Over 40

[julies4gems]

Hi all, just wondered if there are any other 'elderly mothers' out there? I am 41 and expecting my fifth baby. So far, this pregnancy has been very different to my previous ones. I have suffered awful sickness this time and raised blood pressure - both of which are new to me.
I'd love to hear from anyone else above 41 xx

 

[sorpresa_bea]

Hi Julies, not quite 41, but a few months over 40 and having my first baby (due date is this Thursday, yikes!).

My pregnancy has been quite straightforward, no sickness, and generally have been feeling OK, except from developing facial paralysis (Bell's Palsy) at week 29, which is now very slowly recovering.

I am Spanish, but living in Singapore, where they're still very conservative, and a bit judgmental, about someone being pregnant in their 40s, so I have had to put up with a few comments from my obstetrician along the lines of:" considering your advanced age", and "you're high risk", blah, blah.... When in reality, I've been feeling totally fit to be pregnant and have suffered no complications with a very healthy baby (so far and fingers crossed), all along....

I guess since this is your 5th, you know very well what to expect and have a lot of references as to how your own body works during pregnancy. When are you due?

 

[JJ Mum]

I had my last baby at 40 and I'm preg at 41 now , in tri1, (will be 42 at birth)

I think itis harder as youare older even if I try an deny it!
But our children will keep us very young !

 

[Robbojoey]

I turned 40 at the beginning of December. I'm expecting our 2nd daughter, in fact, my due date is tomorrow!

I've had a completely different pregnancy this time, I had about 6 bleeds during my first pregnancy, High BP, and then lost 5 pints of blood during the birth and retained the placenta and ended up with a transfusion and a week stay in hospital.

This time, I've had no problems what so ever! So I'm just hoping the labour is the same too!

xxx

 

[sorpresa_bea]

Very interesting Robbojoey... My due date is also tomorrow. I live in Singapore and my OBS today wanted to induce labour ASAP. He considers that a woman of 40+ shouldn't go a day over their DD. Which I think it's a bit crazy because I don't think the DD is reached through exact math... I mean, baby could come days before or after the calculated DD, right?

I'm a firm believer that baby will come when ready, and that your body knows best when it's time to go into labour, but the doctor is coming up with charts and studies that suggest that a woman over 40 should be induced if labour doesn't start at the 40th week.

We pushed back a bit today, and will go for another check on Friday. My cervix was only 1.5 cm open and not effaced at all today. Doctor said he tried to separate the membranes (sweep?) and see if that helps. But if no baby by Friday afternoon, I think we'll be induced.

And I'm not looking forward to that, as it'll be a long, slow and painful labour I'm sure, and may even end up in C-section....

What do you girls think I should do?

 

[MrsS143]

My mum had me at 41
Her pregnancy right before me she was left 10 days overdue
But the cord wrapped round the neck and was born sleeping
So because of that she was made to deliver me early
Not sure if it was her age or anything though

 

[Robbojoey]

Sorpresa-bea, if they will let you postpone being induced then that's what I would do. I agree, the
due date is only an estimate so I think it's good to allow your body to labour naturally. X

 

[OMGbabyno3]

Not sure why I read this as I'm not in my 40s, but I know some women who are and are pregnant and doing just fine!

Sorpresa-it's funny how different places are. I'm british but living in spain and have my c sec booked for 3 weeks time. My last daughter was born really late and the induction was so slow I opted for a section, this was in uk.

Do what feels right for you xx

 

[sorpresa_bea]

Well, fortunately it didn't come to induction for me, as labour started yesterday morning and by 9 pm our little one was here. All is well and I'm enjoying being a mum, and feeling strong, at 40!

 

[JJ Mum]

Congratulations to you, glad baby arrived when they wanted xx

 

[Demaris]

I am 41 and will be a few days into 42 when this little one is born in 5 weeks time I have had 'pregnancy niggles' all the way through including gestational diabetes, low iron count (for which I am waiting to hear if I need injections), a DVT scare and pre eclampsia symptoms for which I am being monitored but the symptoms were on/off.

I have been told I am to be induced early at 38 weeks due to my age (they wont let me go overdue) and the GD and the fact i tend to have larger babies.

I'm not sure if I feel differently physically in this pregnancy as my youngest is 13 years old so quite a big gap, but I am tired and will be glad when baby is here! I am worried about the birth, simply because I know whats coming and I wonder how my much older self will cope

 

[JJ Mum]

Isn't there something about placentas not being as good if left past 40 weeks if your over 40? Not sure how true that is or how they know that 40 is the cutoff!?

I had no bleeding with first three kids, other than one random week 9 bleed. They were born at my age 25,27 and 28.
My son born when I was 37 I think, i had three days bleeding before birth and so a stay in hosp till booked section at 39 plus1 weeks

My last baby arrived at 36 weeks via section because of sudden bleeding,( i was age 40), ive been light bleeding for 4 weeks now, 12 weeks today, so really wonder now at 41 how long baby will stay in there till

 

[Nonabean]

I think all placentas start to deteriorate a bit after 40-ish weeks, which is why they don't just leave you indefinitely. Xx

 

[Demaris]

I was told because of my age I will not be allowed to go past my due date, however I am being induced at 38 weeks due to diabetes.

 

[BunnyN]

I'm only 35 but already planning for future TTC so find it encouraging to see other ladies older than me who are pregnant. I already had problems with severe morning sickness, anemia and high BP my last two pregnancies at 33 and 35 so being older worries me a bit. I'm thinking about concentrating on doing things to be healthier like loosing weight, hopefully that will take some of the pressure off my body.

 

[Clairabelle]

I am 40, will be 41 in April and ttc my 5th. Ideally in a perfect world I would like to be pregnant by July, so I can have the baby before I reach 42 !! I had my last dd at 39 and although I felt quite a bit more tired than I think I probably did in my previous pregnancies, I had a very happy and healthy pregnancy with no complications at all. I also went 6 days over my due date and was then induced because my bp went up.

I do wonder this time around though, whether I should be thinking of having another, due to my age, so it is very reassuring to hear from other older mommies on here. I also consider myself to be of good health, so I need to just keep reminding myself that age is just a number x

 

[Clairabelle]

Oh and congratulations sorpresa-bea. Enjoy that little bundle x

 

[Demaris]

Well, fortunately it didn't come to induction for me, as labour started yesterday morning and by 9 pm our little one was here. All is well and I'm enjoying being a mum, and feeling strong, at 40!

Congratulations x