Sept 2013?

[legoboat]

Hello - bit early, but I definitely had two positives this morning, wanted to check on drinking vodka this evening or not. I make due date 4th Sep 2013.
I had to terminate a pregnancy in late Sep at 13ish weeks because of incompatible with life diagnosis, so hope that doesn't happen again (I have a 25% chance but hopefully I'll fall in the 75% this time).

Crikee I've been told to allow up to 2hrs for my booking in appointment!!!

Wow, badguider ! 2 hours?...

I must say I'm relieved it's not just 20 mins, as I have a few things I want to talk through. DS2 was shoulder dystocia, but I really want to avoid a C-section if possible (2 young DCs to run around after, and I walk/cycle nearly everywhere).

I don't think they'll make me have one, but I want to talk through the implications of everything.

OneLittleToddlingTerror I really empathise. I was induced with DS1, and no one believed I was in labour. Kept fobbing me off. When they eventually examined me, they had to wheel me into the delivery suite, and they almost didn't get hold of DH in time!
(and yes. Am already having little panics about the birth, too, after the SD. Am doing many many many squats. Every day!! ;-)

CrikeeThree it sounds like we had the same thing. I was wheeled straight into the delivery suite when they eventualy examined me. DH flaunted all the rules by hiding in the antenatal suite. (You aren't supposed to have visitors there outside visiting hours). It's scary to hear other people have the same experience.

I don't think I really want a c-section either. I know the recovery is longer. But I guess like you I just want to be able to talk it through with the HCP.

Yep. Take time to talk it through, OneLittleToddlingTerror .
Sounds like you had a really "good" labour in some ways. You just need to make sure you have someone with you next time to "fight" for you a bit.
I found it was really difficult not to sound like a "ridiculous worried mum" when I was on my own. Imean, I was in labour!! I couldn't explain to them that I'm pretty good at coping with things, but this felt DIFFERENT!

If it makes you feel any better, my second labour (apart from the SD bit at the end) was truly wonderful. I think it's maybe a good sign if you have the kind of labour we did first time round??

But talk it through. It might be that a CS is the way to go. You need to talk to someone that can tell you all your options. Good luck :-)

I seem to possibly be alone in hoping for another c-section (had emcs due to lack of progression after being induced as my waters broke but didnt go into spontaneous labour) - but then I had my first at the same time as a friend who had terrible tearing (ended up in surgery with a blood transfusion) - so I've got this slightly warped view of natural childbirth!!

I have my booking in appointment on Friday - this time they have put me directly with the midwife (went to GP first last time) - perhaps as it is my second? Am expecting it to be pretty quick - I remember being a bit disappointed at how underwhelmed the midwives were with my first - my god didnt they know I was pregnant!!!!!! My DH took the day off work and everything!!!

:) !! Doubt you're the only one SpanishLady
It just shows how individual childbirth is. And that there's no "right way" of doing it. I guess I've been put off c-sections after watching a couple of people close to me going through the recovery afterwards.

Know exactly what you mean about the first MW appointment. With my first pregnancy, I remember thinking: is that it?? :)

would first timers find it useful to have 'what I wish I'd known about pregnancy' tips?

Mine would be:

• sorry for the TMI but the secretions - my gawd - it was like a river sometimes!

• the losing energy - I'd be powering along and it would literally be like a car running out of petrol I'd just suddenly think 'got to sleep now'

• how hard it gets to get up/out of bed once your bump gets quite large!

• you dont need to spend a fortune on stretch mark creams but I did think the sanctuary one smelt delicious

• after each scan I'd buy a little something - a soft toy or a unisex babygro - it was my way of believing in my pregnancy if you see what I mean

• be careful eating/drinking stuff like milkshakes - I thought I'd gone into labour!

• its good fun choosing a song an playing it to your bump - we chose the Beatles 'Here comes the sun' - only problem was the baby hated it - my husband would lie his ipod on my bump and the baby would knock it off - was funny though

• any sense of personality you get from your baby - believe me will be how they are - my little boy has a cheeky glint in his eye and I felt that about him when pregnant (see above!)

• Im dark (read hairy) - wasnt so bad during my pregnancy!

Morning ladies!
No more bleeding at all here, feeling fine apart from the bunged up problem that's already been mentioned :)

I've had to put my MW appointment back as can't do the day given, and she only does Tuesday, so will be 9+2... Hope it won't take too long for the scan appointment to come through.

For DD I remember quite a long appointment at my house (was in a different area then) with tonnes of questions about ours and families health. Anyone know if they have your file from last time or do you start over....?

Thanks for that spanishlady!!

MummyOfPrawn is that 10 weeks from what you think of is your ovulation day? Or 10 weeks from your the first day of your last period? I ask because they calculate pregnancy using the weeks from last known period. This means the real number of weeks the foetus is in the womb till the estimated due date is actually 38 weeks. (You usually ovulate 14 days into your cycle).

If they do give you a scan that is 2 weeks earlier than you should be, I'm not sure they can do the nuchal fold measurement. I was on holiday last time and ended up doing the scan at 14 weeks. The baby is already too big for the nuchal measurement and I ended up doing the quad blood test. If I've known what I know now, that the blood test isn't as accurate, I'd do things differently.

A quick google tells me you need to have your scan at 11-13 weeks. MummyOfPrawn, you really need to ask the midwife to give you a different date, or seek a private scan.

Thanks mummyofprawn I have looked up round ligament pain and it does sound like the pain I'm getting especially when it mentions moving suddenly or sneezing, the only thing is the pain is about half way between my ribs and groin so not sure what's going on... I'm assuming my ovaries are lower down than that where the pain is?

OneLittleToddlingTerror I think you are right.

With DD they just couldn't fit me in for my 12 week scan until 14 weeks, which would have been too late for nuchal testing. So we paid for a private nuchal scan plus bloods, think it was about £160.

However given lots of women are going to be unsure of their exact dates, there must be many women who don't end up having their dating scan at 11-13 weeks

I'm going to make sure I get an earlier appt this time though, as I can't afford to pay out unless I really need to.

triplerock definitely not every knows. I was so unprepared last one I didn't take folic acid until I went to the NHS class for new mums. That is after my booking appointment so after 8 weeks. My midwife didn't tell me the importance about doing it at 11-13 weeks. You'd think they should.

waves hello to creamtea

Great news that the bleeding has stopped creamtea, it's my understanding that bleeding is only really a worry if its very heavy and/or accompanied by cramping so try not to panic even if it does come back.

Congrats to catpuss and all the ladies getting their longed for nausea, I've been having serious nausea and retching since 2 days before I got my bfp and so am very much over it! It's still actually better than my nausea and chronic heartburn I had with DD though!

Oh and I've been told my booking in appointment will be at least 1.5-2 hours!! Can't imagine why seeing as they've sent me a separate appointment to have my bloods done!

My booking in appointment is in 2 weeks, at 8+2, or 7+4 depending on which dates I go off. The midwife said an hour but the GP secretary gave me a 30 min appointment.

Today I feel pretty normal which is a shame, boobs still normal levels of soreness, weird mild pain still (which might be round ligament pain, but dr google says it's a bit early for that), spots erupting on a day by day basis. I was excited yesterday because I felt sick, but nothing today. I seriously need a psychiatrist not a midwife!

Dietcoke- I feel your pain! Spots are literally taking over my face, it's so bad! Feel like I've got chickenpox. Oh, and I'm feeling annoyingly normal too.

a friend of mine got wuite bad spots all down her back - I hadnt realised that could be a side effect of pregnancy though obvious really when considering the hormonal changes your body goes through.

Last time I got leg cramps most nights and....

piles.....though this was just the last few weeks

oh joy

Is the "booking in" appointment different to the initial appointment with the gp/midwife? I thought you had an initial appointment, followed by a booking in appt (I assumed with your chosen hosi), followed by a scan date. Have I made that process up in my head though?! My initial appt is on Thursday and I've not allowed anywhere near that long for it!

kitten I believe different areas do things slightly differently. Where I am you go to the drs purely to tell them you're pregnant and they will refer you to the hospital you wish to use. You then get an appointment with your midwife for booking in and I have 2 separate appointments for blood tests and then the 12 week scan. I called to query why I had 2 different midwife appointments and she said sometimes they do booking in and bloods together and sometimes not. Not great as I am self employed as a childminder and will struggle to find cover/excuses for the parents of my mindees!!

Just got my booking in app for 3 weeks time will be 8+3 she didn't say how long it would be for though.

Docs went well too, he said the pain was likely to be muscular as in the wrong place for ovaries/uterus which is what I thought. It did put my kind at rest for an hour, then went to the loo and had pain in the correct place for uterus etc going to just put it down to my body changing... Gosh this is stressful stuff!

I had my booking in appointment today. It took roughly 30 minutes. I'm going back for blood and urine tests another day.

Today's appointment was simply a case of highlighting any risks, chatting about history, booking the scan and being given the folder with notes and vouchers.

I was asked which hospital I wanted to give birth in and whether I wanted a Nuchal (Downs) scan or not, as they need to know before they refer you to the ultrasound department - best to be prepped for that question as I didn't expect it.

The midwife was not fussed about anything I was doing, said extra vitamins are unnecessary (even though I'm vegetarian) and simply checked I was taking folic acid and walking the dog - basic stuff. She was NOT concerned about twinges and aches at all.

If anything, it helped to witness just how routine those appointments are. I have now decided not to Google any more symptoms!