July 2016 (3)

[allthegoodnamesalreadytaken]

Trying to start a new thread before we run out of space, haven't done it before so hopefully it works

[Ladyboluna]

Thank you cheery, I think I'm 5 + 2 if I go along with midwife assuming my cycle is 28 days.

Unusually for me I've gone off my food. I've also already had to ask work about maternity uniform as my trousers which were a little tight to begin with are now so tight I can't do the button! I don't need the top ofc but the trousers are another story lol

Also I bought a maternity bra already. Purely because I usually wear push up bras with underwireing and the boobs are coming out of them and the wires are digging in! Got mine from m and s. Tbh I don't see the difference between it and ordinary soft cup bras. It's just stretchy apparently.

Also what are bacon frazzles wanting?

[BeauticianNotMagician81]

I found you all. Waves.

Let's hope this is a nice chilled thread this time round. I told DH last night about all the ladies that had lost already. Even he was sad. Unfortunately on my May 13 ante natal thread I saw a lot of losses. I don't think quite as many as on here but I think that's because this is a bigger group.

I'm hunting out a Christmas sandwich this morning. I really fancy Turkey and all the trimmings for lunch. But a sandwich will have to do

I keep looking in on Amazons Black Friday deals so that I can finish my Christmas shopping. Loads of baby items on there hugely discounted but I'm not brave enough to buy any yet. I think I will wait until after my scan which should mean I get to take advantage of the January sales

7+6

[gnat99]

Morning everyone, impressive that we are on a third thread already! Psychologically it feels like a good day to begin it - a new positive start after all the sadness last night.

Big hugs to everyone who's struggling today. I've been feeling so shattered the past week, I decided to book today off work, had one day's leave left to take. So I am still in bed, sipping lemon and ginger tea. What luxury!

Wanted to update you after my booking in appointment yesterday. It was a bit of an anticlimax really. I thought it would be the same midwife who had phoned me twice, and seemed very nice, but it was a different mw. She was nice enough, and said congratulations, but was a bit less friendly, and I was disappointed, as I'd really been looking forward to meeting the other one! Silly I know.

Main thing I felt was that she rushed through it a bit. I suppose she was busy. I'd been told it would take at least an hour, and we were shown out (DH came too) after 45 minutes. I have to go back to get bloods done by a nurse next week, and the only thing she checked was my blood pressure. Just asked me my height and weight, and didn't want the urine sample I brought (in the info booklet they gave me at the doctor's when I saw the GP, it said to bring a urine sample to every appt). She didn't ask how I was feeling or ask any of my symptoms, had I had any bleeding, etc.

When it came to all the family history questions etc, she picked up the pink questionnaire booklet we'd spent ages filling in at home, tossed it to one side and said 'well, we don't need that any more, it's all online now.' Then she proceeded to tick loads of boxes without telling us what she was doing and asked us far fewer questions than we knew were in the booklet. So then I felt nervous that she'd left out stuff or just made it up :/ I'm sure it was just me being a paranoid control freak, but it did leave me feeling worried that she'd left out important information. When I nervously mentioned the private scan we'd booked for before Christmas, she just grunted, and seemed either uninterested or plain offended.

She did discuss the combined screening tests for Downs very carefully with us, and was very emphatic that we talk everything through as a couple at home. She also told me to take aspirin every day as there is a family history of pre eclampsia. So she was good in a lot of ways. But I left feeling flat, worried and upset, and am hoping I'll get a different mw the next time. Think I had just built it up too much and it was bound to disappoint! For her I was just one more patient on a rainy busy afternoon.

Sorry for the long essay, ladies. Just wanted to get this off my chest. Perhaps it will prevent some of you from building up the booking in appt like I did. Now it's just a long anxious wait until scan on 20th December.
7+6

[SoniaShoe]

kaytee that sounds like the max amount of caffeine you would want to be having. I think the advice is 2 cups of tea and a small bar of chocolate (aaahhh got choc craving when I typed that) and I think diet coke has quite a lot in. Have you thought about switching to decaffeinated tea bags? I use PG tips and they taste fine to me.

[Ellizardo]

Morning everyone - spending a lovely time looking at DC1 bouncing around on his jumperoo and feeling very lucky. Here's to an uneventful, blossoming 8 months!

Kaytee - I have 1-2 cups of coffee a day and Diet Coke Caffeine Free which is excellent and basically exactly the same as DC. Sonia is right, sounds like you're on upper limit but of all the things you shouldn't be doing/eating/drinking, I think caffeine is mid-low so don't stress too much!

Smallplain - I am already in my Gap maternity joggers and tshirts. Am staggered at how massive my tum is already compared to first pregnancy. I guess it's a mixture of bloating/hormones and an elasticity from last year.

Gnat99 - sorry to hear of mw ambivalence. You kind of want them to be as thrilled as you all the time and then you get a 'meh' one and it ruins your buzz! My first booking in appt was only 40 mins or so too. Sounds like they're under quite a bit of time pressure but for her to be so dismissive of the process is annoying; i really like filling out all the boxes! Will be interested to see what my one on Sunday is like.

Food, omg, I managed to get through two portions of homemade carbonara last night with lashings of parmesan. ALl about the salt and carbs. Off to the park now with DC1 to walk it off. (she says hopefully).

x

[Kaytee1987]

I just did a bit of googling and it's advised to keep caffeine to under 200mg (?) apparently 2 cups of tea and 220ml diet coke is only about 100mg but I didn't think to factor in any chocolate treats (not really fancying chocolate just now) I might try some caffeine free things though as the less we have the better I suppose. I think I will find it hard to give up my tea & diet coke as well as a cold beer :( xx

[Kaytee1987]

Ok read the nhs site there and they're putting 2 cups of tea and can of diet coke at almost 200mg other websites are saying it's far less but best to be cautious. I guess I will be trying caffeine free diet coke then! X

[lilygirl81]

Gnat that's a bit of a shame about your appointment, I do think quite often they don't leave enough time for appointments, so maybe she was trying to catch up.

I just told me team at work, as there are only 2 of them, and I'm feeling so awful today it seemed only fair. I got so nervous I was shaking, but they were really pleased at the news. My boss knew I had an early mc 5 weeks ago, so knows it's not been an easy road. I then got convinced I had jinxed things and would see pink when I next wiped, but thankfully nothing. I do think all the sadness yesterday has got me very worried. For once I am thankful that I feel so rotten, though since all the books seem to say morning sickness starts at 6 weeks, I'm dreading next week!

4+6

[Bluebell20]

gnat, sorry you didn't have a great experience with the midwife. It seems odd to me that you have to come back separately for tests - mine was all done in one go. And did the doctor give you the pink booklet? Perhaps they need to be told not to hand them out - how utterly ridiculous! My midwife was lovely, but she is retiring in February - wahhh!

Kaytee, I would try the caffeine-free Diet Coke as Ellizardo suggested. Decaf tea does unfortunately taste a bit different to the real thing, but I should think it would be far less obvious in Coke. I don't drink caffeine anyway as I've had huge anxiety issues in the past, so that has at least been one thing I've not had to worry about changing!

Went to sleep last night desperately wanting cheese and chive Kettle Chips... I have always, always been a size 8 (I'm nearly 31 and have basically been the same shape since I was 14) and to be honest I am absolutely terrified about the weight-gain aspect of pregnancy. I'm trying hard to eat healthy snacks when I feel nauseous - crackers and satsumas mostly - but I have had two packets of crisps in the last couple of days and that is very unusual for me - I'm scared I'm going to make a habit of it! Also just the fact that I am snacking so much means I am consuming a lot more food, healthy or not. I have always eaten a lot (I get mocked for my enormous lunches at work), but I've never grazed like this before! And I'm struggling to go to the gym (i.e. I haven't gone) because I feel rough.

Is anyone else worrying about this? I am aware of how vain it sounds, but it's really scaring me that my body is going to change so much, so quickly!

8+4

[jemimahpuddleduck]

Bluebell I am also a size 8 and always have been, With my DD I ate what I could in the first trimester (mainly mars bars and cheese) and then made up for it once I was feeling better. I like you eat a lot but my tastes are generally towards healthy foods. It all evened out in the end and I ended up gaining 30lbs, 17lbs of that was gone within 2 weeks so only had 13lbs to lose which was fine. Started this pregnancy at 3lbs lower and the same size and hope to do the same again. The first trimester is so hard so I tend to just go with the flow and know that it will be ok in the end.

[Woodsy81]

Just checking in. Haven't logged on in a while. Was really upset to read the sad posts from some of our other ladies. Must be so devastating. They all seem such strong women. Hugs to them all. xx

I am trying to stay positive. Feeling more and more nauseous everyday which I am looking at as a positive thing (haven't been sick though). Just scoffed a sausage roll which I have a feeling I am going to regret. Only craving is still bacon really - weird. Bought bacon crisps to try and stay away from bacon itself as I know its not good for me - not that crisps are much better. I have days when my boobs seem massive and sore and others where they are not so bad. Today is a big boob day. :)

I am also ridiculously bloated. My jeans are no longer comfortable and I just want to wear the stretchy skirts I wear to work even on my days off.

Got our private scan in 10 days which I am excited/nervous for. Decided to take this Friday off. Going to stay in bed and do all my xmas shopping online and get all the black Friday deals....and maybe buy some more stretchy skirts. :)

Mel, I am feeling greasy just in general. My hair and skin. Yuck!

8+6

[wantingno2]

lady bacon frazzles are crisps there in all the supermarkets I got them in asda the remind me of being a child my mum used to buy them the weirdest thing is although I like those crisps I've completely gone off real bacon and anything pork which is good for my oh as he's a jew and he doesn't eat it.

[lilygirl81]

Bluebell I'm actually still trying to lose weight as I am about 3 stone more than I should be, but may give up on that idea as eating healthily is a bit of a struggle right now. However, my older sister is expecting twins and I think she is much like yourself, she has been a size 6 or 8 her whole adult life and is struggling with the weight and shape change. I think it is perfectly normal if you have always been one way, but do try not to let it get to you too much. It sounds like you are mostly snacking healthily so give yourself credit for that, and don't worry about the odd packet of crisps

[Cookiesandcoffee]

Found you all!
Haven't had anymore pink so hoping it was just a one off following over exurston (spelling?!) at work.
gnat that does quite rubbish of your midwife, I would say that's not typical of any I've been to. Sorry if you said but will she be your midwife throughout?

kaytee that sounds just within The guidelines to me, I usually drink a lot of coffee so I was worried but strangely I've gone off it. If you aren't eating much chocolate etc then I personally wouldn't stress yourself about it too much.

smallplainblonde I'm with you on the expanding waistline! I think I can feel it's pushing my previous-baby-bulge forward though, so I just look fat. People are going to start asking questions soon! Worth noting I'm also not much over 5ft so I always have a 'big' pregnancy tummy. I indulged in a pair of H&M maternity skinny jeans which have saved me!! Not too much at £20 either I thought.

Whoever mentioned kettle chips- now it's all I want!!! Damn being at work and having no shop!!

Really crossing my fingers that this marks the end of the tragic news. So unfair and surely our lovely group has had enough sadness. Positive thoughts ladies

[gnat99]

Woodsy, like you I am getting much more nausea now! Especially in the evenings. But thankfully not being sick either.

Mel, my hair is ok for now but my face is quite spotty. My sister's curly hair went poker straight while she was pregnant!

Sonia, Gx91 and Beautician - good luck at work today, hope things pick up for you as the day progresses.

lilygirl, I'm sure things will be much easier now that you have told your colleagues. I am waiting till January and am looking forward not to have to pretend anymore. I really felt my tummy was sticking out yesterday, was amazed no one pointed at it!

Bluebell, I too am getting nervous of weight again, especially when I haven't been going to the gym. But am trying to think of it as such a natural thing. My friend was really nervous about this when she got pregnant earlier this year, she previously had bulimia and body image issues and was always really slim and toned. However she ate all round her in first trimester, because she felt hungry and it felt right. She never put on excess baby weight, just a healthy amount. And now she has just had a healthy baby last week

Thanks girls for sympathy with my booking in appt whinge. I definitely expected too much! And of course they can't all be as excited as we are The pink booklet was in the bounty pack they give you at reception when the doc gives you the pregnancy form to hand in. It was still probably good that we filled it in, as it meant we had time to think about the questions before the appt.

God I am so constipated this morning.

7+6

[lilygirl81]

I got myself so worked up that I just did another digital test I had in my bag just to see that word! Stupid I know, as even if I had mc, the hormones would still be in my system for days, but it's all I could do!

[Cookiesandcoffee]

I have a question to those ladies who have already had private scans... I had previously booked one for just before Xmas when I'll be 11+5. But I'll be honest I'm being impatient and I want one sooner. Also the clinic is quite a drive and I dont think I'll have time so close to Xmas to trek in Christmas traffic etc - and I got the school break up date wrong. Oops.
I can cancel this appointment, and there is a clinic in my town that can do them for a little bit more. So much easier!!
I'm currently 8+2 ... What would I see on the screen at 8/9 weeks? Would it be worth while? Or should I try and suck it up and wait a bit longer?

[Cookiesandcoffee]

Oh lily I completely understand. I'm a paranoid and anxious nightmare the last few days. I hope you can calm yourself down and try to relax. Easier said than done. Constant knicker checking today...

[YouAndMeAreGoingToFallOut]

Hi cookie - I had a private scan at 8 weeks and saw everything, including the heartbeat, pretty clearly.

Assuming the logic behind your original plan was wanting to be able to tell people at Christmas, I'd probably try to hang on until then if you can. You might not feel as confident about it if you've had an early scan a few weeks before. I'm lucky - my NHS 12 week scan will be the week before, but if it wasn't I'm not sure I'd want to tell everyone having only had the scan at 8 weeks.

[Ladyboluna]

I'm kind of glad in a way that others feel anxious I thought it was just me.
When I found out I unwisely phoned my mother whose first words on hearing the news was "Oh. Well I had so many positive tests you know before I got a healthy baby oh so many." Was like oh thanks mum. At least oh's family were really optimistic as well as my sister.

Thoughts to those ladies who have lost. You are strong and will make it through this.

[lilygirl81]

cookie Its amazing how much I think the sad news yesterday has affected me, it was all so sudden. Definite knicker watch today.

With your scan, I saw somewhere that your change of successful pregnancy goes up to 74% with a 6 week scan, 98% with an 8 weeks scan and 99.4% at 10 weeks, so there isn't much of a difference between 8 and 10. in terms of what you will see...

At 6-7 weeks gestation, your baby is growing bigger and now measures 5-9mm long. From now until the end of the first trimester, the embryo will be measured from one end to the other, called the crown-rump-length or CRL. The baby’s heartbeat will be detected at this stage.

At 8-11 weeks gestation, your baby continues to change appearance as it grows and develops. By 8 weeks gestation, your baby can usually be seen with transabdominal ultrasound.

By 10-11 weeks gestation, the embryo is clearly recognisable as a baby with a body, head, arms and legs, as well as many other identifiable features. Your baby may be moving around the pregnancy sac. Many parents are amazed at the detail that can be seen even at this early stage of the pregnancy.

Not sure if any of that is helpful

[Bluebell20]

Thanks jemimah, lily and gnat for the reassurance regarding weight gain. You are of course right, I do just have to go with the flow, because at the moment if I feel sick then I really do need to eat - it's not exactly a choice! I will stick to my healthy snacks (and the odd Kettle Chip) and try not to worry about it.

As for knicker / toilet paper checking, I have had a couple of hilarious moments where I have wiped and seen pink - panicked - then realised it's just my fingers showing through the damp toilet roll!

Just had my scan appointment through the post. It will be the 21st December, when I will be 12+2. Just in time for Christmas!

[Cookiesandcoffee]

No that is helpful lily thank you. I think I will try and hold off a little more til 10/11. If I can! But yeh I'm really super anxious. But youandme you're right about not wanting to tell people at 8 weeks. It still feels too early, even with if I had a scan. So I don't know if I would feel as greatly reassured as I think I would?
Well at my midwife app she said my hospital is really busy and although I'll be 12 weeks on the 21st I think she said not to get my hopes up for before Xmas. I also had to make a note I can't make Monday's or Wednesday's due to work so I feel I've shot myself in the foot. Sorry for the essay but just feeling a bit hormonal today and DH isn't quite 'getting it'.

[YouAndMeAreGoingToFallOut]

Lily is right about the stats - the miscarriage association say the chances of a successful pregnancy are 98% if a heartbeat is found at 8 weeks, and that isn't hugely less than at 12 weeks. I guess I'm thinking that the other people I'm telling will expect to hear I've had a 12 week scan, and that they might not be reassured if I haven't, iykwim. It's probably a bit daft. Superstition I suppose.

[lilygirl81]

Youandme I think we are just going to tell our immediate family early and wait until the 12 week scan to tell the wider world. I just don't see me getting through what is normally a fairly boozy Christmas without letting slip. I think if it wasn't for Christmas, it would be a bit different. Plus I desperately want to tell my big sister, it would be really nice to share us both being pregnant at the same time, and might reduce her expectation of the number of things I'm going to knit for her twins!!

Feel a little sorry for our puppy, I had been making him a lovely knitted blanket, but that is now earmarked for the baby...does a dog really need a silk and cashmere blanket?