The PESH are waddling their way to Christmas & trying not to freak out!

[FrankelInFoal]

The ante-natal fred for BESH graduates.

Recent Grads (aka CRESH)

blonderthanred, boy, born 26th October 2012
FriendofDorothy, boy, born 14th December 2012
QueenRollo, boy, born 21st January 2013
LazyMachine (38) boy EDD 9/2/13 - need an actual arrival date!
CamelKnees (34) EDD 22/04/2013 - need actual arrival date!
HaveALittleFaith (31), Faithlet arrived 14th April 2013
fertilityFTW (34) arrival date needed!
pinkr, (33), girl born 25th August 2013
Jethro (36) boy born 23rd September 2013

Waiting to lay:
Noks - EDD 28/12/2013
Frankel - EDD 4/3/2014
Sinky - EDD 18/3/2014
Ginfox - EDD end April 2014
Kat - EDD needed
Drizz - EDD 7/6/2014
Draf - EDD 19/6/2014
Winks - EDD 29/6/2014

Apologies for any misinformation or omissions!

euro, driz, thank you, I was rather out of sorts this morning but had a lunchtime nap and feel much more myself again. Got the ball rolling with new kitchen flooring too, which helps. My next scan is scheduled for the 12th of February. Doctor yesterday said I didn't need a scan for the bleeding, but he would book me in for next week, but didn't give me a date and nobody from the hospital called so I presume he forgot. I'm actually ok with that, my anxiety goes stratospheric before a scan so best to leave it since the heartbeat was fine. I'm seeing the midwife on 31st January for another listen to the heartbeat as well.

euro how are you managing to function? This must be driving you round the bend. The EPU sucks but maybe another private scan would help?

As for the forms, I think that actually most people can't be trusted to fill them in properly. People seem to have terrible trouble even signing completed forms in the right place (er, next to where is says signature perhaps?) Though this GP doesn't sound much better. There's one in my practice who is worse than useless and I avoid him like the plague. What a waste of part of your day euro.

frank eeek top of the pile and almost term! Hard to believe. It always seems to come round so quickly for other people.

sinky you minx Are these maternity bits you're flashing out of? Is it worth buying a sale pair of bigger trousers?

Sorry times are tough Euro and Winks. You're both doing amazingly to stay sane.

Driz, fortunately I only need smart clothes twice a week (normally- had to do extra bastard work this week). The rest of my time I can officially be a smelly student.

The thing is, I'm too stingy to buy more nasty, too short, shiny black trousers. So flashing my matty tights it is...

I'm doing ok, thanks for asking. Been crazy mental at work because we're having an inspection. I am tired, have no real appetite and am suffering from naunausea a fafair bit of the day.

I can't wait until my scan, but it seems to be taking ages to get a date!

frank wow - really not long to go now then! Re: my scan, I have to wait for a letter. But I think we will be tinning the NHS one anyway. I've booked the Harmony at FMC today, and they do a package that includes the Harmony test and nuchal scan for just the price of the test, so I have gone for that.

Thanks ladies. I think I will call the EPU tomorrow. I feel really down today for no apparent reason, so I'm worried my hormone levels are dropping. Plus I had more cramping this afternoon. Tomorrow it will have been a week since the scan, and the bleeding is still going on, so it seems fair enough to call them and see what they say.

I think that might be a good idea. This is so unfair on you :( Do you have to be referred to your local EPU or can you just rock up?

ginge how far along are you now? Hopefully they'll pull their fingers out soon.

Morning fellow differs, hope we're all well.

Euro, definitely give the EPU another call today, the continuing bleeding must be a total headfuck.

Have you tried ginger biscuits Ginge? In all seriousness, carbs and tea got me through the first trimester. Then tea started making me sick

I'm very puffy this morning. The last few days I've noticed that my hands and feet were getting a bit puffy (tight rings and harder to do up my boots), but this morning I had a puffy face - my eyes looked like I'd had an allergic reaction to something it's gone down, in my face, now but should I be concerned about increased puffiness! or is it par for the course at this stage?

The increased puffiness, plus a quieter than usual Turnip this morning made me a bit paranoid. I've had the foetal heart monitor out to check on her and she's beating away like a good 'un. She must just be having a lazy morning, little rascal.

frank I would give your midwife a ring when they open - puffiness is pretty normal I think, but better to be careful.

ginge cheese and onion crisps, and salt and vinegar mini cheddars, were my saviours at the beginning.

euro hugs for you this morning.

Yes Frank please ring your midwife when she's in. This can be a sign of pre-eclampsia - they can do some bloods to check. Don't leave this, just in case.

for euro. Wish it was simple for you. The cramping can be quite normal as the wombke stretches to accommodate a growing baby but with the bleeding it might just reassure you to go to your EPU.

That's what I'm worried about. I've left a message for midwife to call me, but I'm winding myself up into a bit of a state that something might be wrong while I'm waiting.

It almost certainly isn't that frank, which is why I didn't want to say it - your bp is normal and Turnip is growing as she ought to be, but best to be certain.

Ringing the midwife was the right move frank.

Having said that, my hands were puffy yesterday -I had to take my rings off, but it all seemed to settle down by lunch. And I'm getting boot imprints on my fat legs by the end of the day . Puffy face is a bit different though..

So, probably just more 3rd trimester joy, but get checked out!

Thanks all

I've spoken to the midwife and she said not to be concerned at a one of occurrence but if it happens again to call my GP and ask them to check my blood pressure straight away. I've got a midwife check up next week so will have a thorough chat with her then.

That's ok then. By your stage I couldn't get my boots on at all and had to loosen the laces of my trainers! Just keep an eye on it.

Definitely worth being safe rather than sorry, frank :)

Did you manage to get another scan appt, euro?

frank I'm glad it sounds like it is ok. The puffiness doesn't sound fun at all.

I called the EPU and they have asked me to come in for a(nother) scan this afternoon. This will be my 3rd and I'm only 8 weeks! Normals only have 2 throughout the entire pregnancy! Typically, the bleeding and cramping has eased off again today. I wonder if they will be able to find the cause this time.

Hope you're getting on ok at the epu euro

I'm just back from the EPU and once again, amazingly, everything is fine. They focussed on finding the source of the bleed this time and managed to. It's a subchorionic bleed. Basically, it is coming from below the sac and the blood is going straight through the cervix, so it shouldn't be interfering with the pregnancy. Which is good news. They offered me a rescan in 2 weeks, but I'm travelling then for work, so barring disasters, my next scan will be the one I have with the Harmony test in 2 and a half weeks. I should feel elated but I feel strangely detached from it all. I guess it's self-protection.

Excellent news :) Did they have any ideas when/if the bleeding would stop? Good to know the reason, anyway!

Best possible scan result Euro, given you're still bleeding. It's great that they seem certain where it's coming from and that it shouldn't cause the pregnancy any problems. But being detached is totally understandable. I didn't have any bleeding and only really believed there would be a baby at the end mid 2nd trimester.

Anything fun with work? Or your usual horrific sounding meetings from morning to night?

Brilliant news euro, and I'm glad they finally found the cause of the bleed. Don't worry about not feeling elated, I think its literally only today that I've felt delighted about being diffed. (Yes, today. No idea what's changed.) Nothing wrong with shielding yourself. Do try to not flog yourself into the ground with work if that's at all possible though.

I am losing the will to live with work, it is SO BORING! But the floor man came round this afternoon and I am going to be getting rid of my hideous old kitchen lino, and getting lovely cool flooring running through the open kitchen/living room. Yay!

So gold the scan went well Euro

Hooray for good scan euro.

Winks you and I are scan buddies, got my letter this morning. I'll be nearly 14 weeks by then

I've kind of gone off tea, but I have a major appetite for jacket potatoes with cheese and beans

Lots of carbs and protein in that Ginge

That sounds good and balanced ginge! They're getting you in just in the nick of time for the nuchal fold scan, aren't they? Have you had any other scans? I would be climbing the walls by now if I were you :)

If any of you know anything about curtains can you pls look at my curtain thread? I am very confused.

Hurrah euro! That is excellent news, sorry that the bleeding might still be there to drive you mad, but good to know the cause!

Actual elation and first trimester, I would not expect that. I was properly happy and believing this would be it after the 20 week scan. And even that is fading already!