4D scans - Yay or Nay?

 Issy at 26 weeks 

Daisie at 27 weeks & 5 days

I had a 4d scan with both my girls with Issy I was 26 weeks into my pregnancy and with Daisie I was 27 weeks and 5 days. The recommended stage of pregnancy to get the best results/images of baby is between 24 - 32 weeks anything before that is more fluid then baby (image below of mine at 16 weeks) and anything after baby is well packed in so you may not get the best look at bubs.

I'd definitely have another with any future babies unless they have a new way of futuristic scanning, It's that far away that I plan to have anymore sadly.

Although looking back the broodiness is very slowly rearing its head,

If your one who would rather a total surprise a 4D scan may not be for you, it's amazing to watch baby blow bubbles,have a good wiggle, gulping and all the other interesting things they get up to in there!

Each one cost me around £15O although it seems pricey it is honestly so worth it, With each scan I received a dvd of the whole scan and some printed images. They may be cheaper now as I went for my two in 2OO7 and 2O11.

It's an amazing keepsake to look back on and I can't wait to pass it on to the girls in their memory boxes once they are older so they can show their children.

 

 I also had a 4D preview when I went along to my local babybond clinic for an early sexing scan with Daisie at 16 weeks & 5 days (considering I wanted a surprise but I became totally obsessed) I wouldn't recommend going for a 4D scan at this stage because baby is still on the small side. Although its just as amazing to see baby as you can see from my one you don't get to see as much detail as you would if you was further along in your pregnancy.

Daisie at 16 weeks and 5 days

As you've probably gathered I give 4D scans a yay if your in a position where you can afford one.

Have you had a 4D scan? Was your experience as magical as promised?

Finding out Daisie had CCAM

If your a new reader of my blog your probably wondering what the hell CCAM is? which is mentioned over to the right >

You can read my post on it 'here'

(as I'm thinking about what to type my heart is in my mouth just like it was that day, so I apologize if this post ends up a bit of a mess )

I found out at my routine 21 week scan, I'd had 3 scans previously 8 weeks, 12 weeks and a private sexing scan at 16 weeks! This one for me was double confirmation that she was still in fact a girl and not grown any extras as everything was fine with all 3 previous scans what was there to worry about?

As the lady began scanning I was just in a daze of seeing my baby blowing bubbles, having a wiggle, how much she had grown since the last scan all those little things you take in. 

I was chatting away about how the lady had scanned a lot longer then they did when I was pregnant with Issy, she'd turned on the little option they have that gives them all these different colours on the screen, I looked over to my mum and could see her crying I'm still none the wiser to anything but my mum knew all those colours meant something and didn't necessarily mean good still I didn't take much in. Then it came I'm going to get someone else to scan you I've noticed a shadow on baby's lung. 

Off we go into the waiting room I was in such a daze I found myself asking the question are lungs important? she'll be okay they aren't needed that much, I laugh about it now and put it down to me being thick but as loads have said it's more likely that I was in that much shock my mind just couldn't process it all.

Along came the consultant he led us into another room, he began to scan and confirmed Daisie had a problem with her lung and it looked like CCAM they'd be sending me to kings college hospital for all future scans as they had a CCAM clinic up there. 

The main thing I processed and tbh it angered me! He told me Daisie may need operating on as soon as she was born meaning I wouldn't even get to hold my baby which sent me into hysterics even more my tiny baby being cut open before I even get to hold her. Throw the worst at me why don't you! But I suppose I'd be just as angry if he let me leave get my head around it and find that out for myself,

Another fact that wound me up about it all we were sent home with the little information we were given and google through out the pregnancy we didn't even receive a small leaflet to explain things better/help get our heads around it, I spent the rest of my pregnancy terrified that her CCAM had grown.

From then on I had scans every 4 weeks to monitor and see if the CCAM had grown at all, as each week neared as excited as I was to see our baby and how she'd grown each one I dreaded finding out it had grown luckily it didn't but in some cases it can grow so much it can affect the heart by moving it over!

Luckily Daisie's was very small and hasn't caused her any problems you all may think I'm nutts and feel free to but I believe the reason her CCAM is mild is because of the Reiki I received while pregnant during my reiki session the woman performing it had said she can't move from my stomach and her hands were getting really hot a few weeks later we find out about Daisie's CCAM.

 

I'm yet to chase them up for her second CT scan to see where we stand on the operation front, they were supposed to contact me on her 2nd birthday! 

Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Week 9-15th Oct

From 9 to 15 October 2014 it is Baby Loss Awareness Week.

The Baby Loss Awareness Campaign recognises how alone and alienated bereaved mothers often feel.  This is why they are encouraging people to try and understand pregnancy and the depth of the devastation experienced.  Baby Loss Awareness Week was set up to coincide with International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day on 15 October.

I pinched the above write up from

http://www.national-awareness-days.com/baby-loss-awareness-week.html 

Pregnancy & Infant loss is something I myself have never experienced but I am a not so unlucky 13th pregnancy after many losses 7 to be exact. I'll be sending out extra big hugs and love (bigger ones than I do through out the year) to those close to me during this time and to all those that have a beautiful angel baby watching over them, It goes without saying I'll have a candle shining bright.

You can show your support by taking part in the 'Wave of Light' on 15 October, which is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.  The idea is to light a candle at 7.00pm and let it burn for at least an hour in remembrance of all babies that have died during pregnancy, at, during or after birth.  People will be taking part across the globe to create a 'Wave of Light' to recognize the memory of the babies who lit up our lives.

 

Stretch marks!!

I managed two pregnancies with the same stretchmarks on my bum,thighs and navel piercing but they were hardly noticeable, very few and never seen by anyone other than me and Andy.
When they were at their most visible I kept hearing lots about aloe vera gel so went and grabbed some, what was there to lose? AMAZING! after using it twice my stretchmarks were a lot less visible with a white appearance and until pointed out went un-noticed.

Then I suddenly go up to a size 12 and there's some cheeky ones gleaming at me on my hips and down at the back/side of my knees.
The knee ones being the ones that bother me most because with it being a summer these pins of mine come out, Which makes me very paranoid that the world can see them because currently they are a deep red/purple with the bottoms of my legs tattooed most people tend to have a peek and read the poem down the back of my leg and there right at the top is the stretchmarks,

Remembering I still had some trusty aloe Vera gel to hand, I rummaged through the Johnson's baby boxes in the bathroom and stuck some on and after two applications my stretchmarks look soo much better!
I've tried to grab a picture of the progress but although they are very visible in person they aren't picked up so well on either my phone or my camera.

You can purchase aloe Vera gel from Holland & Barrett in 2 different sizes
1OOml - £3.99
2OOml - £6.99
not a bad price for something that really works!

This time three years ago....

Around this time three years ago (photo was taken around the 2nd tho)

I kept saying my bump had shrunk and little did I know that it actually had, I was sent home with a bleed after all checks were fine.

On the 11th July I had a routine antenatal appointment, With a routine measure of my bump the consultant was really concerned because my bump had shrunk at least 2-4 weeks (was one of the two but I can't remember exactly which one) which could only mean one thing I had lost some of my waters, she asked if I had lost any waters to which I said no because as far as I knew I hadn't but explained I was admitted for a bleed a few days ago but was sent home to which she expressed her anger at the fact I was sent home and said I should have been kept in until I had stopped bleeding and that my bump had shrunk for further tests. After a quick check she said she checked who was on duty that night, The woman on her own in control hadn't been their very long and wasn't very good. How wonderful having a woman in a consultants opinion wasn't very good at what she does in charge of any women coming in with concerns about their baby! 

She went out to talk to another consultant then came back saying she would like to get Daisie out ASAP

and I was to go for an emergency scan to check just how much waters I had left, I headed home a ball of emotions awaiting my scan date but had my induction date of the 14th July 2O11.

The scan showed I had enough waters that Daisie would be safe but my placenta had stopped working and Daisie had stopped growing (I didn't find any of this out until she was around a week old and I asked why I was actually induced)

My scan dates and my dates never did match up until Daisie was born the hospital went by the scan dates which were in fact a whole month out (she was born 2 weeks + 6 days over my date but 38 weeks + 4 days by theirs) which would explain why my placenta stopped working and could have cost my baby's life had I not have had that bleed.

Would like to read more on each of my pregnancies, labour experiences etc?

Broody Broody Broody....

Everyone around me seems to be announcing their pregnancies or giving birth, It's impossible not to be broody especially when my sister in-law has just given birth to a gorgeous little girl!

As I'm sure every mum will know when your child gets to an age were they aren't exactly babies anymore

the whole world seems to ask you when your having another and tell you it's time for another

and it's been no different for me & the girls are no exception, Every other day Issy & Daisie ask me can they have a brother they even have a name for him, why don't I have another everyone else has 3 kids and the excitement from them when I'm bloated after a meal is just soo cute! Daisie is turning 3 in July and will be starting nursery in September.

We started trying for Daisie when Issy was in nursery and I fell pregnant quite quickly  and that was the plan for number #3 when Daisie started nursery too.

It seems like such the perfect age to have another while Issy's at school, Daisie would be at nursery while I'll be at home with baby BUT

As much as I really want another and as much as my womb & heart are begging me My head is screaming 'OH HELL NO' 

I've been a mum since I was 16 and I love every moment of it but as selfish as I may sound I would like at least a year were I can treat myself a little and my body being my own of course If we had another now every penny we get would go towards stuff for baby (most of our money now goes towards the girls)

I'd also like to be driving for atleast a year before we have another (as much as the thought kills me) 

So we can enjoy some days out with the girls and maybe a holiday or two.

While all those thoughts are circling my mind I also have many PRO's to having another now,

When the girls and baby are of an age to be left alone I'll still be of an age to be able to live the life I didn't have in my younger days, I'm not talking clubbing maybe a girly weekend away or something! Without the guilt and worry of leaving the kids behind like I have now.
They would all be of an age were they would be practically begging me to leave them alone just for a night or two. Where as If I put off having another for a few more years there will always be a baby to stop me from enjoying some time away, I have always said I don't want any more once I hit 3O to the point I've considered being sterilized at 3O (I know there's no way my broodiness would allow that) but I'm still set on having 4 children so unless I have twins that little plan I've always had will be going out of the window.

I don't believe their ever is a perfect time to have children, When you feel ready is the most perfect time you'll ever get.

CCAM - Congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation

At my 21 week scan with Daisie, we found out she had a lung condition called CCAM. Yep I bet your thinking exactly what I was thinking 'What the hell is CCAM' Finding out my baby could possibly have to be whisked away before I even get the chance to hold her for an operation to remove the mass from her lung totally shattered my world and left me in a daze for weeks.

I suppose I best explain a little about what CCAM is so you have an inkling of what I'm talking about. CCAM is a congenital disorder of the lung similar to bronchopulmonary sequestration. In CCAM, usually an entire lobe of the lung is replaced by a non-working cystic piece of abnormal lung tissue. This abnormal tissue will never function as normal lung tissue. The underlying cause for CCAM is unknown. It occurs in approximately 1 in every 3O,OOO pregnancies.

It really frustrates me that there is no awareness and not even a booklet to read when you find out your baby has CCAM, I know the numbers are very slim in the above write up but kings college in London has a CCAM clinic every thursday and the waiting room was always FULL with delays of an hour every time we had an appointment there which was every 4 weeks from 21 weeks. I'd love for there to be more awareness on CCAM although the numbers are small when your sitting in a full hospital waiting room the numbers really don't seem that small.

Daisie was due her second CT scan when she turned two to see where we stand with the surgery front. We are still waiting for the letter tho I will be chasing them up if we don't hear from them soon. From her first CT scan she had at a week old they didn't feel surgery would be necessary but what scares me is all the way through my pregnancy they couldn't repeat enough how they like to take it out because they don't know what happens when it's left in. So of course it really concerns me as to why now they are considering leaving it in.


you can find out more about CCAM in more detail here

5 facts about my pregnancies

I saw a few of these on my instagram feed, I so shouldn't have took part broody is not the word!!!
but I thought it would be fun to post them here too :)

5 facts about my pregnancy with Issy!

1- she was a week late
2- I was sick twice in my pregnancy once all over the little room where I had my blood taken bright purple from my ribena and toast that morning lol & again when in labour
3- I was calling her Trinity right up until my sexing scan then I suddenly hated it once I found out she was a girl
4- My labour was 7 hours & 36 minutes
5- She weighed 7lbs 11.O5oz

5 facts about my pregnancy with Daisie!

1- I was induced when I was what the hospital thought was 38 weeks but once she was born they realized that my dates were infact right which I argued through out my pregnancy and I was actually 42 weeks & 6 days
2- Daisie was diagnosed with CCAM at my 21 week scan
3- I was sick twice in this pregnancy too, once after a chinese (noodles are not easy to bring back up!) and i was retching while giving birth (again not easy holding a bowl & retching and squeezing my mums arm while pushing too) I was eventually sick all over the toilet floor on my ward after I'd had Daisie and she was taken to the special baby unit, so much for the anti sickness injection i had
4- My labour was 1 hour & 42 minutes
5- She weighed 6lbs 4.O5oz

❤