40+ mums-to-be and those who've 'popped' - come say hi, pull up a chair and have some cake!

[jeanjeannie]

Hello everyone - yet another thread. I'm expecting a call anyday soon from ITV - as I imagine we'll be prime candidates for taking over the Loose Women slot when they need a break

So, for anyone interested in joining in with us - just jump in and say Hi - we don't bite - unless you're disguised as a chocolate sponge cake

Ladies..................Take it away

x post heron thanks, don't feel so bad now

Aren't some babies doing BLW by 9 months? So how could a small piece of croissant hurt?

I've had a horrid night's sleep and so am going to lay on the sofa all day and enjoy baby kicks.

Although the weather is beautiful here...

Morning. Grouchy old bat here and busy day ahead with DP's brother and girlfriend over in a minute for the day.

Bonzo enjoy and remember we're all How wonderful - I'd love a holiday but not sure I've got the energy to pack everything up and leave the house...! I loved Cirque du Soleil - saw them a few year back in Battersea - great night out.

Heron breastpump and laptop combo sounds a fine idea!

mum41 croissants are good-to-go as far as I'm concerned I may say a marshmallow-topped muffin with double chocolate would be a little OTT but croissants are merely getting them used to a continental breakfast. I hope you served it with the sunday papers for them to tear up

tee sorry about rubbish night but hoorah for what sounds to be a most agreable day

Ok - off to cook a chicken x

Hello, I haven't joined in here before but I wondered if I could ask your views/experiences on this...

I'm (just!) 46 and 22 weeks pregnant with my 2nd - have a DS of 3. Was talking to my brother, who is an obstetrician, last night and he started asking me when I'm seeing a consultant basically because he thinks that at my age, they should be talking to me about induction and "if you were my patient there's no way I'd let you go past your due date at your age".

I was induced with DS, but they let me go two weeks overdue before they did so. This time, I'm aware that I'm older though it doesn't seem to be something the hospital are worried about at all. I'm booked at Kings, so I should be in good hands, but have any of you had discussions about inductions because of age? I don't hugely mind the idea of an induction (and would far rather that than an emergency section) but then again there's always the poss that DB's view is coloured by generally only seeing high risk pregnancies.

Would be really interested in your opinions.

Hi Rachel

Ya know, the one thing that has never been mentioned by my OB is my age? Granted, I'm 40, so you're a bit older, but the only time it was even brought up was when discussing risks for Downs Syndrome.

I am sure some of the older mums will chime in here, though. I'm the baby around here.

Hello all and welcome newbies
DH and I had a lovely Chinese meal on Fri night - although our new babysitter was late, having forgotten to look at the calendar. His mum phoned to say he was being booted out of the house that very minute (lives nearby) and later on she brought his tea round .
BUT I woke up in the early hours with gut pain and have been completely constipated since - spent all yesterday in bed drinking hot water . Syrup of figs, strong coffee, prunes - nothing doing, so I haven't 'been' since Fri morning and am feeling really bunged up, especially with huge baby bump. Seeing midwife tomorrow - if I have the strength to walk there - and may see doc too if this hasn't erm moved along.
Can't catch up with all posts, will do when I'm feeling better. Hope you ladies don't miss that hour!

rachel my obstetrician was obsessed by my age. Then again the hospital was in a rather run down part of Manchester and the upper limit for motherhood was 16 Anyway, yes, they should suggest inducing you as mums over 40 tend to have placentas that can start playing up. That's not the technical term naturally. I think they can become less productive (or stop working altogether) around 37-38 weeks. I'm sure your brother knows what he's talking about more than I do though! I'd ask at your next appointment although I'm sure they'll be monitoring you closely anyway.

Good luck having a poo ermintrude Mebbe the baby's keeping it all for her/himself.

My DD#1 has just rung from Centre Parcs and is loving it! I think we're going to book for August 2010 in the coming week so that we can get the lodge we want. Last time I looked for August 2009 some 2 months ago, all that was left was near to the main entrance. 25 minute walk to the centre. Bah!

Hi rachel. Congrats on your pregnancy. I'm 45 (and a half!) and am 38 weeks pregnant with my 5th. I have 3 big children and a little one who'll be 2 on thursday, am also in London and am under the Whittington. All my previous pregancies and labours have been straightforward.

My consultant doesn't like women over 40 to go much past 40 weeks as the placenta can become less efficient and amniotic fluid levels can fall. Last time I was monitored 3 times a week from 38 weeks to check everything was okay. I went in to spontaneous labour at 39 weeks. This time she is happy for me just to be monitored once a week (first session is tomorrow) and will reassess the situation if I get to 40 weeks. She mentioned further monitoring but said we'll cross that bridge if and when we get to it. The hope is that I'll go in to labour earlier again.

To get me on the way I'm having my first sweep tomorrow and the midwife has suggested I have another one at the end of the week. I saw the consultant earlyish on in the pregnancy but she only wanted to see me again at 37 weeks and she'll see me at 40 weeks if I'm still hanging in there. I'll let you know how I get on.

hello all

Haven't been on since Fri as we had 24 solid hours of crying with teething. T'was dreadful especially last night as there were half hourly crescendos of screaming. Calpol worse then useless. I don't know much about teething normally as my DS1's approach was to sleep through it. The tooth was already cut on Friday so I don't get why the screaming came after it had broken through. Anyhoo - anyone know whether these teething granules or powders that I keep hearing about are any good? What are they supposed to do?

So, between the weather, the teething, finding out that I was skint as the bank had taken a couple of large direct debits three days early AND a Dreadful Incident in H and M yesterday with Visiting Sister it's been a shite weekend, good and proper and no mistake.

speaking of shite ermintrude sorry to hear about your immovable problem - I use to just take those senna chocolatey laxatives. Not sure whether they are permitted or not but I didn't care as there is nearly nothing worse than constipation, especially in pregnancy.

Rachel welcome - I was 40 last year when pregnant and they did say that they wouldn't let me go past week 39 as the placental function can deteriorate in "aged" women. I would have gone along with it but in the end got GD so had to be induced at week 39 anyway. You can have scans of placental flow and all that if you want to wait to go naturally but if you are not bothered about being induced why not go along with what they want? Maybe at 46 it would be pushing it a bit? Although we have another lady on here ladymac (who 45 I think) is due imminently and I don't believe she is being induced early - she hasn't mentioned it I don't think.

Congratulations by the way! I love hearing about women who are pregnant at 45 and older as it makes me feel that I might have a bit more time to have another one, maybe

Gone awfully quiet around here! Everyone cooking Sunday dinner?

I am here tee

meant to say liked your shoes and bag - the cross body bag will come in v handy for buggy pushing!

Thanks Mrsb. My handbags always have to go across my body, I find the others feel unsecured to me! Must be my years as a New Yorker! (well, not quite a New Yorker, but close!)

so do mine, now!

Mrsb I'm no stranger to the utter crap day myself, so you have my sympathies. A trip to H&M usually cheers me right up though, or are you thinking of a different H and M?

tee i really love that bag, which colour did you go for? I've been looking for a greyish colour one for a while and not found anything I like so I might check it out.

We went to the zoo today and it was a lovely, crisp cold day. DP has been wanting to visit Knut the cuddly polar bear for ages and today we finally made it although he's now a hulking six footer now, not quite so sweet and definitely not up for cuddles.

Walking around I got so incredibly hungry I dragged him (DP that is, not Knut) into KFC which is very unlike me. He had one too and we've sworn each other to secrecy on the matter.

Welcome Rachel and congratulations!

I always get black handbags, peachy. Then go with everything!

Also have acquired the free Boots diaper bag. Looks good enough to me and the price was certainly right!

Hello and thanks to everyone for your replies. I've got a scan on Tuesday so may be able to raise the issue then, otherwise my next ante-natal is with the GP in a couple of weeks time. I must admit I thought it was a little odd (though quite nice) that the midwife at my booking in appointment made NO mention of my age. But then again she didn't ask whether I'd been taking folic acid so maybe she was having an off day

Ladymac - I would rather have an induction than a sweep any day. Good luck for tomorrow!

Evening ladies....am shattered...can I go to bed yet?

MrsB OMG - I'd wondered where you'd gone....poor you.....*send sympathies through cyber-space. Teething powders never hit the spot with either of my girls sorry! Oh dear AND you had "a dreadful incident in H&M".....gosh, that does sound like a rather good book title.... [looks on bright side emoticon]

Rachel HELLO! How exciting plus you're at Kings....brilliant place ...used to live round the corner! So many of my friends have had their DC there. I had my DD1 at 41 and DD2 at 42 and I was never told anything about my placenta - although having said that it probably wasn't raised as I had DD1 at 33 wks! I opted for a c-sec the following time, so I was never an overdue contender! How handy having a brother in the trade Good luck with the scan - enjoy seeing LO!

ermintrude Hope you've managed to have a poo

Ladymac enjoy your sweep

tee black does go with everything - it's official. Plus Black...is the new black

peachy you've made it to the zoo - wow - you're really getting out there and throwing yourself into German-life; parking fines, polar bears and KFC

jw I think that's it.....we could all meet up in a Centre Parc....don't know why but I envisage it to be a tad like 'The Prisoner'. We could all ride around on bikes...especially funny if you're preggie

Well, tomorrow kicks off with a FUN, FUN, FUN start as I've a smear booked for 8.45am Golly I know how to party...at least with ladymac's sweep there'll be something exciting at the end of it

Evenin' all. Been abandoned by DH - he's gone out for a curry. Anyhoo, I've been out and bought myself a couple of nice things in the sale (even better). I got this and this. Luvverly. Some nice maternity and baby clothes in the sale. Some sold out on the website but still in stock instore. Made me (almost) wish I was pregnant

tee meant to say before that I like your choice of bag and shoe combo. Very nice. And mrsb wears her across the body bag for walking around Old York as opposed to New York?

K's lying in her cot making funny noises to herself. She's not crying just entertaining herself. It's been a funny old day for her...she's not sure if she should be in bed or still up. This hour has thrown her off kilter.

jj my DD#1 is officially lovin' Centre Parcs. She keeps texting me to tell me so. I do believe the spa breaks are fab. Also, there's one in Nottingham and the Lakes. Isn't the former your home town?

I also have a smear booked for Thursday coming but I fear that I'll be 'up on blocks# that day. Didn't count them days when I booked did I?

Warning, HUGE whinge ahead!!

I am so totally uncomfortable tonight. Some Braxton Hicks, some heartburn, just feel very very pregnant.

The big problem is the heartburn. I take Gaviscon. I puke it up. So not very effective!

whinge whinge whinge.

K, I feel better now.

tee hate to say this but you're gonna get a lot bigger before this baby is born (as if you hadn't figured that one out already). Ask your doc for something safe but strong for it. I'm sure he'll oblige. Nowt you can do about the BH though.

Oh, and btw, you are very very pregnant!!!!

Gee, thanks JW!!

I am very aware this is going to get worse! I am hoping for a natural heartburn remedy, since all the other ones make me gag!

tee you must ask your GP for some Ranitidine. It was the only thing that did the trick for me. Took a few days to kick in but after that twas heaven to not be suffering.

Is noticeably better now the baby has engaged. Only realised that when I forgot to take the pills a couple of times.

Meant to say you take a tablet morning and evening. Tiny little pills you just swalllow with water. So no gagging issues

I have never had a Braxton Hicks, not a one.

Damn and blast - I forgot Lewis was starting an hour early tonight. Effing poo!!

Up on Blocks - haha - very good! Keep meaning to say jw your daughter is absolutely stunning - you don't half produce some gorgeous daughters mrs!