March 2011 - rolling on into the second trimester

[Muser]

We filled the first thread, time for a new one. Anyone and everyone due in March 2011 are welcome.

Purplefan - I think you are amazingly brave. Love and best wishes for the rest of your pregnancy to you and your little girl.

Muser - I too had a midwife appointment yesterday and got to hear the heartbeat. It's wonderfully reassuring isn't it? Am toying with the idea of buying a doppler at the moment.

Gem - No real baby bump here either (I'm 16+2) it just looks likes the remains of a massive lunch!

Welcome to Geisha :)

I too have signed up for NCT classes early after hearing they get very oversubscribed. DH is a bit concerned as someone at work told him that they did role play at theirs and had to pretend to be a foetus(!) I think they might have been trying to scare him personally.

xx

gem don't worry! My DH's manager is pg with twins and is due the day before me - she doesn't look pg at all, whereas I look like I am carrying a litter! Everyone is different, and as I am on my third I think a lot of stretching has happened. BTW I was fit enough to run a marathon when I got pg this time, so I would imagine a lot of my bump is the result of no longer burning 3000 calories a week and stuffing myself with rubbish!!

larty I would go for the earlier class if you can make all the sessions - missing two is quite a chunk of the course. As you are due early March is won't make too much difference - you might just be the last of the group to pop! lol at clucky's DH - men get very scared at antenatal classes, I had a real job to get mine to come along.

Take care all xx

Gem I know what you mean. I am 17+6 today with DC1 and when dressed, pre dinner don't look at all pregnant (I'm only a size 10 as well).

At my last MW appointment she felt and said my womb had gone up a lot, and said taller women with long ish torsos (i.e. me!) often find the womb expands upwards before it goes out so it can take a while to show.

But it is a bit frustrating, I feel like a fraud saying I'm 4 months pregnant with basically no bump! The baby should be over 5 inches long too...

thanks girls, yes i am quite tall i suppose so maybe its just hiding away. Its such a scary time just waiting for my next app to hear the heartbeat!!. im sure i would know by now if something was not right. Im 16+1. Hopefull soon i will look pregers xx

for all you girls that arent showing, are you worried though or is it just me? i mean i wouldnt mind if i was sure everything was ok but i keep thinking the worst and really i have no reason to, just the unknown i guess x sorry to go on

14+4 atm and aren't really showing... but... the button on my trousers just broke so I'm guessing I'm bigger even if its not baby yet :(

-sigh- I've had a crappy day, think I might even cry! I can't even eat my feel good chocolate because thanks to LO since it sets of headaches. I suppose I better just fix my trousers and go to bed.

Gem if you are really that worried phone your midwife or GP and get it checked out. Don't stress yourself like this.

Just as I thought things were looking up I get a call today following on from my nuchal/Downs screening to advise that I'm high risk - 1 in 129. Have appointment to see the screening nurse tomorrow afternoon. Am gutted and shocked - mainly because I was told that if I was high risk I would have been called by yesterday teatime - so as I hadn't heard I thought all was well. Have been in a very emotional state since and now am fearing the worst. DH and I had already agreed that if I was high risk then we would proceed with the diagnostic tests (don't know yet if I'll be offered CVS or Amnio). Though am really worried because of risk of miscarriage. Can't believe this has happened - have had really difficult past 3 weeks due to bleeding and now this! Can anyone give me any advice please as I'm struggling to keep it together x

oh goodness Chickiewoo......thats sad news i am so sorry to hear that. I wish i could help. I dont have any experience in this atall and its my first. All i am going to say is try and keep calm tonight,and get some sleep and tomorrow you will be able to see the screening nurse who will be able to give you a clearer picture.

It still doesnt mean 100 percent that the baby will have downs.

I only know of the amnio and the possible risk of a m/s.

My thoughts and prayers are with you both tonight. Please let me know what they say tomorrow.

Remember though it isnt certain and you could still have a perfectly normal baby.

Thinking of you xx

dont cry Catherine, tomorrow will be better i hope.

I am so thankful and feel really stupid now for worrying over something so little after reading what poor Chickiewoo has gone through today.

take care all xx

Oh chickie what a nightmare and a stress for you. I know they say it's high risk, but surely 1 in 129 means 128 babies will not have Downs and 1 will? So less than 1% chance that your baby has Downs? Not sure if that is at all reassuring or hopeful for you. I can't imagine how stressed and frightened you must be, you poor thing. Best wishes to you and yours over the coming days as you get more info xx

Gem it's ok, don't feel stupid, its not stupid to worry about your baby. Pregnancy worrying is particularly weird because you can't go and see your baby to check its ok. I get ever so panicky between appointments and convince myself that something has gone wrong and the baby has died . I hope it gets easier when we start to feel movement. To be honest, I would like a little window so I can keep checking everything is ok in there.

Had a total panic today, as for the first time this pregnancy I went to the loo and there was brown discharge. I shook at my desk for about an hour feeling really sick before I dared go and check again in case there was actual blood. Seems to have gone away again, but it's completely terrifying and so hard not to be able to reassure yourself.

Chickiewoo I'm so sorry you are goign through this worrying time, please remember this result does not mean your baby will have a chromosomal disorder. I wish you all the best.

I have found some info on cvs and amnio on thr royal college of obs and gynaes here www.rcog.org.uk/womens-health/clinical-guidance/amniocentesis-and-chorionic-villus-sampling-green-top-8

There is also a support network for those going through antenatal testing and I have heard excellent things about them here is the link www.arc-uk.org/

That must be so scary for you chickiewoo. But 1 in 129 sounds low risk to me. It is less than a 1% chance. So there's more than 99% chance that everything will be fine. If you think about it that way does it sound better to you? I guess probably not. But I will be thinking the best for you.

Hi Chickiewoo,
I had a high risk downs with my son, 3 years ago, it was a very similar risk to yours. Me and my husband decided to go for the amnio as we both felt we needed to know one or the other. The procedure itself was not as bad as what I thought it would be. Felt like a big pressure on my stomach. The next day I did end up back at the hospital as had a leakage of fluid but after what seemed like forever they found his heartbeat. I had the procedure on the Monday and they rang with the results on the Wednesday so very quick, although felt like a lifetime. I don't think I've ever cried so much in my life as when she told me my baby was fine. Its very much a personal choice and I hope that tomorrow they are able to help give you some more information about your options.

Thinking of you x

Hi all,
Thanks for all your lovely comments, it means alot to have you guys around

Chickie After all you have been through with the bleeding etc, the first thing you need to do is try and stay calm. As Spilt says 1 in 129 means that 128 babies will be fine.
You will need to way up the odds of the amnio or CVS risks against the odds of a chromosome problem.

I was told CVS was 1 in 100 compared to odds of 1 in 5 of a problem for me it was a no brainer!
Wait and see what they say tomorrow - ask if they picked up too much fluid around baby or was it just based on bloods?

They will look after you Chickie.. stay strong hon x

Oh chickie more worry for you. While I know its scary when they say high risk, I agree with Muser there is a far higher chance that your baby will be okay. Thinking of you x

Hi there,

Could I join you please?

First baby due 1st March.

And if I may, Chickiewoo, all the very best for tomorrow hugs

Thank you all for your kind wishes and support - I take comfort from all of you. I've also done some research tonight on MN and on the ARC website which has helped me understand a little better and given me a steer on what questions to ask tomorrow. My appointment is 3.30 p.m so will update tomorrow night once DS is tucked up in bed. Night night xx

Night night chickiewoo, good luck for tomorrow.

hi chickiewoo - I've been following this thread for a while as due with my 2nd (DD 2.8) at beginning of March. Working full-time at the moment so I just drop in to read and don't post.
However did want to say that I am in the same situation as you - got a call to say I am 1 in 149 risk, so just into high. Was already high for my age (38) but bloods were 'slightly out' according to midwife.
I freaked out when I got the call and arranged to go for a chat a couple of days later. However after spending 24hrs thinking about it & looking into it we (my DP & I) cancelled the appt. We've taken the 'whatever will be' approach.

Faced with the choice I knew I couldn't personally take a higher risk of miscarriage through amnio or indeed probably bring myself to not go ahead with the pregnancy even if I discovered the baby had Downs.
This is not to try and influence any decision of yours. I just know that I completely calmed down about the situation once I rationalised it all in my head and literally slept on it. It all didn't seem so bad 24hrs later so I hope you feel this way too.

For what its worth I know 2 girls who had high risk around the time my daughter was born - 1:40 (she had amnio & no downs) and 1:145 (didn't have amnio & no downs). And someone who now has a beautiful little girl with Downs who had a risk factor of 1:4000. Seems incredible, but just shows that despite whatever risk factor you get there is always the chance you could be that one (which I'm sure they will say to you tomorrow!).
High risk is actually quite common, especially when related to blood tests so don't feel you are alone in going through this. Hope your appt goes ok and will be looking out to see how you get on.x

Hellos all.

purple well done on coming to your decision.

chickie sorry to hear your test results, and hope you get some good info from your appt today.

Re. antenatal classes, I looked up on the NCT website and the class near me for the dates I am due is not one that goes in evenings for several weeks, rather it is a more intensive one which is 2 full days instead (one full day one weekend and the 2nd full day the next weekend) - apparently the course content is the same as the evening ones its just less spread out. The cost is £150 so not as high as I feared. What does everyone think about this way of doing the course??? Do you think there is less chance of making friends as you won't be seeing people week in week out but only meet twice? or could there be more chance to get to know people, as you have a whole day together rather than just a couple of hours at a time? Any thoughts?

Oh Chickie so sorry to hear that you are still going through the mill. Hope that your appointment today helps to clarify things for you.

Superpenguin - I don't think doing your NCT intensively over 2 days means you are less likely to get to know people. I think it's much more down to who the people are in the group and whether you "mesh" IYKWIM.

Happy Friday everyone xx

Oh, and welcome to MummyGeorgie :)

Chichie - thinking of you.

Purple - very pleased that you and family have made a decision.

Hello to everyone.

I have finished work now, so just getting organised at home and with the kids. I found it quite difficult being home when they were younger but feel really ready for it now. Have loads of uni reading to do for next year and am starting a french course in October so still feel like I am retaining "me".

Pregnancy wise, still being sick but less and less, uite tired if I let myself sit down for more than 15 mins.

Me23 - very jealous of Dara - although would lurrrrrvvee to see Michael McIntyre he is y absolute fave.

Hi ladies,

great to see you again - I've been away for a week, so it is good to be able to return and read over the conversation.

But my gosh, chickie and purplefan I just can't believe the ups and downs you've had to go through. My heart just goes out to you both. I'm also so impressed by your strength - I'm sending you thoughts of luck.

As for me, I just had my first scan. All good - the baby is rather wiggly. It was squirming about all over the place, just lovely. When I get a chance, I'll update the stats with my new due date - 29th March. Guess this makes me one of the group's "late bloomers".

On the upside, I'll learn from you all as you progress one step ahead of me. On the downside, I will have heard all your gruesome labour stories....

Oh I think we need a rule that once we start giving birth we set up another thread in postnatal or similar and save the birth stories for there. That way people who want to read can go over there, and people (i.e. me) who would rather pretend that they are going to cough and produce a baby will be able to continue with their (i.e. my) delusions.

Congrats on your scan Pip.