Fantastic, fabulous 40+ Mums-to-be! Part 3

[eagleray]

We've run out of space so here's a new thread so we can support each other and talk about the trials, tribulations and utter joy at being pregnant at 40+

All new members welcome

Can I join? I'm 42, probably about 14-18 weeks ish and a bit nervous. Since my husband had a vasectomy 10 years before we met, I never paid attention to periods so I don't really know when my last one was. I only found out on Boxing day that it wasn't the menopause , which, lets face it, is rather more common in women my age than pregnancy despite vasectomy! I'm waiting for a scan and trying to balance worry about money with excitement about the baby.

Just popping in for one of Eagle's muffins and to give her a hug. I totally promise you I was so unsure I was cut out to be a mum I refused to try for many years - then DD was born - despite failed induction and bad C sect and everything I felt totally right about being a mum. I did loads of stuff "wrong" by books but it was done with love and attention to DD and she is the greatest joy of my life in every second. So don't analyse too much (I am a pot calling kettles etc...) - focus on the good stuff and come and berate me when the bad sh1t happens ;))

Cyclecamper - what a magical love child you will have! Congratulations and great to have you on the thread. Especially as your name combines two of our favourite things!

Thanks for the hug and kind words Scarecrow - I feel like I am waiting for a flight but have no idea what day I am going and where! But bags have to be packed nevertheless... Meanwhile, please have another muffin as there are 10 left and there's a risk I will eat them all

Congratulations and welcome Cyclecamper! What an amazing story but I can imagine how shocked you must have been... Like Scarecrow, I spotted my fave hobbies in your name, although feel a bit sad that I didn't manage to go camping during pregnancy, and it's a bit late now! I hope your scan goes well - sounds like you have missed out on all the stress of those tedious/worrying first few weeks.

Aaah congratulations op. 41 and ELCS booked for Thursday!!! Wow what a shock but blimey talk about "what is meant for you will not pass you by"
I hope all goes well and don't forget 40's is the new 30's . My midwife says it's now the norm for babies to mums of our young age! X

eagle those last two weeks just drag......and as for being hormonal you're allowed to be! You've just done this amazing thing for the past 9 months amd your body is preparing itself for the next stage. Men will never get it - it truly is a miraculous event (and BTW think you'll be a brilliant mum...) Now pass one of those muffins across because they sound delicious!
cyclecamper lovely to see a new name on our shiny new thread. Congratulations on your pregnancy! Tell us a little more, is this your first? Have you had any MS?
scarecrow you always have such a lovely way with words. You're so right when it comes to parenting. It's a huge upheaval and much of the time you think you're doing it wrong - but then how can you be when you're doing it full of love and best intentions? I look back at the newborn days and am semi-dreading to return, but know again I'll do my best and that's all you can do. The new one will have love, cuddles and comforts whenever he needs.

As for me, waiting for 8am when the GP surgery opens. I think I've got sinusitis and definitely need antibiotics. DD spent until 10pm coughing last night. Really crossing fingers she'll be better today but am going to get her checked out too. DH isn't well either and will be around to midday to help then he's off to work. Have just text someone to see if they can help me with DD tmrw, but am hoping to feel much better if I can just get some antibiotics today. Oh the joys.....as for my work suspect I won't be back for the rest of the week - and thank god DH will be here all weekend coming up. I'll let you know what the GP says - first challenge of the day - get an appointment!

Knicky Hope the Dr sorts you out.

This is my first. I have a 21 year old stepson and a 16 year old stepson (who has asbergers), both of whom live with us, along with the elder one's gf. The 21 year old is going to be doing his uni finals when the baby arrives. The 16 year old is panicking that he's going to have to be a good example.

Fortunately, no ms at all. I did get so tired that I thought I had ME or worse though. I might have diagnosed the pg a bit earlier if I'd been sick!

cycle you've been lucky to have missed the MS but appreciate that a little MS may have given you a heads up that something else was going on . How lovely with little one being your first. Lots of experienced and non-experienced mums on this thread so you're in good company.

scarecrow the dizziness....I've been thinking could it be low blood pressure related? I only suggest that because I had terrible bouts of dizziness with DD. Mostly on waking and would slowly get better during the day. The only thing that helped was drinking lots more including those fizzy isotope sports drinks and eating more salty food. I remember the midwife saying that low blood pressure was good during pregnancy but I think I thought it can't be good if it makes me want to faint all the time

Got the elusive GP appointment albeit with the nurse practitioner. DD,DH and I are all going at 10.30 to get checked out. DD is still asleep! She must be shattered! Bit embarrassing though, the receptionist commented that I sounded dreadful which promptly made me burst into tears! Sympathy gets me every time when I feel awful.....

cycle you've been lucky to have missed the MS but appreciate that a little MS may have given you a heads up that something else was going on . How lovely with little one being your first. Lots of experienced and non-experienced mums on this thread so you're in good company.

scarecrow the dizziness....I've been thinking could it be low blood pressure related? I only suggest that because I had terrible bouts of dizziness with DD. Mostly on waking and would slowly get better during the day. The only thing that helped was drinking lots more including those fizzy isotope sports drinks and eating more salty food. I remember the midwife saying that low blood pressure was good during pregnancy but I think I thought it can't be good if it makes me want to faint all the time

Got the elusive GP appointment albeit with the nurse practitioner. DD,DH and I are all going at 10.30 to get checked out. DD is still asleep! She must be shattered! Bit embarrassing though, the receptionist commented that I sounded dreadful which promptly made me burst into tears! Sympathy gets me every time when I feel awful.....

Thought I'd join in, seen the 40 mum to be thread before but it looked too long to join in. Am 42 and 23 weeks pregnant with no 2. Got a four year old DD. This time round I've had horrible morning sickness and struggled to put on weight, but am now on meds and doing nicely. Actually really like my body this time round - finally. Must admit I don't actually feel old at all cyclecamper I don't know many women who've started the m/p at 42!!! That's very early - a few of of my 42/43 year old friends are still having children - and I was told the other day I looked 28. So here's to motherhood in my 40s!!!

Ooh lovely to see the new names - welcome!

Knicky feel your pain we are all still ill/ bandaged here. Dp now gone down with it too.

Eagle I feel your tears it's completely cosmic

Scarecrow more fab advice

Will have a muffin please

Hugs to all xxxx

Still too out of it to post properly but am lurking xxx

CareerGirl too! Welcome. Worth starting a new thread to encourage some new faces. Only rule is nobody who's more than 26 wk pg can join or Somewhere and I will never get above half way up the list (will post new one later unless sb else does) ...let alone actually have a baby!

Knicky so hope you all get good treatment. Big sympathy waves to you and family Somewhere. Really feel for you being so poorly and not being able to curl up and be looked after. I will hang out in the lounge after work and administer hot drinks, sympathy and tempting nibbles

Seen GP today and not blood pressure - though you have excellent instinct Knicky as usually have v low bp. Also not ears or whatever else she checked. Having blood test in couple of hours to rule out anaemia. My instinct is pg /lo fine, but just thought better to rule things out systematically. Plus I get to hang out in Costa with hot buttered toast & marmalade and "work"!! Talking of which, had better get back to it....

Take care all x

Good morning all!

I have dug out the links for all the previous threads related to this one - thought it would be useful as we tend to fill up the threads quickly and there are some great bits of information on them (you could do a word search on virtually any pregnancy-related condition and will see that one or other of us has had it at some point!)

Just to confuse things, although we are now on part 3, there were actually 3 threads before that - I have included the date periods as well so that you can see which thread covers which period.

On top of that, there is the Grads thread, over in the Parenting section. Most of the posts seem to be made in the middle of the night and hot topics are feeding, nappies, sleeping, not sleeping and Ewan the Sheep.

Thread 1 6/3/12 - 8/6/12
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/1422018-40-mums-to-be

Thread 2 8/6/12 - 8/10/12
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/1490739-Fantastic-40-Mums-To-Be

Thread 3 8/10/12 - 14/1/13
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/1582544-Fantastic-40-Mum-to-be-part-2

Thread 4 14/1/13 -
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/1659559-Fantastic-fabulous-40-Mums-to-be-Part-3

Grads Thread 10/10/12 -
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/parenting/1584834-Fantastic-40-Mums

Welcome and congratulations Careergirl - sorry to hear about the horrendous morning sickness. I got off quite lightly with that one, but other ladies here have suffered terribly.

Knicky - I hope all went well at the surgery - I find too that kind words/sympathy normally make me come over all emotional (nearly had tears at the checkout the other day when the assistant did a sympathetic face)

Scarecrow - hope you get your blood test results soon - Hb levels is a good one to get ruled out. I was borderline low a couple of months ago and started taking Spatone, only for the levels to divebomb over the following few weeks (although strangely my only real symptom was elevated pulse). I have been on an aggressive plan of attack since then with Ferrous Sulphate 3x per day and seen a pretty impressive rise in that time. Meanwhile, enjoy your Costa time

Somewhere - sorry for all your pain/illness

Cyclecamper - sounds like you have a busy household! I hope they all do their bit to accommodate the new arrival and look after you.

Plumber just been to look at leak in hallway - he's located rogue pipe and returning later in week to fix. Am just so glad it's not a catastrophic job involving dismantling the bathroom. It's a lovely sunny day here so am just going to concentrate now on enjoying the rest of the day.

Meanwhile, DP has finally started consulting his pregnancy book for men in order to understand what is going on, cue lots of questions from him now that he should bloody well have been asking several months ago It's just the same when we go on holiday - I plan everything and he nods vaguely then he starts researching the holiday when we are on the plane...

eagle thank goodness it's not just me with the emotions! A sympathetic face at the pharmacy today would have floored me today into a heap of tears.....Fab work BTW with fishing out the previous threads with dates. Oh and just to say your DP sounds like my DH. I do all the research on everything from holidays to new furniture. Seems to me my DH just seems to pitch up and give his final nod to OK things (though in fairness I don't think he's ever not gone with my suggestion). But had it not been for the NCT with our DD, he'd have NEVER had done any research into pregnancy or babies on his own. I bought him a pregnancy book for men but I'm fairly sure it's never been opened (except by me trying to persuade him to read it...)
careergirl another new name! Lovely stuff and congratulations. So sorry to hear about the MS, me and somewhere had a bit of a rough time with MS at the beginning of our pregnancies. Yours sounds as if it was horrendous though, so big sympathies.
scarecrow the GP could be onto something there with possible anaemia. In a way, I hope it turns out to be just that because it sounds fairly solveable by what eagle says.

AFM, well turns out I have sinusitis, DH has tonsillitis and DD is OK except getting over a nasty virus. Really is a sick house here. I've been given erythromycin which I'm almost tempted not to take as it always seems to give me a terrible tummy upset. I'm allergic to penicillin so choice of drug is limited. Another day at home for us all tmrw methinks.

Do they serve honey and lemon drinks in the coffee lounge??

Hello Cyclecamper "waves" You sound surprised to be here! You've got even more of a gap than I have. DD is 14, and DH's kids are 18 and 16 (2nd relationship for both of us). I thought it was the menopuase rather than pg, as I'm 45!

scarecrow Eagleray I was so unsure about being a Mum...I thought I would leave DD on a bus or something...but it was fine when it actually happened! I was so stressed about 'doing everything properly', that I forgot to enjoy it....I think it's going to be quite different this time round.

Damash Ooh, that's exciting....So soon! 40 is the new 30? New 20! We're all so fiendishly cool, how could it not be

Ooh, knicky, look after yourselves...sinusitis is horrid. Sending virtual lemsips in your direction xxx

Hi Careergirl "Waves"... Most of DD's schoolfirends thought I was in my late 20s (they must all need glasses), but I was happy!

somewhere passes the muffins ...sending love and lemsips!

scarecrow Not low bp? At least you get cake!

Eagleray Keep leaving the pg books around in front of DH...but is the same in our house....I organise and everyone else goes along...grrr!

knicky DD watches me, not the TV, because I cry about ANYTHING! Hope the antibiotics work...I know the problem, DD and I are allergic to lots of antibiotics...

My big news. Went to the FMC yesterday for the results of the Harmony Test. They were brilliant, less than 1 in 10,000 chance of any trisomy, and that was confirmed by the Nuchal Transluceny Test. They were really thorough, and spent aged on the scan. The baby was terriby wiggly, and spent most of the time showing the Dr its bum. Wouldn't even respond to my bf's Nanny voice!

So am extremely relieved, and tired, and happy!!!

Hello BadMissM "waves back" I'm not so much surprised as totally shocked! I knew when I met my husband that I was choosing not to have children of my own so I'm somewhat floored to find the situation changed! I never had any doubts about wanting children - I've been a nanny for 22 years and I've always wanted children of my own. Gaining an 11 and 16 year old when their father moved in with me wasn't quite the same .

I'm glad all your tests were satisfactory, that sounds like a big relief!

knicky that all sounds really nasty, hope you are all better very soon.

I'm off to an interview for a temp job now, so fingers crossed. It's only 3 days next week, but it'll help pay the rent this month!

Sorry Damash - not sure how I missed you before but wishing you all the very best for Thursday! Very exciting, and hope you are able to come back and tell us all about it as soon as you are able!

Great news BadMissM - takes me back to the day I got the full results of my amnio and could almost hear the stress rushing out of me. I have a friend who is newly-pregnant at 43 and been trying to pass on info regarding Harmony/FMC

Just home from my acupuncture session - baby very quiet in the hours before the appt, then as soon as the needles went in she got very busy (then got hiccups). When I was walking back to my car, I could barely walk due to the feeling of pressure very low down - no idea if it's related but was odd as felt absolutely fine beforehand!

hello all

knicky sorry you're in a house of sickness at the moment - hope it gets better soon. Totally there with the emotions too - even adverts at the bus stop can get me going, let alone sympathy. A deluxe honey and lemon drink coming right up.

badmissm that's just brilliant honey! So pleased for you! - or maybe not . Cracking open the metaphorical champagne for you. Setting off a metaphorical firework in the elegant, if slightly wintery, outdoor space of the coffee lounge.

eagle superb work on the fabulous 40s archive. It makes it all seem really proper... reading that first thread is a like an origins prequel of a superhero franchise if you know what I mean - I never knew it was LRM what started it all! Then horseygirl dropped in and she was clearly just dabbling but then hey, it's Valium Queen! She only says one sentence but as we know she is a Major Player in the over 40s community. And LRM says 'my cobwebby old womb' - sorry but that had me in hysterics. it's like watching young Spock and Kirk in that Star Trek prequel. Legends in the making.

scarecrow hope your ailment improves. I think iron is a good candidate - and to be honest even if they test and they say it's ok, try some floradix or spatone it can't do any harm. You work so hard you are such a trooper - you and knicky seem to be in the same boat of not much sleep and working flat out - i raise a toast to your sheer stamina.

damash 40 is the new 30 - LOVE IT! it solves a lot!

cyclecamper first pregnancy is shocking - it's a complete rupture with everything one has known. I was pretty old when i first got PG and I had worried for years it would never happen and when it happened all I could think is 'I'm not ready! This is too soon!" Good luck with your interview.

river you were on here recently so going to wave

AFM I went to the midwife today - fundal height ok 28 cm at 28 weeks and the heartbeat good and variable.

I also went to the children's clinic with DS - at the weekend he got his hand trapped in an escalator. Actually can't bear to talk about it. DP was with him rather than me - I was lower down the escalator and DP was helping DS climb the escalator (he is a mad one for climbing anything that looks climbable) when he tripped and got his hand caught. All I can say is God bless the NHS, from the paramedics to the emergency staff to the hand surgeon to the dressings person to the hand physio. God bless them. Today his dressing were changed and there's no infection. Amazingly his prognosis is near as dammit 100% recovery - nobody will ever be able to say for sure it's 100% but nobody would be able to say it's not. It was his left hand. Anyway this is the kind of drama I can do without! I pray for a boring boring life from now on!

xxx

somewhere OMG!!! That's must have been so scary. I have always been a bit paranoid about escalators since I saw someone get caught in an old one at Sloane Sq tube station years ago.... Thank the gods that the help was swift and effective. So glad your DS is progressing well and that the LO fine too xxx

I have one of those lives that other people find exciting... I wish there were less dramatic events! I too want a boring life....! Thanks for the fireworks!

cyclecamper I hardly rushed into motherhood, had DD when I was 31, but will be 46 by the time LO is born in July! The first time I did think, "Stop, I'm not ready, I want to go home now!' I think I'm maybe a little calmer this time round... This must be a total shock to the system!

Eagle I was so glad someone put me onto the FMC.... it has lifted an enormous weight off of my mind. Especially as my PCT don't offer the scan, I was so lucky I managed to go for it when I did! It's going to mean I can enjoy this pregnancy!

DD's birthday tomorrow, and party Saturday, so have to find some way of tidying tip of a house between doing everything else! One very excited teenage girl bouncing around!

Good to start new thread with the stats list. As usual please rectify mistakes or at me and I will

I've updated the stats list ...

GRADUATED
10000Fireflies, DS, 21 June 2012, EMCS
Hpbp (now Blueblackdye), 41, DS1 almost 4yo, DD2 Anastasia, 29 July 2012, VB
bytheseaside, DD1, 25th/26th September, EMCS (six weeks early)
Firstbubba, DS Jamie born 2 Oct, EMCS
Littleredmonkey 43, DS1 Dylan, 4th October EMCS
Fjordmor 41, DD1, 3 Oct, EMCS
Midget 41, DC2 16 Oct VB, but EMCS for placenta
Mrs”Oldandcobwebby”45, DD1, ELCS 19/10
Exexe, DC3, due for ELCS 17/10?
ValiumQueen 43, DC3 for ELCS 25/10. Jacob
Knottyhair DC2 Rosa b 17/12 ELCS 8lb 1oz

PG
Crazyforbaby, 44, DC6 due early Jan
ClickingTock, 40, DC2 due early Jan, sex a surprise (although sonographer has probably spoiled it...)
Eagleray, 41, DC1 due 18/1 Girl
Damash12, 41, DC2, due 29 Jan ELCS booked 17/1
Riversidelibrary, 42, DC1 due 29/1, Boy
Swanlike, 41, 31/1
Nananaps, 42, due Feb?
Spiderbabymum, 40, due Feb?
TheNoodles, 41, DC1 due 14/3
Knickyknocks, 40, DC2 due 17/3
MrsWooster, 45, DC2 due 31/3/13 (a palindrome!) girl
Somewherebecomingrain, 40, DC2 girl due 11/4
Scarecrow22, 42, DC2 due 22/4 prob ELCS at 39/40 (DD b 12/10)
BadBuddha 42, DC2 due 5/5
Blundermum 40, DC2 due early May?
Onemoreforgoodmeasure, 40, DC1 due 06/06
Siri1, 41, DC1 due 12 June
Lotsofcheese, DC2?, due June?
BadMissM, 45, DC2, due 22/7
Cyclecamper, 42, due July/Aug
Newchoos, 40, DC2?, due July/Aug?
ScubaSarah, 39 (40 soon!), due July 22-Aug 1
CaliBee, 42, DC4 due Aug (1st DC for DP), with our hopes & support
Remnant, 43, DC2, due Sept
Buzzbee, 40, DC2, due Sept?

Reminds me we have been missing some lovely ladies off thread, especially hope Riverside and Calibee doing okay in their different ways x

Finally back from work. Family in bed :( But had an Innocent Veg Pot (Thai curry, yu-um). Sorry missed lounge but hope the friendly midwife I asked dropped in to administer hot toddies, sympathy and reassurance... Matthew MacFadyen/McConoghey I put off as figured many of us not feeling up to it

BadMiss so so thrilled for you, and what a wonderful birthday pressie for DD. Families Somewhere & Knicky get well soon. Eagle in still loving image of the eagle rays where you were on that "special" holiday, and feel any child begot in such natural waters is blessed. Sorry if I've missed news, need sleep before the 4am requests for "Twinkle, Twinkle" begin...
Night all

scarecrow thank you for posting the stats - can't do anything remotely useful whilst on this blackberry. Crikey, eagle and river are almost at the top - and I need to have a look back at the old thread - and it might be me losing my marbles but I sort of remember crazyforbaby posting she had her baby? I'll have a check......mmm different note - innocent Thai veg pot is yum. But quite righht suspect if Matthew Macthingymajig walked in to the lounge right now, I'd look at him wearily, from my pile of balsam tissues and hot toddies and ask him if he ouldn't mind popping back in a week or two
damash so sorry I haven't replied to your post before - ELCS all booked in for tomorrow? I hope things go smoothly and quickly - looking forward to hearing your news when you can update.
somewhere bloody hell!!! You poor love - and poor DS - how scary. Thank god he's ok. I work closely with the medical profession, and most days I think I just take a bit for granted what they do, but honestly I hear stories like yours and think thank god they are there. They truly do a wonderful job, and sound as if they've been marvellous with DS. He's all safe and sound now. I think that's quite enough adventures for a while though.
eagle I swear that baby of yours is on the brink of starting their journey towards the light . I've had both acupuncture and reflexology and have only good things to say about them. It might be just the prompt baby needs to be making a move southwards.....
badmissm wonderful news from the FMC! So pleased for you all! It means you can at last relax backa little in the knowledge that everything looks as wonderful as it possibly can. Who said that us 40 somethings are past it??? Well , they're bloody well wrong!

Waves to cycle, careergirl, river and anyone else I've missed off the list.

As for the sick bay over here, we're slowly getting better, no work or nursery for any of us today, but we all slept very well last night and that has definitely helped. Another couple of days and think we'll all be right as rain. Until then, still going with the paracetamol and hot alcohol-free toddies (a splash of brandy doesn't count does it?? )

PS scarecrow just noticed the time you posted and you saying you just got back from work? Sounds like a very long day, hope today is a far shorter day for you and bump XX