Mum's-to-be

[jodee]

I hope no-one thinks this thread is too 'exclusive' or 'cliquey', but I can no longer join in with the weight loss thread, so I thought I would start this one up!

I wish I had had the benefit of the internet (and especially Mumsnet, of course!) first time around and felt pretty isolated after ds was born, so it's good to have some 'virtual' friends in the same boat now I'm expecting no 2.

It would be interesting as well to find out just how many of us are pregnant, there must be loads of us! and just to have a general chinwag.

[bells2]

Yes - I had very bad period type pains with number 2. Once they lasted all day and were so severe that I ended up seeing my GP. Very worrying at the time because it was all in the first trimester. Have no idea if there is any connection, but the after birth pains during b/feeding with her were also very severe.

[CathB]

I think the period pains are due to the uterus stretching.

My addiction to baby mags is much less this time round. i think you only need to get 3 or 4 to cover everything before they start to repeat themsleves. All those slightly pregnant models depress me, excuse me where are the spots, the puffy faces, stretch marks etc. The scarily organised readers are almost worse (I am a bit superstitious and only organised the bare minimum). Not that I am feeling inadequate or anything...

[ChanelNo5]

CathB - you're right, I think it's the round ligaments stretching.

[Sid]

I also had bad birth pains with number 2 during breastfeeding, having had had none with number 1 - apparently they get worse with each child, so I'm not looking forward to this with number 3...

[lou33]

Sid, whatever you heard is definitely true!

My last baby was my 4th, and the pains when brestfeeding were almost like labour again, they left me unable to speak at their worst.

It's one of those things everyone forgets to mention when you are pregnant, probably just in case you decide never to do it again!

The only thing I could do to ease them was the breathing exercises I used in actual labour. I can't imagine how painful the afterpains must be for women with more than 4 children!

[debster]

My sister in law told me that the after birth pains she experienced following the birth of her 4th baby were so bad that her midwife gave her extra strength pain killers.

BTW why am I so big when I'm only 7 weeks pregnant? I look like I'm 5 months gone already!!

[SueDonim]

I'd have to agree about the afterpains getting worse with each baby. Number four definitely required deep breathing and painkillers.

[Joe1]

Debster, atleast you have a bump to prove your pregnant. Im 11 weeks and wondering when my bump will start appearing (Im sure with ds I had one just like you). If it wasnt for the throwing up I would be taking regular tests to keep reminding me. Or it wouldnt have anything to do with the bagels would it?

[Dixie]

Hi all, I had my 2nd scan on Tuesday, and they've detected an abnormaility with one of the kidneys & stated I've got a low lying placenta. I'm sorry to alter the tone of this thread but my head is all fuzzed up and I really need to share my concerns. I've got to return in 2 weeks to have another scan for the baby's kidneys to see what it does in a couple of weeks, They have told me not to worry as sometimes it actually means nothing but that it has got to be checked out...I'm trying so hard to be positive but I can't help getting upset & crying, you see so many heart rending stories on the news of new babies desperately asking for a kidney donor etc. My hubby is a very unemotional man and just keeps saying "stop crying, they've said it could be nothing" I know he is right in what he says but the hospital HAVE ALSO SAID IT COULD BE A DETECTION OF SOMETHING MORE SERIOUS. Even writing this now I'm tearful. I really truly am trying to be positive but it's hard going, each time I feel a kick I think 'poor little thing, please be ok' I keep wondering if it is in pain inside me..I know these are horrid thoughts and I'm so sorry for putting a down turn on such a happy thread but well, maybe someone has been there - has anyone else had a baby scan to show a RENAL PELVIC DILATATION?

[Bugsy]

Dixie, I'm so sorry that you heard some bad news at your scan. I know nothing about the disorder you refer to, but I do know two people who lead very healthy normal lives with only one kidney. Not that I'm suggesting for a moment that your baby will only have one kidney, but just to show that you can be OK with just the one.
Maybe it would help to put together a list of questions that you want to ask the consultant next time you go in. Sometimes doing something - even something as simple as a list of questions - can keep panic at bay and help you feel that you have some control over what is happening. Also, if you get really upset about it, while waiting for the next appointment - 'phone one of the hospital midwives or a health visitor and talk to them. They may have heard of this condition and be able to offer some advice.
Will be thinking of you.

[SueW]

Hi Dixie, I'm sorry but I don't have any experience but I can imagine that you do desperately wnt some help and support now.

You could try the NCT Enquiry Line for details of their Special Experiences register. This might be able to put you in touch with someone elsewhere in the country who has registered having had experience with the same condition and is willing to talk to other parents about it.

If you don't mind, I will also ask on the NCT email list if anyone has any experience themselves and if they would mind popping over here to talk to you about it. I won't do this though until you have given your permission to pass on some brief details of your message i.e. the condition you mention and that you are here and wanting help.

[Joe1]

Dixie they obviously cant tell you much but have to tell you everything because they have detected something if you see what I mean. Try not to worry until you know for sure as that little person might pick up on it. We all hope everything will always be ok and this is what we will be hoping for you. Fingers crossed and let us know when you go for the next scan.

[Bumblelion]

Dixie, a friend of mine had only one "working" kidney and her baby was born with only one kidney. Suffice to say, they both lead full lives.

[Marina]

Dixie, something similar happened to the sister of one of the staff at ds' nursery. I will ask what exactly he had, but he was born normally, checked very thoroughly, does have a slight impairment of function in one of his two kidneys, attends an outpatient clinic for monitoring every few months, and has had NO other health problems whatsoever. He is now a bouncing, walking, naughty 15 monther. I will get her to tell me the medical term for what he had, and get back to you, but I remember her telling me about the scan and all the worry it caused them all. I do sympathise, it must be very distressing. What Joe1 said about sonographers being very thorough and cautious at the 20 week scan is so true. They have to cover themselves.
And do talk to your midwife in the meantime.
Regarding your low-lying placenta, there could be two outcomes for this. By far the likeliest is that as your uterus expands, the placenta will also rise with it. Then it will not be a problem. If it doesn't seem to shift, then you may have a condition called placenta praevia, meaning that at least some of it is between the baby and the normal exit, so to speak. There are four categories of this, and the rare, more serious of these need to be monitored carefully - and if necessary, you have a C section slightly before your due date. But it is not always serious by any means. I had it, apparently, and had no adverse symptoms or health worries in my pregnancy. I say apparently, because for some reason, mine was not spotted during any of my scans. I had a C section anyway because of the baby's position and was told by the surgeon afterwards that if he had known about my PP, he would have had me in two weeks earlier and given me a general anaesthetic. I tell you this because although you might not feel this right now, it is much better that they are on the case early with your placenta and can keep you in the picture regarding your own health. It is only undiagnosed PP that represents a risk.
Keep us posted on how you are feeling and especially on how you get on in two weeks' time. Thinking of you.

[fairy]

Hi Dixie, I'm really sorry to hear of what is happening to you, but maybe what happened to first ds might be able to help you.

When we had the scans when I was pregnant nothing was detected that was bad, when he was born nothing.
Nothing, nothing, nothing....except that he screamed and screamed. Midwife said colic, HV said colic, don't worry it will go away.....
Then at 4 months he had to have a scan for something else which was to do with his bones to check that he didn't have brittle bones. Well on this scan they saw that his left kidney wasn't draining properly, but rather than act immediately they just referred us to another hospital.
this was in April, when we finally went to the other hospital in June the consultant who saw him said it was an emergency and we were rushed in the following week for an operation to replace the tube which feeds the bladder from the kidney as this had been blocked since day one.

We were so worried, he was by now 8 months and the whole of his left side had swollen out.

But he had the operation, and now at 3 years old he is happy, content and has no kidney worries, though it will never work as well as the right side one.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that however bad it looks you should always look for the light at the end of the tunnel. Kidneys problems on the whole are pretty common, especially in boys we have been told. We were also told that you have two kidneys because then one can go wrong and one can cope with all the work.

Sorry if I'm not making sense, but I am trying to help! I hope it all works out, please keep us updated.

[wendym]

Dixie I'm so sorry about this. I'll try to find information on the net. However my mother has only one kidney and having the other removed really hasn't made any difference to her life. There have also been big improvements in dialysis so that many more children can survive even if both kidneys were bad.

As for the placenta previa I can reinforce marina's message. This often moves up during the pregnancy. If it doesn't you may have to have a caesarian but as long as its known about in advance placenta previa isn't a problem, it just needs to be watched.

[wendym]

Dixie the important thing you need to know is that if there is a problem it can probably be treated by surgery and it doesn't have to be done straight away. The articles I found are very technical but I'll quote a bit of one as its reassuring.

It also sounds like its quite difficult to tell if there is anything really wrong or not at this stage. It does say this type of scan is fairly common.

"Children with moderate degrees of prenatal hydronephrosis can be discharged home on amoxicillin with no further inpatient evaluation. Generally an ultrasound is not performed in the first 2 days of life as the neonate is usually dehydrated creating the potential to underestimate hydronephrosis. The first ultrasound can be performed after 3-4 weeks on an elective basis while the child continues antibiotic prophylaxis. "

No-one would send a child home if its life was in danger so even if there is a problem it may not be a life threatening one.

[wendym]

Dixie - different site but some more reassurance. Even if the scan shows a problem there's still a 4 in 5 chance it wont be a significant problem. This site also went on to say that its normally only one kidney affected and to talk about the treatment.

"Frequency:

Approximately 1 in 100 pregnancies are noted to have fetal upper tract dilation on ultrasound. However, only 1 in 500 will be found to have significant urologic problems. "

[Lindy]

Dixie - so sorry to hear your news, I know nothing about the issue your baby has but my DS was born with a very serious problem and had to have major surgery at 6 months so I feel very deeply for you. However, medical science today is wonderful (despite all the bad press) & I am sure it is good news that the problem has been detected early.

Good luck, thinking of you.

[Dixie]

Thanks to all of you, I'm feeling alot better now, I'm sure it will hit me in waves now & again but as you all quite rightly say huge things can be done these days with medicine etc. i think I was on a low & just needed that extra emotional lift (hubby not good at that sort of thing!). Im not that worried about the placenta thing as I had exactly the same thing in my last pregnancy (it moved out the way at the very last scan at 34 weeks!! Doctors said that was very rare, but hey I always seem to do the unusual!!).

Anyway, got an ante-natal appointment tomorrow so my consultant will probably be able to reassure me some more re:the kidney thing. But I just really wanted to say thanks for all your support it truly helped at a time most needed. I'll let you know how the next scan goes in a couple of weeks. apparently according to the leaflet they gave me about the kidney thing it is quite common.

so heres to positive thinking!!

[Joe1]

Havnt heard from anybody in a while and wondered how everyone was going. Im still on the french toast and philadelphia, im glad I cant eat chocolate again. Im 12 weeks now and it seems the sickness is going, yipeee.

[Enid]

I am 9 weeks, feel absolutely terrible and now can't even face toast and marmite (which up until now I had been craving). Felt sick with dd but don't remember it being this bad!

Still, part of me is reassured by it as I had a m/c last year and had no symptoms of pregnancy whatsoever, so at least I know my hormones are kicking in with this one.

[Bugsy]

Congratulations Enid, sorry to hear you are feeling so awful.
Dixie, been thinking of you. Can you bear to tell us how the meeting went with the consultant?

[jodee]

Congrats, Enid, hope the sickness passes soon.

Best of luck to everyone else expecting, fingers crossed I will be back on this thread in a couple of months.

[Enid]

Thanks, jodee. Look forward to welcoming you back as soon as possible.

xxxx