The elderberry copter thread #4, for all your hand holding, sausage wanging and burger toning. Entrance criteria: ttc#1 for >12mths, prev berry experience preferable but not essential

[BlindKitty]

New home, as requested!

Thanks, it's been a rubbish few days, made worse by watching a phone in about pregnant women and alcohol yesterday and now I'm convinced I've given my baby FASD from wine I had over christmas :(

Aw angel there's a lot of scaremongering about FASD and most other dietary advice if you ask me. It's caused by frequent serious alcohol excess throughout pregnancy. A few glasses of plonk at Christmas are highly unlikely to have done any damage, try not to worry!

Thunder black pepper on a banana/golden syrup stacker??

You trying to out me, boom?!!

Back again. Managed to wee before leaving, so have now been booked in for the second time! Baby still head down and all seems ok. Midwife sent me off to join an antenatal course that's was starting this morn, so have been there for a few hours. Very little I didn't know (labour stages, pain relief) but was surprised how pro epidural they were

Thanks, that's reassuring. Everyone on the panel and those who phoned in all basically said any woman who drinks even a drop is a selfish cow and is inviting her child to brain damaged. They were saying that it can be caused by as little as 2 glasses of wine, whatever that means. I think the most I've had in one evening is maybe 250ml, but over a long period of time like 4 hours.

The phone in was prompted by the court case that could see it criminalised.

It's annoying that the official advice is so vague.

Angel the studies in Thunder's brilliant book are the best data on drinking and pregnancy available. And the data (facts, not feelings/opinions) suggests even moderate drinking causes no long term damage. Your Xmas plonk will be fine x

I second what merk and boom say - the book Expecting Better explains the reliable evidence and moderate drinking is fine - if I recall correctly, even 2 glasses of wine per day would be fine so a large one over Xmas is very definitely not a problem.

There's so much mystery about pregnancy that I think we all easily feel really worried if there is a small chance we've done something 'wrong' - and the world certainly beats women up on these issues!

Phew, thank god. Thank you.

I've got my anomaly scan tomorrow so I'm probably in a heightened state of worry about that as well.

Eeeek, sorry Thunder, do not have head screwed on today! I'll ask if they can take it down...

Just had whooping cough jab, least painful one so far, didn't even notice she'd done it! watch me get a mega numb arm just in time for swimming tonight so I end up paddling in circles

Afternoon ladies! I wanted to ask a question about early scans if that's ok... I had one at 6 weeks, and will have one at 10 weeks for the harmony test (if we make it that far!) and I'm umming and arring about having an 8 week one. What did you guys have?? Is three before the 12 week scan ridiculous?? Thank you!!

Just waiting for chiro... He is HOT

Win, I had 6 week (early), 11 week (EPU), 12 week and 13 week (harmony). All those kept me sane. It is really personal, if you can afford it and it will help you stay sane then I would say go for it. But it won't change the outcome

wino I had one at 7wks (NHS, because I pretended I didn't know my dates) and one at 10wks (private) because previous MMC was 10wk. Then my official dating scan was 13wk. I would say go with what you think will give you greatest peace of mind: are you more likely to be calmed by a scan or does waiting for them make you even more paranoid? I remember being a bag of nerves before them and the 'phew' factor afterwards only lasts for a day or two, so maybe that's something to consider. However if you can afford them I'd say go for it if that's what you want to do!

Merk you lucky thing! Enjoy your session then

No no don't worry boom it's not like you've done a kitty or anything

Re drinking, again I'm sticking to my bible and also what I feel is common sense to me- it's a personal opinion but I've certainly enjoyed a drink occasionally throughout my pregnancy. I know people feel very differently tho and that's up to them. I've certainly been ready to challenge anyone who judges me if I do it out and about but as far as I know people haven't seemed to bat an eyelid.

Scans- I too had sneaky 7 week one at my consultant appt, paid for 10 week private one due to mmc before and then had my dating scan at 12 weeks. No harmony testing here.

Oo merk you lucky thing- being manhandled by a hot chiro...?!

Ha @ doing a kitty

Spoke too soon re: jab. Arm now hurts a lot!

Right. Going to attempt a general de-fuzz prior to swimming later..will take hours!

Thanks everyone, that's really helpful to know about the scans. I think I'm going to try and hold off til 10 weeks. I do get really anxious before a scan, and the relief is very temporary! Right, distraction for the next 2 weeks then!!

Just popping in to say aaaaaaaaaagh I am so stressed, work is really busy and to top it all off a girl at work has been diagnosed with shingles so now stressed about that!!!!

Help!!!! boom any advice?

Bunny you may have to tell work

Going to update on chiro on fb as it was fascinating but will be long (Bunny you're not on there yet, you need to get added to the group)

bunny have you had chicken pox?
you can't catch shingles from shingles (shingles is a reactivation of the chicken pox virus)
but if you have not had chicken pox you can get chicken pox from someone who has shingles.
Best thing to do would be to call your midwife and you may be able to call your occy health department in confidence.

bunny this has a lot of info on it but is the clearest I could find -
www.patient.co.uk/health/chickenpox-contact-and-pregnancy.
try not to fret and just follow the advice (easier said than done I know

bunny don't panic! Call your midwife tomorrow, she can take bloods to check your varicella immunity. Most adults are naturally immune so there's only a tiny chance you'd get chicken pox and foody is right, you won't catch shingles from shingles. You should probably tell work though as if anyone else catches it they'll have to let you know xx

angel hope you're feeling better soon!

So opened my emails today and realised my mat leave cover had gone to advert...shit just got real!!!!

Oops just missed an entire page, thought it was quiet!

wino completely up to you re scans. We had one at 7wks and then waited until 12weeks. Will say that you should (hopefully) feel less anxious after 12weeks and will prob have a million other things to spend your cash on!

bunny sure you'll be gine but best to get your varicella antibodies checked. Think you have up have it at 12 weeks anyway

So scan number 6 tomorrow! Rely hoping the consultant will discharge me tomorrow and I can go back to mw care although will be nice to see her again

kitty interviews for my mat leave cover r this week. pah! im not impressed, I don't want to leave my kids with someone else!!

Anyone else have a sore bump? mine gets really tight and uncomfortable as the day goes on, in a strip just above the belly button really, also pulls at the sides when I turn round???
Sometimes it feels like its the skin, kind of like a cut ir scar does when its pulled or stretched, other times its more like the muscle.
Bit worried as am only 21 weeks! how will I cope getting bigger

I had a couple of early scans wino due to anxiety over previous mc at 8 weeks. Have now had 6 scans all together, 2 private, 12 & 20 week nhs scans and extra cervix scans at 14 and 17 weeks, got another one of those on Thursday.
I was a nervous wreck at the beginning and whilst we are by no means flush with cash it was worth it for me to have the private scans, but I remember the reassurance not lasting long and being quite irrational . Really is different for everyone, so just see how you get on!

angel you are not on the list - how many weeks are you now? I was a bit of a state (understatement of the year) before mine last week!