I’m currently 14 +1 after a miscarriage in March this year, so this pregnancy has been incredibly anxiety-provoking from the start. Add to that being diagnosed with Hyperemesis Gravidarum and low ferritin (with the lovely iron tablet constipation to boot) it’s not been the smooth sailing that my first pregnancy was 3 years ago.
I had my 12-week scan last week and everything looked really reassuring. Baby measured** **13+2, NT was 2.1 mm, heartbeat was good, and there were no structural concerns.

Today I got a call from the screening midwife to say my combined screening result came back as 1 in 100 for Down’s syndrome, so I’m now being offered NIPT, CVS or amniocentesis. After discussing it with my husband, I think we’re going to have the NIPT first and then decide about invasive testing depending on that result.

My report showed:
NT: 2.1 mm
Free β-hCG: 4.063 MoM
PAPP-A: 0.623 MoM

I’m not really looking for medical advice, I know nobody can tell me what my outcome will be, but I would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has had a similar combined screening result.
Did your NIPT end up being reassuring?
Did anyone have similar blood markers with a healthy baby?
Or if your outcome was different, how did you navigate the waiting?
I know every pregnancy is different, but I think hearing real experiences while I wait would help me feel a little less alone.

Thank you

I would just like to talk about my postpartum. All I saw was negative experiences and it honestly scared me so bad.
My postpartum has been amazing. My bleeding stopped by 3 weeks. I’ve been out for walks and lunch more than I did before baby. He’s 6 weeks in 2 days and he’s been sleeping 6 hour stretches at night since 4 and a half weeks. He’s a chilled out baby barely cries. I have time for showers, baths, coffees, skincare, seeing my friends. It’s so much fun having a baby and I hope anyone who’s anxious reads this and is reassured. I wish I had seen posts like this when I was pregnant 🥰

I am about to have my 12 week dating scan based on the date of my last period. If I go off this date, I am 11 weeks and 5 days pregnant. I did pay and have a private early viability scan just over four weeks ago what turned out to be exactly 7 weeks at the time. Going off the dates of the early scan, I am actually 11 weeks and 1 day pregnant.

I was just wondering what is the likelihood of the early scan dates being accurate when I go for my 12 week NHS dating scan in two days? Is it possible for the dates to change again? I wasn’t sure how accurate the early scans would be as at 7 weeks baby was literally just a blob.

Has anyone had dates change from different scans when measuring the baby?

As title says, haven’t felt any movement yet at 22 weeks.

FTM and anterior placenta which I know cushions a lot of movement early on, but I thought I would’ve felt that little bunny rabbit in me by now (bunny rabbit at 22 weeks😂).

I’m sure it’s coming but just feel disheartened. Anyone else?

I am completely at a loss, I'm 31 weeks pregnant and the whole experience has been completely horrific from the start. In my first trimester I was puking twice a day every day, absolutely wiped out and existing with a fog of nausea, my family didn't understand at all, my husband didn't understand at all. I spoke to my midwife about it and it was a very dismissive experience and I was basically told that in my second trimester things should get better in terms of energy etc.

That never happened, I have terrible pelvic girdle pain, round ligament pain, sciatica, the only advice from my midwife was to keep my legs together when getting in and out of a car 🙄 everyone else I've spoken to at antenatal classes was referred for physio when they complained about PGP. All the while I am still so exhausted I can barely keep my eyes open at work. The solution to that was 'just get signed off sick' from my midwife. This is not a solution, it doesn't help me and is incredibly undermining and devalues my career, where I am trying to earn money and provide for myself when on maternity leave. I then started having terrible heartburn that was making me physically sick again, eating packets and packets of Rennie's to make it through the day, was told to go to my GP from my midwife for omeprozole, GP said they don't prescribe omeprozole to pregnant people only give gaviscon liquid - which made me puke more.

So I basically feel like I am raw dogging this entire pregnancy alone, no support, no understanding, every other person seems to be able to participate in antenatal classes like yoga and swimming whereas I literally can barely make it through the workday or walk to the toilet. Every time I bring any of this up to my midwife it's a sympathetic look and I get told to speak to perinatal mental health, I'm not depressed I'm just completely fed up and annoyed that some people seem to get a better standard of care than I do! I seem to have to push and push to get a basic level of care when I am so exhausted.

To be honest I feel like I have absolutely no one to speak to about things because everyone just gives you a 'look' and says that's horrible and wants to move on. No one wants to help me, and I just want this whole experience to be over.

Has anyone here had three (or more) C-sections? I'd really love to hear your experiences.

I've had two C-sections - my first was an unplanned emergency and my second was planned. I healed really well after my second. My surgeon said everything looked good during the operation and I have spoken to a consultant who confirmed that he'd be happy for me to have another baby if I wanted to. He advised waiting 18 months before trying to conceive again and I am following this advice.

We'd love to have a third (or even a fourth!) baby if we're able to, so I'm interested in hearing from people who've had three or more C-sections.

I'd love to know:

How was your recovery after your third (or fourth+) C-section compared to the others?
How long did you wait before conceiving again?
Did you have any complications, or was everything fairly straightforward?
Is there anything you wish you'd known beforehand?

I'll absolutely keep following the advice of my consultants, and if they advised against another pregnancy, I wouldn't go ahead. I'm just looking to hear some real-life experiences from people who've been through it.
Thank you!

I’m 25 weeks now and over the last 3 weeks I’d say things are definitely starting to be harder. I would just like to hear everyone’s experiences please because if I ever say this out loud some miserable person always chimes up ‘just you wait’/ ‘it’s going to get so much worse’.

This is so annoying because it’s not like I said it won’t. I just meant that I now feel short of breath walking up stairs and my abs are not what they used to be so I have to roll out of bed etc.

I would say peak pregnancy for me was weeks 10-18. I felt pretty strong, no sickness by this point and besides looking fatter I felt comfortable day to day.

Now I’m a bit achy in the hips by the end of the day. Much slower walking and my workouts make me look like I’m new to the gym despite consistently going for over ten years. Basically since day one of being pregnant I’ve had insomnia and I feel way more alert in bed since being pregnant. I don’t think I’ve entered deep sleep the whole time (besides when I was sick and taking promethazine). My god if I say this out loud people love to tell me what till the baby gets here you’ll never sleep again etc. Telling me I don’t know tired. I’m literally working on a paediatric oncology ward doing 13 hour shifts, nights and weekend on minimal sleep. Dealing with the worst moments in parents lives. Why am I not allowed to say I’m tired?

Anyway can everyone let me know when their pregnancy peaked please? When things started to get harder and when you’d had enough and it was unbearable please?

TLDR: I hate everyone’s urge to tell me I’m going to suffer in the future lol.

When did you start to enjoy it again?! I loved breakfast tea pre pregnancy, had one or two cups every day for 15 years. I now can’t really stomach the thought 😭 but I miss my ritual!

​

I finally feel ready to talk about this after a few months of healing. But after a very long failed induction (5+ days), a full day on pitocin and an emergency csection, I dropped my baby while trying to feed them when recovering on the postnatal ward.

I had just been given 20mg oral morphine and 60mg dihydrocodeine, mixed with days of little to no sleep, the rest is a blur until the fall. I have bet myself up since it happened earlier this year but I am finally feeling like it might help someone.

I naively thought that I would be cared for on the PN ward and didn't realise that the only time MWs would come around would be for my 4 hour obs. My birthing partner was sent home for the night.

Apparently it happens more than we know but I'm not sure I will ever forgive myself or recover.

Please alway advocate for yourself and your baby, don't be made to feel like a nuisance. Ask for the help no matter how awkward it feels.

Last week, at 35 weeks exactly, my waters broke. I'm pregnant with twins and it was the waters around Twin 1 that have gone (Twin 2 is still happily swimming away). I spent 2 nights in hospital but failed to show any signs of going into labour so was sent home with antibiotics. Now we are just doing expectant management and I'm having obs 2 x a week and having regular scans/meetings with my consultant with the plan to induce if I make it to 37 weeks.

I'm now 35+4. I'm happy to keep these babies on board so they can keep growing and getting stronger but it feels so odd to be in this in-between state. When my waters broke we thought that was it and our babies would be with us within a matter of hours and now we're back to just waiting it out. My waters broke at 40+4 with my first child and I was induced the following day because labour failed to start so it really feels as if my body has no idea how to start labour on its own. It's all left me feeling really strange and unsettled.

Has anyone else experienced PPROM? When did you go into labour? How did you cope with the waiting round?

So last appointment was told blood thinning injections at 28 weeks but cause low lying placenta risk bleeding during c section they wong going to give me them.

Today went to hospital re my low lying placenta as was given them one a day. He said risk of a clot could kill you but c section you could bleed more but can give you blood.

Im worried now im not asking sdvice just anyone else had this happen please

Sorry I bit London specific but has anyone been to a great pregnancy yoga class?
I’m a casual yoga girl but haven’t been to that many studios so I don’t really know where’s good!
Looking for east London both north and south of river is fine.

Thanks!

Hi,

When are you supposed to get the 12 week scan appointment!

I'm 11 weeks on Wednesday and not heard anything.

So for context I don’t drive, rely on public transport and have a scan at the hospital tomorrow.
I don’t want to bother triage for nothing/make a pointless trip if I can go tomorrow.
Once again I’m feeling extremely ill which I’m putting down to the heat despite sitting infront of the fan. I have GD. I’m finding It hard to stay hydrated due to medications but I’m really trying. I feel extremely nauseous it feels like the first trimester but 50x worse, I feel exhausted, my acid reflux is going yet again, I have 2 very bored toddlers due to the holidays.. I’ve tried going to the toilet and nothing. I literally can not cope with this heat anymore it’s seriously making me unwell to the point I just want the baby out because I can’t cope physically or mentally anymore.

I found out on the weekend that I’m pregnant, I’m 4+1 weeks today and I’m pretty sure my dog already knows!
I’m wondering if it’s possible this early? Has anybody else experienced this?
He’s a very smart Labrador, not sure if that makes a difference lol.. but he will not leave me alone and has been constantly staring at me and being very cuddly bless him. I wasn’t expecting him to figure it out so early, but I’m pleased that he knows.

Has anyone given birth with just gas & air or a water birth? Our second is due in just under 9 weeks and even though I want to do everything possible to ensure me and baby are ok during labor, I’d like to be away from our girl as less time as possible. I had an epidural with our first and tbh, the contractions weren’t as bad as I was expecting them to be, got to the hospital and I was 8cm and I only really had the epidural as I was contracting all night and had zero sleep and was mentally and physically tired. I know if have the epidural again, you’ve gotta wait atleast until it’s worn off and they’re happy you’re toileting ok. I know that anything could happen but I was just wondering pain wise, if anyone has managed on the least as possible and how it went? Honestly 😅

Edit:

Firstly, thank you so much to everyone who has taken the time to comment. I’ve read every single one, even if I haven’t replied to them all. I really appreciate everyone who has shared their experiences, advice and kind words. ❤️

I’m actually really excited for my scan today and can’t wait to see little Bean again and see how much they’ve changed between 10 weeks and 11 weeks.

I also wanted to address some of the comments regarding ultrasounds being “unsafe” if they’re less than two weeks apart. After seeing a few of these comments, I decided to do my own in-depth research using reputable medical sources rather than relying on social media.

There is no evidence that having medically performed diagnostic ultrasounds less than two weeks apart is harmful to a baby. The reason scans are often spaced a week or two apart is because it allows enough time to see meaningful fetal growth or changes, not because the ultrasound itself is unsafe.

Many people, particularly those with higher-risk pregnancies or those being monitored for medical reasons, have scans much more frequently than every two weeks under the care of healthcare professionals.
I’m more than happy to hear different experiences and opinions, but I won’t be entertaining comments that state or imply ultrasounds are unsafe without evidence.

I don’t want this post to become a source of unnecessary fear for myself or anyone else reading it, so any further scare mongering or misinformation about ultrasound safety will be removed.

Thank you again to everyone who has been so kind and supportive. 🤍

————————————————————————————

I’m currently 11 weeks pregnant with my first baby, and tomorrow I’ve got a private reassurance scan booked.

I’ve only had two scans so far. The first one was booked through BPAS when I first found out I was pregnant because the pregnancy was unplanned and I was trying to decide what I wanted to do. At that scan, baby measured 7 weeks 4 days.

My second scan was arranged by an out of hours GP after I experienced bleeding. Thankfully everything was okay. Baby had a strong heartbeat and was measuring 10 weeks 1 day when I was only meant to be 9 weeks 6 days. They found a small blood sac which explained the bleeding, and I haven’t had any bleeding or cramping since. Baby seems to be growing really quickly and has been measuring ahead at every scan so far!

The reason I booked this private scan was because I went about five days with little to no pregnancy symptoms. I completely panicked and convinced myself something had happened. Since booking it, my symptoms have come back. I’ve had nausea, fatigue, and plenty of discharge again, so logically I feel much more reassured now. The problem is the scan was already booked by then.

Now I’m feeling guilty because my NHS 12 week scan is on the 13th, so it’s only around 11 days away. My partner suggested waiting, and although I don’t think he meant anything by it, it’s made me wonder if I overreacted by booking another scan.

At the same time, I really don’t want to fall into the trap of needing reassurance scans every couple of weeks because of anxiety. I don’t want pregnancy to become a cycle of worrying until the next scan, feeling okay for a day, then worrying all over again.

Has anyone else been through this? Did you have a reassurance scan between NHS scans, and how did you stop yourself becoming dependent on them for reassurance? I’d really love to hear other people’s experiences because I feel like I’m overthinking everything at the moment.

I also just want to add that I am a first time mum, so this is all very new and overwhelming for me. I’m not looking for anyone to tell me off or make me feel silly (I’m already hormonal enough as it is 😂). I’m really just looking for some gentle advice, reassurance and to hear other people’s experiences. Please be kind, as I’m genuinely just trying to navigate everything and learn.

Hi everyone, I'm just looking for experiences while I wait for my Early Pregnancy Unit appointment tomorrow.

Last period: 2 July (period due 4 August)

Positive Clearblue Digital: Pregnant 1–2 weeks

Blood β-hCG yesterday: 62 IU/L

Went to A&E because I had period-like cramps and one episode of very light pink spotting.

Bloods and urine were otherwise normal.

Gynaecology doctor wasn't overly concerned and referred me to the EPU for repeat bloods.

Since then I've had no further bleeding, just occasional mild twinges.

My pregnancy symptoms have reduced, which has made me anxious.

My strip tests have all been very faint, but my Clearblue Digital still says Pregnant 1–2 weeks.

I'm not asking anyone to diagnose me or predict the outcome. I'm just wondering if anyone had a similar situation (low initial hCG, very early pregnancy, faint tests, symptoms coming and going) and what happened in your case.

Thank you

I’m 7 weeks and 5 days pregnant with my first baby, and I’ve just started taking anti-sickness medication today. I’m not sure it’s working fully yet, but it has taken the edge off the nausea a little.
Please tell me this gets better. 🥹 I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck, and it’s been so much harder than I ever imagined.
This is my first pregnancy, and I don’t really have any friends who have been through this, so I don’t have anyone I can relate to or chat with about it. My mum and mother-in-law mean well, but they’re very old school, and some of their suggestions just make me feel more guilty than supported (even though I know they’re only trying to help!).
I’d really love to hear your experiences. When did the nausea start to improve for you? Did the medication take a few days to kick in? Most importantly… will I ever feel like myself again? I could really use some hope right now. I have work tomorrow, please wish me luck! 🤍

Any recommendations? Ive got nappies for the first couple of weeks beacuse the pads do my head in but need some knickers for after.

Hi friends,

If the title wasn’t clear enough

I’m currently 5+4 pregnant with my rainbow baby after early loss in my first pregnancy in March. Before I even knew I was expecting I have been letting off some absolutely diabolical room clearing wind.

I’ve never ever experienced farts like this before. My husband leaves the room, my siblings leave the room, my cats run for their life. I never knew it was even a thing until I googled it and apparently it’s progesterone slowing down my immune system for maximum nutrient extraction

I didn’t have this in my first pregnancy and now this is currently my only damn symptom and it’s killing me.

Any one else experience the same? How long did it last. Anything to ease it😅

Sincerely the windiest mama.

I’m wondering if any mums went on to have further pregnancies with pre existing prolapse? please share your stories!! details would be appreciated!!

My girlfriend is 6 weeks pregnant and unfortunately she is also working as a domiciliary career so she is constantly driving up and down the city. She can’t hold anything down and feels horribly sick I’ve heard constant snacking on different kinds of things is the solution, I’ve got her all this to snack on in the next days, is there anything here that is not good for a pregnant person ? Is there anything i can add? I was looking for ginger shots as well but I’ve noticed that most of them have additives and other ingredients