thread #2 - TTC#1 Grads, sick bags at the ready!

[Runner05]

We've finally got our BFPs and have started on the long winding road of pregnancy.

Most of us are starting, within, or just leaving the first trimester where bloating, unexplained discharge and constant nausea are watchwords of the day!

We're battling NHS inconsistencies, trying not to kill our midwives and desperately looking for a magic morning sickness cure... It's TTC#1 grads!!!

Cosmo, was the pain one sided? Sounds like what I had the other day and went to a&e, turned out to be the ovary that I ovulated from and the cyst it had on it and baby was fine. Don't panic! Even if you get bleeding. Do you have an epu near you? They will scan you from 5 weeks xx

Just re-read and you said one sided, sorry!!! Definitely go and get a scan just incase, if your doctor says nothing go to a&e or epu as they will need to check its in the right place whether there's bleeding or not

Just been for a midwife appointment for a check up on my platelet issue. She asked if I wanted her to try and find the heartbeat with a Doppler so I said yes. I'm 10+5.

She warned that there was only 50/50 chance she'd be able to find it as its early still. She couldn't find anything and now I'm panicking. She reiterated It was early, nothing to worry about and also probably partly due to the fact I have hardly drank anything this morning (hadn't realised she would offer to try to find heartbeat). I can't help but panic though and sort of wish I'd told her not to try.

Pink. Do not panic. Mine couldn't find my heartbeat and she only looked for mine once I promised not to panic if we couldn't find it.

I went home and ordered one and I've been able to find mine every time- it takes some perseverance and a full bladder did help the first time.

Think of it this way- baby is still hiding in your pelvis until 12 weeks, so they're behind the pubic bone- it's pretty hard to find the heartbeat through that. Midwives don't usually check until 16-18 weeks for this reason and they don't have the time to wiggle around until they find it. It can take half an hour to find the heart beat.

If you're really concerned book yourself another reassurance scan or buy a Doppler. I'm quite good and use mine only once a week as I don't want the lovely feelings I get when I hear it to wear off.

Thanks Bunch, that helps. She did say baby must be hiding!

I've not had an early scan, and mine is a week on Tuesday so I'm going to try and wait until then as the early private scans are £100 up here!

Good plan Pink but if the temptation becomes too great dopplers are only £35. Try to relax and know you're way to early to pick it up with a Doppler at the mo. Not long now 'til your scan

£35 isn't bad! I had assumed they would be far more than that.

Epu won't see me until 6 weeks (the scanners there aren't good enough to see any earlier but I could book in privately at 5+4). GP said it was probably a ligament combined with the corpus luteum and that it would be highly unlikely I'd be feeling an ectopic at this stage. Urine dipped and prodded and poked. Given strict advice on when to go back. If I hadn't worked with this GP in the past I might have felt fobbed off, but I know her well and trust her judgement.

Feeling much better thanks. Having a lazy day with my feet up.

Got my blood test results back this morning from the booking appointment.

Is anyone else RhD negative? Means I need the Anti-D injection at 28 weeks.

Never knew my blood group, so useful to find that out :)

Try not to worry pink, bunch's words of advice seem sound, better than any waffle I'd come out with.

My scan is next week, so not too far from yours at all.

I might get a Doppler too at only £35!
Bunch - which is the one you've got?
X

I don't think I'd dare have a Doppler in the house. Once the babies heart was beating and I could find it, I think would spend all day with it attached to me!

I have this one:

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00JVPFT6U?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00
Looks as though it's gone up a couple of quid to £37.95 now but still way cheaper than a scan. Works really well, comes with everything you need, batteries and gel. I'm yet to have a session and not find baby. Though you have to have patience and I found watching videos on you tube really helpful. There's a few different sounds you'll hear and most are your own heartbeat.

Sophie I'm B- so will need the Anti D. I knew ahead of time though and was aware of the risks. Lived with an immunologist while I was at uni, so that was a useful heads up.

I'm not rhd negative, but out of interest what impact does that have on pregnancy? There seems to be so much to learn!

Bunch, when the midwife used the Doppler on you, did it hurt a bit afterwards? Hurt may be the wrong word, just uncomfortable because she had been pressing it hard into your tummy?

Just to add to the Doppler thread - I have the Sonoline B. Totally agree with Bunch - Youtube videos are really helpful (if you can bear the American cheesiness of most of them!). I found a heartbeat at 8 weeks but am taking it with a pinch of salt as apparently you can't hear one that early so maybe I'm imagining things.

With an advance apology for the vanity of this question - how is everyone else's bump progressing? I am 8+4 and I logically know that I can't have a baby bump but I definitely feel fat and I'm having to switch to my "fat clothes" and I feel like I already have a little bump really low down. I'm unfortunately only 5 3" and so wondering if short people just show sooner or if I am showing the effects of reduced gym sessions?!

I am enjoying lurking on the thread - having a really tough time - nausea and exhaustion combined with vomiting 2/3 times a day and currently working 15 hours days at work (and they don't know I'm pregnant) taking its toll. Cannot face my usual early morning gym sessions, I feel like I need every last second of sleep but pretty certain this is what is making me fat rather than an actual bump! Sigh.

Pink it's not an issue for first pregnancies, but basically if you're rhesus negative and you're carry a rhesus positive baby you can create antibodies which view the baby as a hostile presence and attack it, which can cause serious problems for both mother and child. think the Anti D injections combat that in some way, but I've not really read up on it.

Thanks Leslie.

Bless you Bubbles, it sounds like you are having a horrible time with sickness etc. Is there any sign of work slowing down in the near future? I used to go to the gym every week morning before work and have had to sack that off because of nausea and sickness. Don't beat yourself up about missing gym sessions. I did at first but have come to accept that looking after myself, and making sure I get enough rest is the most important thing. If you are working such hideous hours you don't want to push yourself to exhaustion with the gym too!

In terms of bumps, I am two weeks ahead of you (and 5"8) and I don't have a noticeable bump but I feel like my tummy is more rounded. I actually can't wait to have a proper bump!

Ps how is everyone else getting on today?

Yep Pink and even more so when I did it on myself for the first time. Felt bruised ish for a day after. I don't have any issues any more. They say the more gel you use the less hard you have to press.

Bubbles it could be bloat. DH thinks I have a bump now but I don't. I definitely can feel where baby is- a hardening and think I can feel the edges of my uterus but where my "bump" is is nearer my belly button. Uterus doesn't get there 'Til nearer 20 weeks.

Poking my head in! Been AWOL again! Had a lovely posh awards ceremony in London to attend, then some work things and today choosing locations for a photoshoot I'm managing next week... never a dull moment but thank God the sickness has subsided!

How are we all? smile still no sign of my scan date yet!! Going to call tomorrow but don't want to seem pushy lol!

pink really don't worry. When I had my 9 weeks scan they had to press so so hard to get to see anything (kinda hurt!), I'm not surprised she couldn't hear anything when baby is that low down.

I'm a negative blood type too, but DH knows he is as well so I think I'm refusing anti D injections because two negatives can't make a positive baby. Need to speak to midwife really.

Choc, how long has it been since your booking in appointment? I waited a week after mine for my scan date to come in the post, and at that point it was then 6 weeks until the scan.

I'd phone and chase if I were you, but then patience is not one of my virtues

Ps thanks Mrs, hearing other people's experiences really does help to calm me down.

Bubbles I'm 11+3 and 5ft3 and I definitely have a bump but I come from a family who have all shown early today I discovered that I am no longer able to prune my foof due to immense bumpage in the way

Sorry you're having a tough time with sickness but much respect to you for being at work. I'm still off for another week and a half.

Bunch I keep looking at dopplers and I'm really tempted but I also don't want to get something else to obsess over

Pink I know everyone else has already said it but don't panic about the midwife not being able to find the heart beat. My sister bought a Doppler and even in the second trimester she had days when she couldn't find it, and a couple of times when the baby moved and she thought she'd found twins lol

Cosmo try not to worry about the pain to much. There's sooooo much going on in our bodies at the moment and from what I've read cramps and pulled muscles are quite common. I sometimes get bad cramps in one side if I've been laying on my side and my hips are a bit skewed just from the stretching muscles. Our bodies are currently producing huge amounts of natural muscle relaxants so it's really easy to over stretch yourself in really silly ways.

It has now been 2 days since I last vomited! Things are looking up! however now I have what appears to be a fairly common pregnancy problem where I often feel like I've got a price of popcorn lodged in my throat apparently it's due to stomach acid being pushed up to my throat. Lovely. I'm trying tums to sort out the acid and someone else suggested chewing gum after every meal but it's really irritating as I constantly feel like I need to eat or drink to dislodge it when I know there's nothing there

On a happier note has anyone else got a maternity pillow yet? I bought a 5ft one last weekend and I love it!!! It's so comfortable to lean on and makes it easier to breath at night. It was about £20 from Amazon but it really was worth it as I sleep so much better with it than I was without

Yes Runner DH bought me a 9 ft one for Christmas. I've been using it the last 5 weeks or so. Can't sleep without it for pain in my undercarriage. It does make getting out of bed for a wee more interesting though. And the dog fights me for it!!