Discovery Home & Health

Hi jules definately sterilized this time and i had thought of asking them to do it at the same time if i endup with section.
i am 31 so hopefully like you say i have plenty time .
Thanks again Jules
Sharonxxx[]

Hi Jules, thank you for being here and avaliable to answer our questions! Good luck with TTC!

Just wondering but I had a vacuum delivery for my first twin and footling breech with my 2nd when they were born 2 years ago. Ended up with a wound breakdown and rectocele but would I be allowed to have homebirth this time (currently TTC and live in Australia).
I would so love to have less medical intervention if I am lucky enough to become pregnant again.

Many thanks
Sam

Hi Sam,
Maybe I'm a bit thick but whats TTC?
Twins are hard work, I remember it well.
Did you have an episiotomy (cut), did it extent during delivery? Or did you have a 3rd/4th degree tear? If it was a bad tear and envolved the rectum, it may be advised for you to have a caesarean section. What was the reason for the ventouse (vacuum) delivery?
Its not the actual breakdown of the perineum that would stop you having a home birth, as that is care in the postnatal period, its the risk of an exstensive tear, or the reasons behind the ventouse delivery.
I think when you become pregnant again, your midwife and consultant will know your history, and you state your wishes, and plan your care together, and maybe come to some kind of compromise, with you and your baby's safety in mind.
Hope I've helped
Regards
Jules

Hi Jules

How lovely of you to offer an ear to listen to our woes and concerns.

I am 35 and on baby no.1. I had a nuchal a week ago which was negative with really good results. Today I had my dating scan and they saw a mass which they think is a fibroid. I have another scan in 2 weeks for them to check it again. I'm surprised that they didn't notice it at the nuchal as I was scanned for nearly 1/2 hour as they tried to get the baby into a good position to take the neck measurement.

Could the fibroid have grown in a week since the last scan? It measures 6cmx5cmx4cm so sounds pretty big seeing as the baby only measures 6.4cm. I am trying not to be concerned but just wondered if you could tell me anything about fibroids.

Also, (sorry) based on lmp I am 12+2 but both scans have dated me 4 days on from this. I have been told to still go by lmp date which I was surprised at when they both gave the same result. What date should I be going by?

Hope you don't mind answering my questions.
Thanks
Sarah

Hi Sarah,
Congratualtions!
Yes fibroids can grow more during pregnancy, even in a week they can grow a bit more. If they were concentrating more on the nuchal fold then it could have been easily missed on the last scan.
Don't be too worried about the fibroid, it may continue to grow some along with the uterus, I have seen a woman with 3 largest fibroids and a baby inside the uterus and she was fine.
If it doesn't grow too much more then nothing will be done and it should reduce in size when the baby is born. if it grows quite large and get in the way of the cervix preventing a vaginal delivery then there is a possiblity that you may have a caesarean section and they may remove the fibroid at the same time, they are of no real concern.
But its all ifs and buts, see what the next scan says, any questions, write them down, and ask your consultant.
I would go by the scan date, as usually professionals take this date as more accurate than the LMP date.
Hope this has helped.
Jules

Hi Jules,

so kind of you to offer to help on here.

i spent the day with friends & kids on monday, now it turns out that one of them has measles - he wasn't well on monday and i didn't get too close just in case!
i'm 99% sure i had measles as a kid myself, i'm now 30weeks, shd i do anything? i feel fine and don't think it will be a problem, but shd i say anything/see anyone?
thanks in advance, kt

Hi KT,
I wouldn't worry at 30 weeks the baby is fully formed, so even if you get measles it shouldn't be too detremental to you or your baby. But stay away from anyone that was there for a couple of weeks (10 day Incubation period) and stay away from anyone you know whos pregnant just in case.
Theres not a lot you can do, but just wait to see, but I'm sure you will be fine, you didn't get close and you are 99% sure you've had it yourself, so don't fret.
You could meantion it to your midwife on your next visit, but I'm sure she would say the same thing.
Regards
Jules

Thanks so much Jules for replying. TTC is "trying to conceive"!! I actually had a 2nd degree tear not an episiotomy. I don't think they went down to the rectum but the stitches felt like it though. I really do not want to have C section unless absolutely necessary next time. They did a vacum delivery because it was their policy with twins that they only let me push for 1 hour and the baby wasn't coming down far enough. I probably wasn't pushing effectively because I had an epidural, something they wanted me to have with a twin birth even though I would have preferred not to have one.

Thanks so much for your reply again.

Hi Jules

Thank you so much for your quick reply and reassuring words. I haven't seen my midwife yet so it is so nice to be able to ask an expert. I will try not to worry about it and just see what the next scan shows. Your words have really helped me though.

As for my dates, that's great as it makes me 13 weeks today by the scan dates.

Thanks again so much. I can see you are going to be a very popular lady on here. I hope you are not in too much pain whilst you wait for your knee operation. Good luck with it all.
Sarah xx

Hi Sarah,
Really glad I could help, be positive and good luck with the next 27 weeks! lol.
Keep in touch.
I will be here practically 24/7 after my op as won't sleep much.
People could even email me in hospital as they have the intranet and I can get onto my own personl email in there.
Regards
Jules

Hi Sam,
No probs, Yes worked TTC out afterwards, though we are not trying at the moment as I have two knee surgeries to look forward to! Maybe I will be too old after that! My partner thought he was "a jaffa!" as he calls it, we did a male fertility test twice, and it was fine, but I have been on the depo injection for 5 years and it could take up to 12 months or so for it to be out of my system, add more time on. I'm also concerned with a possible down's baby because of my age by the time we could try, and my partner and I have very different views on this subject.
Any way enough about me. I'm here to help, not poor out my problems.
2nd degree tear is just the skin and some of the mucsle, its not too bad. Thick their policy needs looking at if you have twins you should have a ventouse!
Yes epidural does effect pushing, thats why I try to persuade woman to try everything else before having one. The only reason they probably wanted you to have one in case you needed a CS for the second twin. But I feel that its very pesitmistic before you even get started to have a plan like that.
You do have choices and I don't see that you can't have what you want in principle. But be open minded, things can change throughout your pregnancy. Do all your research and ask loads of questions, that way when the time comes, you will be ready to fight your corner to what you want, but be advised also.
Kindest regards
Jules

Hello,

I am 31 weeks pregnant and have been told about all the benefits of taking Raspberry leaf tea/capsuels.

All the magazines I have read have said to take it from 36 weeks of pregnancy and other people I have talked to said to take it from 32 weeks and others say 37 weeks, I am a little confused now!

I hope you can help.

Jen x [:X]

Hi Jen,
I very dubious about things that are said to help labour. I am of the opinion that your body should and will do its job when needed. I have looked at a couple of articles and they seem to say there is a small % that the woman can have a shorter 2nd stage in labour and a reduction in the use of forceps, is that just how it would of been any way if they hadn't taken it? But there needs to be more research.
I would see what your midwife's / consultants veiws of it is. Personally I don't think there is enough research that warrents its use.
Sorry I'm not much use to you, but I think you need to research it more.
Best of luck
Jules

Thanks Jules,

My Mum, who is a nurse is in favour of it but like you say it hasn't been researched alot.

I will have a chat to my Midwife next time I go.

Jen x [:X]

Jules - just to say what a nice thing you are doing here!

Good luck with your knee!

JO x