25 week midwife appointment

[lnr]

Yesterday, as well as celebrating my birthday some more with a day off work, lots of relaxing, and more cake, I had my 25 week midwife appointment - a little bit early actually as I was only actually 24 weeks on Saturday. It was pretty routine, with one minor exception:

• Urine test: indicated small amount of sugar in urine
• Blood pressure, excellent, 110/60
• Fundal height measurement: 24 cm, perfect for this point in pregnancy
• Confirmed I have a second GTT booked for 28 weeks, and they'll do the routine full blood count and antibody blood tests then too
• Noted the letter from the consultant at the hospital saying I'd be OK for midwife led care if the results of the GTT are fine
• Confirmed consent for me to continue with Slimming World's healthy eating plan until next appointment
• Advised to book next midwife appointment for 28 weeks - now booked
• Suggested I ring the Rosie maternity hospital and book a tour

So the only worrying thing is the sugar in the urine - which she was all set to start explaining to me (not knowing my history) before I mentioned I already had a GTT booked. Sometimes apparently this is just a one-off anyway, and may not be a sign of impending gestational diabetes - and the fact the baby is measuring normal in size is a good sign there too. We shall just have to wait and see but in the meantime I shall be endeavouring not to be *quite* so generous with the cake and chocolate in general as I have been this weekend! Even if it does turn out to be gestational diabetes I know I'll be able to manage it - and at least we'll be aware.

One thing I completely forgot while I was there was to ask for my Mat1B form, which I need to hand in to my employers to confirm my pregnancy. I have to notify work by the end of this week of when my due date is, and when I intend to start my maternity leave, and it would be much more convenient to give them this form at the same time (though not technically a legal requirement) - which was my main reason for booking the appointment a bit early! Popped back in and talked to the receptionist and they're going to arrange for it to be ready to pick up "in a couple of days" - so I'll try pop in tomorrow. Still, having the appointment yesterday meant Mike could come along too, and he got to (just about) have a listen to the baby's heartbeat. I'm not sure it was terribly exciting for him, but it was nice to have him there!

Comments

[lnr]

Aha, on the sugar apparently normally you'd only be referred for the OGTT if you've had *two* samples with sugar in, unless there are other reasons to suspect diabetes - so definitely not worth worrying about much yet. Apparently they now don't always test urine for sugar anyway, as most of the time it turns out to be fine.

http://www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/antenatalhealth/testsandcare/urine/
http://www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/antenatalhealth/testsandcare/glucosetolerance/

[sphyg.livejournal.com]

Another GTT, what fun! I thought they'd stopped the Rosie tours, but maybe that was just during the refurb - there's a video tour on the website.

[woodpijn.livejournal.com]

I thought they stopped them too. They wouldn't let me have one "because of swine flu". This was for a baby born July 2010, and I thought the swine flu scare was over by then.

[lnr]

It's possible the midwife was out-of-date wrt Rosie policy - apparently she doesn't normally do this area - but she didn't say which area she normally does! So far at three midwife appointments I've seen three different midwives.

[lnr]

Video tour> will have to give that a go if it turns out to be out of date.

Hopefully I'll pass the GTT again - but can't say I'm looking forward to it.

[lizardc.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure the Rosie don't do tours any more (they didn't in July 2010 or May 2012) - trying to reduce swine flu, winter vomiting virus etc etc.

I had a couple of dodgy urine samples (and ridiculously big babies so full GTT) and it was all fine... Plenty of people I know have had gestational diabetes, too, and mostly it seems to be manageable by diet if you're sensible (which you are!).

[lnr]

My sister managed hers with diet for a large part of her pregnancy and insulin injections towards the end - and tells me she'd take gestational diabetes over pre-eclampsia any day. I think most of us would rather have neither of course!

Glad you avoided it though.

[sphyg.livejournal.com]

I haven't heard about my GTT, so assume I passed. I asked the GP I was seeing anyway for the MatB1 as my midwife appointment was mistimed.

[lnr]

Yeah, it's a bit silly really because the routine appointment times basically mean that if your employer does want the form by 15-weeks before you're due then you *have* to make an extra appointment because you're not scheduled to see anyone in the relevant timeframe.

Still, picked up my form from the GP surgery on the way into work today and have handed in my notice!

Oh, and my results from the previous one came by post on a sticker to stick in my maternity notes - but they reckon you'd get a phone call if there was anything to worry about.

[sphyg.livejournal.com]

Hooray, I am apparently normal "using our new diagnostic criteria adapted from international recommendations" and will not need Metformin after all. I have a sticker for being Rhesus negative.

[lnr]

Excellent!

I think I got that phrase too :)

My sister controlled hers with diet and exercise for a long time, and then opted for insulin over metformin - as metformin is less understood in pregnancy. Definitely nice to not need either though!

[sphyg.livejournal.com]

I was prescribed metformin for PCOS without really being tested for glucose intolerance, and I suppose it did seem to help weight loss/irregular cycles. But I'm glad I won't have to remember to take it anymore!

[glitterboy1.livejournal.com]

I'm glad that there's such a thing as the Mat1B form. I mean, otherwise, how would your employers know that you're pregnant?

[lnr]

It's actually MatB1 - and in addition HR here want a CHRIS/60 :) It would be nice if they'd accept the latter this week and the former when I actually get hold of one - but they want them together so I really do hope I can get hold of one this week!

[k425.livejournal.com]

I receive the things, and still call them a Mat1B, for some reason.

[lnr]

Oh I'm glad it's not just me :)

[gailsedotes.livejournal.com]

watch your sugar intake and that includes fruit and fruit juice. You should be fine. xxxx

[lnr]

I tend to mostly eat fruit with meals (which is what's recommended for diabetics) - and I don't normally drink fruit juice. I don't want to start trying to get *too* strict with sugar before the test though - as I don't want to obscure the results if there actually is a problem - and I already (except for special occasions) have a healthy diet so don't want to be more restrictive than necessary as that makes it less sustainable. Once I have the results I can act accordingly.

[jvvw.livejournal.com]

Just in case they haven't told you, with the sugar, make sure you do your sample first thing in the morning before you've eaten anything as that apparently makes a big difference. Though if you've got a GTT booked anyway, it shouldn't really matter too much as from my understanding it's just an indicator to test for gestational diabetes rather than a problem in itself (when I was pregnant with Owen, if you had sugar in your urine twice during your pregnancy then you get sent for a GTT even if they are several months apart, no idea if it's the same now as haven't hit that problem yet!)

[lnr]

Hmm, they didn't say that with the wee samples - in fact I'm sure I'd been told it didn't have to be a first-thing-wee (unlike for pregnancy tests where it helps, at least early on). I'll bear that in mind in future (though I did do mine some time after breakfast and just before lunch).

It just makes me a little concerned I'm less likely to pass this one I guess :) And wonder if I *should* do anything differently in the intervening 4 weeks.

[jvvw.livejournal.com]

My midwife told me to make sure they were before breakfast the first time I had one with sugar, and sure enough, it was the time that I forgot that it happened again and I had to go for my GTT, No idea if there is any scientific evidence behind that though or where her information came from!