The Graduates of TTC after pregnancy loss thread #6 - 🐧 The Penguin Huddle 🐧

[KnitKitty]

This is a safe space and supportive thread for anyone who is pregnant following a loss. We all understand the worry and anxiety that can come from being pregnant again following miscarriage/stillbirth.

Please feel free to join, even if you were not on the original TTC thread.

Starting the roll call copied from the last thread. Not everyone is on there, so please add to it/update/edit.
Also, thought it might be fun if we add Girl/Boy/Surprise on there too, so we can see who's expecting what

@Amanda81, 38, EDD 27/12/19
@MyHeartIsBrokeButIHaveSomeGlue, 37, EDD 03/01/20
@Laney79, 40, EDD 06/01/20
@Bluebelltulip, 29, EDD 09/01/20
@KnitKitty, 32, EDD 29/01/20 - Girl
@UnicornsandRainsbows1, 29, EDD 29/01/2020
@Newbie21, 38, EDD 06/02/20
@InDreamland, 39, EDD 18/02/20
@Tina363,29, EDD 26/02/20
@Frillyfarmer, 29, EDD 28/02/20
@Strawberry, 28, EDD 08/03/20
@Ginmonkey84, 34, EDD 16/03/20
@DuvetCaterpillar, 34, EDD 27/03/2020
@ChikiTIKI , 29, EDD 04/04/2020
@Navy123, 29, EDD 10/04/20
@Catconfusion, 40, EDD 12/04/20
@Janey15, 34, EDD 13/04/20
@TinyPaws, 33, EDD 18/04/20
@Flyfisherlady, 37, Edd 24/04/20
@Dimblebimble, 29, EDD 29/4/20
@FirstTimeMama91, 28, EDD 06/05/2020
@SunshineCrocodile, 37, EDD 4/6/2020
@TwittleBee , 25, EDD 25/06/20

And a shout-out to the Mamas who have already had their beautiful babas!
@Boboelephant, @Yukka, @Melpops36, @Beaglemum93 and a special mention for our hero mum @Squiff70 who we continue to keep in our thoughts and prayers.

@yes also up for a Facebook group, though will wait to join as currently experiencing pregnancy anxiety. Just want it all over with now. I'm with you @frillyfarmer stomach is bigger at 35 weeks than it was at 42 weeks with my current toddler and I thought it was large then! I get up thinking yeah today I've got energy, bump is not hurting etc, then take two/three steps around the shop and exhaust myself. Everything really hurts. I spend most of my day lying on the sofa, whilst toddler brings over books and puzzles to play with. Swimming tomorrow with the little one. Soft play is my idea of hell, toddler is banned and doesn't know what it is, I can't stand the idea of germs and all those kids pushing everyone around. So rather you than me! Got half term and then another week at work then mat leave. Hope baby will stay in.

Pooh @Twittlebee how many weeks are you now and are those contractions under control?

I meant... Ooooh @Twittlebee

@frillyfarmer good to see you back on here already and that you are managing to keep the anxiety at bay!! Not long to go now!

@Rubyroost sorry to hear about the fluid levels and possible risks for labour. Will they book you in for a c-section soon, do you think? Very good that the growth is back on the charts though!

@Dimblebimble congrats on reaching the 30 week milestone! I have an anterior placenta and the same things happen to me, only on left rather than right side. I realised at my most recent scan that this is because my placenta is right high anterior, so it blocks most of the kicks on the right, but not left side. Maybe yours is left high anterior? I think it's quite normal though, either way!

So I am 36+4 today and they've booked my in for a consultant appointment next week because I requested a sweep at 38+5. I'm terrified of going overdue, but apparently I have to get the consultant to sign off on a sweep before my due date. Anyone have any thoughts of pros/cons of doing a sweep at 38+5? I'm just really anxious about baby being small (5.5 lbs at 36 week scan) and slow growth and I have no more scans to check on him and make sure he is ok. But on the other hand, maybe he needs to stay in longer to get bigger. And maybe the sweep wouldn't work anyway if I'm not ready for it. But I also don't want to be induced if possible and I don't want to past 40 weeks. Any advice?

@sadtoday21 not quite back in the charts.. but almost there. Today the diabetes doctor said he didn't think my fluid levels were down to the diabetes because my blood sugar levels are good (since I've been on metaformin and restricting my carb intake) I just hope he's wrong as this will just give me something wake to worry about, if its not due diabetes what is it due to? 😭
@sadtoday21 what I hear about sweeps is that they only really work if your body is ready anyhow. But there's no harm in giving it a go.
Is an induction better than waiting after 40 weeks if you're worried about growth? Guess you need to think about this before your consultant appt. Inductions work well for some people and not so well for others. It might not be that bad for you, again if your body is nearly ready, it's more likely to work. X

Hi ladies

@Rubyroost today's scan results sound positive but slightly confusing. How many weeks are you now? I have similar - transverse cord prolapse concerns. Have they indicated when they will do your csection?

@sadtoday21 sorry you are so anxious. Similar to other advice I believe that the sweep will only work if your body is ready. I think some people have 3 sweeps and no success.

Sorry I have lost it a bit with everyone's posts, unfortunately DH has just found out his mum's cancer is back and now incurable so she only has a couple of months. It's blown us out of the water a bit, and I've lost it on the thread

I am 35+1 today and am being scanned again for fluid levels by fetal medicine on Thursday. On the basis of the autoimmune and the fluid they have scheduled my csection for 38+1 (3 weeks today) and am
expecting steroids at 37 weeks (which I was surprised about anyone else had this?). Fortunately my glucose monitor was all normal, but I think they are rapidly reaching the conclusion that earlier delivery poses less risk than my placenta giving up. Scary to have a date tho.

In other news I have a horrible cold and cough and feel like I have pulled stomach muscles/ligaments every time I cough and sneeze. It's so painful. fortunately baby seems active enough so it's just me suffering I think 😬. Anyone else had this? How long before your stomach muscles recovered?

Starting to countdown to finishing work next weds now hurrah!

Oh and definitely up for a Facebook group once baby is here. Not ready to join and tempt fate before they arrive though if that's ok? X

@MyHeartIsBrokeButIHaveSomeGlue gosh 7 weeks old already!! Time flies!! (easy for me to say when I've not had a newborn to look after!!) I am totally up for a Facebook group!!

I was feeling suddenly so down yesterday.. Combination of a few things I think. I was on creche at church unexpectedly and ended up v tired. Also with sore pelvis after lots of picking things up off the floor. Then I thought baby had turned from breech to head down, which I know if better for baby but it made me worry more about of I go in to labour before my c section and that I will get fobbed off and made to give birth vaginally.

Feeling better today though, think baby may still be breech but not footling any more. Have been having fears about cord prolapse like @rubyroost before this. I suppose I will worry no matter what.

A friend was telling me a out how her friend had a traumatic birth a couple of weeks ago and now has severe ptsd so I think that's what set me off as that happened to me with DD. Also generally sad as my auntie is dying of cancer at the moment.

33 weeks and a couple of days or so at the moment. Supposed to be in work until about 37.5 weeks however seeing how it goes with tiredness, pelvic pain and family situation. I think when my auntie dies I will go on mat leave to help support my mum and care for DD.

@fnej01 I'm freaking put about this cord prolapse thing as transverse puts me at risk as does the polyhydriamnos. 😭 No not indicated, consuktant away on leave today so hopefulky I will have an answer next week. Apparently babies with gest diabetes lungs develop slower so they don't like to take them too early. They'll have to give me steroids if so

@fbej01 I'm 35 weeks

@fnej01 sorry forgive me, I forget you also have poly?

@Rubyroost I completely resonate with the cord prolapse and it feels like something that I can't even monitor.
Speaking to a work colleague last week about the polyhydramnios she had it to. Said it got suddenly better and reduced significantly when she stopped working. She really felt putting her feet up (despite having a toddler helped). Not sure if you are still working. It has made me pull my finishing forward a couple of days.

@fnej01 I'm deffo putting my feet up with a toddler. He's sat next to me now doing his puzzles. Luckily he's fairly chilled. I have half term and then a week. I'm teaching sitting down currently and on a reduced timetable. I also have Wednesdays off so I think I can make it

@ChikiTIKI sorry you're also worrying about cord prolapse does breech also make it a risk factor?

@Beaglemum93 I hope so too! We were just going to redo what will be the nursery then it spiralled to doing the whole upstairs in about 3 weeks! I've pmd you my email for the group too.

Yeah @Rubyroost basically unless the head or bum is far down in the pelvis then the cord could slip underneath. The baby's feet were definitely on my bladder before but they have moved now, not sure if now bum down and legs up, or head down. No way at all for me to know unless I get a scanning machine at home lol.

Just a bit fed up and wishing time away at the moment! 😐

Thanks @ChikiTIKI just they seemed more concerned now that baby is transverse, maybe cos it was a different doctor or perhaps closer to due date then.

Congratulations @InDreamland ❤️ she's absolutely beautiful 💕

So lovely to see your rainbow babies are arriving 🌈 it does give me hope that one day I'll bring home my baby. Sadly, its not going to be this year, having had my third miscarriage earlier this month, we're taking time out to do some additional investigations. But it's nice to check in with you guys. Wishing you all well 💜

I'm sorry to hear that @VenusStarr I hope you find some answers soon xxxx

Hey @Rubyroost so glad to hear fluid levels are down and baby has slowed with growth. Fingers crossed baby hangs on until your c section.

I had my second GTT yesterday though the midwife still isn’t convinced I have it since the one at 28 weeks was negative. Just baffling why baby is 99.8% centile and the excess fluid is there. My consultant told us as well if I go into sudden labour and feel the cord coming out to call an ambulance and get on all fours. It’s scary stuff. She said to go in with any contractions, even mild ones. I’m feeling a lot of pressure in my pelvis now. Just hope he hangs on as I’m only 32 weeks. xx

@VenusStarr I’m so sorry to hear your update. I really hope you get some answers now and you get to bring your baby home next year! xx

@ChikiTIKI I’m so sorry to hear about your aunt. What a horrible thing to be going on this close to the birth! I hope baby hangs on in there so you get your c section. It’s so scary hearing other people’s stories. I guess the happy stories aren’t shared as often. I just keep thinking about my friend who had an elective and was home within 24 hours. No problems at all. I’m hoping something similar happens to me but trying to be realistic about having a bigger baby and polyhydramnios. I just hope I can be resilient if it is traumatic. Xx

@Catconfusion I've got a bit of the same. The diabetes doctor looked at my levels and said with sugar levels like that he didnt think my fluids were down to the diabetes. He was almost insinuating I didn't have it as apparently they can't really diagnose after 30 weeks. Even though my gtt was 9.4 and cut off is 7.8. I have been really restricting my carb intake etc and am on metaformin so I thought that was why my readings were good.
So now I'm worrying about all the other reasons for accelerated growth and polyhydriamnos and ended up googling all the different conditions that are linked to it. 😭Why do I do this to myself?

@VenusStarr sorry to hear your bad news. It's been a shitty year for you. Here's hoping you get some answers soon x

@rubyroast oh how frustrating for it not to be a firm diagnosis.

I spoke to a midwife yesterday and she said most the time they just don’t know why it happens. Also that fluid levels peak at 33/34 weeks so should naturally come down if no GD. She also said she’d never seen a case of Poly with serious complications so to try not to worry. It’s so difficult though when you see what can go wrong.

I’ve been eating a bit better but my nausea is starting to come back so I want all of the carbs. I’ve resisted so far but it’s tough when feeling sick. Also not sure how much good it’s doing. I’m sure chances are it’ll be fine in the end for both of us. Just need to get through the last stretch! xx