Due september thread 5

[mummyhill]

Thanks I thought it would be really difficult to start a new one and silly me it couldn't be simpler.

I am luckier this time round with dd i never saw the same midwife twice this time i have seen the same person at the gp's surgery every time.

Thanks Zubb - have just decided that it's all just numbers - rather than real info. Was an unexpected end to the day.

I never understand the numbers anyway. Hope you can get some sleep tonight.

Zubb - Hope things are going well for you. Off to try to sleep now - soooo tired.

mummyhill- i am feeling the same with the dizzyness when i stand up, and even felt dizzy and light headed wen i walked up the steps at paddington! didn't think i was that unfit, but am starting to think it might be anemia (or however its spelt) i am still taking pregnacare though but i do remember feeling similar to this after i had my ds which left me anemic.

i also felt a bit bullyed at my booking appointment about all the blood tests i was only able to refuse the hiv one without them going on and on. i had a full sexual health check up last summer and didn't think it all that nessisary.

i am rhesus negitive and the midwife pretty much made me agree to have the regular routine anti d injections throughout the pregnancy, she said its recommended by the blah blah blah whoever - it wasn't recommended 6 years ago when i had my daughter so id rather just have the one anti d injection after the birth.
i am wondering whether the midwives will actually listen to me when i am in labour - i am quite worried about this as was not listened to in 1st or 2nd labour in the past, i really want a different experience this time and am still considering a homebirth.

wow i have gone on alot soz

milward- im sorry to hear the ratio was not good, it does say in everything i have read if its high risk it does not mean there is a problem. suppose you have to make a desision on whether to have amnio or not to know for sure.
i think if i would like to know for sure if i was faced with high risk although i would not terminate either but i guess its one of those desisions which you hope you are never faced with.
anyway take care and hope your wednesday appointment goes ok

Tallbird - where abouts in Egypt are you going on holiday? Hope it's Sharm. We can have our very own mini mumsnet meetup .

Milward, hugs about your results. I didn't and haven't had any other tests than a nuchal, 20 week and 28 week scan (and one other ????) but it was 3D. They can tell so much from them ie thigh measurements, veins/arteries in the umbilical, shape of toes etc and later on, facial features. I'm with you on the amnio but maybe detailed scans can put your mind at ease.

Luckily t shirts and surongs are very forgiving so I'm still in my usual attire. Did a quick calculate and it's well over a year since I had anything other than flip flops on my feet. Man am I in for a shock!! Bought tickets back to NZ yesterday. Leaving 8th June and arriving in mid winter . Still, looking forward to the move and am sure it's for the best.

Milward - thinking of you, and hope your discussions on Wednesday puts things in a better light for you.

Kiwifruit - how did your tour of St Mary's hospital go? As that's where I'll be as well, I'm keen to know what it's like. The leaflet I got made it sound nice, but then I suppose that's easy in a leaflet!! What are the days for the tours? Did they have many facilities for "active births"? Sorry for all the questions!

Kiwicath - we will be close to Hurghada, so quite a way from you, I think. What's the weather like in Egypt at the moment ? Looking forward to some sun !

Milward - {{{{{hugs}}}} to you - think you're right to just think of it as numbers, but I know that is easier said than done.

LadyLazarus - the labour ward tours are on Mondays at 6pm. It was fine - a little better than I had expected, but not great in terms of facilities. The delivery room we were shown was pretty small, so in terms of space for active birthing, there's not much room to move (although they did say that you were welcome to move the bed against the wall - think that will be a job for DH!). Apparently there's a couple of bigger rooms, but they tend to be reserved for women who are having twins. There's 1 birthing pool, which is allocated on a first come, first served basis, but apparently isn't used that often (the labour ward was almost full while we were there, and no one was using the pool). They also have some birthing balls. 2 rooms have private bathrooms, but the rest use shared bathrooms across the hall (2 labour rooms to 1 bathroom). Apparently there's usually about 4 - 5 midwives on at any one time, and 10 delivery rooms. Got the impression that they were a bit short staffed last night though. The post natal ward was a bit grim (and HOT!) - very basic, shared bathrooms, 4 - 7 people to a room. One interesting thing the midwife pointed out was that they have never closed to deliveries - apparently some hospitals do if they're very busy, which leaves you calling around other hospitals looking for somewhere else to go (gulp!).
What was interesting was that the midwife said you don't have to go to any of the hospitals that your doctor tells you to go to - you can actually choose any hospital, it just depends if they will take you. Think I will also have a look (very soon!) at Queen Charlotte and the Royal Free - if I like the look of them better, will try to change, but it won't be the end of the world if I can't. HTH...

Thinking of you Milward - you really are on a rollercoaster ride, poor thing! Was this the 2nd opinion doctor, or the original one that called you? What do they think?

Tallbird, let me know what the new Mark Warner is like. We have finally weaned ourselves off them, as now we have to stick to school holidays,it's prohibitively expensive, plus I don't think it would be the same full of drunken teenagers (from what I've heard..!) However, a good friend is going there in May and would like to know what you think. We may think again next year, once I'm spending all day with a baby again......!!

milward, more hugs for you. I'm sure you'll make the right decision.

VF - do have a good think about homebirth - it's awful that you're not feeling listened to and you may find that the m/ws who do homebirths are more open-minded (my experience so far). I'm finding the homebirthuk email support group very helpful - apologies if I've posted this link before.

Kiwifruit - the Birth Centre at the Royal Free is fab - I started off there last time but ended up on the labour ward which was a fate worse than death (you may have seen my posts about birth trauma - this was pretty much all due to the actions and attitudes of the RF staff, rather than physical problems). Feel free to CAT me if you are after any more details, but personally I'd avoid the Free like the plague!

Just managed to do my Gentle Yoga for Pregnancy video - bliss. Found it a huge help with posture & relaxation last time round so hope I can get organised enough to do it regularly during DD's naps from now on.

Milward - also thinking of you and sending you big hugs.
Kiwifruit - I have nothing but praise for Chelsea & Westminster and had my first two babies there. Am booked in there for my third. Could have gone to pretty much any hospital in West/SW London but my dh (a doctor) prefers C&W. The post-natal ward isn't great but I don't think many are at NHS hospitals. It really is best that they prioritise staffing and the delivery rooms, I guess. It didn't really bother me anyway as both times I was out of hospital within hours of giving birth.

Hi Franch - just looked on our stats thread and saw that you are going to UCH - is this the same as Elizabeth Garrett Anderson? Am looking around for some alternatives to St Marys Paddington, and came across EGA on Dr Foster. Thought I might go and have a look (have you done a tour, and if you have, can you remember when (day/time) it was?). Did you have any problems getting them to accept you?

Thanks!

Milward - Thinking of you let us know how you get on sweetheart.

They lost my blood results for iron so it is quite possible that i am anaemic however i am still taking pregnacare and eat relativley sensibly so ho hum will wait and see as they will probably be sticking needles in me a week on friday much against my wishes. I really hope i get listened to more when i am in labour than i seem to be at the moment as i am getting rather p'd off with it all. Some of the mw's have been treating me like an idiot, I may be hormonal and have forgotten how to spell recently but been there done that worn the sick stained t-shirt so i think i know what i am doing this time round. They have changed my health visitor to a young girl with ni kids who keeps quoting the b**y text book at me I told her to her face that i would like to be put back with my old health visitor as i had no desire to listen to someone who clearly has no practical experience of what she is preaching and that she aught to spend a week looking after kids by the book and see how far she got. All because DD asked for a dummy as she was feeling sleepy. I know she is three but there has been a lot going on at home etc and she obviousley feels the need for a bit of comfort/security. Don't think it went down to well but had a lovely phone call of my old health visitor to say i was back on her list!!!!!

Kiwifruit - yes it's the same as EGA. As with everywhere, I've heard mixed things about their postnatal ward but have heard more positive things about UCH than any other of our local hosps. We did a tour when I was pg with DD but can't remember when - Sun afternoon? I'm out of their catchment area and they're bending over backwards to do my homebirth for me (and if I wanted to use their birth centre they'd be delighted). I have nothing but praise for the care I've had there so far - see my posts below and on earlier threads - a different league from the Royal Free, from day one

Thanks Franch - just rang them, and tour is on Sunday afternoons. Woman I spoke to sounded lovely, and not concerned that I'm 15 weeks and booked at another hospital . Will be interesting to do the comparison!

Milward - thinking of you.

Kiwifruit - Just to add to Franch's comments re the Free. I was going there for infertility workup late last year and found the staff - albeit gynae not obs - rude, abrubt and frankly unprofessional. Ultrasonographer who did my pelvic scan, knowing I was a doctor, implied she could see something ominous which she couldnt discuss with me and that I would have to get result from GP. Result was of course normal but I spent a week fretting that I had a tumour or something! That was one of my reasons for turning down the Free for my antenatal care and delivery. I know the Whittington isnt great, especially the post natal wards but so far my care has been smmoth and the midwives seem very nice.

Gosh - what a rant!!

That's nothing on my rants about the Free once I get going Boompi! Sounds like par for the course there. I think they have a real morale problem on the medical side and I strongly agree about the professionalism (or lack of) there. The Birth Centre staff couldn't be more different but they're fighting a losing battle against the prevailing ethos there.

Thanks for all the support xxx

andif - it was my first doc who called as she had had a call from the university hospital with my triple test results. I'm seeing her tomorrow. Did think about talking it through with the 2nd doc(who did all the high tech scans & test with my 3rd dd) - but we will welcome our baby for the individual they are so this is why I don't want to risk an amnio with the miscarriage risk it carries. What a difficult situation - I learnt alot last time about myself & beliefs & this time as well.

Milward, it seems as if you have a very healthy attitude to all these results - well done! Hope you can try to enjoy the rest of pregnancy without worrying too much

Hello all - hope things are going well. I had my appointment with my doc this morning. Got my triple test results - hcg (multiple of median -mom value) 1.17 & oestriol mom value 0.65. HCG value is good but oestriol low - don't know what this means. I don't remember the afp value - but think this was ok. Nural tube risk was fine as was the risk for trisomy 18. Will have a detailed scan in May to check everything. The fundal height (is this the right term) was 16 cm and heart beat ok. Am now 69 kilos!!! - how did this happen??? - at first appointment was 63 kilos but before preg was around 57/58 kgs. Read on mumsnet the description of gaining lots of weight as being a zeta-jones pregnancy - not sure if I look as glam in my preg clothes Told my doc I didn't want an amnio - but she said we could always reconsider this after the detailed scan at 22 weeks if we wanted to - if a problem is identified the amnio could let us know for sure if there was a problem or not. Still think that I wouldn't have an amnio just to know more info. Best wishes to all xxx

andif - haven't slept well since docs call on monday - I'm now determined to just rest a bit more (famous last words I know)This evening I'll be just watching trash tv and sipping tea - if little ones allow.

Milward - how horrible all these tests are. Hopefully your next scan will be more reassuring.
I'm feeling rotten at the moment - bad migraine sick headachey and so tired I could cry. Convinced must be having a boy as the last pregnancy with dd was an absolute breeze.
Was supposed to be going to a preg. yoga class tonight, but really don't feel up to it, so there's always next week....
Actually think I lost weight recently as had flu and was moving. Not in maternity jeans as yet as haven't had the chance to buy any and last time ones don't fit as never lost baby fat. Trying not to worry about small bump/sparse movements, as had small bump last time and smallish baby. Seems to be how my family does things - my mother was only 5ish pounds, my granddad the same, my eldest brother 4 and a half pounds and dd 6 punds 10. Good things come in small packages!!!!!

Pooka - just read your post on coke and gum thread, they used to recomend milky tea on cold mornings for young children to keep them warm on the school run as there weren't as many cars and it could get cold sitting in pushchair or pram. The only reason they have stopped this advice is that the caffine retards iron absorbtion so if you used a decaf tea it should be ok to let the kids have it!!!! Posted this on there as well hope it helps.

Feeling really lethargic and grumpy this week. Not sure if it's just hormones, or whether could be anaemic (was with ds1). Have had major arguments with whole family except ds2 (who is usually most difficult!) and beginning to realise that I am the common link!!
Pooka, IME each pg gets worse - just having more kids around makes it harder work, so don't get too convinced it's a boy if you will be disappointed otherwise! Having said that, I have convinced myself mine's a girl, and think we might find out at the scan - never did this before, but I think I might need a while to get my head around another boy if that's the case - dh, 3 boys and a male dog in the house feels a bit overwhelming!