Mother of all conception months Graduates

[Bids]

Thanks lolli - we would be in 2 minds if it was downs or something so i think i do need to have it done to find out but are the bloods the NHS offer good enough or do i really need to fork out the money for the privte nuchal (GRRRR why didnt i ask the midwife)...

no-one in either families has downs etc (DH's cousin has spina bifidia) and we're both under 30 so risks are low i guess but i do want to know if there are any risks!!! bloody one thing after another isnt it!!

 

[Bids]

Oh also the hospital im choosing does not have doctors on site i would have to be transferred if there were any complications the transfer can take an hour - does everyone think this is ok and would you do this?? Its a really nice hospital (midwife-led maternity unit) and only 3-4 mile away!!!

thanks for all your support girls - your the best

 

[MADLYSBOYS]

Bids hon not sure if this will help cause I agree with loopy its a personal decision only you guys can make and yes I agree you have to access what you would do with the results to ascertain wether the risk is worth it! My MW told me that the bloods are by no means an accurate marker and she has had plenty of experience where ladies have had high markers and had a perfectly normal baby but ladies with low markers have had a downs baby. Obviously the idea is to have the amnio if your markers are high but the amnio carries a risk in is self and obviously ladies who have low markers dont have the amnio but it doesnt guarantee your baby wont be born with downs iykwim The bloods are so inconclusive it is such a hard decision esp if your preference would be to poss terminate if your baby did have downs. The only certain way to check for downs is the amnio!

 

[Bids]

hmmm thanks Madly - im not sure about amnio i know my sil had it with both my nieces she was 36 & 39 when preg so although it was fine for her it might not be the case for me!! i have a few days to mull it over so guess we'll have to have a proper think about it and decide whats best for us!!!

 

[PeanutBean]

Bids you need to talk to your mw about what is offered by your pct. Nhs tests are as good as private one's for sure so if it's offered there's no need to pay. The amnio point that madly raised is not insignificant. As she says if you cane back high risk you would be offered amnio to get more conclusive results. This carries a 1% chance of miscarriage which is really quite significant in this context and usually higher than the chance of having a baby with the condition even when markers are high. It's a big decision. If you wouldn't have the amnio it's probably not worth getting the tests and you're not high risk anyway. But if you would really not want to go through with the pregnancy then you need to be prepared for the risks associated with the amnio. Good luck with your decision. It can only be decided by you and your oh but ask for as much info as you need from your mw.

Madly in my experience bf I couldn't have managed with only one boob bur you could try expressing from the left one (even before any milk) to see if it would be too uncomfortable. I found that apart from chafed nipples bf was less pressure on the boob overall, a lot of boob goes in the expressing machine! What you could do would be to try feeding from one boob and alternating with a formula feed. It might mean your left boob gets sore from milk build up or it might independently adjust and eventually stop producing on one side. I'm not sure but for me it would be worth experimenting to see what works. Even if you can only do a little bf for a short time it's still a good start for the baby. In many ways you're lucky though, I was always led to believe that reductions made bf impossible.

 

[MADLYSBOYS]

Glad to be of help as I say you have to weigh up how important the results are and if you would take any action if the marker was high against the risks you would have to take if you got high markers and went for the amnio which could show no downs anyway, remembering the amnio has a risk in itself!

Its such an hard descision and then the MW asked me about having the flu jab too......I was like `hey one thing at a time woman`

 

[MADLYSBOYS]

Thanks Peanut hon yes I was led to believe also so totally wrote it out when having Oliver but my milk did come in May discuss with my MW when I next see her or if the bf/bottle question comes up at the hospital antenatal cause it general does

 

[Bids]

screening tests are offered not the actual nuchal scan & bloods think this is where i am confused as to what the bloody difference is???

 

[Bids]

thanks both... i guess id have to make the decision about the amnio if i was high risk?!! think i may call the mw back (next week now) and ask whether they actually test for downs when they do the bloods at 12 and 20 weeks?!!


Bollox (excuse my language) i knew there was something else i meant to ask her - was going to ask about the flu jab and she never mentioned it, guess i thought she'd bring it up and then i forgot!!!

will you have the jab madly - you have had it havent you peanut???

 

[PeanutBean]

Bids there are two lots of screening. One is done at your booking in and is for sickle cell and thallasaemia (sp?!!) and some others I forget. The tri or quad tests which include the test for downs are optional and usually done at 16 weeks. Having the nuchal measurement improves the value of the blood tests so you can have the tests on their own, which is what we're offered here.

Madly thinking about it you should maybe contact la leche league, they might have bf support mentors who have experience with reductions. You might have local groups too but I think a national one might have a higher chance of someone with a similar experience. Maybe you can be super duper and overcome it and be a mentor yourself!

 

[molly85]

I thought 12 week scan was always nuchal it is on Hospitals list of whats gnnna happen to me.
Bids if your pregnancy is good up til 36 weeks stay at the midwife place, most of my family were born at one and I should have been to but i was considered high risk, ventouse and cord round my neck so had to go to the general.

I'll have flu shot i guess because of where I work I am a regular pin cushion so don't mind.

To go with me being nosey on the bloods I'm not OH could handle it if there was a problem with bubs. He tells me to shut up when I mention c-sections as an emergency or if I develop diabetes seen as im over weight and already have a hormone problem it could happen. But then i don't think he would handle a termination very well guess we will have to think about it.

 

[loopylollipop]

screening tests are offered not the actual nuchal scan & bloods think this is where i am confused as to what the bloody difference is???

Bids - the more tests you have the more accurate the 'probability' results. If your chances come back less than 1:250 you are offered amnio (in my area at least). And again, there is a risk attached but yields a yes or a no.

In my area the scan is only nuchal, whereas the private scan looks at the nasal bones (a high majority of Downs etc have no identifiable nasal bone at 12 weeks - not sure re % off top of my head). They also look for other more subtle signs by checking organs etc. So it is a more detailed scan. The more they check, the higher chance the 'probability' is accurate.

If you go for it, wouldnt go for bloods alone. As Peanut says, check out what is offered on both private and NHS. If NHS offering pretty much the same, stick with them. I think the private one I go to has a Fetal Medicine Consultant there on the days they do the scan so you have direct access to 'The Boss'.

Hope this helps, it is very confusing been pouring over all my bumpf sent from private clinic. Remember though these chappies are in the money making business and of course are gonna make it sound good and worthwhile!

Ozzi - I am very suspicious that one minute they are saying they may not keep you on due to pregnancy, let me call my lawer, oh and now your qualifications arent recognised?? HELLO is it just me being a crotchety old crone or does this look like a stitch-up?????? Surely these people have a responsibility to check the validity of credentials (?sp) before they employ somebody....especially when working with children?????

 

[Bids]

ahhh i see now peanut it starts to make more sense - i know the mw took my bloods today for sickle and thalass but then she said at the 12 week scan they'll take my bloods for other things like HIV, rubella blah blah and then in my book it says ''later downs blood test'' 20 weeks?? i think i defo need to call and find out!! i was so excited to be seeing her finally that i was dazed i think - should have taken a pad with questions (i'll do this next time)

i defo dont get the scan...

peanut you are so full of great info thank you... i should have told my mum id hav been cool about this then - i know what to do with a baby its the pregnancy part im brain dead with!!!

 

[molly85]

Sory girls afterlooking at my chart 100 timesi'm putting my ticker forward again it's annoying me to much.LOL

 

[loopylollipop]

thanks both... i guess id have to make the decision about the amnio if i was high risk?!! think i may call the mw back (next week now) and ask whether they actually test for downs when they do the bloods at 12 and 20 weeks?!!


Bollox (excuse my language) i knew there was something else i meant to ask her - was going to ask about the flu jab and she never mentioned it, guess i thought she'd bring it up and then i forgot!!!

will you have the jab madly - you have had it havent you peanut???

Oh Bids poor you!!

They dont do the downs bloods as routine. Think HIV one of standard tests. They would ask for consent prior to triple/quad bloods (again dependant on area - triple less sensitive than quad) as it is such a personal choice.

You could decided on the amnio once you have your 'statistic'. It may make a difference to you eg if you are given odds of 1:14 (like a friend of mine) or odds of 1:250. You may follow through with an amnio for the first but decide against for the second. Take one step at a time hun, you can only decide when you have the facts laid out on your table, you cant second guess all your potential options at this stage.

ps think they are coming to our ward to flu jab us tomorrow. Will be having mine.

 

[molly85]

HIV requires consent but most woman just stick their arm out and don't question it these days.

 

[Bids]

thanks very much lolli - i think youve helped make up my mind im goin to book in i think, really really cant afford it but its too important to us not to so whats money at the end of the day.... awww you lot are brill (i really mean that)!!

 

[Bids]

well one thing i do know is i havent got hiv or aids lol!!

 

[molly85]

lol me to have tomany sodding blood test plus I was a donor

 

[molly85]

Sorry I am a bad person i adjusted it back to where it was before scan