Sneeze births please, and we'll BROOK NO ARGUMENT

[TheLittleFriend]

Over here Brookers. I'll stick a cake in the oven

Booster (that's an improvement on some of the names being bandied about right? ) - I believe bartlet is very knowledgeable on thyroidical matters, and I think other brookers have mentioned it too but no idea myself sorry. I do believe though that if you're on thyroid meds you're supposed to have them adjusted once you're pg but I don't know if that's for under or over active thyroid? . Do you have a specialist you see for it?

Oh and sparks crisps were The Thing that quelled my nausea and I do recall DH fetching me a packet one day when he got up for work at about 5am . For me it was walkers for this pregnancy (pref cheese and onion or tomato ketchup flavour) and last pg it was Wotsits

biscuits I am absolutely no sticking to one flavour/type of crisps. I prefer plain flavours in the morning then salt ones in the afternoon/evening. Today for lunch a had a cheesy cob stuffed full of salt and vinegar chipsticks I am going to get seriously fat!!!!

Soooo... depending on how fast everything goes I will probably be at a midwife-led birth centre, not at home . Even though the statistics are good - only one in 200 babies born to GBS+ mothers become infected with GBS - I felt like the risk was too great. Basically, babies infected with GBS in labour don't breathe when born, and not being near the hospital would be far too dangerous. So I'll be on antibiotics My choice, at least.

Buggery bollocks. But I don't want to play russian roulette with my baby's health, and that comes first. On a brighter note, if she's working on that day I still get to have my lovely HB midwife with me, as she's attached to the hospital birth centre that I'm at. And she'll do all post-natal visits too. Love her.

Sorry, very self-obsessed right now. Baby is very low and walking is uncomfortable. Am pretty much ready for baby now, apart from a few bits and bobs. Now, just to get spidersmegs out...

I am already consultant led for this pg, my drugs have also been increased, twice so far, Brooking the next blood test shows it is leveled off a bit.

I like booster better than booby!

Boo, how is the Booster today?

I have been lurking but trying not to think too much about things, but I spotted my name! My scan at 22 weeks was perfect, and, along with Little, I am now past 24 weeks so I will hopefully start to feel a bit more confident about things.

Anyway, thyroid disease in pregnancy... If you don't want a short lecture in thyroid physiology (only a small exam at the end to be check you were listening ), look away now!

Your dizziness is NOT due to your thyroid, no matter what your blood results are. The MW is talking nonsense.

If things really are that bad, then please see a doctor for a review. You might need blood tests for anaemia, or perhaps, like me, your blood pressure is just very low in pregnancy and you are going to live in a world of dizziness for the next 6 months. I eat a LOT of crisps and marmite in the hope that it will help!

Anyway, if your TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) is low, this suggests a possible OVERactive thyroid, because your thyroid is producing enough of the thyroid hormone (T4) on its own.

HOWEVER, in the first trimester of pregnancy, when HCG is particularly high, a TSH below the normal range is normal. (This is because HCG is structurally quite similar to TSH so your body thinks you have plenty of TSH and doesn't make lots more.)

The important thing is what your T4 level is. Normal range is about 11-23 (different labs do the test slightly differently so the normal range varies between labs). If this is normal, you don't really need to do anything, other than check your thyroid receptor antibodies and TSH/T4 in about 6-8 weeks time. If it isn't normal or if you have a history of thyroid disease (can't remember if you've said before), then you might need to be seen by an endocrinologist. We won't do very much in most cases, but will keep an eye on the blood tests and on the patient.

If you want to let me know your results, I can give you more information and point you in the right direction, but the important things to remember are that this is hardly ever causes problems and that the dizziness is due to something else.

Right, going to post this now in case MN crashes and will write a second message catching up with everyone else...

Just noticed you said your drugs had changed twice. Do you have an underactive thyroid normally then?

Right, sorry to see smegs that the test came back as positive. You are still going to have a lovely sneeze birth in the MLU and will be brooking that you time things nicely to have your lovely MW.

Sparks, you definitely have Brookers permission to eat crisps. I am a particular fan of the Walkers Max Paprika crisps at the moment. Between that and lots of Cadbury's Caramel (a balanced diet, you see), I am managing to get through most days.

Congratulations, far. Lovely name! And I can't believe that you are 30 weeks, tock. Seems like ages ago and so recently all at the same time that you both had your BFPs!

Sorry that little is dealing with SPD as well. I did lots of walking (we took DS to see fireworks for the first time - he loved it!) so will be in agony tomorrow. I was fine with walking after DS but couldn't run for months because of hip pain. Postnatal Pilates sorted me out though. I've not been at Pilates for months with the vomiting, but I am looking forward to getting back to it this week. I think my pelvic floor needs all the help it can get - my budding career as a trampolinist would be over if I ever started it!

Right, lots of do for tomorrow. I promise to be in more often now. Have just been going for a head in sand approach to this pregnancy, but I have been lurking and brooking when I could!

sparks I had hula hoops as an after dinner snack today & thought of you

Great to hear from you bartlet and really pleased your 22 wk scan went well. It must be a lovely feeling to just be having a 'normal' pregnancy now your tests are out the way.
Has your sickness only just gone ? How you have coped with a toddler, work and that I don't know.

Thought I'd let you all know how extreme my 'baby brain' got today.
A mum at preschool asked when I was due, and my first thought was 'due what?' When I remembered I was pregnant and replied, she asked if I knew the sex. It took several seconds to remember that I did, it's a little boy in there!
I'm off to bed, night all

Evening all. Just been out for a lovely dinner with DH for our 1st anniversary. I was wearing 'normal' tights though, and started to find the pressure on bump too much. So I discreetly took them off on the bus at least, I hope it was discreet. I wonder if people will wonder at me getting on with black tights and off with bare legs?

Been a lovely evening though, and DH surprised me with a lovely picture as a present. We're usually terrible at buying things for each other, it's been a wonderful surprise all round getting something so beautiful and perfect. He can relax for the next few years now on present buying

Nearly at our stop. Feet are agony in these shoes. Time to hobble a short way, then kick them off!

Waves to all.

Hi Bartlet thank you, I have been under active for 14 years, I will dig out my results and have a look. I already know my stimulating anti bodies are too high and the baby is on pediatric alert (cord blood and 24 hour blood test) :( I will also get the dizziness looked at, if it is not my thyroid then it needs checking, so thank you for clarifying that for me.

Smegs so sorry I just realised I think we x posted earlier. Sorry about the hb, Brooking you do get your lovely mw with you, besides, you won't be in the unit long, quick sneeze and home :) When is spiderSmegs due?

"Has your sickness only just gone?"

Ha, little, I wish! No, still throwing up here! Thankfully, it has settled down a bit and I have finally put on a little bit of weight compared to before I was pregnant.

boo, right, I see. A low TSH is not a problem. Your thyroxine dose might just need to be reduced, although it does tend to go up by 30-50% during pregnancy. Really we aim for T4 in the upper half of the normal range in pregnancy. As for your baby, the chances of neonatal Graves' are REALLY small (1%) and a lot of what we do is precautionary in terms of growth scans and neonatal bloods. And you are a Brooker so that means there just can't be any problems.

The guidelines that most of us use are here if you ever want a proper look.

My TSH was below normal at 13 weeks, but my antibodies are normal and TFTs are now back to normal (I did have post-partum thyroiditis after DS - a diagnosis which I missed - hmm, some endocrinologist I am, eh?!), but they have still booked me an entirely unnecessary growth scan at 34 weeks. I'm not going to complain too much. If I book a home birth again, I'll need a presentation scan anyway to ensure the baby isn't breech, so I'd be needing one about then anyway.

stacks, I love that your romantic evening out with DH has been completed by a quick MN update on the bus home. Surely you should be behaving like teenagers and snogging at the back of the bus instead!

Just a quickie before the school run. sparks I have some bras I sleep in which I bought on a Groupon deal and I notice they have them on offer on there again today - £19 for 3 and they are a godsend for sore boobies! They are called Comfort bras - not stylish but def comfy! X

So lovely to see Bartlett and I am so CHUFFED that you had a great 22wk scan. Less chuffed for you re' the sickness but glad that Cadbury's Caramel is keeping you going. Yes, 31 weeks here now! And like you we just did our first real bonfire and 1 sparkler with DS - it was so lovely. Will put pic up. Enjoy Pilates and keep dropping in on us. We like a doctor in the room.

Stacks - I remember your wedding as I'd just joined the Brookers then. Congrats.

Hello to Olives - long time no speaky. Ok love? Nice comfy boobies, then?

Smegs - brooking that you have a lovely time in the MLU, sounds like the next best thing to your hopes of an HB. Chin up chuck. And I hope incey-wincey is behaving.

Boo - good luck getting some more advice now you are armed with Bartlett's info.

Little - babybrain = a v healthy sign that you are anticipate a sneeze birth with your DS. "Atishoo - oh, it's a baby; I thought I'd eaten too many pies!"

Sparks enjoy becoming a connoisseur of all things fried potato-ish. We give you full licence and look forward to your final analysis.

All fine here but pretty shattered after an exciting birthday weekend. Friends made cake - DS slept through the whole event and missed out on blowing out my candles (fortunately not 41 of them). DP did his first-ever gig on Sat (v late night for us). He was so shy I only ever got to see him in profile (tho' v handsome in profile he is); he was almost standing with his back to the audience! Daft apeth. DS did his first ever sparkler. V exciting. And we've been up on the cable car near the 02 - recommended to any Londoners.

I seem to be hobbling badly - v sensitive right foot, I think a kind of referred pain from the pelvic area but can't face the GP who will say rest and take paracetamol. I guess that a sore foot is v little to worry about in the grand scheme of things. I'm just hoping that my blood test on Friday shows improved iron levels.

BTW - I think Whim was asking about pillows/support at night. So I asked my pg yoga teacher who says it's never too early to start. Two pillows between the knees, or one pillow in front of a straight left leg, with other knee up and resting on pillow. It's all about keeping the pelvic area balanced and roomy - not about supporting the bump... apparently. She didn't think that much of Dream Genie - said two pillows is just as good.

TTFN dear brookers. Waves and hugs to lurkers and busy new mummies.

xxxx

Bartlet I am so happy for you re your scan and for getting past the all-important 24 weeks milestone. I breathed a sigh of relief to get there myself. Hope your ms clears up soon, that sounds horrendous. And sorry to hear you have SPD too. You must be a very strong person to deal with all the things you have been through lately. A true brooker.

Smegs I'm sorry your test results were bad news, but the MLU will be fine, really. I know you wanted a home birth, but I nearly had DD in the MLU (sadly needed last minute transfer to proper hospital and ventouse delivery) and it was lovely and peaceful and relaxed. Not like a hospital at all. I am brooking for a MLU birth this time, but the silly MWs are now getting all worried about the fact that I had a retained placenta last time (needed surgery) and saying I might have to have more monitoring. Goodness knows why as they won't know if the placenta is going to come out until after the birth anyway.

Little I've been having some severe baby brain too! Hopw your SPD is not too bad at the moment.

Stacks, sounds like you had a lovely anniversary. It's our anniversary later this month too. When do you finish work?

Hello Olives, hope you're doing OK!

Tock, sounds like a lovely birthday! Is it really a year since you were 40 21? wow. We took DD to a fireworks display last night too and she loved it. She was shouting 'POP!' 'BANG!' at every firework, it was so cute! Hope your foot is OK.

My back is loads better and I am now in love with my physio as she told me to rest as much as possible and order all my Christmas stuff online! Mind you, it's hard to rest with a full time job, a three year old and a house that needs stocking with food, cleaning etc. Hey ho! Maybe Santa will bring me a cleaner!

Hello ladies - I'm going to try and have a proper catch up whilst I have a spare 10 mins!

Yes Tock my nighttime boobies are indeed very comfy in my oh so stylish comfort bras! Glad to hear you had a lovely birthday weekend. It was my 37th last week and I had a night out to see Bond with DH. We had a meal out beforehand (which unfortunately I vommed straight back!) but at least I had room for sweeties at the flicks! 31 weeks you say? Wow time is flying - hope foot is feeling better soon.

Lovely to hear that all was well at 22 week scan Bartlet that's brilliant news! Like you I am also feeling slightly more reassured now I've passed the magic 24 weeks (and therefore "viability" point of pregnancy!) I fully sympathise with the continued vomiting. Mine had started to improve around the 18-19 week mark so that is was only every other day or so but over the last fortnight it has ramped right back up to an average of 3 times a day! Randomly it seems that changes in temperature seem to bring it on (is there a medical explanation for that?) I can feel perfectly fine in the house then I head out into the fresh air and the vomiting commences! I was sick twice on the walk to school yesterday morning - DS announced that soon my sick would be all over the world! He also helpfully told a passer by that Mummy has a baby which makes her spit sick out every day! The only good thing is that I don't have any nausea between the vomiting now so it's much more bearable - how are you doing with nausea?

Little I hope your SPD has settled again after your bad day. I was doing really well on that front, did lots of walking on holiday but the pain wasn't too bad so I was hoping I'd turned a corner but after an 11 hour shift at work yesterday (which was hellishly busy) I am walking like a 90 year old this morning! Do you use a gym ball to sit on? And if so does it help? I got DH to blow mine up last night as my physio recommended it so I am going to try sitting on that and doing some exercises to try and strengthen my back/pelvis. I love your baby brain moments - I had several of them at work yesterday!

Gen I saw on FB that your physio is helping massively with your back which is great news! And your another brooker with less than 10 weeks before your quick sneeze birth - how exciting!

Smegs The positive result is a bummer but you're right - there is no point taking any risks with spidersmegs. The MLU sounds like a potential home-from-home environment and I'm brooking hard for lovely midwife to be present!

Stacks Anniversary sounds lovely - well done to DH for perfect present buying too. If anyone did notice the tights/lack of tights they may have thought you and DH were behaving like love-struck teenagers on the bus if you know what I mean

Boo Hope you get thyroid issues all sorted and get that dizziness checked out my love. Don't be doing any exercise if you're feeling dizzy, we don't want any collapsing brookers! I thought your FB bump pic was gorgeous - you are blooming!

Sparks Hope the crisp eating is having the required nausea dampening effect! Please ignore all talk of ongoing sickness and SPD in the above paragraphs - I am brooking that your yucky symptoms will all magically disappear at exactly 12 weeks if not before and you will then bloom gloriously and sail through the rest of your pregnancy like a true brooker

Whims Glad to hear you were not too badly affected by the hurricane! Can't have you getting blown away like Dorothy - not in your condition anyway!

On the pillow talk subject I have just started using the Dream Genii. It is a faff getting comfy initially but I'm definitely sleeping better. It stops me from rolling onto my back during the night which means that on the whole my back is much less painful in the morning. Turning over is not the easiest though! I have to get out of bed and start again so I normally combine it with my nightly wee trip!

Right - I have done my very best to catch up properly but I have no doubt I have still forgotten people so I apologise - it's baby brain don't you know! Big hellos and lots of love to all. XX

X-posts Gen Plenty of time for resting between full-time work, mum to toddler and general domestic goddessness - if only hey! I shall write to Santa now and tell him how good you've been this year and see if he can help out with the cleaner and maybe see if he'll send me one too

P.s Also meant to say that Tock you really should not worry about your altercation with DS the other day - you are a fabulous mummy but you are only human and shouting every now and again is perfectly understandable (particularly in those circumstances!) I am feeling guilty for shouting at DS this morning. He was obviously completely distracted by the TV whilst I was getting ready this morning so he let a whole cup of milk spill all over the sofa. I was furious and really shouted (a complete over reaction on my part!) and he got really upset and tearful. We both ended up apologising to each other but I still feel really guilty now! There really is no point crying over spilt milk

Right I really must get on - TTFN

Oh Olives I can't believe you are still vomming too! I still feel nauseous from time to time, but it is loads better than it was earlier in pregnancy. Brooking that your SPD gets better soon, and I loved your anecdote about the spilt milk!

Olives - I'm sure our hormones make us more prone to shouting/flaring up. And not getting the same quality sleep. Like everyone's advice to me, it's best that you don't dwell on the tricky days. Happy belated birthday to you. What did your boys bring you (other than a faceful of Daniel Craig )? (We are both feisty scorpio gals then!)

Sorry to hear that there is still lots of vom 'in the world' of brookers who will sneeze. But these brooking babies will be worth every retch I'm sure.

I am grabbing ebay bargains for newborns after making over £100 on ebay on Sunday - including the sale of my CB fertility monitor which I feel I can safely wave goodbye to, touch wood etc etc. Mid-week seems a good time to find bargainous prices on ebay baby stuff btw....

Gen - you're physio is right. Feet up. Could you find a way to have a fortnightly cleaner at least, for the heavy-duty stuff?

Can't believe what amazing women we have on here, with families and full-time careers and determination to beat the pg vicissitudes. I am wowzered.

xxx

Bartlet Thank you again for the reassurance about tests for the baby, I am so pleased about your scan results, but sorry about the continued vom, same for Olives. Apart from the light headed dizzyness I have been ok for a couple of weeks, thank goodness, I am not sure how you ladies do it for an extended time, you are simply brooking brilliant!

Tock, happy belated birthday, sounds like you had a lovely weekend. And well done Mr Tock on his gig :)

Gen Sorry the SPD has been playing up again, I had a friend with it and she said the ball was her best friend. So pleased you have a good physio, I will also be getting comfy bed bra's very soon!

Sorry i have missed some of you out, toddly boo actually wants me to play with him , I have tried to explain the importane of MNing to him as well! I also need to sort out those naughty TTCrs, who still think naming my baby is funny

Catch up later

ps - Whims - is it exciting now the voting has begun?!

Hi again Boo - go play - toddlyboo will be over the moon. Is he into cars and trains by any chance?!

I am indeed another girl with a sting in my tail Tock The boys got me a Kindle Touch which I still need to get around to registering and starting to download some books - it's on my to-do list for tomorrow! Any suggestions for books? It's been a long time since I've read anything more than Grazia or the odd newspaper so I need some fairly light reading to get me started and something which I can dip in and out of as I will only get short bursts of time for reading (until the mat leave begins anyway!) What did your boys get for you?

Ah all these birthdays! Mine tomorrow so I'm another Scorpio :)

Happy birthday to everyone else

Tock tis official, toddly and I are the BEST at railway design! It had junction's and passing places, giant cows that invaded the line occasionally, stations, trees made out of lego, everything!

I would love a kindle Olives I really enjoyed Dawn French first book, a tiny bit marvelous, it was a good 'dipper'.

Happy birthday for tomorrow Biscuits! What a lot of Scorpio brookers!

Ooh, happy birthday Biscuits have a lovely day.