Incompetent Cervix - stitch/cerclage - threatened labour

[LeahLou]

Here he is! Cerclage was removed last Tuesday (2/9). Had several false alarms through the week and was frustrated. But when it kicked in, it went super fast!
Born on 2/17/16, 8lbs 11oz, 20" long! Dialated to 10cm in 7 hours with no pain so they broke my water and he was here in 45 minutes! The most handsome baby boy I have ever seen.

 

[chistiana]

Aaahhh Leah he is gorgeous! What a handsome bunch of joy! And he s got the cutest button nose ever! Bless him!! Enjoy sweetie!!

 

[LeahLou]

Thank you lovely!! He's amazing

 

[MrsAmk]

Hi everyone, I am new in here and wanted to ask a few questions. I am 21 weeks with my 3rd baby. With my first, I was experiencing a lot of Braxton Hicks from early on until my body just couldn't hold him in any longer and I went into labor and had him at 36+6 (after a couple months of bedrest). He was born still

With my second, same story except I had him at 35+5 and thank God he was born screaming!

I am now expecting a little girl, and have been feeling the same as my previous, but starting much earlier. I have never had a cerclage, but because many years ago I had a colposcopy, my cervix is shorter to begin with. It measured 3.4cm at 18 weeks (so 3 weeks ago). I feel a lot of pressure in my butt when I am sitting (I have a desk job and work fulltime). Is this indicative of a shortening cervix? I do carry very low and have always felt like the baby is going to just come out anytime! I also am afraid to poop every morning, as it feels like baby is right there! I also get what scares me into thinking is mucus plug with every BM. I have asked about a cerclage but my doctor said I didn't need one. I wish I would have pushed for it, for my own peace of mind. I want nothing more than to keep this baby inside me until at least 38 weeks. The pressure feeling is what concerns me the most. Can this be normal?

I guess I am just looking for any hopeful stories. I have also been very stressed due to the loss of my father, and now a slight scare with this baby as far as her anatomy goes. Also I know successive babies usually come earlier so that doesn't help. Thank you all....

 

[chistiana]

Mrsamk I am so sorry to read about your son. Ive had three losses myself but can't come close to imagining what if might feel like to lose your baby right when it is about to be born. Did they figure out what happened?
3.4cm is quite a good length cervix but this pressure you re experiencing should not be taken lightly. I m not by any means suggesting something is wrong but given your history your doc should take your worries into consideration and at least monitor cl biweekly. A cerclage at this point and with this cervical length I think is more risky than beneficial. You also mentioned you re scared because third kids come earlier..my first came at 38+4, my second at 35+5 and with my third my doc didn't expect get to go past 36 weeks...she came after me trying literally everything at 39+1! So here's some hope! Ow and I also remember feeling A LOT of pressure in my bum (like literally there!) it never came to anything, I think if was mostly that she lay her back on my back! Good luck with everything, I hope your little miracle stays put until at least 38 weeks!

 

[MrsAmk]

Christiana thank you so much! That gives me hope. I did email my doctor yesterday asking if I could be seen more often and maybe even have cervical length ultrasound just to put my mind at ease, I'm sure they think I'm a nutcase because I am constantly calling about something!

 

[Serefina]

hi new to club. lost dd at 22+50 weeks. smooth pregnancy and no warning before going into sptl.

 

[MummyMana]

A cerclage at this point and with this cervical length I think is more risky than beneficial.

Hey, just wondering at what point do the risks of cerclage outweigh the benefits?

 

[MrsAmk]

hi new to club. lost dd at 22+50 weeks. smooth pregnancy and no warning before going into sptl.

I'm so sorry, that is awful. Did you have a short cervix?

 

[laila 44]

Help!!!! This is my third pregnancy and I never had this issue before. Just went to my dr for a checkup before travelling tomorrow and I was immediately put on bedrest my cervix went from 3.8cm last week to 2.1 today!!! I've been loosing bloody mucus which has been alarming to me so I kept going in to check. I'm a total basket case! I have 2 other children and we were packed and ready for a vacation tomorrow. Omg can someone please offer any advise? Bedrest seems like hell

 

[chistiana]

Mummymana I just think that at 21 weeks a cerclage is risky. Now if you have a short cervix risky or not you do it..but with a cl of 3.4 why risk an infection it rupturing membranes??? Basically the later it is the riskier but ok if you ve got to do it do it..3.4 is a good length!

Serefina I am so terribly sorry. Was it ic that cause spontaneous labor??

Mrsmlk good for you! And don't worry, I m pretty sure we all call a million times n they re used to it! On the early hours before having my 3rd I went in with what I told them was "every 8 minutes contractions".. An hour later the machine hadn't even detected one! Talk about nutcase but I still swear they were there before I went in!!

Laila your cervical length is not too bad but the fact it went down so fast is alarming. If you want an advice I d say stay on that bed rest. When my son was 19 months and I was 3 month pg with dd1 I was put on strict bed rest. I stayed in bed with my legs up in the air for 5 long months. Yes it was difficult at times but fact is the minute I got up at 35 weeks to get my son's birthday gift my daughter just came out. So do I regret the bed rest??not for a second (I even miss it sometimes!!) it's better to stay in bed for a week or two, get the weight off that cervix and then gradually get back to doing what you normally do than to have to go on extreme measures later on. And really, as a mother of three myself, enjoy some rest now
Jokes aside, are you or your doc considering a cerclage?

 

[chistiana]

Ok just saw you re 26 weeks...change of answer...

Cerclage not an option! Can you stay on be rest for 2 weeks? Ic is not a real issue after 28 weeks cause your baby will be way too big to just fall out, you d need to be in active labor for contractions to cause your cervix to dilate!

 

[laila 44]

Ok just saw you re 26 weeks...change of answer...

Cerclage not an option! Can you stay on be rest for 2 weeks? Ic is not a real issue after 28 weeks cause your baby will be way too big to just fall out, you d need to be in active labor for contractions to cause your cervix to dilate!

Thank you so so much you don't understand how much I appreciate your advice. In a total wreck over this. I cannot sleep! I'm so so worried I can't believe how fast my cervix shortened out of nowhere. I'm crying my eyes out can't believe this. I have a 2.5 and 4 year old that are leaving with my DH today on our family trip that I was supposed to attend during those 2 weeks I'm moving into my parents house so they can take care of me. I feel useless. I have a few questions as this is so new to me if you don't mind me asking:

1. Is sitting considered resting or must it be lying down?
2. How many hours a day should I spend vertical?
3. Can I shower and walk up stairs once a day?

The high risk doc just kept stressing resting and watching Netflix but didn't get into detail about how etc. My cervix has always been long even when I had an irritable uterus in my last pregnancy it never ever shortened. In fact it stayed at almost 4. This time it changed so fast does that mean it's going to shorten further or can it stay stable? Sorry for bombarding with questions but I'm a total wreck and loosing it. Yesterday felt like a bad nightmare...

 

[chistiana]

Laila don't be..I can totally understand but before anything you need to remind yourself this is not a bad cervical length. And yes it can totally remain stable if you are careful enough. You made the right decision by not going on that trip, I know it sucks but you wouldn't want that risk. When I was put on bed rest I was told to mainly remain lying with my pervis tilted. I did that for about 2-3 weeks and then gradually increased my sitting time. I d get up for toilet and later on to walk to the living room and I always took a shower every night but had it sitting on a stool. Same for brushing teeth! Walking up the stairs once a day should be ok (I don't have stairs though) as long as it's not too often. Even if you want to grab a quick bite and you have to fix a sandwich or something do it sitting down. I watched way too many series (it was 5 months!) and I made sure when I watched thing I was complete flat. This way when you do want to sit up you know that you ve already spent a good amount of time with all weight off your cervix. It sounds daunting but it's truly not that bad. Especially if it ends up not being such a long period. Make sure to drink A LOT of water cause contractions can shorten your cervix. What I m describing is what I did but my baby was pushing with all her might to come out. You might not need this but since the kids n hubby are away why not make the best use now? I m here if you re bored and wanna chat or if you re feeling worried or whatever

 

[chistiana]

Is and your cervix might even lengthen, not just remain stable! With my last pg at one point it was 2.5cm and a month later it was 3.5! Now some might say the measurements might have been wrong but in that one month I was on bed rest (due to bleeding and putting the cerclage in) so I think it really helped!

 

[laila 44]

Is and your cervix might even lengthen, not just remain stable! With my last pg at one point it was 2.5cm and a month later it was 3.5! Now some might say the measurements might have been wrong but in that one month I was on bed rest (due to bleeding and putting the cerclage in) so I think it really helped!

You are a real angel can't thank you enough, really. I feel so isolated it's nice to have someone who understands. I just got back from LD bc I started having contractions and pressure so I got so scared and after drinking a ton they didn't go away so I decided to get checked out given the short cervix situation all is well I'm home now. They gave me a bolus of fluid to stop contractions which helped but I still have tightenings and it's making me nervous so I'm trying to take it easy.... Not fun. Cervix is same as yesterday 2.1cm so I'm relaxing feet up. I miss my kids and my hubby already but I'm at my parents house for 2 weeks on rest so they can take care of me. It was best that I didn't go with them on the trip, it wasn't a good idea at all esp with a cervix that's shortening out of nowhere. I feel very uneasy. Trying my best to stay positive and just relax but it's hard. Bed rest is a beast. I hope I can get through this! Props to you who did it and got through it all xx

 

[tcinks]

:wave:

Following along with you ladies. I just got my so I'm still a long ways out, but its nice to know how other women with IC are doing. I'm getting a cerclage placed at 12 or 13 weeks and am getting progesterone shots from 16 weeks on. Bedrest if necessary.

 

[chistiana]

Laila yikes I m sorry about the contractions..did they tell you to take extra magnesium?? I know it helps stop contractions. And I know bed rest sucks but you ll get through it n in the future you might even miss it so enjoy it now! As for the kids, I know how difficult it is to be away from them or not to be able to play as you would have wanted but I promise that they won't remember this phase... When I was on bed rest I only saw ds when he would come on my bed to play for a short while. Since I couldn't get up dh only went to him when he called at night and soon he stopped calling for me. I was soooo sad..he only wanted his dad..a few months after dd1 was born he was back to being mommy's boy n he still can't remember that period, he usually asks for us to tell him stories!!

Tcinks congratulations on your BFP! It's great you re getting a preventative cerclage, they re so much better when you get them early on! Hope to follow another wonderful journey to a rainbow THB!

 

[laila 44]

Laila yikes I m sorry about the contractions..did they tell you to take extra magnesium?? I know it helps stop contractions. And I know bed rest sucks but you ll get through it n in the future you might even miss it so enjoy it now! As for the kids, I know how difficult it is to be away from them or not to be able to play as you would have wanted but I promise that they won't remember this phase... When I was on bed rest I only saw ds when he would come on my bed to play for a short while. Since I couldn't get up dh only went to him when he called at night and soon he stopped calling for me. I was soooo sad..he only wanted his dad..a few months after dd1 was born he was back to being mommy's boy n he still can't remember that period, he usually asks for us to tell him stories!!

Tcinks congratulations on your BFP! It's great you re getting a preventative cerclage, they re so much better when you get them early on! Hope to follow another wonderful journey to a rainbow THB!

I feel so bad!!!!! My 2.5 year old is totally into her dad and has almost forgotten me makes me feel so much better knowing they won't remember this period bc it truly breaks my heart. I miss my kids so much and they left only yesterday. My 4.5 year old understands so it's easier to deal I'm happy knowing she gets it. But my little one probably feels like I abandoned her. It's a while I don't do her bath time and bedtime etc bc it's too tiring so my DH took over.

I haven't been given magnesium only progesterone... I can't wait until this period is over. To top it all off the tightenings are freaking me out! Currently lying here staring at the ceiling

 

[MrsAmk]

I'm having so many BH too. I hate this