Pregnant at 40 and over - thread 4

[Gizmojo]

To continue support for mums to be over 40

Hello everyone new!

seizethecuttlefish it's becoming an experiment in pink lines here. Some of me is interested in comparing; the other part is just plain obsessed.

I don't think my one step '10' miu are ten though, more like 25. Exactly like a boots cheapie I have.

@Ekphrasis we should design an app where you see all tests/lines etc I feel I should have shared. Everything here from Tesco and Sainsbury's to Clearblue and amazon cheapie.

Ha seize, not branched into Tesco's but I feel I've tried the rest!

Hello, how is everyone today?

I'm now 5+4 and had a week of wobbles as I felt my nausea was much worse at 4 weeks. But it's actually still very much in the background, smells are ridiculously crazy, and what I feel like eating changes from day to day quite hugely. I think I'd felt less symptoms by this point with my mc earlier this year.

I've also spent a fortune on things to see on and now tidied them all away to stop myself!

I think every time is different Ekphrasis I felt very pregnant and glowy with the one I lost but with this one (now 26 weeks) I felt less obviously pregnant-but it's been good so far ! (Touches wood)

Lovely to see some new pregnancies on here and welcome back ekphrasis. I don't envy you the first trimester sickness and worry and general feeling yucky-ness. My symptoms were much worse this time (3rd pregnancy, 2nd baby) but I think it might be related to having a boy rather than a girl.

I'm 34 weeks now, time is flying. Packed most of my hospital bag today and doing some extreme nesting (I'm itching to clean the oven right now, WTF??). Baby had better not turn up early though as I have lots of work projects to finish!

Thanks ladies. Pingu I was on the Nov thread with you all those months ago! Lovely to see you doing so well.

Worry comes and goes. During the mc I had, symptoms tailed off. I've felt sicker this time (or more aversions) however not as much as in the first couple of weeks. I guess at 40 you need to crack a few more eggs before you find a goodun! Time will tell, I do hope I get to pack my bag in May!

Hi ladies and congrats on your pregnancies. Just wondered if there's anyone on here pg at 45?

I turn 45 in Nov and have been trying to conceive dc3 for 2/3 years. Well we wanted a third ever since dc2 was born just over 3 years ago. But then I was bf for 18 months so probably had less chance then.

I'm now at the stage of realising the chances are it won't happen. Sort of wishing I went for ivf 2 years ago but we just kept trying hoping it wd happen after I stopped bf, and pursuing more lifestyle route (all about the egg book etc). My AMH is just over 1 and FSH varied between 8 and 12 recent months. But I'm suddenly feeling my body not up to it.

Words of wisdom gratefully received

Hi Clara - can't offer any words of wisdom I'm afraid. I read this thread all the time and other 40 plus threads although I don't always chip in. I have 2 dc already and keep hoping that maybe number 3 just might still happen. However been trying a good 3 years or so - in that time had 3 or 4 chemicals so I'm trying to be realistic too but it's hard. I turned 48 last month. Don't feel it though and periods still very regular so I'll take that as a plus. Also did anyone see the paper the other day with the lady who'd had the menopause a few years earlier and got pregnant at 47?

Anyway - wishing you lots of luck x

Has anyone else told that they'll be induced? My EDD is 22nd December but the hospital have said straight away they'll induce me in week 38- no explanation given really. Speaking to a few people they have said to question this as induction puts stress on the baby-I don't want to go over the EDD as I've been told that the risks for the baby increase but equally I want to be induced just because it fits in with the hospital routines.

I've been told they recommend induction if I go over 40 weeks. I think there is some evidence of increased stillbirth risk for 40+ year olds that go overdue. 38 weeks seems a bit early though?

The little monkey is breech at the moment anyway, if he doesn't turn round in the next week and a half then I might need a c section, which quite frankly terrifies me!

yes I dont know why that early-I think I've got some questions to ask-no one explains anything really, and its not helped by never seeing the same person twice!

Given your due date, it is a bit suspicious that inducing earlier is less likely to interfere with staff holidays/Christmas parties...

mmm, never even thought of that Pingusmistress !

It's worth downloading and reading through the RCOG guidance on this, @monkeypuzxle32. It's here: www.rcog.org.uk/en/guidelines-research-services/guidelines/sip34/. I think it's aimed at doctors and midwives but is simply written and details the knowns and unknowns of current research.

I did with DS1 and looking at the actual facts and figures really helped me come to a decision and confidently state my choice to the consultant (I said I'd accept sweeps from 39 weeks and reconsider induction from 40 weeks if they wanted to book one after that) although he came early so it wasn't needed and this time I'm being induced earlier due to multiple bleeds from my weird shaped placenta.

I'd also be suspicious of the seasonal thing.

I'm having a terrible time and if I'm honest, I just want a moan!
I'm ~7weeks. On holiday. Had a scary (what I thought was a miscarriage) gush of blood last week. Got checked out, still a baby there and a heartbeat. Yay. Bedrest and progesterone suppositories. Not so yay. Still bleeding on and off. Feel like my symptoms are fading and waiting for what I feel is inevitable. 😩I fly home on Wednesday and I just want home. I'm so emotional, not like me at all.

Thanks very much Cineraria I'll read that-I'm starting to question things now as no one explains why they want to do something!

I'm sorry seize - the limbo is awful. If it's any help, I know women who had huge bleeds and all was fine. I hope things settle soon for you.

I'm 41 and 37 weeks with our first baby. Last appointment the doctor said they want to give me a sweep next week as due to my age don't want me going over... I'm considering going to apptment and saying (if alls well) I'd prefer to wait another week - for various personal reasons... but then again I'm getting so fed up now part of me just wants the baby out!

Thanks ekphrarsis I'm hanging in there but now have full blown HG. In bed, kidding myself I look like a 50s movie star, I probably look more like a bedraggled bag lady!

Hello again everyone! I've not been here for ages but now 37 weeks and I popped back to see if people were being recommended inductions etc .. I see they are! I was told at 28 weeks that they would want to induce at 39 weeks, I said no but then at my scan/consultants app at 35 weeks they said 'so we'll induce you as agreed at 39 weeks'. So I had to say no again, they were a bit pushier this time and clearly really do want to induce. I agreed to sweeps from 38 weeks and have said I will think about it again at 40 weeks, but really hoping I won't have to. I do know that the baby getting out safely is the most important thing but I was induced with my first and my second non induced birth was much better. I worry about the cycle of intervention and also the higher risk of bleeding afterwards (I'm a bleeder). I'll have a look at that research as well @cineraria, that's really helpful

Such a shame to hear the doctors are being pushy, stalphonzo. I'm actually being induced currently following four small bleeds and as I don't feel contractions well they were concerned I might go into labour at home without realising and have a big bleed. I thought that seemed a very legitimate reason so agreed to it when I was 38 & 5, I think.

I'm on day six now and am still not ready to have waters broken as I'm dilated but not effaced. I'm either reacting nicely but very slowly or not reacting to the induction at all but my body is slowly going into labour by itself. The consultants I've seen the last two days are so lovely though and in contrast to yours have taken the perspective that inducing when the woman's body isn't ready leads to unnecessary surgery and that's best avoided, so even though I'm actually past 39 weeks now, they haven't suggested any intervention beyond the three days of prostaglandins; we're just letting things progress.

It's also so long since I bled that if I did go into labour or my waters break naturally today, I can actually go to the MLU along the corridor if there's space.

I wish you a visit with a consultant like these two for your next appointment.

I'm 36 weeks and having a scan and consultant appointment on Thursday, so I expect I might learn more about induction plans then. I'm also not keen unless there is another medical reason than just age, as I'm only just aged 40. I had a natural labour last time aged 37 and didn't go overdue and would like to repeat that. As I'm due on a Saturday I'm tempted to say wait until the Monday after.

It got me doing a bit of research into the evidence. It is clear to me that there is an increased risk of stillbirth for older mums, and that the later the baby is born, the greater the increased risk. But there is not yet firm evidence that intervening to artificially birth baby earlier reduces that risk. There is a randomised controlled trial of induction vs expectant management ongoing but the data isn't due until October 2017, so we probably will miss the results by a few weeks! Posting the clintrials link in case anyone wants to follow developments.
clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/record/NCT01990612?term=Induction+expectant+management&cond=Pregnancy&gndr=Female&draw=1&rank=11

I'll see if I can make head or tail of that data Pingu I can see why you are being induced Cineraria but as you both say you want the reasons why as I'm starting to wake up to (28w2)
Good luck

Hello, I'd heard that they do like to induce earlier - we aren't allowed to go to 42 weeks now where I am and if I have a second section I believe it will be at 39 weeks.

I must say my ds was in trouble and started to loose weight in the womb when I went into labour on the way to being induced at 42 weeks when I was 35. They changed the guidelines not long after. I know an anaesthetist I was friends with at who was 38 at the time was very keen not to go over 40 weeks and managed to get a lot of sweeps (from work!) and I think it was due to knowledge of infant mortality issues with older women and longer pregnancies. (Sorry, this post seems so sad.)

On a different matter, did you ladies completely avoid caffeine during pregnancy? I think I need a weak Darjeeling in the afternoons but am worried due to previous low birth weight with my son. I'm 7+5. The exhaustion is killing me!