Susanah - OMG, I didn't realise it was your section day on Friday, so sorry You have been on my mind because I knew it was close, but hadn't twigged - doh!! Many congratulations love, Charlie sounds beautiful, and I am absolutely thrilled you fulfilled your dream.................I knew you'd get there, and I know how much your daughter's arrival will help to heal past heart aches. Take care, and get dh cooking up some mediaum/rare steaks I always bleed heavily after childbirth, and it does leave you feeling run down and washed out, but a few good meals and some tlc seems do to the trick - so thrilled for you all x

ejsmom - I had lots of tightenings and pressure after the emergency stitch went in for my daughter, which after a few days turned into full-blown contractions - probably because infection had tracked up into my uterus thru my incompetent cervix by then

The sensations I had with the twins were very similar, which is why i was so frightened. I never actually contracted with them tho, and the tightenings didn't affect my cervix at all hun. Much of what you are feeling is normal after a stitch in my experience. I could barely walk most days. Please remember, that an elective stitch is very effective if placed before the cervix has begun to dilate. It was placed after my cervix had already dilated to 3cms with my daughter, so it never really had a chance. x

Susannah -Yayyyy! Huge congratulations to you and your hubby. I'm so pleased for you, you've had such a journey and have overcome so much. What a beautiful name too. Take your time in sorting your head out, I take each day and try to focus on one aspect of the trauma, then box it off when I realise that the end result is still the same - my new baby.

I, too was anaemic after my c-section, and bled a lot more than I should have with my last labour. However, I think that's just me and a bit of tlc, the medium rare steaks (yum!) and maybe even iron tablets will sort you out. Enjoy your little bundle and well done!
Xxxxx

Susanah - Congrats on your new bundle!

Recap - 2.3 cervix at 20 weeks, down to 2.1 at 24 weeks. No stitch, just signed off work, resting and using progesterone pessaries nightly.

Just thought I'd touch base, it's been a while! Am now 34 weeks, no longer taking Cyclogest and just waiting. Not been resting really for the past few weeks and still had no cramps of anything. So people who are worried, keep your fingers crossed and rest up. Many of us on this forum have happy endings, but be pushy and make your consultant work for you! x

I finally made it to "full term" such a RELIEF!

Last week I went to the er due to the pressure I was feeling...wasnt sure if it was normal.I never felt this way with my daughter so I am glad that this section is here so I know that what I am feeling is ok and normal.No one else that I know has an IC so its nice to be able to come here and talk with others that have been there and done that!

Yey for you BB You've done so well

Hi girls, have been stalking this thread for quite some time (who am I kidding - for the past two months actually ) and just have to thank each and every one of you for the info and experiences posted on here.

In a nutshell, this pregnancy has been crazy. It's my first pregnancy after trying for 6 months, there was spotting at the beginning, then severe MS that I ended up on home IV therapy and a Reglan pump for, and then at my 20 week ultrasound the dr discovered that in addition to the baby having what looked like bilateral clubfoot, my cervix was down to 1.3cms. They immeadiately sent me over to labor and delivery and I was hooked up to the toco and started on Indocin - no contractions were seen. The drs kept asking OVER and OVER if I was SURE that I never had any ob surgeries or procedures, any previous pregnancies or miscarriages, and any contractions with this current pregnancy to which my answer was 'no' to everything... the only thing I told them was that I always had pressure... like the baby was right there down below. They were totally baffled about why my cervix had shortened to that point without me having any previous history or any recent contractions... in the end I think they deemed it that I was having 'silent contractions' that I couldn't feel and also weren't showing up on the monitor, I on the other hand honestly feel like it just happened for no reason... that my cervix was just weak or short to begin with and that's why I felt the pressure.

Anyhow... after two days of no contractions and Indocin, they scanned me again and found that the cervix was about the same length but that the Indocin could not be continued because it was causing a pressure to rise in the baby's heart. They took me off that med and I was put on Procardia for the rest of the hospital stay. I got scanned every few days, cervix always stayed about the same but then after a week in the hospital I had a scan where baby had turned around (ALL scans since 20 weeks he has been head down except this one) and his foot was literally pressed down the entire length of the funnel... SO the drs decided to put in a mcdonald stitch before the cervix had a chance to shorten any further. So, I got the stitch and was on IV antibiotics and mag sulfate (worst drug ever!) and procardia until I left the hospital after being there for a little over another week... talk about lowww blood pressures! That was the only time that I had any contractions at all... pretty severe ones actually, but they said it was normal as they had to manipulate things, etc. Also had gotten an amnio done at the same time as the cerclage to check for any infection (the one remaining reason the drs thought that the shortening could have been from) which came back all clear. Had the genetic portion done as well since the baby showed clubfeet, and thankfully that was all clear too. At the cervical scans that I had after the cerclage was placed, I was pretty consistently measured from 2.1 - 2.3. I was sent home (on no meds as the entire time I was hospitalized I hadn't shown a single contraction) on strict bedrest, only allowed up to use the bathroom or to shower with a shower seat, and my MIL or grandma come over everyday while DH is at work to fix me lunch even... I literally have been up to go to the bathroom or go to a drs appt ONLY. I'm going into my 8th week of bedrest now. I was also diagnosed with GD at 24 weeks... I tell you it's been a ride!

Even with being on bedrest I had to go to MFM once a week to have a cervical scan/prenatal. The past 5 or 6 scans there has been no change at all... then this morning I went in and I had gone from 2.2 last week to 1.7, and above the stitch when pressed on went from .7 last week to .3 cms this week. I was so dissapointed. I really thought that everything was going so well and that I would make it to 36 weeks (when they are planning to remove the cerclage) without a problem, and now I feel so naive to have felt that confidence. I am still not having any contractions, they hooked me back up to the monitor at the office and it showed nothing (surprise!) and now are having me come back Friday to see if there is any more change... if there is I will most likely be readmitted for the duration until they remove the stitch, which I cannot even fathom at this point. 15 days seemed forever but two months?

Right now I am feeling more anger and frustration than fear about this whole thing. The drs at first were skeptical that I would get to 24 weeks, and now that I was working on 28 with no cervix changes I really felt good about it all. I was determined to keep him in there until they planned on taking the stitch out at 36 weeks and even after today's news I still feel that way... but the thoughts of having to go back into the hospital are looming over me and making everything seem worse.

Sorry so long! After todays slipup I couldn't help but post on this thread, any questions please ask! Hope you are all well

when you ladies talk about pressure, what Does it feel like? Sometimes when I'm up and about i feel as though my bowel is being pressed on giving me almost a b.m Kinda sensation. Is that it or Does vaginal pressure feel different? I don't have IC so far but do have concerns.

Hi there,

First let me say that I'm so sorry you are going through this right now. Your story is very similar to my own. At 20 weeks my cervix was found to be 1.3cm, with funnelling and a bulging sac. It didn't look good but the doctor's decided to go ahead and try a stitch. I went on bed rest immediately and stayed there until I reached 30 weeks when I went into labour. The stitch did it's job in getting me to a point where I could safely deliver my son. I knew I wouldn't make it to term and I'm just so grateful to have made it as far as I did. My son is now a healthy perfect 1 year old and I'm expecting my second at the end of the summer (stitch already in place!) I wish you the best of luck and I will continue to follow your story. If you have any questions for me don't hesitate to ask!
take good care