Over 40 mamas (or nearing "over 40) « Back to Group Discussions

[spruce]

Are you doing anything different this time around?  Making more, or fewer appointments?  Feeling more or less patient?  More cravings, or crankiness, or tears, or anything? 

I'm 6 weeks 4 days (well, by lmp) and I feel like I have serious PMS.  Bloated, teary and migrainey.  My dreams are still 3D vivid, but I'm starting to get antsy about not already being belly-big. :)  I know, I know, I'm impatient!

I want to do a few things different this time...I'm severely asthmatic and last April I got sick of taking what amounts to the maximum of asthma meds...every day.  So I cut back to one inhaler for maintenance and my albuterol for emergencies.  I had no idea we were going to get pregnant, but it's awesome to not have the worry of the meds I was on hanging over my head...So that's the way I want to head into this pregnancy.  Low-key, low-tech, easy-peasy and very zen.

Hopefully I can keep up this desire to leave this baby to herself and just *enjoy*.  :)  We're still planning a homebirth with our lovely DEMs, but since they don't see folks until 12 weeks, I get to chill for that much longer...and I know they'll be okay with me taking the tech off the table. 

I love that now I get to be tagged in their medical file as a "grand multipara."  That just sounds so...accomplished!

love, penelope

[Ethelpea]

I'll be 42 when this one (#6) is born :)  Other than really watching my diet (I am trying to really stick to 'paleo') I'm not doing anything too different this time around.

[spruce]

I hear you, Ethelpea.  It's nice to relax into pregnancy.  I really feel aware of the "last-ness" of this one. Chances are *very* good that I'll never get to do this again.

I'm enjoying feeling released from so many concerns.  I've grown a lot of healthy babies, and I am finally (finally!) able to let the stress and anxiety wash away as soon as it pops up.  It only took me 20 years and 5 births to do that!

love, p

[OrchideZ]

Originally Posted by Ethelpea 

I'll be 42 when this one (#6) is born :)  Other than really watching my diet (I am trying to really stick to 'paleo') I'm not doing anything too different this time around.

Same here...:shrug: Not doing anything differently and thankfully when I had my kids at 37 and 39, my providers never made a thing out of it. I never had any prenatal tests that went beyond bloodwork or an ultrasound bc nothing indicated the need for anything risky or invasive. It always amazes me when "older" moms get scared into doing elective invasive tests that carry risk simply bc of age not bc of bloodwork results or something looking iffy on u/s.
I VBACed at 39 and it was great. 
I look and feel younger than mamas I know who are 10 years younger who constantly bemoan their age ("arghhh I'm turning the big 3-0!" haha). 
I feel confident in my body and look forward to meeting this little one 
 

[spruce]

I got a little freaked when some folks were questioning age as a "risk factor" on the boards here...so I called our midwives' office today.  Spoke to the head midwife, who has attended 3 of my births, and she said, "OF COURSE IT'S NOT A RISK FACTOR, and I want to talk to whoever said that!"

So, I'm relieved!

love, p
 

[stormysky]

I'm 44, but sort of keeping a low profile for the time being.

[ka2003]

I'm 43, and I'm also keeping a low profile for a bit...as PP said. 

[Ethelpea]

just had my first appt. today, 10/11 weeks.  ANYWAY, I got the whole AMA talk.  He recommends monthly ultrasounds after 20 weeks and then weekly ultrasounds from either 30 or 36 weeks on.  That is a lot of u/s!! 

I formally denied genetic testing today.

I gather he won't be pushy about it and I'll probably just do the 20 week. 

I had #5 at 39, it isn't as if something magical happens at 41 (I will be 42 when this one is born) and my body just starts shutting down.

[spruce]

Ethelpea, what was his reasoning for monthly ultrasounds? That sounds insane. I hope you find a wAy to handle this guy without stressing too much.

My threshold for interference is super low, and i stress out quickly if anyone starts to meddle too much, so i always refuse every test. So far, after talking to our DEMs, we're going to be on the same schedule as before. Just appts, homebirth, and a Rhogam shot after birth if this is another Rh+ baby.

Love, p

[Ethelpea]

having a lot of problems with keyboard, so bear with me..

the main reason seemed to be a placenta that aged too fast (? or something like that) Ohhhh! and Miriam said she wanted a kitten if you see one for free could you get it for her????? I said it was allright.

[stormysky]

Originally Posted by Ethelpea 

just had my first appt. today, 10/11 weeks.  ANYWAY, I got the whole AMA talk.  He recommends monthly ultrasounds after 20 weeks and then weekly ultrasounds from either 30 or 36 weeks on.  That is a lot of u/s!! 

I formally denied genetic testing today.

I gather he won't be pushy about it and I'll probably just do the 20 week. 

I had #5 at 39, it isn't as if something magical happens at 41 (I will be 42 when this one is born) and my body just starts shutting down.

I had a baby at 41 and nothing magical happened ;) I had several u/s in the first trimester because I was concerned about m/c (I had 2 missed m/c's at 39), the 20wk u/s, and one or 2 at the end because of a concern (though I don't remember what that concern was). 

I did not get the AMA talk, but I did the get the increase in birth defects talk.

[northwoods]

I'm 39 now, and the baby is due right around my birthday. I'm not doing anything differently this time around. I was 37 when DD was born, and my midwife rolled her eyes at AMA. I didn't worry then, and won't worry this time!

[Ethelpea]

Originally Posted by Ethelpea 

having a lot of problems with keyboard, so bear with me..

the main reason seemed to be a placenta that aged too fast (? or something like that) Ohhhh! and Miriam said she wanted a kitten if you see one for free could you get it for her????? I said it was allright.

sorry about this.  Apparently, I stepped away from my computer mid-post and my 9 year finished my post.  She wants a kitten, can you tell?

Doctor just gave placental deterioration leading to IGR as  a reason.  I really was thinking about something else at the time so the rest of his spiel sounded like Charlie Brown's parents "wa wa wa wa waaaaa wa waaaa...."