It's been a while...

Well the last time I was here was shortly before my 8 week scan to check the viability of the pregnancy.

I am pleased to report all was well, there was a nice strong heartbeat and a little baby that according to my husband looked like a dog. We went straight to see both sets of parents and shared our news. Unlike the last time, it was met with positivity and lots of excitement!!

Things progressed well, I met my midwife who took more blood than I thought any person had flowing around them, did all the standard tests and booked me in for my 12 week nuchal translucency scan to assess the risk of down syndrome.

The 4 weeks passed quickly and before we knew it we were back in hospital having the 12 week scan and yet more blood taken, surely soon I will look like a prune? Despite the miserable sonographer we had an amazing time seeing our baby, now named Stewie for the duration of my pregnancy. Stewie had a good wriggle around on the screen, laying still just long enough for the picture to be taken. We ordered one each for ourselves and both sets of parents and set off feeling very pleased with ourselves for managing to grow a healthy baby this time, sparking the affectionate nickname of grobag!

The feeling was short-lived. 5 days later I developed strong abdominal cramps. They felt very similar to the urinary tract infection I suffered with during my previous doctor so I visited the out of hours doctor who, having made me wait in the swine flu infested waiting room for half an hour, instantly started discussing miscarriage! It was not the response I had expected and as is to be expected in any pregnancy much less one following a miscarriage, we were instantly terrified we were going to lose Stewie, this time in a much more dramatic style than Lumpy.

I was referred to the hospital for an emergency scan the next day. We visited the antenatal clinic at the hospital and were pushed from pillar to post trying to find where the scan was booked, finally ending up in the gynaelogical assessment unit. Over an hour and a half later we were called in, the details we had given the doctor the previous night were completely ignored and we were asked everything again and then sent to wait some more.

We finally got scanned, and straight away we saw Stewie on the screen doing what can only be described as a headstand waving his arms about as if to steady himself. Instantly reassured we thought the cramp was nothing until the sonographer identified an area of bleeding from my placenta. I was sent home and told to perhaps expect some bleeding.

After nearly 3 weeks we presumed the bleeding wouldn't happen. Then after a busy weekend I visited the toilet to find the sight every expectant mother dreads. Thinking finding bleeding is the worst possible scenario, I discovered having to inform my husband of said discovery is the worst possible scenario! I called NHS Direct and unsatisfied with their prognosis of go home and rest, we went to A&E. They were fantastic and saw me within minutes. All dressed up in my gown with my canula in my arm I was poked and prodded by a doctor who could have been no older than 12!! He told me I had to go back to the dreaded gynae assesment unit the next day.

Following another long wait we recieved very little reassurance from them and were told to go home and wait for 5 days before they would scan me! The very long 5 days passed and I finally went for my 4th scan!! I spent a very restless night dreading getting there to find Stewie asleep. The law of sod of course intervened and as I dreaded, Stewie was fast asleep and completely immobile as I was scanned, the only reassurance was a very visible heartbeat and the occasional waft of the arm as if Stewie was telling us to leave him alone and let him sleep. The sonographer was very thorough and took lots of measurments which showed his growth to be perfect for our stage of pregnancy.

So finally I am writing this at 16+4, hoping for a stress free remainder of my pregnancy. No more late night hospital visits, DEFINATELY no more trips to the dreaded gynae assessment unit and nothing but scheduled check ups and scans!

On the brightside we now have a record of Stewie's growth with an 8 week, 12 week and 16 week scan picture. We are lined up for a 20 week scan so I just need to work on the consultant for 4 weekly scans from there until birth to keep the pattern up. Something tells me it may be a resounding no!!