Graduates of the TTC After Pregnancy Loss thread. Aka: The Penguin Huddle

[MyHeartIsBrokeButIHaveSomeGlue]

This is a safe and supportive thread for ladies from the TTC after pregnancy loss thread who've had a BFP and are now negotiating the scary rollercoaster world of pregnancy after loss.

If you weren't on the original thread, have suffered a loss and are now pregnant please feel free to join the penguin huddle 🐧

Positive pants ON. Let’s get our rainbows ladies 🌈

@Dimblebimble and here's the link to the leaflet to show them

https://www.tommys.org/sites/default/files/PRISM%20Infographicv44_1.pdf

@Dimblebimble sorry to hear about the spotting. I know some people with recurrent miscarriage who have had bright red spotting and it wasn’t anything concerning, but of course it’s terribly worrying. It sounds like the EPU are fully booked, the same thing happened to me last time and I got a private scan within the hour, as I just needed to know. Is this an option? I’m sorry you’re going through this. You’re in my thoughts.

Thanks for the advice regarding the baby on board badge. Was about to take the plunge, but it’s gone missing!

@rubyroot congrats on your scan!
@sadtoday21 def have the tea. I have one coffee a day which is well below the nhs guidance.

@Dimblebimble my heart goes out to you. Echo what other people have said about trying again with EPAU. Alternatively maybe take the info from @Laney79 to your GP and see if you can get them to prescribe progesterone while you wait for the scan?

As for me ladies very grateful that scan this afternoon was all fine, baby looked like they were dancing in there, measuring 13+2 so a couple of days ahead. Going to try and chill now until midwife appt at 16 weeks 🤞

Excellent news @fnej01 so your edd is 20th March, mines 21st but he'll likely be coming out a week early.

No 22nd?

@rubyroot yup 22nd my dad's birthday. Likely to deliver early tho I think due to APS and risk of placenta failing. So might have same day babies

Thanks everyone for your kind words and advice. It gave me the confidence to call the epu and ask for an appointment first thing tomorrow and we're going in at 8am, so we will know one way or another.

I really hope you're right and everything could be okay, but I've been here before and I'm braced for bad news.

@Dimblebimble I really hope you are ok, thinking of you tomorrow Xxx.

@fnej01 congrats on your scan! Hope you can relax a bit now.

Thanks @Mistymeow, I think you are right. I used to love coffee so so much and since I got pregnant I can't stomach the smell or taste! Very strange.

Love the discussion on the waxing front, this is something I've also been thinking about haha! If I'm too large too shave my legs at some point or it just gets too difficult, I might seriously consider it. I bet the skin is more sensitive though for some reason.

14+4 today and nothing much to report, besides anxiously waiting for movement. I keep listening intently to see if anything is happening, but no luck. Really want to see the baby and just trying to hold out one more week. I have a midwife appointment on Tuesday and she said she would listen to the hb again, so I hope that will help.

Anyone else find the second trimester to be very surreal? In the sense that you suddenly feel way too normal? My boobs are still massive and a little sore and my bump is growing a bit too, but otherwise energy is back and I'm just sort of carrying on with work and things as usual. I've also felt moments of intense anxiety interspersed with feeling very calm about everything. I can't explain it - must be the hormones!

@Dimblebimble that's good you rang and have an appt. Best to know, fingers crossed for you x

@sadtoday21 I know I said I'm trying to hold out. But depending on how I feel I might have a scan about 16. 5 weeks. That would be smack bang in between now and anomaly and then I have three growth scans after anomaly.

The second tri is the best, thick hair, glowing skin, growing bump. Enjoy it

That's great news @fnej01!

The second trimester is definitely better than the first, especially once the kicks properly start! It's so long though! Do you ever feel like everyone else's pregnancies fly by but yours is dragging in or is that just me?

Yes @Beaglemum93! Everyone else's pregnancies are sooo much faster!

I think that makes sense @rubyroot, I'm planning on doing the same (except at 16 and 19 weeks).

Hoping these are the correct edited ones!!

We nearly missed our anatomy scan completely thanks to the buses that either never turned up or got delayed/took ages to get to the hospital as it was packed. Thankfully someone had cancelled theirs just after when ours would have been so they very kindly squeezed us in. Would've completely understood if they couldn't have done it. All is looking okay. Placenta is definitely at the front but I think we're slowly getting there with feeling movements, and he still appears to be a boy 💙😊 I'm so, so relieved.

Congratulations @UnicornsandRainbows1 I'm glad you got to have your scan and that everything looks great! Your baby looks lovely. The pictures reminded me of my can of my DD. I just thought it was so amazing to see her perfect little spine. So intricate and perfect :) am I weird?! Lol xxxxxx

Amazing news on your scan @UnicornsandRainbows1! My placenta is at the front too and the movements do get better pretty quickly once they properly get started.

@54ChikiTIKI Not weird at all! 😊 It's so odd. I don't remember my DD's scan being so clear, but it's so odd how formed it is. I know it's 20 weeks but it's just insane!

@Beaglemum93 Thank you. I really hope so, I think they feel a tad more frequent, or maybe more stronger, one of the two 😅

For those of you who are taking/have taken progesterone, did they have to test your progesterone levels first or did they just prescribe it to you?

@Dimblebimble I have been on progesterone since 7dpo as a preemptive measure. I haven't been tested at all for progesterone levels this pregnancy but they are now advocating I stay on it until 24 weeks. I do have multiple diagnosis tho x

@UnicornsandRainbows1 what a stunning and clear scan picture - congratulations x

@Dimblebimble sorry I misread your post, I keep thinking it’s monday and thought your EPU scan was booked for tomorrow. That’s good you called back and they have you booked in, they usually do ASAP with any bleeding as they know how distressing it is. Regarding the progesterone, I don’t have low progesterone and haven’t been tested since pregnant but my rmc consultant prescribes progesterone from bfp. The thinking is it doesn’t cause any harm if progesterone isn’t an issue but as Laney pointed out the Prism trial suggests it can help women who suffer rmc. Your GP should be able to prescribe. I really hope you have a positive outcome tomorrow.

Thank you ladies. Unfortunately doggo isn't going to get better - he's got cancer and is on palliative care at home (lots of painkillers and steroids, basically).

Hello and congratulations @Twitwooo!

I'm so sorry to read about your bleeding, @Dimblebimble. Tuesday is 6 days away - there's no way they should be making you wait. I really hope it turns out to be nothing serious. Please keep us informed when you can. EDIT: Just seen your update. I'm so glad you're going in tomorrow. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you and you will be very much in my thoughts.

Fantastic news on your scan @UnicornsandRainbows1 - that's an amazing pic of your son's spine! Ii'm so glad things are going okay for you.

Best of luck for today @Dimblebimble and I hope it's good news for you xxxx

Fingers crossed for you @Dimblebimble

In terms of progesterone -I was prescribed it in this pregnancy in case I started bleeding. We were going on holiday when I was around 8 weeks so I begged the epau to help me as I didn't want to go on hol, start bleeding and not be able to get the progesterone after what I read from Tommy's. The consultant was happy to prescribe it just in case so I could take it with me, but only after I'd had a scan to confirm that baby was viable at that point. No tests to check progesterone levels. I've been lucky, I had no bleeding so I had no need to take the progesterone.

I really hope your scan goes ok today, and don't be afraid to ask and even beg for the progesterone if you feel it's right for you. For me it was as much about my mental health, knowing I'd done everything I could for this pregnancy and I think my awesome epau nurse recognised that and helped advocate for me. Xxx

Morning ladies! Back from my hols yesterday afternoon! So much to catch up on here, I've skimmed through what I missed over the past week.

Congrats on the positive scans!

@Dimblebimble sorry you've started spotting. It's so scary isn't it. Fx all goes well at EPU this morning and they can squeeze you in for a scan.

@Beaglemum93 I definitely feel like my pregnancy is dragging .......... longest pregnancy in the world!

@Mistymeow I started wearing my badge in the tube from around 7 weeks on journey home only (I'm end of the central line so always get a seat in the morning) so was careful to only pop it on once I got into the station. I then stated wearing in mornings too from 10 weeks as I moved offers requiring a change of train with a long stint on second train and couldn't cope with pushing, shoving and standing. I just take badge off when I get out of the station. I was still taking the badge off before holiday although might not bother when I go back to work as it's pretty obvious as bump really cannot be hidden now.

Sorry not to tag everyone. There's too much I've missed.

So I'm 18+1 today. Got late 16w midwife appointment this afternoon ......... because of holiday she had to schedule for when we're were back. I'm so anxious. Was worried through whole hols that Bubsy wouldn't survive the 3 flights (2 x long haul and 1 short haul ......... we did 2 countries) plus it was full on sightseeing and hideously hot .........mid-30° topping 37° and i really struggled with the heat walking outside. So scared I've overdone it now. It was a nice time though and glad I managed to see what we did. Would have done more had I felt up to it. What if midwife can't find HB on doppler? If she can't then I'll be booking a scan. 2 weeks today before my 20w anomaly scan and not sure how I'll hold out.

When laying on my back I don't feel like I've got any bump, just some wobbly fat but when I sit or stand bump is so obvious and it's impossible to hide now........ so weird. Is that normal for 18 weeks?

@UnicornsandRainbows congratulations on your scan glad you got there in the end.

@Dimblebimble good luck this morning.

@InDreamland glad you had a good holiday.

I've got my whooping cough vaccine this morning.

Morning all,

I wasn't on the original thread although am a huge Mumsnet lurker!

I currently very newly pregnant (about 3-4 weeks) following a miscarriage at 5 weeks in April/May.

I am so anxious and get waves of sheer panic, although additionally I have moments of extreme clarity in understanding nothing I can control will influence the outcome.

I found out 2 days ago and am yet to tell my DH. It really took its toll on us when we lost the last pregnancy and I can't bring myself to say it out loud to him.

Anyway, congratulations to you all! Looking forward to following the thread 🙂