Thread: Oh. My. God. Baby #6 is on the way!!!

13weeks and 6days!

Tomorrow I will be in my second trimester!!! How odd to think a whole trimester has gone past in the blink of an eye and I'm still pregnant and baby appears healthy and well!

I just got my biochemistry results back over the phone from my NT scans etc... When all the numbers are put together (national risk, ultrasound risk, biochemistry risk etc) my risk of having a baby with Trisomy 21 or Downs is....
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1 in 20617!!!!!!!!!!

I am so happy right now... I just can't believe that after all the crap we've had over the years with stuff, all the illnesses etc that everything has come out this well. I've got a beautiful family with four boys, then a girl and now another girl. She appears healthy and well despite the Warfarin I was on at the time of conception and everything is just slotting into place all of a sudden!

I have a midwife appointment today in just over an hour. I'm pretty annoyed at my GP at the moment as I put in an urgent request for another prescription of Clexane and a sharps box on Tuesday and was told that it'd be ready yesterday. Well Martin went down there today and they don't have a prescription for me and actually have no record of me ever requesting one despite the fact I told them at reception it was an urgent request AND filled out paperwork asking for it too.

I ran out of the dose of Clexane I should be having this morning. And even when I get a prescription, the pharmacy will have to order it in which will take days too. I'm going to see my midwife and see if she will send me down the hospital or something to get a prescription and my clexane from there.

So, not too chuffed with that at all.

Martin's booking me another ultrasound with BabyBond today for when I'm 16weeks... I can't wait, I really need to know if this really IS another girl. And I'm now driving myself crazy analysing everything I saw and asking other people who're just as obsessed with ultrasounds as I am, what they think.... Rather scarily I thought it was pretty obvious that it's a girl until several people said Boy! Now the doubts aren't exactly creeping in, but I'm now a little scared that I might have been wrong and this really is a boy and not a girl! LOL

Oooo... Martin just phoned Babybond and I've got another scan on the 13th May! Seems such a very long way away now!!!

We're having difficulty with names for a girl... We know it'll be Liberty but we just don't know what to follow it with... Liberty-Anne is the main contender but I really like to like the second name on it's own too and frankly I can't stand the name Anne normally!!! I suppose it seems a bit better when it's hyphenated, but still!

Anyway, I better go. I've got to do my hair and try and get my house in order for my midwife appointment!!!

I'm 14 weeks pregnant today!!! Only 26 more weeks to go!!!!

I'm in the second trimester!!!

Little Pumpkin I am soooo proud of you right now. We made it through all the major hurdles, all the danger points that we faced and we're both doing great! So great infact that to mark the occasion the whole family went out for a 10+mile bike ride today!!!

The ticker says that you can move your hands and love sucking your thumb now. Well, we knew that already as you've been doing that for ages. I am going to get Daddy to take a bump photo once he gets back from the shop to show how we've changed!!!

You are an amazing little miracle, who is treating me very well right now despite all my health problems. We all love you loads and can't wait to meet you in a few months time!!!

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Today has been uneventful on the whole. I think I felt baby move again last night, just a tiny little flutter when I was pressing on my stomach to try and figure out where I could have my nighttime injection without too much pain!!! So exciting - I can't wait to start feeling more movement. It should be any week now, I hope!

I had another appointment with my midwife yesterday too. It went well. I am measuring a little bit ahead size wise but we know baby is right on target so maybe my womb is just fat!! LOL I think she said I was measuring about 15-16 weeks but I can't remember clearly!

Anyway, other things we measured included;
Baby's heartrate = 150-160bpm
Blood pressure = 110/72
Urine = trace protein

So far SPD is manageable. We discussed before about physiotherapy but I just don't see the point. I know what they'll say and what they'll do and it won't help so I'm going to go to alternative practioners like reflexology and acupuncture if it gets unbearable.

I'm actually surprised by how well I am doing right now healthwise. Normally by this stage I am suffering quite badly with SPD and barely able to walk, I am generally unwell, my blood pressure is starting to fluctuate and creep up and there is more problems generally healthwise - but this time it seems OK apart from the need to inject twice daily!

I am so glad this Little Pumpkin happened. So very glad. I have been thinking long and hard about stuff over the last few days and have decided to get more information on getting a tubal. If I have to have a Csection I am going to get them to do it at the same time probably. I am done with pregnancy I think. In my eyes, I now have the perfect family, and adding one or two more children doesn't feel neccessary. I think six, this close together, is manageable and wonderful and they're all growing up so well together and form a tight knit little group... But I just can't see coping with more then 6 children and I am fairly sure my body and my health couldn't handle it anymore.

I guess I just feel done now. Like, properly done. And I don't really know what to do contraception wise as I hate the thought of coils because of the way they work, and I'm not allowed anything even vaguely hormonal. If they'd take the whole lot away I'd be a lot happier, but I'm worried that if I just have a tubal I'll spend the whole time feeling like I could get it reversed at anytime and maybe I should. Whereas if the option is gone altogether then I think I'll be happier as I know it won't be an option so I won't really think about it.

I don't know...

My midwife thinks I'm going to need to be closely monitored by my Ob anyway this time around. Normally we only see them once at around 20weeks and then again if we get to 40weeks... But this time I am seeing her on Tuesday and the midwife reckons I'll see a fair amount of her throughout my pregnancy as they will want to make a plan of action and care for me. Thankfully my Ob is quite hands off. She likes to let nature take it's own course and doesn't really believe intervention is needed very often, so I know if I've got any chance of a home water birth, it's with her and her only.

I think my appointment for the Ob is on Tuesday, followed by my haematologist on Thursday. I'm going to have to get someone to have the kids for those appointments as it's too important to risk having them running riot around the hospital.

I'm quite looking forward to seeing what the Ob has to say. My midwife is coming with us for that, which will be interesting as apparently she's got another client who's also booked in for the same appointment time, with the same person as me... Grrr.... How can they double book like that?! It's ridiculous. And how do they decide who to take in first?!

Anyway, I guess I better go... I didn't realise how hot it was today and just noticed my arms and face are really sunburnt... Which means all the kids are probably sunburnt too as none of us put sun lotion on today as it didn't seem like it was hot/sunny enough to be needed. God I feel guilty now. Especially if the younger kids are sunburnt. Martin's just gone to the shop on his bike with them again, so they're back out in the sun....

14weeks and 3days!

Well, I had my first Ob appointment today. She's lovely and very on the ball. To begin with she was a bit confused as to why I'd come in so early in the pregnancy and we had to explain the situation to her... And once she knew she started making plans and double checking things and all sorts.

I had my BP done. It was through the roof. First check it was 131/93 and second check it was 124/98. Not good but nobody seemed concerned. They checked my urine and it had a trace of protein and nitrates I think they said so they're sending it off for testing but probably another UTI.

Then we started talking about my pregnancy. It seems I am at higher risk of placental abruption after all. I'm also at risk of substantial bleeding after the birth. The amount of Clexane I am on is apparently quite high compared to most patients and the risk to me if I go into labour having had my clexane dose within 12-24hours is very high and I have to ambulance to hospital straight away.

They are going to induce me. My Obs first words about this were "where are you planning on giving birth?". I said I preferred to give birth at home but would do whatever she thought was best. She said that induction was the safest route to go basically, BUT she would be happy for me to be induced at home!!!!!! I have never in all my years of giving birth here in the UK heard of anyone being induced at home!!!! I'm not getting my hopes up yet because there's so much that could and probably will go wrong but to even think that I have that option open to me, is amazing!!!!

So, she's got to check a few things regarding my meds but basically for the moment the plan is that I will definately be induced sometime around 38 weeks in all probability. My midwife will break my waters (ARM) at home and we will then wait for labour to start and I will give birth (if everything goes OK!) at home as hoped. If my midwife at anytime becomes concerned I am to ambulance into hospital for further treatment. I'm happy with this thought. I don't mind going to hospital in all honesty, but given the choice I'd RATHER be at home as I feel safer there.

I am being referred to someone who deals with Anaesthetics (sp?), and also to Cardiology as there is some concern about my extreme breathlessness and my chest pains which are now getting worse and worse by the day. I'm actually in two minds about going down the hospital A&E right now it's so painful... But the midwife and Ob and another Dr saw me and the state I'm in and didn't seem too concerned so I'll wait it out a bit and see if it eases a little.

Apparently they want me to have some sort of 24hour monitoring of my heart, an echo and an ECG thingie done...

The Ob is also contacting my haematologist to discuss my treatment with her too and the plan of action for care etc....

So all seems really good and really positive. There IS a lot of risk apparently to me BUT there's nothing that can be done about it until it happens basically so it's just a case of crossing our fingers and praying it all works out OK!!!

I have to go and have another review with her and discuss in more detail at 24weeks!

14weeks and 4days!

I am finding it really bazarre thinking that I might get a homebirth after all now. I mean, I've never heard of anyone being induced at home, especially given my medical complications. I'm not sure if I'm excited at the thought, or nervous. There IS a lot that could go wrong - but then I suppose it could go just as wrong if I am at hospital so what's the difference really.

I need to really think about it and talk to a lot of people about it I think. I will be so pleased if I can have another homebirth and I've accepted the thought it could go wrong at anytime and I could end up without the option. I've also accepted the thought that I need to be induced. Although I am finding the idea of choosing the day my baby would possibly come very strange!!! I mean, the Ob said anytime after 38weeks was fine... That means if we go that route then my little Pumpkin could be here anytime from the 11th October!!! Very strange way of thinking - I don't know how women who are routinely induced or choose their EDDs do it... I mean, how do you decide which day???!! I guess I'd be best going for a weekend or something if my midwife and Ob give me the choice as that would at least mean the kids would be around and we could arrange babysitting.

We've got to be really careful. If I have a homebirth we're going to need a ton of people around as if everything goes tits up we'll have to make an emergency transfer via ambulance and we'd need people there to handle the kids here at home...

That said, I'm thinking if I can make it to 38weeks without any real medical problems aside from the ones we know about, then the labour will probably be fine (assuming we can get it going by breaking my waters in the first place!)... It's just making it to that stage and staying healthy. I'm already feeling unwell and run down. My BP was through the roof yesterday and I'm having a LOT of chest pain and breathing problems. I haven't slept properly in two days because the pain keeps me awake at night.

Thankfully I see my haematologist tomorrow... Which is a good thing because I went to get my prescription for my Clexane and apparently the manufacturer hasn't got any!!!! So none of the local chemists have any either! I only have enough to last me until tomorrow morning and that's only cos I've missed one today. I am really hoping the haematologist will prescribe me some more as a matter of urgency which hopefully the hospital pharmacy will have stock of otherwise I'm in **** creek without a paddle! I also need new DVT stockings as I've lost mine. I'm not being a very good patient so far to be honest as Martin keeps forgetting to give me my jabs, and I never wear my stockings and then do stupid things like taking bike rides (which are too physically demanding really for me)... I am going to try and remind Martin to do my jabs twice a day from now on, wear my stockings if I can and try to rest and not take too many risks...

Urgh... Not looking forward to my appointment tomorrow! Will update once I get back!

14weeks and 5days!

So I just got back from my haematology appointment. It was boring and uneventful apart from the fact that they too have run out of Clexane. Well to be exact they had clexane but got my order wrong and bought me out the wrong dose, then whilst they were trying to sort out their mistake they gave the remaining clexane they had to a lady who came in after me. I am sooo pissed off. I've got 15days worth and a handwritten crappy IOU note but no idea when the rest of the clexane will be available.

The haematologist didn't say anything about my test results. Didn't even mention them. Just said something about how they wrote to some expert in Oxford to ask if I could come off the meds, but he said no way and blah, blah, blah. She said she saw no reason for a homebirth if my Ob and midwife thought it was OK, but I would have to be induced as I had to spend the bare minimum of time off the Clexane. Ideally 24hours before induction, the birth, and then back on it within hours of the birth.

Oh, apparently she thinks it's more then possible that the pain and breathlessness is the result of another/more blood clots but that I'm already on the meds they'd put me on to treat it so very little can be done... But if it gets much worse, to go into hospital. I won't but whatever.

I did however get more stockings. These ones are only knee high so much more manageable.

Martin made the whole ****ing day stressful and difficult as well and is now acting as though it was all fine. Whatever.

They now want to see me monthly throughout my pregnancy... I think my next appointment is the 5th June. The haematologist had given me a prescription for 2 months Clexane, but apparently the pharmacy will only give me one month, so even if they get more stock in I won't have enough to get to my next appointment.

Oh, and the original appointment the haematologist wanted me to have regarding the chest pain and breathing problems. You know, the URGENT one she wrote off for 6 weeks ago, came today. They want to see me in 2 weeks. So much for ****ing urgent.

Today has been a **** day. Made worse by the fact my brother said he'd take the kids out this weekend but surprise, surprise doesn't have the money. He'd asked us if the kids could go to some work thing of his fiance's but it was £15per child... We told him we'd think about it but not to mention it to them. Well, they mentioned it today. And the kids are all excited and talking about it so now WE are FORCED to pay £60 for the kids to go to something we didn't even say they could go to. I am beyond pissed. I don't have a spare £60. So, I guess it's barely any nappies and food for another two weeks to accomodate certain people AGAIN. And the real irony of it is, the kids had already BEEN invited to a party that day that wouldn't have cost us a penny.

What a pointless, **** day.

14weeks and 6days!

I am ill today. I mean ill in a "not sick" way... I am having intermittant stabbing chest pains and when I breath it hurts like Hell. What's worse is I thought that I'd get the weekend off to rest as the kids are going to various babysitters as we are supposed to be/are doing an event up North...

Well yesterday Martin said I was too ill to go and frankly I was relieved as I don't feel upto it. I feel like I'm going to keel over anytime. It's purely that I've had my time wasted in the hospital a fair few times now that I'm not going down there until I'm convinced I'm on the verge of death! (Not literally obviousely!)

Anyway, today he sits me down and wants to "talk" and basically railroads me into going to work for the weekend anyway, despite my health. He says all the normal BS of "we won't make you do anything too difficult/physically" etc. etc. etc. And then brings out the big guns when I say I can't do it - there's no-one else to give me my injections and he's going. I really don't want to go. I don't want to go anywhere to far from the hospital as I really think another day or two and I might need to head in - I certainely don't want to get up at 4:30am, ride in the car for 4-5hours then work for a full 24hours straight before riding back in the car for 4-5hours and collecting all the kids.

I don't know what to do... This weekend is going to kill me near enough and everyone can see it except him. The other two we're working with don't even want me to go anymore because if I'm not helping fully then I'm just costing money basically...

I just don't know what to do. How the Hell am I going to get through this and still be OK when I'm not even OK when I've spent the last few days sat at home quietly with nothing I have to do and STILL being this bad.

Urgh and to top it all off I'm upset as I went into the chat room here at pg.org today to chat to other preggo's as I wanted some company and friendly chatter and it was just horrible. Really hateful and scornful and not friendly at all. Definately not a place I intend to go back too.

15weeks and 3days!

I just found out this morning that around the time my chest pain and breathing problems restarted and I started to feel unwell again I was given contaminated injections of Clexane.

I only have a few days worth left of Clexane and am trying desperately (and have been for two weeks) to get more but none of the local pharmacies have any and neither does the hospital. They've all got some on order but there's a "manufacturers delay" on stock.

Well my DH phoned the manufacturer and spoke to them direct and it turns out they're batch testing everything they've got by way of Clexane and other Heparins for contamination and I've had some of the contaminated stuff!!!!!!

Anyway after speaking to them, the lady on the phone said basically if we could get the pharmacist to phone up and ask for some then they've got some they can send out that has been tested and is fine but they can't send it out routinely as it's being held back for emergencies.

We immediately called the hospital and told them this and they basically said they wouldn't phone them cos they'd ordered some months ago and it'll come when it comes.

So... I've got a few days worth left and nothing after that and considering they are pretty sure I have got more clots on my lungs now it's going to be a real problem if I can't get any.

The Haematologist I spoke to said that they could switch me to another type of Heparin but that wouldn't help either as it's all Heparin they're testing.

I am seriousely fed up. I've been ill since I had the contaminated jabs, now have more blood clots and only a few short days worth of injections. Grrr....

DH has just called Boots to ask if they can do the phone call and get some clexane for me, hopefully they will realise how serious this is and try to help unlike the bloody hospital.

On a better note I got my appointments through for an Echocardiogram and a 24hour Ambulatory Monitor for June 9th...

Oh, and my midwife got some of my thrombophilia test results through but unfortunately she doesn't know what some of them mean, so she can't tell me whether I'm OK or not! LOL Ah well... Least of my problems right now!

15weeks and 4days!

Oh God. The shopping desire has started!!! LOL I've been window/internet shopping the past few days and made a few decisions on things I want to buy...

So I thought I wanted one of the Phil & Teds pink double buggies. But someone pointed out that it was a bit odd to have one sat behind the other with no view except the back of the front chair! So I have now decided on this;


It's an Othello Tandem and it costs £170 which isn't too bad, from Jusonne.co.uk


This is the bedding set I like. It's about £60 for everything you see in this picture, off Ebay. I am going to get two so the girls have matching bedding!

I've also got my eye on some more white furniture for their room. I'm kinda hoping with matching bedding the colour of the new four-poster cot won't matter so much (plus it'll make it easier to remember who's bed is who's!)...

Oooo... This is all so exciting!

Plus there's only 7 days to go until we find out for sure whether we're definately having another little girl or not! To be honest, I'd never really thought it was a possibility before the scan but now I think it might be, I am sooo excited at the thought of another little girl! I'll be happy with a boy too, but wow!!! I really feel like I've got used to the thought this is a girl now and will be surprised if it turns out to be another boy I think...

15weeks and 5days.

So my midwife just left. She was taking my blood for the triple test. She's referring me to a physiotherapist for my SPD which is now pretty severe, I can't really walk at all. It's a struggle to get from my couch to the downstairs toilet just a few feet away. I really think I'm going to end up in a wheelchair at this rate. I was on crutches in previous pregnancies, and bedrest before that and this time I don't think I'll escape the wheelchair.

I've got to go for an echocardiogram and 24hour tape test soon as they're now concerned the breathlessness and chest pain I'm suffering might be to do with my heart. Joy. I've also got an appointment next week with general medicine to see if they can do anything about the pain... To be honest, I think my lungs are just damaged (they told me part of both lungs had died before) and they also reckon I've got more blood clots now despite the twice daily injections and there's nothing they can do about it basically.

I'm also aneamic and am on iron tablets now.

Good news was my blood pressure is still staying low at 102/78 (my last readings were 131/93 and 124/98 with a starting point of 110/72 at the beginning of this pregnancy)... And we listened to the baby's heart and it was 140-150bpm...

So, a good appointment overall I'm just feeling a bit down because of the constant pain. It hurts to breath and it hurts to move, I'm in constant agony and can't do ANYTHING. My DH is solely taking care of me, the kids, the house and his business... I'm just a bit miserable today. I can't help feeling I made a mistake in getting pregnant. I knew it'd be bad but I never thought it'd be THIS bad. And I'm not even half way through it all yet.

Oh and on top of all that, I've barely been able to swallow a small meal a day recently and weighed myself when the midwife was there (for the blood tests) and have lost over a stone in weight in a week or so. NOT good news.

On a good note though both Boots pharmacy and the hospital pharmacy called me today to tell me they'd got my prescriptions of Clexane available!!!

15weeks and 6days!

I'm feeling a bit better after my moan yesterday. I'm actually really happy I didn't take up the offer of a termination in reality. I wouldn't wish this baby away no matter what, but I'm just a little frustrated by the constant agony I'm in and the fact I am virtually housebound and can't move much even to get to the toilet. I need help doing everything, it's really ridiculous. I feel like I'm disabled when I should be able-bodied which I'm sure is a huge insult to those who really are disabled, but I just can't DO ANYTHING at all and it's so frustrating as I should be able to do most things. Pregnancy isn't supposed to leave you unable to function normally!

Anyway, I've been mulling over some of the blood test results I got back from my thrombophilia screen. I don't really understand most of them, so I'm waiting for my haematology appointment on the 5th June eagerly as I really want to know if I've got some of these problems or it's all OK. The two results that have been flagged up as slightly abnormal are Antithrombin III and Protein S. My levels with both of those are low from what I can tell, but everything else is normal. I've been doing some reading up on it and apparently both of these problems are really rare compared to things like Lupus and Factor V Leiden and Protein C deficiency so I doubt I've really got them...

I know the rest of my family is waiting on the results too as I think if I've got either of those problems they'll all need/want testing too as it's apparently heriditary and my family has a very strong history of DVT and clotting in general (most had them young or died young as a result)... I'm mainly worried about my kids to be honest. I feel bad I might be passing my health problems onto them.

Anyway... Martin is at work all day today. Our good friend Lisa, has taken the boys to school and is picking them up for me so I only have to collect Raistlin.

Ooooo... Only 4 days to go until my next scan!!!! Oh, and my midwife said she'd come with me on that day to another appointment I have with general medicine. The Dr I'm seeing is nice but he does have a tendancy to have a bit of a go at me and I promised him I wouldn't get pregnant again and I didn't need a tubal because I categorically wouldn't get pregnant and now I'm crawling back saying I did get pregnant and I'm suffering - help!!! LOL He's going to have such a go at me, so my midwife is coming with me to protect me cos Martin probably won't!!!! LOL

At least I have my scan a couple of hours after that appointment so it'll cheer me up if he's really horrid to me!!! LOL

Oh joy... It's raining and I've got to walk. I hope it stops by then!!!