Incompetent Cervix - stitch/cerclage - threatened labour

[Agiboma]

@pink sparkle congrats and sending you and your little guy positive energy and may he grow from strength to strength daily. We got a couple moms of 23 weekers int eh preeemie section of this website feel free to post in their they got great advice and encouragement, my son was a 25 weeker and the moms in the preemie section really helped me out through the process, blood transfusions are normal with micro preemies we had gone through 7 transfusions prior to discharge the first one was my sonts second day of life, stay strong mommy

 

[Mommy's Angel]

Beautiful little guy Pink! Congrats.

 

[karenh24]

Thank you for the replies everyone im just checking that im not doing things that i shouldn't be.
my doctor hasn't told me anything that i shouldn't do so was just wondering.i am spending most the day lying down on the sofa and i don't go out much unless i need to

 

[jadey_fae]

I'm having a worry wobble. I can't help but feel I should be on bed rest since I had a emergency stitch at 20 weeks with shortening and funnelling. My doc said I could carry on as normal??
I try to stay in bed as much as pos but we have 3 floors in our house and no bathroom on the floor I am on. So I do a lot of stairs and pottering around the house. I don't go out but I do walk up and down stairs alot and sit in bed a lot.
Is this ok? I feel panicky and worried now?

 

[karenh24]

hey jadey i can't comment on the stitch side of things but i also have to go up n down stairs to get to the bathroom, i would say as long as you take it nice n easy you should be ok, its hard not to worry but the stitch is there to hold it closed so im sure its doing its job

 

[Twinkle 3]

jadey i was always told to carry on my normal day to day activities but i didnt listen to that. i listened to my body. my body cant cope with walking around too much or standing too long. i find it hard to bend, walk and do day to day things. so when i ache i sit or lay and dont move. i especially didnt move from weeks 20-24 and i layed down as much as possible. as for me that was the most crucial time to get past. just take it easy and rest as much as you can. listen to you body it will be your best indicator on how much you can dox

 

[Twinkle 3]

also jadey walking to the toilet will be good for you to get your circulation going.

 

[jadey_fae]

thanks ladies.

karen have u asked for another scan?

 

[karenh24]

i don't see the consultant till the 2nd but i will be asking for one, my husbands coming with me n he said he'l demand that i get one.

 

[lizziedripping]

Congratulations Pink I know 23/24wks isn't ideal but having had a 24wker who is now a healthy 8yr old, I k ow that it is totally possible to have a micor preemie make it, so don't loose hope. Already your little boy is doing so well, will be praying for you all.

As for expressing, your body will produce plenty of milk even at this early stage. The milk you make now is actially packed with more immunoglobulins than the milk of a woman at full term. Mother nature makes it that way to offer greater protection to your preemie. Start pumping as soon as possible and the milk will come. At first its only a small amount, but that is the stuff with the most goodness and protective agents (it contains all your immunity with which to help Ashton resist infection). Good luck xxx

lizzie - It would be great if you could add your daughter to the then and now thread on the premature and nicu babies board. I remember you used to be on it when I first joined and it gave me hope to hear about a micro preemie doing so well especially when the doctors give you a lot of doom and gloom on what the outcome can be for babies born before 26 weeks.

Will do hun I too clung to stories of hope in the face of tragedy when Evie was born, and know how much they helped me through. Xxx

 

[lizziedripping]

Jadey hun, I would be inclined to take it as easy as possible, but if you're feeling good physically then moving around occasionally is probably fine. I went upstairs on all fours after my stitch and found that really took the strain off my lower back and cervix - did that for 6mths xx

 

[faibel]

Jadey and Karen - I have the same worries, my dr doesn't believe in bed rest, so I've been told to continue as normal..! I still do school runs but minimal walking, no housework ( hubby n mum have taken over) and I try to rest as much as possible but I have the stair issue as well. My dr said my 'issues' could start around 18 wks because of the twins, so I'm really scared and hoping the stitch holds.

My dr has also said 'no' to cl scans, until I get one at 23 wks, if funnelled to stitch they'll give me steroids then. She had said it will just stress me out more and at the time I agreed but now I feel like I need to know whats going on, good or bad. Do private scan placed do cl scans?

Sorry another question - progesterone supps - for those taking it rectally, did you get irritated down there? I've only started it this week and its becoming abit sore.

Pink - Hope you are recovering well and your little man is having a good day x

 

[lizziedripping]

Karen hun, plenty of water, lying on your left and rest rest rest lol You're doing all that you can sweet. What was your cervix looking like at the last scan? Xx

Pink - the NICU journey is so tough honey, try to pace yourself, and avoid putting pressure on yourself to be 'super Mum' - its easy to burn out early if you over do things.

To echo Agi, transfusions are a common occurrence with preemies so don't be alarmed by them. Even now Evie's hands are pitted with pin prick white scars from all the blood taking/giving. She is actually proud of her survival story, and uses them as an example to everyone who'll listen as to how 'special' she is and how she was 'baby in a box' (her big brother's description) for so long lol. Your little one is obviously a fighter, but the path ahead will seem like a roller coaster at times - this unfortunately goes with the territory. They can and do come out the other side tho hun so keep the faith my lovely

 

[karenh24]

hey lizzie last scan it was 37mm up from 31mm and nice and closed but im still paranoid

 

[ShelbyLC]

Even now Evie's hands are pitted with pin prick white scars from all the blood taking/giving. She is actually proud of her survival story, and uses them as an example to everyone who'll listen as to how 'special' she is and how she was 'baby in a box' (her big brother's description) for so long lol.

Lizzie, I've always worried that my girls would hate me for making the first two months of their life miserable, with all the needles, wires, monitors, and generally leaving them in the care of strangers. It's really good to know that Evie doesn't feel that way.

Happy early birthday to the twins, in case you aren't on tomorrow.

 

[jadey_fae]

Good idea about crawling the stairs!
I find it strange how some docs have put ladies on bed rest with longer CL and no funnelling yet in the UK they seem dead against it. I feel like it would be easier to do if it had been 'prescribed' by the doc because I often worry and feel guilty about being lazy.

My outer vagina is feeling really red and sore and I'm wondering if it's caused by thrush or something from the antibiotics that were given after the stitch. I really want to sit in a cool bath with a drop of lavender oil because it's so soothing, antibacterial and healing. (I did this after giving birth to my little girl and it helped a lot) But is it a bad idea to have a bath when u have a cerclage?

 

[DAYDAY24]

Just left ultrasound couldnt get good weight on baby A his head was to low but baby B weighed 4.4 they told me to watch for water breaking since A is so low kinda nervous

 

[ShelbyLC]

Just left ultrasound couldnt get good weight on baby A his head was to low but baby B weighed 4.4 they told me to watch for water breaking since A is so low kinda nervous

Don't worry, Day, lots of people end up with Baby A (or their only baby, in most cases!) down low like that and make it to term.

 

[faibel]

Jadey - I was told no baths but I've heard others who've had baths and even continued swimming but I decided against it as it could introduce infection, although its only a slim chance.

DayDay - Sorry to hear your worried hun, you've made it to 32 wks, which is fab...keep thinking positive and you never know, your membranes could be tough and hang in there. I have seriously tough membranes, I've always delivered with my waters still in tact, even my full termer! Hope you can keep cooking a few more weeks yet! Did I read that you had a McDonald stitch with the twins? Thats what I've got and I hope it holds!

 

[DAYDAY24]

Thanks ladies I was feeling a lil low even though I know my lil men will be ok I dont want to leave them in hospital I know how selfish that sounds but I want them to come j
Home with me and I really dont want a csection.faibel yes I have a McDonald