Incompetent Cervix - stitch/cerclage - threatened labour

[Prayerfulmom2]

Ugh, more bad news today. I went for my first follow-up ultrasound since my cerclage, and all was more or less well with the babies as far as we know, but of course by the time they got around to the transvaginal u/s to check my cervix things started going south. Turns out I only have 0.9cm of cervix length left - which means basically that the only thing holding those babies in are the stitches Same old "take it easy, stay in bed, blah blah blah" advice. Just feel really down today - I was hoping we'd get some better news.

We won't know a whole lot more until next Wed when I go back to see my OB. Eager to hear how they're measuring (u/s tech wouldn't tell us), as there seems to be some discrepancy over my due date, which might hopefully mean they could be dating further along than we assumed. Anxious to make it to 25 weeks, which is our first hurdle for viability....

Hey penuche, I'm sorry Hun. it's hard to go to these appointments because you never know what you're going to hear.when I go to my appointments I'm in a hurry to see my cervix while most moms want to see the baby! Good news is 24 weeks is the first week of viability. Also, your waters are intact and you're not contracting. The news sucks but you're still prego. Hey you're further along than me... Try and find the rainbow

 

[ShelbyLC]

Ugh, more bad news today. I went for my first follow-up ultrasound since my cerclage, and all was more or less well with the babies as far as we know, but of course by the time they got around to the transvaginal u/s to check my cervix things started going south. Turns out I only have 0.9cm of cervix length left - which means basically that the only thing holding those babies in are the stitches Same old "take it easy, stay in bed, blah blah blah" advice. Just feel really down today - I was hoping we'd get some better news.

We won't know a whole lot more until next Wed when I go back to see my OB. Eager to hear how they're measuring (u/s tech wouldn't tell us), as there seems to be some discrepancy over my due date, which might hopefully mean they could be dating further along than we assumed. Anxious to make it to 25 weeks, which is our first hurdle for viability....

My cervix remained stable at 0.8-1.0cm for five weeks - and that was without a stitch. Cerclages are really amazing and I'm sure everything will be fine.

 

[lizziedripping]

Oh ladies, hate signing in to read less than positive news

Penuche, are you funneled to the stitch or just short? As the other lovelies have said, short doesn't signal disaster. Although IC is unpredictable, I have still seen many more women go to term with short or funneled cervixes than not.

As for twin a kicking your cervix, my twin a was breech until delivery, and I was constantly kicked down low. The pain in my cervix and bladder would actually make me cry out at times and it was the one thing that made me long for my section date to come. It felt like knives going in. My bump and babies we never high and I carried them very low from early on - didn't affect the stitch at all honey xx

Ich - if this is a new symptom then it never hurts to get checked. Cramping is common and doesn't necessarily mean anything, but if it has gotten to the point of actually being uncomfortable then I'd play it safe sweet. Trouble is, you're so anxious anyway that every twinge will seem frightening and perhaps more than it is. Let me know

Amy - same for you lovely, if this is a new symptom then you should get a check up. Cramping in pregnancy really kicks in from 15wks as significant stretching ensues, but even so I wouldn't ignore anything unusual for you xx

How's the bubs today Shelby? You feeling a bit better emotionally? Xx

Love to all

 

[Prayerfulmom2]

Oh ladies, hate signing in to read less than positive news

Penuche, are you funneled to the stitch or just short? As the other lovelies have said, short doesn't signal disaster. Although IC is unpredictable, I have still seen many more women go to term with short or funneled cervixes than not.

As for twin a kicking your cervix, my twin a was breech until delivery, and I was constantly kicked down low. The pain in my cervix and bladder would actually make me cry out at times and it was the one thing that made me long for my section date to come. It felt like knives going in. My bump and babies we never high and I carried them very low from early on - didn't affect the stitch at all honey xx

Ich - if this is a new symptom then it never hurts to get checked. Cramping is common and doesn't necessarily mean anything, but if it has gotten to the point of actually being uncomfortable then I'd play it safe sweet. Trouble is, you're so anxious anyway that every twinge will seem frightening and perhaps more than it is. Let me know

Amy - same for you lovely, if this is a new symptom then you should get a check up. Cramping in pregnancy really kicks in from 15wks as significant stretching ensues, but even so I wouldn't ignoree anything unusual for you xx

How's the bubs today Shelby? You feeling a bit better emotionally? Xx

Love to all

I'm 21 weeks just realized I have about 19 to go. I'm trying to be strong but I so scared. April is so far. My husband is finally getting out the house on his days off and while I'm happy for him, I get sad. It's so lonely home alone. He and my daughter need to get out though. The holidays are here and I'm not even into it. Praying, but I'm kind of down.... 28 weeks where are you???:

 

[ShelbyLC]

Oh ladies, hate signing in to read less than positive news

Penuche, are you funneled to the stitch or just short? As the other lovelies have said, short doesn't signal disaster. Although IC is unpredictable, I have still seen many more women go to term with short or funneled cervixes than not.

As for twin a kicking your cervix, my twin a was breech until delivery, and I was constantly kicked down low. The pain in my cervix and bladder would actually make me cry out at times and it was the one thing that made me long for my section date to come. It felt like knives going in. My bump and babies we never high and I carried them very low from early on - didn't affect the stitch at all honey xx

Ich - if this is a new symptom then it never hurts to get checked. Cramping is common and doesn't necessarily mean anything, but if it has gotten to the point of actually being uncomfortable then I'd play it safe sweet. Trouble is, you're so anxious anyway that every twinge will seem frightening and perhaps more than it is. Let me know

Amy - same for you lovely, if this is a new symptom then you should get a check up. Cramping in pregnancy really kicks in from 15wks as significant stretching ensues, but even so I wouldn't ignore anything unusual for you xx

How's the bubs today Shelby? You feeling a bit better emotionally? Xx

Love to all

The girls are great - B is on room air now and T has been moved to the nasal cannula (no supplimentary oxygen, just air flow).

As for me, my emotions are all over the place. I feel pretty awful most of the time. The only time I really feel okay is when I'm in the NICU, and even that is hit or miss. Sometimes it makes me feel even worse to see the girls all wired up. I've been trying to keep a smile on my face, but every night so far I've needed a good cry to feel better at all.

 

[Prayerfulmom2]

How do you know your cerclage is going bad. It feels "different" down there. No pain, no bleeding cramping or discharge but for some reason, I'm extra aware of my cerclage.... I'm worried somewhat or maybe just paranoid. I don't think it's ok to call the dr and just say I think I'm aware if my cerclage... Any advice??

 

[Firehol]

Penuche
My cervix has been 1cm for the last 3 weeks and I've held up and I don't have a stitch. (I'm not funnelling and its still closed.not sure if you were)
When my doc checks he says its still nice and long!!
Some ladies have almost nothing left so fingers crossed you will be fine x

 

[Hopeful 4 #1]

Prayerful-It sounds like u may be a bit paranoid of the cerclage esp as ubhave no symptoms. But its completely normal to feel that way. Maybe mention it to your doc at your next apt and they may be able to reassure you

 

[Prayerfulmom2]

Is everyone okay? Quiet today...

 

[ShelbyLC]

Is everyone okay? Quiet today...

I was just about to post this same thing! Wondering how everyone is doing. I'm always thinking of you all, even if I'm not here very much.

 

[lch28]

thanks lizzie, it seems to have gone away. now i am just anxiously awaiting my tvu on Friday. Do you think its basically definite that my cervix shortened and my membranes have bulged more?

prayerful at one point after my cerclage i felt like there was a tampon inside or something. its totally normal. afterall there is a foreign body in your cervix!

hey shelby! hows the lovely ladies!!? i had a questoin, were your membranes bulging/how long before labor?

 

[ShelbyLC]

The girls are great! Their feeding amounts are being increased so quickly I can barely keep up with it. They both started out on 3cc every 3 hours and now they're up to 10cc and 8cc respectively. Having a few apnea/bradychardia spells here and there since coming off the CPAP, but they rarely need any stimulation and pick back up on their own right away.

I was having weekly appointments to check my cervix, as you know. November 5 my cervix was 1.0cm long and not dilated. A week later on November 12, my cervix was too short to measure and 2cm dilated. I don't know how long after the November 5 appointment I began to dilate/shorten; it could have been a week, but I think I started having more contractions around the 8th or 9th. (Of course, if I hadn't told myself the contractions were probably nothing and had actually gone in to get checked, I probably could have stopped the contractions and stayed pregnant longer. But after so many false alarms, I was so reluctant to go to the hospital. My point: you're being watched and catching it early is the best thing.)

Anyway. When I was checked on the 12th and found to be 2cm dilated, my bags were bulging a bit. My water finally broke on the 25th - so almost 2 weeks later - and that was with me having lots of contractions. And it was a contraction that finally broke my water.

 

[lch28]

awww they are so strong! thanks for sharing, i have a big feeling that ill be admitted into the hospital on Friday, my doctor said if my cervix shortens or my water bag moves down anymore he is going to admit me, at 28 weeks i had 1.3 cm of cervix left, completely funnelled to my stitch and my bags were bulging..

my biggest fear is my water will break or something, and ill go into labor so quickly i wont have had time for the steroids. i really wanted to get them ASAP but my doctor says the effects wear off after a week (?) and that he wants to be sure thatim going early before i get them.

 

[ShelbyLC]

Hmm. According to my doctor, the steroids are good for four weeks. That means the babies (or, in your case, baby) will get four weeks of growth out of them. After that, there isn't any "reversal" to what the steroids have done; your baby basically just had a 4-week boost. I think the reason your doctor doesn't want you to have them too early is because your bub might get more use out of them in two weeks rather than today. Of course, if you were in labor or having contractions, I think they would definitely give you the steroids since any amount of help is better than none. And I'm sure if you're admitted to the hospital, you'll get the steroids right away, just to be safe.

With that being said, I don't think you have to worry much about a too-fast labor. I was already 6cm when my water broke and it was still a good 4 hours before my contractions started getting strong, and 6 hours before the girls were delivered. You aren't dilated any, have the stitch to hold, and I all you need is 4 hours for the steroids to fully reach the baby.

 

[lch28]

thanks for the info, ive heard so many different things on them, he did tell me it gives the baby a 4 week boost, but that if i werent to go into labor with in a week of the steroids, the effect would go away i do feel better though, i didnt know they work with in 4 hours and im sure it wouldnt be faster then that.. With Sophia i started bleeding at 1pm, found out i was 4 cm dilated by 3 pm, and she was born at 11:30 pm . Stupidly read about getting the stitch removed if your already dilated, apparently supposed to be painful.

 

[Prayerfulmom2]

thanks for the info, ive heard so many different things on them, he did tell me it gives the baby a 4 week boost, but that if i werent to go into labor with in a week of the steroids, the effect would go away i do feel better though, i didnt know they work with in 4 hours and im sure it wouldnt be faster then that.. With Sophia i started bleeding at 1pm, found out i was 4 cm dilated by 3 pm, and she was born at 11:30 pm . Stupidly read about getting the stitch removed if your already dilated, apparently supposed to be painful.

No more googling! Lol you are doing great. It's the home stretch, mind over matter. You can do it girlie. Look at you're timeline, you've come so far and just a LITTLE MORE TO GO!!!! #%* teamICH!!!

 

[angel229]

Scarlett is home x x x x

 

[baby_maybe]

Congrats angel, I bet it's lovely to get her home

lch - I know it's hard, but please don't google any more. You normally get far more negative stories on there because people are more likely to write about negative experiences. It must be scary for you to know you're funnelled to the stitch (i think that's why my consultant won't do cervical scans once a stitch is in) but I'm sure that even with very little cervix left you can go a few more weeks. I had an emergency suture at 24 weeks with next to no cervix, bulging membranes, no bed rest just carried on as normal and still went another 8 weeks from that point. If your cervix is still closed under the stitch it would be very difficult for your membranes to get any lower unless you had contractions that had an effect on your cervix. With you now being on strict bed rest you are doing all you can for your little man and I'm sure you'll still be pregnant in a few weeks time and wondering when bubs will be making an appearance

AFM - I'm doing good, saw my consultant last weds and we decided not to bother doing another ffn test at the moment as I'm showing absolutely no signs on impending labour! I don't need to see him again now until I'm 32 weeks, at that appointment he will book my stitch removal for 36 weeks, yikes! I've a midwife appointment next Friday for my 28 week bloods etc and then it's Xmas, it's all going so quick now can't believe I'm third tri tomorrow I finally feel like I can breathe a bit easier at the moment. Little man hasn't stopped wriggling the past few days!

 

[Hopeful 4 #1]

Woohoo Angel? Was it 11days she was in? So so so happy for u xx

 

[angel229]

Woohoo Angel? Was it 11days she was in? So so so happy for u xx

Yep 11 days, she took to the bottle really really well. Just realising what a handful I have now that she is home tho. Scarlett is a dream it is the 1 and 6 year old that are driving me mad x