Due in February 2017....thread 5!

[SkyLucy]

Thread five for the chattiest bunch of preggers ladies you've ever had the pleasure of encountering. We're greeting the second trimester with excitement and apprehension, and lots of questions, humour, reassurance, empathy and advice.

Fourth thread here: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/2684139-february-2017-thread-4-are-we-the-chattiest-bunch-or-what

Morning all!

Just popping in to ask for some dog advice. We have a 3 year old chug (pug chihuahua cross) who was our practice baby, and man, do we treat him like a baby!

I'm going to get a doll and see how he reacts to that, but any other advice on how to get a dog ready for the babies arrival? How did everyone else cope?

15+4 today!!!

I haven't been on here for quite a while but please can I share my scan pics? It's been so lovely looking through everyone else's and I would like to show you ours. We found out at 12 week scan I'm having twins, massive shock! At least it explains why I'm showing so early! Sadly our twin B is 1:14 high risk of Down's due to high NT, and 1:30 for Edwards and Patau's. In comparison our twin A's risk is 1:10000 and 1:28000. We've been referred to Fetal Medicine Unit to see specialist consultant to discuss our options from here. My dates have been altered slightly too and I'm dated at 13+1 today. The last few days since the scan are a bit of a blur but I keep stroking my tummy and talking to both our babies. Has anyone else been told they will be put in low dose aspirin for preeclampsia prevention?

Hey Phoebe!

This is a good question! We are getting a puppy in September, hoping I can get some good training in before! Does anyone else have any tips as I am also keen to know?!

Phoebe how are you feeling at 15+4? I am 15+1....how's your bump? I think we are close together!

Will go back and read through the thread now! Xx

Thanks for your answers.

Sparkle, I'm not seeing my midwife again until 16 weeks, so I might just continue taking it until then.

Our first twins! Lovely news minty.

Has anyone felt their baby move yet? I think I've felt the odd thud as its rolled over & get occasional little flickering feeling which I'm assuming is a kick. I seem to remember getting first kicks around 16wks last time so this is a bit earlier as I'm only 14+6.

littlek still feeling absolutely fine! I've had a completely symptomless pregnancy and wouldn't know there was anything in there if I hadn't had a scan. Looking forward to MW appt on Thursday where I should hopefully be able to hear the heartbeat, then we've got our private gender scan next Saturday!

How about you? How you feeling? And what puppy are you getting??!!! You should have a good few months to get it trained. We're terrible parents and never really got going with training ours, he's a lovable nightmare!

ready I thought I had at the beginning of the week but nothing since so put it down to wind!! I'm 14+5 and same as you about 16-17 weeks last time.

It really did feel like a kick but as I haven't had anything else I assumes not.

phoebe I am feeling so much better after loads of sickness and nausea. Can definitely feel my tummy getting bigger but when I lay down it goes flatter and the 'actual' bump is there.

So you are gonna find out the sex? We are having a surprise! Our 16 week MW appointment is the 18th.

We are getting a border terrier and have picked him, he is so cute! I am gonna be serious with the discipline to save my sanity later on I think! Xx

Congratulations minty. Fantastic news you're having twins. Sorry you're going through a stressful time though and I hope twin B is ok.
I religiously used bio oil and other creams throughout my pregnancy last time but still got stretch marks. I don't think anything can protect against a 10lb baby The good thing is that as my stomach has filled out all the saggy skin and stretchmarks don't show again now. I'm going to moisturise every day but I won't spend a fortune like last time because my stomach's already destroyed.

minty I hope you're coping ok with the news. I've heard that it's really uncommon to find out about twins at 12 weeks as they normally cause complications before then. I found out at 6 weeks but lost one a week later. I'm doing the harmony test since I can't get the blood tests either but this works for twins. Keep it in mind in case they offer you an amnio

Hi minty, I'm on low dose aspirin due to kidney problems that put me at high risk of pre eclampsia. I hope the feral medicine unit are helpful X

I was lucky and got no stretch marks last time. I used Organic Babies Baby Oil www.greenpeople.co.uk/organic-babies-soothing-baby-oil-scent-free-100ml after every bath. I don't know if it helped but I am using it again!

I've got an anterior placenta so I think it will be a while before I feel this little one bouncing around!

I was quite lucky and didn't get any stretch marks with DS although I do moisture fairly regularly anyway.
Last time I slathered myself in Palmers cocoa butter before putting my big maternity tights on - it itched like hell. Couldn't wait to get home and wash it off. The smell made me gip too!

Just coming out of this weeks vomiting spell and I've now got DS's cold. Feeling very sorry for myself - hot lemon and paracetamol doesn't really hit the spot!!

Minty, what a shock, and what mixed news - twins will always bring more worry. I'd definitely consider the harmony test. The fetal medical unit may offer it to you on the NHS, but you can go private if they won't. My unit would have if I'd gotten high risk results. Everything crossed that both babies are fine, though.

ifatfirst I used palmers while I was away as it was so cheap I didn't care about leaving it behind, the smell made me gag, I swear my ms was only worse that week because I could keep smelling that!

minty twins!! Amazing, I hope the fetal unit help you, like others have said maybe look into the harmony testing if they don't offer it to you.

Afternoon all.

Getting myself into a stupid state this afternoon about bottle feeding. I tried breastfeeding with my first child and it was an horrendous experience. I got mastitis and cried that she might wake up and want feeding. She couldn't latch on properly and I dreaded all feeding times. So I have decided to take the stress away this time and bottle feed, although now I have stress that everyone will judge me for not trying breast feeding etc.... Is this likely to happen? Will they treat me differently as I want to bottle feed?

Diva people will judge whatever you do unfortunately so you just have to do what's right for you and your baby. Plenty of people choose formula or can't breastfeed so I don't think it will be a problem. One thing I would say (and please don't take this like I'm trying to pressure you because I really believe in whatever works) is that it might be worth keeping an open mind. All babies are different. Some just know what to do and how to feed and others don't get it or have problems like tongue tie. It may be that this time your baby gets it immediately and you find you can feed. It may even be easier for you if you don't have any pressure or expectations on yourself to breastfeed. Don't make yourself ill worrying about it though. It's just not worth it.

Hi Minty-- first congrats on having twins! What a great surprise :)

I think its standard to put women having multiples on aspirin as the risk of pre-eclampsia is higher for twin pregnancies. My sister had twins so if her experience is anything to go by, you should be monitored quite closely for it.

I'd echo what others have said regarding the harmony test. While the risk figures for twin B sound high, you still have over a 92% chance of everything being okay. I hope you get whatever clarity you want asap.

Thank you ladies. We have ruled out amnio and cvs because of the double risk to baby A as well as baby B so I think we are going down the Harmony route, no risk at all. We do have to go private though. We also have evidence of hydrops too, but we are clinging to any bit of hope at the moment. Not concerned about the aspirin now so thank you for the reassurance about that.

Oops, sorry my post was for you iwill not to minty

Diva, I expressed last time so my little girl was bottle fed but nobody would have known it was breastmilk. I am going to try breastfeeding again but switch to expressing quickly if it doesn't work out. I didn't really feel judged for bottle feeding apart from a very pro breastfeeding NCT baby group.

diva every baby is different and you might have no issues breastfeeding a second time round. I had mastitis once and it was hell, but haven't had any issues since and still feeding at 16 months. People will judge you either way but that shouldn't affect your decision, it's your baby and you need to do what is best for both of you.

Diva I totally understand as I had issues feeding DS for multiple reasons (including the fact that my nipples are apparently unsuitable for breastfeeding - who knew that was a thing?!). I battled with it for a month before introducing some formula - I ended up combination feeding and slowly phasing out the breast feeds until he was 5 months. He had jaundice shortly after birth, which meant he didn't have the right cues to feed so just wouldn't latch on at all, I had mastitis three times, which interfered with my supply, and I had the most painful cracked and bleeding nipples. DS would feed for an hour and still be hungry, I was utterly miserable and I genuinely think I'd have ended up with PND if I'd continued to breastfeed exclusively.

I do intend to try and breastfeed again this time, but I'm going to be open minded about it and not beat myself up if it just doesn't work. That said, i know a lot more about how to establish a good latch this time round, and where to get support if I need it, so I'm hopeful I'll be able to at least combination feed successfully.

I would never judge another mum for formula feeding from birth though, I do think breastfeeding has lots of benefits, but it's hard work and not for everyone, and DS has done just fine on formula!

Thanks ladies for the reassurance. Stupid hormones making me feel like a failure before baby is even here!!!

I think I will get everything in for bottle feeding and see what happens when she is here. If breast works and I want to give it a go... Great. If not I won't have the mad panic of dashing out to get formula and bottles. I shouldn't feel a failure just cos I found it so hard. Like twocats said last time I was so close to pnd as I was so stressed with it all I don't want to go down that route.

diva it's funny what motherhood and hormones do to us - the main person putting pressure on me and judging me last time was myself! I'm determined to give myself a break this time and just do whatever feels right. I've got DS to look after so I need to do whatever works for the four of us. I do hope BF works but it's not the end of the word if it doesn't!