Due February 2025 - Thread 2

[UrbanSquirrel]

Hello all, just creating a new thread to lead on from the existing Feb 2025 thread - which is speedily filling up!

Oh God @Thecomfortador I'm so, so sorry to hear that. Please take very good care of yourself. What heartbreaking news it has been so far this week. Sending lots of love to you xxx

I’m so sorry to hear this. Take care and please try and be kind to yourselves. Xxx

So, so sorry @Thecomfortador, sending lots of love. As @UrbanSquirrel has said this week has been heartbreaking and I'm so sad for all you lovely ladies x

So sorry to everyone who's had sad news this past week, rest and be kind to yourselves.

Really sorry to see the losses so far, thinking about you all.

What are peoples experiences with booking appointments and first scans? I'm in Belfast and 38 years old. I completed my self-referral form at 8 weeks as per the local policy. Didn't hear anything so called today and my first appointment- the booking apt with the midwife isn't until 2nd August - which for me is week 12 plus 5 days...
To be honest I thought/was hoping it would be sooner and that I would be getting my first scan around then. I'm super anxious as it is, and abnormalities is one thing naturally I'm worried about the risk of, especially in my age group. I read online ideally your first scan is between 10-14 weeks to look for abnormalities.
I'm thinking of going private for these tests so I don't delay, maybe for the whole thing if I can make the pennies stretch. NHS has let me down on other medical stuff recently here and im just assuming will be same with this.
Just wondering if anyone else in same boat / looking for your advice.

Hi @SBelfast
I'm also 38, first pregnancy currently 7+6. I'm in England and was told to self-refer from 5 weeks which I did and I had my midwife booking appointment yesterday so yours does sound quite late. My scan has been booked for the second week of August when I'll be around 12/13 weeks. I think timings vary quiet a bit depending on area reading some of the other posts on here. Might be worth calling your pregnancy unit and asking for it to be brought forward? They took blood and a wee sample to check things so I think that is better done sooner than later? If you go private I wonder if NHS will accept private scans etc. my midwife didn't care when we mentioned we'd booked a private one but said they wouldn't look at the results as they couldn't vouch for reliability.
This is my experience but there are others on this thread who have much more experience and might have some insight too. It feels like such a waiting game at the moment xxx

Thanks @WildFinch! I honestly believe they'd tell me to get lost if I asked for it to be brought forward :(
Think it's just the way things are with the waiting lists. I'm pretty sure I'm going to go private for some of these initial diagnostic tests though and your experience has just encouraged me not to wait.

@SBelfast That does seem quite late for booking appointment, assume you don't have a first scan date yet which would push it quite late.

My booking appointment is when I'm 10 weeks and hoping I'll get a scan appointment either when I see midwife or shortly after.

I would probably try and contact them to see if it can be brought forward, it's so hard with all the delays but they do have ideal dates for appointment/scans to happen.

It has been a tough start to the week on this thread, and I hope you won't think I'm being insensitive if I share a little bit of happy news.

I've just come out of my second scan (another private one), and am so relieved and happy to say that the baby is doing well. It has changed amazingly in the 2 and a half weeks since our first scan and now actually looks human. It has little feet! It even wiggled one as we watched.

We were 7 days behind at our first scan, 5 days now, so everything is consistent and the sonographer didn't seem concerned by anything. Back next week for the NIPT bloods.

Immensely thankful that all is Ok so far.

@UrbanSquirrel how wonderful! Little feet ♥️.
when did you have your first scan and second scan?
I have my first private scan today but I now realise it’s definitely too early and I probably won’t see much. Still going though. I should be 6+2 today. I discussed rearranging with my partner but he said let’s just go for it and if need be we will return. I am quite anxious though.

@UrbanSquirrel Lovely picture ❤️ Great to read all is well!

Hi @ThisLimeDeer - our first scan was when we should have been 7+3 (according to LMP), but the baby was measuring 6+3. I didn't measure ovulation date so I assume I just ovulate later in my cycle than usual. Today I'm officially 9+5 but the baby was measuring 9w spot on.

I guess it depends how confident you are on ovulation date? There is a chance you won't yet be able to see a heartbeat, especially if you implanted late or something like that. So don't
assume there's something wrong if you don't
see it. You should be able to check it's all in the right place though.

Good luck!!! 🤗

Lovely picture @UrbanSquirrel so glad it's all looking good!

I had my booking appointment today at 8+5 and my scan has been booked for 13+2. The midwife was lovely, just all seems so early still and quite a wait for the scan!

I am in Belfast too, I am week 5 + 2 and I knew really early so I self referred like 2 weeks ago but haven't heard anything back, your post is making me think I should maybe call them... I did get a private scan though in Belfast, cost £75, maybe worth doing if you are concerned.

@MonkeyTales nice someone else in Belfast. I'm Belfast East so my referall form was Ulster Hospital and it said to complete at 8 weeks. When I called the guy asked also how many weeks :/
But it seems they post out apt details which I've not received but he was able to tell me mine. So I'd say definitely worth calling and checking in?
I went for a private scan last week, was reassuring. I went to bump to baby. Think ill go for the private NIPT test if I can find somewhere to get it done :)

@UrbanSquirrel great picture:)
Do you know what type of NIPT test they do? I just started googling these earlier and seems different types and a bit of a minefield!

@SBelfast Not an expert on the NIPT but there was a choice between the standard, which covers just the three trisomies, and the advanced, which also covers various other conditions too. As far as I know both check for gender. I went for the advanced, just because I'm a big believer in 'the more info the better' 😂

I'm booked in with Window to the Womb - if you have a look at their site you should be able to find details of their tests, just to give you a bit more of an idea of what might be good for you x

@Thecomfortador im so very sorry to hear this. Sending you lots of love ❤️

hi all 👋
i’ve been a lurker here for 3 weeks now and thought i’d take the plunge and post seeing as everyone is so reassuring and lovely🥹
i’m 6 weeks pregnant with our first baby, first ivf cycle using the only embryos we had left (retrieved 21, but sadly only 2 got to blast and they were ungradeable so transferred both to increase our chances)!

my 6-7 week scan is on monday (4 days away), and to be frank i have been a mess since we found out. i thought all i wanted was a positive test and id be happy, i never anticipated this gut wrenching anxiety filled wait. reading everyone’s scans/scenarios in here has helped me through so thank you🥰
only a few more days to get through 😫

Sadly this was not our time either. Scan today at 9w3 had no heartbeat, looks like bean stopped growing at 7w3 ish and presumably because I’m taking progesterone that’s why I’ve not had any bleeding.. was quietly optimistic after seeing the heartbeat 2 weeks ago but alas
Private scan so they’ve referred me to EPU, hopefully will hear from them tomorrow. Have no idea what happens next and I’m too scared to google..
Had to dip out of the WhatsApp pretty quickly just for my own sanity because it’s so busy in there but now I regret not saying bye to the girls in there, they’ve all been such a wonderful support.. if any of you are still checking in here I appreciate it!

Best of luck to everyone and I’m wishing you all happy and healthy pregnancies 💛

Hi there, your definitely not the only one full of anxiety, think someone else said we are all in this together. Hope you do something nice over weekend to distract yourself before your first scan 😊

I’m so very sorry, that must have come as a huge shock after seeing a heartbeat previously. Be kind to yourself xx

@Confusedmermaid1 My heart goes out to you. What an awful shock, especially after a promising first scan. Sending lots of love for whatever comes next, and please take good care of yourself. I am so, so sorry xxx

Welcome @jas1996 and lovely to have you on board. I know, right? You get the positive test and you assume that's it. We first timers have absolutely no idea of all the anxieties and hurdles still to come. Still, you're in the right place. I've found that everyone here is so supportive. Try not to fret too much over the weekend and keep us posted with how you get on next week x