Reduced movement, low fluid level, baby stopped growing...what now?

[Amy89]

This is copied and pasted from my journal last Wednesday, thought I'd be able to get a bit more advice on here. For all the days that don't seem to make sense, my next scan is tomorrow

Basically, since last Monday I had a significant and sudden reduction in movements from baby. Got admitted into hospital on Tuesday for steroids and monitoring, and discharged myself Monday night because they were really just messing me around in there. There's been talk of induction of the last week due to the reduced movement - it still hasn't picked back up, getting 2-3 movements each day.
Today I went for a detailed scan with a doctor who specialises in fetal medicine.
Movement-wise he's fine - moving happily, I just can't feel it they told me that I should still ring if I'm concerned about movements - ill be back tomorrow if I continue to only get a couple of wiggles a day. They said that's fine, if I need to ring every day, then I should.
However, in the last week my fluid levels have dropped considerably. I TOLD the midwife on Thursday I felt like I was leaking and she just fobbed me off saying it must be normal pregnancy discharge (despite the fact that the night before I was nearly rushed down to labour ward because they thought I was in premature labour. The exam showed my waters haven't gone, but there might be a small leak so I've been given antibiotics to reduce the possible risk of infection and have to go back next week to check on the fluid levels. The doctor said she has no idea why the fluid level would have dropped so much if I wasn't leaking. So I have to go back next week to get that checked. Not sure what will happen if they haven't replenished or if they've gone down even more.
When I was in hospital last week I had a growth scan, baby was measuring bang on growth wise. Today's scan showed that he hasn't grown at all since. His estimated weight has dropped. However, because one week isn't enough time to compare, I have to wait until next week to see what's happening there...my fundal height has dropped behind 2 weeks too.

I'm so worried about little sproglet..it's very much a case of watching and waiting now...how can I wait a week not knowing if he's ok, especially now I know he's not growing as he should be??
The doc also said that they want to keep him in as long as possible, but that doesn't help a woman who can't feel her baby moving, knowing he's not growing, and knowing that the water levels could be dropping dangerously low.

I don't know what to do/say to everyone that's asked how today went. I just want to know he's ok.

Fluid levels dropped from 135 to 90 within a week...is this a lot?

 

[Sweedot]

Hi, you're experiencing almost exactly what I went through with my daughter 2 years ago. I went in for a routine growth scan at 32 weeks which showed my fluid was borderline average/low. At the time it was JUST in the normal range, but my midwife cautioned it and decided to send me in for another scan 4 weeks later. I went back at 36 weeks and it showed m daughters growth had slowed and my fluid had dropped from 11 to a 8. Needless to say they had me go back a week later and baby had not grown, she still measured the same and fluid was now 6. I went back for weekly scans and NSTs until at 39 weeks my fluid dropped to 3 and they wouldn't allow me to leave the hospital without induction. Baby still measured the same as she had at 36 weeks...she hadn't gained any weight, she hadn't lost weight and movement was ok.

I was induced t the hospital. The induction went terribly, it took five days to go into active labour and I was given, pitocin for four days, strapped to a bed, not alllowed to eat in the day and given all manner of other induction methods, including folley bulb, cervadil and citotec. On the last day of induction I was very close to c section...but went into labour one day past my due date. Labour was super fast, less than 6 hrs, I think this was because they had my pitocin turned to maximum and my contractions were back to back, I got an epidural and pushed for an hr, baby had massive heart deceleration during contractions and I was told, one push or c section. Got her out with the help of forceps and she had some breathing problems but was otherwise healthy and fully stabilised 15 minutes after birth.

For me, it was a terrible experience...I still don't know what choice I would have had to do things differently..I could have refused the scans or medical care but I don't know wha the outcome MA have been...or I could have just taken a c section and avoided all the pain and agony of the traumatic birth experience.

After birth I was diagnosed with insufficient placenta. Baby was 6lb exactly at birth, one day past the due date and I had zero fluid left when water broke. She was consistently in the 5th percentile for the first year and the. Suddenly, caught up, now she is almost 2 and in the 75th percentile and way ahead on all her milestone. She wAlked at 9 months and talks like a champ.

 

[Sweedot]

I'm not entirely sure what your levels mean since over here, they've always been measured on a scale of normal being in the range of 5-20 ...once the drop below 5 they become critical and most hospitals would require an induction or section at that point unless you discharge yourself AMA, (against medical advice)

I want you to know, that I carried my baby, happily (she was completely undestressed) for a full week, in hospital, AFTER my levels dropped to critical...it was only after all the induction medication, epidural and final pushing stages of labour she showed any distress, until that point, she had been fine, although, yes, she hadn't grown at all. When I delivered the placenta, my midwife said, omg, it's tiny. Lol

You could ask for non stress tests to be performed once or twice weekly in addition to the ultrasound scans, you could push for an early induction or you could wait and see. Reduced movement is quite normal for reduced fluid, I have borderline fluid again with this pregnancy, I am almost 36 weeks and babys movement has reduced drastically in the last two weeks as it did with dd, but he is still happy in there.

 

[Amy89]

Update from today -
Waters are still leaking, down to 7.5cm now, looks like a hind water leak as its a trickle rather than a gush.
Growth has slowed right down, they've diagnosed mild IUGR.
The word from the consultant is....they could induce today, but we'd to look at the pros and cons. He's not in danger in there and he really can stay in longer, it's now a question of when (rather than if) they intervene. She said that I need to go back in a week, and see what the situation is then, but they're looking to induce at no later than 36 weeks, as any longer wouldn't be advantageous to bubs or me. I've spent the whole week worried, I can't do that for another 6 weeks.
Went for a CTG/NST and that was fine, bloods are fine. Mw took them up to the consultation review, came back and said that they'd like to see me Friday afternoon for another NST, and then the consultant would like to see me to give me another scan.

My notes say "further fetal medicine scan in one week to consider delivery. If any additional concerns in meantime advise earlier delivery."
Sooo, it looks like I'm gonna be a mum in about 2 weeks...unless there's anything else they see on the next two scans..then it could be even earlier than that. Eek.

I don't even know what to say..I rang my mum and told her but I don't actually know what to say. It's hit me like a smack in the face, 2 weeks. TWO FRICKING WEEKS.
I'm so not ready.

 

[Sweedot]

If its a water leak, they should have you on hospital bedrest, the fluid level whilst low, isn't critical and usually they would not induce unless your level drops below 5. Some hospitals have a policy of inducing if the level drops to that number, like a cutoff. Personally, I would want to keep the baby in as long as possible, provided there's no signs of distress. Even a week can make a big difference to their development. In the interim, you need to stay off your feet and drink a minimum of 3 litres of water a day, just gulp as much down as you can. I'm drinking five litres a day to keep my fluid levels up.

Best of luck

 

[littlesteph]

my little one stopped growing it wasn't picked up till I was 35 weeks at that point he was measuring 2 weeks behind. I was induced the following week as needed to have steroids first to help develop he's lungs.
the chances are you might have to be induced. if that's the case you have more steroids as you are only 36 weeks. Also with induction you are at a higher risk of needing a emcs as baby is more likely to get distress then they would from a natural labour.
I had my little one at 36+4 by the time all the appoinments and induction was sorted, ended up having an emcs due to him getting distress. I'm glad I prepared myself for the news of having to have a section.

if you do need to be induced they should tell you that you may end up having a section, that being said plenty of people get induced and go on to give birth naturally.
I know the waiting to find out if baby has stopped growing is hard, I know I hated not knowing what was wrong with my little one, but now they know he has your getting or at least should be getting the best care.