Incompetent Cervix - stitch/cerclage - threatened labour

[TLM21]

sweet that is great news, you definetely have a fighter,a strong baby boy! keep being strong, and keep us posted. he will be home before you now it. hugs

 

[DAYDAY24]

Aww congrats sweet such a special prince

 

[ShelbyLC]

Lizzie - this isn't IC related but I didn't want to spam your inbox and there are a few other preemie moms on this thread, so hope you don't mind me asking a preemie question.

I've been really worried about my girls' development lately. I know they're only supposed to be 10 weeks right now, but they're doing so many things "early". They stand really well when their hands are held, they have no problem with head control, they are beginning to sit some with the boppy as a safety net and can sit wonderfully on my lap. They've been chewing on their hands for about 2 weeks now, but over the last couple days I've noticed a huge increase in the amount of time their hands are in their mouths. They bat and kick at toys, smile and giggle a ton.

But they don't grab toys. They don't hold onto things at all. I've put toys into their hands and they just drop whatever it is. I know this is a 3-4 month skill and they're only a bit over 2 months corrected, but it seems like everything else they do is 4 month stuff. Is it normal for their development to be like that?

I just feel so awful, like it's my fault because I don't work with them every day and encourage them to grab onto things. I just don't always have time. Some days it's all I can do to keep them happy and clean and nothing else fits in. Is it my fault? Is this something they should be better at by now? Or is this just one of those things that may take a little more time to develop? Are they behind because they had ROP and maybe their sight has taken longer to develop enough for this grabbing skill to develop?

I'm really beating myself up about this lately. It's all I think about. I feel like an awful mom because they're behind with this, even though I know they really aren't. This preemie thing is so difficult sometimes

Sorry for the little rant, I'm just so worried that I'm going to do the wrong thing for my little girls.

https://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab294/shelabama/32_zps92bbcf6e.jpg https://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab294/shelabama/38_zps9f09979d.jpg

https://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab294/shelabama/39_zps88b089c5.jpg https://i873.photobucket.com/albums/ab294/shelabama/40_zpscf43e503.jpg

 

[Twinkle 3]

Shelby I have just read your post, my little girl was born at more or less the same gestation as your girls. She reached her major milestones at her corrected age, so she was always 2-3months behind with crawling, walking etc but in another sense she was doing things a normal baby at her age would be, I use to push her to hold things, I use to spend ages trying to get her to crawl and so on... Then I realised that no matter how much I tried to help her come along faster with things, she would always do things at her own pace. So your little ones will be like any other baby, they will do things when they are ready, sometimes they will be behind and others infront or sometimes right on time

It's not your fault and you have no control over when they will be able to do things. You can help them along but I also learnt I should have enjoyed my little girl at the stage she was at as I was always trying to get her to do the next step. If that makes sense.

I'd try not to worry and see how they progress a little longer

 

[25weeker]

Shelby - I would echo what Twinkle 3 says. Despite anything my daughter done early I always based it all on her corrected age so not to stress myself out. When people ask me her age I use to have to work out her actual age because I constantly thought of her on her corrected age. It sounds to me like they are doing fab for actual and corrected age. With prematurity definitely comes stubbornness (which gets worse as they get older ) so although you can try and get them to do things they won't until they want to.

 

[jadey_fae]

Bad news for me. My cervix had shortened from 3.5 last week to under 2 and this time with funnelling Advised by doc to have a rescue stitch first thing 2moro morn. I am so scared I am going to loose the baby.

 

[jadey_fae]

I had 8mm of funnelling but it didn't increase with pressure

 

[Twinkle 3]

Jadey I'm sorry your cervix has been shortend and funnelled I wish you all the luck for the rescue stitch tomorrow. The stitch procedure is straight forward and nothing to worry about, your in safe hands in the hospital, I'm sure they have seen many cases like this before. Keep strong and let us know how you get on x

 

[karenh24]

Hey Jadey im sorry to hear your shortening and funneling, everything will be ok like Twinkle said u'll be in safe hands.
Once u have your stitch in just take it easy and plenty of rest, i have my appointment 2mro but will be keeping you in my thoughts x

 

[Pink_Sparkle]

I had 8mm of funnelling but it didn't increase with pressure

Jadey I was exactly the same as you when I was just under 20 weeks. Try and stay strong and positive. Are they keeping you in hospital? Dont worry about the procedure either its fairly straight forward, I was offered a general anesthetic but really dont like the idea of getting put to sleep so I got a spinal. xx

 

[Gwenylovey]

Bad news for me. My cervix had shortened from 3.5 last week to under 2 and this time with funnelling Advised by doc to have a rescue stitch first thing 2moro morn. I am so scared I am going to loose the baby.

Jadey, I'm so sorry to hear about the shortening, but it looks like they caught it at a good time! Good luck tomorrow, I'm sure all will go well!

 

[TLM21]

jadey stay resting, try to stay horizontal. 19 is still a good time to get a stitch. I've been funneling since week 20 with cl mostly in the 2, at one point it was 1.6. I've put myself on sbr. be strong, the procedure is not bad and is quick. keep us posted, sending you some positive vibes hun

 

[Twinkle 3]

I don't know if this is just me or if other ladies feel the same, but it annoys me when consultants take the wait and see approach, they offer cervical length scans rather than a preventative stitch as they don't want to diagnose you with IC right away, they prefer it if you have two losses or preterm births. I had a preterm birth then a loss and my consultant wrote in a letter that the reason COULD be incompetent cervix BUT it couldn't be proven until they have monitored my cervix during a pregnancy showing the cervix shortening and giving away, then I would be deffinetly be diagnosed with IC and a suture will be needed but why wait and risk a Babies life just to prove something?

As you can see I didn't opt for cl scans as I just chose the option of a stitch, I knew in my mind that I had IC and I wasn't willing to risk the loss of another baby on the wait and see approach.

I believe that evry lady that has evidence of cervical incompetence, such as previous 2nd trimester loss, or early preterm birth and going into labour without any signs (I dilated silently and each time I got to the hospital I was already 10cm!) they should all get a cervical stitch, it's a simple procedure but it can save your little baby and to be truthful most ladies I have read about on here who had the cervical length scans have ended up with an emergency stitch anyway.

Sorry to go off on a rant but I just wish doctors could diagnose ladies without waiting and seeing, I know IC is caught by having cl scans and then a stitch can be placed so your in safe hands having the length scans but why can't they find the problem without waiting and seeing?

 

[karenh24]

Totally agree with u Twinkle.i also dilated to 10cm in last pregnancy without any signs, i think i'll be the same as Jadey and need a stitch in as our measurements have been similar.it is annoying to be monitored if they just put the stitch in, in the first place would save us mums so much anxiety and stress for starters but more importantly our babies

 

[ShelbyLC]

Jadey - hope everything goes well tomorrow

Twinkle - I completely agree. I wish more doctors were like mine. At my first CL scan (18w measuring 2.2cm) they gave me two days to see if my length went up any and if it didn't, I would have gotten a cerclage. It did go back up, though, to 3.3cm with reduced activity/modified bed rest. In hindsight, maybe it would have been better to get a stitch anyway rather than watch it, but I think my problem was PTL not IC so

Re: what I posted last night. I just want to clarify that I'm not trying to rush my girls, I know they'll develop at their own pace. I'm just worried that they're doing a lot of things they aren't expected to be doing yet, but not grabbing yet.

 

[jadey_fae]

I totally agree twinkle and Karen. I am scared though.
So if I keep loosing length after the stitch will the stitch still be enough to hold baby in? Or does the stitch stop u loosing more length?
What does it mean to have funnelled but the funnelling not get bigger when u apply pressure?

 

[Craigswife]

Jadey-fae, sorry it wasn't a more positive scan. However getting the stitch is really good news and honestly it's really quick and straightforward. I think I asked the question about loosing length after the stitch is in and was told not to worry because that's why the stitch is put in, to support the cervix. Lizzie would be the one to give you a really informative answer. But there's lots of ladies on here who have had a rescue stitch and gone on much further.
I can understand your worry, it's only natural that'll you feel scared, but hang on in there. We're all here to support you
Are you in hospital over night until your stitch?
I funnelled in my first pregnancy and my consultant was a 'wait n see' type, he wouldn't stitch but put me on bed rest and I carried on for another 5 weeks before delivering, so with a stitch and bed rest you should be fine. i'll be thinking of you tomorrow xxx

Twinkle, I'm so with you on the wait and see, it seems silly that they do that?? My first consultant when I had my son was like that, surely it would saved them time in appointments and consultations if they just put the stitch in and be done with it? It seems so cruel that before you're worthy of being given the IC diagnosis you have to suffer loss or preterm labour. Crazy???? I'm lucky my consultant is really pro-stitch so I didn't have the battle, it was her idea.

Shelby, my son was a 28wk baby and his milestones were all over the place, some stuff he'd do corrected other stuff he did as his actual age. Like you I'd be concerned but he'd always get there in the end.

Karen, hope all goes ok for you tomorrow at your scan.

 

[DAYDAY24]

Jadey u are in my prayers just keep thinking positive I know its hard.

 

[Prayerfulmom2]

Jadey - hope everything goes well tomorrow

Twinkle - I completely agree. I wish more doctors were like mine. At my first CL scan (18w measuring 2.2cm) they gave me two days to see if my length went up any and if it didn't, I would have gotten a cerclage. It did go back up, though, to 3.3cm with reduced activity/modified bed rest. In hindsight, maybe it would have been better to get a stitch anyway rather than watch it, but I think my problem was PTL not IC so

Re: what I posted last night. I just want to clarify that I'm not trying to rush my girls, I know they'll develop at their own pace. I'm just worried that they're doing a lot of things they aren't expected to be doing yet, but not grabbing yet.

Hey Shelby I'm in the preemie boat with you.... Twice. My first daughter did some things at her chronological age and some at her corrected. I took her to the developmental clinic and they rate them in 4 areas I think they are speech, fine motor, gross motor and one other that slips my mind...fine motor was the hardest to get up to in chronological age. My daughters evaluator said full term babies have a hard time with fine motor ( pinching holding clasping). So, no worries. Your girls are standing and doing all those other things! They are awesome and doing lovely.

Afm......Here is a pic of my princess. She's marathon feeding at night. Last night she got in 6 ounces in 45 minutes. (2 ounce intervals). She's goes 3 hrs Max in the day and every 1-2 hrs at night... It's getting difficult for hubby and I :/

 

[Twinkle 3]

Re: what I posted last night. I just want to clarify that I'm not trying to rush my girls, I know they'll develop at their own pace. I'm just worried that they're doing a lot of things they aren't expected to be doing yet, but not grabbing yet.

Hi shelby I didn't mean to imply that you was trying to rush your girls. I do apologise if it came across that way

I was just saying that I did myself try to rush my little girl into things as I obsessed about the things she should be doing for her age and when she wasn't doing them at the right time what the guidelines said then I tried to push her so she wasn't behind but then I realised that me rushi g her didn't really do nothing as she did what she wanted in her own time.

I can see how your a little concerned with them being infront with so many things but nt grabbing yet. I was just trying to say that babies are somtimes in front with some things and then behind on others they just do things at the right time for them I wouldn't worry if I was you they are coming along nicely