Anxious, expecting again; High Risk Pregnancy

Hi,
I just want to say wow, what a journey you have been on already. It sounds like you have a great team looking out for your little one. I am so sorry that I don't have anything to suggest.

I am 16 weeks pregnant, and with my first son being born at 27 weeks, I understand your fears very well.

Please keep us updated, I hope the bedrest helps keep your little one cooking for a long time!

Leigh

Welcome to Share. I'm very sorry to hear that you are facing another complicated pregnancy. It sounds like you are doing everything in your power to give your lil' one all the time he can get.

There's a great thread filled with mommas going through complicated pregnancies here... http://www.shareyourstory.org/webx/.efa44a8/126 It's a great place to find support and share all the ups downs and all arounds of pregnancy.

Lauren

I'm pregnant again (11 weeks) after some rough.pregnancies my.son was a 34 seeker my daughter was 25 weeker that passed shortly after birth she had severe IUGR the Dr have.me on the progesterone suppositories and they will be starting me on weekly progesterone shot at 16 weeks... I'm scared.and praying we bring our baby home this time. Please know you are not alone!!!

Samantha

Welcome to Share. I am sorry that this pregnancy is so complicated as were your others. We hope that you find this to be a place where you can find comfort and others like you waiting and hoping in the pregancy section.

We hope to see you around often.
Ellen

Hello,
Praying for you and your little one . Just curious how do the doctors know your water could break in next few weeks?

Hi ladies,
Thankyou for your replies!
I am sorry I havent got back to you sooner, I have been hospitalized for the last few weeks as I have had contractions and issues with my blood pressure to complicate matters, and havent been in a good place emotionally,
But we made it, I am 24 weeks, just 24+1 today to be precise, and so far our little guy is hanging in there! I am still in hospital but hoping to go home tommorrow for mothers day with my family, they are just going to see what my cervix is doing first, so fingers crossed! I had another scan yesterday and baby looks good however a bit smaller than they would like so am being seen by another specialist soon for a more detailed look. The biggest concern now is that my cervix will continue to change without any real contractions, and my waters will break. On the scan they could see that the membranes have seperated almost all the way around the outside of the sack, and there are big clots of blood behind them, as well as alot of free floating blood inside the amniotic fluid, apparently this weakens the membranes and also irritates the uterus,, right above my cervix I have a giant "bubble" where the membranes have lifted away and fresh blood is pooling there as well. My OB literally cannot beleive I have made it this far, apparently at least 3 out of every 4 pregnancies with this degree of complications end before 24 weeks. With my previous preemies I was 3.5 cms dialated at 27 weeks so now my cervix is their big concern as well as the potential for IUGR. Apparently I already had high risk for this but it's more of a concern now because baby has a marginal cord implantation and it is very close to the largest area of bleeding. I am just praying now for each extra week, and time for him to get bigger, We get our first dose of steroids today depending on what my cervix is doing too, so ideally it will still be at least 2.5 cms and closed!

Congratulations on 24 weeks, that is a huge step! Wow, sounds like you've got a lot going on in the way of your complications, I'm glad that baby is hanging in there. Are they having you do kick counts while you're there or when you go home? I hope that your cervix is looking good and that they can get those steroids into you to help out with your little ones lungs!
Stacy

Hi Stacy
Thankyou, for your messege and congratulations,
it's been such a rocky road to get here and it still feels like a lifetime to go before we are truelly at a "safer" point. I just have to keep thinking this little guy must want to fight to be here, to hang on thru so much! We are in australia, and the hospital policy where I am is not to intervene to even try to stop the labour if it starts before 24 weeks, I am relieved to at least be at the point where they will try to stop it and to help him with steroids etc,
I am doing kick counts daily, but this little guy is incredibly active so we have been lucky there, he easily exceeds their expectations of 10 in an hour most days and even the MWs and sonographers who do my scans can't beleive how much he wriggles. They did the scan yesterday but as things have been fairly quiet for me the last week and they don't like to do multiple steroid doses they have said they'd like to wait till at least wed if at all possible, so I just got a half day pass to get home and see my family for a while, and am headed back in for a few more days at least tonight.
I am also on progestorone suppositories and they are supposed to help keep everything calm and stop my cervix changing too much, although my dr says there isn't definitive evidence to show that in cases like mine it makes a huge difference, I am prepared to try anything, Just wish they could reassure me for certain that it would all be okay:-/ I am seeing another fetal medicine specialist wed so will be praying she can give us some answers although I know there are no guarantees I have to admit to feeling a bit jealous of people who get to have "so called "normal" safe pregnancies, every little twinge and pain has me worried this time!

Kelann,

It sounds like things have settled down a bit and that your MW and doctors are really doing all they can for your little guy. I will be keeping my fingers crossed for you and can't wait to hear more updates from home.

Ellen

Hi ladies,
Thankyou for your support, sadly at our scan things did not go as well as hoped, I was dialating and had a cervix that had already shortened to 2 cms and started to soften, they transferred me to another larger hospital more equipped to deal with a preemie birth and contacted another high risk specialist, After consulting with him it was decided to try to do a cervical suture to buy baby and I some more time, I had the surgury late Tuesday night and by the time it was done my cervix had shortened again to just 1.5 s and had dialated to 1 cm ish, he apparently could see the membranes bulging, We are now 4 days post op,and ALOT of pain meds later, I am starting to feel a bit better, and the dr is hopeful the stitch should buy us at least another few weeks, hopefully more than 5, but I am in hospital here now for the long haul... Not going home untill at least 30+ weeks and that depends of cours on how the stitch holds

Oy, I'm glad they were able to place a stitch, and hope it buys you the time your lil' one needs to grow big and strong.

Keep us posted! You might also like to hang around here: http://www.shareyourstory.org/webx/.efa44a8/209 It's a thread for our preggo and fabulous mommas anxiously and patiently awaiting the arrival of their lil' ones!

Lauren

Ugh, I'm so glad they were able to catch it in time to place the cerclage for you to keep your little one in for just a little bit longer. Are you about 25ish weeks along now? I'm glad you're starting to feel better, and hoping for many more weeks to come for your little one to be safe in your belly!
Stacy

Hi
Yes 25 and 4 days ( and counting ) every day inside is a good one for our little man, and I am so praying for atleast another 5-8 weeks:-) FINGERS TOES AND EVERYTHING ELSE CROSSED:-)!
We had a quick scan this morning and the stitch looks good, the specialist is positive as long as we can keep the contractions calm and I stay on bed rest, once all the swelling has gone and things have settled, which they think will be around Thursday I will have another scan to see for sure how much cervix is left and how the stitch is holding, I honestly didn't expect to be in so much pain for so long but today they said its because I am so far along and normally the stitch would have been placed alot sooner in the pregnancy, My Specialist, turned around this morning and said the stitch is literally the only thing holding me pregnant, and keeping baby in, Has anyone had experience of a stitch placed so late in the pregnancy working?

Congrats on making it this far. I am keeping my fingers crossed for you.

I am sorry I don't have any experience in this but I know someone with experience will jump on soon.
Ellen

Hi! I am so happy to read that you are making it further along. You and your baby are in my prayers. I had my son at 24 weeks and 2 days. He is 30 weeks now and doing great! I have no experience with a stitch, but I am rooting for you. If my husband and I decide to have another baby, I will need a stitch too. I will be following you along and I hope everything works out!

Take Care,
Monica

Hi there,
Sorry there are so many complications with this pregnancy -- but glad the doctors have placed the stitch to keep the baby in place. check in often and let us know how things are progressing.

erin

Hi ladies,
Sorry I havent been on in a while, I have had a few complications and scares over the past few weeks, And it's been a very emotional time:-/. I am still in hospital now, and baby is still baking:-)! I am 1 day past 28 weeks and really hoping to get a few more in, before it's time to meet out little man! We have had a growth scan and cervical check done just before 27 weeks and I have about 2.4 cms below the stitch which was holding closed, and only about a cm above (if that) but bubbas head is sitting right on my cervix and they wernt able to see clearly if there was any funneling but dr seems pretty convinced that there will be, but is happy as long as my stitch holds. So it's bedrest, progesterone, nifedipine regularally and lots of prayers! On the plus side, bubba blue is growing well, he is on the 44 th percentile and weighs about 2pds3oz , they are happy with this and will keep monitoring him and my cervix to see what happens,
I am so so thankful to have the incredible drs here, as hard as it is to have to stay in hospital, it's worth it if baby blue arrives safely! The stitch is still really painful and I get alot! Of pressure in my pelvis as soon as I move or standup, which means I am even more motivated to stay in bed, I try to just get up when I need the bathroom and only shower every other day, the dr has said I can walk a little around the ward but to be honest it scares me a bit much to try. This will most definatly be our last pregnancy!
I just so hope that he is okay, from what they have told me if we can get past 30 weeks he should do really well, but I am seriously hoping for longer:-), does anyone know if a cerclage placed this late could get me to term or close to it?
 Thank-you again for your support
Kel!