The CBFM Graduates Vol 1

[StormBird]

We have got to know each other pretty well during our TTC journey's so have created this thread on Chocciechips advice (hope she doesn't mind!!) so we can all contintue to support one another through our pregnancies.

Welcome................

Hey storm thankyou so much for creating this. I will go on the other thread too but it's kind of nice to have this one so that it doesnt come across as insensitive going on and on about scans and stuff all the time.

xxx

Thanks storm and hiya kitty. Just reserving my place and saying hi. I also plan to keep popping into the other thread. After all the TTC studying I've done during the last two years, it seems at total waste to not share knowledge gained with others still trying hard to get that BFP!!

More importantly, I hope we'll see more people joining us; I actually get tears in my eyes when someone expresses their total despair, remembering how I felt exactly the same way. I'll never ever forget that feeling. And I think I've dropped off two threads in the TTC forum when members there got BFPs and started talking about PGs among themselves, so I'm very sensitive the the pain that can cause when struggling to get there (or maybe I am just hyper-hyper sensitive after all this time.)

Glad you guys were up to this because I've also been struggling to find a proper 'home' in these early days, and haven't felt totally connected to anyone on other threads either.

Hello!!! So glad this thread has been created!...I'm still on the CBFM one...but read more than write these days, as don't want to go on about pregnancy stuff, and p*ss everybody off .

Never joined an anti-natal thread as never confident enough because of previous history.

This feels much more like home .
I'm 17 weeks today, and growing by the day!...

As Chocciechip said I will still watch over the thread, and hopefully be able to help, as we all have a vast knowledge of the Monitor! and all that goes with!.

Hope all doing well, and look forward to chatting soon X

Hi Ladies,

Oh Choccie I do know what you mean about getting teary eyed when there are others still TTC in total despair about it - I do too!!!

I'm on other threads - never felt totally comfortable either. Sometimes I feel a bit like I'm intruding!!! It already feels like home hear.

Hi Kitty nice to see/hear/read you (whatever LOL)

WOW anytime and welcome. 17 weeks already. Doesn't time fly. Hope you are well.

Should we do a stats list?

XX

Maybe something like this:

StormBird BFP 10/11/10 - EDD 14/7/11

If anyone has a better idea let me know??

Hi anytime. I know exactly how you feel. I joined the 'freak out' thread in the conception forum but it moved too fast for me and I just didn't feel I would ever get to know anyone there properly. Like you, I can't bring myself to gravitate to pregnancy or ante-natal forums so its nice to move over in a group (chicken that I am ). I've had two MCs and this is the longest a bean has stuck with me so far. But I still feel a real threat of things going possibly wrong hanging over my head. I sometimes think its churlish to mention that fear in the CBFM ttc thread when in many respects I am so lucky to have finally got the elusive BFP. I know how much I wished to have the bfp and have those worries when I was struggling to get there. But now I'm here, its fairly scary and quite sh*t at times, isn't it. We trade one set of fears for another. Anyway, I am 10 weeks today, based on last scan measurements.

kitty Good luck for tomorrow. x

storm I would usually steer clear of lists for fear of jinxing things but I don't feel so threatened by it on this thread. I think we've shared so much pain already I could probably share the pain of a mc as well if it came to that.

How about including whether its first, second child etc as well? Ages...? I don't know, but I always felt reassured to see older women on lists even though it has no implications for my own luck of course. In fact, its usually the first thing I scan lists for !

And do you think we should keep it in order of who is first in the group to give birth? Which means you may well be leading the pack!

StormBird DC?, age ?, BFP 10/11/10 - EDD 14/7/11
Chocciechip DC#1, age 39, BFP 11/01/11 - EDD 20/09/11

Just a quick one!! wanted to add my digits before list gets too big .

AnytimeNow DC#3 age 39 BFP 20/11/10 - EDD 02/08/11

Will be back soon, and have a proper catch up! just watching my ebay stuff...bidding on a support belt, how very glam! .

Good luck with scans Tomorrow XX

thanks for good wishes ladies i will write more tomorrow when less anxious. xxx

Just a quick one

DC: 1 (kind of) age 34 BFP 30/12/10 EDD 11/09/11

hope im not jinking by writing it down before the scan

The Stats:

StormBird DC#1, age 28, BFP 10/11/10 - EDD 14/7/11
AnytimeNow DC#3 age 39 BFP 20/11/10 - EDD 02/08/11
Ilovekittyelise DC#1 (kind of) age 34 BFP 30/12/10 - EDD 11/09/11
Chocciechip DC#1, age 39, BFP 11/01/11 - EDD 20/09/11

I'm loving the new stats !!!! Thats a much better idea than mine Choccie

Can't believe I'm first on the list though, surely there are some more graduates lurking around somewhere???? Hopefully we will be joined by more that have already graduated and lots of new ones too!

Boba if you're lurking about......good luck with your scan tomorrow. Hope to see you added to the stats too.

Kitty lots of luck to you too. I have good feelings about these imminent scans. Hope everything goes well.

Will be thinking of you both.

Anytime forgive my ignorance but what is a support belt? Is it for your back - or is it a pregnancy gadget??? Hope your bid wins!

Congrats Choccie on reaching the 10 week mark, thats brilliant news. Not long now until you have reached that 12 week milestone. I can sympathise with how you are feeling about being PG but try to stay positive hun. I really hope everything goes well for you.

I'll be 20 weeks tomorrow. Not too much of a bump yet but its got a bit of flab to get through first before I look PG LOL!!! Baby has been quite active rolling about in there as I am beginning to feel more and more movements.

Will post again soon XXX

Hello! I'm back! and yes won my maternity belt!!!
StormBird the belt is to help support my ever stretching skin, and sore ligaments, I've had two c-sections and surgery a year later to tidy up the mess they made of the sections!(like a tummy tuck) I had really sore flappy skin...very sore and gross.
Wow 20 weeks, are you finding out the babys sex?.

Loving the stats list! nice to be around ladies I feel I know hopefully more will follow soon, fingers crossed for all, I read our other thread everyday, and remember all to well how hard the journey is...XX

Congrats Choccie 10 weeks! fantastic and yes every day is a blessing! like you I am constantly thinking something may go wrong again...but so far so good, and at least we are all here for hand holding and support, have you got your dating scan soon?.

Good luck Kitty thinking of you X.
Good luck Boba X

Storm,
What a wonderful idea - thank you so much! I've been popping back to the other thread to keep an eye on the graduates - it's so lovely to see the list grow!

Anytime a supportbelt sounds wonderful!

I'm 21 weeks now (eek!) and I can't believe how quickly the time has gone while it has felt so slow (if that makes any sense...?) I had my 20 week scan last week and we had it doubly confirmed that we are expecting a little girl :) I have no more scans booked in and I was so sad to say goodbye to the picture of her wriggling about on the screen but the sonographer just laughed and said, "you'll see her in 20 weeks and it will fly by now." Really???

Storm I feel a bit guilty about jumping in front of you!
MissLolita DC#1, age 32 BFP 30/10/10 - EDD 7/7/11
StormBird DC#1, age 28, BFP 10/11/10 - EDD 14/7/11
AnytimeNow DC#3 age 39 BFP 20/11/10 - EDD 02/08/11
Ilovekittyelise DC#1 (kind of) age 34 BFP 30/12/10 - EDD 11/09/11
Chocciechip DC#1, age 39, BFP 11/01/11 - EDD 20/09/11

Good luck for all the scans xxx

Hi Ladies,

Soooooo glad you've started this thread! With my baby arriving imminently, I feel really guilty about talking about it on the other thread, so tend to just lurk now to keep up with everyone's news. I'll still pop on to update though.

Harry2007 DC#2, age 29 BFP (sometime in August!) - Planned c-section 24/3/11
MissLolita DC#1, age 32 BFP 30/10/10 - EDD 7/7/11
StormBird DC#1, age 28, BFP 10/11/10 - EDD 14/7/11
AnytimeNow DC#3 age 39 BFP 20/11/10 - EDD 02/08/11
Ilovekittyelise DC#1 (kind of) age 34 BFP 30/12/10 - EDD 11/09/11
Chocciechip DC#1, age 39, BFP 11/01/11 - EDD 20/09/11

So the bad luck keeps on rolling for me - here we go - 1. ectopic in April 2010, internal bleeding, fallopian tube removed etc etc

1. scanned every week for 12 weeks in the beginning of this pregnancy as it was high risk
2. Problems began at 15 weeks with stabbing pain in right hip, diagnosed as adhesions from the previous section and the surgery for the ectopic, been on crutches since and am living from one dose of co-codamol to the next
3. Diagnosed with skin cancer last week, malignant melanoma - had one skin excision but have another scheduled for a week after the section
4. Oh, and I'm anaemic and have low bp which makes me a candidate for a blood transfusion after the section

I AM LOSING THE PLOT!

I know I should be grateful for this gorgeous baby that I'm about to have, but I just can't get excited about it which makes me very guilty and I'm just sad that this is the last time I'm ever going to be pregnant and it's been so rubbish that I haven't been able to enjoy any of it.

Rant over - sorry to burden you with this ladies, I just needed to offload and the CBFM thread is just not the place to do it. Haven't really got into any other threads so you're all stuck with me I'm afraid!

Oh Harry you poor thing! What a totally S*it time you are having of it!
Pregnancy can we hard enough without any other issues, I hope you are being looked after emotionally as well as with the every day stuff.
Sorry you haven't really been able to enjoy this pregnancy as much, but is totally understandable!!, not too long to go now (probably feels like ages to you-sorry) and you will have you little baby, and all will be good, and you can concentrate on getting the treatment you need...
Planned section has got to be much calmer and less exhausting! I will find out myself in July I think .
Are you having section before due date?.

Hello MissLolita .

Kitty, Boba hope all went well today .

Hope scans went well Kitty and Boba - keep us posted xxx

Hi Anytime I'm having my section at 37 weeks. Thought it may have been earlier because the dermatologist wants to do a second skin excision a week after the section, but that would mean that we have a preemie on our hands so looks as though it's staying at 37 weeks (was booked at 37 because of my hip/adhesion problem).

Feel as though I'm going from one day to the next on auto-pilot.

Hi ladies

Harry OMG I can't believe what's happening to you. I agree you have to focus on his baby and think positively. I truly believe in the power of positive thinking. I'm sending good vibes your way x

Although not the same we are having hard time too. Found out 5 days after my BFP that my mum's cancer has returned & is terminal. It has devastated all of us but we are all trying to focus on this baby and hopefully she'll have longer than the 18 months they have predicted.

Cannot believe you are nearly full term, it has flown by!

My scan went well and everything looks fine. Only 11 + 1 and bobabean was wee bit too small to do nuchal measurement so having to go back next Monday (7th) to have that done. Means an extra scan so I'm not complaining I'm soooo relieved, went and bought a few bits and pieces after. Can't believe I'm going to have a baby!

Harry I am not surprised you're feeling as if you're losing the plot with the nightmares you're juggling. That's more than I can even begin to imagine trying to cope with, you poor thing. I think the best thing you can do for this baby is take extremely good care of yourself and be very kind to yourself. I hope you're getting lots of tender loving care from everyone around you. Enjoy pregnancy??!? It hadn't even occured to me that such a thing was possible ... I must be a freak. Please feel free to rant anytime you like!

boba I am so so sorry to hear about your mum - that's such sad news. I'm glad the scan gave you all something positive; nice to get another one later as well. Is that the first bit of baby shopping you've done? I won't even allow myself to look at stuff I'm so nervous.

Yay for kitty too.

lolita What do you mean by "doubly confirmed"? How did you know already?

anytime My dating scan is booked for 10 March, so it feels like a long way to go still. These early weeks have really dragged. I asked a consultant at the 9 week scan if I could start relaxing (the nurses all say, 'yes, risk of mc reallys drops from now blah blah'). But he said, 'You can start relaxing after 12 weeks, but seeing a heartbeat was positive'. That's it. I'm an absolute wreak now. I simply have no idea how I'll get over this if this PG fails too. I feel as uncertain now as I did at 6 weeks.

choccie it's torture isn't it? I feel much better now having seen that. Still a long way to go but I feel I've now got a good a chance as anyone else.

Yes it's the first stuff I've bought. I promised myself it if everything was ok. I went a bit crazy but it's nice as I've started a wee box of clothes. I will be going again after the next scan. You should do the same as it makes it feel a lot more real. Only 14 days for you, just take it one day at a time. I read a statistic that if you see a hbeat at 8 weeks there's a 98-99% it will survive so try and relax a wee bit. x

Thanks everyone xxx

Boba, so sorry to hear about your Mum x

I just think that we're lucky to be in the positions that we are i.e. pregnant. I think that having a baby gives you a different focus no matter how bad the news is and not only that, it gives others around you something else to focus on too. It stops you from becoming consumed by bad news if you know what I mean.

Glad your scan went well Boba - I'm still buying baby clothes (it's an addiction!)

Choccie I'm 17+3 and still haven't bought a thing!...I think because of whats happened before I'm just too scared. I told myself after 12 weeks I could relax, but honestly...I don't think I will until I have my baby in my arms! and then a whole new set of worries come flooding in!!! ...what keeps my fear at bay is watching my belly grow! think that may be more due to blueberry muffins more than baby tho .
10th will soon come around, I was amazed how much baby had grown from 9wks to 12wks, I've got my 20wk one on the 15th, fingers crossed for both XX

Hello All,

Anytime so please you won your belt and hope it helps. Thanks for the explanation.

MissLol so please you have joined us. This thread is all down to Choccie but can't believe we haven't created one sooner!! Donlt worry about jumping in front of me I didn't want to be the first one on the list anyway!! WOW 21 weeks thats brill and a massive congrats on finding out that you are having a Girl. Such lovely news.

Harry Welcome to the thread. I'm so sorry to hear you are having such a tough time lately. What with the side effects of your pregnancy and then being diagnosed with Skin Cancer I am not surprised in the slightest that you feel as though you are losing the plot. I too hope that you are getting loads of support in RL. And don't forget that we are here to support you too.

Boba the same goes for you....I'm so sorry about your mums diagnosis, I cannot begin to imagine what you all must be going through. On a positive note I think your scan news deserves a WOOP WOOP!!! I'm so pleased your scan went well. Fingers crossed for the Nuchal but as Kitty pointed out on the other thread if there was anything to be concerned about at all I'm sure they would have flagged it up. Your second scan is the same day as my 20 week scan so we can kind of go through it together!! Buying things for the baby after the scans sounds like a fab idea. I held out until after the I got to 15 weeks I think - then the Asda baby event started and I thought I'd make the most of it....I've got the bug now so Mum & Dad are taking us shopping for more stuff when we visit this weekend. Yippee!!! I Love shopping! Boba would you like to add yourself to that stats or are you holding out until the next scan?

Kitty if you are about - congrats on your Scan too. So pleased it went well for you - hope to see you on here again soon.

Well 20+1 today - I like to count, I have no idea why, I think its cos I'm still taking one day at a time!! We are going to visit my parents this weekend so will be leaving about 7pm tonight and will probably not get there until 1am(ish) so I'm not looking forward to that bit. As I mentioned before the folks are taking us shopping so I'm really looking forward to that especially as Dad has said he'll buy the expensive things . Won't be able to post much, if at all this wknd so will give you all a big update on the purchases and catch up on the thread next Tuesday.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Much Love.

XXX STORM XXX

Harry I?m so sorry to hear what an awful time you?re having. I can?t begin to imagine how hard you must be finding it all. Boba, you too; I?m so sorry to hear about your mum. There is just nothing I can say but I?m sending hugs to you both and we?re always here if you want to rant or chat.
Boba and Choccie I know time is dragging but the scans will be here soon ? hugs in the meantime x
Storm what have you bought? I hadn?t bought anything until last Saturday as it felt too early but I?m meeting a friend for an afternoon shopping tomorrow and we will be in the immediate vicinity of Mamas and Papas on Regent Street so I might have a little look....:)
My scan was a double confirmation as I had a private scan at 17 weeks ? dh knew he wouldn?t be able to attend the 20 week scan due to work commitments and I was working at home one day with a huge pile of work I was procrastinating about and a web browser. Anyway before I knew it I was on the phone booking a scan and they were able to tell us then. I didn?t believe them when they told me though ? it was admittedly a slight improvement from my first scan when I said ?oh wow, it?s a baby!? but when they said ?girl? my reaction was ?are you sure?? ? I had always had it in my mind that the eggball was a boy...but I was wrong!

boba That's really good advice, I think I'll persuade DH that we're both going shopping after the scan and we'll start daring to believe.

anytime I know exactly what you mean. I'm a knitter - and in both my previous PGs I knitted for the baby and both ended in MCs. I still have half finished items in my basket that I can't bring myself to complete, and this time around I've avoided the knitting needles completely. I might allow myself to go shopping, and to start knitting.... I'm going to have to decide if those half-finished things can go to little brother or sister, or if I should just leave them as they are. What do all you ladies think? (Such a stupid dilemma but one I've been dwelling on for ages).

storm hope you have a fun weekend. You'll have to tell us all about your shopping when you get back!

ladies can I ask exactly what to expect at the 12 week scan - is it longer than early scans, for example? Will they give us nuchal results straight away or will we have to wait? Also, do you get a blood test as well? I read somewhere that blood tests can be given to help clear up any odds they give you, and you can imagine, at the age of 39 I don't want any doubt freaking me out!

Also, can I ask when you all started buying maternity clothes? My jeans are tight, but still wearable. I'm not actually sure whether the tightness is me being pg or a hangover from Christmas and my continuing daily diet of muffins (yes, anytime, I pork out on muffins every day too - bran and date for me .) I am baffled by maternity clothes and how to buy them.

Choccie when I went for my 12 weeks scan, they had just changed the rules regarding NT scan, and as from that week it was free to elderly mums! lol, my consultant did tell me at christmas to hold off paying £250 for a private one as this was due to happen.

They took bloods first, then did the scan, the guy doing it looked and sounded like Johnny Vegas! totally bizzare!!!, he took about ten minutes checking babies size, heart and pointed out hands, brain and feet ...baby was going crazy in there and he stuggled to do the NT measurement, so sent me for a quick walk and loo break.

Back in, and baby was in perfect position, he told us the measurement straight away, and filled in the paperwork, and popped it in my maternity file, so was able to read later.

I had to have my bloods done again straight after scan, as this was the new rules...good job I don't mind needles!!!.

The told me if there was any problems with bloods they would phone me within a few days, thankfully I didn't hear and recieved a letter confirming I was low risk regarding downs, I will hopefully get my full results at my 20 week appointment/scan.

Hope that helps X

Hi Ladies,

A quick post from me and forgive any mistakes in advance as I am using my mums iPad and it's rather strange!!!!!!

misslol when I've finished today's shopping trudge I'll put together a quick list of stuff we've purchased so far for you, it's not loads of exciting things, just more essentials. Today should be the interesting part!!

choccie just wanted to let you know about my experience of the 12 week scan as it was somewhat different to others experiences I've found. It was a much longer scan than the early ones we had been to and as you can imagine we were more than a little worried about the results.

I had my bloods done a few weeks before the scan so that the midwives were able to give me my combined results there and then. The nuchal scan went ok and they were able to point out all the limbs, we heard the heartbeat and saw it etc. My main concern was the head, as our previous pregnancy ended due to annencephaly. They did some really detailed scan of the head and we could see that it was complete and there was a brain, which was a huge relief. The nuchal was on the high side, one of the measurements was 2.3mm and the other was 2.8mm. Then they finished the scan, and tapped all the results into a computer which proceeded to spit out the results for Edwards pataus and downs. The edwards and pataus results came back fine our ratios were 1:2800 and something, however downs came back at 1:43!!!!!

Obviously we were stunned, we saw a the midwife councillor and talked about our options and decided to go ahead with a cvs the next day. Thankfully, we got the results around 3 days later and we were given the all clear.

choccie please don't be alarmed by my story, I have not shared it with you to frighten you but I wanted to let you know that after all that we went through (in hindsight) we really should have remembered that the 1:43 result was simply a risk factor and that we had 43 chances of all being well. We never expected to have had to go through all of that after what happened with the first pg, plus age was meant to be on our side but This is just my experience.

If I were you I'd get my bloods done before hand so you can nip any odd results in the bud like we did. I wouldn't have coped if I had had to wait longer for any results.

I'm sure you will have a worry free experience. All the very best xxxxx