Pregnant at forty and over - thread 2

[cloudjumper]

To continue the support for those of us who are pregnant at forty and over.

Aah, he looks fab! I still can't get my head round the concept that there's a real baby in my fat blooming tummy.

How much does he weigh now? - he's looking bonny.

Aw grizzer he's adorable! Makes me impatient to meet our baby - still got a long wait though. Congratulations.

I haven't had him weighed for a week Hebs but he was just passed his birth weight of 7lb4 when we were discharged from the midwife appointments. I don't think he's much more than that now! He eats well but still seems tiny.
I think the later stages of pregnancy go quite quickly Greater so hopefully it will soon start whizzing by. Definitely worth the wait though.

Have reported BartlayWhitlaymoore as spam...as much as I'm tempted by a spell caster...

Grizzer he's so gorgeous!

Awww grizzer, what a cutie! I'm with hebs, I still can't believe there's an actual bub in my belly either!!

Hi all. I've noticed a few posters on MN talking about working up until 36 weeks PG and beyond. I am wondering if it's safe to do this, especially if you are an older lady? I couldn't imagine working whilst being that far along myself.

Depends on what job you do I suppose.
I sit in an office at a computer all day and I intend to work up to 38 weeks.
I see no reason why it is any more or less safe depending on age, it's all down to your job and what you can personally manage.

I'm working up until just a few days short of 38 weeks too. I work at home two days a week and then go into the office two days a week. The only potential problem with that is that the office is a 2 hour drive from home, so the hospital bag and maternity notes will be coming with me!

oh Grizzer he is absolutely delicious, LOOK AT HIS WEE FACE!!!

lioncub I'm hoping to work right up until the last minute(ish)- probably finishing up at around 38 weeks. I'll not be doing much travel (in fact- I've stopped all non essential travel as of now, 27 weeks) and I'll be curtailing my crazy 60 hour weeks to a core 35ish. I've had an easy pregnancy, and I'm perfectly fit, so I see no reason why not- I'm pregnant, not an invalid (touchwood). Plus I figure that if I wasn't sitting on my arse working and eating French fancies then I'd only be sitting on my arse watching crap telly and eating French fancies, and at least this way I have stimulation, nice lunches out with friends and colleagues, (and saving my short mat leave for when the baby is here!)

Here here citymole! Especially the bit about French fancies

Hear hear?!

HAIR HAIR!
(talking of which, mine has gone to absolute shit in the last month. I'm due to get highlights refreshed in a couple of weeks, but it's like straw- I think I might have to go for lowlights instead to try to save the condition. Yes, this is my pregnancy woe of the week )

My hair turned strawy from the start - I was expecting a glossy mane! I need to get it seen to soon as well. Arghh we ordered our travel system today!! Feeling very, very skint, but very, very excited

I stopped at 33 weeks, and that was quite late enough for me! My excuse is that my husband is frantically trying to finish his Masters while also working full time, so I do need to pick up all the buying, house tidying, decision making jobs - and I'd run out of brain space. That's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it .

On the downside, I've just had a call from the DAU this evening, to tell me that I do have gestational diabetes. I've got to go back in tomorrow for further instructions. I've got to fit it in between the health visitor (who has summoned me) and tomorrow evening's NCT class - it's going to be a baby-centric day tomorrow!

grizzer he is so lovely!!!! Time flies!!!
Ladies sorry that I haven't kept with the thread .... life is running ahead of me.
So off to read the thread...

I stopped work at 20w because apparently I wasn't fit to do my job

It's been a slight blessing in disguise because I've been incredibly busy - house is in chaos as we run a business here too and there's been a general build-up of stuff and furniture and mess. I spend my days bagging up stuff, sorting through books, clothes, furniture and so on and just getting it out of the door! In the next few weeks, we are starting a rather big building project (new kitchen with structural alterations) - bit of a crazy time to do it, but nothing stopping me now. I have got a bit carried away with heavy lifting though and really need to rein that in but getting obsessed with clearing space. Today I helped lift a very heavy cupboard out of the house and was just euphoric about the amount of space we would reclaim...

I'm 26w now, and another benefit of not working is that the weight gain has halted, which is a big relief as was really hating the rapid gain while I was working. The next few weeks bring many appointments - 28w growth scan, Big Appointment with consultant regarding birth choices (last Big Appointment was a bit inconclusive). Also have 4D scan for DD's benefit mostly (she's been told there's a baby but is a bit scornful about the whole thing) and also have a birth debriefing coming up this weekend - oh can't wait for that one... (it's to run through all the issues with previous birth so that they can be sure I know what i'm doing regarding all the demands I'm making this time round).

Grizzer so lovely to see your beautiful baby - he's gorgeous!

Big wave hello to everyone else xx

Just want to show off my beautiful Órla at 10 days old. Bizarre to think that I haven't reached my due date yet so she should still be inside me!

Isla she is gorgeous!

hebs hope you get on ok today juggling everything, and finding out more about he gd. At least they've caught it and they can make sure you an dthe baby are properly looked after.

notsoold- lovely to 'see' you! Life does run away so much, I know the feeling!

eagle! BIG WAVE HELLO back! Hope all of the imminent appointments go well. I'm 27 weeks, and I have midwife next week, where they will talk about what scans I get. Consultant seems not remotely in a rush to talk to me seriously about birth options, despite everyone having a massive HOOHAH ion November when they found I had a heart murmur, so I'm guessing we're just adopting a wait and see approach! Way back at my booking in appointment they mentioned their 'preference' of inducing over 40 mums at 38-39 weeks (which is something that I would consider if really really necessary but am not wild about - certainly not when it is pushed on you as policy in the guise of 'preference') but it has been downplayed ever since, so who knows?

What a beauty she is Isla. I had that same feeling with D coming 2 weeks early. Kept thinking I was still pregnant even when I was holding him! She looks so awake! I'm just taking funny face photos of D because I can't catch him with his eyes open
Stop lifting things Eagle! Make a cuppa, put your feet up & watch Homes Under the Hammer.
Oh, just me then.....
Ladies, I would suggest a trip to the south west of England. My hair was a frizzy mess, went to Gloucs for the weekend, washed it & it became all sleek & shiny. Might have to move there.
I'm a keratin addict but haven't had it while pregnant so back to the daily straightening (my hair is really crazy!) I really want to have it again but not sure if it's a good idea while breast feeding. Any thoughts? Nothing up to date on Google & I think they've changed the chemicals but lots of mixed views out there.
I can't leave the house to take dd to school without straightening - that's how bad my hair is!! Might have to start leaving D to go hungry in the morning & prioritise the hair instead .

Isla she's absolutely gorgeous!
I'm loving seeing these baby pics

Grizzer - am not far from Gloucs but we're in a hard water area so have the same hair problems

I'm going to try and take it easier today - Mondays are always frantic as there seems to be lots of paperwork to do plus getting the house straight after the weekend. We had DD's 3rd birthday party on Sat and that nearly finished me off!

CityMole - the induction for over 40s is a funny subject - some hospitals never mention it, yet others will will blackmail you if you decline it (mine did). But where are their facts, their evidence, their policies? I'm pressing for C-section this time, but there are a lot of factors involved which wouldn't be the case for others of similar age - I have a medical condition which means I see consultants regularly anyway, I am very likely to have a large baby with a HUGE head (11lb-ers are frequent in my family), plus I went a bit crazy in the hospital when I had DD. They already have a nice printed-out list of all my concerns and facts relating to the last birth so we will see what they make of them. Luckily virtually every MW I've spoken to has been very sympathetic and steered me in the right direction regarding what to say and to whom!

Bear in mind as well that you are only 'just' 40 or soon to be 40, so it's a technicality really. The stupid thing is that if you were 12 weeks or so younger, no one would even mention it, but as they say, they have to draw a line somewhere!

Isla Orla is simply beautiful!

Isla she is beautiful!!!!
eagle apparently the induction "preference "is in vogue in our hospital as well. All these appointments is something that stress me out!.

grizzer is the keratin the Brazilian blow dry? If so my hairdresser won't do it after birth until you finish bf. He compares to having antibiotics. But I mist say he is the most over careful person ever (like onlyvsemi permanent hair dye when pg etc).

eagleray, that's exactly it- but for a few weeks, and I would be having my baby at 39.

In terms of your desire for a section, can you not just invoke the power of section 1.2.9.?
www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg132/chapter/1-Guidance

They should give you one if you ask for it.