terrible news-question about labour

[HopefulMi]

Hi

Well we had awful news today, our baby probably will die. We were being monitored for low fluid, originally suspected PPROM, then suspected production problem. Today at our scan, my placenta was working fine but less fluid and enlarged kidneys/small bladder. We've been referred to the RVI to see the renal team on friday and be rescanned etc.

My consultant reassured me if the worst happened, even though the baby is breech, if she won't make it anyway they won't put me through a c section (for her to die anyway). Is premature labour quicker? more painful? I can't believe we came so far to be told the worst again and I am terrified.

 

[Srrme]

I am so sorry, hun. My thoughts are with you and your LO.

My labor was pretty quick once it started again -- they tried stopping it with Magnesium Sulfate, but that only helped for 2 and a half days. It was very painful once the contractions started again because I was already 10 centimeters dilated, but it wasn't unbearable.

 

[25weeker]

I am so sorry for your devastating news.

Unfortunately no matter how far you are on all contractions etc are the same as going fullterm and how long you are in labour for is different for everyone. I delivered breech at 25 weeks and don't think it was any different but have nothing to compare it too.

I had a threatened miscarriage at 21 weeks and the midwife advised then to get an epidural when labour started as the labour would be the same but unfortunately with a devastating outcome.

I hope your appointment on Friday gives you some positive news

Xx

 

[AP]

I can only say theres not normally a difference between prem labour, except you may not tear. I hope you get better news on friday, you have done so well, i really thought you'd got through the worst. Thinking of you xxxxx

 

[Laura2919]

Im so sorry to hear this hun. I had a c section with the girls but my labour lasted days on and off then I finally went into labour at around 4pm and had them the next morning at 2am.
I hope Friday brings you some better news.

 

[toothfairyx]

I am so sorry for your news. Fingers crossed you have good news tomorrow.
When I went into premature labour it all happened very fast, and I did it without pain relief as whilst I had asked for an epidural there wasn't time. But I was in spontaneous labour and not induced and I am sure that the hospital will make everything comfortable for you. I found the mental pain of what was happening was worse than the physical pain if that makes sense.

 

[clairec81]

Hi, i am not sure if i will help you or not telling you my story and my OH says to remember every pregnancy is different but there are some similarities. After 3 really bad bleeds early on in my pregnancy things settled down and i got to 20 weeks and my scan. It was then i was told that i had drastically low fluid levels, it wasn't PPROM and so they presumed Edwards syndrome (no kidneys/bladder) and i was told the only option was to terminate. I was devastated. It was arranged for me to come for a scan with the consultant ob a couple of days later. He was lovely and said although he could not see the kidneys/bladder, that he would send me to Yorkhill to a prof of fetal med to confirm. A few days later at the apt the prof said he could see kidneys and bladder and felt that although my fluid was extremely low it would be enough for lung dev. His fear however was PPROM and sure enough at 24 weeks my water broke. I was given very small odds the baby would survive if labour commenced and told about all the problems there would be if baby did make it. Anyway got steroids and waited..and waited..I managed to last another 8 weeks with continual leaking, scans, dopplers, anti-biotics etc. At one of the last scans before i went into labour the consultant measured babies lungs and said they were measuring v small and he was sure the baby would not survive outside the womb. I delivered by em-c section on Christmas Eve and to everyone's surprise my daughter was able to be ventilated (turns out she was actually fighting them doing it). She was 3lb (tiny for nearly 34 weeks) she did really well and was breathing on her own by day 2. We've had a few hurdles along the way and maybe more to come but it just shows that miracles can happen, the docs can be wrong. I don't want to get your hopes up but in the same way i do feel that staying positive got me through it. Good luck and please don't hesitate to contact me if you need to talk.

 

[katy1310]

Just wanted to send you

I didn't have labour with Sophie as I had an emergency c section so I can't comment on that but I just wanted to let you know I'm thinking of you.

xx

 

[nkbapbt]

I am so sorry about your news. I wanted to share this story with you...our neighbor in the NICU was born at 30 weeks, after his mom lost ALL of her fluid at 16 weeks. She was told to abort, but she refused as every scan they had his heartbeat was strong. They didn't bother putting her on bedrest as they all said Cole (her son) was just going to die. He had enlarged kidneys and a smaller bladder too. Well she delivered him at 30 weeks, alive and kicking!

He had/has poor lungs due to the lack of fluid but other than that he was a superstar. I just saw him a few months ago and he looks perfectly awesome.

As for labor with a preemie, it all depends. Mine was awful, I tore and was cut and I was fully dilated and he was engaged and not breech. It was also very painful, but the saving grace was it was quick.

 

[cat81]

Sending you lots of . I am so sorry for your terrible news and pray for you that things improve.

I delivered my baby at 33+5 after going into labour suddenly for no apparent reason. The whole labour was about 2 hours from start to finish and although it was painful, it was nowhere near as bad as I had imagined.

My baby was born weighing 5lb 1oz. I had no tears and just had gas and air for pain relief.

xxx

 

[HopefulMi]

Our baby has polycystic kidneys, a recessive disease which means dialysis and a transplant. 30-50% die neonatally but more often from pulmonary hypoplasia, rarely kidney failure. The fetal med doctor seemed to think because our AFI has always been OK until wednesaday (3.6cm then 1cm today), her lungs may have a decent shot but he says he can't be certain. Her chest circumfrence was 50th centile though which may suggest developed lungs.

 

[raquel1980]

Hi there, I read your thread yesterday but didn't like to reply until you'd had more news. My story is slightly similar to yours so thought you might like to hear something positive!

At my 20 week scan one of my twins, Hannah, was measuring behind in growth and had low amniotic fluid (Deepest pool was 0.9cm - they can't measure AFI in a twin pregnancy), the consultant told us then we would most likely lose Hannah and even suggested we consider a selective termination to give Hannah's brother, Max, the best chance. We continued with the pregnancy and had regular scans where there continued to be low to no fluid. At 27 weeks my waters broke around Hannah and from then on she had no measurable pockets of fluid. Consultant told us that it was highly unlikely that Hannah's lungs would be developed enough to survive outside the womb but our twins were delivered at 34 weeks and although Hannah is still in hospital 7 weeks later, she is doing amazingly well and is now on just a smigden of oxygen - she is our little miracle baby and should be coming home in the next few days!

I'll be thinking of you hun, try and stay positive and remember that the doctors are not always right! xx

 

[~Krissy~]

As hard as it is, try to stay positive! I know it's easier said than done. The latest news sounds a bit better than the first so I hope this is one of the 1st steps in the right direction.

Thinking of you & your unborn baby!

 

[nkbapbt]

I am so sorry you are going through this. My experience is not exactly the same, but it does prove doctors are not always right. My son Lakai was born at 23.4 weeks, they found a Grade IV (bleed on his brain) when they did the standard head ultrasounds they do on preemies. His was bad and on his left side, they told us to expect the worst and removing him from life support was probably the best choice (not only because of the bleed but also because he was so premature and such).

We were told he would be very delayed, a very high chance of cerebral palsy and other disabilities from learning to gross motor to cogitative.

We knew we would never let him go, and we kept pushing for him to live. As the bleed dissolved it left "holes" in his brain, not huge ones..but still there are areas missing. This made his future even grimmer. And we were pushed even harder to let him pass away peacefully.

Fast forward to today...he is just over two actual and 22 months corrected. He is 100% normal, he has never had any delays, has no CP, has no learning issues thus far, he is your typical two year old. Into everything and silly.

He does have a feeding tube but that has nothing to do with his brain bleed.

The doctors wanted us to give up, and had we would have never known and be blessed to be parents to a very amazing little man.

Babies defy the odds every day. There are so many babies in this section that prove that, if not all of the preemies here do.

Please don't give up. Take it each day at a time, and as silly as this sounds...listen to your baby. What I mean by that is, you will know what is right, when it's right. Lakai told me he would be ok by holding my finger tip for the first time since he was born, when I left the meeting where the dr's pushed us to let him die...I knew then he would be ok.

Doctors are not really here to offer hope. We need to find it in our babies, in ourselves and else where.

 

[AP]

Our story is almost identical ^^
We are all behind you hopeful_mi, stay positive, stay strong, we're always here!! Yu've got great support on here!

 

[HopefulMi]

Its keeping her lungs good, its rare for babies to die from the actual kidney failure itself. I'm just so tired.

My next appt. is 31st Dec. They are leaving her in as long as possible but I dunno how that will help if she has no fluid. I guess she will be bigger and stronger and my kidneys are currently working for her.

The C-section is giving me nightmares though. She moves a lot but where it once was funny, it just makes me sad and feels weird, as its accentuated due to no fluid.

 

[raquel1980]

The fact she's moving around a lot is a great sign hun, the consultants were always surprised at how much Hannah moved despite the lack of fluid. I know what you mean about it feeling weird as well and just making you remember that your precious baby isn't doing so well but keeping her in is the best thing. Are they checking dopplers regularly? And are you having regular CTGs? I was having CTGs every other day from 30 weeks and dopplers/ AFI check once a week and then daily as we neared delivery. Also, have you had the steroids yet?

I was terrified about the c section too but it's genuinely not that bad - you willbe so closely looked and the recovery really isn't too bad as long as you follow advice xx

 

[HopefulMi]

My next appt is new years eve and they do dopplers afi and I had a ctg yesterday at MAU for reduced movements but she was just being naughty. Her kidney measurements at 97th percentile or just bigger and her lungs and throacic measurments are average so her kidneys aren't so huge they are pressing up yet I don't think. I think afi now will be 0 and we haven't had steroids yet as its not a PPROM scenario or pre-eclampsia. Its as and when they think she needs to come out but its her lungs that are the primary issue before the kidney failure.

 

[JleStar]

My next appt is new years eve and they do dopplers afi and I had a ctg yesterday at MAU for reduced movements but she was just being naughty. Her kidney measurements at 97th percentile or just bigger and her lungs and throacic measurments are average so her kidneys aren't so huge they are pressing up yet I don't think. I think afi now will be 0 and we haven't had steroids yet as its not a PPROM scenario or pre-eclampsia. Its as and when they think she needs to come out but its her lungs that are the primary issue before the kidney failure.

what happened? I know this post is old. I am just very curious.

 

[misspriss]

My next appt is new years eve and they do dopplers afi and I had a ctg yesterday at MAU for reduced movements but she was just being naughty. Her kidney measurements at 97th percentile or just bigger and her lungs and throacic measurments are average so her kidneys aren't so huge they are pressing up yet I don't think. I think afi now will be 0 and we haven't had steroids yet as its not a PPROM scenario or pre-eclampsia. Its as and when they think she needs to come out but its her lungs that are the primary issue before the kidney failure.

what happened? I know this post is old. I am just very curious.

I'll PM you.