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.

@Catconfusion forgot to add my consultant said it's not my diabetes and that in his experience older mothers grow big babies. So maybe that's us?

@Catconfusion just to reassure my poly deep pool was 9cm at 34 weeks but had dropped to 7.5cm at 36 weeks. They did say that it does fluctuates and therefore too much scanning is not w good thing

@frillyfarmer sorry to hear GTT conversation that's shocking that so many people have had a poor experience around this. I fortunately feel very well monitored on this front and although they have now stopped me monitoring glucose as all was fine, they have left monitor with me in case they want me to restart.

@Rubyroost hope your prep is going well

@Rubyroost I do wonder if it is just the joy of having babies later in life, that they grow big. Ok, so sounds as you say 32 weeks was over estimated so I guess mine could have been. I think we’ll know more at the next scan. Presumably it doesn’t matter if breech during a c section. I’m hoping in a way he’ll stay up and that’s the decision made. Although the midwife said breech doesn’t necessarily mean section. At this point though, so many risk factors I wouldn’t want to try it. My sister and I were both breech and we wrecked my poor mums tummy and she had an awful natural birth with us both. Back in those days it wasn’t grounds for surgery.

I’m really not sure how the sonography worked out the poly. Mine was only 8.2 but still just over normal. Bump is huge and measuring 4 weeks ahead so it makes sense. Two different midwifes have commented on how they can feel the excess fluid. Hopefully it’s gone down which will lower risk factors. Glad yours is feeling better and more like mild. Yes I’d heard it goes down later on but poly earlHer on can still make it more than usual.

Yes I think it’s 36 weeks so sounds like your baby is nice and comfy in traverse/breech position.

Thanks @fnej01 that is reassuring that yours went down. I guess with having a huge baby and him being breech it’s just a bit of a worry. Fingers crossed it’s the same or better at the scan. My bump is still huge and uncomfortable but then that could just be his sheer size.

@Catconfusion my baby is also breech or transverse all the time, which they have said will impact home the amniotic fluid measures as baby displaces the fluid hence they worry less if it is a marginal measurement. My bump is huge where baby is in such an odd position, and whilst baby was growing way too fast a month ago they have now had limited growth the last few weeks, and are likely to be a small baby. The doctor isn't concerned as was always likely due to my autoimmune concerns. I guess what I am trying to reassure you is my experience says this is a moving picture and what is concern one week will be a different concern the next xx

Hello, I’m brand new here, don’t really know how this works! But I’m 3+5 weeks, following a miscarriage. My husband is lovely but not interested at all, it’s a protection thing as he found the miscarriage harder than me I think. So I feel a bit lonely with the responsibility and panic every time i go for a wee and expect blood etc

Those first few weeks are so so hard and we've all been there. For me I think they were some of the toughest and anxiety is high. You just can't stop thinking about if baby is going to be okay. A scan about 7/8 weeks is always a good idea as a heartbeat at that stage is a pretty good sign, and then I guess it's making it til the 12 week scan, emotionally that is!

Thanks @fnej01 yes it’s a good way to look at it as a moving picture. I think we’ve just resigned ourselves to take it as it comes and as you say, the focus and concerns can change. If he is as big as they predict I’m sure it will my fine.

Big babies do seem to run in my family. My nephew was a surprise 11 pounds and my sister had him naturally with no stitches. She’d not had growth scans but her tummy was quite small so a big shock.

I think the growth scans are great but they can sometimes throw up concerns that probably will turn out fine in the end. My midwife said she’d not ever seen a serious complication with poly and a big baby so usually just one of those things. Xx

Ha so I've been in hospital today with a bit of blood. Thankfully my cervix is closed, but apparently I have thrush even though I feel absolutely no itching or pain. 🤷‍♀️

@Whoamieven Welcome! Congratulations on your pregnancy! Those early days are so tough, I was an anxious wreck, so much so that my hair started falling out a few months later. Will you have an early scan or are you holding out until 12 weeks?

@Rubyroost How stressful. Have you a date for a c section booked?

@frillyfarmer Doing a GTT this late does seem nuts and kind of pointless, it seems like it should have been done far sooner.

So apparently I have thrush.... Even though I've had no symptoms!!
Dunno what the teeny bit of bleeding is but good news cervix is closed and so hopefully baby will hang on til Monday. Phew!
@Catconfusion agree with you on the growth scans, though the size I am it would have been picked up by a midwife even if I hadn't been having routine growth scans

Sorry I'm so tired, I'm repeating myself!!

My baby isn't breech any more and continues to grow along the 10th centile. Hoping to go on mat leave soon. Getting very tired now and quite grumpy in the mornings.

I've been told I had thrush before with no symptoms @Rubyroost can it be treated with antibiotics? If not then I never received any treatment for it.

Welcome @Whoamieven and congratulations on your pregnancy.

@Rubyroost yes it’s true. Mine said I’m measuring 4 weeks ahead which is in line with his size so would have got sent in anyway. I guess for me I’m wondering if the poly diagnosis has just made the worry worse. Although I guess it may have got worse for all we know.

@ChikiTIKI I've got a pessary. It's simple one canesten pessary toniggt and job done. Not sure what the little bit of blood was/is but I'll be in hospital soon so as long as baby waits for the c section, all is good.
@Catconfusion the extra fluid has definitely added extra worry for me, I was pleased when it came down from 30 though and yours came down too, so that's good. There does seem to be a link between big babies and polyhydriamnos.

But I guess it's all coming to an end for me now and time will tell how baby will fare etc. The consuktant didn't seem to think that the extra fluid would necessarily lead to time in nicu, but that it was rather that 20 percent of babies born by c section at 37 weeks end up there. I think that's just because they're less likely to have stuff from their lungs pushed out as they don't go through the birth canal.

Hi everyone, completely lost track of this thread. Work has me so busy! I was up till midnight the other night still working, feel dead.

Having a read through of everyone's posts now with a quick cuppa.

@Whoamieven welcome here, you'll find everyone here is so lovely and so supportive.

It is actually crazy how many of us have pregnancy complications!

Same as what Ruby said @ChikiTIKI , just pick up a Canesten Thrush Combi pack, all sorted within 1 night. You can get them from Amazon (I always Prime mine!) Or from any supermarket, boots etc.

On the thrush talk. I'm getting thrush every fortnight! Dr actually questioned me if I'm even treating it, I explained I am but it comes back again by end of the fortnight. I have fortnightly swabs for infection and thankfully they are finding that just thrush.

Oh my goodness! @Rubyroost so tomorrow you're having the steroids! Wishing you so much luck and best wishes etc!

@Twittlebee I think many on this thread have had late losses/neonatal losses/multiple losses/older maternal age so we're probably higher risk of complications than average. Plus we are monitored more closely so every little risk is more likely to be picked up.

Yeah that's true @TinyPaws I suppose with all our extra monitoring and history, we arent a typical population sample

Oh @TwittleBee make sure you take time to rest up a bit, working so much can't be nice!

I'm at the hospital for a GTT, 39+6 and feeling very frustrated and emotional. I've seen the midwife who was lovely and said the results will be in tomorrow and they will call me straight away with the results and look to bring my induction forward if needed. The scan I had earlier this week for reduced movements shows that baby's measurements and placenta blood flow are all fine so no huge concerns even though they've acknowledged with my history I should have been tested sooner than this (no shit, Sherlock!)

My bad mood is just compounded by the prospect of being sat in this stuffy waiting room for another 2 hours, with the guy opposite stinking of cigarettes. It's meant to be a smoke free hospital but there were three pregnant ladies smoking outside the entrance to maternity this morning which is just absolutely grim on all accounts.

@frillyfarmer good luck with your results. Seems so silly, this late.
Agree with @frillyfarmer @Twittlebee you make sure you take it easy xx
It was me who had thrush, I know theres so many posts on here it's easy to get confused. Although I'm still wondering if I do have it, I've had no symptoms at all, so maybe I've had it ages. 🤷‍♀️

It is confusing when trying to have a quick catch up 🙈 @Rubyroost ! My Dr did tell me there is no issues to having thrush when being pregnant, if that makes you feel any better. As I was obviously worried about how I have reoccurring thrush plus I know I had it both times my waters broke! But she said it's not an issue, it's more a nuisance for me rather than a worry for baby.

I'm relieved that the scan didnt show any worries @frillyfarmer but what a surprise they've left it this late to test you! Oh and dont get me started on "smoke free hospitals" - they dont actually exist do they!

@Rubyroost that’s the thing, I was diagnosed with Poly at my last scan. I have no idea if it’s come down. Really hoping for next week!

I really hope it’s not a NICU stay for your baby. It’s sounds like the odds are in your favour. I’ve got everything crossed Monday goes well and you get your baby home soon! xx

Sorry Catconfusion I'm getting you mixed up with fnej01 who also had poly or Mistymeow? I'm rubbish, I know theres a few of us on here with it though. Fingers crossed for you.

No problem @Rubyroost there’s so many of us! Xx