Angels and Rainbows - remembering our angels and praying for our rainbows

[townsender]

Welcome to the thread, for anyone pregnant with a rainbow baby following baby loss.
A lot of us have graduated from the TTC angels and rainbows thread, but please feel free to join us if you are new, to share our highs and lows as we watch our bumps grow and await the safe arrival of our rainbows.

The current TTC thread is here:
Link

Introducing myself:
Name: Town?
Age: 34
Angel: My dear little girl 'G' born Feb14 at 27w by EMCS, lived 12 days in NICU
Other DC: none?
Rainbow: Little boy, due 2H Sept

Right, looks like that's worked, hope you all make it over.
Fingers still crossed for you tulip

Found you!

Name: ducky
Age : 24
Angel: dd 05/02/14

But I'm not pg or TTC

Ducky, you're a SUPER grad. Got your masters, onto the PHd

Thanks for the new thread town! Wasn't sure where to post so have just gone for it on here.

Well good news so far, had a full examination and my cervix is high and closed. They wanted me to have an urgent growth scan which was also fine. Baby is measuring pretty much bang on my customised growth chart (I'm not very big myself so not expecting a big baby!)

It was absolutely frightening though. I just want things to move along now, I thought after getting past the stage I lost 'A' that I would feel better but my anxiety levels seem to climb, particularly at night when in bed.

Madam - congratulations to you, you have reached a milestone now past 12 weeks. Great that you have had a 'normal' scan.

Kayleigh a little girl! So pleased for you. Doesn't time fly?

Ducky I know exactly how you feel with regards to somebody sharing your daughters name. My sil's brother had a baby boy a few months after I lost 'A' and they gave him the same name. Their due date was only a couple of weeks before ours, thankfully they live in another country however I do end up seeing pics and getting snippets of info. Their 'A' is the same age as what my little angel would have been too so I always end up imaging what my baby would have looked like/how big he would have been/what stage he would have been at in comparison to theirs.

April I am glad your procedure went well, onwards and upwards!

Town I was thinking along the same lines about the thread. When I first joined (almost two years ago now!) there were quite a few ladies TTC and not many pregnancies. I can imagine it is quite daunting for those TTC or even those that are just after support when we are all talking about our pregnancies so I am glad you have started a new thread. On that note I often wonder how Cake and her DH is doing.

Critter glad you are doing ok - totally understand the anxiety levels as you probably read my previous post! Great that baby is measuring ahead similar to you my parents have also had a stillbirth; my little sister. We have always openly talked about her in the family and so talking about 'A' around others makes it easier for me.

Winter how did your consultant appointment go?

Lake, Flambola, Vicky and anybody else I may have forgotten you are in my thoughts, you strong strong ladies

Town that made me chuckle!

Great it's looking well little, are you being kept in? Or monitored closely? Do they know what happened?

X

Woohoo.. Thanks town

Name: Winter
Age: 25
Angel: DD.. Born at 40+5 by EMCS due to severe placenta abruption mid labour. Switched off life support on day 3 in NICU.
Other DC: DS, almost 4 :) .. DC3 due 26/10/15

Met with my consultant today.. Agreed on an ELCS this time around and she's happy for it to happen around 37 weeks, with a shot of steroids beforehand to prep baby for arrival..
So happy - hoping I get to 37 weeks with no issues (one can hope!) and secretly hoping for the birth date of 5/10/15 ha!

She's recommended I take baby aspirin before the placenta has another growth boost at around 16weeks or so.. Will crack on with that tomorrow..

I get more scans this time - even though a scan can't prevent an abruption I suppose it helps to reassure.. But overall she was really helpful & understanding - I'm pleased that I took my midwife's advice and chose her as my consultant :)

14 weeks is a really weird place to be - I've felt some movements this past week which is lovely but they're so sporadic, it's not reassuring yet.. Most of my symptoms have faded (besides my massive, tender boobs ha).. Bloody no mans land!
2 week countdown until I find out if it's a boy or a girl..
So.freakin excited

Mammoth post over.. Apologies for me, me, me post.. Got a bit overexcited..

Thinking of you little

Goodnight ladies xx

Great to see your update little

They said the bloody mucus was probably just from a bit of cervical irritation. Went home after my growth scan. I did find being in hospital quite traumatic . Have a Consultant appointment next week.

I'm tempted to start buying a few bits and bobs. Me and DH said after 30 weeks, what do you guys think? I don't want to tempt fate but I don't want to be rushing and struggling at the end either...

My stats:
Name: LittleTulip
Age: 31
Angel: My beautiful boy 'A' born sleeping in August 2013 at 25 weeks. No reason was found
Other DC: None
Rainbow: Due July 2015, have everything and more crossed!

You're so very close to 30 weeks anyway, so buy away!
tempting fate isn't real IMO - hope I don't offend

tulip that's great news, so relieved for you.
I think if you feel ready to buy stuff, then go for it. I'm also going to wait a bit later this time (not that I'd got a lot by 26 weeks last time!), partly because more of my friends have now got 2 babies and might be looking to get rid of stuff. But if I get to the point where I get the urge to shop, I think I will give in to that urge. Celebrate being able to go into Mothercare and not burst into tears!
The only exception I'm making is the 'me' bits of the hospital bag... which I'm planning on packing ready for week 24. Oh dear, I don't sound too optimistic do I. But better to be prepared I think.

winter glad to hear you've got ELCS confirmed, and for 37 weeks too. My consultant refuses to do mine a day before 39+0. I have to trust his risk assessment though, he is very experienced, and he doesn't see a lot of risk in an EMCS if I go into labour early.
What does the baby asprin do?

Winter do you have any feelings of whether it's a boy or girl? I think I could tell each time

Little, I brought things, it was a bit 'whats the point' but it was nice to have things to look at to keep me focused and a lot easier to spread the cost. I loved putting his little clothes on the radiator in the hospital when I was being induced

Town, it's just a low dose of aspirin, it thins the blood to make blood flow easier to the placenta, from what I have read most people who have had stillbirths due to unknown causes go on it when pregnant.

I have no idea re:aspirin town - I need to have a google as to how it works... She's recommended it due to the blood clot found behind my placenta after the abruption. I've tested negative for thrombophilia (blood clotting disorder) so don't have to have heparin injections, but she briefly mentioned aspirin can be used to help with thrombophilia ..

I'd completely trust his experience, 39 will give you a lovely plump but not too plump baby!

I think she was satisfied that, for me, by 37weeks there would be little benefit to making me wait. But there's a lot of time between now & then so I'm trying not to mentally set it in stone, as things change.

Apparently a section after labour has begun has some benefits due to the release of hormones in preparation for birth - sort of one step ahead of ladies who have a section without labour beginning.. So that would be a silver lining to such an event..

ducky nice explanation - thought it was a blood thinner (of sort) but wasn't sure :)

I think it's a boy.. My pregnancy is v.similar to my DS's.. I've just got that feeling.. Pleased to hear you guessed yours!!
I've mentally prepared for a boy because I'd really love another girl, and it's actually working ha!.. We chose our boy names first.. I've envisioned a family of boys.. I'm going to be surrounded by superheroes and 'boy' stuff forever haha

I'll have to have a read back through the other thread to catch up on all of the updates I missed.. :)

Hello!

My stats:

Name: Flambola
Age: 29
Angel: son born Dec 2014 @ 37 weeks
Other DC: none
Rainbow: due Nov

My consultant has told me to take a low dose of aspirin from 12 weeks. He also said they'll try and get me to 38 weeks but that depends on my mental state. Jim was 9lb 8 when he was born so I may have a big baby again! No GD, DH and I just come from tall families; my BIL is 6' 8 and my brother is 6'5. DH is 6' 3.

I don't know what I'm babbling about! Sorry not to name check but I have quite severe insomnia at the moment which I think is anxiety related to my 12 week scan on Friday. So I'm knackered and going a bit doolally.

Little, I'm pleased to hear that everything's ok. I can't imagine how terrified you must have been.

I love having a boy dinosaurs everywhere!

Flambola my husband is 6'5 too, and I'm tiny ds was 8'1.5 at 37 weeks, he was bang on the estimates, if he went to 40 weeks he would if been over 10, I dread to think what he would be at 42!

And I will be thinking of you Friday!

It's mad isn't it, even if your loss was later in pregnancy, all the early stuff becomes just as worrying all the mw etc expected me to be fine at my 12 week and 20 week but I was terrified

Name: April
Age: 30
Angel: Our gorgeous boy born at just under 25 weeks. Did amazingly but couldn't fight an infection after 12 days in the NICU.
Rainbow: Hopefully due November though I can't let myself believe it. Got a cervical cerclage last week at 12 weeks.

Hi all, thanks for the new thread Town. Even though I already know all your back stories re-reading them made me tear up. It's all so bloody unfair.

Glad to hear lots of positive things recently and hopefully this thread can be an even more positive thread. By the sounds of it here will be a fair few babies due towards the end of the year.
Glad things are better for you Tulip. I live in constant fear I will have another premie and I'm only 12.5 weeks so I have a long road ahead.
I can't remember who mentioned on the last thread about sharing stories with their DH but I do too. We will laugh about some things that happened during the birth. I also compared birth stories for the first time with a friend recently and it felt nice to have that normality even though she had her baby in her arms and I did not. I think a lot of people don't get I had full blown labour and everything that went wih it. Of course my angel was small but it still hurt like absolute hell and for all intents and purposes I had a normal labour. I think some people assume he just popped out. It's silly but it bothers me!

Looking forward to hearing whether people are having boys/girls. Is anyone not finding out?! I am convinced I am having a girl as feel so different but deep down I'd like it to be a boy. Obv I don't care, just want a full term baby with no probs just like we all do!

I think it's fine to buy things at 30 weeks. I was so superstitious last time and it counted for nothing. This time I will wait till 30 weeks at least but may let myself buy essentials like a car seat then.

So my SIL is due any day. If I think about it I tear up and feel so horrible inside. I seem to have focused all my anger on her (which is totally unfounded). Maybe it won't be as bad as I imagine. I was dreading my angel's due date but it wasn't that bad in the end. My SIL having her baby though just makes me feel everything is out of order and not how it should be. I am totally dreading it. They wanted to FaceTime the other day (we live far from them thank god!) and I just couldn't face seeing her heavily pregnant. I don't know why I am so focussed on this but I feel like I'm going mad about it. Oh and blooming Kate Middleton aswell! Ha. I hate her right now! I basically seem to have a dislike to pregnant people other than people who have had issues like us!

Hugs to all xxx

Name: lake
Age: 32
Angel: beautiful little E born at 40+9 25/8/14
Rainbow: hopefully due 9/10/15

I wish things were straight forward, pregnancy seems to be one of those things health professionals can't seem to agree on. The Dr I saw after the 12 week scan said to take aspirin to thin the blood as I already have bad varicose veins and a BMI that's a bit above 30. When I saw the midwife at 16 weeks she said that I didn't meet the criteria to take aspirin. I know I can buy it over the counter but just want some reassurance that I wouldn't do any harm.

Not seeing community MW until 28 weeks now and realised I need my MatB1 before 25 weeks, apparently it can't be issued before 20 weeks so I'm hoping they'll do it at the hospital.

Got 20 week scan booked, 22 week Doppler placenta blood flow scan booked and 28 week growth scan booked too. Scared as it seems to all be a bit real now. Feelin some movements on and off. Booked a counsellor appointment after the 22 week scan.

Glad to hear things are better Tulip. Hope everyone is doing good and thanks forthe new thread fab idea!!

lake my consultant said that aspirin doesn't do harm, but can do some good.. (Don't know how accurate that statement is, but her credentials are good enough for me to take her word :) )..

There is a lot of inconsistency in the medical world though depending on the professional.. My midwife said I wouldn't need a GTT (dad has type 2), had one last time - all clear, midwife at hospital has booked on anyway.. I would have contested it but I'm actually looking forward to DH having DS and me having 2hours quiet time

Lovely to see that your scans are all booked in :)

My MW booked my GTT I was a bit annoyed as I worked hard to get my BMI back down after having E and then the MW weighed me with 2 coats and my winter boots on and estimated my height! Irrationally annoyed me but just pushed my BMI to exactly 35 which is the cut off here for GTT. The MW reminded me several times that I must not eat after 10pm!

I was brave today and went into E's bedroom and had a look at some of the baby grows tryin to work out if we will need to buy some boy clothes if it's a boy. Forgot how many clothes we'd got for her!!

My only worry with aspirin is they refused to give me an epidural last time as my platelets and clotting were abnormal and aspirin is a blood thinner. Going to talk to the consultant at 22 weeks when I have the Doppler and see what the recommendation is then based on the blood flow!