Don't you just hate it when you can tell there's something wrong and you get told time after time that everything is probably fine? Sometimes they think you're just being a hypochondriac, and other times you can just tell they are lying to stop you from worrying yourself to death.
Guess what, idiot, it's not working!
At my 20-week anomaly scan they couldn't see a stomach bubble, which is quite normal if it's just the once (it also happened in my first pregnancy). This is because they can only see the stomach if there's fluid in it - if the stomach is empty they can't see it. A scan was booked for the next week. Again no stomach, referral to obstetrician.
First obstetrician appointment comes and goes, for some reason I'm not examined by the woman I was supposed to have been. The male who does examine me however, writes notes in the wrong section of my file - they were later found at the bottom of a page for my pregnancy on Little Bear!
Second obstetrician appointment comes (two more scans in between and still no stomach bubble) and I'm seen by the obstetrician I was actually referred to - woo hoo! She is astounded that I wasn't made to see her earlier, and refers me to someone a bit "who knows a heck of a lot more about this sort of thing" than she does.
Just days after I walk out of that appointment I get my appointment someone from a different hospital because the specialist wasn't available that week and they thought it more important for me to be seen quickly - fair enough I say! Except for whatever idiot was meant to send the notes to this other hospital didn't, and they didn't realise until I was already there - I was eventually seen over 2 hours after my original appointment time.
The specialist gave me a quick scan, confirmed that she could definitely see no stomach bubble (well, duh - why else would I have sat out there for hours?) and set about referring me to the Fetal Medicine Unit in another hospital - this one's 2 hours drive away! Apparently RGH, Newport don't have direct links with the Heath in Cardiff - makes perfect sense!
Before leaving she suggests giving me some steroids just in case FMU in this other hospital want to give me an amnio - to test for chromosome abnormalities. This is to mature the baby's lungs, but she doesn't explain why - I'm assuming there is some chance of labour induction if this is later than normal? I'm 31 weeks now.
I innocently think "Oh, they're fetching the tablets for me now" but no - it turns out steroid injections are a painful jab to the thigh. Now I know why babies cry when you get their injections done! I had to go back yesterday to get my second dose, and FMU have already telephoned me with my appointment - less than 24 hours after the referral has been made - my appointment is next Thursday.
The miracle in all of this? Each and every person to examine me has said the same thing - "It'll probably be fine".
Don't insult my intelligence. If this was a normal pregnancy then I wouldn't be having all these referrals - I'd have normal appointments with a normal midwife. If you don't have any definite information you can give me yet, then fine - but don't fob me off, it just makes me feel like you know something I don't. Which you probably do.
Keeping my fingers crossed the appointment on Thursday goes well - don't know how I'll tell Goldilocks if this baby is poorly, she's so looking forward to another baby brother and not old enough to understand. Part of me wishes I'd kept my mouth shut and not told her yet, but by now there'd be no hiding it, I look every bit as hideous as I feel. I can't be the only person whose only positive experience of the pregnancy look is the free-but-temporary boob job.
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