**Summer 2012 mummies!**

**bubbasweet** · 18-12-2011, 05:05pm

Thought I'd get started with our very own thread for nattering! How are you all feeling? I have sicky and non-sicky days, still generally knackered all the time.

Just starting to think I might look at maternity jeans, although I'm not showing and haven't put any weight on or changed shape, but my jeans are just a bit uncomfortable. My favourite pair are fine until I sit down, or it's later in the day and it feels like they're digging in, and they're so battered I should bin them anyway. Others I've got were probably a bit on the tight side to begin with

**Gretel** · 18-12-2011, 09:23pm

Yey good idea!
i actually ordered some maternity jeans online last night. Mainly because DP's have a 20% off at the mo. my stuff fits okay although I'm just really bloated and it's that horrible look where things look too tight. That's what I like about maternity stuff, it still fits nicely everywhere else. I needed some decent skinny jeans anyway as my others are getting baggy so thought I may as well get maternity. Got a couple of non maternity tops/dresses too.
leggings I should be fine with and skirts for a while.
im surprised how many summer maternity bits I have from my last pregnancy which I'm pleased about.

I definitely don't feel as nauseous at all now which is good although not eating meals as such... Feel like I'm just eating crap though eg tonight's dinner was sticky toffee pud

Looking forward to getting to know more summer 2012 mums to be

**bubbasweet** · 18-12-2011, 09:37pm

I really wanted chocolate sponge and chocolate custard this evening. Had a satsuma instead, which is no way the same but it felt healthy! I defo love fruit at the moment

I will go and look at Dotty P's when I'm at work this week, as I've never tried their trousers so wouldn't feel confident ordering online. But good that there's 20% off. They're not too expensive to begin with either.

Glad you're feeling better - I felt like the sickness was better once I had it under control - knew what did and didn't trigger it, so it's easier. I might just have been lucky of course that it was never really very bad, apart from the first couple of weeks. Coffee smells defo have me running to the loo, although it's mostly just retching.

**Gretel** · 18-12-2011, 11:17pm

Oh god, yes coffee is the exact same for me too! Which is annoying as its generally the first thing I need in the morning but I can't drink it hot at all bleugh!
next is quite good for mat clothes too and h&m, just generally a rubbish range!
it all seems unreal still at the mo doesn't it? I think it's around 20 weeks I start feeling properly pregnant.

**bubbasweet** · 19-12-2011, 09:53am

Yeah I find it all a bit strange too. I guess once there's a proper bump and you can feel it wriggling then it gets very real

By the time I get back to work after chrimbo and tell my boss in early Jan, I'm going to be 16 weeks, and then it's likely I'll be finishing work around 31/32 weeks, as I've got a ton of annual leave to take and I'll have to take it all before mat leave starts. That'll be mid April I think, which really doesn't seem that far away!

Are you working at the moment gretel?

**Amyb** · 19-12-2011, 03:01pm

Hi there ladies. Nice to have our own thread

Hopefully this will be the only time that I will moan.......

Had a really really rubbish midwife appointment this morning. So rubbish that it very nearly reduced me to tears

The clinic was so busy you had to wait it a huge queue of about 30 people.
I got weighed and measured in front of everyone by a really stroppy midwife. I felt like a sheep!

We then saw a really un-communicative midwife, she was afro-carabean (sp) so her English was very poor and her manner was very rude! It was the most miserable 1/2 an hour of my life! She had no interest in my previous bleeding

and only entered into a conversation when I said no to the ante- natal classes!

After seeing the grumpy midwife, I waited in another queue to be told that the only scan appointment was the end of December- I would be 15 weeks!!!!! I really begged for them to find me an appointment so they tried another clinic but still no appointments. The receptionist said that she would ask the sonographers opinion.

In the mean time I waited in another queue for a blood test- to be told that I get the results at the 24 week appointment. But surely I need the results for the downs screening????

After that, I waited again to be told that if i waited till the end of the clinic (the end of the day!) I would possibly get a scan

but probably not.

At that point my OH got a bit angry and suggested that I try calling the Harley Street clinic to see if they could fit me in. They can thank goodness so we have a blood test and scan tomorrow. You get the results at the end.

On the way home we stopped off at our GP, explained the situation and have asked to be re-referred to another hospital which they will do happily. I've done research and it has lots of good reviews.

Sorry for the moaning but i feel quite exhausted by the whole experience. Looking forward to the scan tomorrow though and I don't care about the cost.

**bubbasweet** · 19-12-2011, 05:00pm

Oh Amy I'm sorry you're still having such a rubbish time with the appointments

I defo think going for the private scan is the way forward and to heck with the cost - I mean you're only a week off it being too late to have to have the down syndrome scanning altogether, and that's really bad. I just wonder what happens to women who don't have the means or impetus to change hospitals or pay for scans

I don't get the results from my tests straight away, but will get a telephone call within a few days if I need to be called IYSWIM. Otherwise they've told me I'll receive a letter with the results in about two weeks. 24 weeks is ridiculous - I mean what if you had a decision to make following the downs testing? There wouldn't be an option for you

I really hope things are a bit better for you at the other hospital

**Amyb** · 19-12-2011, 05:24pm

Sorry for moaning but what a shit (almost 3rd world) experience!

I could have waited ALL day but I was feeling so tearful and sick at the prospect of not having the downs testing that we made a decision and got to hell out of there! The midwife was going on about sickle cell and I just wanted to scream at her what the ****!!!!!!!!

There were quite a few people who looked quite bemused and came on the wrong day for the wrong test. There were loads of women being given lucozade for the diabetes test at about 24 weeks and they all looked a bit confuse too!

Anyway, hopefully tomorrow will be slightly more dignified and relaxed, I could feel my stress levels rising today. Be happy when everything is ok and I have happier- non moaning news tomorrow!

**MAGPIE** · 19-12-2011, 05:41pm

Oh Amyb sounds like a terribly stressful day for you, if nothing else transfering to another hospital for no other reason than the understanding of each other would be a good thing, i have also had experience of a couple of london hospitals where i found a few of there midwives terribly rude and hard to understand and that was even with a neonatal warning sticker on my notes.

Abviously its good you managed to get an apointment for a scan tomorrow but chances are the reason why they were telling you no scan untill your 15th was you'd had a scan last friday so they knew your dates and had already done a nuchal fold measurement, the other blood test generally from my eperience (i only ever had one that was before they introduce the nuchal scan) but was told they will only contact you if there is a problem other wise no news is good news.

Once they had introduced the nuchal scannning my hospital dont provide both unless the scan comes back as a high risk.

But either way they shouldn't have allowed it to get to the point of stressing you and you've made a good decision of moving.
Enjoy your scan tomorrow.

**bubbasweet** · 19-12-2011, 05:42pm

I just find it staggering that the 'care' from one hospital to another can be SO different. I mean Gretel and I are both using the same hospital, probably only about 20 miles or so from you and my experience couldn't be more different. But then everything about London is a bit bonkers sometimes. I know people who applied for school places and not only did they not get a place at their preferred school, they just weren't offered a school place full stop. They just ran out of places at schools in an entire borough. I just find that utterly baffling

Anyway, good luck for your scan etc. tomorrow

**Gretel** · 20-12-2011, 10:28am

Oh Amy what an absolute nightmare, I think you should definitely try and change hospitals. I would actually refuse to be weighed in front if ther people

And actually haven't been weighed in any of my pregnancies.
it sounds like you aren't getting a downs screening at all, the bloods are probably things like your blood type, iron levels etc but again this should all be explained to you. Just shocking really.
i was under consultant care mainly in my last pregnancy so I still saw the community mw at my surgery but had a lot of appointments at the hospital too and have to say that waiting times could range from 10 minutes to an hour but I did wonder if that because they were with registrars/cons who could regularly be called up to the labour ward.
cant believe you'll be 16 weeks after Christmas bubbasweet, you'll deffo be looking pregnant by then. I wish I had've finished work around 32 weeks with my ds1, one of my biggest regrets really. I wasn't scheduled to finish until 38 weeks but never got to that point in my pregnancy anyway so ended up with no leave before he arrived and I think you need that time to prepare.
i took voluntary redundancy just before I went on mat leave with DS2 and was planning on either no.3 in 2012 or returning to work, so I guess that choice has been made ;)
luckily ds1 is in school full time and ds2 will be going to pre-school 4 mornings a week from Jan so should have plenty of time to prepare.
are you both going to find out what you are having? I'd love a girl this time but don't believe it will happen lol!
have discovered screen is something I can actually stomach for breakfast - yum!

**Gretel** · 20-12-2011, 10:53am

Screen is supposed to say soreen by the way - auto correct drives me mad!

**bubbasweet** · 20-12-2011, 11:10am

glad you've found something to eat. I struggle to go in the kitchen in the mornings. DH had to bring me jelly and marmite on toast to eat (not together!) in the bedroom this morning whilst I was getting dressed. My lovely new kitchen just makes me want to vom

Yes I think I'm going to go back after Christmas with a bump that will make the announcement for me

I'm a bit worried about telling my manager actually. I know when they were recruiting for my job she said she didn't want a woman of child-bearing age, but it's a part-time admin-type job so those were the only applicants

She's the sort of person that views child-bearing as 'letting the side down'

I did get weighed and measured when I went for my booking in appointment, and again at the scan I had on Friday. I'm not sure of the point of it really - they can tell from looking at me that I'm a normal weight for my height...

13 weeks today

Does that mean I'm second tri now

**Gretel** · 20-12-2011, 11:25am

Oh god bubba how annoying, wonder how she'll be through your pregnancy? Hope she isn't too annoying.
i can't really stomach marmite at the moment, which is a first for me as I usually love it. I just hate that anytime I try and think of anything to eat, none of it seems appetising!
hmm so might get weighed at my scan this time, no i don't really understand it although I remember last time I was at the top end of my heathy weight bmi, think it was just 25.1 or something and they couldn't get a heart beat with a Doppler at 16 weeks and she said that may be why. Got to get another scan at least though ;)
have you got a 16 week mw appointment booked bubba? You'll prob get to hear the heart beat, it's fab

Oooh yes, 13 weeks is 2nd trimester, how exciting, 1/3 of the way there!

**Amyb** · 20-12-2011, 11:55am

Hi ladies. Just dashing in before we leave for the scan

I'd be very interested Magpie in knowing which north London hospitals you have experienced? I have no qualms about naming 'St Mary's' as one of the worst that I have ever experienced. 10 years ago I got a trainee doctor doing a needle aspiration on my thyroid, failing 3 times,making me scream, bleed and needle-phobic, my OH went there with a severe migraine and the receptionist shouted at him for not speaking his name clearly enough and now our experience from yesterday! My OH made me promise that it either of us were taken to hospital via ambulance NOT to agree to going there!!

Praying that your manager is sympathetic Bubbasweet about everything. That's the only thing that i can be sure of is the support from my manager. She has been so lovely with giving me time off after I lost my Dad and taking me to A & E last week. They cannot sack you for being pregnant. I will have to do a Health and safety assessment as my job involves standing for hours on end and lifting heavy equipment.

Gretel I am so greatful to you for mentioning the 16 week midwife appointment..... I got an appointment for the 13th of February as my next midwife appointment

That would be at about 20 weeks WTF? Anyhow I'm not going back to Alcatraz so will cancel that

Just as a matter of interest- do you only see midwifes for the whole pregnancy? I have a couple of medical questions that I would like to ask a doctor- not my GP as he looked confused when I mentioned them to him as they are very pregnancy related. How do I ever get to talk to a doctor? Do I have to be asked to see a doctor/consultant?

**MAGPIE** · 20-12-2011, 12:14pm

I went to lewisham which is actually where my dd1 was born in the end as she was born with a congential problem that was monitored all the way through and lewisham was the only hospital which had a doctor who specialized in her condition.

We did get to go to brompton which i thought was fab but didn't really have a choice as it was a case of whoever was better able to manage dd1 when she was born.

as far as i'm aware you would only be refered to see a consultant if they felt you had any medical conditions which would cause a problem or be made worse by being pregnant or if later you developed a condition which needed you to be seen by a consultant.

we didnt see a consultant untill after the 20 week scan when dd1 was identified as having a complication. I saw a consultant once with dd2 but they decided there was no need and that was that.

I would talk to your comunity midwife any worries or questions you have if they feel tyhe need to have you seen by a consultant they will arrange it or even better be able to answer the question for you.

I have my booking in appointment later today.

**Gretel** · 20-12-2011, 01:34pm

Good luck to magpie for your booking appointment - I bet you hardly see the mw this time being your 4th!

**bubbasweet** · 20-12-2011, 12:05pm

16 week appointment is 13th Jan

We did briefly see the heartbeat at the scan, but it was a blink and you miss it moment.

I think the weighing was just to put in the ultrasound computer records to be honest - the scales were just next to the ultrasound reception, so not private, but they just wrote it down, and there's no one around really - they make you wait out in the main reception.

Amy, I'll be fine in terms of my job - I work for a government-funded organisation so they have to be whiter than white

She's only my manager in terms of distributing work so all the maternity leave/pay admin etc is done by a central department.

Re: appointments, from now on I alternate between the midwife and GP, so the 16 week appointment is midwife, then after that it's GP and so on. I guess there's no harm in asking the midwives, assuming the new lot are more helpful!

**Gretel** · 20-12-2011, 01:31pm

Good luck Amy

cant believe you haven't been offered a 16 week appointment, if I get a chance later I'll grab my mat notes which lists what you should get.
you should only see a mw in a first pregnancy if the pregnancy is considered risk free ie if you are correct weight, do not have things like diabetes etc.
I'm consultant and mw shared care this time and last time as I have had 2 csections and had pre-eclampsia in my first pregnancy.
mw should be able to help with most things but I do find community mw's have different things to say compared to the cons and hospital mw's eg in my second pregnancy I wanted to try and have a natural birth and my community mw said they wouldn't let me go last 39 weeks or induce me in anyway yet the hospital let me go to 42 weeks and I was induced??

**MAGPIE** · 20-12-2011, 01:41pm

I'm so excited about it i forgot,

Its all much of a muchness really, i remember getting really excited about the first time and alittle even the second time round, but i also remember how bummed out i was at how dissapointing they really are, i still see the mw the same amount of times as a second time mum would, but i only get excited now when its scan time.
I remember being really dissapointed at the number of scans i got second time round in comparison to the first time, we had loads with dd1 due to her problem, but still 2 scans is better than 1 or even none.