Any older expectant mums Around?

[Mexico2014]

I’m just thread hopping as my sister had her last child (number 6) st 41 and doesn’t regret it at all! She said she has a wonderful bond with her youngest because of your life experiences etc she had her first at 17 and said personally felt a better Mum at 41 due to her life experience and stability! Good luck you lovely ladies xx

 

[SarahTWD]

I'm 36 and expecting our second baby, I'll be 37 a week before my due date

 

[Princess81]

I was 42 in early January so I’ll still be 42 when the baby arrives. I worry about being older but the midwives etc don’t seem bothered.

No reason why you won’t have a healthy pregnancy down to age alone

 

[songbird]

I will be 38 in August and hoping to have another baby this year

 

[Red_eric]

I was 42 in early January so I’ll still be 42 when the baby arrives. I worry about being older but the midwives etc don’t seem bothered.

No reason why you won’t have a healthy pregnancy down to age alone

Good to hear, Princess!

 

[Melly41]

Have any of you opted for a harmony scan? ive just booked one as concerned about my age so would rather know sooner rather than later. Has anyone had one...if so how did you find it? 2 weeks today its booked for x

 

[GBLiz]

no i just had the standard tests at 12 week scan.

if it makes you feel better, my downs risk for my son who i had at 41, was even lower than for my daughter who i had at 32!

 

[gesic]

Have any of you opted for a harmony scan? ive just booked one as concerned about my age so would rather know sooner rather than later. Has anyone had one...if so how did you find it? 2 weeks today its booked for x

I was so going to go for this as I was convinced that I was surely going to have something go wrong. I waited until after the NHS blood screening came back before I made my ultimate decision. That showed something like a 0ne in 40'000 risk of Edward and Pataus and one in 191 for Downs (So in my head I had 190 chances of an unaffected baby). If your less than one in 150 I think that's classed as high risk and further testing is advised but given that there was little chance of Edwards and Pataus and I wouldn't have aborted if she had downs I decided not to go any further. I put the money we would have spent onto a better pram! Its good to be prepared but in my situation I decided that I wouldn't do anything to intervene whatever the outcome based on my initial tests.
To add, the scans always appeared normal (it was the only times when my anxiety never got the better of me, when having my scans )

 

[Melly41]

Thanks ladies....i suppose its something i have been worrying about so good to hear your stories x

 

[Spriddy7]

My test came back 1 in 5 so very high. I opted for amnio and everything is fine but I needed to be prepared if it wasnt. I think you have to do what puts your mind at ease x.

 

[Spriddy7]

Nice to see more new ladies joining us old birds lol welcome everyone xx

 

[Princess81]

I’m not even pregnant yet and I know I will be going for harmony testing. Just one of these people who has to know.

 

[Red_eric]

I was worried and thinking of doing the harmony test but the chances of downs were 1 in 1881 and 1 in 25981 for Edwards or Patau. Like gesic, I decided to save the money for the same reasons.

 

[Melly41]

I feel i will be able to start enjoying pregnancy more if the harmony test results are ok.the thought of waiting another 4-6 weeks would stress me out! Im so glad tour results cane back ok x

 

[Red_eric]

I know what you mean.

 

[GBLiz]

so today i saw the consultant for the first time to go through what they will do for me as an older mum. I had a growth scan (28 weeks) and they plotted the size on a graph factoring in my age weight race etc and compared it also with my two previous babies to give the range they would expect my baby to fall in, and she was on the 10th percentile which is slightly smaller than might be expected but fine. But so they can check the growth is steady i need to go back in 2 weeks and check its on the same line. If it is, i will still get another growth scan but maybe not til 34 or 36 weeks. If it drops i would go back in 2 weeks again.

They say they like to have baby out by due date so prefer to book an induction for then, but they dont force you as long as you are aware of the risks and why they prefer baby out on time. It's quite a dilemma when you cant predict when a baby might come naturally- do you book an induction for due date + 1, or 2, or 3 days, or do you wait cos it could happen naturally at due date + 4? And even if you make a plan on the grounds logistically its best to set a date, baby could show up early anyway!! I want to avoid induction if possible because its such an unknown and needs much more medical intervention, whereas my natural labours were pretty quick. and if induction fails to progress then its c cection etc...! all possibly avoidable if i had chosen to wait a few more days???

Fortunately the consultant said we can be flexible even pretty much up to due date because induction can be booked very quickly. I think i will just shelve thinking about it for now. ha ha

 

[gesic]

For me I had quite bad anxiety about the potential risks associated with going to full term (I couldn't trust my body due to previous mc's). When I was told towards the end my baby was footling breach I was quite happy to be given a date for a section, I was to get to 38 weeks and then she would be born. My other issue was with an anterior placenta I was often worried regards lack of movement so when I was back in again at 37 weeks I was told all was fine on the CTG but they were going to section me the next day anyways due to being breach. That was a bit shocking at the time as I wasn't prepared and even though its only a week earlier I felt that week makes a big difference in baby being able to cope better. However the forms were all signed and I was prepped ready to go into theatre when they decided to pop the scanner on just in case, low and behold she had turned (despite being told that was very unlikely to happen). It was all change and I was then told they would go ahead and start induction, I didn't feel at all comfortable by then, 1st because the CTG had revealed she was quite happy, also she would require some special care as a little early, they should have given me steroid but couldn't due to gestational diabetes (something that wouldn't be required in another weeks time) so agreed to postpone and go back in another week for induction at 38 weeks. We did but unfortunately I did not progress, then they had a cyber attack, got very busy and spent 4 days pretty much sat around waiting. They then tried to break my waters to see if that would get things going and my baby moved resulting in having to abandon the whole thing. By then I was so fed up and so anxious that when they offered me another section (despite no urgency to do it) I bit their hand off! Best decision ever, recovery for me was very easy and she was out and absolutely fine. I like a lot of older mums got myself so worked up about the statistics of still birth and having GD put that at an even bigger risk I wanted her out as soon as it was safe to do so. I cannot tell you what you should do for the best as you need to go with your gut but trust your instincts, there is no right or wrong answer as many women go full term and over without any consequences and are absolutely fine.

 

[GBLiz]

yeah, i dont feel that worried because i had a full term baby very healthy only 15 months ago and i dont have any risk factors i really dont think my placenta is going to fail on the dot of 40 weeks! also if they keep monitoring they can keep an eye on blood flow etc. I would rather go in every day after 40 weeks for montioring than feel pressured into intervention and regret it after. I'm still considering homebirth also

 

[gesic]

The good thing about being older is they do watch you a bit closer, your right, the placenta does not just stop working, I would listen to all the options they give you and go with whatever feels right at the time, they cannot force you into anything.

 

[Spriddy7]

I am already booked for induction at 39 weeks due to age and previous stillbirth which I’m so glad about. I was induced with daughter at 38 weeks & son at 40+1 and the anxiety at 40+1 was stressing me out so much.