Incompetent Cervix - stitch/cerclage - threatened labour

[sunnylove]

So ever since I (think) I lost my mucus blug on 6/6, I have been having a TON of discharge, which is a change because for at least the last 2 weeks I've been drier than a powder house. But I had an exam and I haven't had any cervical changes. The doctor says he thinks my cervix sort of has a "runny nose" because of the stitch and because I'm so effaced (100%!). So that's good I guess. Baby is double footling breach still. He is literally standing right on top of my cervix. Thankfully I am still only 1cm dilated so nothing is poking out yet!!

I am terrified of having a c-section though. If baby doesn't flip in time, it's pretty inevitable. My biggest fear (other than baby coming too early and having problems, of course) is having a c-section, seeing the baby for two seconds, it going into the NICU and not being able to see it in any timely manner or being able to hold it. I am just hoping and praying for a vaginal birth and to be near term so I can hold him when he comes out!!!

 

[faibel]

Sunny - You are doing great, you have given me a lot of hope and inspiration. The danger of ic is lower now bub is bigger? So thats good, you'd have to have strong contractions now to dialate more. Keep doing what you are doing and you'll be hitting 30 wks before you know it.

I have had both senarios, a 26 weeker by emergency section, I only saw her for 2mins but I managed to kiss her and a term vag delivery, holding baby straight away. Tbh there is no comparison but after all you have been through, just getting bub here safely is the best outcome. With the section, I went to recovery and then taken straight to special care to see her, so although she wasn't with me, I did see her fairly quickly. As far as holding goes, it depends on how well bub is doing, fortunately for me it was the next day, they try to establish kangaroo care (skin to skin) straight away it helps baby's breathing,your milk supply and the bonding process.

I hope that can put your mind at rest a little, its not ideal but at the gestation you are at, I'm sure you'll both be fine.

 

[lizziedripping]

Sunny, so pleased to see you're still hanging on lovely reaching 26wks with no further developments is a very good sign. As for a section, if you do make it to term there is every chance baby will turn anyway, it's still very normal for babies to be breech at this gestation. Have the docs confirmed that you will have a section if you deliver in the next few weeks? Keep doing what you're doing honey, with each passing day the chances of making term (or thereabouts) increase several fold xxx

 

[lizziedripping]

Faibel - how are you doing? Please don't worry too much about baby being pushed up against your cervix - that in itself isn't a massive problem, and with a reasonable length of closed cervix below the stitch, the signs are good for the moment. Your cervix is looking pretty much where mine was at my 25wk scan - which had gone from closed and long at 21wks to open to the stitch with around 2mms below at 25. My boys were both breech at that point and had feet firmly pressed up against my cervix! I was very anxious, had constant aches, pains and contractions but still made it.

Steroids-wise, the doc is right in not prescribing them for now. their effects are only good for a week or so, and if there are no obvious signs of imminent labour there is little point in giving them if they then needed to be repeated a week or so later if and when you did begin to deliver. It's better not to just give them routinely if at all possible. Thoughts are with you

 

[lizziedripping]

Jadey, Twinkle You both ok? Xx

 

[faibel]

Thanks Lizzie, thats reassuring! I've been having (feeling) very few bh, i'm hoping thats a good sign. With my early delivery I had quite a few early on and discharge. This time i've had hardly any discharge since stitch placement, again looking for a positive and hoping thats a good thing! Is the risk of waters breaking higher if it is resting on the stitch? Are there any symptoms of the water bag bulging passed the stitch? Sorry so many questions!

Thanks Lizzie

 

[lizziedripping]

No worries faibel Tbh I didn't actually feel any different with my failed IC pregnancy and the one which went to term. i had equal amounts of pressure, bh and cramps in those initial stages which is why I was so damned scared! That said, in general a bulging membrane would typically cause increased pressure (than the norm), and extra discharge (something I did have with my preemie, and lots of it). By the time your membranes had gotten to the point of bulging past the stitch, I would expect you to have additional symptoms - atleast bh contractions which were becoming fairly regular and painful, and possible bleeding. It is usual for the uterus to begin contracting in earnest for the cervix to dilate past the stitch, or at the very least you would know somethng was 'going on.'

Like me, most of the ladies here have had quite marked symptoms with very little actually occuring cervix-wise, so I'd be surprised for yours to have fully dilated without any signs or symptoms beyond what you feel at this point. Xxx

 

[faibel]

Hi, quick question...

I have sore, achy 'lady bits' but only on one side and when I move my legs apart it hurts and walking is uncomfortable sometimes. These symptoms have been building for the past 2weeks but are really bad today. Is this something I need to worry about? Baby A is head down and low, could this be the problem ?

 

[lizziedripping]

Sounds like spd hun. Painful but totally harmless 'baby-wise'. I had it with all mine, and it is when the pubic bone seperates to accomodate a growing baby. It is made worse when walking, separating legs, turning over in bed etc With twins it kicks in earlier due to the extra stretching/hormones. Might be worth investing in a decent bump belt to help support some of the weight you're carrying - I didn't move at all until my belt was on xx

 

[geordiemammy]

Defo spd it's a nightmare and so painful this is the 3rd pregnancy I have had it with I thought I had got away with it this time but started about a week ago defo get a belt sometimes they can be a god send unfortunately it didn't work for me but speak to your midwife about a referral to physio they can give you exercises to help strengthen it back up again x

 

[faibel]

Thanks, I'll speak to midwife. Im only 24wks, guess its gonna get quite painful, yikes! I was beginning to think something was going on with stitch or waters were bulging! Although no other symptoms, so was trying to reason with my self...not always easy! Roll on the next few weeks...

 

[jadey_fae]

I get that pain too fabiel. I am sure it's SPD.

 

[jadey_fae]

Oh my days!!!! I was just reading about stitch removal. Now I am scared. Apparently it's not uncommon for the stitch to become embedded under new tissue?! Ouch
Will they give me pain relief before hand? I know I have to go to labour ward to have it removed and I now I only have 1 stitch in place but honestly I find smears incredibly painful :/

 

[geordiemammy]

I'm only 21weeks spd normally starts to bother people around 16weeks that's why I thought I had gotten away with it this time but my pubic area feels like someone has smashed a sledge hammer into it during the night not really suffering during the day yet (touchwood) x

 

[lizziedripping]

Jadey - I had an embedded stitch but primarily because it was a shirodkar and is much more complex as stitches go. Fortunately it was removed immediately after my section so I still had the epidural on board and didn't feel a thing. I wasn't sore down below afterwards tho so can only summise that it would have been more uncomfortable than painful at removal, despite being quite severely embedded

Lots of other ladies here have reported relatively painless stitch removal, again feeling uncomfy more than anything. By the time it does come it out its likely you'll be experiencing all kinds of aches and pains in that region anyway, and so will feel it as part and parcel of that. Try not to fret, noone yet has reported agony on stitch removal day

 

[jadey_fae]

thanks Lizzie How are you and your family?

 

[sunnylove]

Hey ladies, just an update. Well, a big update! Our son was born 6/14 at 26 weeks, 3 days gestation! Basically it all went very quickly. 2 days prior I had an ultrasound and everything looked the same (100% effaced, 1cm dilated, cervix somewhere under 1cm) so it just goes to show how quickly things can progress! The night before I delivered him, I was just feeling very uncomfortable. It just sort of hurt in "that area" but I couldn't really place my finger on it because it just felt uncomfortable. I managed to sleep through the night though until about 5:30 am when I went to the bathroom and had a lot of discharge (which had been normal as per the last week) but this time it had a tiny bit of blood in it.

I didn't think too much about it and got back in bed, but then started having very painful pressure really low, like where the cervix/stitch is. It felt like my insides were falling out and the intense pain came every 5-7 minutes. Of course, nothing showed up on the contraction monitor (I seriously hate those things) so the nurse was slow in contacting a doctor which was annoying, but when I went to the bathroom several minutes later, I just gushed blood. I had a huge clot bigger than a golf ball, and that's when I needed to get a doc in the room asap. She came and checked my cervix and told me I was 5-6cm dilated and baby was bulging through the cervix and kicking at her. So the stitch tore through.

She told me because the baby was breach she wanted to do a c-section pretty soon in case it got "lodged" down there even more. So I went in for a c-section and our little boy was born at 8:12 that morning. The great news is that even though he was born so early, he weighed in at 2lbs, 7ozs! And of course he is in the NICU but is doing GREAT. He can breathe on his own (but is being boosted by oxygen too) and even though he's technically a micro preemie, he looks very, very good and healthy! Of course he is only about 36 hours old, but I am really happy with the outcome because he is doing amazing. He's moving around a lot, opening his eyes, crying. We are really blessed!

I thought I could have made it longer, and honestly I probably could have if he wasn't breach.. But doc had said 2 days prior to my delivery that he thought the stitch was the only thing keeping baby in and it looked that way! I know that weight isn't everything, but there is a baby in the NICU that was born at 32 weeks (6 weeks farther along than my guy) who only weighed 3lbs 1 oz, and there's also a 28 weeker who came out at 1lb (that baby stopped growing in the womb so obviously a different senario). My guy's weight is a huge blessing and we are so amazed at how good he looks, and is doing!

 

[geordiemammy]

Sunny congrats and so pleased he is doing so well x

 

[shanny]

well done sunny great weight!!!

jadey - I would say stitch removal was uncomfortable - I hate anything down below too- but they have always offered me gas and air and a spinal if it was really bad - one of those things where you had to RELAX !!!

 

[Twinkle 3]

Sunny congratulations on your little boy he is a excellent weight. I hope he does well in hospital and is home with you soon happy to hear you held on to 26 weeks aswel

How is everyone?

I'm actually doing ok, my little boy weighs 3lb 7 from what the growth scan has said but it isn't very accurate as they still couldn't get his head measurements due to him being so far head down. Im getting so much pressure i feel like I'm sat on his head lol he is actualy meassuring a week behind but the hospitals happy and arnt concerned as He's the right size for me. which I'm a small frame so I'm not hoping for a huge baby, as that sounds painful lol.

The consultant is happy with me that I'm doing well so now he's wanting to leave my stitch in until 37weeks not 36 like he first said all in all though I happy things are going great and I'm hoping things continue to progress good and my little boy is born healthy.
I'm getting Very excited about meeting him soon

My consultant also said to watch out for my waters breaking now as Its more likely that my water will break first with the stitch