November 2014 - thread 9. The one with the babies.

[amy83firsttimer]

Waddle aboard ladies.

Congratulations mumona!

Anna, I'm not sure if it's would tell you much if they checked your cervix. If all the signs are right, it is still unknown when labour would start.

My FIL came up with a weird one yesterday. I was cleaning vegetables from the garden under the tap when he asked me if the water was cold. When I said yes, he told me he thought pregnant women aren't supposed to put their hands in cold water. What? Never heard that one before. He couldn't even explain why that would be, so I guess it's another one of them old fashioned wives' tales. I explained to him it was nonsense

Blamber, that's the most bizarre old wives tale I've heard! I put my hands in cold water as it helps with swollen fingers and carpel tunnel probs

That's really interesting caz. I'm also in that category (turned 40 last month) and nobody's said anything about that yet, but I have an appt on Friday at bang on 39 weeks so it will be interesting to see what they say.

As eager as I am for this little person to turn up ASAP I'm quite anti too much intervention unless there's a very good reason for it. I'm still being midwife led rather than consultant led and all going to plan I'll give birth at the Birthing centre rather than the hospital.

Let us know what they say and I'll report back too.

Congratulations Mumonabroom

Beautiful name Kantha

Hope you feel better soon Caz

Thisis - I've got fingers crossed for the full moon too. Nothing to report here. This weeks earlier twinges are now a distant memory. Might make and other curry tonight to see if it gets things started.

Thisis - yes, let me know what they say at your next appointment I'm seeing the homebirth midwife on Saturday.

I got pregnant just before I turned 40 so from the start was classed as high risk and referred to a consultant at the hospital. To cut a long story short I stopped seeing the consultant as all it did was make me anxious and make my blood pressure go up, which was the only health issue they had to talk to me about which they caused! Me and the baby have been fine all along. Got really stressed out at 36 weeks appointment with midwife as she starting saying that I wouldn't be 'allowed' to go over 40 weeks. Told different midwife at next app that I was really anxious about interventions and she's done everything she can to help me and referred me to the homebirth team which has helped, but they still want me to see the consultant at 40 weeks. I know they do this because the risk of unexplained stillbirth goes up slightly with age (but from what I've read it's still less than 1 percent), and while there's no way I want to risk that I still think if there's no problems then I would rather be monitored.

The only good thing about being older is that I've had extra scans

• have you had more scans? Also, apparently your skin stretches more when you are older so I don't have any stretch marks yet! (I'm amazed about this, I have loads in other places from when I put on weight when I was younger!!)

That's interesting Caz, I haven't had any extra scans at all, bar the 3D one we paid for at 28 weeks because I was just too impatient to wait from 20 weeks until birth. I've had a couple of scares where we ended up in the hospital, one rib pain related and one more recent one that was contraction/possible pre-term labour related at 35 weeks, I think brought on by overdoing it and also an unexpected bereavement rather than anything else.

They muttered about going consultant led after the second scare and ticked the bit in my notes to be consultant led, but I've managed (not sure how!) to get it back to the midwives. It does really seem to depend on who you see. Everybody seems to say something different.

I love the bit you wrote about stretch marks! So far I don't have any either. I have been religiously drinking gallons of water each day and using coconut oil, but I still expect them to appear every morning, and the bump is still growing so I daren't count my chickens just yet. I will hang on to that little silver lining about older skin stretching better! ...although does that mean it won't spring back quite so easily as well?!

Yes, I've also thought that my skin probably won't spring back as well afterwards!!

I think it does really depend on who you see, the younger midwife I saw was much more positive about me being treated according to my actual health rather than as a risk factor, but she was also taking about hypnobirthing so I think she's quite open minded.

No internal suggested, yay! Everything is fine, fluid normal, baby not too huge...induction booked for next Wednesday which is fine by me as it gives me a full 7 days. They were utterly unfussed about doing it any earlier which gave me some confidence. Hopefully I can just keep my spirits up and keep positive!

Anna that's great news!

Sorry amy i didn't see your question - I'm 40+4. The MW said I was 40+5 but the doctor I saw afterwards promptly struck off a day so i'm going backwards, lol!

Caz that is just really bizarre cos I'm 39 and look how relaxed they're being with me! I've been classed as low risk from the start and have been exclusively in a MW clinic & haven't seen an actual doctor from Month 3 until today. Now in fairness I've had zero problems - no UTIs, good BP, baby has been thriving throughout etc etc.

On the down side I've had very little in the way of scans. Very hands off.

But if you haven't had any issues I'm shocked that they're treating you so differently when there's only 6 months or so between us! Good on you for choosing to go down a different route.

Oh and sadly my great age didn't stop me getting stretchmarks.

Though they're only under my bump. Like a goatee, lol. The sides of my stomach are fine so far so its not the worst.

I was upset for the first week but am OK now. DH doesn't give a poo so that helps.

anna mine may well be under my bump - I just can't see them!

Thanks Annarose, yes it is bizarre, I do wonder if I would have been treated differently if I'd still been 39 at my booking appointment.

Glad you haven't been hassled about induction, and fingers crossed that things get moving for you naturally in the next few days. I will stand my ground if I have to see the consultant, she will probably remember me as we had quite a discussion last time!

Congratulations mumona and kantha lovely name.

Met a friend this morning for tea n cake which was nice n as was at waitrose felt obiliged to do some shopping n purchase more cake!!

Bloody hospital bag hasn't turned up yet rest of revenge order came via myhermes but tripp despatch direct n use dreaded yodel scheduled yesterday check update last night apparently unsuccessful delivery attempt at 6.30pm n they left a card - erm nope you didn't we were in n it's gated development so you can't get in without buzzing - obvious saw the gates n couldn't be arsed. Let's see if they come today

Stretch marks - I thought didn't have any last pregnancy n were under the bump n no additional ones yet this pregnancy but old ones bloody itch like mad especially if worn maternity jeans with stretchy band on them. Sanctuary mum cream is amazing though.

Thisis, Anna, Caz* I am joining to the "oldies club", I am 38 and while they never tried to send me to the consultant led this time, I am aware that if we decide to have a DC2, I will be 40+ and will get discriminated in all sort of ways because of slight difference in age and my only real chance to have a natural birth will be a homebirth which I will definitely consider.

It really bugs me all this attitude purely based on age!! Not all women start off with underage pregnancies at 13 so that they should be worn out old mamas once they are 40!

My pregnancy has been brilliant, no proper symptoms of pregnancy, full of energy and hormones completely under control. No stretchmarks at the moment either, all tests and checkups have been exemplary and the baby has been very collaborative (or we just seem to be both compatible and didnt upset each other!). I got 2 add scans scheduled because at 20 week scan they found low lying placenta quite close to birth canal. Had the abdominal scan last week but they could not measure the distance because baby was head down deep in pelvis (that's a surprise at 37 weeks!) and covering up the placenta. So have to go again this week for internal one, keeping fingers crossed it has moved to the right place and I dont have to listen about c-sections.

Also went for 3D scan privately because thought it would be a nice memory for the kid once she grows up and it was also a treat for ourselves on wedding anniversary.

What has surprised me in the pregnancy... Since week 30 I have been always telling myself that there was no way the bump could grow any bigger as it was already so big and tight and then comes the routing MW appointment and it works out it has grown again to be bang on to what it should have measured! And I would say myself "hm, this was fortunate, but there is NO way the baby/bump grows any bigger now, not a centimeter, not a single one! There's simply no space for that!". Just to find out that she has grown exactly according to the text book.

The secret lives of the babies, eh...

Strawberry I have actually been made to think that I couldn't possibly get any bigger than I was at 32ish weeks!
had actually taken to avoiding a select few people in the supermarket who would just look at bump & shake their head when I didn't say I was 5 weeks overdue! They made me feel like I was abnormally huge!

But yesterday's appointment I was measuring spot on for 38 weeks feel like waddling to asda to seek them out and shove my measurement in their face!

excited I seem to get lots of stares recently, even DH has noted excessive interest from the passers by. Hell, finally!! When about a month ago I asked him if there was a synonym word to "stare" but with more offensive meaning, he looked at me like I was some sort of grumpy bit@£ who cannot appreciate people genuine interest. So now he recognised that some of that was far too much than it could be labelled polite.

Hi ladies!
I'm 37 weeks tomorrow, and baby has permission to arrive ASAP now as I have a bit of a deadline with the house move. Nothing like doing everything at once ay! I'm trying to work out what I can pack ahead of time!

Really glad I'm not the only 'oldie' here! You're right Strawberry, it's not like we've already had loads of children, this is the first time my body has done this. What bugs me is that no-one has asked me if I eat healthily or exercise, which I do, I've even felt healthier whilst pregnant (appart from being sick!) because I've been eating lots of fruit and veg and not drinking alcohol.

I've had the opposite, everyone keeps telling me how small my bump is though I'm also spot on with the measurements. I think it depends on your build and how you carry it. I lost over a stone in the first trimester so could still wear my normal 'fat' clothes until recently, think people who didn't know just thought I'd put weight on again!!

strawberry I believe that word would be "gawp".

Whats worse is that my maternity clothes are struggling to contain me. I'm very long waisted and even long maternity tops show a bit of belly peeking out down low. And thats the bit with the stretchmarks! So for modesty am stuck in my one pair of secondhand overbump jeans that I don't even like.

The change in seasons has been a pain as you don't buy anything after Month 8 but all my cute dresses aren't warm enough anymore. And I never bought a maternity jumper (big mistake).

So now I am constantly enveloped in one of my Mum's old fleeces from way back when she was a size 20.

So much for a trendy pregnancy!

I had an added risk factor because I turned 36 three days before my booking in appointment which was annoying, other factors were high BMI & previous big baby, although last time I was at the consultant he said he was happy to discharge me to the MW so hoping tomorrow she'll confirm I can give birth at the MLU.

Have decided I'm too pregnant to do housework anymore, did some washing and emptied the dishwasher and I am knackered, luckily toddler is happy having a Beebies & iPad day

Another "oldie" here....am crossing my fingers that I'll still be 38 when bean makes its appearance - is cutting it very fine and I could be 39... I haven't been treated any differently at all as a result of my age (except being described as a "geriatric mother" and having "only risk = age" written into my medical notes....

Annarose, I'm with you re the maternity clothes - bought a few dresses which were fab over the summer...since it's got colder and I've been on mat leave, have been living in a pair of tracksuit trousers (with waistband below bump) and DH's shirts and one of his thick woolly jumpers - it's a realyu flattering look .

Haha Anna thank you for the gawp, no I have the right word to throw in face of those staring too much.

My DH graciously offered me to borrow some stuff from his wardrobe when he saw how I was growing out of the cloth I had been wearing up to then. Been couple of times sporting his jumpers, but most importantly his rain coat. I am normally S/M size and had L size rain coat, which about week 34 I could not zip anymore. It was a revelation that the same brand rain coat male size M is much (MUCH!) bigger than female size L!

Havent I am off to google "geriatric"