June #8 Kicks, rolls and thwacks! Need help putting socks on! Living off of chocolate! Its the last trimester people!!!!

[nehagarg]

Here is the latest one people.

And a link to the stats.

docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1oTx71GeTR-ilVPTpIhNhutAwZPqNyYNEyIDwO80PmKQ/edit#gid=0

Enjoy!

negagarg randome question-but where are you itchy? The soles of my feet are really itchy but no where else! Reading Dr Google makes it sound like it could be serious but I thought I was overreacting so haven't said anything to my midwife. It could be that I have been wearing trainers more than usual (as they are comfy) and they are making my feet sweat/itchy. I'm interested to hear how you're feeling and what the MW said!

Hi Dolly I'm 30wk 3d, very excited and nervous I'm 36 and this is my first. Bit late to the party lol.

Soles of feet and hands mostly potkettle and belly of course. Mine is mild too. Barely worth mentioning but I figured I had nothing to lose (what if I just have a higher tolerance than most for itchiness?). My midwife took it very seriously as it could be the sign of a liver disorder obstetric cholestasis and took bloods immediately. She said she'll call me back tonight with results.

Frankly, i was a little surprised. I did tell her that it was very mild and not all the time but she said lets do bloods anyway.

I'd mention it to your midwife too. Nothing to lose.

Welcome Julie . Feel free to add your stats to the spreadsheet in the OP, if you like.

Welcome Julie!

Dolly you sound similar to me! Midwife said I have the baby's bum and feet tucked up on my right side and sort of diagonally positioned downwards, back to back with arms under belly button which explains movements but also that right side is getting rather sore with stretches/ kicks. I am finding putting a ball of wool behind my back on mid right side is easing it while I sit knitting in the sofa (a tennis ball might work better for the more conventional!). Gently pushing back/ rubbing gives me a little relief too. If you have had surgery there though it's worth mentioning to your midwife (what isn't?!) just to check there is no cause for concern.

Right. potkettle, please get yourself checked.

My Midwife just called. 1 part of my test was normal. The other is slightly raised. Normal levels are 0-10. I was 13 so they have asked me to come to hospital and pick up meds plus have baby monitored once a week from now on. But but but ... My itchiness is so mild.

Anyone know what the 2 results are for obstetric cholestasis? And what the results mean?

I am in a bit of a shock. Hadnt expected it to be anything so didnt get a chance to ask my midwife to explain. Very stupid I know. Going to ask hospital to explain whats happening tomorrow when I pick up meds.

Welcome Julie!
Me, you & Spock are due date buddies :)

Had a freak out this morning that I'm having another baby.
Someone please reassure me that 3 under 3.5 is a good idea

Nehagarg I have no idea sorry :( it's good they're monitoring you & baby though, I hope all is ok!

Hello Negagarg EastEnd2016 and Ilovepies** I've added my details to ss.
Ilovepies I noticed a few due dates matched mine good to have company.
I can't comment on the 3 under 3 has I'm a ftm but I'm sure it'll be hard but very rewarding.

I had Obstetric cholestasis with last pregnancy and am pretty certain itts back this time too unbearably itchy palms and soles ( and everywhere in betweeen) sorry for the long cut and paste but hopefully this will help

In OC/ICP, doctors will be looking for abnormal levels of the liver enzymes alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Sometimes levels of another enzyme, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), will also be raised. The most specific test involves measuring serum bile salts. In most UK hospitals raised levels would be a measurement of greater than 14µmol/L. However some hospitals may ask you to fast before the test. In this case a fasting level of greater than 10µmol/L would support the diagnosis of OC/ICP.

In most women with OC, both ALT and bile salt levels will be raised, but just one may be raised at the first test. If the tests are within normal limits and you carry on itching, it is important that the tests are repeated. Unfortunately the serum bile salt test is not available in all hospitals. Your doctor may need to send a sample to another hospital for diagnosis

Women with hepatitis C are at increased risk of developing OC/ICP during pregnancy. A small number of women with OC may therefore have undiagnosed hepatitis C. If your test results do show that you have viral hepatitis, or another liver condition, you will then be able to be referred to a specialist in liver disease (hepatologist) and receive treatment.

OC is only completely confirmed when symptoms disappear and liver tests go back to normal after delivery.

If you have persistent itching, however mild, it is really important to get it checked out. I understand it can be a sign of something that can lead to stillbirth. In fact I've known 2 couples to lose babies nearly at term and it was related to their GPs not taking such symptoms seriously. I've also known 1 couple to have 2 babies 5 years apart and both were delivered early after complications with that same illness. Both boys are delightful but being born early meant the first few months were a bit hairy.

Scary stuff.

There was a bit of a push in the press to advertise the problem last year. So glad the MWs take it seriously.

On the upside I've also had lots of other friends with the itchy problem who have gone to term just fine, albeit with more frequent monitoring.

To help with the itching, lots of aqueous cream, bath with baby oil (be careful getting in and out) cold flannels etc and really important to keep hydrated. They might prescribe you aqueous cream with menthol to help cool- its pretty lethal stuff i ended up diluting it by 50%- but if they dont you can add a tsp of vicks to a tub of aqueous cream and it helps cool feet and hands

Welcome Julie!

nehagarg good that they're making sure you're checked out. And just goes to show that even though it seemed mild, worth taking seriously. potkettle it sounds like you should ring the midwife and let them decide whether you need checking out.

I had a sharp, dragging pain start suddenly last night, near the top of my bump in the middle. It was really painful when I even touched the skin there, and sent a shooting, dragging pain right to the bottom of my bump and got deeper, feeling kind of like a very sharp period pain. It was really uncomfortable to move at all, and made it hard to sleep last night. I've had it on and off today, but not as bad as last night. Anyone else had this?

Saw the MW today and mentioned the mild cramping I had last week and that DH had googled it and said it might be sex related.... She agreed!

Bizarre!!!!

Anyway. All well here but slightly freaked out at how close it all is now. Going to the in laws tonight so will pick up all the baby stuff that we have stored there. That will make it all seem real :)

Eeek :)

nehagarg perhaps you are very tolerant of the itching thats why it feels only mild to you? Have no idea but think it is excellent that they are taking it seriously.

Julie aww congratulations! This is my second and I'm also nervous haha :D

Ilovepies I am in awe. I'm stressing about 2 under 3.5! However I think having them close together in some ways is harder at first but easier long term. We've just got out of the baby phase having such a gap so its going to be a hard shift back into that!

MollieRos not had that pain before, I sometimes get them from my belly button down to my lady bits, I fondly refer to them as "f*nny daggers" as that seems to sum up the pain I feel. Wonder if its like a ligament or something? The skin is never painful for me though. I'd ring the midwife if it persists

Eastend I think I will keep an eye on it, I haven't had surgery there but had previous pain which they ended up doing loads of tests for and saying it was referred bowel pain (up by my ribs?! OK then!). Will see how it goes over the weekend. Very strange feeling a little limb! I might not be used to feeling such kicks though as last time placenta was anterior so it was cushioned!

Wow, so many of us saw the midwife today!

nehagarg - aww, so sorry you've got this to worry about, fingers crossed everything turns out ok. Good on you for getting it checked out though.

insideout - horrible that it looks as if you are going through OC again, thanks you all the information. Do you mind me asking what week was your last child born at?

Mindful - aww how lovely to be getting the baby things back out again. I think we'll be venturing up into the loft this weekend to retrieve the newborn things :)

Welcome Julie!!

mollie not had that pain before but all the skin on my bump hurts at the moment. Feels a bit like when you've been sunburnt. Little guy must be really stretching it out!

Glad they're taking care of you well nehagarg

DH had the day off today and went and got the last few 'big' baby things we needed - chest of draws and baby monitor (our old one gave up a couple of years ago!) I've also finally managed to get a close caboo sling for a reasonable price on eBay! So apart from changing mat, nappies and some just in case formula we have everything! Feel much happier now, was starting to worry about not being ready (just over 9 weeks left - eeek)

laughing ds was born at 37 weeks after i was induced, i also had Pre eclampsia but he was a good weight 6lb 10oz. My dd was born at 36 weeks after severe PE and only weighed 4lb 6oz. i am being watched like a hawk this time, with the aim of getting to 37 weeks.

just as a reminder any 'odd' symptoms, sudden swelling,flashing lights/blurred vision , sharp pains, phone your midwife /triage number its much better to be cautious than miss something serious

Thanks everyone and thanks so much for all the information and advice.

I am very happy they are taking it so seriously too. Just in shock a bit because I really didnt think it was anything. Now wondering what could have happened if I hadnt mentioned my barely there itching.

Have to go in for meds and first bit of monitoring tomorrow. DH is coming too. He has been great all evening at trying to calm me down. I think I'll be better once I have all the information and have done all my research. Right now I cant even pronounce the name of the disorder properly.

insideout its horrible that you might be going through it again.

That's mad negargarg but it's great they will be monitoring you so closely now. insideout how soon were you diagnosed last time?
I'm away on holidays (out of the country) for the next 10 days so can't really do anything about seeing the MW until after I come back-arghhh!

£20 off £100 spend at NCT shop til Monday night with code APRIL20. Thought I'd mention it for anyone with big things still to buy who doesn't get the emails :)

nehagarg hopefully you only have it very mildly but it's good that you mentioned it and they took bloods.

29 weeks today and baby has been going crazy all week. DH is asking me if he can go on a work trip 1 month before my due date. I know it's highly unlikely anything would happen that early and it's only 3 days but I'm trying to say no. Imagine if something happened and I only had his mum to help. I may not have cared nor noticed if an elephant had been watching me give birth last time, but I sure don't want her there haha! Lovely as she is.

samba just tell him you'd feel a bit anxious if you left especially as it's so close. I wouldn't be happy if DP decided to go away a month before. My stress levels would be through the roof!

You = he oops.

insideout so sorry to hear you may be going good through it all again, it's good to hear they're monitoring you closely xx

How far away is he going samba could he get home reasonablely fast if you needed him?

potkettle last time was around 30 weeks i think, i didnt think the itching was an issue, but my mum told the midwife as it was annoying her . Even with the medicine and creams it got a lot worse as the bile salts built up (sorry nehagarg ) on the up side my skin had never been so exfoliated!