Overwhelmed by high risk pregnancy

[Whathefisgoingon]

I am 8 weeks pregnant with my second and have been put down as “high risk”.

Thing is, I had suspected gestational diabetes in my last pregnancy but never confirmed. It was only brought up because at 37 weeks my brother was diagnosed with type 2, I told the hospital and they said monitor bloods at home. Had a couple of borderline reads but ultimately at 37 weeks nobody really knows what glucose is like apart from higher than normal!

Labour midwife said she’s never seen a GD patient with bloods stable like me through out labour, didn’t think i had it. Never had glucose in urine, nothing!

Anyway, turned up for my booking appointment to find that my first was considered low birth weight at 6lbs3 and because of that I also have been recommended aspirin and have an appointment at the consultant at the hospital at 16 weeks.

I knew going in to this pregnancy I’d be faced with a GD test which is fine, last time I didn’t get the chance, but I have to have two, and now the low birth weight issue is because my son was 100 GRAMS under the threshold, but it was never mentioned to us until this pregnancy.

Anyway, just ranting I suppose. I feel overwhelmed by what’s to come and I didn’t expect it.

There is another post on this from recently that might be helpful.

I am 10 weeks and had my booking appointment at 8 weeks. My DD was 6lbs 1oz at 40 + 2 (centiles weights differ for girls and boys I'm sure you know that though).

I asked if I needed any extra scans etc as she was on the small side but they said no. Others have said they have mentioned the aspirin at 12 week scan. I've not been for that yet so not sure whether they will say anything then x

“High risk” to me simply means closer monitoring with more consultant input if needed. You may not actually have a high risk pregnancy in the end but they will monitor you just incase.

TBH I would prefer this option as I was “low risk” for my first baby and someone realised one day at 30 weeks that the placenta had stopped working properly and the baby hadn’t grown in weeks, baby arrived at 32 weeks very small and had to go to nicu - it was a massive shock and I feel if I had some prior warning I would’ve found it easier to deal with.

The threshold for 'high risk' early on is pretty low, it literally just means there is some information to suggest there could be a pregnancy complication. I wouldn't take it too seriously.

Ironically I was told several times I have a low risk twin pregnancy as it's natural conception/I'm under 35/ no pre existing health issues / twins have own placentas and sacks etc and yet I've developed a serious pregnancy health condition which means I'm having to have a csection at 33.5weeks, whereas others I know who were designated 'high risk' twin pregnancies are doing loads better than me.

The labels often don't mean that much.

Thanks all. My visit was born 2 weeks before the first covid lockdown, I think I was hopeful things could be more normal this time, less fear and what not, but this start to pregnancy has just got me down.

First, not visit! *

@Whathefisgoingon fingers crossed for you. It was so weird last time, had DD 3 weeks after the first lockdown stated so really sympathise with that x