Pregnancy and Parenting Society Mark II

Original post by Anonymous

Congratulations! :biggrin:

Let me know if you have any NHS sick leave/maternity leave/pay/LTFT queries... (I can PM you if you haven't kept track of all the Anon-ing!)

I've got my private O&G follow up today for the additional non-NHS tests for recurrent miscarriage (TNF-alpha/IL-something or other & NK activity assay) to figure out next steps - although will be slightly apprehensive about steroids from ovulation (or even humira/IV intralipids/immunoglobulins) if that's the plan...

How did it go?

Isaac is now 13 months and cruising and randomly standing everywhere. I can't count the number of falls he has had in the last few weeks! He has also started being really picky with food and throwing tantrums...fun! But it is still a really fun phase as he tries to play peekaboo with me and tries to feed me food/or pretend food/or whatever he has been enjoying chewing....

Reply 1842

Original post by randdom

NK count normal but in the (very expensive!) pregnancy-like state assay the activity is higher than the high threshold so we're presuming it is something autoimmune going on (at least for the two that had heartbeats till just over 8 weeks). Good news was in vitro prednisolone bought the levels back in to normal - so pred from ovulation each month is the plan to add into my cocktail...

How is work/life balance going for you?

Reply 1843

Original post by Anonymous

I hope that it works for you and that you don't have too many cycles of trying before you get your positive test.

I am finding being back at work quite enjoyable. I finish ST2 in late October and then move to GP forever which will be nice. 60% works quite well for me as it means that I still get 2 days a week at home with Isaac.

Reply 1844

Original post by randdom

Thank you - 2WW officially started so will start with pred soon I think (need to be 100% sure ov'd as it can delay it if not apparently) - although not very optimistic about timings in this cycle :frown:

so I think I'll hold off progesterone until testing 12 DPO.

I'm cutting down from 80% to 60% this August changeover date then due to finish in December! :eek:

With hindsight perhaps should've done the whole Reg year at 60% but oh well... Trying to figure out a potential change of childcare for once I'm done with training is very complicated though when it's too early to even job hunt!

What do most people here do for childcare for little ones? Childminder (own child + mine same age! :biggrin:

) has worked well until now for us but she needs a guaranteed (50hrs a week) so as I work less that makes less sense for us & also feeling as DD gets older perhaps she'd enjoy the added sociability/structure of a preschool? So looking at switching her into one of those at 2.5-3ish...

Reply 1845

Original post by Anonymous

so I think I'll hold off progesterone until testing 12 DPO.

I'm cutting down from 80% to 60% this August changeover date then due to finish in December! :eek:

Not long until you finish now!

Isaac is in a nursery which we love. He went to one where they have a baby room for under 14 months which I thought worked well for him as he had one key worker and sometimes was on his own and never in a group of more than 3. He is about to move up to the next room in the next 4 weeks. He seems to enjoy it. They do all sorts of things with him that would be too much effort to do with one child at home (or too messy).

Reply 1846

letsdothetimewarpagain

I'm meant to be going back to work next month and no clue what we are doing for child care.

Danny works shifts all over the place, my job is 7am-11am and 4pm-10pm 5 days a week. My parents were supposed to be filling in the gaps but there is no way on earth they can cope with her :frown:

So stuck on what to do and its really getting me down.

Reply 1847

Original post by letsdothetimewarpagain

So stuck on what to do and its really getting me down.

That sounds really complicated!

Our logistic challenge is that DH works away Sun/Mon till Thursday night so it's all on me & I work a crazy intense in theory 9-5 (with an hours commute) & stay as late as it takes to catch up on Friday when he does collection. We're using a childminder (ex teacher - so totally into educational/messy play too, randdom - it's great! :wink:

) at the mo which is good as some flexibility with timings & with notice can keep her later than the nurseries around here which are 07:30-18:30 max. Family too far away to help so nearly £20,000 a year on childcare. :facepalm:

But as I go more part time/finish training & she's 2.5-3 thinkings maybe time to switch to preschool & cutting down to some half days at home with me. :love:

What timings are your local nurseries? It would probably be easier to get nursery/childminder for the 7am-11am (although some childminders will charge whole day rates & some nurseries only do a half day rate once they're over 3 in the preschool) but to cover 4pm-10pm you're going to need someone in your house? Any chance family could cope with that or a shorter version if she was in nursery till 6.30pm? If she's got good routine & potentially with the early start you'll need she could be in bed at 7pm so it's more babysitting really? Or advertise for a regular babysitter or Nanny if that's financially viable? Or consider a live in au pair with little one experience if you've got space? Might suit someone as a second job - hiring a Nanny is complex though as all the duries of being an employer for tax/sick leave etc.

Is it financially viable or worth the long term trade off for short term pain for the future to keep on working at the moment..? Or any way of switching your working pattern as those timings without family sound expensive!

Reply 1848

Antimatter

I am working bits and bobs at the moment but I do social media for the university and tutor maths so I don't need childcare. Which is lovely as I get to spend every day with the cutest human known to man :smile:

Izzy is almost 10 months now... Time flies when you're having fun...

Reply 1849

Kater Murr

Childminders and nannies are a good idea; they'll be more flexible than nurseries with times. Also, it's worth asking some nurseries if they're flexible on days if you want to try and get her in a nursery for those mornings but only when Danny isn't at work - a friend of mine has managed to get a nursery place on the basis of rotating weekly shifts, which I would have thought would be impossible but apparently not!

Reply 1850

Really not enjoying being pregnant :frown:

my hyperemesis has just relapsed again off steroids at 19 weeks when I'd managed to convince myself it would have gone by now... I know I'll love my little boy when he arrives but just want to fast forward through the next 20 weeks!

Got my first appointment with the high risk consultant tomorrow, not really sure what to expect!

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Reply 1851

Original post by Hygeia

Really not enjoying being pregnant :frown:

I am sorry that you are having such a tough time of it. Between this and your surgery you haven't had a break. Are you managing to work at all?

Reply 1852

I start back at work on black Wednesday, will be supernumerary and no on calls for first month at least to ease me back in a bit after 3 months off! My cardiologist tried to suggest I stay off work until post baby... Did not go down well! I hate not being able to work!

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Reply 1853

After having to have a rescan following my anomaly scan have been very relieved to find that baby hasn't inherited my husbands congenital heart problem :smile:

Finally met high risk consultant as well, looks like I'll probably end up on twice daily anticoagulant injections when I next see him :frown:

not welcome news for a needle phobe!! He's also recommended elective section for my safety based on my health problems (which I am happy with after the reading and research I've done as well). Ladies who've had a section are there any tips you can give me on managing afterward etc?

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Reply 1854

Original post by Hygeia

After having to have a rescan following my anomaly scan have been very relieved to find that baby hasn't inherited my husbands congenital heart problem :smile:

Finally met high risk consultant as well, looks like I'll probably end up on twice daily anticoagulant injections when I next see him :frown:

I found recovery from my emergency section really hard (though I have heard electives are better). Take it really easy, roll on to your side and sit up sideways as that minimises your use of your stomach muscles. I already had a co-sleeper but it was a life saver after the section as I could get him to me to feed without having to stand up.

Glad you are being looked after. How's the sickness?

Reply 1855

Still nauseous every day but sufficiently controlled with the steroids again at the moment that I'm eating and drinking well enough and able to keep working. Will have to try and come off the steroids again at some point and see if I can manage without them - though only on 5mg so may well be that's what I'll need throughout!

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Reply 1856

Anonymous #26

Original post by Hygeia

Ladies who've had a section are there any tips you can give me on managing afterward etc?

What randdom said about turning on your side to get up. Don't forget to take painkillers, keep a strict schedule for those for at least the first week (I found I didn't need any after 1.5 weeks and after 6 days I reduced the amount gradually).

Lots of rest for a few days, I recommend not being in a hurry to leave the hospital! I was in for 4 days (which felt a little too long) - probably because mine was an EMCS after a first baby rather than ELCS, and I was havng issues feeding so needed lots of breastfeeding support. But I'd still probably do 2 days next time if I have another section.

After the first few days, try to walk around as much as possible without overdoing it even if it's sore as I found that helped me to recover much quicker. But no heavy lifting even if you think you're better!!!

Word of warning you will occassionally get a pulling sensation as it is healing when sitting down or moving, but I was told that is completely normal, so don't freak out.

Also hold your belly and bend over if you need to cough, laugh or sneeze! and don't have anyome hilariously funny over for a week or have a strict ban on hilarious jokes being told :tongue:

Reply 1857

Sazzy890

Original post by Hygeia

Ladies who've had a section are there any tips you can give me on managing afterward etc?

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 1858