40+ and pregnant? Come and join the fun!

[cloudjumper]

I am 43 and currently pg with DC2, due early January. I thought it would be nice to have a thread for the pregnant ladies of 'older vintage', similar to the 40+ ttc thread, for advice, support and the occasional moan.

Glad to hear you're enjoying this pregnancy, Empem. This is my first but there are quite a few people on this thread with big gaps and I wonder if they are finding their 40+ one easier or more difficult. Then again, maybe having some knowledge of what happens is helpful too.

Welcome empem
Cineraria ive enjoyed my 40 + pregnancies but I've been shocked at how tired I am .... Not sure I felt so tired with my older children. I found though everyone expected me to know everything about babies because of having 3 children already, but because it was 15 years ago I probably could of written a book on dealing with teenagers but not on babies ..... It took a couple of hard weeks to get use to a baby again and have found I'm enjoying it much more as I'm not so worried about milestones as I was when I was younger .. I'm more laid back .

Welcome Empem! And you've reminded me that it was Laxido that I took, not lactulose. I somehow got used to the taste after a while. Reminds me of that stuff you take for cystisis. Grim.

Welcome Empem.
I did a double take when I read about your 40+ pregnancies lola!! Totally interpreted that wrong for a second
I did a complete u turn last night & booked in for a scan with Baby bond (thank you Cloud.) I must confess to some anxiety when I realised it was in the far corner of Mothercare! A bit harsh to have to walk out with maternity clothes on the right & new born clothes on the left!
Anyway, all is fine. The lady was so lovely that when I explained the reason for my worry was an 18 week mc she put the 4d screen on & gave me a pic of that. So amazing to see everything so clearly.
I am officially going to relax until the 20 week scan now. Well, probably.....

Glad to hear scan went well and you feel more relaxed. Being 40 and having a baby some would say is mad ... 40 + pregnancies would be insane , just read my post back !!!

40+ pregnancies would certainly explain the tiredness!

Hello all, can't contribute to the poo chat (luckily all seems normal in that respect though I did have a few weeks of issuing rabbit pellets...). Much less heartburn this time too - seem to remember I was mainlining Gaviscon last pregnancy...
Main bugbear I have is not being able to take a deep breath - at 32 weeks this boy is pushing right up under my ribs and unless I'm standing up head tipped back or lying in my side I find it really hard to get a decent intake of breath. Very dull!

Oh blimey Taranta I played my saxophone on Sunday and I thought I was going to pass out it made me so dizzy.

Good for you grizzer I'm glad everything is ok.

I would agree that the tiredness is defo the killer this time round lola I don't know whether it is an age thing or a 'running around after everyone else' thing.

I took my DS's to he British Museum today. There was I time when I would have thought I was all kinds of awesome to manage a 4yo, a 5yo and be 6m pg, but it was really quite easy. When the DD's were 4 and 5 I had an 8 week old baby and a toddler of 18m. I did not travel to London much then.

Thanks for the welcome

Cineraria & Lola not sure where you are in your pregs but could it be anaemia? That was my main complaint in this preg how totally shattered I am... I partly put it down to the weather/me not sleeping/and age but just had bloods done and I'm anaemic so now on iron tabs... Noooooo!!! May need extra sachet of mi Laxido do

Mrslebon I'll never get used to the taste and have to disguise it in fruit juice n just down it. Makes me gag if having it in water.

Anyone suffering with pelvis? Hips are fine but pelvis n lower back is a killer at the mo.. Driving, walking, getting comfy in bed etc complete nightmare. I've been referred for physio but waiting on appointment. Just wondering if anyone benefitted anyway

Not sure if the tiredness is worse this time, but I can't really compare it - when I was pg with DS at 38/39, I didn't have a job during the first trimester (had just been made redundant), so I could just have a lie down whenever I fancied it! This time, I am working full time, and oh my word, the tiredness in the first trimester just floored me! I suspect that it would have been the same, had I been working last time...
However, feeling loads better now, the energy has finally come back, and I feel human again!
Apart from the constipation, my main complaint is the constant stuffed nose, making me breathless at the slightest pathetic exertion, it drives me nuts!

cloud

I've been feeling like I'm coming down with a cold for the last week - but apparently a snuffly nose is a symptom.

It's driving me mad!

Bake Off followed by One Born. Wednesday night heaven.

I've had a constantly blocked nose for months too. I've forgotten what it's like to breath normally through it!

I had a blocked nose all the way through my last pregnancy - pregnancy rhinitis is apparently really common. I really feel for you ladies, it's horrible! Luckily I've not had it this time.

Grizzer I watched both of those too . I was a bit at the baby which nearly dropped on the floor!

grizzer I love the Bake off but I've never watched OBEM. I've always purposefully avoided it because it was too upsetting and jealousy inducing seeing all the babies when I wanted one so much myself. Maybe when mine is finally here I'll watch an episode.

Yes, I had the rhinitis last time as well, it is sooo annoying.

Big Bake Off fan here as well, I love it! DH and I always bake the technical challenges (with a proper recipe, though), it is such fun!
Can't do OBEM anymore, used to love it, but since my mcs, I cannot bear to watch it

Just about to watch both on catch up .. DD having a day with granny

Hi All,

Hope you are all keeping well this morning - haven't checked in for a while, partly due to being away for a bit but also because am knackered and everything feels a humongous effort at the mo - now 33+2 and genuinely worried how I make it through to end Sep. Had anaemia at 28 week bloods which seemed to have been resolved with iron tabs so eased up a bit with those (not least due to the dreaded constipation!) but now unbelievably breathless so back on them - tho that could be down to ludicrously active baby who appears to have the sharpest knees/elbows/indeterminate parts of anatomy ever! And nocturnal DC3 and school hols. Already looking forward to having a good moan at midwife next week - well, she's not seen me for 6 weeks!

Also starting to think a bit about the birth now - slightly apprehensive despite 3 good experiences - was all set to turn down induction but beginning to think I might just want to get on with it.

Weather not helping either - there's a part of me relieved it's not roasting but a bit of sun would be nice.

Really hope you're all keeping well and I shall take my moany self off now

I'm another one with blocked nose but not minding too much as I usually get hay fever anyway and haven't had it at all since I was pregnant; a blocked nose that isn't itchy,red, swollen and streaming is definitely better than one that is all of those and accompanied by matching eyes! Also, the loos at work smell foul at the moment, so anything that reduces my sense of smell is welcome!

Sorry to hear you're feeling rough, LongDay. Glad to hear your anaemia responded well. I was wondering how long it took. I also had low iron at 28 weeks but was away on holiday after that so only got the tablets at 31 weeks. I've been taking them for a week now and have already noticed I don't get as exhausted by being active as I did before. I'm still just as tired (sleepy) though but then I was the same when I wasn't anaemic, so probably hormones. Maybe as your baby gains weight he won't have as much room to jab you with his pointy bits. Mine just feels like he's scrabbling around with fingertips looking for a way out. Sometimes he does this around the actual way out which is scary but when he catches my the edge of my pelvis it feels like he's playing the piano!

Hi! Thanks for the invite, cloudjumper !

I am JUST pregnant at 41 with 4th baby.

New relationship, all very exciting, but I am nervous. Fingers crossed all goes well...

Thanks, cineraria - end is at least in sight. I rather fear that all the jabbing is probably down to palatial living quarters, abdominal muscles being somewhat non-existent round here, the baby has plenty of space to move around! It was also breech last appointment, so hopefully some of the movement is getting it into position.

Glad you're finding the iron tabs helping - I had a suspicion that was the problem having had the same when pg with DC2 & DC3 and had been taking some floradix but levels much lower this time, so tabs it was. It is nice to be able to do something about it though - poor you having to wait that long.

Right, off to get some sleep or I'll be wondering why I'm tired in the morning. LadyV, have just posted on your other thread, but welcome and congrats!

Wishing you all a peaceful night.

Sticking my head into this thread a few days early. I've just found out I'm 5 weeks pregnant with what will, all things going well, be number 3.

I'm not 40 till next Friday, but I figured I was close enough to join the thread!

Congratulations, LadyV and Kungfu! I also found out I was pregnant the week before I turned 40. It was the best present I could have had! I think my notes got a bit mixed up though, as I went to the doctor when I was 39, so wasn't flagged as an over 40 and six months later they seem to have only just noticed that I am and told me all the policies there are for older mothers!

Mine is probably breech too longday but the cheeky boy keeps poking his back out for a massage and tucking his head and bottom in whenever the midwife tries to feel how he's lying, so she's not sure which end is which. There's still time for them to turn though, isn't there, so hopefully you'll be ok. Good luck!

Congrats and welcome to the thread kungfu & LadyV!

Yes, time yet Cineraria - DC3 was also breech until fairly late on so hoping the same happens this time. Lots of lying on left side and have just borrowed my sister's fitball.

Congrats to you Kungfu and welcome.