September 2024 - Thread 8!

[SpicyMoth]

Continuation from thread 7 over here; https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/pregnancy/5070517-september-2024-thread-7?page=40

Can't believe we filled the last thread up already feels like it wasn't even made that long ago, gosh time is absolutely flying by!!

@WinsandSam - I'll have to ask about CBT for sure, thanks so much for the recommendation - maybe I'll actually get some help seeing as I'm pregnant!

I've been trying to get mental health support for... Well to be honest since teen-hood and realising my daily crying was not in fact "just my period/puberty" as every doctor told me it was (all males ofc, typical 🙄) so I don't hold out much hope if I'm being honest.
I originally wanted to wait until my MH was sorted before ttc, but after over a decade I was running out of fertile time frankly, so here I am still with crazy anxiety and emotional dysregulation, but what can ya do?! 😅

Had my growth scan today at 29 weeks. Scan went amazingly well and baby is thriving 💕

Although my scan went well and baby/me and amazingly well. My consultant appointment was shit and he made me cry. Some people are so blunt and not at all warm. Basically felt like I was being told off for c section and told all the gorey details/risks. It had already been planned/discussed at the last appointment.
Told him how anxious I was (about procedure) and he wanted to start me on sertraline! No… I’m only anxious about the operation and meds won’t change that.
He then turned into a different person and gave me loads of reassurance, told me to focus on staying calm and well, enjoy pregnancy etc.. said I could have some meds to relax me on the day etc. so contradictory..
I can't stop crying and questioning my decision now

Just wanted a space to vent x

Thank you everyone for the well wishes - I’m home now after 5 hours in triage!

So while I’ve adapted well to the GD diet, my ketones were really high,and so they assumed I either wasn’t eating enough at all or not enough carbs at each meal. But when they went through the notes of what I eat on my app, they were concerned because they could see that I am eating enough, and have the exact right amount of carbs so shouldn’t have high ketone levels. So I got sent to triage and had loads more tests, and was told to eat something carby so they could see the difference, and effectively the exact amount of carbs I need to bring my ketone levels down is also the exact tipping point that pushes my blood glucose levels too high. So they’re giving me another couple of weeks to adjust my diet again, focusing on keeping my blood glucose readings as close to the bubble as I can without tipping over into a high reading 😭. So effectively I’m aiming for 7.1-7.7 after every meal (7.8 would be a high reading) - anyone who has ever had anything to do with GD will know how incredibly impossible it’ll be to get my readings to be that precise! The normal range for good readings is 4.4-7.7, just to give an idea of how challenging this is going to be!

I also have to be much more regular with my meal times - yeah, because teachers always get the chance to eat at exact times during the day and always get home at the exact same time each night 🙄. After the end of next week it’ll be easier because it’ll be the summer holidays.

As if the mental load of this wasn’t bad enough.

Oh, my favourite bit of the appointment was after one of my blood tests when I noticed my plaster looked a bit odd, so I poked it and blood spurted everywhere 😂. Sorry midwives!!

Hectic days for both of you! @Lillers

@WinsandSam I wouldn’t let the appointment change your mind (if you can help it) I feel like some of them have been doing their jobs for so long that they lose their “patient engagement” a bit. Their job is to give you the info/risk data so you can make your own informed judgement, which you’ve clearly already done so don’t let his bias sway you 🩷

So just left my 32 week scan (32+5 if we’re going to be extra precise) and guys, she’s estimated at 5lb 5 already. Her head is 96th percentile AKA her head circumference is bigger than 96% of baby’s at that gestation. Sorry, but, my vagina? Help?!!

My youngest at this gestation was estimated at 4lb 4 so I’m harbouring a beefcake.

@Lillers bless you, that sounds so stressful! And consuming too. Almost a full time job. I don't think medics quite get how hard it is for you. Sorry you had a tough day too

@Honeyandsunshine1 thank you! I was more shocked by the pushing of medication for my anxiety. I'm like, I'm not anxious, I have a phobia of medical procedures so don't need long term meds. Just wanted something on the day. I'll try not to let him change my mind. He then went on to offer to do the procedure himself 😳 bet I'll be stuck with him now

@Honeyandsunshine1 😂 well at least she's growing well!! My nephew was named Beefy from being in utero to 6 months as he was a mega chunk.. the chunkier they are the cuter 🩷

@Honeyandsunshine1 I’m reading this from the hip abductor at the gym and it actually made me laugh out loud 🤣 not about how concerned you are, but about the vagina wording 🤣
talk about big chungus eh 🤣

@Lillers that sounds too complicated to manage to be honest, because the outcome of those results literally can depend on how ripe something is that you eat 😒 you cannot measure the exact carbs in something you’re about to consume and the potential output of those carbs, like that’s too complicated math.

RIP to @Honeyandsunshine1’s vagina 😂💀

I’m so grateful to be low risk, but the minimal appointments (I’ve seen midwife 4 times) - 7w, 19w, 25w, 28w and scans (2) 12w and 20w kind of leaves me twiddling my thumbs abit! We also haven’t done any antenatal classes this time so I’m kind of just plodding along at my own space if that makes any sense? No idea how big baby is, or his current position.. probably read a few books soon, pack my bags and wait for my waters to go lol 🤷🏻‍♀️

@WinsandSam definitely don't let him change your mind! This is your body, your experience, and you're the one who has to take the anxiety on and manage that, not him!

@Lillers oh gosh that sounds so stressful I'm sorry you are going through this. Hopefully once you've broken up for the holidays it will help ease the load and give some mental space for you.

@Honeyandsunshine1 'harbouring a beefcake' 🤣🤣🤣 I can't stop laughing

@Xur Yep precisely! And hormone variations also change the level of insulin resistance in the body from day to day, even hour to hour, so it is completely bonkers to try to be that exact! I think they’re just giving me some time to try before putting me on medication, which I’ve been adamant about avoiding, but this will give them the evidence that I’ll need it 🙄

@Honeyandsunshine1 sending prayers and thoughts to your poor vag!! I was 32+6 when I had mine on Tuesday and baby was estimated at 4lb 4oz like your youngest. 5lb 5oz - yikes, I'd be asking to be induced next week 😂🤭

@Honeyandsunshine1 mine was measuring 97th on the head and already 4lbs 5oz at 31+4 so I might need some prayers for my vagina too.

On the topic of post partum meal prep, I've made a start and so far have the following -
Bolognese
Lasagne
Curry (Different varieties)
Chilli con carne
Soups
Chicken casserole
Beef casserole
Cottage pie

For anyone that uses Reddit, there is a subcategory of "Meal Prep" and you can type in postpartum on there and it brings up lots of different suggestions and ideas. Hoping to make my life as easy as possible as husband is a terrible cook haha!

I just realised it was 30+4 - oh dear

I’m having a shitty day in terms of acid in my throat. It has been disgusting for hours now.

I also went on the ball for the first time at the gym today. Today I decided to leave out exercises from my program that could make the acid/nausea worse. The ball proper woke my baby up, as soon as I got up from the ball, he started actively kicking. I did horizontal, vertical and circular hip rotations, it’s not like I invented new ball yoga. I’m surprised it had this effect on him.

@Honeyandsunshine1 they do say though that birthing larger babies is easier. I’m unsure how true that is as I’ve only had a c section previously.
We had our growth scan at 32 weeks exactly and baby girl was estimated to be 4lbs 3oz. I do however take it with a pinch of salt as I don’t think they’re massively accurate.

We just got the date through for our 36 week scan on the 5th August. Crazy as it feels like it’s just around the corner. Hoping baby girl stays put until after the 17th as that’s our eldest girls birthday

Okay ladies, I got a solution for acid reflux that doesn’t Involve pills!
I moaned to my friend about the acid and she told me to have a cup of warm milk with one spoon of honey in it and I shit you not-the relief is instant!!!

@Xur is this the first time you've had it? It's a daily thing for me now unfortunately. Rennies or a small swig of gaviscon clears it up within 5 mins to be fair though.

@Xur just seen your update. Pleased it's gone!

@Cat2022 double prayers for you girl!

Omeprazole has completely eradicated my heartburn. But I think it’s causing me to feel very bloated and to slow my digestion down, so then I’m having to alternate Fybogel and Lactulose. Had the same issue with Gaviscon, which stopped working anyway.

Can’t win haha! Just hoping I don’t need iron tablets to make things even worse. I’m absolutely shattered though.

I’ll happily stick to milk. I don’t want to end up with kidney or bladder stones. I have history of them in my family so I prefer to stay off acid meds.

@MudandMoet try the milk!!! 🥛 it’s a godsend. I’ve had it before but today it was dragging on for too long and too intense. Not a party I’m interested to host.

@Xur glad you found something that works, I was really acidy yesterday too so took a couple of rennies but I don’t like taking them regularly so will try your method next time. I did also drink a load of water before bed so I think that helped too.

Weirdly, there have been 2 benefits I’ve noticed of changing my diet because of the GD: no sickness and no indigestion. Makes me think that both were at least in part having caused by sugar/carbs (which might not be the case for everyone, but would make sense if I couldn’t tolerate glucose).

@Xur definitely will give the milk and honey a whizz later when it sneaks up on me after tea. Did you warm the milk and was it like a shot size or full glass size?

@Lillers a tiny bit of silver lining since your GD diagnosis then - still not great for you by a long chalk but it's there 🙌🏼

@Lillers really sounds like you're having a tough time of it. Hope the end of term brings some relief at least!

I might give the milk and honey a go too the nausea and indigestion are ramping back up again.

I had a 5am start this morning to go to a competition with the dogs all day.... it's a serious struggle being pregnant tired too!