Graduated Elderberries (numero 3)

[BraveLilBear]

Welcome back oh graduated elderberries. Let us discuss the delights of being over-30 first-timers with google obsessions

Random link here - but I think over the weekend people were talking about the proportion of people denied the pain relief they request (eg hospital too busy to give epidural). I think this only works for London, but for those of you round here, you can compare hospitals on this link

Janey that just inspired me to look up my only option on the NHS choices website. I wish I hadn't. I don't know when the stats are from, but it says that only 51.20% of women achieved an unassisted delivery (ie no instruments or sections). The next nearest trust (which could become a necessity if mine is full up but we hope to god it won't be) boasts a stat of 50.20%

It's also, irritatingly, broken down by trust not unit, and still includes the nearby MLU which has been shut for nearly 2 years now.

It's confusing because, on the <a class="break-all" href="http://www.birthchoiceuk.com/Professionals/BirthChoiceUKFrame.htm?www.birthchoiceuk.com/Professionals/Tables/CS_HLtables.htm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">BirthChoiceUK website it says the hospital has 69% spontaneous delivery, 8.3% instrumental, 15.2% EMCS and 9.3% ELCS rates... which doesn't add up! Esp when you factor in a very high rate of 24% inductions, which must be lumped in with the other figures.

There was a big BBC survey a couple of years ago about stats, but my trust didn't supply data for whatever reason, so I'll never know!

What I wouldn't give for some straightforward, honest stats.

Hi there! brings and
I am a recently graduated berry and hoping to join! graduated a week ago, but been a bit scared to come over as you all seem so far along and I am only 6 weeks tomorrow, having been ttc for 17months.
Still quite mental and poas too often.
got 1st MW appt next week and hoping to book for an early scan too, cannot wait till week 12, I would be proper bonkers.

The way a pg friend explained it to me was that if you're not pg you may not even realise you have mild listeria as you might just have a bit of an upset stomach or feel a bit under the weather but that is potentially enough early on to cause damage to a fetus. She might have just been a drama queen though!

What's the view on colouring hair (yep I know it's horrifically vain to worry about it!)? I know it's more that it might take differently rather than damage-causing but I am really cursing not getting my highlights done last month now!! I could go to a place in London that does all natural organic colours where I've been before on the basis that there is no bleach involved & I saw a pg woman in there once but it's a bit of a faff for me now.

I'm not in London janey but don't want to go to either of my closest hospitals. Will they let me choose a hospital further away? Guessing this is something to ask the dr next week. I might tell them I work in the town I want to go to so it's easier for ante-natals or something.

Foody!! Hello!! Come on in - I dared intrude today & I'm only 4 weeks. I think there are a couple of others who are first trimester too. I am also planning an 8 wk scan.

Welcome Foody! We like having new graduates and there are a few people on here who are first trimester so you're not alone. There are some benefits to some of us being a bit further along as well as we may be able to answer some of your questions and we will try really hard not to scare you, promise

Hi Foody and welcome!

Yes, there are a few of us who are nearing D-Day but also a few in the early stages so a bit of a mixture really.

Wow, 17 months! I bet you are still in shock? How lovely though after such a hard slog

yay more graduates! Welcome foody!

Frog NHS says it's fine to colour hair
www.nhs.uk/chq/pages/949.aspx?nobanner=dassignup

Hello foody and congrats! Ooh it's like buses in here at the moment, how exciting! Who will be the third?

We were all in those awful early stages once - we're usually hanging around to dole out sympathy, horror sob stories and tales of hilarious woe

Thanks guys and frog did you say you were having highlights? as they are in foil it doesnot even touch your skin. Having said that my highlights are overdue and I can;t quite get the nerve to have them done just yet. Going to wait until it drives me mad, then i will have had them done less times overall in pg too.
really sure its probably fine though, but I am allergic to the parabens in dark dyes and have heard that you can be more sensistive/have more allergys when you are pg.

Speaking of which, what are your thoughts on nuts guys! (peanuts obviously tee hee)

Right thanks everyone. Think I'll book in earlier rather than later & then just deny even knowing I was pg if anyone gets all preachy about it! I then just saw the "is it safe to fake tan" bit below on the NHS website & that hadn't even occurred to me! Realise I'm sounding a bit of Jordan-alike bimbo here when I'm not at all - I just put a bit on my lilywhite legs yesterday when the sun came out!! Actually it was a Green People one which is all organic & stuff anyway. I'm quite anti chemicals on my skin as much as possible.

NHS is fine with peanuts foody. I've just eaten a Snickers.

How is Mr Foody anyway? Mr Frog is still in denial at the moment. He's absolutely chuffed he's going to be a dad again but don't think he'll believe it till he sees the scan.

Mr Foody was very pleased and shocked. think he will be finding it difficult to cope as I am such a worryer and one day will be talking about the future then next i am imagining the worst and dont want to look too far ahead and jinx things (silly i know but its how i feel).
He wants to come with me to the early scan i am going to book for 7 weeks, which is cool. And he is dutifuly sorting out the cat litter and genraly waiting on me hand and foot when I am feeling rubbish.
we have a big holiday planned for august and will be spending all our money, but we decided to go it after ttc for so long and deciding life still had to be lived. Ooop fell pg strat after. will have to have a massive finalcial sort out in October I think, burry head in sand until then.

Hi foody welcome and congrats!! My DH would feel your DP's pain - I am a massive bit of a worrier too! He's also been good at waiting on me hand and foot, I thought he would have given up on that by now but he's still going strong at 11 weeks in!

Where are you off to in August Foody? I assume you'll be around 20ish weeks by then, which I think is a great time for a holiday. If you're unlucky enough to be cursed with the dreaded MS it should be gone by then but you still won't be too fat rotund to stop you from doing stuff except drinking.

Yay glad you said that cavort I'm going to Spain at 18 weeks for a couple of weeks so glad it's a good time for a holiday!

Yes Alex I think it will be great at that time. The only 'problem' you might have is that your bump might not be an obvious baby by then so people on the beach might just think you've overdone it on the pies, but that's only an issue if you're as shallow body-conscious as me

Oh welcome foody! I have to say having two newbies does mean a very exciting day for us graduated elderberries because we don't get out much anymore Big congratulations

Am on iPhone and memory failing me over who asked what, but yes, you can choose any hospital you want (although technically they can say no if they're full - but if you ask from the start that's unlikely). Beware though - my doctor repeatedly told me this wasn't true and tried to refuse to send me to the hospital I wanted - then later admitted this was because it was more paperwork for him

Oh and I've had highlights and the colour has been fine. One odd thing I would say is see if you can time it with your due date - as things are I would have needed mine doing just after my due date which clearly isn't going to happen. As such am trying to wait as long as possible now before having them done...

Morning all. Hope everyone is good. I feel dreadful today. Have really bad headache that went to bed with last night & still here this morning. Pls tell me this isn't a pg symptom that is going to be frequent.
Oh & I told my parents last night - they were really pleased tho I know mum wishes we'd got married first.

I'm feeling dreadful too frog been sick this morning (sorry!), only the second time I've actually been sick. Not complaining one bit though plus some people get it much worse I know. On the headache thing, I did get them sometimes but less now at 11 weeks, I think I drank lots of water to try and help it and sometimes it would improve once I'd eaten.

Bet your parents were thrilled! And yes in an ideal world for her, you might have done the wedding thing first, but as long as you're happy, that's the main thing! Some people do it all by the book and aren't happy, and that's much worse!

Aww, that's lovely Frog. I think a lot of the older generation still think marriage should come before babies but that's a thing of the past in reality. So glad they're pleased.

And I got headaches in the first tri. They weren't too bad though and not every day.

I just had a roof box delivered (in order to facilitate dog + pram + baby in my medium-sized hatchback). I signed for it and the delivery man just left it outside! Now I'm not one who thinks pregnant women are incapable of lifting anything but it is quite heavy and in an absolutely massive box which barely fits through the door. What kind of wanker man leaves a heavily pregnant woman to wrestle this in the house alone? I think he must be related to your Tube arseholes Janey.

So my latest "pee in the pot" test results came back and they've found some sugar. This, depending on which source you believe, can mean either 'OMG you will get gestational diabetes and a massive whopper baby and will need a CS' or 'meh, don't worry about it, happens to half the pregnant women, probably does not mean anything'. I guess the doc will call if he thinks I need further tests.

I do like the advice how to prevent and control gestational diabetes: eat well and exercise, "a simple 20-30 minute walk per day". So I wonder, should I do that miraculous 20-minute diabetes avoidance walk before and after the gym and the usual dog-walk?

Oh hazle what a (potential) pain in the arse. Hope it isn't gestational diabetes - I don't know much about it, but I thought it was quite common? If so, they surely can't just force everyone to have a cs? I know that's not what you want, so really hope it doesn't force you into a delivery you wouldn't choose.

frog - I'm sorry to say this, but I didn't have any symptoms at all really in the first trimester. I vaguely went off food, and just fancied 'beige' food (bread, potatoes, pasta, chicken, tuna etc) and was a bit tired... but I had no sickness at all. However one thing that plagued those 12 weeks were the headaches. I had loads. LOADS. And I drank ridiculous amounts of water so it was nothing to do with that - I think some people just get them. The good news is that they did pass by about 12 weeks, and I no longer get them. The other good news is that I think you're allowed to take paracetamol - however I was pathetic a little worried about taking them due to a previous mmc. Anyway, that wasn't cheery was it. So they're horrible, but they do end, and I didn't get them every day. But if they're really bad def talk to the midwife about it - and don't be silly like me and take some drugs!