Pregnant at 40 and over - thread 4

[Gizmojo]

To continue support for mums to be over 40

Good luck, monkeypuzzle! Hopefully your MiL will be just thrilled when there is actually a grandchild around even if she has concerns about your plans at this stage.

Oops, pressed post too soon. Ginliness, have you tried tonic with a squirt of lime juice? It's obviously not the same as the real thing but nice when that's what you want, especially with ice.

Thanks Cineraria probably but it's really annoyed me!

Hello everyone, how are we all doing?

I'm 21 weeks today. Got our the big scan on Monday morning, v nervous but v excited.

Hi All.

Hope everyone is doing well? I've read about some trials and tribulations on here. Hope you're all okay.

Good luck with the scan on Monday @Ginlinessisnexttogodliness :)

We had a gender and reassurance scan (private) today. I'm almost 17 weeks. Baby is absolutely fine, jumping around and playing with the cord, and it seems we have a very feisty boy! He proudly showed off his boy bits to us. We didnt need the sonographer to explain what he showed us!! So now the disagreements over boys names have begun.....! ;)

Congrats Ja! Do you have any other children or is this one the first? :)

I was just thinking that the thread had been a bit quiet! Good luck with your scan on Monday gin.

Ja congrats on the little (big?) boy! We have known we are having a boy for three weeks and we are still no closer to deciding a name.

23 weeks today and starting to worry a little that I've done absolutely nothing to prepare for this baby arriving. I looked at baby boy clothes on the internet yesterday and there were some lovely ones but I just couldn't bring myself to put them in my basket. Even though I've got a bump and I'm getting kicked all the time i still find it hard to believe that I'll actually have another baby in four months. Is that weird?

I felt the same with both of mine! Huge bump both times bit couldn't believe there was a baby in there!!! :)

Yes, this is my first child. I'm glad it's not just us struggling with boys names. I can't bring myself to buy anything either. Something about not tempting fate or disbelief that this is really happening! Perhaps we're all weird! ;)

Great news about the boy, ja! We're also having a boy. We have the first name sorted out as it was one that DH suggested as a middle name for DS but it seemed too long as DS's first name is also a long one but we're struggling with middle names again, just like last time. DS didn't have a middle name for the first two weeks while we decided, even though we had his first name in mind before he was conceived.

I tried to make a list of things we needed for the baby but apart from waterproof nappy covers and new mattresses for pram, carry cot and co-sleeper, most things on the list is new stuff for DS so the baby can use his old stuff, like a buggy board (hope he will be able to use that ok by the time the baby is here), a seat to go on top of the pram etc. Even the shawl I'm knitting is one I started for DS and didn't finish. Poor baby! It's not even that I am trying especially hard to save money; I just like all DS's baby stuff so much that I can't wait to use it again! He is potty training right now, so even his old cloth nappies should be available.

@ja73 @Cineraria congrats on the boys.
This is number three's nub. I am stumped. So it seems is everyone else as I've had pretty mixed guesses.

We're struggling with boys names. Got two for a girl that we both love.

Either gender middle names are two grandmothers or one grandfather and great grandfather.

Thanks everyone for well wishes for Monday. I'll let you know how it goes.

Hi can I join this group too? I've found it so reassuring to read about other experiences - congrats on the pgs.
I'm nearly 41 and 13weeks. I'm still not getting over the shock as fertility tests had showed I'm perimenopausal with a v low chance of conceiving. I'd had a mmc at 12 wks 3 years ago and a family history of early menopause. So hadn't had much hope but had a scan last week and just waiting for results.

Plus I've been reading all the horror stats for the over 40s and am worried. Where I live most women my age are becoming grand parents!
I'm dreading reactions. We've only told my mum who was so shocked and said but you're too old! But she'd had me at 24 thinking she was already getting on a bit. Hence I'm on here trying to find a bit of support......

Congratulations @poppypopsicle! Fantastic news! :) At 13 weeks your pregnancy should be getting more stable. I hope the scan results confirm this for you, and you get some peace of mind. I think we all worry throughout the entire pregnancy. A mummy friend of mine said its good training for the lifetime of worry once the baby is born! My GPs advice was to ignore the stats and people on here will tell you to avoid Dr Google! It's wise advice. There's many 40+ women on here who are testament to healthy pregnancies and babies. I hope it continues to go well for you! Welcome aboard! :) xxx

Thanks @cineraria :). We haven't got as far as making a list of what we need (mostly as we haven't a clue!). We really should though. When we came back from the scan yesterday my DP took to manic hoovering and mopping! I may not be nesting yet, but I think he is! ;)

Congrats Poppy I am older than you (!) and this has been my worry that people will judge-I just don't need any negative comments after all we've been through (hardly anyone knows this) my MIL has made some comments (but she's always a bit snarky) really though it's no one else's business other than yours! People are rude and judgemental though, the few friends we've told have been pleased and I've openly said to them I'm worried people will say negative things about my age as a deterrent I suppose!

Hope everyone else is ok? I'm 15w2 now so awaiting my next appointment -I really want to know the sex but I'm not sure if the hospital will tell me or I'll have to go private?

Thanks Ja73 and monkeypuzzle- such helpful advice. Soooo glad to know I'm not the only one as it's been feeling like this. Also expecting a heap of negative comments along the lines of.... 'are you crazy, those days are long gone' as my DC will be 10 and 12. Can't get it in my head that I (if all goes well) will be returning to the baby days...

@monkeypuzzle - I think it depends when your scan is. We had an NHS one at 12 weeks and its too soon to reliably tell the sex. My next NHS scan isn't until 20 weeks when they tell you if you want to know. I couldn't wait that long and went private. For £60 it was worth it for peace of mind too. I was told they can reliably tell you the sex from 15/16 weeks, but only if baby shows you. Thankfully we have an exhibitionist in the making, and we saw it immediately! ;)

Welcome @poppypopsicle , and congratulations! It must be such an amazing feeling after thinking you probably couldn't get pregnant any more. It really isn't that unusual to have babies at our age these days, but I'm not sure that out parents' generation realise that and they can blurt out some silly comments sometimes!

Glad it is not just me in denial about baby arriving. I read that at the end of this week (i.e. at 24 weeks) baby has a 50/50 chance of surviving if born prematurely. It gave me a bit of a shock! I bought some baby boy clothes for a friend's newborn today, hopefully that is a step in the right direction towards getting something for my own little man.

Thanks pingusmistress yes it is amazing and quite unbelievable too. Still in denial. At this rate I don't think I'll be buying anything until after the baby's born (sending DH on a mad spending spree). Have you bought anything or got anything ready yet? When I had my mmc we'd had loads of plans drawn up and quotes for a mini extension as our house is too small for a 3rd and then it didn't happen so it almost feels like bad luck to be doing too much (or even any) planning. Just trying to get through the nausea one day at a time at this stage...

Scan went really well. We had to wait almost an hour longer for our appointment.

Having decided that we would really like a surprise no such luck as our unborn son decided to show us his Crown Jewels at the very opening of the scan!

Everything looks great, we are over the moon. It never ceases to amaze me what a wonderful feeling and experience it is seeing your baby on that screen. I shed a little tear of relief and sheer gratitude that everything is as it should be.

Back home all our families are delighted. Our little boy is very excited, our daughter a bit confused at sister months but she did kiss the scan picture.

I have another scan at 28 weeks as they are thinking of inducing me earlier, so want to keep an eye on his growth.

Happy Days 😊

That's fab news Ginliness! So lovely to see baby on a scan. Must be such a relief. How old are your other DC?

So good to hear that @Ginlinessisnexttogodliness ! He's not a shy lad then :)

@poppypopsicle No, I haven't bought anything yet. There is some stuff up in the loft from when DD was little but I can't remember what and I think it is mostly pink! Really need my nesting instinct to kick in and give me the motivation to have a good clear out.

I've been feeling a bit rough today with lower abdominal pain. It got so bad that I couldn't concentrate at work so I took an hour off to take off my trousers and lie stretched out, which helped! Baby was moving so I think it might have been round ligament pain.

A question: are low alcohol drinks okay to drink occasionally? I ordered some 1% cider with the online shopping and DH was horrified when it arrived today! I'm just getting so jealous of everyone drinking in the sunshine though!

pingumistress sorry to hear about your pain but it's good you have somewhere at work to lie down and stretch out with trousers off. I'm a teacher and there is really nowhere I could do this, plus it could get v embarrassing.

I think the low alcohol should be fine, it's practically nothing, besides in all my pgs esp my first I had a few drinking nights out before I knew I was pg and the mw was always v reassuring. Surely by late 2nd trimester it shouldn't be as important as back at the start. One effect of the constant nausea is that I've totally gone off the idea of any drink. Even tea. I can only face really icy water. So hope this passes soon...

It's been very quiet on here recently! Hope you are all okay.

I had my 25 week midwife appointment today, all seems to be well as far as they can tell. I got a fit to fly letter as I have to go to Paris for a day with work next week. Not really looking forward to a 4.30am start followed by a cramped journey on a budget airline! Oh well, hopefully that is my last bit of travel before maternity leave starts in October.

After buying nothing for this baby I suddenly went a bit nuts in the Next sale this week I'm somehow on an advanced preview list so get to shop the sale early. The baby boy stuff was so cute - I got 16 vests, 8 baby grows, 2 jumpers, a coat, some socks and a Christmas outfit, all less than half price! Hoping they don't change their mind at the next scan and tell me it's a girl after all!

Hi pingus!

No change here from me, nearly 12 weeks and still suffering with the bad bad morning sickness
Got both my NHS scan and my harmony test next week though!! :)