Over 35 and cautiously hopeful

[Bumblebee413]

Hello @SnookyPook @RoseH36 and @Fullofconfusion ! I don’t know if there’s anyone I’ve missed- feel free to add. Just thought it might be nice to have a new space as we’re all fairly similar gestation wise and we’ve been through a fair amount together in the previous thread x

I don’t know what you mean- us, optimistic about 38 weeks?? 😂😂

Hi all! Still checking in here and following along - so excited to see more of you nearing the finishing line! Lots of best wishes for the final weeks/days!

For those interested in baby updates, Samuel is doing well. Still diddy but tracking his 0.4th centile and growing nicely! We've progressed into newborn clothes from tiny baby now 😄 He was 6lbs14oz at last weight in at 5wks2days. Starting to get a bit more alert and interactive which is lovely 🥰 Cardiology appointment in a couple of weeks so we'll know more about his heart soon. Hoping it's all healing itself and won't need intervention 🙏🏼

Yes lovely to hear baby updates @SnookyPook !
And how are you, are you making a good recovery? Are friends and family helping?

Yes SPD getting to me too and I still have plenty of weeks left, eek! Also feeling grumpy and tired most of the time, GDM not helping at all, I fantasise about giving birth at 35/36 weeks most days despite knowing that's not best for baby :(

I have a night away with friends booked for next weekend in a spa hotel and have a massage booked and feels like that's the last remaining luxury I haven't had taken away from me!

@SouthwestSis ooh enjoy the spa! I went for a friend's birthday a couple of weeks before Sammy was born and the pregnancy massage was amazing. Think I fell asleep 😂

I'm doing well thanks! Been pleasantly surprised by the c-section recovery. I'm driving again now and feeling pretty much normal! We're lucky to have a great support network so doing pretty well on the whole!

@Bumblebee413 😂😂 no idea! My colleague has started picking up new enquiries so I can just deal with my September departures and any enquiries I'd already started which feels like a weight has been lifted.

@SnookyPook ahhhh you settled on Samuel, great name 🩵. Hope his appointment goes well, make sure you update us. You're doing so well from your section recovery, mine took loads longer, it's one reason I'm so desperate to avoid it this time as worried it will be a lengthy one again.

@SouthwestSis same dreams as me! Hit 36 weeks today and just want baby to come early now, the SPD is getting worse from the pressure so really fed up. My fasting readings are only just under so potentially going to have to increase my metformin too. Hope you manage to enjoy your spa day next weekend, getting in the pool may help with SPD.

Got a growth scan this Wednesday so hoping baby is head down and will stay down. I'm certainly getting a lot of movement really low down now so fingers crossed they are in position. My son starts reception this week so big changes for him, his behaviour has been up and down the last couple of days so I do think it's bothering him, along with knowing baby will be here soon it's a lot for him to process.

35 here, 5 weeks pregnant today with our first!
Having some cramping and spotting today, trying not to worry!

@RoseH36 thank you! I do think the week of enforced rest from staying in hospital probably helped! I'll certainly pop back to update and keep an eye on how you're all getting on! Good luck with the scan! Aw that is a lot going on for your son! Hopefully he loves school 🥰 How are you feeling about him starting? I think the anticipation of baby arriving is a lot for them. Once it's here it's all more tangible and easier to process. Sebby has calmed down lots now and loves his little brother so much. We're still getting some emotional outbursts though... Bit hard to know what is sibling related and what is normal 3yr old behaviour!

@SnookyPook Oh bless he's still so tiny! ❤️

We're in Austria at the moment. Smiley Marcella is 16 weeks old and becoming very chunky! We think she'll start rolling this week as she keeps turning onto her side 😬 She's a very happy and curious baby who doesn't mind being carted about in 33 degree heat thank goodness 😂

@Beckatha welcome and keeping everything crossed for you.

@SnookyPook thank you. I do worry about how he'll settle but guess that's normal. He's going through an Autism diagnosis at the moment, mainly for speech and social skills so that does add to the worry about how well he'll settle. He'll know other children from his pre school but the 2 children he did develop friendships with are going to a different school. Oh bless him, it's so hard isn't it when they can't process their emotions isn't it or verbalise how they are feeling.

@TheBirdintheCave How is she 16 weeks already?? That seems to have gone really quickly. Hope you're having a great time.

Bit of a longshot but are any of you Mum's to be in the East Midlands? I'm DE56

Just joining in again as we’ve decided to go for baby number 2. Started trying very casually this month so not expecting anything to happen but we got pregnant on the second month last year so will see what happens. If baby happens and comes next year we’ll have 2 under 2 😂 must be mad. But for me 37/38 is probably the oldest I want to be for having babies and we’ve both said that if we leave it a couple of years and we’re out of the nappy stage and everything then we won’t have another so we’re just diving in head first 🙈 I’ll be 37 at the start of next year.

@SnookyPook How did you find going to a spa when pregnant - is it still worth the money when you can't enjoy the jacuzzi, steam room, etc?

I am currently about 14 weeks and going through a post-12 week scan self doubt. Not sure if this is just me, but now we feel like we could start telling people, I am convincing myself that I should wait for my 20 week scan just to check again. I remember going through this last time, before I could feel movements or see much of a bump. We've told a couple of people but I'm just feeling anxious about it all.

@strawberry11 I was with a midwife and a paramedic (my friends!) which took some anxiety away! We turned the jacuzzi down a bit and I went in just had regular breaks/drinks and made sure I didn't feel too hot. Likewise short trip to steam room but felt that one much quicker so left. I had a lovely time as the treatment and a pool and the company made it a really fun day still. I imagine if you're someone that spends hours steaming and soaking in hot tubs etc it might be a bit frustrating. On the anxiety, I think that's very normal - especially as it's such a gap between the 12 and 20 week scans. 2nd trimester though now which is great. Will you get a doppler listen in with midwife at 16wks? I found that really helpful.

@TheBirdintheCave oh Marcella sounds delightful! 🥰 Enjoy Austria!

@RoseH36 ah I can see that adding a bit of extra worry. Most schools are so good now with kids with SEN so hopefully his transition will be smooth and he'll find a little tribe again soon. ☺️

@Beckatha ah congrats! I'm East Mids (North Derbyshire) but as you may have gathered, a bit further on in my journey - my little man is 6wks old today 😊

@SnookyPook aww congrats on the little one _

@SnookyPook oh that's good, sounds like you could still do lots at the spa. I must admit I'm more a soak in the jacuzzi person, but a friend wants a spa weekend later this year so I'll probably give it a go and just make it work :)
I'm definitely hoping for the doppler at my next midwife appt, I just want some reassurance. I remember this same feeling when I had my son, I felt so positive after the first scan, but then nerves set in again!

Sorry @Beckatha, I’m South East ish. Hope it all settles for you, it can be such a worrying time.

I am loving the baby updates @SnookyPook and @TheBirdintheCave- they bring me a lot of joy and excitement! That is one speedy passport application for Marcella! Glad she’s enjoying her holiday! @SnookyPook I hope that the scan goes well. I’m glad you’re all settling in well xxx

@RoseH36 I just looked at my calendar and I am absolutely over the moon that this is my last full week! I’m glad you’re feeling similar handover peace! X

Congratulations @Beckatha , are you having much in the way of symptoms yet?

Hope all goes well for your growth scan tomorrow @RoseH36
I've got a growth scan on Thursday so looking forward to another check in with my baby girl.
Still managing to keep my blood sugars controlled with diet for now, but who knows how long that will last. Only 29+1 today so still a little while to go until the really tricky period for GDM

@southwestsis I was pretty tired, had some cramping, couple of hot flush type feelings when out walking, very mild minimal nauseau

@southwestsis I was pretty tired, had some cramping, couple of hot flush type feelings when out walking, very mild minimal nauseau

Fellow over 35yo mums... has anyone pregnant with their second had a much higher result on the 12 week screening tests than first time round? My result for Down's was around 1 in 600, compared to 1 in 10,000 with my son. Does my risk go up naturally with my age? Would this be a result that you would be concerned by? Considering going for NIPT but it is expensive and not sure if I'm just surprised because it's so different to my first time round.

Mine was the same @strawberry11. I was 34 for first pregnancy (turned 35 month before birth) and 38 this time. It still counts as a low risk result. We didn't do NIPT. We did end up doing an amnio at 35wks due to his short femur length and ongoing growth issues with no obvious cause. Genetic screen all normal and he was born just as a small baby. Even most of the high risk screening results end up as no diagnosis of you look at the screening threads but of course up to you. If it'll play on your mind and further testing would reassure and you can afford it, go for it. X

@strawberry11 I also got a similar result in this pregnancy, I'd decided beforehand that anything worse than 1 in 400 then we would pay for the NIPT if we didn't qualify for an NHS one so we didn't do it.

Had my repeat growth scan for GDM yesterday and baby's abdominal circumference has gone up to 99th centile so I'm starting metformin today despite already having pretty good control of sugars with diet.
Hope it does something and baby girls proportions start to even out. I need to try and do more walking too!

@SarahB88 good luck. I never planned to have children this late but circumstances dictated things. Turned 38 a couple of weeks and baby number 2 is due anytime. I'll have a 4 and a half year age gap between mine.

@Beckatha I'm West Mids, Shropshire

@Bumblebee413 when is it you finish? I didn't change my date so still this Friday but I'm not doing much at the moment so winding down.

@SouthwestSis how was your scan? Mime was all fine, still tracking 50th percentile. That was the last one before baby is here.

37+1 today, bags all packed, GD brownies made and frozen a batch of 8 to take in with me (priorities!). DS bags packed with essentials should he need to go to my parents at short notice, they are going with hubby to do the school run tomorrow so they know where they are going. So think we're all ready. Had an appointment with the GD team last week, booked for an induction at just over 39 weeks and cancelled the c section that was booked at 41 weeks. I never wanted one but no alternatives were ever talked about with the consultant I saw at that point so had another appointment and we agreed to try an induction. I'd rather know I've tried everything and have a section as a last resort if needed.

So just sitting and waiting now, keeping everything crossed things happen soon, I'm just SO hungry and hate being so restricted with GD on what I can eat.

@RoseH36 thank you! Got my period bang on schedule today so nothing this month which is fine as we really weren’t trying. Will need to get the effort going after my period 😂

Hope your little one makes an appearance soon, good luck!

I didn’t really take many extra days off @RoseH36 in the end- last day is tomorrow but I can’t tell you how ready I am to stop!! Not least because we’ve done something slightly questionable 😆

So, still planning a home birth, however we have moved into the spare bedroom (where our family are meant to be staying when they come to do childcare in case we have to go in to the hospital…) and have started trying to renovate our bedroom as fast as possible. We didn’t manage to prep it in time for the plasterer at the weekend, so we’re a week behind, with bare walls, floorboards and all our furniture in the hall and the nursery 😂

This week we have to finish stripping the wallpaper and sand the skirting boards and picture rails in time for the plasterer on Saturday. They’ve measured for the carpet today but advised us that it may take three weeks- bang on the due date 😆 Next week’s job is to get that room painted, blinds and curtains in… fast 😂