Incompetent Cervix - stitch/cerclage - threatened labour

[ShelbyLC]

To the ladies dealing with constipation: the thing that helped me most during pregnancy (and kept me constipation-free from ~17 weeks onward) was fruit. Strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries helped the most. Plums as well, and peaches. Cherry juice always makes me go, pregnant or not! If you're prone to pregnancy UTIs, try cranberry-cherry juice blends. I'm not sure how it is where you ladies are, but I am located in an area where I am able to get fresh fruit year-round. If you can't, buy it frozen and make smoothies. If you're interested, I can post some fun fruit combinations for you all to try - my OH is manager at a cafe that specializes in lunchy-foods and smoothies, so he knows what tastes good when mixed.

 

[jadey_fae]

Wonderul, good luck!
I went to the hosp last night bcos the pressure got too intense. They checked my cervix and said it was still closed.
Twinkle, I too have a tiny frame so maybe that could be a problem for us. I want to buy a support belt but dont know what to get!

 

[Craigswife]

Wunderful, how exciting, not long now until you meet your little one! Hope it all goes smoothly for you and baby.
Jadey-fae and Twinkle, I bought my support belt from Mothercare, it was £12. I think it's helping, I wore it all night and I didn't wake with achy hips, so we'll see. I'll wear it all day today and see how I feel. I'm a small frame and have small hips, so do wonder whether the pressure is related to my size, it's interesting you both are small too and experiencing the same feelings.

So I'm at v-day, finally! I thought I'd be massively relieved, but have moved my own goalposts, lol! I think I'll feel happier if I can get to 28wks. But I'm grateful to have got this far! I have my steroids 2 weeks today, so focused on getting to that next!

 

[jadey_fae]

congrats craigswife!

 

[karenh24]

Hey everyone nothing to report here apart from a few aches and pains, especially in my back it hurts so bad sometimes i can't move. I hope everyone else is doing well, glad someone started talking about constipation i've had it on and off as well.
Im just counting down to scan day on tuesday x

 

[Twinkle 3]

To the ladies dealing with constipation: the thing that helped me most during pregnancy (and kept me constipation-free from ~17 weeks onward) was fruit. Strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries helped the most. Plums as well, and peaches. Cherry juice always makes me go, pregnant or not! If you're prone to pregnancy UTIs, try cranberry-cherry juice blends. I'm not sure how it is where you ladies are, but I am located in an area where I am able to get fresh fruit year-round. If you can't, buy it frozen and make smoothies. If you're interested, I can post some fun fruit combinations for you all to try - my OH is manager at a cafe that specializes in lunchy-foods and smoothies, so he knows what tastes good when mixed.

Cherry and cranberry juice sounds lovely to be honest I have never had cherry juice! I have an urge to try it now you mention it. I love smoothies but I never know what To blend together when making one

 

[Twinkle 3]

YEY congratulations on vday CW I'm so pleased for you, you will be at 28weeks befor you know it. 12 more days for my v day and steroids I can't wait, I'm praying I make it but ideally I want to make it to 28weeks aswel. I keep dreaming about being 36weeks and having a baby born and brought straight home with me. That would be amazing but along as my baby is born healthy then that's all that matters

I'm going to buy one if those support belts, there worth a try

I'm excited as I have my scan tomorrow but also nervous, the last time I had a scan I came out crying lol, I don't know if it's a good or bad thing keeping a close eye on my cervix as I am going to panic if I see funnelling, Im hoping nothing is going on with my cervix that shouldn't be happening and I'm also hoping this little boy will be head up as last time they couldn't even see his face as he wouldn't move... I'm thinking of asking them to weigh him as I'm curious, I think deep down I want them to say "oh your not 22weeks at all your 26" lol I highly doubt that will happen but I can dream

 

[Pink_Sparkle]

Not much to report here...Slept soundly and feeling better that ive had a shower and washed my hair

Wunderful78 - How exciting!! Wishing you all the best for your labour x

Craigswife - Congrats on reaching V-day, you can breathe a small sigh of relief now. Ive got 22 days to go...really hope we make it x

Shelby - those smoothies sound lush! I could have one right now, my mouth is watering! x

Jadey - im glad your cervix is still closed! Keep calm and keep cooking! x

 

[jadey_fae]

pink_sparkle, it's amazing the difference a shower can make to my mood!

Karen24, I just noticed your ticker. We are due around the same time. My DD is 5th Sept.

Twinkle, Good luck for tomorrow. What time is your scan?

 

[Pink_Sparkle]

Good luck with your scan twinkle, im sure it will be fine. I had a scan on friday and my baby was face down refusing to budge! Im back in 2 weeks. Im not sure when my next cervix scan will be as they dont want to bother me down there too much. I know what its like when you look at the screen and see that funneling...scary stuff but try and stay positive - we're still pregnant! xx

 

[Craigswife]

Pink sparkle, I know what you mean about having a shower, it makes you feel so much better.
Jadey-fae, glad your check up went ok too, the pressure is a really weird thing and we all seem to have it. I find I don't know what's normal aches and pains associated with pregnancy and what's IC/premature labour signs????? Not ever having a 'normal' pregnancy I wouldn't know!!
Twinkle, fingers crossed this scan is more positive than your last one x
Karen, your scan is coming up to, at least you'll finally be able to make a decision x

I've just had a thought that one of you ladies might know the answer to. When they checked my stitch yesterday the dr said she could see it and it looked ok etc...
But that got me thinking that they have done the stitch the lower end if it was visable, so what's to stop it funnelling above the stitch! They talked about doing a measurement scan but said they'd rather leave everything alone and what difference would it make by doing one anyway? If they found I'd shortened they've already stitched and am on progesterone, so what more could they do. I sort of agree with what they're saying and also if i have shortened knowing that would worry the pants off me!!

Then my other thought was I wonder how many pregnant women not have cervical measurement scans, meaning 'normal' pregnancies with no history have funnelling and are never aware of it?

 

[Pink_Sparkle]

Im really not sure hun, try not to over think it. Just keep calm and keep cooking xx

 

[jadey_fae]

I think even if u funnelled down to the stitch it would still hold? From what I've read ladies have funnelled to the stitch early on but have still carried to term.
It's normal to start funnelling later on in pregnancy. I think 30 weeks plus.

 

[jadey_fae]

can anyone recommend a maternity belt?

 

[TLM21]

hi ladies
love everyone supporting each other
cw congratulations on v day, after 26 weeks time started moving a little faster.
when I go to the Dr I get a tvu to check the cervix.every two weeks, I have been funneling since week 20, stitches are holding though. the Dr does a scan with the speculum and looks in there, he said he wanted to make sure there was no abnormal discharge and I think.he.looked at the.stitch. last appointment he actually did a manual.check, and I was thinking I hope he.can't touch the stitches.
my cl has gone anywhere from 3.4 to 1.6 as long as I Know, last time I forgot to ask, sometimes I think is better that way.
funneling sounds very scary, but as long as nothing happens below,it's ok. I'm a little less paranoid now (just a,little) that I'm in the thirties.
every time there is a pain and ache I still freak out.
now I really want to make it to at least week 36.
oh I did put myself on strict bed rest since I found out I was funneling.
anyway ladies I hope everyone is doing well, lots of hugs to all

 

[sweetbuthyper]

hi guys from what i've read its not uncommon to funnel to the stitch they place it as high as they can but it's never going to be at the top of the cervix unless you have it placed abdominally as you can't get to it from down there, if that makes sense, the stitch is designed to hold everything shut below it, funneling isn't to much of a concern so long as the stitch is holding. In my case it didn't and i was bulging below the stitch and had dilated to 2cm with it still in place, meaning the stitch had failed and needed to come out as it was starting to pull and there was risk of tearing, to put your minds at ease a little I did have contractions to get to 2cm dilated so it didn't just happen unnoticed my cervix changed as i was in ptl.

hope thats reassured rather than freaked you out more.

 

[Twinkle 3]

Sweet iv been getting crampy pains in My stoamch nothing too intense and backache, somtimes I'll get pain in my lady bits and I don't know if it's just me or if my belly is tightening, my stomachs always hard you see but it will become harder in the smallest place at the bottom not all over. It hurts more when I think about it if I'm truthful so don't know if it's paranoia, what did your stitch feel like when it failed ? Would I deffinetly know it's labour?

I had this same thing happen to me last Sunday and the Sunday before, so I'm thinking that's when I hit my growth spurt, I normally get over the panic and pains by having a shower then going and talking my mind off things. I'm just panicked lol.

 

[Twinkle 3]

Thanks ladies, my scans at about 4pm tomorrow, I really should check the time, I'm always running round at the last minute lol.

Jadey the maternity band from mothercare that CW has got, I looked at the reviews and its got 17good reviews.. I think this is the one

https://www.mothercare.com/Blooming-Marvellous-Maternity-Support-Belt/LK2038,default,pd.html

Also my doctor told me that if I funnel to the stitch then don't worry that's why the stitch is put there in the first place and the stitch will hold, she also said the only thing funnelling to the stitch will do is make you worry,that's why sometimes its best not to keep an eye on your cervix when you have a cervical stitch in

Tlm your doing well 31 weeks wish I was at your stage but hopefully I will get to it one day

 

[sweetbuthyper]

Twinkle i knew it was labour i was trying to fob it off as braxton hicks to start with and monitored it but i was in alot of pain, tummy was tight all across the bottom of my bump, i had pressure as well, no pain in my stitch, but i tried all the usual tricks to get it to stop, water, paracetamol and laying down nothing made a difference and the tightenings/contractions were coming at regular intervals and lasting over 30 second, rather than just cramping pain thats constant which i've had on and off for weeks now. I think you would know that it was labour and that you need to go to hospital i knew i was just delaying in hope and so oh had time to get back from work plus i didn't want to drag him home unnecessarly.

signs you are looking for are tightenings with pain that comes and goes in a pattern, i did have back ache but it was inbetween tightenings, pressure i felt like i had something falling out between my legs. If in doubt get checked out but it sounds like growing pains which i do get and then usually pop over night.

small hard areas are probs baby pushing out i currently get them across where my belly button is when hes sideways.

 

[Craigswife]

Ahh thank you ladies for all your replies about my funnelling question. It's so reassuring being here, it really helps. Tomorrow I have to ring my midwife as she is going to talk to my obstetrician about having a cervical measurement scan, her thoughts are that she'll say no, but been talking to my hubbie today and we both think we'll turn it down anyway,I know what I'm like, I'll worry leading up to it and then worry If it shows any changes.

Twinkle, I'm with you on the paranoia, I'm back to work tomorrow after the Easter break, I'm actually glad to have other things to think about! I drive myself, and my hubbie mad questioning every ache or pain!