Hovering in the berrycopter: nervous elderberries, sickness reports and backwards scan photos!

[Boomgoestheweasel]

Open to all elderberry grads and anyone who fits the berry criteria: over 30, first trimester(ish) with #1 after trying for a long time, and nervous as hell. Come on in for handholding and nub theory!

No sorry. I didn't mean to write scan! Just an appointment I think.

Me too w anti D
I heard it really stings. Last time they did it while I was under GA.

merk not a clue! We don't routinely send women to see GPs in my trust, maybe your lot are short on midwives??

My (probably last) appointment with the midwife is 16wks, then I have anatomy scan at 20 wks and scans every 4 weeks after that, so will mostly be seen at consultant clinic. Feel a bit sad that even though I'm a mw I'm not going to get much mw care but not sad that I get looooads of scans

I don't need the anti-D, but do have to have GTT at 26wks because of PCOS. Currently slightly concerned about my bp, which has always been at about 115/60, but for the last two appointments has been 135/80 - doesn't bode well...but then I do wonder if it's because I get myself so nervous before the appointments!

Honestly I have never understood blood pressure numbers but your bottom one seems looooow! has your midwife says anything?

Have just checked my appointment schedule and its:
20 wk scan
24 wks gp
28 wks midwife
32 wks gp
34 wks gp
36 wks midwife
38 wks gp
40 wks midwife
41 wks midwife sweep

What about testing it at home boom, you can get those home kits so you can check it when you're not nervous? Is it likely to be higher with twins?

Mine was 90/60 when I booked in which I was told is low. On mon it was 119/73. I understand that it either value goes over 140/90 then they'll want to keep a close eye on it- is that right?

Ha merk no, it's high! 120/60 is approximately normal, so 135/80 is quite high, especially for me. It's not actually 'abnormally' high but is quite a bit above where I expected it to be, so hoping it doesn't get any higher! MW did ask if I normally had high blood pressure but consultant didn't seem bothered. Will keep an eye on it though...

How odd that the mw is palming off all your care on the GP! It's her job to give maternity care, not really the GPs. Still, if that's how it works in your area...just seems sad that you won't get to know her properly!

Merk you are on the 'shared care' model like me. Unfortunately my GP is shit, receptionist was totally surprised when I rang up to book antenatal appt with the GP and said 'ooh we don't normally do those, I'll have to check...' And then it was apparent when I saw the doc that he hadn't done one for a looooong time - he practically had to blow dust off his tape measure to do fundal height, and then measured it wrong. Also they don't dopple. I managed to get my midwife at 32 wks to agree to see me at 34wks instead of the GP since we are keeping a close eye on my size and I don't really trust the GP to know what's what.

Hopefully your GP will be better - I think it's because the majority of people at my surgery get referred to the other (closer but less good) hospital for maternity care, and get all their midwife appts through that team rather than shared care, so they aren't used to it.

As for getting to know midwife properly, I see a different person at every appointment so have totally disregarded any notion of getting to know anyone before birth and have reconciled myself to the reality that it will most likely be a complete stranger sticking a hand up my fanjo delivering my child!

Glad to know I'm not the only one having to see my gp. I don't mind although will be disappointed that they don't dopple.
Boom my midwife was waffling on about big variances in blood pressure being normal into the early second tri due to the increasing quantity of blood and your body having to learn how to deal with it. Or something. I wasn't listening as it wasn't relevant as my blood pressure never changes

Just rang gp to book my appointment and they were fully clued up. Also booked my flu jab thanks to boom mentioning it even though my midwife didn't

sorry about the chips craving. I have had 2 packets of crisps since breakfast and desperate for lunch too.
how do you find out your schedule? I'm seeing a consultant once a week but had no mw contact since booking in.

Merk yeah blood pressure goes a bit mental but it usually drops in 2nd trimester. I'm really only fretting about it because my mum had high BP and borderline pre-eclampsia with all of us. Really don't want to go down that route, and unfortunately it's more common with twins because I've got two placentas. Fingers crossed it's just what's normal for me!

Ah quod it's always a stranger doing the fanjo furtling delivery, community midwives very rarely set foot on delivery suite! It's sad, I'd much rather see a caseloading model which would be way better for mums, but it's too much for the poor confuddled NHS to even begin to contemplate organising..

My flu jab made my arm feel really bruised! no other side effects tho.

I had to leave a class today to hav a wee!

morning. Tallydog has decided that 4am is a good time to go yomping around the garden eating grass and being sick, so I have given in and made some crackers to eat, seeing as he won't come in.
everyone else OK?

Tally soon enough you'll be waking up at this sort of time anyway and join us in the joys of night feeding

Mm, 4am crackers. Sounds good to me! Boomdogs woke me at 6.30 to go out so could have been worse. On a mission to eat as much porridge as possible this morning, starving!

Thunder dog needs cajoling out of his bed if I get up before 7.30, lazy tyke. Have managed to always have dogs that appreciate a lie in.

I am also constantly munching. My mum had a theory that the headache may be linked to blood sugar so I scoffed digestives before bed and actually it hasn't arrived yet so I may have another ache free day! Probably just a coincidence but worth a try.

tally yey to feeling hungry! Re belly bands, not that I know jack s*%# about being diffed but I'd heard its best to avoid them if you can as it weakens your own muscles. Having said that I will most prob but I've when the time comes!

foody bad dh for breathing funny! I haven't had the rage yet but I did get very upset with Hayley on corra last night - although may have done undiffed!

bunny you may as well just stay now, you'll be diffed soon anyway

thunder Cleo is the same, she's a right lazy little mare in the morning!........an I love her for it

The cat however is not! He comes and shouts at me until I get up and feed him. Guess I can have 2 lazy ones, that would be too easy.

boom bp increase may just be 'white coat syndrome'. Why don't you check it yourself when you're nice and calm?

Re midwives, I've already decided on which ones I want and which I don't from watching 'midwives' as its filmed in my hospital! Shame you don't see your community mw, not much continuity of care!

merk my gp is hounding me for my flu jab even though I've told them I'm getting it at work on wed! I think they think I'm fibbing!

So blurted it out to my grown up friend yesterday who was naturally thrilled but then made me promise not to tell anyone else yet (I'm 9+3). Now feeling very silly for saying it and dh can't understand why I'm desperate for a private scan when I was happy waiting for the 12 week scan yesterday morning

Do you think you'll go for a private one then kitty? I was really pleased with my 10 week one although that was also linked to my last mmc. It was good timing in that it bridged the gap before the 12 week scan and that made the wait more bearable.

Oh and on flu jabs, I asked my gp evils she was on the phone this week and she had no idea and had to look it up! You don't get hounded much round here!

Erm not evils. Whilst.

There's 2 types of belly bands... One that's just like a vest for your bump to cover undone trousers and one that's like a support belt. Kitty I assume you're talking about the latter. I'm a bit about the weakening stomach muscles as a. That's going to happen anyway and b. they're designed to support your back. As you were

kitty have you got the date for your 12 week scan yet? Only because mine wasn't until 13+3. I don't know if that extra week and a half would make a difference. I know I would have gone beyond bonkers without my 10wk scan but like thunder said that was also linked back to the timing of a previous mmc so I needed the reassurance. 9 weeks already though, not too long to wait..!

Am also very proud of myself for not having doppled ONCE since my scan! I think I might finally be believing that they're here to stay!

I had a very weird dream last night. My SIL has been trying for a long time, and I know she's on clomid at the minute (undiagnosed infertility, she's jumping the hoops). And I dreamt that she came round and told us she was expecting twins as well! I know she's not (at the moment) but for once I hope the whole 'dreams as premonitions' thing is actually true

Right, being taken for a nice dogwalk and morning coffee date by the husband before going back to work again...yaaaaawn

boom literally just had a letter saying I have an antenatal appointment 6th nov that will take 2 hours (I'll be 12+0). It doesn't mention a scan but I'll get scanned though yeh?

merk re bands, I was just reiterating what a physio said but I honestly have no idea otherwise