I am finding this pregnancy so stressful ;-(

[calamityjane1]

I have never posted on Mumsnet before, so apologies for any mistakes, and also for the fact that this is quite a rant!

I am pregnant for the fourth time after a miscarriage earlier in the year and am so not enjoying it, even though I know how lucky I am to actually be pregnant. I guess I just want to get it all this off my chest.

It has just been one thing after another. First of all, I've had awful morning sickness and am still occasionally being sick at 30 weeks. This has really ground me down, if I'm honest.

The next thing that happened was that I tested positive for Group B Strep in my pee, which means I have to deliver in the Consultant Led unit instead of my local MW led unit. This is so that I can have IV antibiotics, ideally 4 hours before delivery. I know a lady whose baby died due to a Strep B infection, so although Strep B is not usually serious, I'm keen to have the IV. The only problem is, my last labour was 2.5 hours from start to finish and my DC was almost born en route to the local unit. I live an hour away from the big hospital I'm meant to deliver at this time, so there is a real risk of a roadside birth, even if we don't have the panicked wait for childcare that we did last time. So far the advice is "Just pop your children in the car and bring them with you at the first twinge." Really don't feel that my 3 and 5 y.o.s need to see their mum in the transition stage of labour in the front of a bloody peugeot 406.

Last but not least, at 30 weeks I am now measuring big for dates. Had the extra scan yesterday and baby is indeed on the large side (beer belly!) but I also have some extra amniotic fluid, which means that I've had blood tests for all sorts of horrible viruses. My main fear is toxoplasmosis – we live a very outdoor lifestyle, mucking about in the garden etc, and I haven't been as careful as I ought to about rare meat or wearing gloves in the garden, so I will have no one to blame but myself if I've become infected during pregnancy.

Anyway, really sorry about the essay/emo venting. I am just longing for the day when I am holding a (hopefully healthy) baby in my arms.

hi calamity, I'm sorry to hear about all your troubles and, although I'm afraid I don't have any first hand experience (apart from the MS), I didn't want to read and run. I did have a chat with my doctor about toxoplasmosis and she was very reassuring, saying that so many people are immune through having had rare beef, and also that environmental factors are not as big of a danger as women worry they are. I'm sure the outdoor lifestyle has, conversely, done you a lot of good! I'm sorry to hear about the strep B though, I suppose if you jump in the car at the first twinge and are there quicker than expected (with the kids in tow) that isn't completely out of the question? I know it's not ideal, but neither is it impossible.
I really hope you get some answers and reassurance from professionals though, and have a healthy rest of your pregnancy xxx

Thanks, Flymo. I feel a bit better just having got it all off my chest. I'm not usually a negative person but it really does feel like one thing after another, although I know there are a lot more serious issues I could be contending with.

I have an appointment with the consultant on Monday so will ask him about the potential implications of having extra fluid, too. I just feel so silly not having taken proper precautions about the toxoplasmosis, although I know there's nothing I could have done about other potential complications.

The sonographer was reassuring at my scan yesterday, but it serves me right for Googling when I got home. Big. Mistake.