnancy she assumes you’re being dramatic. I had HG in both pregnancies and my boss said everyone has the same experience of pregnancy, some people just handle it better than others 🫠

 

[Hinchhater1442]

I had my NHS scan today and all looks good which is reassuring but now I’m convincing myself I still can’t tell anyone until my bloods are back to test for downs etc.. I bet after that I’ll find a new reason not to share the news!

 

[cupcake_face]

Anyone had to lie about why they are not drinking alcohol? I have a dinner and drinks night out on Friday with work. My TL will be the only one who is going knows the truth and she said she’s happy to lie with me. Do people really believe the old antibiotics excuse?

So I consider myself an expert in this field now after having to navigate several hen dos, bottomless brunches etc during early pregnancy! I find the best way to get through it is to try to go to the bar alone and ask them to give you a lemonade in a gin glass / alcohol free wine / mocktaik etc and just pretend. If it’s table service for drinks I find if you can sneak off “to the loo” and let them know at the bar they are usually dead good at telling you which alcoholic drinks to pretend to order then will bring you the non alcoholic version. Good luck haha

 

[Angrysue_]

Somebody please god give me some quick fix pain relief ( Wishful thinking I know)
I am 37+4 weeks pregnant and had pelvic girdle pain since 22 weeks. I am at the point now that I am slowly losing my patience with intense agony and not a single thing helping and never has.
I now have severe leg aches from the hips to heals of my feet. I CANNOT COPE!! I am a hormonal dramatic mess right now I know but jesus christ, Mary and f*King Joseph help me

 

[indeedjoy]

Hi I’m jumping in here. I’m currently 8wks 1day and my anxiety is through the roof. I went for a reassurance scan on Monday which measured me at 7wks 4 days, saw heartbeat etc so was absolutely over the moon. I’m struggling so much with panicking about eating the wrong thing, I’m googling everything and obsessing it’s such a lonely feeling because hardly anyone knows just now so I don’t have my friends who have had kids in the last few years to speak to as I’m scared to tell people in case I have to tell them something bad has happened. Was even wary to join on here but I just need to vent. I had a MC in 2023 and have just been unable to enjoy any of this first trimester.

You aren’t alone on the worrying I think all of us will have had some stage of worrying

Food wise I’d take it with a pinch of salt if you stick to your usual food you’d be fine - I personally have had some sushi and steak but from the same places I’ve always had it from

Try to not panic and get too stressed but I know what you mean I was poorly the fists trimester with hospital visits and then the flu and you do worry
Currently 18 weeks with a baby girl measuring perfect 🩷

 

[opintionatedperson]

Only 6 weeks here , I've nearly had an idea since 3 weeks that I was pregnant but this last week I've had zero symptoms...
I'm climbing the walls with anxiety

 

[MissP]

they wouldn’t let me, had to be 39 weeks+ though my concerns weren’t as great as yours, I asked simply because baby was supposed to be so large I was convinced I’d go early. The best they could do was bring it forward to 39+1. And I did go early the day before resulting in an EMCS.

It always has to be a balance with these things so they’ll be balancing mother’s mental health against babies lung development I would guess. I would think you’d have to prove your mental health is severely suffering for them to bring it forward.

I’ve got a blood test Tuesday so going to raise it with the midwife then. I can’t walk, sleep, stand without crutches, drive, cook meals, do laundry or anything ‘normal’. Feel like I’m being a shit parent to my existing child because I can’t put her to bed or pick her up and I guess I just want it to be over now. I’m really worried I’ll develop PPD / resent my baby if I’m forced to go longer and ensure this utter misery for another 2.5 weeks I don’t think it helps I’m not sleeping which amplifies everything x 50000.

 

[ThisIsMyDragName]

Have my first scan in a couple of days, where I will be 8 weeks. Am nervous as I still don't feel any symptoms at all but over the last few days I’m definitely noticing a bloated stomach. Did another test last night to ease my mind and still very much pregnant. Just hope there is something in there and that all is well. I just keep having this reoccurring thought that she will say there’s nothing there and I’ll be like of course there isn’t, what did you expect sure you felt nothing! But I’m sure those thoughts are all normal

I get pre-scan anxiety, I think it is normal but saying ‘it’s normal’ doesn’t make the anxiety go away! Everything in there is teeny tiny at this point and some people don’t feel much if anything going on symptom wise. We’re all different! Don’t forget there are some women who don’t know they’re pregnant till they go into labour yes, that’s pretty extreme but it happens, we all exist on a glorious spectrum. Going to keep everything crossed for you

 

[lilykestrel]

I'm grateful that I've not had actual sickness but 80% of the time I'm at that level of nausea like when you've tried to read in the car and you get a little ooooooop better stop that now feeling

 

[littlepup]

Re testing -

Spoiler: TW Background risk of Down’s syndrome in late 30s and beyond

The background risk of a baby with Down’s syndrome at 37 is 1/250, at 40 it’s 1/100, 42 1/70 and so on. So without any tests at all that would be your rate.

The test then takes into account other factors to give your overall score.
A 20 year old woman would have a background chance of 1/1500. So, and to simplify, a 20yro who’s given 1/350 after the test would have shown more markers (but still low) from the actual test than a 42 year old with a chance of 1/350 by the time it’s adjusted for the background risk.
I hope that makes sense.
I also think it sounds less concerning when you look at it as a % rather than an ‘out of’ figure. 1/20 would be 5%, 1/350 just 0.0028.

@Elisha97 I found a lot of the numbness was gone by the time I had a second baby but I felt them move months earlier and felt no different overall to the first time. My second scar runs from the same start point as the first overlapping for about 1cm and finishes about 6mm above it at the other end. The nerves affected/numbness is a bit different but it didn’t seem as though the first scar affected anything in pregnancy or recovery for the second.

 

[clmay]

Worth noting if you buy the occaro second hand you can take it to mamas and papas for a service for about £100-120. They clean it all up and can do repairs (additional cost) if required. Ours is there now for a spruce up before baby 2 arrives!

 

[littlepup]

Just to say baby pup measures consistently (over 5 odd scans) in the 90% - off the scale range. Predicted 10lb and they said they were already 8lb at something like 36wks. Arrived at 39+1wks at 7lb7.

 

[ahtisyourself]

Dear god I am feeling murderous today and my work colleagues are being exceptionally irritating. I hate everyone.

 

[Shinythings]

It’s like I’m breathing fire right now I’m on omeprazole which I swear by but it’s not doing anything at this stage so I’m just sucking deflatines at a rapid rate

Yoghurt (particularly Greek natural) was a godsend. Also helps support your natural gut bacteria which can help.

 

[Spencerskates]

The best advice I heard the first time around about anxieties is that bad mums don’t worry if they’re a good mum or not, so just the fact that you’re worrying shows that you are a good mum.

My mum is very superstitious too and was mortified when we bought (and brought home!) our pram before I was even 12 weeks pregnant with baby Skates number one, but it was on such a good deal we couldn’t refuse.