Due Feb 06 - anyone ready to join me?!

[Tabs]

Suspect I may sit here on my own for a few days, as found out pretty early that I'm now 3+4, due 3rd Feb 06.

I'll introduce myself anyway!

Age 31, DH 39. Live North Herts. Ttc #1 for just over 4 years, including 1 missed m/c last October.

Ecstatic to be pregnant again , but also nervous because of m/c history.

Anyone feeling stroppy? I think I could rival my dd on the feet-stamping tantrums at the moment...as I remember this feeling lasted for my whole pregnancy last time. I've never been the most patient person, but this is ridiculous (and embarassing!)

tic-tac, no i have 4! but m/c in march, they have early preg units in most maternity hospitals where you can self refer if you haveany concerns as i have lost many babies i virtually lived in my epu!

well, I work in Edinburgh and there is a place which does scans for all sorts of things, including pregnancy...healthcarenow ltd (they have other locations as do babybond

www.healthcarenow.co.uk
www.babybond.com

it costs £55 for an early scan which I think is worth it, but not if it is a horrible wee office and they don't know what they are doing and just cause more stress!!

I might start a post to see if anyone has used one.

Teuch - I thought you were going to go for the hcg tests rather than the scan? When would you want to have the scan done (no of weeks I mean)?

I read on one of the other threads about someone who uses a doppler and has been able to find heartbeat at about 12 weeks or less - think that might be quite good for ongoing re-assurance once we get past the 12 week mark.

TicTac - congratulations and welcome . If you do want an early scan, there's no point before 7 weeks, as they're unlikely to be able to pick up heartbeat any earlier than that.

Babylily - not feeling stroppy yet, but don't have many other stresses in my life at the mo to wind me up, so that might be helping. Was v stroppy when pg last time.

where i live you only get one scan full stop, and early reassurance scans are not offered at all.

I can understand since the service is barely able to operate as it is but it is such a postcode lottery!

babylily - it is an emotional roller-coaster ride poor DH's...It is actually quite unnerving to snap back to reality after an 'episode' and think "was that really me?"!

£55 - that's great - I'd have one virtually every week at that price!!!

cross-posting Tabs...I am going for HcG next week but I still would like a scan methinks!

ive never had an early private scan but had a babybond scan at 20 weekswith dd2(10 months) and it was fantastic, they record it onto videa or dvd, set to back drop of your fave cd, in my case it was coldplay at the time, i still watch it now,the music seemed to really suit the video IYSWIM.

Well I'd say go for it Teuch - especially if you're not even getting a 12 week scan on NHS. Presume you're not bothering with nuchal scan for Downs?

Hiya girls, I'm still switching between the Jan & Feb threads.

Welcome to the newies - I feel like an oldie but have only been on here for 2 weeks!

My due date at the moment is Jan 29th but have my booking appt tomorrow so the midwife may change it - so I reckon I am just over 6 weeks as last AF was 24th April.

It is unusual to have the booking appt this early but my midwife knows I want a CVS as I am 38. I hope to have my dating scan in a couple of weeks and have the CVS at the beginning of July when I will be 11-12 weeks.

Last time, I then had another scan at 14 weeks (because of my age and being a first time mum - seemed a bit much at the time) and then the detail scan at 20 weeks.

So if you want earlier and more scans you could play the age card (if it applies) .

It's getting to be quite a posse already!! Hi everyone and how are you all today? I'm having a faintly nauseous day although am lucky enough to not get full on morning sickness (so far). Can sympathise with the sore boobs though - mine are starting to resemble a motorway roadmap and are really painful!! Had this before with dd1 and dd2 and it does tend to settle down for me after about 12 weeks or so. Is anyone else completely and utterly exhausted all the time?

Tabs - IUGR = intra uterine growth retardation. The placenta for some reason starts failing much earlier than the usual 40 (+2) weeks and doesn't give the baby enough nourishment to grow at its preferred rate. The theory goes that the body compensates for this by slowing down the rate of growth and concentrating on essentials like brain development etc. It then becomes a bit of a balancing act between leaving the baby in long enough so that it is mature enough to survive and making sure that it does not become distressed and endangered by staying in the womb. Once born, they tend to put on weight like billy-o to make up for it! The IUGR with dd1 was pretty mild and I made it to full term. With dd2 it was much more severe - she measured up near the 50th percentile in the 20 week scan but was between the 3rd and 10th percentile at bith. She was skin and bones - no fat on her at all. She piled on the weight very quickly and there were no long-term effects. BTW, placental insufficiency and IUGR are VERY rare so please don't start fretting anyone!!!

well hotmama1 we are due at almost the same time so keep me posted with your developments!

Tabs - you do get a scan between 11 - 14 weeks but that is your lot! If you ask for an early scan you forego the above...

Think I will ask mw about the private scan thingy - I am sure DH will be dead against it through!

I would love to pay for an earlier scan too, just to reassure myself there's something there!
Tabs, are you miles away from me in Barnet? I have no concept of how far Hertfordshire extends, not being a driver or having much sense of geography?!
We told our closest local friend today (thought it prudent incase anything bad happens and I need a hand/babysitter). It makes it seem more real, although I'm sure its bad luck to tell anyone pre scan. But I was going to burst if I didn't tell someone! Wish I had some symptoms.

I don't think it is bad luck to tell too early, although I personally have only told one friend. I just don't want everyone worrying because of what happened last time. Another MNetter suggested only telling those that you would be happy to know if things didn't work out.

I am desperate to tell my sister and mum as they will be raging that I have managed to keep it from them - think I will wait until after the HcG tests next week and decide then.

Anyway, skiving off now so catch up later!

Teuch - with you now - thought for a moment you meant you wouldn't get one at all until 20 weeks.

Ixel - I'm about half an hour from Barnet - up the A1M and west a bit til you're half way between A1 and M1. Are you going to the meet up in St Albans at the end of the month?

Yeahbut - thanks for the excellent explanation of IUGR. I suppose that the important thing is that you know that you have it, so can be monitored and action taken accordingly. Am starting to wonder though if there's such a thing as a straightforward pregnancy these days?!

Hotmama - hope your appointment goes well tomorrow.

Good luck tomorrow, hotmama1! Am hoping to see my GP tomorrow which will make everything seem a bit more "official". Just can't wait to get past that 12 week marker and let everyone know.

Tabs, sorry about all that medical speak! Very few people seem to have heard about IUGR (which just goes to show how rare it is and that people shouldn't worry about having it) and I have this standard blurb to explain it to people!! Seriously, I can remember when I was first pregnant how everyone seemed to come out of the woodwork with horror pregnancy / labour stories. Don't stew on them too much. The vast majority are absolutely fine. The end result is pretty spectacular too, whatever the pregnancy is like!

Hi girls,
Just thought I would check in ... Had a m/c in november ( missed m/c) and so very nervous now. Dont feel sick or tired although boobs tender but convinced all is not right..to scared to hope! Any one with me on this?

Spacecadet is this your fifth then? How old are the others?

I'm with you Miranda - also had missed m/c in October, and pretty much symptom less, but all we can do in these early stages is look after ourselves and hope all works out okay. Have you been offered an early scan for reassurance?

miranda, i too m/c in march so feel v nervous, yes this is my 5th, my others are
14 in 3 weeks
11
4
10 months

Welcome Miranda!

I'm off to the doc this morning for my first appointment. Not quite sure what to expect as I haven't had a baby here in Holland (dd1 in UK and dd2 in Australia). Wish me luck!!

PS Spacecadet, how do your elder children feel about the littlies? DD1 had just turned 2 when dd2 was born so we couldn't really do a lot to prepare her and had to deal with the toddler reaction to a new bub. They will be 6 and 4 when smudge arrives (all things being well) - any advice?

yeahbut my eldest dd was just 2 when fell preg with ds1 so i waited until i was obviously preg to explain that i had a baby in my tummy, she didnt seem bothered one way or the other, when ds was born,i brought him home and shewas fine for aday or too, cooing over him etc, then the novelty wore off, she did become rather jealous unfortunately, but eventually go used to the idea that ds was here to stay! they have there moments fighting etc, then next min, they are best of friends. one thing i did do though was when shecame to the hospital after ds was born, i made sure i wasnt holding him and picked her up and cuddled her instead. i also bought her alittle present that was "from the new baby"
when ds2 was born, the older ones were very
excited so were fine with it
when dd was born we did the same preparation aswith dd1, bought all the children a small gift and made a point of trying to include ds2 who was 3 at the time in looking after his new sister, subsequently, he is very good with her and i think we have just had the odd blip where hehasfelt alittle jealous. when preg, i never said, my baby, but always used to say your sister, so when she was born, she was ds's baby!!!!

Yeahbut: I'm moving to Holland next month! Where about are you? We'll be living in The Hague. Both my dds were born here (UK) so I've no idea what to expect from the Dutch healthcare system (I'm hoping it will be good!) Maybe we'll end up in the same hospital (although I hear the Dutch are very pro home births).

Well, done two injections now - so far so good. No horrible bruises (yet!) I'm still paranoid that I'll get a DVT, but at least I'm doing what I can to try and prevent it now. Have left my details for the midwife (she's on holiday) so she'll get in touch when she gets back .. the same midwife as I had when pg with dd2, who was great throughout the pregnancy, and even more fab afterwards when I had to have loads of blood tests for the clotting problem - she insisted she did them herself rather than me have to wait my turn in the blood clinic "I'm not having one of my ladies sitting down there with all those possibly ill people"! She was great. Shame we'll be moving, but that's the way it goes. DH is currently in The Hague house-hunting for the day (his office provide the accomodation, so hopefully he's got a list of properties to see and he'll choose a good un!) DD1 has also got a place in the British School out there, which is great - can't believe she'll be going to school in September for the first time. They grow up so quickly.

Waffling now, so I'll sign off. Hope you ladies and bumps-to-be are all well. (Note to self: Stock up on safety pins for when your jeans/skirts don't tie round the middle ...)

Only just seen your post from Monday about living in Holland, YB - sorry! Is this a permananent move for you, or is it through work (like ours - we'll be out there for 3-4 years)? Do you speak Dutch? Are you a SAHM? Where do your girls go to school/nursery? How do you find living out there? Sorry, I'm asking lots of questions, but it's great to hear from someone who lives there (I had a chat with Oxocube a while ago but haven't seen her around for ages now). Will check in again a bit later.

Hiya girls. Had my booking appointment with the midwife and she has given me a revised date of 1st Feb - so I am moving from the Jan thread to be a paid-up member of the Feb thread. Got my dating scan on the 23rd June - so who knows what thread I will be on then!

My midwife says it's fine for me to carry on going to Weightwatchers as long as I am eating from all the food groups etc. Lost another 1lb this morning - hurrah! I am back to my prepregnancy weight prior to dd - but wanted to lose about another stone and a half before I got pregnant - too late! So it seems it is fine to try and lose weight until the end of the first trimester.

Went to the gym yesterday for guidance on what I can do - apparently can still do abdominal work until the end of the first trimester but just have to be careful that my heartrate doesn't go above 140.

Hope you are all feeling well - or at least not too crappy!

How is everyone today?

I have been so unwell today - baaaad nausea, shaky, dizzy and generally bleugh! Not actually sick but as it is getting progressively worse I think it is only a matter of time...

I think I am about a week ahead of most of you so no smirking just yet