Discovery Home & Health

Hi Karli.
Could be more bloated, and because its your third baby your muscles are more laxed, so you will show earlier, in saying that you shouldn't be showing as yet, it could be your further on, or even twins? But my guess is that your just bloated at the moment.
The pains are your uterus growing, as your more laxed you will be more sensitive to the pains with it growing.
Sickness and dizziness, if eating well, are just down to your hormones and the changes in your body.
Hope all goes well for you
Jules

Hiya I'm Lisa and I have 3 children my baby girl was born by emergency cs last july she was lying back to back and was quite big 9lb12 and a half! I had my other 2 natually and wanted to know if I will have to have another cs when we have another baby and if not what will happen throughout my prg re monitoring scans etc will it be the same as if I had not had a cs?? I would definitly like to go for a vbac when we eventually have another will it be possible sorry for all the questions thanks in advance xxxx

Hi Jules

Good to see you back on here - I hope you are recovering well from your op.

I am just over 14 weeks pregnant and I've just been to see my midwife. I have left feeling confused and worried and was hoping you would be able to put my mind at rest.

Firstly I am rhesus negative so need anti d injections. She said this is usually okay for first baby but I may have problems with future pregnancies. I have just been reading up on it and have made myself really worried and just wondered if you could offer me some reassurance.

Also my iron level was 10.9 which she said was low but only just and not to worry. Is that ok do you think? Should I be worried?

And thirdly my blood pressure was 90/60. Is that low? She asked if I was feeling dizzy and when I said not really she said that is fine then.

Sorry to ask so many questions but as I'm sure you've guessed this is my first baby and I am getting worried so easily.

Oh and there are some more blood results that were asterixed because they were outside the normal range but she didn't even mention them. The codes next to them are HCT and RBC - do you know what these are?

Right sorry for such a long post and thank you so much I really do appreciate this

Mandy x

Hi Lisa,
There is a chance you could have a VBAC, but there is the fact that usually the weights of your babies increase in weight the more you have, so you may again have a large baby, but the next one may not be back to back so allowing the baby to come through the birth canal more easily. If that was the main reason for your CS and not the baby being too large, then you should be fine to have a VBAC.
As for more antenatal treatment as you have had a previous section, there is no main reason to. They will watch you more during labour in case of a uterine rupture from the previous section, but thats about it.
Hope this helps
Jules

Hi Mandy,
Yes recovering well now, hope to back to work in about 3 months.
You only need Anti D if you have a bleed during your pregnancy, although some hospitals give Anti D just incase (prophalatically). It should not be a problem in any further pregnacies, unless you were not given Anti D after a previous pregnancy if that baby was a positive blood group. But if you had it after your last delivery you should be fine.
Iron level of 10.9 is borderline, but you will need to build up your iron levels now, as by the time you deliver it will be a lot lower. You can do it by eating plenty of iron in your diet, or see your pharmasists for appropriate iron supplements. But no nothing to worry about as yet.
Your blood pressure may be right for you, I wouldn't say it very low, I would say it was a healthy blood pressure. If it would have been low for your normal pressure you would have had the dizzy symptom, thats why she asked that. Again nothing to worry about.
As for you blood results, they were probably just outside the normal margin range, but was not enough to be concerning or in need of any action to be taken. Again nothing to worry about.
Enjoy you pregnancy and leave the worrying to the midwives, I always say unless the midwife is flapping around like a headless chicken, then don't worry!
Best of luck
Jules

Thanks for the reply Jules not sure of the definate reason for cs many I think because they did turn her with forceps in theatre but still couldn't get her out my other 2 children were not as big my 1st was 8lb7 and my 2nd 7lb10 so wasn't expecting Ruby to be so big lol my other two labours were fairly easy compared to my last!! I really hope that my next one isnt bigger thanks again for the reply no doubt I'll think of something else to ask you hope your recovering well yourself xxx
lol

Lisa,
Your very welcome, anytime.
Jules

Hi Jules

Glad you op went ok asnd that you are on the road to recovery..

I spent over 3 hours yeasterday decorating the nursery, and just after finishing I sat down with a cuppa and started to feel really strong braxton hicks, I am still getting the BH's quite often, I have also been having back ache and period type pains aswel as niggling pains down below, and a small spot of red blood. The question is should I be worried with all this or did i just over do things yesterday????

This is my second child and I never had anything like this with my first.

Just a bit worried i suppose, but dont want to pester the hospital unnessary

Thanks

Julie (due in May)

Thanks Jules

Hi Julie,
You probably over did things a bit yesterday, but don't dismiss any of your symptoms.
If they get any worse or you continue to spot you seek advice from you hospital or midwife. Also keep a close eye on your movements, any changes or reduction in movements you should seek advice again.
Are you a negative blood group? If so you may need Anti D.
Just rest for the time being and keep a close eye on things, if you are in any slight doubt please contact your midwife, GP or hospital, its better to be safe than sorry.
Best wishes
Jules

Hi Jules

Thanks for your fast response..

The movements have slowed down alot in the last couple of days aswell, and I still feel like I have been beaten with a stick so to speek. I did call my local hospital and they didnt seem interested in the slightest.

What do you think I should do???? Sorry for being a worry wort but I think thats what pregnant women do best

Julie (may thread)

Julie,
You should get at least ten movements a day. If you are concerned you can insist that you want a CTG to reassure yourself, and keep asking until you do!
You could try a ice cold glass of water, the baby maybe as tired as you are, so this usually gets the baby moving.
Hows the pains now? The movements?
Don't panic its probably you over doing things, but I would feel more easly if the pains were reduced and your movements back to a normal pattern.
Remember you have a right to insist!
Best wishes
Jules

Hi Jules

I feel much better today, the unusual pains have gone (touches wood) , I am just left feeling exhausted.
Baby had a bit of a kick about also last night and I have felt her squirming around during the night.....But I will still be taking it easy today.

Thanks so much for your reasurance - I dont know what we would all do with out you

Hi Jules, i am getting myself really concerned about my weight, i am what is classed as morbidly obese, im about 7 stone overweight.

I lost my first baby, at my 12 week scan, the baby had died at 6 weeks, i then waited another year to try agian, in the mean time i went to the docs to see what they thought on becoming prgenant again, while being so overweight, and she said getting prgenant would be the hard part, there is noting to worry about being overweight in pregnancy, as long as my overall health was okay.

So fortuatly for me, i fell pregant straight away, im now nearly 14 weeks, had 2 scans all okay so far!!

my worry is, i have been reading on the net ( why do i do it) that overweight people are at much higher risk of still birth, and sever pregnancy related illness, such as high blood presure, death in the mother, complecated c-sections, if needed etc etc.

I cant sleep through worry, and thats not doing me any good, im going to see consultant on Tueday and im scared he will say..why the hell did you get pregant at your size???

my blood presure at first M/W appointment was normal, my urine was prtein free, i gave up smoking, and try to eat a healthy varried diet ( i do have the odd takeaway or chocolate, but not in excess) i have started going for a 15 min walk daily.

Pleae can you offer your experiance of overweight pregancies, and is there anything i could do other than what i am doing? im not silly i know that if i was of normal weight i wouldent be at risk, but this is ruining my pregnany, and causing me anxiety, i just wish the doc had said loose weight first, if im at such a risk.

I have my next scan at 23 weeks, as at the first scan, i was told to wait till then, for a cleaer pic....as she put it, we ask mums with more tummy to wait that bit longer. why?


Sorry its such a long one Jules, but i would apprciate your thoughts on the matter.

Lucy x

Hi Lucy,
Firstly please don't read anymore internet stuff, unless I tell you to, please. There is no use in creating worrying problems for yourself ok?
Yes you are overweight and in an ideal world you could have lost some weight prior to becoming pregnant. On the other hand you did get pregnant which is a blessing, as I know of a few people that can't get pregnant due to their size. I know a personal friend that has had to get down to a certain size in order to conceive every time she wants a baby. So your very lucky in that respect.
As for your previous miscarrage, know will ever know if it was down to your size? Many many women have them and the reasons are unknow for any shape or size of women!
So far so good? Mind easing?
I'm really surprised your doctor didn't suggest you loosing weight prior to trying again. You must know that being overweight in general can cause problems any way, so its beneficial any way.
I myself was 4 stone overweight a one point in my life too.
Lucy every woman faces some risks of pregnancy and birth again no matter what shape or size. But there are more risks with overweight women. But that does not mean it will happen to everyone! Yes there is an increased risk of high blood pressure and gestational diabetes, but the last one as long as you keep eating a good balanced diet and not too much sweet things you will reduce that risk grately. The complication in CS and vaginal births is that there is more body fat to go through, with a CS may cause more bleeding, but in saying that, the team are prepared for that with anyone, so don't worry and again it doesn't happen to everyone. With vaginal birth the same thing, as there is more body fat around the upper legs and vaginal and surrounding areas, its difficult to do vaginal examinations, and making the space between the legs that bit wider. But these are not life threatening to the baby. It is also more difficult to sometimes do a CTG monitoring (listening to the babys heart pattern) due to the excess body fat. So don't be at all worrid if it takes some time for the midwife to find the heart beat at any time during your checks from 12 weeks onwards. At 12 weeks it is difficult to find in slim women any way, so it may be a few more weeks on until you hear yours. But then again it may not.
The consultant should not insult you about getting pregnant at your size, if he does, I would make a written complaint! As easy as that!
I'm sure that he will be fine, if you have any questions about your concerns, write them down and hand them to him so he can answer them for you, don't feel intimidated by him, hes only a man, a human being after all! ok.
I think you are doing well in not smoking, I know how that feels I'm just on day 5 of quitting myself! And eating healthy is great, limited your takeaway to one a week or better still one a fortnight. As for chocolate, try to avoid it if you can, if not, put a bar in the fridge and only have one square each evening, or one bar per week or fortnight. and walking is great too, or swimming. All these will keep you healthy and give you and the baby the best start. Great stuff and keep it up!
I personally have not experienced any major problems with women that were overweight and pregnant, apart from the difficulties with examinations such as palpation - feeling the abdomen for the baby, vaginal examinations, finding the heart beat, but this was due to the excess body fat and not any major problems with mum or baby. Some have had gestational diabetes, but that is mainly down to their diet, and some have had high blood pressure. I'm sure their are cases that have had major problems, but doing what your doing will reduce that. Don't worry about anything until you have to, and stay of them websites!
I would have thought you should have an anomaly scan at 20 weeks? This is to check in more detail about the baby. Maybe due to your weight she wanted to wait the 3 extra weeks?
I hope I have helped a little and please don't worry. Though I know its easier said than done, and keep up the good work.
Best wishes
Jules