Lived Experience Forum

[CheerBear]

Hi @LJE. Just checking in to see how things have been going for you over the last little while, if you feel like sharing? Hope you (and bub and husband) are well and healthy.

[LJE]

Hi @CheerBear !! We are actually driving home from a scan as we speak. Doc has agreed to scan me weekly because of how severe my anxiety is but bub is measuring 10 weeks 1 days with a strong heartbeat of 174. So at least for the next 24, I'll be calm and my husband will have a reprieve from the madness. Haha. NIPT test tomorrow... fingers crossed everything is fine.

How is everyone else travelling? Are you going OK, Cheerbear? And thanks much for checking in - I really appreciate it 😘❤ xx

[CheerBear]

It's nice to hear from you @LJE. Huge yay for bub being healthy! 🎉 So glad to hear you're doc recognises your anxiety and is working to help you relieve it by the sound of it. Do you find it helpful to have weekly scans? I think I would have! How's your sleep going?

Haha for husband getting a reprieve from the madness for 24 hours now. It's super understandable to be feeling anxious ❤

I am going OK thanks 🙂 We've settled into a bit of a routine with school from home. One of my students is a bit (a lot) challenging at times (my son) :face_with_rolling_eyes:. He needs heaps of supervision, encouragement, motivating etc. One of the others broke their dominant arm so that's been a challenge too, especially with pen and paper work. It's a juggle but I *think* we're getting there.

So glad things are going well for you. Good luck with the test tomorrow!

[LJE]

It's lovely to hear from you too, @CheerBear !! And I'm super glad to hear that things have settled for you a bit... can't believe it about the broken arm!! And completely understand re: your son and his needs re: learning. Two of my close girlfriends are experiencing the same thing with their children (10, 11 and 13 respectively) and it's driving them CRAZY. Completely up the wall. Particularly because all the other siblings are very self-motivated and quite academic... wishing you lots of luck and patience! You sound (at least to me) like you are in a much better place 😊

I AM lucky with my doctor. And it is helping a lot with the anxiety, particularly with the lack of symptoms. It's just so odd that I'm making a life and I feel completely normal. He said after my last scan last week that he wants me back on an anxiolytic medication because I can't continue to not sleep or relax. I tried that in the last week when required and I feel almost human again.

I still don't have any symptoms beyond frequent peeing (sorry, TMI!) and occasional heartburn/bloating but I refuse to be in any way smug about it! I just know that somewhere down the line, something will occur and pregnancy will seem real. I'm 5'11" and 58kg so I thought for sure something would be showing by now but nothing... Haha. All in good time I suppose.

Thanks for the good wishes for tomorrow... it's stressful but we'll also be finding out the sex of the baby too... should know in 5-7 days (holy moly!)... 

Oh, we also told our immediate family members and super-close friends and I feel far less alone, so I think that's helped too. No matter what happens, we'll have support.  Even though there is obviously only one outcome we want...

Again, I'm so pleased to hear you are going well - you sound a lot more positive than when we last spoke ❤

[CheerBear]

It is bonkers sometimes @LJE and I am really looking forward to things returning to normal. I can relate to your friend's experience with their kids. Little has had a decent go at it today so far but it is requiring a whoooooole lot of patience which I struggle to constantly find! Middle's arm is annoying. It's the second broken bone in six-ish weeks for them :face_with_rolling_eyes: We were on a video call to my family showing them how Middle used their skate shoes when it happened so that was incredibly not fun for everyone. They have a very cool looking cast on as of Friday which helps a bit (it's like an accessory for them this way 😉)

So great you have a doctor who understands. That's a big help. I remember being super excited when I could see a bump happening and I love looking back at photos of my mega belly in the end 😁Hopefully not too much longer for you. Feeling baby moving is something to look forward to too ♥ So exciting to find out the sex soon too! Yay! Super happy for you.

Also really glad to hear you have told some people too. I can imagine them being very happy for you given the trouble you have had getting to here. It's great to have that support either way.

Hope today has some good in it for you LJE 😊

[Owlunar]

Aw @CheerBear 

Broken bones - home schooling and COVID-19 - this has to be a very testing time for you and I can't imagine 

Or if I think about it I feel I might get the horrors - I did actually teach my daughter a lot because she just wanted to learn but my son - no - he didn't want to learn at school either so I can't imagine what it would be like trying that at home

You have my sympathy - yes

@LJE 

I am glad your pregnancy is proceeding well and I understand your stress about it having been there - my daughter - yes - she is into middle-age now and I was told I couldn't have a baby the natural way - but I did

So I wish you the best - it sounds as if you are at the end of the first trimestre - things change with the second and should be easier - but I understand your feelings right now

All the best

Dec

[LJE]

@CheerBear - there have been some very positive moments today so just hanging in there. Starting to allow myself to hope and dream a little bit more now too 🙂

Do you think I should start 'bump' progression photos from now even though there is nothing there yet? 😂 ... I'm glad you have those keepsake memories. It must be an incredible feeling to see how the ever-growing belly became an actual human (broken bones / accidents and home schooling aside! *wink*). I was reading an article this morning about tall women's bumps not starting to show until around 22 weeks and despairing! I need to stay off Google :face_with_rolling_eyes:

A cool cast is definitely the way to go (if you have to break a limb - haha)... is it coloured or decorated with anything special? It sounds like you're having your fair share of nightmares but also enjoyable moments .... BUT regardless, let's hope with everything in us that this thing is over soon and that opening things back up doesn't cause 2nd wave. Nobody wants to go through this again! Xx

@Owlunar - thank you! Yes, 10 weeks 1 days so nearing the end of the first trimester... now just want something to show for it! Haha x

[Owlunar]

Thanks @LJE 

Yes  - you have reached a major milestone  - the embryo is now a foetus  - all it's major organs are complete and just need to grow  - 

I  am a tall woman at don't despair  - I didn't show in the shifts my mother made when I was 5 months but underneath the bump was there all right and it got bigger every day 

It does get exciting now 

I'm excited for you 

Dec 

[LJE]

Cheers, @Owlunar 😁😘... it's so nice to hear of other tall women and their experiences. You've made me long for some stylish shift dresses now! But you're right - it is exciting so I hope I can calm myself enough to enjoy the magic of it all. My husband and I have such hopes and dreams for this little one (as I know all parents-to-be do!!).

Thank you for sharing your experience with me 😊

[Owlunar]

You can plan for that @LJE  and look fabulous

My mother made me a lot of shifts out of bright material - and added collars of lace or other fabrics - and the sides were made so I could let them out a stitch at a time as the bump grew

They were sleeveless and I could wear a shirt underneath if I wanted to or during the hot weather I just wore the shift

And it wasn't long before people close to me could see the little knees and elbows popping in and  out

I know it's not an easy time for you and I have been there so I know - but it is a great time - and exciting time - I remember - feeling the new life growing is wonderful

Dec