March 2018 Baby Club

guideanna

I've been trying to get through to Holles St Public all flipping morning to see can they change my appt. It just keeps ringing out.
Such a bad service, not even a voicemail/message option.

boardsuser1

rainbow kirby wrote: »

15 weeks is taking the piss particularly when you've had a loss before. Ring again and try and get it moved back or get an early scan scheduled with EPU.

If you can afford it though private scan at ~8 weeks is well worth it for the reassurance.

+1 for the E.P.U.

We rang for an appointment last Friday, got seen on Monday.

guideanna

rainbow kirby wrote: »

15 weeks is taking the piss particularly when you've had a loss before. Ring again and try and get it moved back or get an early scan scheduled with EPU.

If you can afford it though private scan at ~8 weeks is well worth it for the reassurance.

Thanks you, that's exactly how i feel. She said unless it's a loss within last 12 months your not guaranteed early scan!

michellie

guideanna wrote: »

Thanks. yea thinking about it i may as well ring and try. Like i know the maternity services are so over crowded and everything is at maximum capacity but it's just too one to wait IMO.

I went in at 12 weeks last time and came out with a broken heart and having to schedule a D&C for the following week because pregnancy stopped developing weeks earlier….something which could have been detected at an early scan.

Don't mean to scare anyone i just had a bad experience so i'm very fearful for first trimester.

Did you ring them? Hope you got somewhere with it!

Sorry just seen your update. That's a pain!

guideanna

Going to my doc tomorrow to see will they send a letter to get me an early scan. Getting pretty stressed out now so if that fails i suppose i'll have to book a private scan.
Maternity services are so poor in this country.

ANXIOUS

guideanna wrote: »

Going to my doc tomorrow to see will they send a letter to get me an early scan. Getting pretty stressed out now so if that fails i suppose i'll have to book a private scan.
Maternity services are so poor in this country.

To be honest if you are getting stressed about it I wouldn't even think twice about paying for a private scan. There is no benefit in waiting to see if you'll get it for free.

lashes34

Just go for a private scan, its not worth the stress you are putting on yourself. €80 is a small amount in the grand scheme of things. Most people don't wait for the first hospital appointment these days anyway.

Anne_cordelia

guideanna wrote: »

Going to my doc tomorrow to see will they send a letter to get me an early scan. Getting pretty stressed out now so if that fails i suppose i'll have to book a private scan.
Maternity services are so poor in this country.

It will be a loooonnnnnggggg almost 10 months if you let everything get on top of you like this. 15 weeks is actually the norm in some hospitals. Book a private scan for 9/10 weeks and forget about stressing.

LegacyUser

Guideanna, if women could get a scan for free whenever they wanted/felt worried people would constantly be in there. I know it's nerve wracking and I can't imagine going through a loss but they have guidelines/criteria for a reason. Pay for the private scan and get yourself some comfort.

notlongleft

Guideanna, if women could get a scan for free whenever they wanted/felt worried people would constantly be in there. I know it's nerve wracking and I can't imagine going through a loss but they have guidelines/criteria for a reason. Pay for the private scan and get yourself some comfort.

rainbow kirby

12 (dating) and 20 (anomaly) weeks for scans are standard in the UK and US. Ireland is terrible for failing to do them at the correct time and not providing women with all necessary information.

notlongleft

Agreed rainbow. There should be a scan done at 11 - 13 weeks and one at 20. There's no consistency in the maternity care on this country which is evident even in the overdue policy. I couldn't believe not all the hospitals do 20 week scans. Coombe definitely sticks to the 12 and 20 mark so maybe try to change hospital if any other is convient guideanna.

Toots

I'm in the Rotunda (semi private, so not sure if public is the same) but I had my scan at my 12 week booking appointment, and then will have the big one at 20 weeks.

I was very nervous and booked a private scan for reassurance, and it was definitely worth the money. Had a small amount of bleeding at week 8, and when I rang the hospital they said to come straight in and I was assessed and scanned.

When I had my last baby, I had him in Holles St and my first scan wasn't scheduled until week 16, but as it turned out, I had a threatened miscarriage very early on, so I ended up in the fetal assessment unit twice and ended up having 2 scans before the 16 week one (which actually worked out at 13 weeks because it turned out my dates were wrong)

I think if you're concerned, definitely book a private scan because it'll do you no good to be sitting at home imagining the worst until your hospital appointment. In the ideal world, any woman who has had a previous miscarriage would automatically be offered an early reassurance scan, but unfortunately it's not the norm.

starbaby2003

Is anyone doing the domino scheme?

tea_and_cake

starbaby2003 wrote: »

Is anyone doing the domino scheme?

In from the February thread. I am. Only had my first appointment. Need to book my 18 appointment with my Dr. So far so good.

starbaby2003

tea_and_cake wrote: »

In from the February thread. I am. Only had my first appointment. Need to book my 18 appointment with my Dr. So far so good.

Ah great ! My appointment is Wednesday. I got a good vibe from them so hope it goes well !

boardsuser1

Hi guys.

Are piles common in the first trimester?

My wife is just back from the doctors and they have told her she has them.

Neither of us have any experience of piles in general so any advice is appreciated.

Toots

You can get piles any time! AFAIK in the first trimester, being constipated is more common, which in turn can lead to piles. She needs to make sure she's staying well hydrated and try to eat lots of fibre to make it easier to er, go #2 and irritate them less. You can get over the counter creams or suppositories for them - just be sure to mention to the chemist that she's pregnant so whatever you get is safe for preggos.

guideanna

March18 wrote: »

Guideanna, if women could get a scan for free whenever they wanted/felt worried people would constantly be in there. I know it's nerve wracking and I can't imagine going through a loss but they have guidelines/criteria for a reason. Pay for the private scan and get yourself some comfort.

What a flippant comment….

What guidelines do they have? Please enlighten me as in my first hand experience it's those who ask that get when it comes to the maternity hospital i'm dealing with anyway!

Why should i have to pay for a scan…if i want a reassurance scan after a history of MC i should be getting it NO QUESTIONS asked!

guideanna

Ok so update, i've got an early scan with Holles st next week thanks to my GP. Very thankful for this..even though i believe it should be given as standard where previous mc's are involved.

Also changed my 15week apt back to 12weeks after a bit of pushing on the phone, girl on phone telling me i'm not guaranteed a scan at 12 wk apt…yes well, we will see about that my dear because i will be kicking up a stick if they refuse me one!

And 20wk anomaly all booked so feeling much happier.

Just waiting until next week now where i will (please god, fingers crossed) have a good reassurance scan.

Hope everyone is not feeling too ill, i'm finding eating little and often if "helping" keep the nausea at bay…so i basically eat all day!!

tea_and_cake

Guideanna not being flippant but be thankful you're in Dublin so. Cork another major city in Ireland doesn't offer to all mothers. Only 30% get them. Only 1/4 hospitals offer the anomaly scan I was reading earlier.

I only had a 12 weeks scan because they couldn't find the heartbeat with the doppler. I signed up for the domino scheme as a public patient knowing I wouldn't get that scan and if I wanted it I'd have to pay myself.

Unfortunately our health services aren't as good as we would like. Glad you were able to get sorted but please remember the staff on the phones don't make the rules so kicking up a stink with them won't always help. Taking to your GP is the best approach.

guideanna

tea_and_cake wrote: »

Guideanna not being flippant but be thankful you're in Dublin so. Cork another major city in Ireland doesn't offer to all mothers. Only 30% get them. Only 1/4 hospitals offer the anomaly scan I was reading earlier.

I only had a 12 weeks scan because they couldn't find the heartbeat with the doppler. I signed up for the domino scheme as a public patient knowing I wouldn't get that scan and if I wanted it I'd have to pay myself.

Unfortunately our health services aren't as good as we would like. Glad you were able to get sorted but please remember the staff on the phones don't make the rules so kicking up a stink with them won't always help. Taking to your GP is the best approach.

I'm not living in Dublin, i'm actually 2 counties over but i choose Dublin because as much as i do believe Holles St is a cattle market i just wouldn't be happy in a regional hospital (partly because of your reasons as listed above).
And please don't think i'm dissing anyone attending regional, i'm not at all, having been through a MMC and a fairly traumatic labour i do have a lot of worry over my head re pregnancy/labour so for that reason Holles st is the obvious option for me.

RE staff on the phones, they don't make the rules but they can pull the strings when required! Note to anyone who's not getting what they want…don't be afraid to push for it a bit…this was all learned the hard way first time around!

rainbow kirby

tea_and_cake wrote: »

Unfortunately our health services aren't as good as we would like. Glad you were able to get sorted but please remember the staff on the phones don't make the rules so kicking up a stink with them won't always help. Taking to your GP is the best approach.

I wouldn't call it unfortunate, "ideologically driven malpractice" is a bit more accurate with many of the hospitals outside of Dublin. Dating and anomaly scans at the proper time should be a basic minimum requirement, not something that women feel lucky to get or are stuck paying out of pocket for. Newborns are literally dying in various hospitals from issues that aren't being diagnosed due to the lack of scans.

michellie

I thought most counties had standard 12ish (12-14) weeks for the first scan?

My scan is this Friday I will be 12+1. I'm in Waterford.

tea_and_cake

rainbow kirby wrote: »

I wouldn't call it unfortunate, "ideologically driven malpractice" is a bit more accurate with many of the hospitals outside of Dublin. Dating and anomaly scans at the proper time should be a basic minimum requirement, not something that women feel lucky to get or are stuck paying out of pocket for. Newborns are literally dying in various hospitals from issues that aren't being diagnosed due to the lack of scans.

All our health services are that way though.

michellie wrote: »

I thought most counties had standard 12ish (12-14) weeks for the first scan?

My scan is this Friday I will be 12+1. I'm in Waterford.

Nope, I wasn't meant to get a 12 week scan (couldn't find the heartbeat with the doppler). It's not part of the public domino scheme in Holles St.

Neyite

michellie wrote: »

I thought most counties had standard 12ish (12-14) weeks for the first scan?

My scan is this Friday I will be 12+1. I'm in Waterford.

Nope. In 2011 in Galway the earliest scan offered to women was around 21 weeks. Women who were referred due to a previous pregnancy issue or a pre existing health condition that could complicate the pregnancy were brought in a bit earlier, but it's on a case by case basis.

I think it's improved slightly in Galway and they are giving earlier scans now but I'm not sure what weeks they brought it forward to - don't think it's 12 weeks anyway.

It's inadequate. Woefully inadequate. When I first read guideanna's post, my instinctive reaction was "eh, that's a bit..pushy, can she not just accept her scan like all us other women do" But I was wrong to have thought that. All too often we settle for the care we are given rather than the care we deserve and are entitled to. We shouldn't have to fight for these basics. Sorry guideanna!!

I stood my ground a few times and overall I was given good care, but there were parts of it that were neglected due to policies or cost cutting by hospitals. At least 2 of my losses could have been avoided had the hospital have a policy of prescribing progesterone for women with a history of MC like elsewhere in Europe. I fought and failed to have an early scan after I lost a twin. I was referred to a consultant on the public system who happened to run a tight ship so I did get a scan at 11w for the same reason I was denied one by the receptionist.

I'm not saying anyone is right to abuse a poor receptionist on the phone of the EPU, but we should be able to assertively request we get the basic standard of ante-natal care as elsewhere in the EU. Actually, it should be provided as a given! So rather than castigate someone who does have the balls to insist on the ante-natal care she expects, we should all be sticking our hands up and going "yeah, me too! I want my ante-natal care in line with EU best practice as well as her" #I'm Brian.

I'll get off my soapbox now. Sorry!

lashes34

Neyite wrote: »

I think it's improved slightly in Galway and they are giving earlier scans now but I'm not sure what weeks they brought it forward to - don't think it's 12 weeks anyway.

Its standard now in Galway to get the 12 week and the 20 week scan. I had mine at 11+6 and 20+6.

shesty

Sorry guys popping in from elsewhere, but apparently we don't have standard guidelimes for maternity care in this country which is SHOCKING.Had two babies in the Rotunda myself, 12 week and 20 week scans, and in to the EPU for many scans due to early bleeds.My sister had a holles st baby, and couldn't figure out why things were done so differently.I assumed all were the same until I was in the system.Guideanna, I agree with you, learned first time round, particularly post birth that if you don't shout, you won't get noticed.

On a lighter note, I mostly popped in here because no.2 was due in Mar 2017 (born in April, little fecker!!).....As we were going to the Rotunda, I couldn't have chosed a worse month....St Patrick's day parade,Easter Sunday commemoration and 1916 commemoration all within days of my due date before and after.Throw in closed roads due to Luas works,and I had visions of giving birth in an ambulance while being escorted by Gardai through crowds of onlookers!!

Best of luck to you all and hope it goes well for everyone!!

michellie

Hi ladies, I had my scan on Friday in Waterford University hospital. From my calculations I was 12+1.

The maternity clinic is in a new area of the hospital from my last pregnancy (2008). So we went in plenty early as the appointment was after lunch. Called in after a few minutes wait with the student midwife for blood pressure, weight and height. Then we met with a doctor and then the midwife (who remembered us from before -she was lovely!)

She went through all our history with us and took urine sample. Waited around for a while got the scan, which went great measuring 3 days further but we're sticking with 1st March due date for now. And then I had bloods done.

Couldn't praise them out there enough! Midwifes were all excellent. Not much waiting around and not a huge amount of people booked in so plenty of seating available. Back again at 21 weeks.

guideanna

Neyite thank you so much!

This is exactly the feeling i have, I don't want to be pushing anyone HOWEVER exactly as you say, if i feel the need to "assertively request we get the basic standard of ante-natal care" then i bloody will.

I'm very sorry for your previous losses.
To be fair if i hadn't been through it myself i'd probably have the same opinion as many others here and not feel the need to be poking for a reassurance scan, or maybe even a 12 week scan.

It's so frustrating to me that in order to get what other women across Europe have as standard, i am going to be seen as a "difficult" patient.
I don't actually care one bit what anyone thinks of me as long as my unborn child if monitored but i do feel if more women stood up and demanded these services the quicker a change would come about.

Out of interest has anyone ever been refused a scan if they outright demanded it? I'd be very surprised if they did!

boardsuser1

The wife had another scan today in the E.P.U

Everything with the twins is great.

While the dating scan is yet to occur, the dates offered in both scans vary by about 4 days.

My wife is 11 weeks tomorrow according to them.

The twins are what is known as dcdu twins! (I think)

boardsuser1

Toots wrote: »

You can get piles any time! AFAIK in the first trimester, being constipated is more common, which in turn can lead to piles. She needs to make sure she's staying well hydrated and try to eat lots of fibre to make it easier to er, go #2 and irritate them less. You can get over the counter creams or suppositories for them - just be sure to mention to the chemist that she's pregnant so whatever you get is safe for preggos.

Sorry for the delay Toots.

The wife is taking suppositories and a liquid laxative at present.

shesty

Loads and loads and LOADS of water too. Pregnancy slows me up totally, it's one of the first things that happens.
If she takes antacids for indigestion at any stage tell her to be careful which ones she's taking....I do know people who have had trouble with Rennies (can I say that?) And it's made constipation a lot worse for them.

Toots

I found milk blocked me up something awful first time around. Only thing is, you do need to make sure to get your calcium during pregnancy, and also milk is great for the heartburn. Best thing for me was to keep really well hydrated, lots of fibre, and gentle exercise to keep regular. Also if you do get blocked up, don't sit on the loo and strain because that makes it worse. You can get glycerine suppositories that will lubricate things (gross) and make going to the loo easier. One piece of advice though is when you use one of them, don't go too far from a loo, because they can be quite fast acting and potent

missperoxide

Hi, I've been on the prune juice which has helped immensely! Literally drinking a few mouthfuls straight from the bottle in the morning and at night, that plus eating oranges!! My doctor wont prescribe anything for constipation or insomnia other than natural things. I might go to the chemist to see what they will give me instead.

Also, is anyone getting really bad headaches? I'm 12+ weeks and just getting over the fatigue and sickness but now this has started along with abdominal cramping

bee06

missperoxide wrote: »

Also, is anyone getting really bad headaches? I'm 12+ weeks and just getting over the fatigue and sickness but now this has started along with abdominal cramping

Popping in from the Dec thread. I got bad headaches around 12-14 weeks as well. Pretty much constant for those weeks. I think due to the increasing blood flow. They went away around 14 weeks if I remember correctly, I was thinking because my body adjusted to the extra blood flow at that stage.

missperoxide

Thanks Bee06, at least now I know whats causing it...and hopefully that it will pass!!

michellie

I got my 2nd scan letter, it's for the 24th October, feels like a lifetime away! I will be 21+4 at that stage.

jadie

Anyone still have nausea & vomiting? I thought it might have eased up by now but still miserable with it and struggling with everything

boardsuser1

The wife just told me that she is due back to her GP on Monday for more bloods, her thyroid is borderline.

First experience of this ever, is this good/bad/ indifferent?

Neyite

Probably just being cautious.

I also had an endocrine issue that was at a fairly harmless level but they put me in with the 'gestational diabetes' clinic. ( it's called the diabetic clinic for brevity but it covers all thyroid or endocrine conditions as these need monitoring during pregnancy) so it meant that I got monitored more closely.

Also with twins, she'll be getting extra monitoring, and likely be under a consultant that specialise in multiples as well.

They tend to err on the side of caution with pregnancy and if they think someone is borderline on any test, they'll keep a close eye and keep you informed all the way.

boardsuser1

Neyite wrote: »

Probably just being cautious.

I also had an endocrine issue that was at a fairly harmless level but they put me in with the 'gestational diabetes' clinic. ( it's called the diabetic clinic for brevity but it covers all thyroid or endocrine conditions as these need monitoring during pregnancy) so it meant that I got monitored more closely.

Also with twins, she'll be getting extra monitoring, and likely be under a consultant that specialise in multiples as well.

They tend to err on the side of caution with pregnancy and if they think someone is borderline on any test, they'll keep a close eye and keep you informed all the way.

Thanks for that.

Just back from the dating scan, the date is now changed to March 13th, I wouldn't be surprised if we end up in the February thread though.

One thing that was discovered is she's very dehydrated which came as a surprise.

guideanna

Ah great news. Sure dehydration is very easily corrected. Great no other issues though. Hope she's feeling well. Is there a baby(s) bump yet?

Is she back in before the 20wk scan now?

boardsuser1

guideanna wrote: »

Ah great news. Sure dehydration is very easily corrected. Great no other issues though. Hope she's feeling well. Is there a baby(s) bump yet?

Is she back in before the 20wk scan now?

The dehydration has settled thank god!

All else is good

She's doing good now

No bump as yet.

Just back from the C.U.M.H and she has now been referred to Dr. Keelin O'Donovan i think, is anyone here familiar with that lady?

Almost 14 weeks now so onwards and upwards

boardsuser1

Afternoon all.

The wife has asked me to ask you all a question to ease her paranoia.

Last night she was prescribed Geramox 500mg capsules

They contain penicillin.

toadfly

Does the doctor know shes pregnant? Surely they are who you should be asking and not randomers online with no medical background?

boardsuser1

toadfly wrote: »

Does the doctor know shes pregnant? Surely they are who you should be asking and not randomers online with no medical background?

The doctors are well aware of it, the doctor said yes, the pharmacist was unsure and the E.R in the hospital 'think' it's ok.

Toots

I had penicillin for strep throat a few weeks ago - GP knows I'm pregnant. It was Calvapen that I had though. If she's in doubt maybe ring the hospital and check.

boardsuser1

Toots wrote: »

I had penicillin for strep throat a few weeks ago - GP knows I'm pregnant. It was Calvapen that I had though. If she's in doubt maybe ring the hospital and check.

Just back from the hospital as we were out that way anyway, she got the all clear for it plus multiple appointments in the next 8 weeks.

boardsuser1

Can anybody advise if they have been told the gender at 15 weeks in a previous pregnancy and if it was right?