i will be 19 weeks on Tuesday, and been getting lots of movement over the last couple of weeks. I was overweight when fell pregnant, so the less i put on the better, i think the recommended weight gain is 11lb-20lb when you have a starting BMI 30 or higher. Until the last week, i hadn't put on any weight, but i weighed myself this morning and i've put on 2lb, although whether that stays on or not i don't know, as i've had a few cakes this week and most of an easter egg and we had fish and chips for tea last night, so the gain could be a blip due to all that rubbish! But despite not putting on weight, my body shape has definitely changed a lot and am completely back into my maternity clothes now. Got some new jeans from new look, as my old pair were about to fall apart, and i'm very impressed that they fit nicely and stay up due to a elasticy waist band that is rather snug and positioned really well under the bump.
20 week scan is a few days late, booked for 27th April, and got a physio appointment the day before re my pelvis/back problems. I think this baby might be a girl, but nothing to base it on, i assumed DS would be a girl as our family have a history of having several girls, then a token boy at the end, but i was wrong and he was definitely a he, so could easily be wrong about this one! but cannot wait to find out, and also to find out if everything is ok.
Re the VBAC clinic ballroomblitz i haven't been yet, still waiting for them to send an appointment through, and also still waiting for the next consultants appointment to be sent through too...but the impression i got from the consulant is that it is run by experienced midwives, and you get a longer appointment that your usual midwife appointments, i think she said 45 minutes, but not really sure what they do versus what my consultant will be talking about. I also don't know if it's something where you go once, or whether you go several times. I am so torn, if someone could promise me this baby isn't back to back when in labour, and that there is a very good chance of having a successful VBAC without any risk to the baby, and without a major PPH to me, and that i won't need interventions and won't need another EMCS then i'd go for VBAC as it could be a better recovery and i'd still be able to drive and pick up DS who will be 22 months in Sept. However i've printed off the RCOG greentop guidelines and pretty much none of its contents has even been discussed with me by either the consultant or my midwife, and on paper, i tick so many of the boxes from the RCOG guidelines that suggest i would not have a successful VBAC that i think my safest option is to opt for an ELCS, unless anyone can actually convince me that history won't repeat itself and convince me that i actually stand a decent chance of a VBAC based on me and my history, rather than the consultant quoting generic 70% of people who attempt a VBAC are successful and don't need an EMCS. I am short, i have not had a vaginal delivery, i have a raised BMI, less than 2 years from previous CS, advanced maternal age (due a matter of weeks before 36th birthday), so that is 5 risk factors that i tick. Other factors that can mean an unsuccessful VBAC are if its a boy and if the birth weight is 4kg+ - if my DS hadn't been early, he would have exceeded this weight by his due date, so chances are this baby will be above 4kg unless it also comes early. It also says if you don't have an epidural then you are more likely to have an unsuccessful VBAC but i have read a lot of things saying that if you have an epidural then you are more likely to need forceps or ventouse, both of which scare the crap out of me, as have also read lots about episiostomies (not sure how to spell it!), tears, prolapses and incontinence as a result of interventions, and many many people who wish they hadn't attempted a VBAC and wish they'd gone for an ELCS instead.