1st/2nd trimester check in week of 7/29

PoeMasque · July 2019

Happy Monday! As always, let me know if I missed you in the roll call

How far along/EDD?
How are you feeling this week?
Rants/Raves? Questions?
Any upcoming appointments?
GTKY: What family traditions (old or new) are you excited to share with your kiddo(s)?

Calling!!

@emmasemm EDD 3/7

@k_mama91 EDD 12/5

@Tulips25 EDD 1/11

@cigaline EDD 2/10

@celticknotfire EDD 2/27

@ivfsurvivor EDD 3/3

@love112314 EDD 3/9

@sincethelastday EDD 3/10

@bluguitarhannah EDD 3/10

Welcome!!

@caitiemae EDD 1/30

sincethelastday · July 2019

Hope everyone is having a great week so far!

How far along/EDD? 7w5d 3/10
How are you feeling this week? Can’t believe I’m thankful for nausea, but there it is! I’ve been experiencing mild/moderate nausea at really all points in the day, but have been managing it quite well (don’t think I’ve ever eaten so many saltine crackers in my life lol). Had a migraine this morning which is always fun. I get migraine with aura in which my sight gets really distorted and I sometimes have trouble speaking with confusion (apart from the splitting headache). I’m hoping with all the hormonal changes with pregnancy that I won’t experience more migraines than usual.
Rants/Raves? Questions? Was wondering if anyone has any tips on how to handle nausea in the evening before bed? I’ve heard that it’s good to not have an empty stomach with morning sickness as it can make it feel worse. However, once I brush my teeth and am in bed, I don’t want to eat anything, so I just have my glass of water. Any ideas leading up to bedtime?
Any upcoming appointments? Have my first OB appointment on Sept 5th. Seems so far away! We were able to get referred to one who has really good reviews and my husband has worked with him and really liked his calm, attentive approach, so excited to meet him.
GTKY: What family traditions (old or new) are you excited to share with your kiddo(s)? So many!! I think I’m specifically looking forward to Christmas holidays and the family traditions that come with that. Decorating the tree with a box of chocolates in the evening has always been a simple little tradition, but one that I’m looking forward to doing with a child!

PoeMasque · July 2019

@sincethelastday unisom is a great way to deal with night time nausea. It works really well and is completely safe in pregnancy (make sure to get the doxylamine succinate version, not the diphenhydramine one - which is just Benadryl). Diclegis is the first line med for pregnancy nausea and it’s just a combo of 25mg unisom and 25mg B6. I have personally had lots of success with the sea bands, there’s actually research that shows they work well and we even use them in some of the ERs where I’ve worked for patients with nausea. I found that sea bands during the day and unisom before (on bad nights) bed kept my nausea in the early weeks at bay.

- I’m 12+2 today, almost 2nd trimester!!

- other than my bump/bloat, I don’t feel pregnant at all this week! I was even able to do a (very short!) run over the weekend and lots of gardening. The only thing is that I haven’t been feeling as much movement the last few days (which I know is super normal this early!!), so all the “what if something’s wrong” thoughts are creeping in

- rave: so thankful for the doppler so I can hear baby’s HB whenever I feel anxiety about the above!

- we have the NT scan on Thursday, which feels SO far away! I can’t wait to see our nugget again...the last two ultrasounds it was hard for me to see the screen or the OB didn’t actually show me the screen (she was training a med student), I just got some printed pictures.

- GTKY: we don’t really have any family traditions yet, which I realize is kind of strange! But I’m sort of excited to see what naturally develops based on our kiddo’s interests/personalities.

emmasemm · July 2019

@sincethelastday oh wow September seems a very long way away - do you still have more appointments with your OB in between? And I’m totally with you on Xmas

@PoeMasque thanks for starting this again

How far along/EDD? 8w3d/7th March
How are you feeling this week? Had a relaxing few days after our appointment on Friday. The “couch rest” does seem to have stopped the spotting. Nausea has really ramped up. In the first weeks I was lucky and had it only from 7pm to 7am, so I slept through most of it. But now that window seems to have shortened to 8am to 1pm being the only time I’m not super nauseous. So if I want to get anything done or eat anything normal it needs to be in the morning or an early lunch. After lunch I am basically a zombie unless I sleep for 2-3 hours. On Sunday morning i did make a “breakfast casserole” full of lots of nutritious things and yesterday it was pretty much all I could stomach - just looking at anything else made me green.
Rants/Raves? Questions? DH is away for work for a few nights. I’m a big girl. I lived on my own for a long time. But every creak in the house right now has me thinking someone has broken in... I’m awake now at 4am because we have a big rain storm which caused the chain on the blinds to rattle against them and I woke up thinking someone was trying to get in the window... We were going to wait and get a fully integrated camera and alarm system, but I think I’m going to have to ask for a quick and low cost solution for now - I can’t spend half the night every night with my phone in my hand with the emergency number on speed dial...
Rant number two - midwife setups. I don’t know about elsewhere in the world, but wow do they make it seem complex here. Going to spoiler as it will be long.

So they break down the midwife requirements into before Labour, during Labour/Hospital stay and the 8 weeks after Labour. Some do only one phase, others to two or all three. Some of those if they offer two or all three you can only book if you book everything they offer.
The easiest bit is after Labour - you have to book a midwife for as soon as you’re home, they come every day in the first weeks, then a few times a week until 8 weeks and do checks on you and baby, plus give you training on everything from breast feeding to bathing the baby in your house. I think this is pretty cool - and everyone is entitled to it. You have to search for which midwife is available for around your due date who covers this service in your area, then phone around all of them, find a good match and book them. Most people book around 8 weeks - so I need to get my skates on else there will be none left! A friend who had HG last year left it to 12 weeks and only got lucky that one became available (due to someone else’s very sad late loss :-() when she was 27 weeks. She was so stressed really thinking that she wouldn’t get one.
However some of the ones for after Labour also like to do the before Labour coverage for the same patients too and will only take you if you do both with them. They tend to like patients who want to do all their appointments with the midwife instead of the doctor (other than the three mandatory ultrasounds). I’m not that patient. So some of them don’t want to do the after Labour bit for me as I don’t need them for the before Labour bit. I will use the midwives at my OB practice for before Labour as we can combine all visits and the whole team there knows me well. They don’t do the “after Labour” service from my OBs - plus they are too far away to cover me. The other way to get a space for “after Labour” is to book onto an antenatal course with the midwifes if they offer this - so this is currently what I’m trying to get as if you do the course with them they have to cover your after birth supposedly...!
During Labour some hospitals allow you to book and take your own midwife with you as long as you register them up front, others will only let you pick from their own list of midwives and others you just get lucky draw who is on duty when you go in. But that assumes you also know which hospital you want and will give birth at! We have six hospitals who deliver more than 500 babies a year in our area - one who does more than 5000. They have the biggest specialist NICU and every specialist on site you could dream of but very impersonal. The others are more personal and still have what seems a good standard of care but I think a lot will depend on how high risk we are. If you want or need a midwife for Labour and during your hospital stay it also needs booking now else they are all booked up - but they don’t accept you on hospital tours until second trimester so you can’t really choose your preferred hospital until then - and they don’t take “bookings” for delivery at the hospital until 34 weeks! I was like what??? If you are high risk they let you go for your booking appointment at 28 weeks at the big hospital... but wow... how can you know if you want or need o book a midwife for that part now if you don’t know where you want to give birth yet - and you can’t do that without the tour which is second tri... ahhhh... oh and some of the hospitals also do their own antenatal classes which you sign up for during the hospital tour and it’s expected you do that one if you give birth there... It seems most people only do the midwife antenatal classes if they choose to give birth at a birthing Centre, not a hospital. Oh and I need to book the hospital tours also now else they have no spaces free...
Oh and don’t forget I’m navigating all of this in a foreign language.
Assuming my appointment this morning goes ok, the rest of my day will be trying to use my best sweet talking and charming skills with a list of midwives and hospitals as none of them can you book online as you have to call personally since they all want to “get to know you and check the fit”... it’s like an interview process!!!
I explained all of this to DH at the weekend, in the same conversation as going through all the screening/diagnostic testing options, and totally fried his brain. He literally had to take a break and come back as it was too much information and too many options all at once
And needless to say even thinking about and writing about this feels so far ahead and like I’m jinxing everything.

Any upcoming appointments? Today! I’m in for a 0715 (yep!) appointment with the specialist OB at my practice to check on little one and my adenomyosis, plus if all is well to talk screening and/or diagnostic testing...
GTKY: What family traditions (old or new) are you excited to share with your kiddo(s)? I have to say Xmas too. We put up and decorate our tree on the first Sunday of advent. I love doing that. Then we have a tradition of some small presents on Xmas eve evening around the tree, main presents on Xmas day morning in bed (we all used to like onto my parents bed when I was a kid - got a bit cozy with partners lol), then Boxing Day morning some final presents. It really spreads the magic and allows you to enjoy the gifts in stages. Also very excited to make new traditions. The little things in particular are what I’m looking forward to most.

emmasemm · July 2019

Short update - scan was good, adeno is no worse and little one has grown right on schedule with a great HB still!
Next follow up in one week, until then you will find me on my couch.
We also booked all appointments for harmony, first trimester blood test part of the screening and the big 13w us incl nuchal translucency measurement.
And I have reserved the “after birth” midwife, plus booked on two hospital open evenings!

sincethelastday · July 2019

@PoeMasque - thanks for the tips with nausea! Will definitely keep that info in mind if the nausea is getting too much. Glad to hear you’ve been feeling well and almost out of the first trimester!! I’m sure I’ll be in the same boat as you and worry if I don’t feel any movement, but that’s great having the Doppler is easing your nerves. Good luck at your appointment on Thursday - hope all goes smoothly!!

@emmasemm - wow! What a crazy sounding system when it comes to midwives!! I don’t know how you kept that all straight in your head! Do you feel comfortable with what you’ve booked? Sounds like it’s a good plan to have one booked as soon as you can! In regards to me waiting so long for my first OB appointment, I don’t have any other appointments in between. My RE office would have allowed me to have an 8 week scan if I wanted, but I had such anxiety before the 6 week scan that I opted out of it. And that’s kind of the norm here in Canada (at least my province) to wait until the beginning of the second trimester to be seen by an OB if you’re not high risk. Typically, a woman would go to her general family doctor for a first trimester check in before being referred to an OB, but I had my RE instead for that step. I think if I wasn’t experiencing any symptoms I would be more nervous and wanting to have an appointment sooner.

mbradfo2 · July 2019

@sincethelastday
I also suffer from periodic migraines and my doctor says it goes 50/50 during pregnancy -- half of the women get fewer or no migraines, and half of the women get more migraines. I think mine stayed pretty stable but it definitely sucked since all I could take was tylenol. I was lucky enough to be working from home at that point so I'd usually just go and rest in a dark room until the worst had passed. I tried acupuncture, pressure point bands, etc and they didn't do much for me but those are ideas. Mostly I just tried to rest as much as possible and avoid triggers like too much time on the computer, etc (which is hard when your job is basically 100 percent on the computer aside from dealing with patients).

@emmasemm
I would have totally been your friend not booking early enough and then scrambling for the rest of the pregnancy!! I'm so absentminded lol. The system sounds crazy but I guess it works for them! It's nice that you'll have a midwife coming to your home to check on you and baby in the first weeks. And I'm glad to hear your appointment went well! Luckily your rest seems to have helped the adenomyosis to stay stable -- will they continue to keep you on light activity/modified bed rest?

Tulips29 · July 2019

Hi everyone, hope the week is off to a good start!

@sincethelastday the only thing that helped me with nausea last time around, especially in the evenings, was cereal with milk. No joke, that's all I ate for dinner to feel normal until nausea somewhat subsided. I hope it gets easier for you soon, even though I know it's a reassuring sign that things are going well in there.

@PoeMasque I love that you're feeling movements so early! I'm still waiting, although at times I think maybe that twinge was a slight movement, but it's not super clear yet. Good luck with the scan on thursday as well!

@emmasemm it's great that you have things figured out with the midwife, albeit their crazy system. Hoping it all works out and it's good to be over-prepared early on than not prepared at all. I also get freaked out being home alone, especially since my dog barks at every little sound or when he sees squirrels outside. Luckily we have cameras set up in almost every room and by the front door so I can see any activity. Hopefully you can get some rest though! And glad your scan went well!

AFM:

How far along/EDD? 16w3d, EDD 1/11
How are you feeling this week? Not feeling very pregnant, which freaks me out. Maybe it's me finally getting that 2nd tri exhaustion relief, but some days I wake up and nothing aches and I only get up once a night for the bathroom and then I worry, naturally.
Rants/Raves? Questions? Anyone else's boobs feel tingly? Mine have been feeling tingly on and off, which I didn't feel with my son, so this is a new feeling. It's kind of weird too as I typically get the tingles when I'm just sitting at work typing away and the feeling comes on. I know sore boobs are common, but I can't say they feel sore. Just tingly for a few seconds every now and then.
Any upcoming appointments? I go for a scan and bloodwork tomorrow. I think this is part 2 of the NIPT. Anxious to see what's going on in there.
GTKY: What family traditions (old or new) are you excited to share with your kiddo(s)? We don't have many traditions. I mainly love putting up the tree for the holidays and it was really cute to see my son's fascination with it last year. I'd love to pick out ornaments with him together and ultimately with the new baby as well. Just spending the holidays together with the family overall is something I look forward to.

emmasemm · July 2019

@sincethelastday I feel relieved for having booked someone first of all. I also went with the practice with four midwives so one they can cover for each other and two if I don’t get on with one I can swap internally in the practice. The one who I chatted with for 20 minutes today seemed really nice - we spoke almost entirely in German but also did two minutes in English as that’s an important safety net for me in case of a crisis.
And as long as you feel good with your “scan plan” then that’s whats most important. I’m also really feeling the stress before each appointment - like I think my nausea and dry heaving this morning was mostly nerves not morning sickness! They took my blood pressure before and it was through the roof. After it was low (like normal). You do you.

@mbradfo2 I knew in the Uk you got one or two visits from a “health visitor” at home after birth, but this full on daily approach for the first weeks in Germany is really awesome. And it’s part of every insurance (even the “free” insurance for people who don’t work). Theynbasically don’t normally expect you to leave the house for the first six weeks after birth to go to appointments if you have a “normal” birth - the midwife handles everything routine at home.
She already said to my husband last week it likely means restricted activities the entire time - including no sex and no sports, only gentle walking. No lifting of course (I haven’t done that since before transfer though!). I hope it doesn’t mean modified bed rest the whole time as that will be a damn long 7 months ahead! Most likely discussed today we will hope it is stable next week and through second tri but will really have to watch it as we head into third tri. If it affects the blood supply or stability of the placenta is the worry. But step by step. We will do what we need to do.

@tulips29 oh I am soooo glad I’m not the only one who freaks myself out! I told DH this morning we need to organize a quick low cost solution so I don’t sit up all night with one of his ornamental knives in one hand and my phone in the other... he got the message ;-) We have squirrels too (but no dog, yet) - maybe it was ours having a party last night before the storm!

k_mama91 · July 2019

How far along/EDD? 12/5 21w6d
How are you feeling this week? Pretty good, hope it lasts
Rants/Raves? Questions? I’m peeing every 20 minutes it seems. I’m at the point where I’m planning outings around bathroom breaks.
Any upcoming appointments? 22 week appt tomorrow
GTKY: What family traditions (old or new) are you excited to share with your kiddo(s)? We always put our Christmas tree up on Thanksgiving Day and sometime before Christmas we go to the park and look at Christmas lights. We also do that damn Elf on the Shelf which is a thorn in my side but DS gets a kick out of it.

k_mama91 · July 2019

@sincethelastday I hope you find some relief from your nausea soon! I haven’t battled that but I’ve heard good things about b6.

@PoeMasque Even this far into the game Im freaking about movement. Some days he seems to dance 24/7 then others I get movement a few times a day. I know it’s normal but it gives me anxiety!

@emmasemm I’ve become a big baby about being home alone since being pregnant. Day or night I just don’t like DH not being here which is so strange bc normally I love my space and alone time.

@Tulips29 There have been SO many days this tri that I’ve been convinced something is wrong for lack of symptoms. It’s better now that he’s moving but that’s brought on it’s own set of worries 🤦‍♀️

cigaline · July 2019

Hello all - sorry to have 'disappeared' for a bit. Things got busy finishing work before going back to England and then the time flew while we were away.

I'm a bit out of touch with where everyone is at, but getting back up to scratch:
@PoeMasque we have our NT scan on the same day! I'm with you on the not feeling pregnant much of the time - while I was away I almost forgot about it a lot of the time which was nice on one hand but slightly alarming on the other... btw have you been told to drink a litre of water before your scan? The place I'm going to says I need to have a full bladder which seems a bit weird as I didn't have to do that on previous occasions...

@emmasemm really glad to hear everything is going OK inside even if the restrictions on activity etc must be a bit of a pain. Hope you find some enjoyable things to while away the time and not feel guilty about not doing much! I sympathise with negotiating an entirely foreign health system, there's a lot here that baffles me but pros and cons I suppose. Is YH English too? It can be helpful if your spouse knows the country better than you, but really when it comes to pregnancy they're bound to be as clueless as us wherever you live! I had my first midwife appointment yesterday and I hoped she would be my main point of contact over the coming 6 months (esp re my difficulty finding an OB to take me on - see below) but one of the first things she said was that since mine was originally a twin pregnancy, she couldn't be in charge of my follow-up, it needed to be an OB (arggh)

@sincethelastday glad everything is going ok for you :-) I never had much nausea in the evening but tend to get it if I haven't eaten for a while... perhaps having a snack pretty late before you brush your teeth and get ready for bed might help?

AFM, we managed to resolve our differences after the last crisis (thank you again to all of you who replied at that time!) but it took longer than I expected (not till Sun evening after the argument on Sat morning). DH had got really hurt and resentful by my comments and it took a lot of me being understanding and saying I understood how much pressure he was under etc. I think he still hadn't 'got' the impact of pregnancy on my emotional state, as at one point he actually said 'being pregnant doesn't give you the right not to be nice'!

However, since then things have been a lot better. I bought DH a couple of books on becoming a dad and although he hasn't yet read them(!), they were well received :-) We had a nice time away and got back the closeness we had at the start of the pregnancy. Alas it was all too short (6 days!) and now we're back at home DH seems to be back to 'overwhelm' at the mountain of things needing to get done over the next month (combination of work and house stuff). I've also been feeling quite blue as although I was feeling really good on holiday, my energy levels have dropped since getting back and the nausea hasn't completely gone away so I still find planning meals a nightmare. Have zero motivation to organise/sort house/do essential admin even though I know now is my best chance of making headway with it (I'm still off work until 13 August). Latest aim is to ensure we do one nice thing per day for us (even if it's only going for a walk) - let's see if we keep it up...

How far along/EDD? 12w2d/10 Feb 2020
How are you feeling this week? See above
Rants/Raves? Questions? See below
Any upcoming appointments? 12 week scan was supposed to be yesterday - had booked it via generic online website with a local gynaecologist as our centre had no availability after the 9w scan (quite annoying as I'd previously asked if I should book 12w and 9w at the same time but was told no need) and the secretary rang me on Friday to say the Dr didn't do US so couldn't see us!!! I have now managed to get an appointment at a lab elsewhere for tomorrow but it's not ideal as it will be done by a radiographer/ultrasound specialist rather than an OB so I won't be able to continue seeing the same person for future appointments - and still need to find someone not too far away to take me on
GTKY: What family traditions (old or new) are you excited to share with your kiddo(s)? Not sure we have many family traditions (except Christmas ones as mentioned by others) but classical music has always been a big part of my family's life (but not DH's) so I'm hoping to pass that on and also get DH more on board (I'm telling myself that when he has to start going along to kids' violin recitals etc he'll gradually start taking more of an interest haha...)

emmasemm · July 2019

@k_mama91 I did laugh at organizing your outings based on pee breaks - I’m not quite to 20 minute intervals yet!

@cigaline oh soooo glad to hear from you! I made myself a not to DM you if you didn’t post by Friday. Pleased you managed to reconnect and yes this navigating foreign systems is um... “interesting”. That’s really a pain with your scan difficulties... Hope this one works out!
Regarding meal prep - my go to is banana ice cream when I just can’t eat anything else. Chop and freeze banana slices, next day blend them (let them defrost five minutes first Else they take forever) until it’s smooth Joghurt consistentcy, then put in serving size pots in the freezer. Take it out and eat a few minutes later (once you can get your spoon in). Feels like eating ice cream but perfectly healthy - add mixed berries or whatever takes your fancy (peanut butter sauce, chocolate sauce...) or eat as it is.

sincethelastday · July 2019

@mbradfo2 - hey, fellow migraine friend! Thanks for the insight that your doctor shared with you. Hoping I’ll be in that category where I’ll experience less migraines than usual. And, yeah, only being able to take Tylenol sucks - doesn’t cut it really.

@Tulips29 - your cereal idea actually may work as it’s one of the only foods I can see myself being able to eat in the evening before bed. Will have to give it a try! I haven’t gotten any boob action yet (discomfort or tingly feeling), but I have heard that having a tingly feeling is normal and some women experience that more than discomfort. Hope it’s not too distracting! Hope your scan went well - thinking of you!

@emmasemm - thanks for the boost of confidence when it comes to waiting for my next appointment and not booking one sooner. Glad to hear your midwife appointment went well and that some English was involved; I would definitely want to make sure I had someone who could speak my native tongue in a pinch!

@k_mama91 - thanks for the tip on B6; I also heard it can do the trick! Good luck at your appointment tomorrow!

@cigaline - hey! Long time no see!

Glad to hear things are better between YH and yourself and hope things continue to smooth out. Sounds like you’re both going through a lot right now and hope this journey just makes you both stronger together as a team! Hope you also get some clarity around the whole OB/midwife process. Could your RE not refer you to an OB?

Tulips29 · August 2019

@cigaline IF and pregnancy are stressful and all the changes your body is going through. I hope you and DH continue to work things out and move in a positive direction. I hope you're able to both have the support system you need to make your relationship stronger and prepare for the baby.

I had my appointment yesterday and all is looking good with the baby. I always look forward to taking the ultrasound pictures home and unfortunately we didn't get any clear ones. Baby girl was moving around though, so I guess that's what matters most, that she's doing good and is developing well.

Question - anyone experiencing hair loss yet? I feel like mine is coming out in huge clumps, especially when I wash it or straighten it. I told my doc yesterday and he sent me to a dermatologist to get it checked out, who told me it's normal with pregnancy. Didn't give me any resolutions though. Anyone going through this and have some remedies that you've found helpful?

k_mama91 · August 2019

@Tulips29 I could make a wig with the amount of hair on my shower wall. No remedies unfortunately. I’m hoping to have a patch of hair left when I deliver so the postpartum loss can kick in and have some left to take.

love112314 · August 2019

It's nice to hear how everyone is doing.

Sorry it took me a while to post.

**************TW************

Unfortunately for us, one twin stopped growing at about 7 weeks, so @PoeMasque I know how you felt. We were definitely sad but the other is doing well though so very bittersweet. I made my first OBGYN appt. later this month so that's exciting.

How far along/EDD? 8w3d
How are you feeling this week? Not as bad, nausea is definitely fading but still on the tired side. Still a little anxious though but trying to not be. Harder said than done.
Rants/Raves? Questions?
Any upcoming appointments? Had one today, next in August 15 (last RE appt. so definitely having my fingers crossed all is well)
GTKY: What family traditions (old or new) are you excited to share with your kiddo(s)? My husband's family has a few Christmas ones we would like to do (@k_mama91 we like to look at lights too, but we usually drive around lol). But things like opening stockings first and gifts after brunch. I especially love Halloween and fall in general and can't wait to take baby trick or treating and apple picking .

PoeMasque · August 2019

@Tulips29 and @k_mama91 can I transfer all the random body hair I've started growing to you?! I swear I'm going to have a goatee and wooly chest by the time this baby arrives

@love112314 I'm so so sorry to hear about the twin loss. I was super happy at first, but I have to admit that now that we've had a few scans since the loss, it's been pretty hard to see that tiny, little babe that didn't make it. As if IF wasn't complex enough emotionally, a vanishing twin adds even more to the emotional pile and whatever you feel is ok and normal. I'm so glad to hear that you have one bean in there thriving, what a lucky and loved little one

How did everyone else's scans go today?

We had our NT scan today. everything looked perfect and was measuring right on track. We even got to see all four chambers of the heart! We are still confused about baby's gender - one genetic counselor said the blood test was NOT accurate due to vanishing twin, but the one today said it WAS accurate and we are definitely having a boy, so I've decided to just call it boy at this point and if it happens to be a girl at the next scan it will be a really pleasant surprise. We also found out that they should have done a carrier screen when they did the trisomy blood test, so I did another blood draw today to do that part of the test. No more scans for 7 weeks (boo!!), but I work in a clinic with access to ultrasound whenever I want, so I plan to take advantage of that, I just have to suffer through doing the scan myself....which I have no idea how to do.

k_mama91 · August 2019

@love112314 I’m so sorry for the loss of your twin, I know how’s confusing it can’t be to process that news and I’m glad you’re other twin is doing well!

We just started walking around when looking st lights 3 years ago. DS was too young to drag around in the cold and while I enjoy the hot chocolate and activities I’m looking forward to having to drive thru the next several years.

@PoeMasque I’m glad your NT scan went well! I would be hopping on YouTube to figure out how to give myself scans lol

Youd think my hair loss would apply to all body parts but sadly I feel like Sasquatch I’m other places 😒

emmasemm · August 2019

@tulips29 sorry for the hair loss and for no good pictures yesterday! I always shed hair like a yeti in spring - but so far it seems to replenish. I’m washing it less often (as I’m restricted to showers not baths, and I don’t really enjoy showers as much) and that seems to have helped a bit. @k_mam91 oh both your posts re hair loss and in other places gains made me snort with laughter! We do actually throw my hair out to the birds in the garden in the spring - it’s great for them to use for nest material!!! @love112314 oh I’m so sorry to hear about your vanishing twin. You might fancy a listen to the “Finally Pregnant” podcast, as the first episode Cat the host talks about her feelings throughout her pregnancy about the vanishing twin she had. Also I think @PoeMasque already touched on it in an earlier post, but if you will do NIPT (eg Harmony) then you need to make sure they tick the box so they know you had a second one implant as that affects how they process your blood sample for testing and how they interpret the results. In some cases it might not be possible to get a result. @poemasque congrats on an uneventful scan today and wow that you can see so much detail already, it’s amazing how fast they develop! It’s a good thing I don’t have access to an US machine else I would pretty much make it part of my morning routine! AFM Intralipids done again yesterday, hoping those 3000 calories balance out the weight loss this week, I mean that’s not why I’m doing Intralipids, but a good side benefit right now. Next and last one in 3 weeks time. Plus I seem to be turning into a dragon. It started with the skin on the bottom of my feet going really hard and scaly, now my lower legs look like I’m developing scales and the skin on the underside of my hands is starting to go funny... will mention it to my OB next week but I guess I’ll be off to my rheumatologist again sooner than planned! (As the form of arthritis I have also affects my skin and connective tissue) A girl can’t have too many doctors ;-)

k_mama91 · August 2019

@emmasemm I’m sorry about your skin issues! I don’t have an underlying condition but pregnancy dries me out terribly. I slather on a thick layer of lotion twice a day and that seems to help.

Tulips29 · August 2019

@k_mama91 LOL I laughed out loud reading your second post regarding hair growth in other places. I was thinking to take some hair vitamins but then got worried I'd get access hair growth in other places.

@love112314 I'm so sorry about the vanishing twin! I hope you take care of yourself and that everything continues to go well with the other baby.

@PoeMasque How annoying that they can't confirm the gender still. Also, that's great that you have access to ultrasound machines. If I worked at a clinic like that, I don't think I'd be able to stay away from giving myself a scan.

mbradfo2 · August 2019

@love112314
I also had a vanishing twin at about the same time (probably stopped growing around 7 weeks and a few days, but we didn't know until the 8 week scan). Let yourself feel whatever it is you're feeling -- happy, guilty for feeling happy, sad, conflicted. It's a complicated mess of emotions. I felt really guilty for feeling relieved that the other twin was doing great and not being too sad about the loss. Be prepared that it will likely take the vanished twin awhile to actually be absorbed back by the body -- they could still see the sac (empty by 10 weeks) until around 16 weeks - so you'll need to alert your OB to that fact.

@PoeMasque
@emmasemm
I didn't have access to an U/S machine luckily or I would have been doing scans left and right too! Instead I became a bit of a doppler addict, lol. My husband once threatened to throw it away because he felt I was obsessing over it. Sometimes men don't get it! It was just incredibly reassuring. I got mine around 12 weeks and was able to use it right away. It did take awhile to find the HB the first time I used it but I became a pro and I actually started helping my OB do the doppler during my appts because I could find it much faster than him!

sincethelastday · August 2019

@love112314 - as everyone else has said, so sorry to hear about your twin and the whole range of emotions that must bring! Hope you find time for a lot of self-care! Glad to hear the other one is doing a-okay!

Glad to hear everyone’s scans have gone great lately! The whole hair loss/growth thing kinda worries me a bit - I have pretty thin hair as it is, I don’t need any less!

wifeinraleigh28 · August 2019

I'm cautiously joining this group as it's super early for me, but it does feel good to be back on PAIF after a couple years!

How far along/EDD? After plugging into an FET calculator, I'm 4w6d due 4/4/20
How are you feeling this week? Exhausted and anxious
Rants/Raves? Questions? We were idiots (or maybe just super optimistic?) and thought it was a good idea to start potty training our 2 year old last weekend. Since she ended her summer camp at her preschool and has a month off it seemed like a good time. Being so soon after our transfer though might have not been smart. I'm super exhausted from the meds and now potty training is making me even more exhausted and insane!
Any upcoming appointments? I need to schedule my first ultrasound with my RE in a couple weeks.
GTKY: What family traditions (old or new) are you excited to share with your kiddo(s)? We're Jewish and the best holiday we've had with our daughter so far was Hanukkah. She was really little the year before but last year she LOVED opening her presents. A new tradition I want to incorporate starting this year is that she gets 7 gifts, and the 8th is going to be a "giving back" gift... like donating a gift to a child in need. I'm excited to incorporate that into our family tradition every year.

k_mama91 · August 2019

@wifeinraleigh28 Welcome & congrats! I love the giving back #8 idea. We’re not Jewish but my DS1 has a December bday and the last few years for his parties we’ve asked everyone to bring an unwrapped gift that he can donate to Toys for Tots. Of course he keeps our gifts and family’s but it’s been a good way to teach him about giving.

@Tulips29 Lol I only wish I said that just for laughs, the hair growth is strong everywhere it shouldn’t be 😂

Tulips29 · August 2019

@wifeinraleigh28 Hey girl hey! WELCOME!!! Thrilled for your wonderful beta results. I love your Hannukah tradition for the 8th gift. A friend of mine was doing that with her kids where they picked one gift each and donated which I always thought was a great idea and would love to do eventually once the kids are a little older and understand the concept.

wifeinraleigh28 · August 2019

Thank you @k_mama91 and @Tulips29! Honestly being back on this board feels surreal. Being PREGNANT again feels surreal. I know it's only been just over 2 years since I had my daughter but it feels like 10 years ago that I was actually pregnant. But I'm super excited for this baby! We know our embryo is a boy so having one of each is extremely exciting. I know you're excited about that too @Tulips29!

Tulips29 · August 2019

@wifeinraleigh28 I totally know how you feel. I felt the same way, especially after a failed transfer. Being back here felt surreal and a bit weird because a part of me felt like I'd never be back. And yay for a boy! So funny, but now that we're telling people we're having a girl this time, almost everyone says "good luck, but boys are so much easier" haha...I can't wait!

wifeinraleigh28 · August 2019

@Tulips29 it is honestly such a pet peeve of mine when people make comments about different sexes being easier or more difficult I’m regards to anything. It’s so stereotyping and I do not like it!

caitiemae · August 2019

Hey ladies! Hope everyone had a good week! I need to comment on these posts earlier in the week. Sorry if I forget you in my massive string of replys!

How far along/EDD? 14.5 weeks EDD 1/30
How are you feeling this week?pretty good! Except my knee has been acting up. I don't remember injuring it recently, but it's been funky in the past. I'm wondering if all the hormones have loosened something up. Not a huge deal, except it's making it uncomfortable go sleep at night since I usually bend that leg.
Rants/Raves? Questions? Had a new patient appointment with a nurse at my new clinic and it looks like it's a good fit! She went through all my testing and talked me through a checklist of what's to come. And she even discussed delivery options with me since I have a previous c-section. Overall, a much better experience than with my first OB who didnt even discuss prenatal testing with me!
Any upcoming appointments? I've got another one at 17 weeks. This clinic actually has you do 2 glucose tests so I'll be doing my first one then.
GTKY: What family traditions (old or new) are you excited to share with your kiddo(s)? I attempted to watch the meteor shower last week (and saw nothing). I grew up waking up in the middle of the night with my parents to watch. I'm hoping my kids will get into it as much as I do when we finally reach the age that I don't mind waking them up at 3 am.

@wifeinraleigh28 congrats and welcome! Sending you good pregnancy vibes!

@emmasemm wow, the midwife situation sounds pretty complicated. No way my u organized butt would get all of those scheduled that quickly. Awesome that they have postpartum midwives! The US has way too many maternal deaths and I believe a system like that could definitely help solve that problem. Also, hoping your reumatologist appointment goes well. Hoping all these pregnancy discomforts go away and everything will be smooth from here on out.

@love112314 I'm so sorry for your loss. Praying your pregnancy goes smoothly from here on with your other baby.

@cigaline I'm glad to hear things are better between you and your DH. Pregnancy is an especially stressful time, especially when you factor in all the hormones and discomforts!

akak23 · August 2019

Moving my post over to the new board for this week

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1st/2nd trimester check in week of 7/29

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