November 2024 Babies - thread 3

[waryandbored]

Hi everyone and welcome to thread 3.
Please ask if you’d like the link to the private Facebook group. It expires after a couple of days so I won’t add it to this post.
If you’re new to the thread, we are a friendly and supportive bunch all in it together and hoping to welcome our new additions in November 2024!

Does anyone have tips on what meals to have? Between the nausea and acid I can’t stomach anything much, had crackers for dinner today 🫠

I recommend cold things. Fresh tomatoes, cucumber, cut fruit. I had half a tin of apricots as part of a meal yesterday. Peanut butter and jam toastie?

@carlymarie24 - I'm all about the stodge right now! Had some macaroni cheese that went down ok. Bananas and crunchy apples are my safe fruits. Cream cheese on crackers? I find egg and cress sandwiches pleasantly tasteless at the moment.

Plain pasta for me tonight! Then made myself a vegan sausage roll (well heated up) and ate that a bit later on.

Something I’ve found that I really tolerate is quinoa. It’s so good nutritionally too, loads of protein and omegas. You cook it like you would pasta. I then wait for it to cool and have it with fruit / berries etc for my lunch.

Tonight my worry is that the heartbeat could’ve been too fast? Silly worry I know. The sonographer (who also used to be a midwife) said she thought it was normal and a great sign and could even get faster. Everything I read online though says 178bpm at 8+2 is above normal.

I've never been told the actual heart rate...I'm assuming if they haven't mentioned it at scans then it assumes it's on track 🤔

I would definitely take the word of the midwife over Dr Google, although I know it's easy to worry!

@Sparksi I also did a Google after birth our baby bpm were 167 and got worried it was high, same with the yolk sac as we don't have a perfect image of a circle. I then resolved that if there was a problem then they'd had told me then, and me trying to figure everything out was probably not helping my anxiety but honestly have found the 12 week wait really hard this time and thought my early scan would reassure me and let me settle into it a bit more. Honestly though if the midwife has said it was good and it could get higher even, I would take that as great news. Congratulations again! Xx

I’ve just had a letter through with my ‘12 week scan’ date… I’ll be nearly 14 weeks!! 😳

I was really hoping for around the 11.5-12.5 week mark but don’t know if they would alter it if I rang them.

@Sparksi I'd imagine they'll have given you the soonest appointment they've got available, I understand it will be hard to wait that bit longer though.

Still no idea when my dating scan will be, hopefully will get a letter soon.

@Sparksi my dating scan is at nearly 13 weeks which gave me anxiety as that would mean no scan for like 5 weeks 🙈 (last one was 7+5) so I've booked a private one for this weekend and then it will leave a 2 week wait 🤣 i had an early loss in my last pregnancy so these scans really help me with anxiety x

That's annoying. I'd be disappointed too. You could always have a private dating scan to know your due date? Or an NIPT test depending on your reasons for wanting the test on the earlier side of the dating scan window?

I went yesterday for a private scan at 8+2 and they confirmed my dates and due date (which was exactly what I thought it would be which is great). I just don’t fancy waiting nearly 6 weeks! I might book another private or see if they can squeeze me in elsewhere.

I'd totally forgotten you'd had a scan yesterday 🤦‍♀️ sorry. It's so lovely to see them on the scans and watch their development. I'd have one a week if I could!

That’s ok! I lose track of people on here all the time😂 I remember people’s comments but not who made them. Theres lots of us now. It is so lovely, isn’t it. The reassurance is so temporary though and I’m already wondering if things are still okay… I have accepted I will be until they are here! Hope you are doing ok xxx

I feel like I’m in the minority here and not planning to have a private scan at all… we’ll see when my 12w scan is scheduled for. Plan to go on holiday at 14w, lots of car travel, bit nervous about that. If my nhs scan isn’t before that I think I will book a private one that leaves enough time in case the worst happens. So I guess about 11 weeks ish.

@CurlyWurly1991 same with us, have my booking appointment at 10 weeks and waiting for my 12 week date. We want to do the NIPT also, but I think you can only have that if you've had a scan previous so likely have to wait until after the 12 week.

@Sparksi I'm also in the tilted uterus gang, and my sonographer has intentionally booked my scan in nearer the 13 week mark to give the baby a better chance of rising up more and hopefully getting better pictures for all the checks. So although the long wait is annoying, it might not be a bad thing.

@Riverstardust do you mind me asking about NiPT - what are the advantages of doing this privately before nhs 12 week scan? As I’ve heard that NiPT will now be done on nhs if you are flagged as high risk. Trying to save money here - but nervous about risk as I am 37. Thanks

Oh my goodness, I had no idea there was any connection, but yes!! Makes so much sense thinking about it. What a lovely extra bonus your mum got!

So I spoke to an EPU nurse today just to get some clarity after my horrible scan on Tuesday. I was in shock at the time and couldn't really take in a lot of what was said.

Basically the 2 main reasons they're predicting a non-viable pregnancy is:

• There isn't an embryo visible and according to my positive test, I'd have dated at minimum 6+1 weeks on the day I had the scan.
• The gestational sac is a slightly irregular shape and this can be an indication my body has realised something is wrong, so the sac has started to break down.

I mentioned about ovulating on CD17/18 but the nurse just said the earliest I could have been at the scan was 6+1.

So it's those two things in conjunction that is making them think it won't be a good outcome. The bruise the mentioned at the scan apparently is just a hematoma at the side of the yolk sac, which I've read about being very common.

The dates seem so marginal to me, so I'm keeping a bit of hope alive. Maybe that's silly.

Anyone have any experience with irregular-shaped gestational sacs?

For us, we just want it for peace of mind. It provides more accurate results than the NHS one. We're also using it as a way to find out the sex.

I think I might actually wait to find out sex at the NHS scan. It's like something to look forward to for longer, if that makes sense?? Let's see if I actually stick to that. 🤣

I don't have any experience, but positive thinking is always a good thing. 😊

@purplecolouroffunk glad you have a bit more clarity around the EPU thinking. No personal experience but solidarity whilst you're waiting, I'm sure it's really tough!