PG after MC: Posifrickentivity, Batshit Crazy and a Rash of New Babies...

[SaggyIsHavingAPinkKitten]

Here we go ladies...

living not sure if you are outside the UK, in which case it may all be different. Here you should book in with a midwife at 8-10 weeks which would be an opportunity to ask all your questions. The nuchal translucency test ( measures the fluid at the back of baby's neck) is sometimes combined with the 12 week scan, but my NHS trust doesn't offer it. I think everywhere offers a blood test for Down's at around 12-14 weeks. I'm planning to pay privately for OSCAR screening ( combined scan and more comprehensive bloods, a lot more accurate than the NHS test and same day results) which is about £200. There is also a new blood test called Harmony which extracts foetal DNA from your bloodstream,very accurate but about £700!
I think sometimes if you are under consultant care they are good medically but not too emotionally supportive, and some of the routine stuff can be missed. I am being seen by the RMC clinic and haven't booked in yet, but am fairly happy with the routine stuff from my previous pregnancies. All being well I will actually make it as far as booking in next week - the last three times I've had to cancel that appointment.....

Thank you :) I wasn't going to say anything but with how ill I have been I didn't see a way around it. I employed someone who was 8 weeks pregnant and they have at my current work (in different roles) as well so I didn't think much of it. It is very much against the law to do that here - the equality laws are even stricter than at home! It's OK though as I don't want to have to go through all the hassle of a new job when dealing with all of this. I'll take the financial hit and maybe have a few months off in the run up to the birth assuming all works out. And I made myself look good at the other employer who said to get back in touch once I was ready to return to work. The manager just gave me some line about how she hired one woman who then said she was pregnant and then had two kids in 2 years which made me think, and?? Tis life... I was just a bit shocked and worried about money but we will manage :)

The thought of gaviscon has me wanting to throw up again! Does it really work? I get a bit of heartburn. You are right I should go back to my gp for a chat. I will try tomorrow. Sometimes it's a bit wood for trees.

Hope you find a comfy position!

Thank you too bakingtins that's reassuring. I was reading about the tests and thought I had missed the boat at 10 weeks as so many people have them then, but it sounds like I am on track. I have to have a midwife assigned by the hospital who can deal with ladies like me lol but it's just another delay. DH has promised to ring and nag them today and said we can even stake out the hospital if I want to! I would rather pay for that blood test than the fluid test no matter how expensive. Hopefully my insurance covers it.

Your test sounds like a rolls Royce of tests - it will be so good to get the results the same day and will mean great peace of mind for you. I will keep my fingers crossed for you.

Sorry forgot to say I am in the Netherlands. Homesick today wish I could get on the ferry home and never leave....

Oh Living it sounds like you are having a rough time! I've suffered with bad morning sickness and I know how awful it is but take it as a good sign that things are progressing well. As for the tests, we have the blood tests and nuchal fold done through the NHS here for downs. It is called the combined test. The nuchal fold test is nothing to worry about at all, surely they will do this as a matter of course at your 12-week scan even in the Netherlands? All they do is measure the amount of fluid which has accumulated in the nuchal fold at the back of the baby's head. The sonographer does this on screen while she is doing other measurements to check that everything else is ok with the baby. An increased amount of fluid in the nuchal fold means an increased risk of downs. It's not an absolute test as non-downs babies sometimes have a lot of fluid there which is why they combine these results with blood tests, BMI, smoking status, age and a lot of other risk factors to come up with a result here. If you google combined test the NHS website gives a good explanation. Surely you can ask for that at your hospital? Hope things improve for you, the first trimester is such a worrying time for all of us but you will get through it xxx

Saggy sending tons of sympathy your way! I have yet to experience the horrors of indigestion but have started stocking up on Gaviscon in anticipation of that particular pregnancy delight. I was told that if you take the Gaviscon tablets an hour before eating each meal that helps a lot. I'm sure you have tried everything going and that is not maybe the most helpful advice... hopefully it all calms down soon!

Kat your post about feeling the flab made me smile. My stomach is sticking out so much at the moment, yesterday at work I explained to a colleague I was four months pregnant and he looked at my stomach and said: "Oh that's what it is." So clearly just thought I had gotten stuck into the cake and piled on a load of weight - moron! I hope this 'bump' starts to become more bumpy soon, I'd like to at least look pregnant!

Shell sending you so much sympathy - sounds like you are being put through the ringer at the moment, here's hoping for baby shell to make an appearance soon as well as Pink and Garden. Aren't there more babies due around now as well? Hope everyone else is ok xxx

Thank you all for being so kind I am sitting here at the tram stop boo hooing whilst reading the thread. I cried at 80s power ballards whilst driving to work the other day....

Kjh you are right they will do the fold count test. Everything is pretty much the same here in terms of care. It's just because I am complicated it all takes longer. So I tell my body to ignore my brain and just do whatever it needs to do. It is the invasive test that gives me kittens! The care is (aside from horrendous bimbo at week 7) very good. I have seen my hospital psychiatrist already at week 7 and had a barrage of blood tests - six vials! Needed a burger and a twix after that.

I have a cold and a cough so also am generally feeling very sorry for myself. My boss told me to go and rest for the remainder of the week and I nearly cried all over him in my gratitude. The whole crying thing is just wow! I thought I was hormonal with pmt but that's nothing in comparison! Anyway off home to get a hot lemon and honey. Just spent 7 euro on a comfort bottle of ribena as well and maybe a Starbucks muffin for the train home :) thank you all once again for being so kind and nice. I haven't told anyone really aside from my boss and one teammate so it is good to have a safe place to go blergh :)

Saggy and anyone else with heartburn I highly recommend getting medication if the gaviscon doesn't help.
Last time I had horrendous indigestion and gaviscon made me feel so sick. Omeprazole from the GP was a miracle cure, just one tablet and no pain all day!!

Living- sorry to hear you are having a rough time. Please look after yourself . Glad your psychiatrist is looking after you, that what I work as, so I know how much of a struggle bipolar can be.

Shell and pink- eekk to babies arriving soon.
So exciting. Hope you feel better now She'll.

Well it's now 18 days to go to my c-sec.
I have finally started to buy and sort a few things out.
Got the glamorous bits from Boots such as pads etc but very sweet size 1 pampers as well!!
Still need to pack my bag and need to buy baby clothes as although I have bits I want new outfits for the hospital.
I also have to buy a barbie and a box of Lego for the baby to give my other 2 children!!
Still stuck on names- James and Alex are are top 2.

Hope everyone else is doing well. Xx

Big hug Living, glad you feel like you have somewhere to let it all out. We will always try to help on this thread cause that's what we do xxx

oh living it all sounds so frustrating but you've got some good advice from the ladies here.

penguin mine's on the 18th too!! Hope your journey home wasn't too bad x

Almost bloody forgot I had a midwife appointment today! Thank goodness the health centre is only 10 minutes down the road. I saw such a lovely woman who was very reassuring and very firm about the fact that everything is progressing normally. Plus I heard the heartbeat - admittedly it took ages to find because the sprog was wriggling around so much. I had no idea how fantastic that would be! Feeling so much better about everything. Hopefully this lasts through the next 5 weeks until the anomaly scan!

Living the NT measurement can be done at a scan until 13.6 weeks. It is combined with a blood test to give you your risk figure. If its too late, a scan can tell them an awful lot in terms of markers for problems. If in the eventuality you needed an amnio or cvs it's really nothing as a procedure. It sounds awful but it's painless and quick. The chances of actually needing one are really slim. Try not to worry too much.

JMF Omeprazole is good but sadly gives me terrible vertigo!
Not long now until you get your lovely squishy baby now then! I'm really jealous!

BakingTins good luck with your scan today. x

Jmf- I was just going to say how soon 18 days sounded, but then worked out that the chances are I will also have baby in next 18 days ish! Eeeek! How bloody exciting!
I love both your names, possibly slightly prefer Alex (would you have Alexander?) but both lovely traditional names :)

All ok at scan they are not seeing me for 2 weeks (vote of confidence!)

How wonderful for you bakingtins and khj :)

Jmf that sounds so lovely picking out the toys and I love the names. My vote is James :) If we have a boy we are thinking of Hugh. Currently DH nicknamed it Optimus Gandalf for its superpowers in staying with us the whole 9 months!

Thank you email garden and jmf I just had the best nap and feel much better. no work tomorrow Yay.

Fantastic news baking. So chuffed. :)

bakings that's brilliant, all's going well this time - so happy for you!

jmf size 1 nappies are very sweet indeed! I also like the names you've chosen and Alex/Alexander is my all-time favourite boys' name.

kjh5 yay for listening to the heartbeat! It is fantastic, isn't it? That was your 16-week midwife appointment, right?

living maternity21 (in Europe) is the same as the harmony test (here in the UK) if I'm not mistaken? Will you be having this done?

Congrats Tins xxx

nice one tins! :)

so i got a moses basket today phew. now the baby can arrive :) eek!

Great scan news ladies, so lovely to have all this positivity (other than the heartburn, acid reflux and diaoreaa )

Been feeling ridiculously tired the last few days and have been in bed by 8.30! Thought the exhaustion was meant to be easing!!

Wonderful news kjh and baking

So I have a sickness and diarhoea bug

Is absolutely horrendous, luckily my mum can look after DS. I called the midwife in a panic, she said there is nothing I can do except try and keep water down (thanks) and ride it out. IF it goes on for more than 48hrs they might admit me with a drip. Really hoping it stops soon.

Great scan news baking and lovely that you got to hear heartbeat kjh!

Sorry you're not feeling good living & guff. Also sorry to hear some are having bad heartburn, indigestion and acid reflux. I've had a bit of acid reflux but nothing I can't put up with.

So where are our thread babies? Maybe next week is the week? X