Fantastic, fabulous 40+ Mums-to-be! Part 4

[rosiedays]

as i filled the last post on old thread it seemed only polite to start the new one. hope i've done it right

To those who have just found this thread, Welcome and congratulations on you BFP. please feel free to join this amazing supportive group of 40+ mums to be. A very nonjudgmental and friendly place to hang out and share your pregnancy.

Blundermum 40, DC2 due early May?
Lotsofcheese, 40/41, DC2 (girl) due May (DS 4y)
Onemoreforgoodmeasure, 40, DC1 due 06/06
cyclecamper, 42, DC1 due 14/06
Newchoos, 40, DC2, due early July
Blueeyes1970,42, DC1 due on 8th July
BadMissM, 45, DC2, due 22/7
Rosiedays, 43 DD3 due 23rd July(ish)
ScubaSarah, nrly 40, DC1?, due July 22-Aug 1
Iclaudius,45, due 29/07
LottieH, 44, DC5, due mid August
Sparklysapphire, 44, DC2, due 28/8
BuzzBee, 40, DC2, due Sept
Notsoold, 41,DC3 due end of October
Animol, 42, DC5 due 13th
November

Hi JBrd. Really sorry you are having such a difficult time at the moment. You must have been so fed up to get the news that your Hamony failed. Will they be able to speed you through the system for a retest? I hope so. Try to keep positive. 1 in 17 chance of Downs still makes for 94% chance of not.

When you have your scan tomorrow, it might be worth asking about the presence of a nasal bone as this is a new marker they are looking at for Downs. I don't think it's conclusive, but if it's there it's good. Not everyone is qualified to look for it though. There is a link here but if you google you should find more info.

Good luck, will be thinking of you.

Irish, thanks for the thoughts - not sure about anything with DH's new job at the moment n terms of if no leave means no paternity leave as well as no annual leave. It's a bit complicated as it's a secondment, so at the moment he is with the parent company doing his type rating and won't really be able to figure all this stuff out until he's passed that and moved over in July. We don't have family near by, but fortunately have enough friends around that I will be able to ask for help. I'm trying not to worry, as I can't do anything about it!

I'll just worry about the new Climate Change report instead which is terrifying me, and making me wonder what type of world we are bringing our babies into!

Have a good week everyone...

How frustrating JBrd , when you thought you'd get some more conclusive answers, you're still waiting. Hopefully the scan at the FMC will help put your mind at rest, let us know how you get on, I'll be thinking of you!
I have an appointment with my consultant on Wednesday and he's rescanning me then to check baby is growing and placenta looks healthy. I still worry before every scan but it's reassuring to be monitored.
Rainy good that you have friends for support if DH doesn't get much time off. To be honest DH never was able to take a lot of time off when my other three were born and it was ok, I think you just get on with things when you have to. This time he's planned a combination of holidays and paternity leave, it's made easier since we know my induction date!

Jbrd wishing you the best of luck with your NS tomorrow. How completely unfair that you're having to go through all this worry with the Harmony test results not coming through for you to ease your worries. I guess the numbers are always going to be low in this age bracket, and it's good news that the scan looked so positive. Thinking of you tomorrow.

Irishmammy good luck too with your scan on Wednesday. It'll be another scan closer to having your baby!

Tigger glad all ok with your scan and LO. I think measurements are tricky to do when the baby's still so small so try not to worry about the slight discrepancy in days (easier said!) hopefully the next 5 weeks go quickly for you to get you safely into the 2nd trimester.

to everyone else and looking forward to hearing some birth stories soon

Here in my backward area, they don't do the Nuchal Fold so I'm relying on the quad blood test at 16 weeks (which is a bit worrying as I don't think it's that accurate?? and my age will throw the result anyway). It's the first time I've been pg somewhere which doesn't do the Nuchal, so a little worried.

Hi ladies! Sorry, I haven't popped back because the thread had gone a bit quiet. I'm still here, fighting the scan doom over my 20 week scan in two weeks. At least I'm away in the States on holiday next week, so the time will pass quicker. I've got some very sexy plane socks to wear on the way over and back. Purrrrrrr.

[Belated] welcome, Tigger, Sparkley and BriePate! Many congratulations and best wishes for happy and healthy pregnancies.

Jbrd Oh no about the Harmony! I hope your new scan yesterday went well.

Guthrie so glad to hear that the lo is growing. Are they inducing at 39 weeks because of these concerns, or is it hospital policy for the over 40s? I've heard really different things from people on MN. My MW here hadn't heard anything about early inductions.

Irish and Dats Happy maternity leave! It feels like that day will never come...

Rainy I hope your OH's leave gets sorted. At least it sounds like he's found a new job quickly?

I hope that I haven't missed anyone. Keep clear of that Saharan dust!

Oh, yes. I forgot to ask, BriePate where is this backward area that doesn't do Nuchal tests? Does it involve brie and pate? Well, native brie and pate?

Hi IAte and everyone else. A newbie on here, but 7wks pg with DC2 aged 41 (on Friday!). When I was pg with my first, less than 2 years ago, they didn't offer the NT in my area, just the quad test (South Wales). This time around I'm going to go for the NT even if I have to go private. I've been reading up on it and can't find out if they still don't offer it. If they don't, I'm going to grill the midwife tomorrow at my booking appt about why it's not offer around here. It's against NICE guidelines and YEARS behind most of the UK.

Hi IAte I wish I was in the land of native Brie and Pate! No such luck! Am now in Wales. I just seem to want Brie and Pate as soon as I'm pregnant even though I don't have it that often normally. Have a good trip to the States and try to forget about the scan. I'm sure everything will be fine but it's hard not to worry. What date is your scan? It will be good when that's over and you can relax and enjoy the rest of your pg. Will try and find you on previous parts of this thread to see your stats!

Hi there Notaflaming - welcome and congratulations on your pg. I'm also in S Wales and was told that the NT scan wasn't offered here yet on the NHS, but it was coming in next year fat lot of good that will do us I had no of details of anywhere doing it privately and stupidly didn't think to check, as just assumed there wasn't anywhere! It really is backward here, but local midwives are brilliant (just worried about the hospitals here now . Now I'm really worried as the quad test next week will probably put me at high risk just from my age alone. Oh well, I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. I hope you manage to find somewhere locally to get the NT done privately.

Thanks BriePate. I believe that Innermost Secrets in Cardiff do the NT test, so I'm going to see about going there (from what you write I'm guessing you're too far along now). I will also have a high risk because of my age (although it was something like 1 in 7000 with my first, when I was 39).
FWIW, my experience of the hospitals with my first was brilliant. I was booked into the midwife-led suite in Neath Port Talbot (GORGEOUS!) but unfortunately was whipped over to Bridgend due to difficult labour and an eventual EMCS. Midwives by and large are all lovely. Health visitors - a bit of a mixed bag IME!

Yes, I'm nearly 16 weeks notaflaming. How stupid of me to assume there was nowhere I could do it privately. Hope your NT scan goes well with them. Funny how you mentioned HVs as have changed GPs partly because of one of the pushy, unpleasant HVs there. Hoping the new one will be better (and that I can keep them away most of the time anyway!)

Ah, sorry to hear about your previous difficult labour. How awful for you. I'm classed as high risk because of 2 previous premature births and the fact I'm old so am booked into Singleton which I'm not too sure about so far... The mw-led centre in NPT sounds lovely though. Any idea if you'll be able to go back there this time round? Good luck with your booking in tomorrow!

I'd love to go to NPT, but I think I'm going to play it safe and book into Singleton. I had a fibroid in my last pg, and unless it's miraculously disappeared, it's still there. Quite high up so not blocking any exits, but it does pose a post-partum haemhorrage risk (had one of those last time too!).
Also, I'm older now and my last labour was quite complicated. So, with the benefit of hindsight I'm going to go for Singleton, in the hope of midwife-led but with the security blanket of a consultant-led facility next door.
My friend gave birth at Singleton, induction then EMCS - she said it was great there.

Thanks notaflaming that's good to know. I just did a quick search online for reviews for Singleton which just threw up some negative reviews. Good your friend had a good experience and that you'll be there too - I feel less worried now!

Sorry to hear about the fibroid causing you grief - at least you'll be prepared this time and will probably have a much better experience as a result.

Hi Flaming and welcome. I hope this is a smooth pregnancy, with no fibroid and an uncomplicated birth. Surely we can get better at these things with practise!

Ah, South Wales, BriePate. It is at least very beautiful there! If I were based there I think I'd be tempted to skip the private nuchal scan and skip straight to Harmony or NIPT testing. It's what I did in an area where they offer nuchal fold tests.

My scan is two weeks today, on the 16th, but who's counting?! I hope I'll worry less afterward. I'm also 41, expecting our first after a miscarriage in October. I'll definitely be in a hospital for delivery, as the only options here are that or home birth. There is a MLU at the hospital, which I will explore later, once I don't feel like I'm 'jinxing' things.

Oops, though I see looking back that you're a spring chicken at only 40, BriePate!

Hi everyone. Good to see some life on the thread. Sorry to hear about your harmony test jbird. That's frustrating. Hope your scan has gone well.
Being induced at 39 weeks due to growth worries iateallthepies pies though think they wouldn't have let me go beyond 40 weeks anyway. Went naturally at 39 weeks with my son so hoping for the same. Finally stop work on Fri. So looking forward to it. Hopefully get a few days before it all kicks off.
Hope everyone is well and coping with l the joys pregnancy brings......

Thanks IAteSomeofthePies. So far so good, I've gone a whole 7+1 weeks with barely a symptom! Hoping the fibroid isn't too troublesome - it wasn't last time, it just meant I got an extra scan at 32 weeks because of it. Although of course the excessive mopping-up after the PPH caused my surgeon a bit of grief, I didn't even notice! Good luck with your scan - I'm the same, I just want it over with.
BriePate Singleton is a bit dated (the building, that is), but the medics there are by and large excellent. I work in the NHS so know a few of them.
Guthrie, how long til you're 39 weeks? I hope you get a bit of rest beforehand!

Hello ladies - can I join?

I'm 39 but turn 40 in September and baby is due in November. This is my second, my little boy turns 2 next month.

I'm currently 6+6 so still early days for me.

Hi GoooRooo, welcome from me - you're 2 days behind me, I think I'm 7+1. Got my booking appt this afternoon.
How are you feeling?

Feel okay except that I'm so bloated I look about six months gone! I just want to get to the 12 week scan and then I'll relax a bit I think. I'm seeing the midwife for booking in next Thursday.

Hello flaming and Gooo, welcome! Now I'm not the baby of the thread anymore ( only in terms of gestational age - 13 weeks today; my normal age is 42 )

flaming I also have fibroids. One was discovered when I was pg with DS, it's huge (8-10cm), the other one was discovered in this pregnancy (about 3-4cm). I've never had any problems during my first pregnancy, and none of the issues I've had so far with this one was ever attributed to them. I did, however, have a bad haemorrhage during DS's birth - but that was due to it being an EMCS! Do they think that yours might be a problem?

My nuchal scan at the FMC on Tuesday went really well - no concerns at all, all measurements good, and all markers good, too.
It's my bloods that are still sh**. So the combined risk for Down's is still really high (even higher at the FMC because they use 1:40 for age only, the NHS uses 1:60 - no idea why).
They are repeating the Harmony test, and we will wait until we have the results from that before making a decision about what to do next... So, another 10-12 days' wait

I worry about having an invasive procedure, but if the Harmony also comes back as high risk (or fails again), then I don't think I could bear not knowing...

Great news so far JBrd. Was thinking about you. 13 weeks....wow! I am jealous! Please tell me that this sickness will ease up? I am 8 wks today. Gagging, retching sick feeling around my throat and top of stomach and no let up. It has got me down today and I feel guilt for this because this pregnancy is so 'wanted'. Just want a break....just five minutes and a little bit of an appetite back! This sickness is all good, right? I should be pleased with it, right? Good sign and all that? LOL.

Hello newbies! Anyway, we are not all that all. A newspaper headlined a story about the increase in mums over 50! We are spring chicks!

Not all that 'old'.

Iatesome I hadn't heard about the Harmony test until seeing it on this thread. Does it give you a 100% accurate result? What's the NIPT? Spring Chicken I also saw that report about older mums in their 50s, tigger8 - our 40s are definitely the new 30s

Jbrd good news about your scan being so positive again. Hopefully the next 10 days or so go quickly for you so you can get the result to put your mind at rest. I know what you mean about not wanting to have an invasive procedure, but just needing to know either way.

Hi GooRoo and congratulations on your pregnancy!

tigger I was told repeatedly that the sickness was a positive sign of a "strong" pregnancy, but that doesn't help much when you're feeling so bad. The only thing that helped me was eating loads. Hope you start to feel better very soon.

guthrie well done on getting to maternity leave - enjoy! Are you having to have regular scans?

notaflaming that is good news re Singleton. I haven't told anyone here in RL about my pg yet, and so haven't managed to quiz anyone about local hospitals. MWs so far have been the best I've ever had, so I guess that's a good omen. I guess it's the traffic situation there that's the only thing left for me to worry about!

So now that the morning sickness has finally gone completely, I have wind, indigestion and heartburn to replace it - oh joy!

Hey Jbrd keeping my fingers crossed that all is well for you. So far so good anyway! Glad to hear your fibroids didn't cause you any problems. Maybe it was the EMCS that caused my PPH then too. I never really found out.

BriePate yes the traffic can be a bitch around Singleton. Although I had the exact opposite of a 'sneeze birth' last time so personally I'll probably get there in good time even if I have to walk! I saw the midwife yesterday and she said that VBAC was the policy (fine with me) but apparently they will give you a chance to go naturally, but book you in for an ELCS just a few days after your due date. Which is a shame, because my first was 12 days over. So I suspect another CS is on the cards.

tigger you have my sympathies. I don't really get the dreaded MS and I'm not sure I could function if I did. Agree with BriePate - eating loads seems to be the answer. Sod the weight-watching. You can do that when nipper is out.

BriePate NIPT just stands for noninvasive prenatal testing. There are several different tests on the market, the most famous of which is Harmony. Rather than going to London, the private wing of my local hospital does the Verifi test. That's what I had. I believe another brand is NIFTY? My test said it was over 99% accurate. It's made by Verinata. They had lots of info on the accuracy, etc. online.

Hi GooRoo!

Tigger sorry you're suffering. Hang in there. Sickness is a good sign, apparently! So say the studies in Expecting Better, my new fave preggo book.

JBrd sorry that you're still in the dark. It sounds like your scan was really positive, though, and I hope your repeat Harmony comes back with the result you want. If we'd had a high risk nuchal test result we agreed that we would have CVS/amnio. I would definitely have shopped around for a consultant with the best record. Apparently, individual success rates for performing the procedure vary. DH has a sister with really complex special needs, and he really would need certainty.

Hi everyone ! Delighted to at last be on maternity leave. Getting induced next sat if I don't go before. In for a sweep on Tuesday . Not looking forward to that! Anyone had one before?
Welcome to the newbies! Hope you're doing ok. jbird hope you've had reassuring news. Sorry for not name checking everyone. On phone.