Anyone due in April 2004?!

[dot1]

Hello!

I found out last week I was pregnant, and although I've not been to my GP yet, various websites and Miriam Stoppard have told me I'm due on March 31st/April 1st! (poor little april fools baby - let's hope it's late...).

I know it's early days, but wanted to start this thread as I've already got lots of questions - like, is anyone else having quite bad pains? I've been getting bad period-type pains, which have been worrying me, but I understand people do get (this is my first pregnancy by the way!).

Right, that's it - hope I get some company soon..!

Boo Hoo - I tried on a skirt this morning for work and couldn't wear it as it was much too small around the waist. My trousers are getting tighter - all this at 9 wks ??!! Also, I've gone completely off all types of food - even chocolate would you believe? I don't feel sick by eating just really have lost my appetite which was always a healthy one. I'm also finding it extremely difficult to fufill my quota of getting 5 portions of fruit and veg in.

Good news about your neighbour Bunny2. How is your back ?

Hi Metrobaby, my back is much better, thanks for asking . I cant get into a few of my clothes now (10 wks tomorrow, yipee) and tend to wear tracky bottoms and sweatshirts, horribly sloppy but comfortable. I think the day I hit 12 weeks I'm going to buy a maternity wardrobe. Fab, a legit reason to buy clothes!!

How's everyone elses nausea and other symptoms? My mum brought round some cooked chicken for ds, she thinks he is missing out cos all I can manage to cook is pasta. I couldnt even look at the chicken, she hid it in the fridge. Yeurghh. Donuts are ok though, I had two today just to make sure (ans she wonders why her clothes dont fit).

Has anyone heard from Splash?

My nauseau is almost gone (I'm 11 weeks now), and the tiredness is less too. Life seems so much easier suddenly. Are other people feeling a bit better now?

It's a relief to be able to eat things other than baked potatoes. Am celebrating with a large dark Toblerone. I still don't want fruit or veg though which is weird for me as I usually eat lots. Metrobaby how about just drinking lots of fruit juice for these weeks?

I've got my nuchal scan on Monday, have others had theirs yet?

Fennel - I am waiting for a date for my nuchal. I am hoping that they can either fit it just before I go away on holiday (when I will be 12 wks), or just after (13.5 wks then). Unfortunately I just can't seem to drink fruit juice either which is odd as I love OJ normally. I've started to take some vitamins (without vit A)too.

Bunny2 you made laugh about the maternity clothes. I was just saying to my DH about getting some new clothes when he pointed out what was wrong with my maternity clothes from last time. I tried to justify it by saying that last time I was pg at a diff time of year. However I seem to remember being in them a good many months after the birh too !

Metrobaby, stick to your guns here, you're entitled to a new wardobe, it's your right as a prgnant woman. I read somewhere that the average woman spends £300, dont think I'll get away with that much though, we're totally skint.

Fennel, glad you're feeling better, I have some days when I feel better then a real sh*t day like today when I coulnt even swallow my folic acid pill without retching. (Managed 2 Flakes though).

Hi all. Fennel - thanks for saying you're feeling better at 11 weeks! If it's going to be the same for me then I've got just a week to go (you too bunny2)!
Metrobaby - I don't seem to want fruit juice either...

Hi HD, 5 days to go then! Hope so, spent most of this afternoon curled up on the couch watching CBeebies. I hate it that ds watches alot of tv at the mo but I cant do anything else sometimes. Anyone the same?

Know what you mean - but we need to cut ourselves some slack I reckon. I seem to be getting through the working week ok but then collapsing at the weekend - was in bed yesterday afternoon.

Hello!

I seem to be over most of the sickness now (14 weeks now) but have still lost my appetite for most things - very annoying as I used to eat for England! Moved into a few maternity clothes over the weekend - felt really excited but also a bit depressed at how early it is to be ditching some of my old clothes!

We're moving house in a couple of weeks - so I'm starting to fret about where I'm going to be having this baby/having my ante natal care. Going to see new GP as soon as I'm up there to nag about appointments etc., as I'll nearly be ready for my 20 week scan (can't wait!)

dot1 - I feel exactly the same as you in that I have lost my appetite too. I eat mearly for the sake of it now. My nausea has died right down. In fact last week I felt a bit silly as I had not had any nausea for the a few days. I woke up then in the early hours one morning shaking DH awake thinking OMG OMG I'm sure something has happened as my boobs weren't feeling sore either. Thankfully the sore boobs are still there to reassure me, but I was almost on the verge of going to the EPU for a scan. Although the nice lady on the phone there said that it is quite normal to start losing nausea around now as the placenta is taking over.

I'm feeling a lot less tired now but like HD collapse at the weekend. On Sat DD decided to have a nap with me which was nice

I had a look for some maternity clothes too and usual was horrified at what they had to offer. Is it just me but a lot of high street shops seem to think that once you are pg that you have no need for smart clothes anymore. Bunny2 I can't believe the avg spend on maternity clothes is £300 - I spent only a fraction of that last time.

I'm sure I posted on Saturday but perhaps my pregnant brain just makes me think I had. My scan a week today - can't wait.
Still feeling sick - some days worse than others. I too have to make myself eat.
Yes my sore boobs are also my reassuring sign!!

Well I continue to feel flipping awful. It is really getting me down now. Metrobaby, I find it hard to believe £300 is the avergae spend, I will be spending about 50 quid, that's all, and only if I can actually find some decent jeans (hate those stretchy front panels ).

Well I had my nuchal scan and it's not great news, the scan was fine but the accompanying blood test result was high - it gives me a 1:61 risk of Downs. Not totally surprising as I'm 35 and the blood tests give a lot of false positives as you get to this age.

So now I have to go back to my own hospital and get a CVS or Amnio. I just hope they are helpful and do it all this week, I haven't seen a midwife yet or had any contact with the hospital though I did visit the GP a few weeks ago.

Now I feel sick again. I know I'd terminate if it was a downs baby but obviously it's not a pleasant option.

Oh Fennel - that's so awful that you've got this worry now. I don't know anything about the probability in terms of scan/blood test, but does the fact that the scan was OK mean the blood test is more likely to be wrong?

I really hope they can book you in quickly - just so you can hopefully have peace of mind.

Thinking of you - let us know how you get on
xxx

Fennel - something REALLY important my consultant said to me last time with ds (I was 38). He said, 'DON'T have the blood test as it will only come back positive' - in other words your age will skew the result even if the baby is fine.
If your nuchal scan was fine then please don't worry - if it's a small measurement they took then that is what determines how your baby is - ie/ if the measure was, say, 2mm, the baby is the same whether you are 20 or 40 - it's just that obviously the risks look worse when age adjusted. Not sure if I'm explaining myself very well but hope you get the gist.
What was the nuchal scan risk result by itself?

Thanks for the advice and support. The nuchal transluceny was only 0.9mm which is good, it seems. And yes Bluecow I'd heard that about blood tests as you get over about 35. But still, at 35, there must be something funny about the blood for my combined risk estimate to come back so high given the good nuchal result.

Yes I hope the nuchal scan is right and the blood test inaccurate, that seems most likely. But I want to check with the diagnostic, cos 1:61 does seem quite a high score.

I am having trouble though getting a CVS. I live in Manchester, we like to think it's a big cosmopolitan city (!) but not for this. Had to go to Chester yesterday for the nuchal scan, they sent me back to my S Manchester hospital for the CVS but they don't do it so I had to go back to the GP today and get a referral to the big central Manchester hospital (St Marys). and it can take a few days, apparently, by which time I may be over the time you can do a CVS and have to wait 3-4 weeks for an amnio. I really don't see why it's all so uncoordinated, I had the nuchal tests as early as you can (11+2), but the scan showed me at 12 weeks (I conceived early in cycle) so a week's delay now is crucial.

Am trying not to worry but wish the system worked faster here. Surely the place that does a nuchal should just do a CVS there and then given the time issues involved?

Fennel - can't really advise but sorry you're going through a worrying time. Hope it all gets resolved in a way that you are happy with soon.
Dot1 - moving soon! Good luck!

Hi Fennel - that seems bizarre that you're in Manchester (I'll be joining you in 2 weeks!) and had to go to Chester for a nuchal - sure St. Marys would have done that? What a nightmare - hope you get a date asap - keep ringing your GP/anyone else that can move it on for you. I'm hoping to be referred to St. Marys as I need to go to an ante natal endocrinology clinic, but I'll be living in Stockport, so not sure I'll be allowed...

I've officially moved into mainly maternity and my old fat clothes..! Trying to accept the fact that my smart new thin clothes might as well go into storage!

Fennel, I hope you get your CVS done soon, what a stupid system. I hope it all works out for you. The odds sound high but out of every 61 babies, 60 will be ok, that's pretty good odds to me. Good luck ovwe the next few days.

Fennel - by all means go for a diasgnostic test if it will help put your mind at ease. But with your age and very small nuchal measurement (which is excellent) you risk must be one in about 1000 in the nuchal scan alone. If that's what I am told on Monday I would be thrilled with that result. My risk last time on just the nuchal was one in 591 which my consultant said was reassuring. The blood test isn't the reassurance you need and no, the result doesn't mean necessarily there's 'something funny' wrong with your blood as you know there are many false positive blood tests. As I am sure I have mentioned more than once, I'm nearing 40 and won't be having a blood test. And again, bearing in mind my chap's wise advice about not having the blood test, because of exactly the horrible position it's put you in, just think if you hadn't have had it and had just gone on the nuchal result - you'd be chilled and thrilled! Just a thought. Waffle over - I hope you get some peace of mind soon.

You're probably right Bluecow I should just go with the nuchal results but I don't know enough about it, there seems to be disagreement among medics about what's best. Good news is I've got a CVS test date for Monday at St Mary's, though I only got it as my sister, a GP who is an expert at working the NHS system, made a load of phone calls and hunted down the fax from the GP which got lost plus my midwife notes which also seem to be lost (can you believe it?). So just a few days to wait and meanwhile thanks for the reassurances I am reassured!

Fennel - glad you've got your test so soon. It's not what you know...! I've got my nuchal on Monday so we can compare results!

Good luck bluecow!

How is everyone? My nausea is easing slowly so I am feeling a bit better, still knackered though. Good luck Tuesady Bluecow, and with your CVS Fennel, my fingers are crossed for you.

Preggers, have you revealed yoursefl yet??

Thanks all! Had the scan this morning and baby was handjiving and having a right old time! Had the nuchal scan and all fine with that - in fact have a lower risk factor than last year with ds so we're happy. Interestingly, my hospital only offers the nuchal now - it doesn't do the blood tests anymore.
Fennel - hope your CVS goes ok.