All New, Sparkly Fab and 40 + : Mums, Mums to Be or TTC. Come say Hi !

[jeanjeannie]

Hello all - well, this is our third message board..so it's a popular topic.

If you're a fab forty something then please come and say Hi!

The thread lives in pregnancy as that's where it started....but it's certainly no longer confined to just being about pregnancy. It's for anyone whose a gorgeous 40 something. So get a cuppa, bring some biscuits - or cake - and have a chat x

mmmmmmmmmmmmmm cake

Nice to see I'm the first to arrive

As always jw first at the party....last to leave

You know me far too well JJ

It's spooky

hello all!! third thread already wow!

jw - the hospital staff were confused? ehmm was there not someone like ,oh I dunno a consultant they could ring up and check things with? At least they erred on the side of caution I s'pose...

rosebury - hi - I so know how you feel - been out and about today doing necessary things and its hard going. I don't want to leave the house again until I go to the hospital...

Jeanjeanie - Verity looks fab!! All chubby and smiley!! Edible, practically Oh and love the floppy hat pic also.

Havin' a good day today at Boogie towers The blood sugar monitoring is going ok (once my OH figured out that I was sticking the testing strip into the machine the wrong way round. ahem. typical me. Had to get up at 7am this morn to eat tea and toast to ward off the sickness. Also discovered that ginger nuts don't seem to have too much of an affect on my blood sugar. which is good because I need to eat them on a regular basis

Better yet went to Leeds for a private well-being scan on the LO. He's a bruiser alright - weighs six and a half pounds apparently!! with four weeks to go. (well they reckon) but is within the normal range fr size. He was very active and she said the blood flow and placenta looked perfect. I could have waited 'til next week for my scan at the diabetes clinic but had already booked this one and you can't have too much reassurance.

So, given this good news went actually went to mothercare and bought some babygrows and little hats and socks and to matalan for some horrid great sack-like nighties for me for the hospital. Quite a breakthrough actually buying babyclothes

oh and jw - cleaning? whassat?

Hello all.

Have been lurking since late May when I almost joined in the chat but then had early mc. Miraculously I have managed to conceive again, am now 6+4 so fingers crossed this is a sticky one.

I have just had my (whispering emoticon) 45th birthday. Bit like johnworf I have 2 big ones then an 11 yr old ( dd1, ds, dd2) by ex, then remarried and have 16 month old dd3 (dh's first). Thought my baby days were over before I met him - now look what's happened!

Am booked in for CVS. Didn't have one last time due to bleeding at 10 weeks. Can I ask if any of you had it done? If so, how was it for you?

Jeanjeanie - have obviously posted for the first time after you invited gorgeous 40 somethings to join in the chat!

Hello ladymac and congrats...Oooo, how exciting Well, it's great you've found us again...we like new people...otherwise we end up talking to ourselves!! Gosh - you have got your hands full!

Like you I thought my baby days were over - but unlike you - they hadn't even begun!! It must be something to do with meeting a new man. I've been with my DP three years next week...and have two LOs under 2 He reckons young sperm cracks old eggs

I had a CVS - due to shocking nuchal scan & blood test results. Basically after my 1 in 3500 odds for DD1 I was given a 1 in 2 chance with DD2 We were then messed around by NHS and ended up having to pay for an emergency, last minute CVS at the Fetal Med Centre in Harley Street. The great Nuchal God man himself (prof Nikolidies sp?)did the CVS....and it was really nothing at all. Seriously it took literally no more than 20 secs...max! The waiting though was horrendous - with such bad odds we prepared ourselves for the worst. And hey presto - all clear. We now have Verity who is 12 weeks today
Are you having a scan first? Do keep us posted - you're allowed to moan at how rotten you feel or whoop for joy because you're glowing. Although I have to say - not many of us have 'glowed' during our pregnancy !

mrsboogie good news about your little bruiser! And look at you buying munchkin clothes...ha...they'll be no stopping you now. Oh and even better about the gingernuts....how lucky is that

Hope everyone finds us OK. Waves - especially to pwcbird and babycakes who we hope are popping by and having a read even if not posting xx

Welcome ladymac. Hoping all is well with you and your little bun. Good to see that there are others with big gaps in their sex life children's ages

mrsboogie glad you've figured out how to use blood meter. Don't forget to rotate fingers! Btw, porridge is good as it's low GI.

Absolutely no experience of CVS so can't give any advice whatsoever. Over to those who are qualified

mrsboogie looking forward to seeing your baby interview in next months edition of HELLO!....in your full make up and a sack

Just popping in for a cuppa. I'll skip the cake , thanks. We had some friends round for tea this afternoon and ended up with three different cakes all of which had to be tasted. (Out of politeness, of course.) And I was just congratulating myself on getting into non-maternity jeans today!

Hugo is now 2 weeks and a day, and doing really well. I've put up a pic of him and one of his big sister on my profile.

johworf - grateful for some advice re blood sugars - I have been doing mine before meals as instructed and getting between 4 and 7.9. Tonight I tried it after after dinner and got a 10 - this is quite bad right? I'm not supposed to be doing it after meals yet but I wanted to get an idea of how little I would have to eat in order to stay under 7.8 as advised. Not very much methinks -

I only ate a small portion of basmati rice - I know you are supposed to eat a small amount of carbs with every meal but wouldn't it just be easier to eat none where possible?

when I say after dinner I mean one hour after dinner

Thanks for the welcome and the new thread JJand a big welcome to ladymac I also have lots of children with large age gap.

congrats on new baby fortified and please tell me that the non mat jeans that you have got into so quickly are not your usual size.

Mrsboogie I also have those sexy nighties from matalan I think that you are due just before me.

JW I am coming up north today visiting family in Lytham for a few days looking forward to having a steak and kidney pudding from the chippy, I will be back to chat next week.

have a good weekend everyone.

Thanks for the warm welcome.

I'm having a scan in about 3 weeks, when I'm 10 weeks, then the CVS a week later. The genetic counsellor (very helpful, booked all the appts for me, nothing too much trouble) also offered me an earlier scan at the EPD if I wanted, so may still take her up on that.

Have been incredibly tearful for the last 24 hours as my lovely ds (20) is off to Vladivostok tomorrow for the 3rd year of his degree. Yes, I know most normal Russian scholars would head to Moscow but he will be studying Korean whilst he's there and wants to be near enough to visit Korea. Either that or he's keen to be as far as possible from his mummy!

We're off to Pembrokeshire for a week later today so doubt will get near a computer but will catch up when I get back.

mrsboogie ok...let me sit you down and have a chat.... Portion size: we're looking at no more than fist size of anything. All meals should be around same size portions and try and aim for 5 smallish meals a day or 3 of same size plus snacks inbetween.

Please note: fruit has lots of sugar so limit this portion to 6 grapes. NO bananas please as they have lots of sugar. Small apple is fine. No nuts of course.

If you want to get an idea have a look on the net for low GI diets as they are what you are aiming for (apart from the fruit naturally).
I also switched to organic goats milk as it has slightly less natural sugar in it but that's up to you.

An hour after food is considered the minimum time to test. Anything up to 2 hours is fine. Don't be surprised if you blood sugars shoot up (it's called spiking) especially after bread, pasta or any other processed carb. Look at eating Vogel or Burgen bread (you can find this in most supermarkets). But try and limit carbs - yes it's hard!

You've probably already been told this but anything over 5.5 fasting (i.e. before food) and 7.5 post food is considered abnormal but don't worry about this as they'll be keeping a close eye on it rising. The breakfast fasting reading was the one I had problems with. I was getting over 10 before food (a lot more over 10!)

Anyway, a few tips for you there my dear. Please ask me anything you like if you get stuck or having problems with your readings.

Rosebury I bet you can't wait for your Hollands Steak n Kidney pudding (or baby's heads as they are locally known). Will you be partaking of some chips, gravy or even scrapeings with that?

Fortified your LO's are darlings. Very scrummy indeed

Has anyone noticed how all the over 40's babies are so beautiful?! It's obviously something in the maturing process

ladymac wouldn't worry about your DS going away. They always come back you know...often with a great big bag of dirty laundry...but hey ho. Before you know it he'll be home to his mum. Oh, and enjoy Wales. You've got a nice day to start your jollies with!

johnworf thanks - that is helpful indeed. Nuts surprised me. Also I'm sure I didn't have more than a fist sized portion of rice so hmmm...

From what I can see the levels seem to shoot up after my evening meal (which is the only proper sized meal I eat in the day at the mo)

I dread to think some of the things I have been consuming recently - went to goodbye drinks at pub with colleague the other day and had four J2Os eeek.

I won't keep pestering you with questions - promise It's just I would like to get it as "right" as possible this week so that when I go back next Thursday they won't be able to tut at me.

ladymac You're lucky that your child is so independent and adventurous - I can't get my 20 yr old out of his bedroom!

mrsboogie ask away! that's what we're all here for (I was once the ignoramous you know. Oh wait, I still am ) Seriously, email me if you're really stuck - or facebook me.

Just remember that sometimes no matter how good you are, your blood sugars will rise and there's nothing you can do about it. It's all to do with your hormones and placenta and other mysterious things beyond your control but as long as you stay on the yellow brick road and follow a few simple rules, you'll be doing the very best you can.

Nuts; we're not supposed to consume any during pregnancy due to babies and nut allegies but I'm sure they explained all that to you at your booking in appointment. All changed from when I last had a baby (back in the day) when you could eat coal, marzipan blocks, runny eggs and sometimes, pickles and ice cream (together). Guess it's called progress....or getting old and out of touch.

johnworf thanks once again. I am trying!! Had a blt for breakfast on dietitian's advice (even with white bread cos I can't eat anything brown at the mo) and it left me with lower sugar than I had first thing in the morning. My bs seems to be higher first thing than later when I have eaten. Makes no sense to me - must be these mysterious bodily forces whereof you speak

Any idea of whether tinned soup is good or bad? tomato or chicken especially?

Aah the perennial nuts question - I don't remember being told that at the booking in appointment but back then I was convinced I would miscarry again so refused to listen to much of what she said. However some stuff I had read recently seems to suggest that the advice has changed again and now you can eat nuts because they think that avoiding them altogether might reduce the baby's tolerance, unless you have an allergic family in which case you should avoid them.

Anyone read the piece in the Guardian mag today about Kate Garroway's forthcoming programme about women getting other women to wet nurse their babies? Essentially it's a school of thought that says that if you can't feed your baby yourself its better to have it fed by another woman than another species (cow). Makes sense I guess. Anyway
she said that if you sneeze near a woman who is breastfeeding a baby within hours her milk will contain antibodies to whatever germs were in your sneeze to protect the baby. How amazing is that...???

mrsboogie as a rule of thumb, look at the sugar (under carbs) content on the tin/packet. It should say per 100grams. I was told anything over 5grams per 100 isn't too good for diabetes but think there are different schools of thought on it. Obviously though, higher the sugar content, higher your blood sugars will be.

Btw, anything that is diet (as in coke) or sugar free is ok...although if it's got sorbitol or another sweetener, watchout as it can give you the squits if you have too much. Avoid anything low fat though as it's not good for you.

Yoghurts anything around 10grams per 100 is ok to have (try petit filous as portions are small)

Gosh - it's been busy today..pulls up chair while eating cake (to annoy mrsboogie*)and reads through.

fortified Hugo looks gorgeous - I love a boy in a cardi and your girl is soooo cute - great hair. My poor Iris has hardly any hair still and what she has got is dry fluff!! And as for getting into your maternity jeans....well done you...*runs off and cries !!

rosebury have fun 'oop north' and stay clear of those "baby's heads" pies....UGH! What a gross expression...I feel all weak!

ladymac WOW...I'd have my chest soooo puffed up proudly if my DC was a Russian scholar...how damm fantastic! I LOVE the place...can't speak a word but adore the country. I spent time there (another story for a drunken afternoon) and would love to go back. Blimey - he has picked the most far flung place...isn't it the last stop on the Trans Siberian express? Doubt if National Express will get you there for a long weekend Enjoy Pembrokeshire....it's nearer!

Johnworf we eat Vogels or burgen bread - is it good for you then? Mind you've I've just eaten half a loaf (literally) of Costco's raisin bread...soooo yummy.

How's Lady katherine doing this weekend? Are you packing her home bag yet?

mrsboogie are wet nurses about to become all the rage?.... Well, I've got blinkin tons of the stuff and could do with the extra cash. Be good if everyone piled round to mine...popped the babys onto my norks (with their own cushions for the prolific dribblers out there!) while I ate choccies and the mothers made me cups of tea

We're contemplating going to the outdoor pool on the rye tomorrow... Apparently it was 30 degrees in there today.....I believe that when I dip my toes in!

jeanjeanie yup apparently wet nursing is the new summat or other - we'll have to watch the programme and see. But I think you can sell it to milk banks - if you fancy making a few quid 30 degrees? flippin' eck - have they positioned a giant magnifying glass over it or something? It's cccccollld here - not that I am complaining, mind.

Managed to keep my blood sugars between 4 and 6 all day today - so I am pleased with myself. Probably get a massive reading tomorrow for my smugness...

night all

xx

Hi there. I'm saying no thanks to cake but am bringing the most delicious dim sum with appropriate dipping sauces from its spiritual home.

I started my sweet tooth at week 22 and was making banoffee pies and ginger cakes and lemon drizzle every week, but lost it as soon as Eva was born and am now gorging on dim sum. I'm afraid mrsboogie that I'm not sure they are that good for your blood sugar either though, but you can have some of the fantastic broccoli with garlic

Eva is much better. They caught the NEC early (and are very pleased with themselves as they should be), and think that is why she's made a good recovery. In fact, she's been moved out of the NICU and into special care.

Exhaustion is still the reason for my repeated absences. I spend longer at the hospital now because after the NEC the doctor said it was important for Eva to have breast milk if possible. Even just the few mls I produce. So, two or three times a day I spend an hour in the breastfeeding room pumping and syringing the milk from around my nipples because there isn't enough to fall into the bottle. With all this work I make max 9 mls in a day. Jeanjeannie what do you think, an all expenses paid trip to HK for you and your norks? My mum was wet-nursed. We asked about a breast milk bank but they don't do it here.

Actually, I'm in one of those "I don't know who to believe anymore" phases on the breast milk. My friend sent me a a piece of research that showed that enriched formula was better for brain development in premature babies than breast milk. But of course the breast milk is better for their immunity. It's not like I have much of a choice right now so can't worry about it.

Eva's building up to milk slowly again to make sure her gut tolerates it. She's on 5 mls an hour plus the IV nutrition. She's still putting on weight though. She's now 1.915kg.

Re nighties - if I knew you better (like only if you were all my mother) I would show you the photos of what I had to wear in the hospital. You're not allowed to wear your own stuff so you're issued with these voluminous pink cotton pyjamas. If it's chilly, you get a sky blue padded jacket. If you are a man or not ante or post natal, you get checked pyjamas. People thus attired wonder at will through the hospital. It's like a very disturbing Logan's Run.

Nuts.

Sorry, had to do it, just for fun. That's how sad my brain is right now. Plus, the last post was so long thought I should start a new one.

I was in an "I don't know who to believe" mood on the nuts too when I was first pregnant. Then I looked around me. If the Chinese gave up nuts or nut products when they were pregnant they'd starve (probably the same in Africa). They all cook in groundnut (that's peanut) oil, and they love their nuts in food, and there is no increased incidence of nut allergies here. That really helped me be relaxed about it - I was craving peanut butter plus my instincts told me the baby would be more likely to avoid nut allergies if I desensitised her - I mean, that's how they treat other allergies. My consultant (UK trained) agreed fortunately and only advises women with nut allergies in the family to avoid them.

dim sum yum yum

I am so over cake - was going off it before the GD business anyway - plus there's nowt like the thought of trying to give birth to a 12lb baby to make a slice of cake seem not worth it...

mrsjupiter good to hear from you and good news that Eva is doing well. I'm sorry you are struggling with the milk - but like you say - you can only do what you can do. Have you tried this fennel (is it?) tablets business? I've seen it mentioned on here as being good for milk production.

oh and how odd re the pyjamas in hospital over there - sounds most strange - perhaps I won't moan too much about my horrid matalan nighties after all ...

Congratulations Fortified - Hugo (also love the name) is gorgeous.

Hi ladymac. Great to have new members to make up for those who are a bit lax with their posting (ahem).

pwcbird and babycakes still think about you often.

jw so sorry for the crappy time you've had recently - lots to say about that another time - but glad Princess K is on the up again. You know, I'm sure, that everything you've gone through really resonates with me. I send waves of positive energy to you and K when I'm sitting with Eva.

I've posted some photos of Eva on my profile page. She looks like three different babies but honest, it's the same one.

That's all for now. Honest. Gotta go pump and visit.