calling all mature mums - pregnant at 43

[cora]

Hi - have 2 kids already 9 and 4 and am pregnant with a third at 43. All is ok so far but feel so aprehensive about being a new mum again at my age - if there are any older new mums about my age out there who can share their experiences with me - I would be so grateful.

Hi Fondant

EllieK - thanks for that. I've decided to play safe and not have it. Will have to just avoid snotty people all winter

Elliebean - LOL at your trannies Which hospital are you again - is it C&W (Country and Western?). I'm with QC and made a complaint about them yesterday, but won't bore you all with the details. Am going to try and transfer to West Mid though (though they don't take people from our area anymore).

23+2 (boy - already have DS6 and DD3)

Hi hope that its not too late to join. I am new to MN, and as I am 43, and due to have my 5th baby on 23rd nov I think it's brilliant to talk to others in a similar position. 'Older' mothers still get such a bad press, am I personally get quite upset by other people asking me if I am mad and if this baby was a mistake. I am proud that this will be my 5th child and after trying for a year to concieve it is certainly a very much wanted baby.

Good luck to everybody else out there in the same position & keep smiling

Hi Steggers

Bumping up......Hi Fondant and Steggers! I'm also 43 and preg with my 4th, due in May. Welcome to Mumsnet

Wow - I'm geting about 8.5 hours sleep each night and am still dragging myself around, totally exhausted

Welcome, Steggers - and congratulations! I had my first at 43 after years and years of wanting her, and have had no mean comments at all...wonder if its just luck, or whether people react differnetly to a first??? Either way, how rude of people to say that to you - stuff 'em

Foxy One, yes, its C&W....dd was born there too. Did check out QC, but its too far for me really - and I didn't like the OB I'd have been 'under' [such a weird expression that!). Sorry yo'uve had cause for complaint, that sounds bad...

Eli - how are you feeling? You are due in about a week aren't you???

is right!

Actually due on Dec 8th, but...as Bump is still incorrigably transverse, am scheduled for a section on 24th at exactly 38 weeks. Thats two weeks today, and tbh I can't wait - have got increasing itchiness, especially at night (PUPPS?? doesn't seem to be cholestasis) to the point of madness! And therefore not getting much sleep.

How are you, Foxess? Are you blooming, over there down the road?

And thanks for asking, btw

Eli - TBH an knackered all the time! I am kind of counting the weeks and have lost all interest in work. Just want to lie down, eat cake and read novels all day

Am also getting very nesty, planning bits and bobs for the house. (Not much though, just new floor tiles for our dodgy conservatory). It'll be the first baby in this house, was DS and DD were born in the last house.

Can't remember, do you work? If so, are you returning afterwards? I'll probably be off until at least Jan 2008, so we could meet for a coffee at some point.

I realise its not the best timing, but have you thought of joining the west London meet up thread? We meet once a month for a girls night out, usually in the Richmond area. e.g. We're doing Wagamamas tonight. They're all really good fun and there's about five of us in Richmond/Kew area, plus some others from Ealing, rentford, St Margerets etc. Just a thought...

Nice thought, very nice (like Wamamamas) but am seriously not up to much now: up most of night itching, for weeks, almost hallucinating by six pm! Have fun - yes, could meet up in New Year, been SAHM since dd was born apart from trying to write from home these past few months.

Wagamamas was great - hadn't been there before.

Eli - what kind of writing do you do? I did journalism years ago but only for a year; the income was too regular

How is everyone else feeling at the moment?

ps. PUPP sounds very unpleasant indeed

Hi everyone, I hope its ok to join your thread. I am 40 years old and am 13 weeks pregnant with my 3rd child, I have 2 DS of 6 and 14. My EDD has just been moved forward slightly to 19 May. We had our nuchal scan yesterday and we've been given the 1:21 chance of having a baby with DS. We refused any further testing and are taking the point of view what will be will be. I've had 2 miscarriages in the past and am not going to put our precious baby (the 1st with my DH) at any risk. I look forward to getting to know you all.

Hi Peacemaker - welcome. Nice to see someone else with a biggish agegap between eldest dc and baby!

Hi peacemaker nice to meet you. I have a DS 6 too hope the pregnancy is going well I'm 43 and mine's due early March.

Hi Peacemaker, welcome! I made the same decision with tests, both times - just the nuchal (had lots of miscarriages).

Fox, I've started working towards a novel feel odd even saying that for some reason - seems such a BIG thing to dare to attempt. In the past, just done a bit of writing for websites (charities), all voluntary...and my own creative stuff. I have a nanny-share one morning per week with a journalist friend, and we go off to a cafe and encourage each other to write - when we're not yakking, that is

Hi peacemaker, glad to meet more mums of a similar age. totally understand how you feel about not jeapordising your precious baby.

While I am here could anyone explain what PUPPs is? i have had terrible itching but blood tests have ruled out cholestasis. The hospital has given me piriton but I am loated to take them as they make me feel awful.

many thanks

Eli - that's brilliant. You're only as you maybe feel daunted by the idea of whether you can do it or not. My DH wries as well and has had bits and bobs published (poems and short stories). He's just had 30 copies of his "collection" self published, which he's now sending round to publishers. Keep plugging away at it

I only had the nuchals done too - this time with the bloods. Just thinking about amnios scares me

Can we have a quick and dirty poll?

Is this deffo the last baby for everyone, or are people considering another after??

For me, I'd love another and am healhy enough, but don't think we could afford it (we have 2 and one bump plus one huge mortgage)

How about everyone else?

Def. last for me, but then I'm the oldest on the thread!

THanks, Fox, you're right about the - its a bit like 'how dare I even think I can' sort of stuff. But I'm enjoying it, so onwards.

Steggers, re PUPPP.....you poor, poor love! I honestly don't know if I have it or not, but I have had horrendous itching, especially at night, slowly getting worse since about 30 weeks. Am now 36+2. I do take Piriton at night, but not during the day - for same reason as you say - and the best tip I was given was to keep a bowl of strong bicarb solution next to my bed with a flannel, and when I wake up and want to scratch, don't: dab with flannel instead. It helps long enough for me to get back to sleep, usually.

If you GOOGLE puppp,you will get loads of info about it - I have no rash, so really not sure I have it. But I've also been tested for cholestasis, and don't seem to have that either: the itch, though, is utterly real and relentless.

You have my heartfelt sympathy, and anytime you want to let off steam about it - I'm here!

Def. last for me, but then I'm the oldest on the thread!

THanks, Fox, you're right about the - its a bit like 'how dare I even think I can' sort of stuff. But I'm enjoying it, so onwards.

Steggers, re PUPPP.....you poor, poor love! I honestly don't know if I have it or not, but I have had horrendous itching, especially at night, slowly getting worse since about 30 weeks. Am now 36+2. I do take Piriton at night, but not during the day - for same reason as you say - and the best tip I was given was to keep a bowl of strong bicarb solution next to my bed with a flannel, and when I wake up and want to scratch, don't: dab with flannel instead. It helps long enough for me to get back to sleep, usually.

If you GOOGLE puppp,you will get loads of info about it - I have no rash, so really not sure I have it. But I've also been tested for cholestasis, and don't seem to have that either: the itch, though, is utterly real and relentless.

You have my heartfelt sympathy, and anytime you want to let off steam about it - I'm here!

Sigh...

Sorry for double post.

Cheers for the tips Eli, I think I have some bicarb somewhere from when I went through my baking stage of nesting. I think we are due more or less at the same time, I am 36+5 today & booked for cs on 23rd. I am now counting the hours let alone the days, if this carries on much longer I will have no skin left.This itching is truely awful isn't it?

Fox, this is def the last for me, despite my age (44 in jan) my hv says that consultants dont like people to have more than 3 sections(anyone else been given this advice?)

keep smiling everybody

I would like to have another after this but I don't think my body would let me. I have major problems with all my pregnancies. With the first it was pre-eclampsia, my second it was low-lying placenta with continual bleeding and with this pregnancy its a DVT and I have to injection myself twice a day

sorry, meant inject myself