April 2019 part 3!

[Treaclepie19]

Hi all, thought I'd make us another :)

@SheRaTheAllPowerful and @MigMog - right there with you on the pantyliners / Tena lady. I remember it happening later in pregnancy last time. So much that I didn't realise my waters had broken

Yep MigMog totally. I'm noticing it more and more.
I don't remember having this much last time!

Yes, noticed it here too! Am wearing a liner everyday now.

My 16 week appointment was very brief. Urine test and blood pressure, a very quick chat and that was it. No heartbeat (I asked; there wasn't a doppler).

thanks for the replies ladies. It puts my mind at rest.

Thanks for the reassurance, it's good to know I wasn't missing out on something

I had my 16 week appointment yesterday she didn’t listen to the heartbeat and said she wouldn’t do that until the next appointment at 25 weeks. Sounds like it’s inconsistent depending on where you live.

Hi all. New topic - folic acid!

So, I was already taking a multivitamin with the standard 400mcg in it. And then the iron tablets I've been given have a further 350mcg in them. And then when I found out I was having twins the hospital said I needed extra and prescribed 5mg a day - that's 5000mcg on top of the 750mcg I'm already taking. I'm only having one extra baby. Don't you think this seems excessive?

Ruby I didn’t take any extra iron tablets when I was expecting my twins, agree it’s excessive. Ask them to test you at appointments and then if low take supplements or did they prescribe based on blood tests?

They recommended the extra iron following a slightly low iron count from the test they did at my booking in appointment, before I knew it was twins. But I hadn't managed to see the doctor to get it before my scan, and so the consultant gave me it because she said would need it even more so with twins. I will be tested again just before my 20 weeks scan so the consultant can check on my iron levels again then.

I realised this morning that my new prescription of iron tablets don't have the folic acid in them, so thats 350mcg less, but I'm still taking 5400mcg of folic acid in total.

Some sources suggest you don't really need folic acid after 12 weeks anyway. But it seems to be often recommended throughout pregnancy for twin pregnancies - which I don't mind, but I don't really want to be taking such a high dose for such a long period if I don't need to!

Most of the advice seems to be that folic acid isn't known to be harmful if you take too much. But there are studies out there that have found a link between high levels of folic acid in your system when you give birth and autism in the baby, which I find a bit worrying - not a proven cause and effect, I don't think.

But I do think they should discuss these things with you. Surely I should have some say in whether I want to take that risk if it's not strictly medically necessary?

And it doesn't seem to be. The NHS doesn't mention it anywhere on their website, and on various forums some women having twins were given the 5mg like I was (sometimes with a daily dose of aspirin too), and some none extra at all, so it isn't at all consistent.

I'm going to ask my midwife about it at my 16wk appointment next week.

Hi

We had a private scan at the weekend - heard the heartbeat for the first time and found out we are team pink - due 18th April.
I've finally joined the FB group too!

@Monkerina - was just idly perusing the Facebook group, and realised we did the same subject at the same uni! Small world!

Hi @nothingisforgotten 😁 i finally have a date twin 🤗

Congrats @nothingisforgotten!

Ooh @newrubylane I'm off to stalk you 😁 uni feels like SUCH a long time ago but it was amazing!

Yey! I should be pretty accurate unless I go early as I’m being induced due to my age (will be 40 by the time I give birth)

So.... this is embarrassing, but has anyone else's boobs started leaking? 17+4. I'm finding that the last 3 nights my boobs get quite achey and then I look down and I have wet patches. It's nothing extreme but really didn't expect it this early!!

@RosiePosies I haven't had wet patches but have found bits of dried milk on my nipples.

Wow so much to catch up on, love reading all your posts!
@italianwifey and @ashley992 - on the movment front I’ve started feeling it this week! Amazing! At first I wasn’t 100% sure, but last night on nightshift at work I felt my first spontaneous movement (i.e. I wasn’t lying down/ concentrating hard on it) and then this afternoon I played music from my phone close to my belly and got definite flips!! DH couldn’t feel it yet, but I defineitly could. Only 17+5 but very slight built myself, so think this is why I can feel so early. It’s fantastic and I’m sure you’ll be feeling it soon! It’s my DC1 too.

On the subject of team pink/blue/yellow - pre pregnancy I was firmly in the yellow camp, but now I just can’t resist finding out! DH has always wanted to find out. So the compromise is we’re finding out (hopefully) at 20wk scan on 29th Nov and keeping it just between us initially. Having a small family party at Hogmanay with just parents/ grandparents/ our closest friends so thinking of getting “gender reveal” party poppers and surprising them all on the stroke of the bells by asking them to set them off! Then keeping it in the family until the due date. My main issue with not wanting the whole world to know is, particularly if it’s a girl, neither of us are girly, or want to dress her in all the bows and frills and I really don’t want to be inundated with pink sparkly outfits that I’ll find horrid and not use! Hope that doesn’t come across ungrateful Plus I like the fact it’s a family secret and there will still be a “surprise” to announce when they arrive.

Lastly , yes, I am also noticing more than average discharge. Not great but glad to read it’s normal!

I’m feeling a million times better now, think that’s the end of my nausea days (11 days sickness free!) energy is back and I’m finally managing to enjoy this pregnancy think! Thanks to all of you for getting me through so far, here’s to the next half!! x

@nothingisforgotten i am 40 in a few weeks too although nothing to suggest so far that there is any reason to be induced.

How do you join the FB group?

Morning ladies...is anyone else having to get up loads of times in the night for the toilet?! I expected this to happen at some point but thought it would be later!! I'm 18 weeks. I'm not too bad during the day but I'm getting up about 6 times in the night - everyone keeps telling me it's my body's way of getting me used to lack of sleep for when the little one arrives!!

@AlbaGirl8 I was the same about team yellow pre pregnancy but now I'm too impatient so we're gonna find out at 20 week scan on 23rd Nov! But will probably keep it to ourselves too!!

I'm not sure if I can feel movement yet although there's a lot of odd grumblings going on!! Starting to worry as lots of others can feel already 

@annie don't worry about not feeling movement, there's lots of time yet! I'm also sick of getting up for the loo, have been restricting liquid intake after 6pm but still up at least once 😩 Second trimester is supposed to be reasonably hassle free but I really hate getting up, especially when it's cold, and it's so hard to get back to sleep!

Had my16 week appointment yesterday, although was actually 17 weeks. It was great, quick blood pressure and urine checks then up on the bed for the doppler. Heartbeat was amazing! So reassuring. Then that was it! Won't see them again until 2nd Jan! Just thought I'd share in case anyone was wondering what happens.

@Annie264 Yes about the getting up to pee thing! I’m almost 18 weeks too, and it drives me mad! Although it’s more so in the early stages of falling asleep, I’ve been getting back up 3 and 4 times! And when I wake in the morning I have to go right away, no more cosying in and holding on a bit! Suppose it is preparing us. Like you though, I thought that part would be later!

I have been getting up at least once in the night and struggling to get back to sleep. Had a 'lie in' until 5.20am today 😁

Yes :( Getting up to go to the toilet is driving me nuts.

Saw my midwife again today and asked her why not everyone gets to hear the heartbeat. She said official guidance says that midwives shouldn't listen to heartbeat at this stage because its just a reassurance thing for mums and some areas can be quite strict on the guidelines. She said she gets around it by asking mums if they would like to hear the heartbeat because then it's maternal choice. So it definitely does just depend on the area and the midwife!

In terms of needing the loo, I'm OK in the night but when I wake up and my bladder is full I get this sharp pain down my side when I turn over, think it might be ligament related?? It definitely makes me get out of bed quickly!!