Iron tablets

Has anyone else that took/takes iron tablets (Ferrous fumarate) ended up with diarrhoea and extreme uncomfortable aches/pains in the stomach hard to explain the feeling. I’ve tried contacting midwife but she’s not answering.

in our community

May she rest in peace🥺🕊️

This is so sad omg!
I’m a first time mum and 33 weeks pregnant, being a black pregnant female especially in the UK is so scary from what I’ve been hearing over the years. How the NHS have labelled us as “strong black women” that can give birth easily and don’t need the right medical advice or treatment. Or Asian women are princesses and complain about any minor problem or pain. Guess who passes away during giving birth? Black and brown females.
I hope she rests peacefully and sending love and prayers to her family🕊️💕

Reading manipulation at hospital

I raised concern at my 36w appointment about my belly appearing small for the 9th month. I was told this can be normal for my petite, athletic build. As part of routine care, fundal measurements were taken.

What shocked me was how quickly the measurement was done - within 2 seconds - and then plotted above the average line, even though my previous readings had been consistently below average. I wasn’t reassured and asked for a growth scan, which was declined as everything was considered “normal.”

For peace of mind, I arranged a private scan, which showed the baby is indeed measuring small but still within the normal range. At my next appointment, I shared this report, but the midwives refused to review it, saying they rely only on their own references.

They repeated the fundal measurement, and this time it showed below average again prompting them to finally recommend a hospital scan due to the inconsistency in their own readings!

What concerns me is this discrepancy. It’s hard not to question whether that earlier “above average” reading was deliberately higher, especially given how different it was from both previous and later results. This is a top-notch hospital in London and the midwife is senior staff, so this is disheartening. Would you do something about this?

High blood flow in umbilical cord

Has anyone had this in their
pregnancy?
I’m 28 weeks and we went for a growth scan yesterday. My baby has dropped from 30th percentile (at the 22 week recheck scan) to 9th percentile (growth scan at 28 weeks) in 6 weeks.

They also said there was high blood flow in the cord. We are being monitored with scans etc but just wondering about other people’s experiences with this. Did it get better? Was baby okay? Born early? Unfortunately we couldn’t really understand the doctor due to a language barrier so we feel completely in the dark.

Due to be induced in May!

I have a June 15th due date but it’s looking like I’ll be induced at the end of May (a very long argument is ongoing about this with the hospital but we’ll say no more!)

This is my first baby so I’m starting to panic about pretty much everything. I’m focusing on the birthing bag first… what should I take? So far I’m thinking…

For me:

-Bra for birthing pool
-Towel
-Comfy clothes
-Slide on shoes
-Toiletries (toothbrush, moisturiser, face wipes, hair clip, hair brush)
-Long phone charger
-Medication
-Portable fan
-Tens machine
-Lucozade Sport drinks and some snacks
-Peri bottle
-Nipple cream
-Breast pads
-Maxi pads/adult nappies

For baby:

-Health record (red book)
-Colostrum
-Ready made pack of formula milk as a back up
-A couple of hats and socks
-Blanket
-Newborn and older size baby grows (long & short)
-Going home outfit
-Nappies and wipes? (Seems silly but will the hospital provide them?)