Pregnancy after Miscarriage Part IX - Knicker Checkers etc

[dan39]

New one! Thought I would make my mark!

Thank you everyone, it is really helpful to be able to put my worries on here and get answers back, that basically say at the moment all seems to be normal, fingers crossed it lasts eh?

Jardins you should also find this helpful, done be afraid to put all your worries down

Poor you Tamlin i cant believe your appointment is going to be 2 weeks late, but i suppose it does depend on the area, doesnt it?

Heres good luck to everyone

Ashleigh I wish I'd been to some kind of breastfeeding course if they'd had a real mum in feeding (I think some work like this) because it's hard to get across in books. Having said that, the most useful help I got was from the breastfeeding counsellor who came to my house when DS1 was 3 days old and I was still struggling - there's no substitute for someone telling you what to do with your own baby I guess. That said, some people do just manage to do it with no thought. I suppose a course might make you feel more confident about it which is usually half the battle with these things.

Scarlotti I'm due 30th October, how about you?

Waited for ages to see the midwife (well, only half an hour but that's a long time to spend with a bored 4 year old entertaining himself by kicking you) and the student said she had finished, and just asked casually if I would like her to listen to the heartbeat. YES it's why I'm here !!! Anyway, it was there, and I was out of there within 5 minutes. They now don't want to see me until 28 weeks, which I would have been quite happy with last time but still feeling in need of a bit more reassurance and that's 12 weeks away.

I know you need to tell your employer at 25 weeks - does anyone know if you need the MATB1 form at that time, because if so I'll definitely have to go back earlier. I think I will anyway as I'll be on holiday for 26-28 and it would be nice to have been seen before going off to France.

Oops I've started knicker checking already - 3 days after finding out I'm pregnant! I'm ridiculous really.

I have a question for your experienced girls (actually I've got two DC but those pregnancies seem (inaccurately so)to be a blur of carefree months after the mc experience). Do you recall getting in the early, early days of pregnancy quite thick cervical mucus, sort of creamy coloured? I'm sorry if this is TMI but I need to know .... wail!!!

sydney we did the nct classes with ds and I'd definitely recommend it. I did them as I wanted to meet other mums-to-be and dh was keen as he'd not had anything to do with babies (dd was 8 when we met). It was great. All the babies are within 6 weeks of each other so all our worries were the same as each other stage wise, and we're all still in touch now.
Dh got plenty of good advice as to how to change a nappy, bath a baby etc. and there's plenty of information on labour options, pain relief options etc. Nobody is judged by what they do or don't want as the nct person running it is quick to point out that at the time, opinions change.
My dh was definitely staying away from the business end ... but ended up taking a peek and even cutting the cord!

Ours was 2 saturdays and an evening breastfeeding class. You can do evening classes too I think. They do get booked up early though so be warned!
The breastfeeding class was ok (she had knitted boobs everywhere ) but I found our teacher for that a bit too hippy for my liking. I loved our ante-natal teacher though, very down to earth and 'normal'!

Any more questions about it then ask away

Thanks Scarlotti that's very reassuring. I was just worried they'd be very much 'our way or no way' about labour and birth, and I want us to be able to make up our own minds (well, within reason of course - I am under absolutely no illusions about who's really in charge come the big day / night / week!)

But knitted boobs??? How does that work?

Alana I'm 23 weeks and the midwife gave me the MATB1 form last week. I'd ask to be seen more often than that if I were you - mind you, I'm still going in every two weeks . Stops me going round the twist.

wow forgotten how fast moving this thread is!

Still here, but been getting lots of braxton hicks...

Yes Jardins I do recall. Worry not

Evening everyone!

Wheely How did the babysit go? How fab are you?!

ashleighbee I'm so pleased that everything's okay. I am sorry that you were shaken up by your visit to hospital. That poor mum in the SCBU. Then again they are truly amazing places these days, a preemie is a very difficult thing to deal with (2nd hand experience only here) but my goodness, even in the last 10 years things have moved on so much.

Breastfeeding workshop - yes, go! I remember feeling a bit of a twit sitting there holding my Tiny Tears babydoll up to my bosoms, but practising useful holds and being shown how to actually put your nipple in a baby's mouth all made for one less thing to worry about straight after birth. I was quite lucky as DD just seemed to "get it." Breastfeeding was not quite plain sailing, but easier for having given the matter some consideration before being presented with a loud puce hungry baby!

sydneysuze I think LittleSyd is lovely and unisex too (is LittleSyd still keeping secrets from you?) Thank you for the Jedis of the ocean, I will see your narwhals and raise you a pair of Spongmonkeys

Crunch How are you enjoying all this sleep? Thinking of you!

Tattifer enjoy the practice ;)

I had a small whoops today, was giving a presentation that I run about 3 times a month and can usually do standing on my head. Unfortunately about 10 minutes into it I realised that both standing up AND speaking for long periods required more oxygen than it did last week - began to pant and stagger like a loon, so embarrassing.

I had to excuse myself from the room for a minute for a drink of water and a quiet sit down just to check that I wasn't actually faiting. Then returned to give the rest of the presentation sitting down! Poor people at the back were peering over heads at the panting pregnant lady. At the end I handed out a feedback form and said "Please note that there is no box to tick asking whether the pregnant woman fainted or not!" which got me a laugh.

Feedback was all very good (sympathy vote?), and I felt fine afterwards, but I think that'll be my last presentation this pregnancy. I am not very good at admitting that things are beyond my reach, even in such understandable circumstances, so I had a stern word with myself and feel fine now!

Hi

Can someone reassure me a bit? I'm getting stomach cramps and trying to convince myself this is still normal at 5 weeks in?

Morning Liskey

I had cramps early on too (amongst other things like daily spotting and even a big bleed at 7 weeks) and I'm now 23 weeks
It is scary but can be normal - everything has to shift around to make room for the pregnancy.

Gently those spongmonkeys are bizarre! Perhaps DH could suggest a feature on them to the BBC while he's in the Arctic? Might have to get one of the mini T-shirts for Little Syd once she arrives. Yup, no more secrets, sonographer was 90% sure she said that we're having a girl Be careful at work won't you? Remember it is ok to slow down and take it a bit easier now.

Cece how's it going? Still BH-ing or things moving on? Thinking of you and can't wait to hear birth story!

Scotlass lovely to see you, at Nathan's breast focus. Clearly something he's going to carry into adult life...

Well good morning ladies,

Ahh thanks for the website Suze, we were just given leaflets with our 'bounty' pack at the first midwife appointment, anything outside of that I have not got a clue about... We are just doing the NHS run ones as a couple of people in my area who have done them raved about them being done by midwifes etc, also get a trip around the hospital thrown in. I have looked at the NCT website, and do like the look of some of the baby groups they do like the Cheeky Monkeys Tea Party, and also the bumps to mums fortnightly meetings - perhaps I too should look into joining. And I am definitely putting 'partial attendence' on my birth plan

Liskey, I too had cramps early on, please try not to worry too much, our bodies need to adapt so much to fit this little person in & thats probably what you're feeling.

Gently I am with Suze, definitely remember its okay to slow down a bit now you're pregnant.. Well done though for your good feedback even through the panting and near feinting experience ay

Scarlotti Knitted boobs? as in boobs of the knitted variety?!?! How did that work?

Well I've phoned up to book onto my 'breastfeeding workshop' very interested to see whats going to happen here - will it be boobs of the knitted variety with tiny tears dolls!?

Alana they dont want to see you again for another 12 weeks? I would book in earlier if I were you, even if just using the 'i was unsure as to whether you needed to give me my MatB form so I came anyway' at least then you get to have a doppler session we all know how sane they keep us.

Jardins I imagine its all okay, my midwife always asks 'how my waterworks are' since things change down there so frequently during pregnancy, I really wouldnt worry.

Hellooooo Scotlass! It is lovely to hear from you and baby Nathan!!

Hi to everyone else, hopefully we'll all be having stress free days...

xx

Morning ladies

Liskey yep, cramps are quite normal with the stretching going on.
Jardins I've had much thicker discharge at times. Am just getting over a bout of thrush so it's all change all the time down there

Alana sadly as we're not first time mums we get very few appointments. I've had a booking in appt, a 12 weeks scan and will see mw tomorrow at 16 wks. My next appt with her will be at about 24 weeks I think and I should get my Matb1 then. Apparently our 20 week scan counts as an appointment!

cece not long now!!

Knitted boobs - were pretty much that. Almost like mini cushions ... and we were able to take the pattern home if we wanted to make some to donate! I think it was to show how they all come in different sizes. One of the Dad's in our course couldn't put them down!!

Well, I recieved my first proper kick today Have been feeling fluttery movements but today was a much stronger dunt from inside. So in honour of my bean I have decided to add myself to the list

But preg brain wins and it's on another page so I'll return with the amended list soon

GUSSET PATROL GRADUATES
Cricri - 1st November - GIRL- Elise Vivienne
LackaDAISYcal - 6th November - BOY - Finlay
barbareebaa - 24th November -BOY - William
Jackstini - 10th December ? BOY- Harvey
KD73 - 20th December - BOY - Aidan George
downbutnotout ? 3rd February BOY
dan39 ? 10th February GIRL - Rose
winemakesmummyclever - 17 February - BOY - Isaac Alexander
Bunnyinheadlights - 23 February - GIRL - Carys
Wheelybug - 12th March - GIRL - Lara Florence
TSOM - 17th March - BOY - Seth
Grinningbee ? 4th April ? GIRL ?Amy Florence
Daisy J ? 1st April ? GIRL ? Maya Celine
Scotlass - 17th April - BOY - Nathan James
Swaliswan - 20th April - GIRL
LoobyLou36,- 23rd April GIRL - Matilda Rose
Ladyhelen2 - 2nd May - BOY - Rufus Daniel
Divedaisy - 2nd May - GIRL - Sofiah Rose
Aquababe - 6th May - BOY - Ethan
Youknownothingofthecrunch - 8th May - GIRL - Polly Anwen

CURRENT CONCEIVED-AIR PASSENGERS

Ses - 10th May
SparkyMalarky - 15th May
cece - 18th May
joyfuleyes - 29th May
herbaceous - 28 June
Mumface - 11th July
nattythomasandellen - 16th July
Ashleighbeee - 23rd/25th August
HerNameWasLola - 30th August
blogqueen - 31st August
sydneysuze - 15th September
lal123 - 25th October
scarlotti - 6th November
Tink08 - 24th November

CONGRATULATIONS on going on the list Scarlotti its strange what finally prompts us to do it isnt it. I think I popped myself on after my 20 week scan?

I hope we have the knitted boobs - It is def a good way to show that they come in all shapes and sizes, I was taught to knit by a matron at my boarding school when I was about 14/15 - wondering whether its like riding a bike xx

ash - one thing that I wished I'd known about breastfeeding - not all babies know how to do it. I'd read loads about it before I had DS, including the LLL Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, because I really wanted breastfeeding to work out. So I was very well rehearsed on the theory. Unfortunately, DS was jaundiced and sleepy, and really resistant to latching - the first week was a nightmare. Fortunately the midwives in hospital were great and really patient - DS still has the odd feed now at nearly 4, so it all worked out in the end.

Not trying to scare you, just agreeing with Alana really - do whatever courses you fancy, but make sure that you get proper help if there are any problems when the baby arrives!

cornflakegirl agree with you there. My dd took to it like a duck to water so when ds came along I presumed it would be the same. Nope. Cue weeks of feeding for hours on end, not getting it right and a sleepy baby due to lack of food. Lost 10% of his birth weight. I didn't have enough help and didn't know he was sucking his inner lip and not me Eventually we went on to bottles and we never looked back.

I'll be trying again this time, will demand help more if it's not working but also won't beat myself up about it if we can't get it working. I want to enjoy my baby, not spend my maternity leave fretting that I'm not taking care of it properly. It ruined the first part of it last time and I'm sure it contributed to my post natal depression.

Our generation was brought up on mainly bottles as that was the fashion then - and we're all fine

scarlotti - I'm afraid I feel compelled to slap you with a wet fish for the last comment. (Agree with your second paragraph though.)

Well done for going on the list Scarlotti! That's my DH's birthday too so be prepared for a little explorer

Hi Cornflake nice to see you. Wet fish? Slapping?

hehe - not me guv. Will leave it to Crunch to reintroduce the exoticism when she shows up again

cornflakegirl don't know whether I should be flattered by the slap or not?!?!

I'm all for breastfeeding but only if it works for both Mum and baby. I just think that the gung-ho nhs can make a rational, successful, confident woman feel as though she's a complete failure for not being able to do it.
I know it's the best milk available, but I also know that formula is a good substitute if you can't feed for whatever reason, and I think a lot of new mums can be made to feel as though they're failing their babies unnecessarily by over bearing health professionals.

Doesn't mean I don't support every mum's right to try though

Please stop talking about wet fish, it's making me feel sick . DH decided at weekend he wanted jellied eels (he's not Dick Van Dyke, what is this about ) so took himself off to the fishmongers and also came back with 2 trout. They went straight in the freezer, don't want to touch or look at them.

Agree with cornflakegirl that some babies are just better at it than others. I had one jaundiced lazy one who still takes 45 minutes to eat his dinner then one greedy guzzler who still spends mealtimes in silence with his head about 2 inches from plate or bowl and one hand shovelling. The slow one fed for 40 minutes every 3 hours for about 4 months. Hope I get another speedy one this time, despite later disadvantage when it comes to table manners.

Evening ladies Sorry I've been so dreadful at posting lately, although in my defence the 2 decent posts I've done recently were both kindly deleted by my laptop.
Can guarantee that won't be happening again though.
Because we were burgled yesterday, and it was stolen...
My DH was at home at the time as well, so the back door was open so the dogs could go in & out and someone must have just walked into the kitchen and pinched it. I guess we're just going to have to be more careful, but we live in a quiet Hampshire village FFS, and it happened sometime between 12 and 3 in the afternoon, not exactly what you expect...

Am doing ok though. TBH so long as LO is ok (pray god) nothing bothers me toooo much... though am a bit concerned what the last couple of days have done to my blood pressure...

Sorry for the "me" post, but can anyone tell me how much movement I should be feeling at 25.5 weeks? I feel her every day at some point, some days more than others, but I'm certainly not kept awake by her or anything like that, which I know is happening to Ashleigh... There's always something to worry about isn't there... Next consultant's app on 11th seems like a lifetime away, haven't seen him since 19 weeks, and I'd kind of got used to my fortnightly visits from 7 weeks to 15 weeks [spoilt brat emoticon]. But we'll get there, one way or another!

To all the newbies, I definitely felt cramping/twinges early on with this pg, as other ladies have said I think in some ways it is a good sign, LO getting comfy for the long haul Not that that will reassure you for more than 2 seconds, but that's the "joy" of the 1st trimester for you - what a magical time...

I did have some good news today though too, made me smile on a day when I thought nothing would - a lady I know through a mutual friend has just found out she is pg She's had 2 mc's so is understandably worried/terrified/etc etc - we all know the drill! Have told her to get her backside over here sharpish, so hopefully the thread will have another new member soon

Please no wet fish for me either

Scarlotti I agree with you totally about the bf thing. There is SO much pressure to do it, not helpful if you're already giving yourself a hard time and feeling guilty anyway, at a time when you're more exhausted than you've ever been and your hormones are all over the place - not an ideal recipe for success! Am really hoping to bf, but equally I hate the idea of feeling pressured if I can't, I'm sure I will be putting enough pressure on myself without anyone else helping...

Ash I have heard a lot of good things about NCT. The only reason we're not doing it is because the previous mw from our village runs her own classes, and she's a bit of a legend, so we're going to those instead. Haven't seen any bf classes round here, got to be worth a go though, let us know how it goes! Partial attendance def going on my birth plan too, genuis!!

My mum has been knitting like a demon ever since she found out I was pg, mayber I should ask her to run us all up some nice knitted boobs to decorate the thread a bit?

sydney am loving hearing you sounding more and more confident about LittleSyd Have you done much in the way of nursery/baby clothes shopping yet? I've bought a few bits, the nursery seems to get a little more pink every time I go out - I just hope the consultant was right about her being a girl or there will be an awful lot of really nice stuff going on ebay!

Loved the Narwhals song btw, couldn't get it our of my head for ages

Now Miss Gently I hope you've been putting your feet up, we don't want any queue jumping on our list thank you! How many weeks are you now? Apologies for not knowing, am having trouble even remembering how may weeks I am atm Glad the feedback was good, bet it wasn't just a sympathy vote either

Has anyone seen Crunch lately? Whatever can she be doing?? Probably drinking lattes and having her nails done when she should ne on here talking to us I thought you were a brunette too Crunchie, funny how you get these pictures of people... Hope all is going well with your beautiful little Polly, and that your DH is behaving himself

Think am going to have to go to bed now ladies, am absolutely shattered. Sorry to everyone I haven't caught up with properly, promise to try harder in future Though with no laptop it's a bit of a PITA.... Oh well. Night all xx

Crikey that was a long post

Arghhh after routine check up yesterday I ended up at the hospital... Little one has turned to be a breech in the past week./ Now 40 weeks plus 3 so not happy. The plan is to try and turn it tomorrow and if that fails to have a c section afterwards

Oh Lola poor you being burgled like that !!!!!! That's exactly how I live my village life too, back door open, animals in and out, would never occur to me to worry!

Was anything else taken? Don't want to make you paranoid but the only time I've been burgled before (in Sydney) was while I was in - in the shower - and then they came back again a few days later when we were out all day and took loads more stuff.

And you're right - as I get close to my personal milestone of 23 + 5 weeks (Sunday) I'm feeling more like LittleSyd is really a baby who will make it

Thinking of you today Ashleigh and sending virtual (((((((((hugs))))))))))))

Cece!!!!!!!!!! You poor thing. I guess there's no way of knowing how often the baby has been breech in the last few weeks? Is he/she engaged? I'm guessing you're trying all the position type helpers like kneeling on all fours and so on? If not, have a look at the Janet Balaskas Active Birth Centre website here they may have some advice on encouraging the baby to turn. Keep us posted and fingers crossed for you all will work out for the best.

I'm missing DH alot today. Dog is friendly and likes to get in the bed but still, not quite the same.....