The Pregnancy Chat Thread!

The_Conductor · 06-07-2011 1:45pm

Really really sorry Barbiegirl, hugs from all of us.

CathyMoran · 06-07-2011 1:51pm

barbiegirl wrote: »

I'm gone again guys. I don't think I'll ever get here premanently :-(

I am reall sorry for your loss - huge hugs. It happened to us several times before we had our two, never give up hope.

Cat Melodeon · 06-07-2011 2:36pm

barbiegirl wrote: »

I'm gone again guys. I don't think I'll ever get here premanently :-(

God barbie girl, I missed your post. I'm so, so sorry. Take care of yourself pet.

cbyrd · 06-07-2011 7:57pm

barbiegirl wrote: »

I'm gone again guys. I don't think I'll ever get here premanently :-(

I'm so sorry for your loss barbiegirl. . hang in there .. i hope you will be back soon. . . permanently . . with twins

KayTee · 06-07-2011 10:42pm

Barbiegirl so sorry to see your update. Be good to yourself, hope to see you back here real soon :hugs:

setlikejelly · 07-07-2011 12:33pm

so sorry barbie girl, dont know what to say.......take care and my prays are that you will be back here soon.

Avril123 · 07-07-2011 4:29pm

Have my doctors appointment next week at the hospital, I am going public so thought you only see the midwives, what happens at the doctors appointment, this will be my first appointment and Ill be 24 weeks pregnant.

Cat Melodeon · 07-07-2011 5:33pm

Avril123 wrote: »

Have my doctors appointment next week at the hospital, I am going public so thought you only see the midwives, what happens at the doctors appointment, this will be my first appointment and Ill be 24 weeks pregnant.

Hi Avril. The set-up varies in each hospital, but you will always see the consultant (or one of the registrars) on your first visit. What happens in my hospital (KK) is that you are first called in to see the midwife, who will check your blood pressure, go through your medical history, ask about your diet, weigh you, check your urine sample, advise you to take an antenatal class (the hospitals usually run free ones) and talk to you about everything from breastfeeding to domestic abuse. You might be told you'll have to go for a Glucose Tolerance Test (depending on the hospital policy - some send everyone - and your own health history) but this is usually around the 28 week mark.

Once you're done with the midwife, you usually have to go back to the waiting room and hang about to see the doctor. Once you're called, they'll go over a few brief aspects of your file, maybe ask a few more questions and then they should do a quick ultrasound scan. At 24 weeks it's quite late for a first appointment so they'll probably do a thorough growth assessment.

You'll usually be sent at the end of your visit to get some standard blood tests done - these check things like varicella (chicken pox) immunity, HIV, rhesus factor etc.

All of this is completely standard and the whole process can take anything from 2-4 hours, so bring a book!

Avril123 · 07-07-2011 5:42pm

Cat Melodeon wrote: »

Hi Avril. The set-up varies in each hospital, but you will always see the consultant (or one of the registrars) on your first visit. What happens in my hospital (KK) is that you are first called in to see the midwife, who will check your blood pressure, go through your medical history, ask about your diet, weigh you, check your urine sample, advise you to take an antenatal class (the hospitals usually run free ones) and talk to you about everything from breastfeeding to domestic abuse. You might be told you'll have to go for a Glucose Tolerance Test (depending on the hospital policy - some send everyone - and your own health history) but this is usually around the 28 week mark.

Once you're done with the midwife, you usually have to go back to the waiting room and hang about to see the doctor. Once you're called, they'll go over a few brief aspects of your file, maybe ask a few more questions and then they should do a quick ultrasound scan. At 24 weeks it's quite late for a first appointment so they'll probably do a thorough growth assessment.

You'll usually be sent at the end of your visit to get some standard blood tests done - these check things like varicella (chicken pox) immunity, HIV, rhesus factor etc.

All of this is completely standard and the whole process can take anything from 2-4 hours, so bring a book!

Thanks cat, i went to have the blood test, urine sample done etc back in may when i was 16 weeks pregnant, then I had my scan at 21 weeks so wasn't sure why I was seeing an actual doctor as I thought going public I just get to see the midwives, I am going to Holles street so wasn't sure if this was the normal procedure

Cat Melodeon · 07-07-2011 6:37pm

Avril123 wrote: »

Thanks cat, i went to have the blood test, urine sample done etc back in may when i was 16 weeks pregnant, then I had my scan at 21 weeks so wasn't sure why I was seeing an actual doctor as I thought going public I just get to see the midwives, I am going to Holles street so wasn't sure if this was the normal procedure

Oh okay, I understood from your post that this was going to be your first visit, sorry. If you've already had bloods and a scan, you won't have those done again unless there are any concerns (eg I'll be having a 2nd scan at 34 weeks as the placenta was quite low). You'll have urine done at every visit. I always saw both midwives and doctors. I know there is a midwife-led clinic in Holles Street but not everyone gets to go to that - is that where you are supposed to be attending? If not, then you'll probably have the normal set-up of midwife & doctor at each visit. I'm doing combined care, which means I attend my own GP for one visit and the hospital clinic for the next. It really does vary, but if you were supposed to get the midwife-led clinic, maybe ask at your next appt why you have to see the doctor.

cbyrd · 08-07-2011 8:59pm

3rd trimester today. . time's flying. . but Ben's transferred into his new bed so the cot is free for number 4. . .oh joy :eek:

Hannibal Smith · 09-07-2011 4:54pm

24 Weeks today...my bp has been creeping up so I'm off to the gp on monday when I expect to be put on those awful bp tabs :mad: Last time I ended up in hosp for 2 weeks with pre-eclampsia and induced at 36 weeks, so I'm just hoping this one doesn't go the same way, or even worse, there was a girl I was in hospital with who had to have an emergency section at 26 weeks because of pre-eclampsia and her ickle girl was only 2lbs when she was born. So trying to keep calm as you can see

and hope last week was just a small bp blip

Cat Melodeon · 09-07-2011 7:54pm

Hope it's just a blip Hannibal. I was on Trandate last time round for high bp, it completely knocked me for six but did have the benefit of not making me care about anything from housework to job stress to my then teenage brother's misdemeanors. I've been very bossy lately and the grown-up men in our house have already been hinting that it might be time for Cat's little pills again!

I was lucky I didn't develop pre-eclampsia - one of the midwives recommended changes to my diet that may or may not have helped. I don't have the sheet anymore, but it basically meant cutting out as much saturated fat as possible, all salt & alcohol (I did have the odd sneaky glass of wine) and eating loads of whole foods like wholegrain bread, fruit, raw veg etc. Maybe ask your own doctor next time if there's anything they can recommend for you?

Hannibal Smith · 10-07-2011 9:47am

Cat Melodeon wrote: »

Hope it's just a blip Hannibal. I was on Trandate last time round for high bp, it completely knocked me for six but did have the benefit of not making me care about anything from housework to job stress to my then teenage brother's misdemeanors. I've been very bossy lately and the grown-up men in our house have already been hinting that it might be time for Cat's little pills again!

I was lucky I didn't develop pre-eclampsia - one of the midwives recommended changes to my diet that may or may not have helped. I don't have the sheet anymore, but it basically meant cutting out as much saturated fat as possible, all salt & alcohol (I did have the odd sneaky glass of wine) and eating loads of whole foods like wholegrain bread, fruit, raw veg etc. Maybe ask your own doctor next time if there's anything they can recommend for you?

Hi Cat, yeah I've done all that and walks in the evenings (though I've been letting that go a bit lately). I wouldn't mind but it's not even straight forward high blood pressure this time, it's only the top line that's high...it's creeping into the 160s, but the bottom line is fine, it's in the 60s/70s, so I'll ask him tomorrow what that means.

I think they gave me Trandate in hospital the last time, I remember it was some tablet that began with 'T', but I was on Aldomet the rest of the time. It just exhausts you, it's also the annoyance of needing help and having to take a tablet, when you see everyone else is grand and you're the only one needing something extra

Anyway hopefully it was only a blip and I won't need them. Your cheeky lot, you want to check they don't try slipping it in your food when you're not looking

Hope all goes well for you this time around.

red fraggle · 10-07-2011 9:55am

hey guys im wondering about my first doc appt in the hospital. i had my 13 week scan on friday. nurse wasnt great to be honest. just did it and said ya wont know if theres any problems until 20 weeks!! she seemed really uninterested and didnt answer my questions. im seeing gyne doc this wed. any ideas what will be the agenda. is it just a kind of check up thing? il have my list of questions for him!

Avril123 · 10-07-2011 4:41pm

red fraggle wrote: »

hey guys im wondering about my first doc appt in the hospital. i had my 13 week scan on friday. nurse wasnt great to be honest. just did it and said ya wont know if theres any problems until 20 weeks!! she seemed really uninterested and didnt answer my questions. im seeing gyne doc this wed. any ideas what will be the agenda. is it just a kind of check up thing? il have my list of questions for him!

what hospital are you going to, i had my 21 week scan there a few weeks ago and have my first appointment with the hospital doctor coming up next week even though I am going public and was also wondering what happens when you see the doctor

Hannibal Smith · 11-07-2011 9:11am

red fraggle wrote: »

hey guys im wondering about my first doc appt in the hospital. i had my 13 week scan on friday. nurse wasnt great to be honest. just did it and said ya wont know if theres any problems until 20 weeks!! she seemed really uninterested and didnt answer my questions. im seeing gyne doc this wed. any ideas what will be the agenda. is it just a kind of check up thing? il have my list of questions for him!

Yeah, that's all you get until the 20 week scan. A brief 'there's the heartbeat now be on your way' kind of thing. Have you had your bloods taken? It should just be medical history, bloods, urine and blood pressure.

Hannibal Smith · 11-07-2011 9:22am

Avril123 wrote: »

what hospital are you going to, i had my 21 week scan there a few weeks ago and have my first appointment with the hospital doctor coming up next week even though I am going public and was also wondering what happens when you see the doctor

You're past 21 weeks and you haven't even seen the hospital doctor yet :eek: That makes me so mad :mad:

Have you had your bloods and your history taken? If so, it'll be urine and blood pressure, and I think at this stage they should be checking for a heartbeat too? You'll be queuing for about an hour, and with the doc for about 5 mins!

Avril123 · 11-07-2011 10:22am

Hannibal Smith wrote: »

You're past 21 weeks and you haven't even seen the hospital doctor yet :eek: That makes me so mad :mad:

Have you had your bloods and your history taken? If so, it'll be urine and blood pressure, and I think at this stage they should be checking for a heartbeat too? You'll be queuing for about an hour, and with the doc for about 5 mins!

Yeap havent seen the hospital doctor yet, had my bloods taken back when I went to the hospital in may when I was 16 weeks gone, what else does the doctor do, do they give you a mini scan just to see if everything is ok? Have you gone to the doctor yet? I am going this week.

Hannibal Smith · 11-07-2011 10:53am

Avril123 wrote: »

Hannibal Smith wrote: »

You're past 21 weeks and you haven't even seen the hospital doctor yet :eek: That makes me so mad :mad:

Have you had your bloods and your history taken? If so, it'll be urine and blood pressure, and I think at this stage they should be checking for a heartbeat too? You'll be queuing for about an hour, and with the doc for about 5 mins!

Yeap havent seen the hospital doctor yet, had my bloods taken back when I went to the hospital in may when I was 16 weeks gone, what else does the doctor do, do they give you a mini scan just to see if everything is ok? Have you gone to the doctor yet? I am going this week.

If you're lucky enough to get a room with a machine in it, they might do a scan for you. Otherwise they check for a heartbeat with a doppler type machine

galah · 11-07-2011 2:13pm

had my (first official) scan at 20 weeks last week. Took 4 hours to complete all the booking, scans, and seeing the doc, UCHG is crazy busy...;-0

got to see the doc for 10 minutes, but no exams?

just a quick 'so, everything's fine' chat, and that was it...found that a bit odd...fully expected some more checks, to be honest. Is that normal?

but the nurses and midwives were absolutely lovely, which took a load of my mind - makes me feel I am in good hands, at least! Despite the crazy amount of pregnant women also waiting to be seen! I assume (forgot to ask) that if my bloods show anything strange they'll contact me, or will I have to wait until my next appointment to find out about rubella immunity etc?

bauble1 · 11-07-2011 10:18pm

Hi, I have my first appt in Holles St tomorrow for bloods, I'm 7/8 week. Does anyone have any idea how long it will all take? I figured it would be quick but looking at some posts now think it could still take couple of hours!? It's in the semi private clinic. Thanks! Bit clueless

Hannibal Smith · 12-07-2011 11:24am

Hi bauble, it kind of depends, they seem to change the way they do it in Holles St every five mins. I had my booking bloods and history done on my first visit at 11/12 weeks. It all took maybe about an hour I think. It was done in a little room attached to the main hospital, as opposed to in the semi private clinic.

But then I went to the consultant at 18 weeks, and there were people there in the semi private clinic who were queuing to have bloods taken and there was quite a queue.

So it's hard to say how long you'll be other than, if you go in the morning it all should be quite quick...if it's in the afternoon, there maybe a bit of a wait.

red fraggle · 12-07-2011 1:45pm

Hannibal Smith wrote: »

Yeah, that's all you get until the 20 week scan. A brief 'there's the heartbeat now be on your way' kind of thing. Have you had your bloods taken? It should just be medical history, bloods, urine and blood pressure.

thats what i was thinking. thanks. ill be goin to wexford hospital. nurse rang me from there today to update my details. must be to hurry things along tomorrow!! she asked my maiden name and i was like eh.... she just laughed at me. im only home after a long double shift!!:)

Avril123 · 12-07-2011 2:09pm

So had my first visit with the hospital doctor today (going public) was waiting 3 hours to be seen, it was packed!! Was anyone else there today?

red fraggle · 12-07-2011 2:20pm

Avril123 wrote: »

So had my first visit with the hospital doctor today (going public) was waiting 3 hours to be seen, it was packed!! Was anyone else there today?

what did it involve. im only 13 weeks and had my scan last fri. meetin doc tomorrow in wexford.

Avril123 · 12-07-2011 2:38pm

red fraggle wrote: »

what did it involve. im only 13 weeks and had my scan last fri. meetin doc tomorrow in wexford.

He just checked my blood pressure and did a quick scan and pointed to the head and heartbeat and that was it, gone within 5 mins after waiting 3 hours to be seen, loads of fun

Hannibal Smith · 12-07-2011 4:02pm

It's gas isn't it...my main worry is when I have to go back for a 34 week scan...i have to go back with a full bladder. A full bladder being used as a football...and waiting hours to be seen...are they for real? :eek::D

Eoineo · 12-07-2011 4:06pm

Are you sure about the full bladder???? I by accident had a full bladder at my anomaly scan and the sonographer was very unimpressed as it squished everything up on the baby. They used to recommend a full bladder up until 20 weeks but now with the newer machines they say once you're past 12 weeks you're grand.

Avril123 · 12-07-2011 4:17pm

Hannibal Smith wrote: »

It's gas isn't it...my main worry is when I have to go back for a 34 week scan...i have to go back with a full bladder. A full bladder being used as a football...and waiting hours to be seen...are they for real? :eek::D

I had a private scan done when I was 7 weeks pregnant and was told to drink a litre of water before the scan...a litre..! So i did and I was waiting for an hour to be seen and I was in agony,nearly crying with the pressure on my back from all the water in my system so I went to the receptionist and she just kept telling me well empty your bladder a small bit, I was like a small bit, If i go I won't be able to stop!!! Anyway went a bit and managed to hold a bit in but ws still very uncomfortable and I am quite small so to be honest I shouldn't have had a lite of water..but I didn't know that so I was just doing as I was told, they don't consider the discomfort of having a full bladder while waiting for a scan and knowing that you can't go to the toilet, at the private scan i was going mad and pacing around the waiting room nearly crying and trying to sit down then having to get up again, the language out of me was shocking my poor boyfriend couldn't do a thing to make me relax

The Pregnancy Chat Thread!

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