Due In Fab Feb 2009 - The Secret Is Out - Third Thread Already

[Singingintherain]

Hi thought I might start a new thread for us all. Hope you like the new title

Feel free to join us.

i've just done a massive topshop maternity buy - they do their usual stuff made into maternity - all pretty cheap too.

I know what you mean though - it does feel quite bizarre to have your body changing so dramatically and this is just the beginning!

Hello Nadsss and welcome to the thread. Cant believe that about St Marys - its where I'm due to have my booking in appointment on 8 August (when am 12 weeks) and was told I'd have a scan as part of the booking in appointment... think will try and sort out my own nuchal fold test in the next couple of weeks too..

Hello Nadsss....can't believe that about your nuchal....I'd be very miffed!

For the first time today I can really feel my uterus hard as a rock and rising....and I've got a bit more padding than most of you

My nuchal is next Thursday

I know! When i called hosp to moan, the nurse actually said "you'll have to go private". I think it might be because my first choice was Q. Charlottes.

Fingers crossed for you with nuchal and 12 week scans - you think the biggest worry is going to be getting pregnant then, you get pregnant, and worry worry worry!

Jsut called up St Marys to check - apparently its the booking in appointment (first one with midwife when you have your scan) that has the 8 to 9 week delay - once you've got your booking in appointment you'll definitely get your scan on that day though. Makes me worry about how many heavily pregnant women in labour are going to be rocking through the labour ward/birth centre in around 7 months though!

Oh god i hadn't thought of that. Which means those five coveted rooms (with birth pools!) in the new Birth Centre may well be taken - eek!

are you going private at the same centre?

Makes me mad - why should you have to do that? What would happen if you can't afford a scan?

No - am not going private; am NHS through and through. Am in lucky position of having a booking in appointment at 12 weeks (as opposed to 20-21 weeks which is what it seems to be now due to the backlog) as found out was pregnant v early and nagged GP/antenatal receptionist until they gave me a booking in appointment (as was with a different hospital when had DS and know how unbelievably cr*p the NHS can be when it comes to losing records/not making appointments/having delays etc.)

Nadsss - dont worry about the birth centre rooms being taken up. Every one of my friends that wanted to go into the Royal Free birth centre made it (despite there being only 3 rooms then I think and them dealing with hundreds of births a month) - sadly didnt get to give it a go as was so overdue with DS that ended up being induced at 42 weeks...

no - i'm going to The Birth Company which was good when we went for a viability scan.

If you couldn't afford to go private, it would be dreadful - for lots of women an abortion at 15/6 weeks would just be out of the question.

Sorry LittleMissNorty - just realised your question was probably directed at Nadsss not me! I agree it is ridiculous, particularly as St Marys is a teaching hospital and should have the funds to hire in help to clear the backlog rather than leave women (alot of whom cant afford to get private scans) with no option but a very late scan.

Sorry wasn't very clear was I! I'm at work and rushing

I'd be kicking up a right stink if I was going to miss my Nuchal.....

seems very unfair....

right back to work I spose

interested to hear you all talking about nuchals.

I've just had a bit of nightmare with one.

I should introduce myself - I've been lurking here for ages but was too superstitious to "come out".

I'm 37 (38 next month) and have 1 ds aged 3.

This pregnancy is the result of IUI - ds conceived naturally but this one has been tricky.

I'm at the Whittington in N. London and when I was pregnant with my son 4 years ago you didn't get a nuchal.

I just had bloods which indicated low risk.

Yesterday I had the 12 week scan and the nuchal was borderline, which sent me into a tailspin of paranoia - I am a neurotic mess at the best of times.

So they rushed the bloods and gave me the result today - they were below average in risk, yet the slightly dodgy nuchal (3.3) means I have to have further tests at UCH next week, including CVS, which is a proper diagnostic test. I know this carries a risk of increased miscarriage but since I have felt the baby moving loads, I feel it is pretty robust and am prepared to take that risk.

I have been told the risk of Downs is 1:200 (average for my age is 1:190).

I feel better than yesterday, esp since I saw a friend who had a very similar experience with the nuchal, went private and then was told it was all cool.

Has been a total bloody nightmare - yesterday I felt very dark indeed.

Anyone here had anything similar (or know anyone who has). Would be interested to hear your stories.

Yes MsLucy - my sil who had her second at a similar age and third at over 40 had a nuchal result of 1:11 and had a cvs both times and went on to have two healthy children. My neighbour had a CVS with her second (she was 38) and it was fine her son was born healthy in Feb. One of my antenatal friends had a 1:40 (or something high risk like that ) and had a cvs earlier on this year and had a healthy baby girl in June.....I have my nuchal on Thursday - I'm 38) at the Fetal Medicine Centre and am not feeling optimistic about the result and almost expecting to have a CVS which I think I would go back there for as they have a good success rate for CVS in the grand scheme of things.I can't remember which hospital it is in London which has the people trained from FMC but I think it's Kings??....Anyway, keep positive - I know lots of success stories from high risk results from nuchal and then CVS testing...it's horrible thinking about the worst case scenario....keep us posted.

Hi there herbgarden.

My friend had her nuchal done at Fetal Medical Centre and said they were amazing - she had a scary one at the Royal Free and the private one she had done there gave a totally different result.
I was thinking of going there myself, but the prospect of a second opinion at UCH is enough for the meantime.
I've gone through so much getting this second pregnancy that it would be such a shame if it all went pear shaped.
I'm afraid I would terminate if there is a major problem (despite very mixed feelings on the subject) but hopefully it won't come to that.
Yesterday I was at rock bottom, especially since I had to take a group of American students to the Big Brother house (I'm teaching a course on Celebrity Culture)and pretend to be shiny and happy. We were in the audience of Big Brother's Big Mouth and I even managed to crack a joke on camera.

It was a living hell, but probably more productive than lying on the sofa weeping!

I'm better now after hearing about the bloods, but I know that it's not entirely plain sailing.

Thank you for your words of support - my trouble is that I tend to hide when I have problems, which isn't a very clever thing to do.

Hello everyone I havent been able to get on since I joined at the weekend. How rude!!!

I have been informed that my local NHS does not provide the 12 week nuchal scan, or any scan for that matter. So we have to go private for it.

I really hope things go well for you MsLucy, herbgardens experiences are very promising..

I am 10 weeks and huge. This is my second baby and last time I didn?t show until about 16 weeks. This time I am showing now and look about 5 months gone.... Is this normal???

Yes I think it must be Lardybump. I am 12 weeks and everyone has commented on my bump. I am a size 14 normally but look about 20 weeks already! And it is quite obviously a bump IYKWIM.

Thinking back though, I got my first stretchmarks with dd at 14 weeks so maybe I just have a habit of expanding quickly.

Scan on Tuesday and I am taking dd with us. Have had mixed opinions on this but I am guessing that any sonographer would be sensitive to the fact I have my 6 yr old dd with me incase there is anything wrong.

She is also really excited and I want her to be as involved as possible as this baby will have a different Dad to her and I don't want her to feel left out.

What does everyone think?

I think it is a wonderful idea. She will be amazed at the pics... And the sonographer will be sensitive as well (although I am sure that everything will be fine...)

Good luck

I am going to eat now so will be back tomorrow. Night night.

I've had a scan today, she didn't bother dating it properly, just said everything looks right for 12 weeks so she's just said 12 weeks today. Little wriggler, waved at me and looked like s/he was playing with the cord a bit too. I still can't get over it! I don't feel pregnant so it's like a mystery.

Also had my kidneys and bladder scanned, everything is in perfect working order so there is absolutely no reason why I have been having regular UTI's since I was a toddler

Going to catch up on the thread now.

Rach, I've been wearing maternity jeans since around 8 weeks - also fourth pregnancy, so I'm blaming that!
There are a lot of sales on at the moment so I'm trying to stock up - have already got a pair of shorts, a T-shirt and two vests.

Lardy, I think you should be able to tell from this thread, subsequent pregnancies get bigger quicker!

I have been lurking around rather than posting for a few weeks, because I guess I feel a bit unconvinced about everything till I have the 12/13 week scan.

I did ask for, and eventually get (after crying at the doctor!), an early scan at exactly 7 weeks, and all looked fine then. (I've various anxieties about this pregnancy, as I've had a missed MC in the past, plus DD2 has mild cerebral palsy).

Hi everyone and welcome nadsss & cocodrillo!

Congratulations of the scans jelly & tinkerbellesmum

I went to a wedding yesterday and it was sooooo hot! I had bought my dress 3 months ago and luckily just squeezed into it but have now given in and gotten my matty gear out of storage! According to the hosp this is pg no 6 so I'm blaming my fatness on that rather than puddings!! Although it was only 18mths ago it all my stuff looks pretty minging so I think a shopping spree is in order

I was a bit naughty yesterday as has half a glass of wine and a few sips of champagne Feel a bit guilty as I didn't drink anything with Harry. Part of it was because we weren't telling anyone and didn't want to look suss!! Off to a bbq today and am telling my family - yay!!!

Okaaaay - here's me namechanging to avoid RL peeps as we haven't told people yet and I go and 'out' DS1. I couldn't work undercover

Anyone else getting headaches? Especially in the morning?

I feel like I've got a wicked hangover this morning...chance would be a fine thing!

Gina, don't worry about the alcohol, that wasn't a lot anyway but a glass or two as long as it's not all the time, is fine. In parts of Europe they believe it's important for pregnant women to drink!

oh yes on the hangover front, mum took dd last night so at least I'm allowed to still be in bed. I've chosen telly over housework this morning. has everyone else found themselves reminding DH/DP "I'm pregnant remember!" when faced with any heavy lifting, long walks, anything you can't be bothered to do....?!