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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Didn't know was pregnant till 20 weeks - must be extended breastfeeder, right

22 replies

TantieTowie · 13/03/2009 13:52

Was very interested in Zoe Williams' latest Antinatal column because it could so easily be me.

She didn't realise she was pregnant till she was 20 weeks - thought she was going through early menopause; she must be an extended breastfeeder too, I reckon.

OP posts:
Original poster
TantieTowie · 13/03/2009 13:53

Thoughts?

OP posts:
BouncingTurtle · 13/03/2009 13:55

Don't know... a friend didn't realise she was pg with her first until she went into labour!

georgimama · 13/03/2009 13:58

Could be, but some women have such an irregular cycle they could easily mistake pregnancy for cycle problems. Also some women continue to experience "break through" bleeding during pregnancy around the time their period would be due.

A girl I used to work with didn't know she was pregnant until about 26 weeks, and she didn't look pregnant at all. Within about 3 weeks she was off on maternity leave and looked really pregnant. It was so strange.

CoteDAzur · 13/03/2009 13:58

My initial thought is "How fat do you have to be not to notice you are five months pregnant?"

Ok so early menopause could explain no periods. How on earth didn't she feel baby move until 20 weeks?

hazeyjane · 13/03/2009 13:59

I didn't feel dd2 move until 22 weeks, and I don't think I was particularly fat!

chequersmate · 13/03/2009 14:00

I dunno, how old is her first child?

EdwardBear · 13/03/2009 14:01

Not sure what BFing has to do with it - didnt see it mentioned in the article.
My SIL never got her periods back after her first baby. Her second baby was born 10.5 months later. She only started to have an 'inkling' that she might be pg 2 WEEKS before the baby was born.
She went to Drs, who did a blood test and said she was pg. She had an emergency scan booked in for 2 weeks later. Baby was born the morning of the day the scan was booked for.
I saw her 2 days before that baby was born and she was her usual size 12 little thing. I was 6 months pg and TWICE the size of her.

Habbibu · 13/03/2009 14:03

Dunno, Cote - some tall slim women seem to barely show - friend of mine is a hardcore runner, tall and with stomach muscles like a tennis racket. She was constantly worried about the fact that her bump was tiny - at 34 weeks she was much smaller than me at 20 weeks!

But yes, not noticing movement is really odd - maybe she has very bad wind a lot!

WhatsTheBloodyPoint · 13/03/2009 14:04

Is she ante-natal? Or does she really mean anti natal? Because if so, that's a bit of a shame given the predicament she finds herself in

Habbibu · 13/03/2009 14:06

Thing I don't get about the article: "it became obvious that I wasn't going to get a quick dating scan at the hospital". What? She didn't get a scan? How did they work out dates? By fundal height? Why didn't she get a scan?

And why were they "Oh God, oh God" about it? Surprised, yes, but she makes them sound positively stressed.

georgimama · 13/03/2009 14:14

WhatsTheBloodyPoint I did wonder for a moment if it was a typical Grauniad typo, but I think it is meant to be a pun on antenatal, being a motherhood column. I think.

georgimama · 13/03/2009 14:16

My mother's old dentist was an apparently sensible woman who told my mum when she was 35 weeks pregnant and about to go on ML that she hadn't seen a doctor or a midwife.

It was her second child and she was apparently unaware that you are supposed to have antenatal care for second and subsequent pregnancies. My mum was absolutely horrified and told her to get to the GP.

terramum · 13/03/2009 14:18

"How on earth didn't she feel baby move until 20 weeks? "
Anterior placenta probably!

WhatsTheBloodyPoint · 13/03/2009 14:21

Ah, I see. A column series with a witty name.

Of course. With the backstory I get it. To a first time reader (as I was) it just looks like crapness.

But I get it now. Everyone can stand down.

Hangingbellyofbabylon · 13/03/2009 14:21

sheesh, the fattist comment is a bit uncalled for. I have a friend who didn't find out she was pregnant until 20 weeks, she was neither fat nor breastfeeding, she was on the pill though so it's no wonder she had no idea.

Original poster
TantieTowie · 13/03/2009 14:46

There you go - so many reasons other than extended breastfeeding why you might not have your periods back after no 1.
EdwardBear - no 2 10.5 months after no 1 would be a real shock!

OP posts:
cornflakegirl · 13/03/2009 14:49

I'm pretty sure ZW isn't an extended breastfeeder - I remember her talking about stopping breastfeeding several months ago.

artichokes · 13/03/2009 14:53

I did not feel dd1 or 2 move until 23 weeks and I am a size 12. I think that is perfectly common. I also had no bump 'tip 18 weeks. However there was no missing my pregnancies thanksbto the delightful nausea and spewing.

mrsgboring · 13/03/2009 14:54

So she can't have had any serious level of sickness then? I know a surprise pregnancy is difficult and shocking, but there is a part of me that is about that. If I hadn't known I was pregnant, I would have thought I was seriously ill, all three times.

cornflakegirl · 13/03/2009 14:55

Article where she talks about stopping.

totalmisfit · 13/03/2009 15:04

she looks as if she might be quite tall, (just a hunch) taller people don't seem to get so noticeably preggers as shortarses like me, ime.

totalmisfit · 13/03/2009 15:05

in terms of 'looking pregnant' i mean.

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