The Pregnancy Chat Thread!

IvyTheTerrible

I have a question about travelling. I'm flying home with Aer Lingus next week and I was just looking at their webpage and they say they allow pregnant women to travel "up to 28 weeks with written permission of their doctor". Now, I am not obviously pregnant yet, do you think I could get away with going without the letter? Or do they just ask women that are obviously expecting?

littlemissfixit

Avril123 wrote: »

What's TENS? (I really don't have a clue about anything, it's my first )

They are placed both side of your spine and basically thy stimulate your own body's pain relief hormone production. I have used it from the moment I got to hospital, and although I have nothing to compare it to, my labor was really manageable. You can hire them, but decided to buy mine as the difference in the price wasn't so great, I think I paid around 70 pounds. If you intend to go without epidural, I would really recommend it!

foxinsocks

Officially 8 Weeks to go, and I wanted to post a non moany post, just for balance.

I am excited about this baby, very excited, I can't wait to meet my new son or daughter. I can't wait to hold him, to feed him, to smell him, to do all the things I haven't done for so many years with a new addition to my family. My daughter is 8 years old, she is also excited. She tells everyone who will listen that I'm pregnant (she also tells them I have diabetes, just in case they can't tell). She talks to my belly, and the baby kicks her hand when he hears her voice. The baby hates when the cats sit on my bump and purr, he actually manages to get out from under the cat, making my belly into some very strange shapes!

Last night I had a dream that I had the baby, and she was a girl, and we named her Rachel, and now we have another potential name that we both like for our new family member.

While it's true that it would be nice if my pregnancy wasn't going through the entire a-z list of symptoms and side effects, ultimately, I know it doesn't matter, because at the end of it, I'm getting a baby, and going without cake for a few months is 100% worth it.

Hannibal Smith

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

I have a question about travelling. I'm flying home with Aer Lingus next week and I was just looking at their webpage and they say they allow pregnant women to travel "up to 28 weeks with written permission of their doctor". Now, I am not obviously pregnant yet, do you think I could get away with going without the letter? Or do they just ask women that are obviously expecting?

I reckon that's a decision you'll have to make yourself Ivy. If that's what their webpage says, it's up to you whether you tell them or not?

Neyite

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

I have a question about travelling. I'm flying home with Aer Lingus next week and I was just looking at their webpage and they say they allow pregnant women to travel "up to 28 weeks with written permission of their doctor". Now, I am not obviously pregnant yet, do you think I could get away with going without the letter? Or do they just ask women that are obviously expecting?

Ivy, they restrict the last trimester for fear you go into labour on the flight. If you are not visibly pregnant then you probably wont need the letter, however it might be no harm to ask your doctor about flying - if you have varicose veins or a risk of deep vein thrombosis risk the doc might need to prescribe you something like baby aspirn or advise you to wear support stockings on the flight.

IvyTheTerrible

Neyite wrote: »

Ivy, they restrict the last trimester for fear you go into labour on the flight. If you are not visibly pregnant then you probably wont need the letter, however it might be no harm to ask your doctor about flying - if you have varicose veins or a risk of deep vein thrombosis risk the doc might need to prescribe you something like baby aspirn or advise you to wear support stockings on the flight.

Oh I asked the doc already and he was fine about travelling, but I didnt realise I would need a written letter, and now it;s a bit short notice to ask him for one!

galah

Ivy - how many weeks are ya?

I flew airlingus at week 7, week 12 and again at week 15 (at that point definitely a little bumpy, but not too much), and they didnt want to see a letter or even ask about my being preggers. I'd say you'll be ok - I think it;s more a precaution for them when you're further along...

week 30 today - the time has flown!!!!! went shopping with the parents, painted the house, did all the other leftover DIY, trip to ikea for baby stuff tomorrow, pram ordered, all going great! ;-)
(well, apart from the excruciating back pain, the stretchy pains, and the constant kicks in various bits...:eek:)

IvyTheTerrible

galah wrote: »

Ivy - how many weeks are ya?

I flew airlingus at week 7, week 12 and again at week 15 (at that point definitely a little bumpy, but not too much), and they didnt want to see a letter or even ask about my being preggers. I'd say you'll be ok - I think it;s more a precaution for them when you're further along...

week 30 today - the time has flown!!!!! went shopping with the parents, painted the house, did all the other leftover DIY, trip to ikea for baby stuff tomorrow, pram ordered, all going great! ;-)
(well, apart from the excruciating back pain, the stretchy pains, and the constant kicks in various bits...:eek:)

Wow you're very productive!

I'm 18/19 weeks. I think it'll be grand, just wanted to see if other mums-to-be had had any issues. Think I'm too calm so looking for things to stress out about! :P

freudiangirl

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

Wow you're very productive!

I'm 18/19 weeks. I think it'll be grand, just wanted to see if other mums-to-be had had any issues. Think I'm too calm so looking for things to stress out about! :P

I went on holiday at 24/25 weeks! I brought a letter from my gp just in case as I was taking an internal french flight also........... I wasn't asked for the letter at any stage
I brought it just in case

In saying that I only really popped a few weeks ago and am still quite neat despite only 7 weeks left---

Oral Slang

I flew home from London the day before my 28th week. Brought a letter from the doc & wasn't asked for it. I flew with Ryanair & heard of a few people that had been asked to produce one in the past.

You should be ok at the stage you are, but wouldn't risk it from 24 weeks on, because if they think you are over 28 weeks & you don't have a letter, then they mightn't let you fly.

Avril123

Is it really worth getting the TENS machine? When do you start using it? Is it safe? Where can you buy it?

Cat Melodeon

Avril123 wrote: »

Is it really worth getting the TENS machine? When do you start using it? Is it safe? Where can you buy it?

If you have 50-70 quid to spare, it might be worth it, particularly if you are hoping for an epidural-free birth. Like I said, I never got around to using mine because my labour was too quick, but I'll be trying again this time. My sister used one on her labour and thought it was useless, but she started using it when labour was advanced - you're supposed to begin with it on the lowest setting once the first contractions start and pump up the power as required. Some people see it more as a distraction than a pain reliever - for me, either way it's worth it. Friends of mine swear by them and say they wouldn't have gotten through the early stages of labour without them.

It's completely safe once you follow the instructions (ie don't use it before labour commences and start with a low pulse moving up to a stronger one) and you can switch it off if you don't like it - it only works when you have it switched on and it has no effect on the baby (unlike drugs which can make a baby drowsy).

You can buy tens machines from Boots, Mothercare etc - they do their own brand ones - just make sure that you get one specially designed for use in labour as the standard ones don't have the all important booster button for using during contractions (standard ones are used a lot for pain relief of sports injuries etc). I hired mine from a company called Medicare - I did a lot of research into it last time round and they got the best reviews, along with the one from Boots. The Mothercare one didn't get such good reviews, and non-pregnancy ones (sometimes on sale in Aldi/Lidl) were generally considered useless.

Hannibal Smith

Does anyone here have SPD? The reason I'm asking is because I have had this pain in my pelvis, basically since day one, but it's getting worse. It gets particularly worse in the evening. If I need to pee the pain becomes very sharp and eases a good bit afterwards.

I asked the doctor about it the other day and she said it was SPD, but I didn't think SPD was temporary like that? She kind of went into a shpeel of an explanation of what SPD was but, I thought once you had SPD it was a consistent pain that didn't go away and why would it be affecting my need to pee? lol

I'm not looking for medical advice, I asked my doctor for that the other day, I'm just curious if any other ladies have SPD and are these symptoms similar? Because to be honest I thought it was the baby's head lodged down there lol:o

foxinsocks

I have spd! I have EVERY symptom, apart from puking!

Anyway, what you have described is not that similar to what I have. I get a burning pain down the pubic bone at the front, especially if I spend time lying on my side without a pillow. Also, I can move my legs in a scissor motion, but I can't move them apart, ie, I can't walk sideways without pain. Can you tell which joint the pain is in? With my first, my spd wasn't that bad, but generalised pgp (pelvic girdle pain) was much worse. I wasn't even able to lie on my side with the first without pain, but it felt like it was in my back, and in the joints where my thigh bone joins the pelvis. If you press a finger or thumb into the little dimples at the top of your bottom (or the bottom of your back) where your pelvis joins your back, if you have pgp, it will hurt like f*ck.

In my case, my spd doesn't hurt all the time, just if I do something to aggravate it. Very occasionally it burns for no apparant reason, but usually it's pretty obvious that I just have to stop doing what I just tried to do The only thing that relieves the pain for a decent period of time is when my cat sleeps in my crotch for the night, posable perpetual heat pack

My spd doesn't seem to effect how much I pee either.

Is your baby definitely lying head down?

Tigeress

Hannibal Smith wrote: »

Does anyone here have SPD? The reason I'm asking is because I have had this pain in my pelvis, basically since day one, but it's getting worse. It gets particularly worse in the evening. If I need to pee the pain becomes very sharp and eases a good bit afterwards.

I asked the doctor about it the other day and she said it was SPD, but I didn't think SPD was temporary like that? She kind of went into a shpeel of an explanation of what SPD was but, I thought once you had SPD it was a consistent pain that didn't go away and why would it be affecting my need to pee? lol

I'm not looking for medical advice, I asked my doctor for that the other day, I'm just curious if any other ladies have SPD and are these symptoms similar? Because to be honest I thought it was the baby's head lodged down there lol:o

Hannible I have nearly identical symptoms to you. I'm going to the GP tomorrow for my Antenatal and intend on asking him about it, I do find the pains in my side worse at night or if I over do it during the daytime but it gets a while lot worse when I need to pee & as soon as I've gone it's like it disappears until I need to go again..

I'll let ya know what he says to me tomorrow I was thinking SPD myself but who knows what he'll say he is very good at explaining things though too!

Ms2011

Hannibal, Tigeress I have the same pain and have had it since 10 weeks. It mostly happens in the evening or if I move suddenly and likewise if I need to pee the pain will be worse. Glad to know I'm not the only one

cbyrd

I have 2 weeks left. . . :eek:

braxton hicks are starting to get really sore now and the standing doesn't help was at the gp yesterday and she's surprised that he hasn't moved down yet.. still no engagement :rolleyes: i did warn her i was going to be 2 weeks late.. think she's starting to believe me maybe i will take to the trampoline :eek:
i'm kinda glad though cos when he does move i won't be able to stand for long anymore without being hooked up to the loo
Just realised i can count down in days now :eek::eek::eek:

liliq

12 days over tomorrow... I've to go into the hospital for an overdue scan, and possibly to be induced.
I'd rather be induced than be sent hom, cos if they send me home it'll only be til Saturday, and I don't think baby's head is engaged- if he's not engaged by now I don't think I'll go myself before Saturday.
Any tips to help convince them to induce me tomorrow?! :rolleyes:

Cat Melodeon

At 12 days over it shouldn't take much convincing! Just say you're really uncomfortable, exhausted, can't sleep etc. I wouldn't go introducing any scary symptoms in case they scare easily and want to sunroof you. As long as your dates have tallied all along, they'll surely take pity on you? I was in the opposite boat last time out - had to fight for every day past 39 weeks, eventually was induced at 40+10. You and baby must be hale and hearty!

Tigeress

Good luck at your appointment Liliq! I hope you get to meet your baba soon! X

I was in with the GP this morning for my routine checkup & they measured me as I was telling him how uncomfortable I am and sleep etc he said the baby is a good big size (eek) and that I'm measuring over 2 weeks more Ryan my dates say! (which is entirely possible) he told me to get the Antenatal Clinic to measure me wen I'm back with them in 3 weeks and to ask them to amend my dates as I'm def not 25+4! He measured the height of my uterus above my belly button and it's 7-8cm above.. I'm really hoping that the hospital change my dates to sooner but I don't think they will..

Hannibal Smith

Hey Liliq, if I wish that you meet your baby by saturday does that count as insider trading? :D Seriouly though, I hope you don't have to wait much longer 12 days over must be so tough xxx

I have a vomitting bug here...which wouldn't be so bad if the queasy feeling wasn't accompanied by some one mooching about in my tummy. Not that I'm complaining...at least I know he's alright in there, but it isn't helping with the vomitting

I started pregnancy yoga last night (thanks for the link Oral Slang) It is BRILLIANT!! I wish I'd done it on my first, if any of you can find a class near you, I highly recommend it, it's sooooooo relaxing.

My pain doesn't seem like yours Fox. Mine isn't in a joint as such...it's kind of right in the middle. I don't think the head is down that low now that I think of it, because when they do a scan they don't put the hand held thing down that low, but I have a proper ultrasound next week so I'll ask them then. If I walk around it eases off but when I stand up it really hurts and as I say when I need to pee it's like my full bladder is compressed and then it eases off...if you get me lol

Cat Melodeon

Tigeress wrote: »

Good luck at your appointment Liliq! I hope you get to meet your baba soon! X

I was in with the GP this morning for my routine checkup & they measured me as I was telling him how uncomfortable I am and sleep etc he said the baby is a good big size (eek) and that I'm measuring over 2 weeks more Ryan my dates say! (which is entirely possible) he told me to get the Antenatal Clinic to measure me wen I'm back with them in 3 weeks and to ask them to amend my dates as I'm def not 25+4! He measured the height of my uterus above my belly button and it's 7-8cm above.. I'm really hoping that the hospital change my dates to sooner but I don't think they will..

Tigeress, I'd not stress about baby's size just yet - wait to talk to the doctor at the clinic. It's a wholly inaccurate science. The size (weight) of a baby is not as important as measurements like the circumference of babies head, and only an ultrasound can measure that with any accuracy. Babies grow at different rates at different stages so you might be measuring big now but slow down later. Plenty of people are told they are having big babies only to greet their perfectly average 7 pounder, just as people who are told their babies are small can end up with a whopper. Once your measurements on the scan are within 10 days of your EDD, they generally don't bother amending your dates. Normal gestation is anywhere from 37-42 weeks, so even if they change your dates on the chart, that doesn't guarantee baby will comply!

Tigeress

Thanks Cat I'm not worried about the size or anything (at least not yet) I'm expecting to have a big baby as it seems to be the thing on both sides of our families.. It was te uterus measurement that the worked out that I was further along, I'm delighted to keep my Xmas Day EDD but would also be glad if they pushed me ahead

cbyrd

liliq wrote: »

12 days over tomorrow... I've to go into the hospital for an overdue scan, and possibly to be induced.
I'd rather be induced than be sent hom, cos if they send me home it'll only be til Saturday, and I don't think baby's head is engaged- if he's not engaged by now I don't think I'll go myself before Saturday.
Any tips to help convince them to induce me tomorrow?! :rolleyes:

Poor you. . i'd be surprised if they send you home.. although if the placenta is ok they might leave you to see if you go yourself.. happened me on my last one i was given 40 + 13 to come in at 2pm to be induced the next morning.. i had him myself that night with just one gel thank god :rolleyes: but bring your bag anyway cos they might just say to come back that night..
it's the longest 2 weeks. . i've gone over on all mine. . but at least you know that by sunday you'll be the other side of it

Hannibal that sounds like a head sitting on the bladder or pelvis, i know at the moment when i'm sitting for a while and i stand up i've to wait a couple of seconds before i move my feet cos the weight of the baby on my pelvic bone, bladder and all those other internal organs that are squished is painful . . i've gone to the loo and when i stand up i still feel like i need to go :eek: it's the pressure .. and the baby hasn't dropped yet. . he's still very high. It kinda feels like someone has a vice and is tightening it on the bone and pressing it down.. i'm just hoping he hasn't got a massive head :eek: ouch

Hannibal Smith

That's exactly the same with me cbyrd! You pee, stand up and you feel like you need to pee more. I've never had SPD so I don't know what it feels like, but this doesn't feel like a joint thing it feels like a head. I have a scan on Tues so I'll ask again then, I'm sure she'll be able to tell me exactly where the head is and whether that's what it is.

Ms2011

Wahoo 12 weeks today, I've made it to the magic number
I know there is no completely 'safe' time but it does help me relax a little more. The only disappointing part is I haven't had any let up in the evening nausea and tiredness that I was promised :rolleyes::)

IvyTheTerrible

Ms2011 wrote: »

Wahoo 12 weeks today, I've made it to the magic number
I know there is completely 'safe' time but it does help me relax a little more. The only disappointing part is I haven't had any let up in the evening nausea and tiredness that I was promised :rolleyes::)

I think it took me til about week 14/15 to fully get rid of the nausea so hang in there!...I'm still tired but it's less annoying when you're not sick!

Ms2011

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

I think it took me til about week 14/15 to fully get rid of the nausea so hang in there!...I'm still tired but it's less annoying when you're not sick!

Fingers crossed, like you say tiredness is alot easier to deal with when you don't feel sick. I can remember not being able to wait for my pregnancy symptoms to start but I'm so over the nausea now

wmpdd3

Congrats Ms2011!

Yep 14+1 the sickness went, what a day!

Tigeress

Ms2011 wrote: »

Wahoo 12 weeks today, I've made it to the magic number
I know there is no completely 'safe' time but it does help me relax a little more. The only disappointing part is I haven't had any let up in the evening nausea and tiredness that I was promised :rolleyes::)

Congrats Hun hope the sickness eases up soon for ya! I was about 14/15 weeks before mine let up! So did ya officially tell everyone yet?