Due June 2022 (thread eight)

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New Thread.

@Vimto1991 I’ve just actually laughed out loud at these guys love piss !!! 😂😂 also why are the bottles so narrow anyone mastered a trick to avoid a pissy hand 😭😭

We're given the little test tube thing to take home and bring in full so my top trick for the pee bottle is to have an old jam jar that is actually what you catch the wee with and then tip it into the little bottle! I've then just sterilised it each time and it lives under the bathroom sink

I think I’ll have to give that a go, as I feel like it’s only going to get harder to get a sample without peeing on everything 😂😂

I had my 28 week midwife appointment yesterday and they took bloods. I forgot to ask what they were actually for? does anyone know?

I'm still suffering horrendously with constipation. On average I'm going for a poo once a week. The GP is a bit useless and keeps prescribing sachet drinks which don't work... anyone else still suffering?

@DaimDillyDoo I had a little bout of it returning about 3 weeks agin thankfully it was one day and it passed when I had it bad at around 7 weeks the doctor gave me lactulous and it was an absolute life saver. I think they will just be routine bloods needed because I know I haven’t had none since booking app

Thanks for the welcome back love ladies.

At my 25week midwife appointment she didn’t measure my bump, just felt around it and used a Doppler for the heartbeat (took a few mins as the baby kept kicking and moving out the way). I also asked for a blood test to check my iron levels as I’d had a few dizzy spells and they don’t normally check this until the 28week appointment which I was told can be too late to get them recovered before birth. My iron was low so I’ve been prescribed supplements (apparently they can cause constipation - just when I thought I’d seen the back of it - so back on the prune juice, fibogel and lactulose as a preemptive strike 🤣).

Whoever was asking on names. I like Reid and Hugo. We are also struggling for boys names!

@JAR1981 well done for asking to get your iron tested! They forgot to test mine at my booking appt (even though it’s been low in the past). I asked for it to be checked this week at my 25 week appointment - midwife was skeptical but I just shoved my shitty looking nails at her and said “90% sure this is due to low iron!!” Turns out it was. I still have tablets left from last time but waiting for GP to tell me what dosage to take. I recall having very black number 2s when I was on the iron tablets - prune juice is wise, as is mulled flaxseed on your breakfast and plenty of water.

I assumed levels could recover in time for birth if caught around 28 weeks? I’ll be 26 weeks when I start the tablets so hopefully that’s enough time!

Is anyone else over 35 and NOT being offered a glucose test? Some people I know get it as standard whereas my trust only offers it to people with more than 1 risk factor. I mean, it sounds like a yucky test so maybe that’s a good thing. 😅

Good to know iron levels are something that needs requesting, I'll be requesting mine are done, I've got so little energy 🥱

I went to my appointment at 23 weeks and they didn’t measure the bump - but I had a joint cardiology and obstetrics consultants’ appointment at 24 weeks and the consultant obstetrician did measure it. She didn’t say anything, so I assume it was fine.

At the 23 week appointment the midwife printed a personalised birth chart for my notes and that will be used for future measurements, starting at 28 weeks.

She already told me I’ll have a blood test for my iron levels at 28 weeks - she said it was because it was on the low side at booking. I actually did insist on iron supplements a while back, so I’ve been taking them anyway. I had already been told by a consultant that I should due to my previous PPH and upcoming C section. It still took some insisting with the midwife!

I find many midwives aren’t that bothered about iron levels until it gets truly bad - a bit short sighted given how rubbish it can make you feel.

Sorry for the double post - I take my iron tablet with a glug of orange juice. It’s supposed to help with assimilating it, but I find it also helps reduce constipation.

@Rolledthedice I'm over 40 and not being given it for the same reason. I do have additional growth scans booked though.

No bump measurement at 25 week appointment for me either, just urine, BP and heartbeat. 28 week appointment next week, I think there's a blood test at that one.

The iron levels comments are interesting. The last 3/4 days I've never felt so lethargic. I have no energy for anything and I'm constantly counting down the hours to bed time. I just assumed it was normal pregnancy tiredness (it probably is, to be fair!) but it seems to have come on all of a sudden.

@EarlGreywithLemon I also had a major PPH with my first labour. Are you having any extra care or anything for this? I know I’m obstetrician led because of it and I believe I’m meant to see them sometime but haven’t heard anything? Got midwife next week so maybe I should double check!

@annie1994, no one has mentioned it specifically so far! I'm with the obstetrics team anyway because of a heart defect, so I've seen the obstetrician in joint cardiac/obstetrics clinics. The obstetrics aspect hasn't been discussed much though!

Are you planning a vaginal delivery this time? I'm having a C section (because of extensive tearing and bladder issues after the first birth). The most that was said about the PPH was by the consultant who did my birth debrief, to the tune of: having a PPH does increase your risk of having a second one; a C Section further increases that risk; that said the team will be ready to manage, on the look out and will have cross-matched blood on stand by; taking iron throughout the pregnancy should help with recovery if there is further blood loss. Is that roughly what you were told (plus or minus the C section aspect)?

I think you should bring it up with your midwife, and I will too at the next appointment.

@EarlGreywithLemon I see, no one had really spoken too much about it just that I’m higher risk of having another one and need to be obs lead. I knew having a c-section increases that more so but found that out just from Google! So far I’m going for a vaginal delivery but I have really mixed feelings with this due to my first labour (that was a vaginal delivery).

Are you taking iron tablets already?

Sorry to hear about your bad tearing and bladder issues x

@Rolledthedice my nutritionist actually advised I get iron tested earlier. As if you don’t have bloods until 28 weeks and then don’t start a supplement until say week 29/30 it can be too late in time to recover it as the growing baby will suck it all up. So i think if anyone has any potential side effects it’s worth getting it tested. I’m on 305mg twice daily in case that helps.

I also haven’t been offered a GD test and am 40.

@annie1994 so sorry you had a tricky birth too!

Mine was also vaginal. I feel lucky that my tearing and episiotomy healed well in the long term and the bladder “woke up” again. But, as I joke, I don’t want to ruin the good work of the registrar who stitched me up! Also don’t fancy the stress of the bladder issues again. Hence the section.

I am taking iron tablets, have done until 16 weeks, but it did take some insisting with the midwife. That’s despite borderline iron levels at booking. It just doesn’t seem to be on the radar for some of them. I may be generalising but I found the younger midwives paid more attention to it.

Did you have a transfusion after your PPH? I did and it made me feel sooo much better. The iron tablets have also really helped with energy levels and breathlessness in this pregnancy (and the last one - I was low on iron then too).

Sorry, have taken iron since 16 weeks, not until!

@Rolledthedice

Is anyone else over 35 and NOT being offered a glucose test? Some people I know get it as standard whereas my trust only offers it to people with more than 1 risk factor. I mean, it sounds like a yucky test so maybe that’s a good thing. 😅

I'm 34 but had mine yday - assume it's because of bmi or large baby last time around. It wasn't that bad tbh, the drink was very sweet but not unbearable.

My results came back today as positive though ☹️☹️ got an appt on Monday to talk it all through.

@EarlGreywithLemon that’s understandable you’d prefer to opt for c-section! Yes I had to have transfusions, iron infusions and then iron tablets for ages after. I know I had normal iron levels all throughout my first pregnancy so never needed iron tablets beforehand and at my booking appointment for this one was normal. I will def mention it to midwife next week!

thank you lovely ladies that replied
Just to update - no measuring bump for me either! She did check BP, urine dip and listen to heartbeat however. Said bump measuring starts at 28 weeks!

For those talking about iron supplements, you might remember I posted on Tuesday about fainting when on a work call (how embarrassing) but it transpires my blood pressure has taken a serious whack because my iron levels have dropped over 120 since my booking appointment. Now unsure if medication will be able to get on top of it and might need iron infusions. If you're feeling weak - get that iron checked!!! I'm confined to a weekend of bed now.

In happy news, we bought our pram today! Went for the Silvercross Pioneer and love it xx

Ooh I wondered when the tape measure would come out, I seem to remember it coming out all the time with DS lol. I’ve got my 28 week appointment next week, I’m actually weirdly loooking forward to it!

Im on iron supplements.had to kind of force gp to give it around 12 weeks. Went for 25 week gp appt and i asked for repeat bloods to see what it was now and she refused saying iron is generally low during this which annoyed me.