Pregnancy after LT TTC #14

WW, I'm jealous of you going to U2! My sister and I had agreed after the last tour that I'd fly down to Sydney to go to the next tour with her since I had no-one to go with up here. Then they announced this tour and I didn't feel comfortable travelling so far in the last two months, so I decided to bow out. Apparently she got awesome (VIP) tickets too. :( Last time I saw them was 1993 and it was the night after my last day of grade 12. (Damn, now I feel old...) I'm glad to hear you had fun. What pram did you get?

airline, good to hear you had a lovely babymoon!

Afm, with 13 work days to go (once this one finishes), DH wants me to ask for a day off so he can arrange for the electrician to come and install the lights & fans in the patio. He doesn't seem to understand why I have a problem with asking for it (as much as I'm completely over work). Is it just me that thinks I should be maximising attendance? As it is, I've got 2 more OB appts during work hours.

Eek! Just realised we're supposed to discuss our birth plan with the OB at Wednesday's appt. I'd better get something on paper...

Hi ladies

Have just heard from brunette and all three are doing well. Jack Caillan and Zara Belle are still in the special nursery but if all goes well with the paed this wk hopefully they can go home Friday.

What cute names! how exciting and such great news they will hopefully be able to go home on Friday:)

Juniper - great news, only a few more weeks to go and you'll be on holidays ;) Don't stress too much about your birth plan apart from the basics of what you want. I found myself repeating everything at the birth to make sure anyway, but the OB will generally just want to know drugs/ no drugs and intervention choices etc.

WW - fab news about U2 (and the classes, if only to give persective on what you like and don't like I found?). I have to admit I have only been to one concert in my entire life that wasn't a sit down formal thing. Never saw the point of paying all that money to have to stare at someone's back all night, standing up - but I think the big concerts are the exception to this!!
Airline - great news you had such a fab time - well deserved too!!

Hi to everyone :)

AFM - Just got rung up by the OB this morning as my glucose levels were fine (I am a pretty small person with no history of GD last pregnancy so I was very, very low risk). HOwever I have got anemia which I didn't have last time but apparently can happen more often with subsequent pregnancies. I think mainly because no-one looks after you like they do your first pregnancy and I spend all my time feeding everyone but me!
Explains why I have to have a sleep each day at the same time as my DD, just going to get additional iron supplements and hope that does the trick which I am sure it will.

Hey Juniper, I also saw U2 last time in 93! I think I was in year eleven, so not too different. My cousin slept out in the Arts Centre car park to get tickets. I was convinced that Bono would choose me to go up on stage (as the "innocent" girl btw - don't know if you remember, but he would sort of choose some young looking girl and then some other buxom siren on that tour). Anyway, needless to say, I wasn't chosen, much to my confusion. But I was super-close to the stage! This time it was a seated the whole time and just bopping the head scenario. GL with birth plan chat. I hate those chats, because I have ridiculous anxiety about doctors. Ugh. I'm sure you'll keep a level head though.

Great to hear Brunette's names - Zara and Jack. Gorgeous.

Lairdoz, great news about your GT though not so great about anemia. My grandma had anemia with all her pregnancies (all thirteen of them!). And she's pretty robust even now. I also was on Ferrograd C for over a year. Watch your digestion and maybe include more fibre? For me it was the opposite effect, though, but I have odd digestion.

Thanks for the update Renee, such cute names! Hope she can take them home this week.

Jack & Zara - so cute and names that will carry them through, not like names that suit babies and that's it, then they just sound silly when older!

Airline - did DH love feeling the baby for the first time? The problem I had is that baby would stop moving whenever DH would put his hands on my belly so he kept saying that it wasn't a baby in there at all, just beer :shakehead:

WW - good luck with the birth plan chat.

Lairdoz, I was anemic and am now on Ferro F. Finding that I'm no longer needing that catnap during the day. I think he said my level was between 100 and 105 which is not too bad, just a tad lower than it should be.

AFM - I tried to discuss 2 things at my OBs appt last week 1) having DH assist with delivery, 2) cord to be left pulsating for 90 seconds before clamping. Got a NO on both. The first I can understand for insurance reasons, slippery baby and all. The 2nd? well the OB pretty much said he's been doing this for 20 years and indicated his wall of medical journals and then said that he doesn't tell other people how to do their job (as in, little ole' me shouldn't be even suggesting that option 2 is a good idea). he said something about the blood can make it's way back to the placenta which is a bad thing... He then went on to say that if I get to 6-7cm dilated and stall he'd do a c-section!!!!! :o I asked if he could perhaps give me more time to progress on my own (like take a walk around the hospital grounds, do some squatting exercises etc), well I got a NO on that one too. I even tried to say that I can understand the need for c-section if baby is in distress but if baby is not in distress what is the harm... then I got the "I'm the expert" talk again. Also, he mentioned cutting me. I once again asked the silly silly question on whether there is the option to wait and let me stretch naturally -ha! fat chance! "I've spent 14 hours in surgery fixing a ruined vagina because someone wanted to tear naturally, so I am only saying we would put a small cut there for your own benefit" (14 hours my patooty. Soooo I walked out nearly in tears.

My next appt is tomorrow morning. Yay, I can't wait....NOT. If I am lucky enough to have number 2, I will use him as my fertility specialist as I have a couple of embies on ice, but once that is done I will not be using him as my OB.

Crap! Sorry to hear that CK! I can understand why you'd be so upset by the end of that appt. :comfort: The cord issue is the reason I'm nervous about discussing the birth plan with our OB tomorrow. I plan to ask for 3-5 mins, based on what I read on the WHO website. I don't think I should get much objection from the other things I want, so that's the only one I'm worried about. I hope tomorrow's appt goes better for you.

Renee, thanks for the update!

Brunette, I love the names you have chosen! I hope you're all doing well and will be home very soon.

Lairdoz, sorry to hear about the anemia. But good news with the glucose! I hope the iron supplements help you feel better.

Brunette: Such nice names, although I'm pretty baised towards Zara seeing I have a Tara. I hope the SCN stay is short and you will be able to take your bundles home shortly.

CK: Your Ob sounds like an arrogant so and so. No matter how much "experience" he has, you are still entitled to the birth that you want. If I was you I would wait until I was pretty close to delivering before the midwives in your hospital ring him to do the delivery (unless there are complications that he needs to do something sooner). I know we pay these guys lots of money, but not if you don't get the birth you want...

Lairdoz: I got anemia with Tara but it wasn't noticed until my 36 week bloods and I started taking iron supplements but there wasn't enough time for it to kick in before she was born (38 + 3), so I was having daily BT's for 3 days after delivery to make sure I didn't need a blood transfusion and also it delayed my milk coming in until day 5 and then it was gone by 3 weeks. I was on the supplements for 3 months post birth as well. Hopefully they got yours in time so that your body can absorb all it needs before delivery. This time around for me my iron levels have been good but I'm still taking extra iron supplements (along with preg vitamins, calcium & folate) to make sure everything is in good order.

Big belly rubs to everyone else...

I've got my hospital admission appt on Friday, I rang this week to book as I'll be 18-20 weeks during the Xmas, New Year period and wanted to book in a time. So they told me how about this friday... um, I'll only be 16 weeks on Saturday.... but they didn't seem concerned so at least that will be out of the way and if anything unforseen happens at least the hospital will be expecting me. So hossy booking this week, 16 week ultrasound next week (hopefully we will know the sexes) and then Ob appt on the thursday before Xmas. All this on top of having to finish up my Xmas shopping, getting a sick girl better and trying to get some sleep... Unfortunately these guys have already decided to give me hell at night as I can't sleep on either side as I end up squashing one or the other, I told DH I might need to get a reclining armchair for later on as I don't think sleeping laying down is going to be an option.

CK77- Who is your OB? Just wondering because I have a sneaking suspicion we're seeing the same guy. Dr Titiz? I have broached the delayed clamping thing with him and got a pretty negative reaction as well. I haven't broached any of the other things as I don't feel he's receptive. I just keep in mind with the cutting and C-section stuff that no matter what he says, it is my choice (and DH's) and I can refuse anything. I have written in my birth plan that I do not consent to an episiotomy and I will be asking the midwives to delay calling him as long as everything is going fairly well.

CK - I can't believe your OB appointment, what an awful experience! There are ways of telling people things -for example your DH surely could take the baby out once it's past a certain point and place on your tummy for example. That way he's not saying 'No, you idiot I am the expert'- I am not as on top of the clamping side of things,but again even if he wasn't comfortable doing it, he could find a diplomatic way of doing things. Episiotomies are exactly the same - they are sometimes necessary and yes you rely on his expertise, but he could acknowledge your comments and say he will do what he can to avoid it but of course you would need to trust that he would prefer to cut you than have you tear. Sounds like a lovely guy... If our empthay makes you feel any better - you have it from me :)

Kelly - Thanks for your feedback on iron levels - I am always very receptive to drugs and have only taken one iron tablet and had my first day without a midday nap in months! My levels were pretty low apparently which my Mum has told me she was the same with me (I'm the second kid for her) and my sister had very, very low iron levels all pregnancy which didn't respond to iron supplements or infusions. GL for the scan - can't wait to hear (if you are sharing) the sex of your twins - how exciting!!!

Juniper - one less day at work to go....

WW - Thanks for your feedback too - it's obviously very common in pregnancy being low in iron. Was worried about constipation as I couldn't eat any more fibre or drink anymore water if I tried!!

AFM - Feeling much better today and didn't have a nana nap at lunch so iron supplements have already kicked in! Much bigger this time than I was with my DD and already needing a heave-ho to 'roll' over in bed and I have at least (I hope) 11+ weeks to go....

Chrissy, that appointment sounds like hell. I can sort of relate, though my own experience doesn't sound quite as bad, but when I raised the fact that I'd been to an "Active Birth" class (this was a month or two ago- very eager beavers) I got a lot of defensiveness from my OB. Which was to be expected because of this antipathy between independent midwives and OBs. I also got a couple of comments that rang in my ears for days (and made steam come out of them), eg "Labour's hard work you know?" Um, yes, I don't think it's up to a MAN to tell me that, you know? Anyway, as everyone else has said, your consent is the final decider. And I know there's lots in favour of delayed clamping, but there's also a fair bit in favour of the synt and the immediate clamp. Also, stress-wise, I don't know, I think it can help to sort of "give in" in a manner of speaking and trust people. Anyway, things will turn out how they do, and I'm sure your OB is going to look after you, and you'll be taking care of the real work and will always be the ultimate expert on your own experience.

Okay, I really have gone into a rant on that one!

Hi to everyone else!

Hi all,

I'm finally back in this thread - and hopefully for good this time!! I had my BT yesterday (18dpo) and my figures were 1404 for HCG and 911.4 for progesterone - so well and truely pregnant!!

I will catch up on all the posts soon, but just wanted to say HI!!

Mum 2 Be- Congrats!!! Best wishes for a H & H pregnancy!!!

M2B: Welcome and hope you have a h & h 9 months. Wow your numbers are HUGE, did you have 1 or 2 transferred??? My numbers at 16dpo was HCG 351 and Progesterone 95 and we are having 2 bundles, hence my question as your numbers are off the charts.....

KellyD ~ We had 2 transferred!! I have another BT next tuesday and then a scan on 22 December, but yes, I think the numbers are really high too!!

Ooooohhhh, more twins??????? Exciting!!

M2B, welcome back honey congratulations that is great news!!!! All the best for a happy and healthy nine months!!

Congratz M2B, WOW to those numbers! Mine were 107 at 16DPO, sooooooo WOW!