More Christmas Cake! Pregnancy after loss (thread 3)

[SpongeBobGrannyPants]

New thread!

@HidCat so glad the scan went well :-)

@zarala Thank you so much! I would totally recommend getting one (if I can get over what I've been told today!) I have loved listening to baby's heartbeat and have found it's got other half more involved too. Was only really planning on using it between 12 week scan up until I felt definite movement, as then I'll go more by baby's movement than the heartbeat, but nurse was dead set against it. Hard not to second guess myself now, but I feel like until I have movement I have nothing to go on to tell me if baby is ok or not anyway, so surely listening for a heartbeat won't harm?

@clairehr I would also reocmmend against them. Assuming you find your baby’s heartbeat, they don’t tell you the pattern and that can be massive difference in terms of whether your baby is well or not. I think they is a growing push to ban them.

What I mean by pattern is that I heard my baby’s heartbeat with a home doppler in my last pregnancy and assumed all was well, even though I had reduced movements. As the reduced movements continued I went to hospital and was hooked up to the monitor. The monitor showed my baby’s heartbeat was sinusoid, even though it was beating a good rate and sounded normal. I was raced straight off for an EMCS but my baby still died. If I had gone into hospital sooner instead of trusting that doppler, maybe things would have been different. By all means use the doppler for fun and to check in at a time you have no concerns at all about your baby, but please please don’t ever trust them to say your baby is ok.

@SurfingOwl I am so so sorry for your loss.

My personal view is they shouldn't be allowed for general sale.

Great news on the scans today @HidCat and @Eastend2015.

Re dopplers in my trust even the midwives don't listen to the heartbeat in any your appointments any more. They said this was because before 20 weeks it's difficult to differentiate between heartbeat and placenta and after that it is no guarantee of a healthy baby much like poor @SurfingOwls post. After 24 weeks you should be noticing a pattern of movement that should be checked out if it decreases.

But it's a personal choice so and I totally understand those who wish to use them.

Absolutely to all, and thank you 😊 I am not taking what I hear as the be all and end all, and certainly not taking what I hear as the same as that of a medically trained professional (I was sick a couple of days ago and brought up blood so got checked as this was different for me, I didn't go on the heartbeat reading or sound I'd had the day previously, and would hope I would do the same should I get any other symptoms/differences in symptoms too). I don't plan on using it once I feel movement as said previously, more as something in between whilst I don't have symptoms or feelings, so I've found it's nice a couple of times a week to 'listen in'. Baby's heartbeat to me seems a totally different sound (a chugging train and super loud) compared to my heartbeat which is more in the background and a lot slower, and the placenta/cord (more a whoosh and dull noise) - however I realise this could all be wrong too.

I have been told I'll hear heartbeat at 16 week midwife appointment (not for another 1.5 weeks at nearly 18 weeks) and she'll check all is ok with each heartbeat and cord, so will listen super carefully then and ask midwife about it I think. I can certainly see how they'd be misused/trusted too much if you don't listen to the rest of your body, so will just have to think carefully.

Yay for amazing scans!!

Personally I loved my doppler. I know they're not advisable but it saved me loads of money on scans. Plus I loved hearing bubs heartbeat. But I tell you what once you feel that kick the doppler becomes useless!! Haha!!!

@clairehr
I LOVE my Doppler!

I know there not for everyone but personally for ME it gives me that bit of comfort until I can feel baby move

Once you've done it I think you can pick out certain noises and you know what that are I.e as soon as I hear that whoosh I know that's not baby, I know what my own heart beat sounds like and then theirs babies!! On one of these fb groups I'm on I posted a video of it and everyone said 100% baby what else could be 150+bmp inside me!!

I know there not classed as healthy to use and 'safe' in regards to thinking things are ok but if you've got no worries and can heart that heart beat inside why not enjoy it!

So many people will tel you what you can and can't do in pregnancy but remember it's YOUR pregnancy and YOUR baby! Obv if you had reduced movement etc etc you'd go to get it checked just like I would do 100%!! But atm whilst we're in limbo before getting movement I say any can't we listen in to babies! YouTube has been great with giving me tutorials of what baby should sound like! You can even google 16 week MW appointments and then get the sound of the professional MW looking for heart beat with Doppler and can base what you hear on that

Each to their own is what I say but so far I do love mine and it's given me that extra piece of mind and I love a Friday night with OH listening to our baby! I don't do it every day just a Friday and Sunday and then I trust in my body :)

Hope that's helped x

@Alicejj8x This is exactly my view on it. I'm not relying on it to tell me everything is medically ok with baby, it's a lovely comfort to hear when I do no denying, and OH really loves being involved in that way too, but it's not replacing my trust in my body/symptoms. I watched so many videos and read up on the different sounds before trying it and am 99.9% sure I know what I'm hearing. Going to talk to midwife and lay it all down as I have here. With any luck, by then, I'll feel baby anyway 😊

@clairehr
Exactly!!
Anything to give us that extra comfort or I'll think I'll be down hospital every day ahha lol

It's hard to in the 2nd tri I think coz you do generally feel fine and early on no movement so you do start to think hmm is everything ok then when you find the HB it's just a lovely reassurance

:) yes I don't blame you. Let me know what she says I've got my 16 week one next week too x

I loved my doppler! It was wonderful for the weeks before I could feel the baby moving. I don't use it anymore now that I can feel him. I do agree that they can be dangerous though and not a substitute for real medical advice from a professional. So definitely should be used be absolute caution! @Surfingowl I am so so sorry for your loss x

@Athers666
Oh yeah 100% if you thought anything was wrong I would go and check rather than relying on Doppler xx

So relieved I had a tear in my eye - I was so nervous mainly as I went on my own.

20 week scan went absolutely fine - no issues or concerns.

And found out we are having a boy.

Now it feels more real - Text my midwife who is sorting my MatB1 so I can sort out booking my Maternity leave now not that I'm counting down to leaving work haha

Scan done and all good. So relieved , I was crying in waiting room with nerves. Anyway I'm 14+3 and baby wriggling s Much it took a while to get food pictures. Thank you for all the support and understanding, x now on to enjoying this pregnancy and having positive thoughts

@Patienceofatoddler and @Blondienut I'm glad your scans went well! So good to see things progressing well!

Wonderful news @Patienceofatoddler and @Blondienut ! And congrats on a little boy @Patienceofatoddler !
Ahh I just can't wait to get there!!! Still a long way to go!!! 🙏🏽

@Patienceofatoddler Oh yay! Another boyby on the thread! So pleased all is well.
@Blondienut great news also! Aww, I always cry in the waiting room as well, it's THE most nerve wracking thing in the whole world!

12 week scan was yesterday! I was absolutely terrified as it was at my 12 week scan last time that I discovered I'd had a missed miscarriage. I nearly broke down in tears in the waiting room, I was so nervous. Well...

Baby is just fine ❤️ Measured at 12+5 and wiggling away on the screen. Couldn't be more ecstatic ❤️

@CobaltRose omg, more lovely news on the thread today. How cute does your baby look, that's an awesome scan pic.
Those who are feeling movement now, do you find that it disturbs your sleep? Mine thrashes away whenever I lie down, which makes me toss and turn and then DH gets woken up. I'm not complaining really as Im so grateful that baby is doing well in there but ugh, I miss just crashing out whenever I need to!

@CobaltRose excellent news, congratulations! And such a perfect scan picture!

@Athers666 not feeling anything yet but I remember having that with DS. Why do babies seems to be nocturnal 🦇

Yep @Athers666 it kicks off literally as you sit down / lie down or stop haha.

Baby kicked so hard it knocked sonographer from taking a measurement earlier

I actually don't enjoy the feeling in these earlier weeks (sounds horrible I know).

TBH because of an old injury I can't sleep on my side so I toss and kick around as I lie on my back so havnt noticed it hugely. But I naturally sleep with my hands on my tummy now

Lol when I'm at work walking around there's not a peep from him until I get home and chill, then it's punch, whack, hiccup, slap, etc. He booted me so hard in bed the other night that I jumped massively and DH absolutely pooped it, I scared him to death! 😂

@Athers666 I think movement of walking etc helps them to sleep then they often wake when you stop.
It is such a huge relief to have the movement though - It felt the longest wait until I was feeling it.

Aww, lovely news on all the scans today, congrats ladies!