Due March / April 2022 2nd thread 2nd trimester

[Carolinesyear]

Hi everyone made a new thread for all the ladies due end of March beginning of April 2022. We are coming to the end of the first trimester, some of you have already crossed that important milestone! Some are starting to get bumps and sickness could be leaving, has anyone got that 'glow' yet... fat chance

It's a quiet Christmas for us this year. Just me, DH and DD. But we decided we were doing that long ago rather than current caution. We're visiting family later on in the holidays. Even if we hadn't it might have been decided for us anyway. The wedding we went to this weekend has had a couple of people test positive since. As we've all got coughs, we're isolating and getting PCRs later. Joy.

I didn’t like going into hospital for my 25 week midwife appointment this afternoon! It feels like people are coughing everywhere! Lovely to hear the heartbeat again though When are everyone’s next appointments?

Unless I rebook this one (cancelled, pending negative PCR), next up is the monster 28 week appointment including GTT. Will actually be 29 weeks then, but only because I'm away at 27 and 28 weeks to have it.

Yeah my next is my 28 week appointment. I think its the day before I turn 29 weeks. Glucose test at the hospital at 8.30-11 then midwife at community hub at 12 😅

@Derbee mine's tomorrow. It's been very quiet in my belly last few days so I'll be relieved to listen to her heartbeat. Not sure why she's so quiet... she used to go a bit mental in there!

Lovely to see everyone’s plans for Christmas!!
Just a bit concerned because you’ve all mentioned your 25week appointments but I’ve not had anything since my 20week scan🥴in my pregnancy notes it says for 2nd time mums and that your next one isn’t until 28weeks. Not sure if it’s maybe just my area lol!
For Christmas we decided years ago to see my in laws on Christmas Eve as we have my stepdaughter, Christmas Day to ourselves and then Boxing Day at my parents house. They don’t really mix with loads of people so we don’t see the harm

@Cxjai792 I’ve not seen a midwife yet. It’s my second baby so my first appointment is 28 weeks. In fact it’ll be nearly 29 weeks because they’ve booked it for the day after my growth scan which is at 28 plus 5. I’m consultant led as I’m in my 40s. Xx

Your Christmas sounds lovely. Certainly very low risk if spending it with people who don’t socialise much. Xx

@Catconfusion
Maybe that’s why then, but also if your consultant led that explains it. Not worried because little lady is pretty active but I’m on aspirin as I’m at risk of preeclampsia so strange they would just leave me to it but I can always call them I suppose☺️Thank you, everyone’s plans sounds really nice and it’s nice to see some normality!xx

@Cxjai792 in our area there would usually be a 9 week and 16 week face to face but due to Covid those are on the phone. If it’s a first baby there’s a 25 week face to face appointment. Everyone else has face to face from 28 weeks. I don’t think it matters if you’re high risk. It’s a case of calling if there are any problems. I think it’s such a long time to go before seeing a midwife. Such a shame to miss out on hearing the heartbeat earlier etc. I guess with the National staffing issues and Covid it’s just how it is. Xx

@Catconfusion
That sounds the same as me, I did get seen for my 16week but like you say it’s such a long time between appointments and a shame to not hear baby’s heartbeat again. I’ve heard it once so far. It’s a little bit daunting with covid but if you’ve been pregnant before you kind of know what to look out for, for first time mums it’s probably quite scary😩

I think I’ve been lucky - all my appointments have been face to face. I’ve heard the heartbeat at the 12 week scan, 16 week midwife, 20 week scan, and today at my 25 week midwife. Next appointment is also face to face for 28 weeks

@Cxjai792 to be honest this pregnancy has been so different to my last. I’ve had extreme hyperemesis, my anxiety has been through the roof due to previous losses and my bump is already huge so I’m concerned about that. I get what you’re saying. It is a bit scary first time around but everyone’s circumstances are different. For me it’s been a lot tougher this time and not seeing a midwife until nearly 29 weeks hasn’t helped. I know I could ring up but every time I’ve spoken to someone on the phone I’ve been fibbed off and it’s not really helped. The only face to face appointments I’ve had are scans which obviously are reassuring but you can’t really talk about how you’re feeling with a sonographer. Anyway, it’s not long now until I see someone so I guess it just is what it is. Xx

I’ve had a face to face appointment at 10, 16 and 25 weeks but still not heard little ones heartbeat yet. 😞 My next one is 31 weeks so I guess she’ll check then once she starts measuring me.
I’m consultant led so I do have extra scans starting from 28 weeks, so that will fill in the gaps between my midwife appointments, otherwise I’d be more anxious that I’d been left to my own devices 🤣

@Catconfusion
Bless you sounds like you’ve had it really hard so sorry to hear that! I know it’s easier said than done but try not to worry about the size of your bump. Ive been really critical of myself since I got pregnant, I just feel so frumpy and big already! Doesn’t help when you have people telling you how big you are already. I get where you are coming from about anxieties as well every time I’ve been to a scan there seems to be something new each time which plays on my mind 24/7. Do the midwives not even try to talk to you or get back in touch and have a chat when they’re not so busy? I had a birth reflections meeting with a senior midwife a few months ago to go over my last labour and she gave me the chance to ask questions and talk about this pregnancy too. If you had your last baby on nhs then you are entitled to ask about one of those meetings, maybe being able to chat about your experiences you can also put your mind at rest a bit now. Easier said than done because pregnancy is just stressful but if it helps you xx

@Cxjai792 Not just your area. I wouldn't be having a 25 week appointment if my first pregnancy had unproblematic. Definitely know what you mean about feeling huge already though. I think my stomach muscles immediately gave up from the moment of this one's conception.

@Nats7504 I hope you'll get to hear the heart beat during your scan. No sonographer would deny you that. Have you been given a date yet?

New Year, new trimester soon.

@Cxjai792 I’m sorry to hear you needed a birth reflections meeting. I hope it was helpful. My sons birth was a lovely experience so I don’t have any issues surrounding that. I have had 5 miscarriages though. They were all relatively early but it still makes pregnancy a very anxious time, especially with my advanced age. I’ve not been offered any follow up calls. My bmi is 33 and I’m the same weight I was when I gave birth so my son. I’ve raised this as a concern but been told it’ll be discussed at my 28 week appointment and to try not to worry. To be honest in the grand scale of things my concerns aren’t serious and baby girl is looking healthy on scans. Not really the need to ring up. I just miss the continuity of care I had with my son where these sorts of issues can be discussed and monitored at appointments. Xx

@Dyra I don’t think I’d dare ask the sonographer, they don’t seem to have much of a bedside manner. It’s very much a ‘medical procedure’ I have a scan on the 29th December so not long to go until I see him again. He feels huge!

@Catconfusion I’m sorry that you don’t feel supported or have the continuity of care you had with your DS. My youngest is 11 and the change in antenatal care now isn’t a scratch on what it used to be. It can make people who haven’t had an easy pregnancy journey very anxious with the lack of appointments and when you do have them they are over as quick as possible. I was in and out within 10 minutes at my last one. Make sure you get all the information you need at your face to face appointment, regardless of how much she tries to get you out the door! Thats your time and you deserve to be looked after and supported without feeling like you are being rushed.

@Nats7504 thank you, it must be so different from 11 years ago when in just two years it’s changed so much. I will definitely be making the most of my face to face.

I had my whooping cough jab the other day and my gp practice nurse checked in with me which was nice. She said she’s hearing no end of complaints from pregnant women. One women didn’t have her blood pressure checked for four months and then suddenly showed up with preeclampsia. I’m not so worried for me because I’m very vigilant with movements and how I feel in myself. Some more vulnerable people might not be confident with what’s normal and what isn’t. Xx

@Catconfusion You’re telling me. I’m glad this is my last to be honest. My new midwife told me that she’s glad to get out of the ‘shit storm of the labour ward’ and into the community. Her actual words! Not very reassuring 🙈

Glad you got some support from the nurse. Sometimes you just need to talk and seek a little reassurance. I’m like you and an older mum (37) all my friends had their kids years ago, the youngest is 8 so they can’t relate or remember anymore. It can be very isolating x

Shit show that is the labour ward even! 🤦🏻‍♀️

@Nats7504 well that doesn’t instil much confidence. Hopefully by the time baby comes it’ll be calmer. I’m going for an elective so all being well it will be a bit more predictable for me.

I’m 42 and there are more risks at this age so it does feel scary quite scary not seeing a midwife. Thankfully I’m consultant led due to my age so we will have growth scans. Not long now and the appointments will get more frequent. Just got to get through Christmas. Xx

@Dyra
Doesn’t help if you’re concerned to wait all that time! It feels that way doesn’t it! Think I noticed a difference in my stomach around 8weeks!!

@Catconfusion
It helped quite a bit and reassured me but then found out my placenta is low lying so have to keep an eye on that😕so that’s something new to think about. You’ve still been through a lot and normally you’d be able to have a bit of a chat at appointments but at the moment it’s like being on a conveyor belt for everything!!xx

@Cxjai792 sorry to hear about the low placenta. Are they recommending a section or is it likely to move? Xx

I'm sort of glad to not be having many face to face appointments at this stage, covid rates are rocketing in my area and I don't want to catch anything now that could ruin my chances of a family Christmas!
Plus I only managed to get my booster jab this week so it needs a couple of weeks to work its magic and boost my immunity.
Finally managed to get the last of my Christmas shopping done online though, now just all the wrapping to do!

@Catconfusion
That’s ok lovely☺️Bit naff finding that out but baby is healthy and content so that’s what matters at the moment. They’ve said it could still move last minute so just got extra scans then they will put a plan in place depending on the outcome. I didn’t really understand the measurements but they didn’t seem too concerned at this stage xx