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.

Evening oldies, forgive me I'm going over boring ground but what are you all being told about going past your due date with your babies? I'm in Southwark and the policy here is to induce on the due date. Hmm. I was induced with DS1 at 40+10 so I guess this one's likely to go the same way left to his own devices. I don't know whether I mind or not, to be honest...

Taranta I've been told I will be induced on due date or before (39 weeks was last mentioned). I have a consultant appointment on 17th August and was told we will be booking in a date then.

With DS my waters went at 37 weeks then I didn't progress so I was induced the next day. I have a feeling something similar may happen this time.

Taranta, my hospital (Kings College) midwives and consultant have pointed out that I'll be encouraged to be induced at 40 weeks exactly following the guidance but have also mentioned that alternatives are available if that's not acceptable to me (monitoring probably). The midwife at the GP was more prescriptive and has asked me to book a growth scan at 36 weeks and take the results to the consultant between 39 weeks and 40 weeks.

I read the guidance on the RCOG website, which is here. It is interesting, quite balanced, making you aware of the limitations of current knowledge, and although it's written with medical professionals in mind, isn't hard to follow for someone without medical experience. I'll be taking a copy with me to the appointment so I can ask any questions if what they say doesn't tally with what I've read in it.

Salisbury hospital will induce at 40 weeks ... However I had OC with my last pregnancy and was induced at 38 weeks... This will happen again if I get OC.

lola is that the extreme itchiness? Are you very likely to get it again? I hope not for your sake that must have been miserable for you and with the early induction.
cineraria I'm at Kings too, the consultant I saw there was quite prescriptive with me initially, very much 'this is what will happen' but I've since been discharged from being consultant-led so may argue the toss. I do have a 36 week scan booked at Kings but that was automatic not GP prompted. tbh midwife at local surgery has been very blasé about it all...
Thanks for that link, will take a look.
Interesting gooorooo that you think the same will happen, had you even gone on mat leave when DS turned up?

*taranta, yes it was due to extreme itching caused by the liver .. But can cause stillbirths so I agreed to being induced ... It was an intense labor and active labor and giving birth was all done in 45 minutes. The only negative was that I really wanted to walk around and use my OH as my support, unfortunately I was bed bound and could only grip his hand.

taranta no I qas due in work that day. Luckily my waters went before I got on the train! This time I'm finishing at 35 weeks just in case!

Hello all. I was 40 last month and am 32+1 with our first. We tried for a couple of years and were just starting fertility investigations when we found out.

I have been classed as high risk everything or so it seems due to age, higher BMI, family history of DVT. I take prescribed Clexane injections, dispersable aspirin & Vit D tablets every day. However I have had few problems (a bit of bleeding which is a problem as I am AB-) and have generally felt great throughout.

I am consultant led at Derby Royal. They told me at first appointment that I would probably be induced at 40 weeks due to potential placenta problems in the over 40's. Will be interested in reading the paper above.

Had a growth scan yesterday and all progressing well. Got another in 4 weeks when they said they will discuss due date & options, also to recheck position as baby was breech yesterday.

Had to see anaesthetist earlier on in pregnancy who told me about possibly not being able to have epidural or local anaesthetic due to Clexane so I started researching other pain relief methods. I am currently reading & listening to Natal Hypnotherapy downloads. They have really helped explain things to a first timer!! Starting NCT classes on Tuesday & thinking I'll probably be the oldest.

Hi all, I'm having a panic! I'm 16 weeks & feel nothing except tiredness but I think that's due to the fact I've taken dd, niece & nephew to Butlin's for a week rather than pg related.
I have a low anterior placenta so I know movements may be reduced but I'm sure I started to feel things last week & now nothing. I've convinced myself it's all gone wrong & I can't snap out of it. Next scan is 23rd aug so a long wait. I'm a bit reluctant to go for a private scan & have a stranger tell me it's over but I think it's the only thing that will stop me obsessing.
Should I be feeling something by now?
Any reassurance & virtual slaps gratefully received!

I did natal hypnotherapy with dd Lisa. I thought it was great & didn't have any pain relief (they thought dd had a heart problem so I was reluctant to take anything incase it affected her). I did a 2 day course along side the cd which was really useful & helped give dh a role in the labour too so he didn't feel completely useless. I'd definitely recommend.

I'm on my fifth pregnancy and personally couldn't feel much until 18/ 20 weeks, when I spoke to MW about movement she said it all depended on where baby was positioned and where the placenta was .... So I wouldn't worry too much ( however if it's really stressing you then a private scan could stop the worrying ) x

I'm guessing that you're based at the Denmark Hill site then, Taranta; I know they do 36 weeks scans routinely, whereas the Kings clinics at the other hospitals only do them if there is some indication that they're needed. I'm in the Bromley area so I go to the local clinic and GP for everything apart from 12 and 20 week scans, which are at Denmark Hill.

Grizzer, I have anterior placenta too and really didn't feel anything definite until 20 weeks (there were a few maybes the week before but I had bad indigestion until 20 weeks too so the gurgles made it difficult to tell). Now he's very keen on making his presence felt, so I think he's making up for it. Between the hiccups, kicks and wriggling, I think he sometimes pulls on his umbilical cord and I feel a painful tug on my front. 4am and just after dinner are his two favourite times for vigorous exercise each day, although it might be just that he's trying to make more space when my bladder/stomach is full.

Hi lisa, I'm on Clexane and not had anyone mention anything about no epidural although I had one last time and didn't like it so am not keen to have one again anyway. I'm waiting for a consultant appointment at 34 weeks (two weeks away) and will find out then what their thoughts are re induction etc.

Congratulations on falling pregnant without infertiity treatment! Same thing happened to me last time - 5 years TTC about to start IVF and bam... pregnant.

grizzer I'd say it's too early to feel anything at 16 weeks, especially with an anterior placenta... Having said that, like you I imagined that I felt something 2 weeks ago, but looking back, I think it must have been trapped wind If it's any consolation, I had a private scan at 16 weeks because I just could not face the wait until the 20-week one. Babybond do 15 min reassurance scans that are about £60, which I found was money well invested.

lisa I'm on clexane, too, and I have never been told that this might be an issue for getting pain relief. Have you yourself actually had a DVT, or is this just a precaution due to family history? They are pretty good these days with these things, and even if you wanted a natural birth, it should not be that much of a problem. Go back and ask about this, surely they need to sit down with you and discuss this in more detail.

@grizzler - I have anterior placenta and didn't feel anything until about 20 weeks. Pleased to hear that the natal hypnotherapy was useful.

@goorooo & @cloudjumper - I'd prefer to go without epidural if I can but who knows until I get in there! It was my Mum that had DVT so just a precaution due to that (& being overweight I think too). I have been told by the anaesthetist and the consultant yesterday that if I have injected Clexane within the last 12 hours, can't have epidural or local. This paper seems to back up the 12 hours so worth checking with your midwife. They also said yesterday that as soon as any signs of labour start, should stop the injections (I had guesses that but never been told it before) Sorry for the long link!

www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCEQFjAAahUKEwjemK6jsoXHAhWmatsKHf57C_o&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vchca.org%2Fdocs%2Fmedical-staff-services%2Fcopy-of-anticoagulants-and-epidural-intrathecal-punctures-9-12.pdf%3Fsfvrsn%3D0&ei=B227VZ75LabV7Qb-963QDw&usg=AFQjCNEgUsLe_vaJAiqP6fEZi8iu3Ied3w

I haven't got an anterior placenta but still didn't feel anything until 21 weeks.

Thank you all. I have just been feeling quite pregnant & then it sort of changed to an 'empty' feeling. After 3 mcs, one at 18 weeks I guess it's normal to feel a bit paranoid. Will stop looking for symptoms & leave the boob prodding alone (oh, just me.....??)

Hi Grizzer I'm boob prodding too!, I def had sore boobs and had to get bigger bras quite early last time. This time nada on the boob front but really tired and REALLY sick! Xx

Hi Grizzer I definitely had a few weeks in the second semester when I didn't feel pregnant. I was forever prodding, poking and inspecting myself searching for symptoms! At the time I was worried but looking back I feel I was actually really lucky. Other people I know have had a far more difficult time.

Prodding? You're not properly paranoid til you're discretely brazenly squeezing them like cantaloupes, Grizzer.

Hello all! Quick status update.....I got my harmony results back today ( a lot sooner than expected, only took 8 days). All looking good, a 1:10,000 result for all 3 and it's a girl

Hello everyone, just catching up. I dropped off a bit after a traumatic incident on Monday. My youngest (20ths) had a temp all day and he had a febrile seizure, his little body just couldn't cope. Probably the most terrifying experience of my life. I thought I was going to lose him. Anyway, not strictly pregnancy related but that's what's been happening in my life! All focus on being pregnant has gone this week. He is fine now btw just me still traumatised by the experience still. If you don't know what they are, please look on the NHS website and be prepared as it could happen to anyone. Most are harmless and children fully recover but they are pretty terrifying at the time if you don't know what to do. X

Great news bringthethunda!

Vik that sounds so so scary. Pleased to hear he's fine now x

Fab news thunda, what a relief.
Glad ds is ok Vik. Very scary for you all. Hope you're ok too.

O my word, vik so scary. Glad all is ok now. I have a friend whose son suffered terribly with febrile convulsions, I am mightily relieved that my DC's prefer to vomit profusely when they get too hot.

Yay, a girl thunda are you going to pick out a name?

Plodding on here, was blissfully unaware of the fuss made over older pregnant ladies until I googled. I am under the care of an independent midwife whom I have known for a long time and probably could rattle off a more accurate obstetric history of me from memory than I could. I am planning on having this baby at home.

grizzer try and stay calm. 16 weeks can be that weird time where all the early pg symptoms disappear but there's not much felt movement. If you don't want the hassle of a scan, can you get the mw to have a listen for the heartbeat?