Too much amniotic fluid and baby's stomach is big

[ashaz]

Hey ladies. I was diagnosed today with polyhydramnios due to a AFI at almost 27 weeks of 30+ and the baby's stomach is almost 3 weeks ahead.

They said gestational diabetes can cause but I passed my 1 hr glucose test 2 weeks ago and with this pregnancy and the last I have low blood sugars, not high.

Anyone else have this condition and what are your doctors saying? Would love to have some support

 

[Steph63]

I have polyhydramnious too, this is my second pregnant and I have suffered from it in both. AFI last week at 35+6 was 36. No reason found so far in either pregnancy for it, all GTT have been negative, as have torch screenings etc.

Baby is also measuring about 3 weeks ahead and they are planning to give me a sweep this week at 36+6. Am rushing this message as DS1 is shouting for his bath but I'll come back and check for any questions if you have any, or pm me x

 

[ashaz]

Thanks for the response. I saw my oB today and he helped calm my fears. He recommended rechecking the ultrasound in 4 weeks again and if still elevated then we would begin more intensive review. He said if don't have gestational as my one hour came back very low. He said the detailed ultrasound showed no issues with the baby.

So my doc recommended planning the csection at 39 weeks. Why is your doc doing the sweep before 37 weeks? Just wondering if if I should ask to have the csection earlier?

Also after the baby is born, have you heard if the NICU staff will verify there is no issue with the baby?

Thx for letting me ask some questions

 

[nicksi27]

Hello just to let you know that i had severe polyhydramnios with charlie and everything worked out fine. I had it really bad with an AFI of over 25cm from weeks 28+ and at times it would get to 36cm with largest pools of 11cm. I was so uncomfortable i felt like my belly was gonna rip open. I worried and worried for 10 weeks and was induced at 38+0 (due to previous loss not polyhydramnios). I had a detailed scan at around 36 weeks and fortnightly scans. I was also told at this point i coudl not work or drive because of the risk of premature labour and cord compression if my waters broke so i basically sat at home worrying it was an awful time. I was certain they were gonna find something wrong and was a nervous wreck before the detailed fetal scan. My consultant said that given the fact that my AFI was above 35cm i was classed as severe polyhdramios and she explained that i had a 6% chance that something would be wrong when he was born such as a problem with swallowing and that he may need a tube down his throat to assess him. However, he fed straight away and that was never a problem. The doc said polyhdyramnios is one of these things that does just happen and it can just be that your baby is peeing loads!! Im sure you will be fine, i hope this helped. Polyhydramnios does just happen for no reason despite all the scary stuff you read on the internet. Good luck, hope the rest of your pregnancy flies by xxx

ps. The relief i felt when my waters were broken was immense. Turns out i had nearly 4 litres of amniotic fluid in there. My bump disappeared and i was like where is charlie lol. He was born 7lb 11oz

 

[ashaz]

Thanks so much for the additional information. Yeah I think I am moderate now with levels at 31 at 27 weeks. I literally now know what a water balloon feels like.

I guess I am just kind of confused because with everything I read I should be being educated on what to do if my waters break, and so far they really don't act like its a big deal. They have said that if the levels are still high at 30 weeks then it will be weekly ultrasounds and 2 times a week NSTs so maybe hey start getting more upset.

The shortness of breath and contractions just seem to be getting worse. It is hard to even walk a block because I feel so short of breathe.

I pray my little boy does as well as yours and that I am not going to deliver a 9lb baby! Eeck!

So did u need a csection or did they allow vagonal? Mine would need to be a VBAC

 

[nicksi27]

Thanks so much for the additional information. Yeah I think I am moderate now with levels at 31 at 27 weeks. I literally now know what a water balloon feels like.

I guess I am just kind of confused because with everything I read I should be being educated on what to do if my waters break, and so far they really don't act like its a big deal. They have said that if the levels are still high at 30 weeks then it will be weekly ultrasounds and 2 times a week NSTs so maybe hey start getting more upset.

The shortness of breath and contractions just seem to be getting worse. It is hard to even walk a block because I feel so short of breathe.

I pray my little boy does as well as yours and that I am not going to deliver a 9lb baby! Eeck!

So did u need a csection or did they allow vagonal? Mine would need to be a VBAC

C section was never been offered to me. They also acted like it wasn't much of a big deal but then said I needed an in depth fetal scan and that's when it all seemed to get serious. BUT just remember that even with very high levels like I had there's still only a 6% chance that anything is wrong. I was told at about 32 weeks not to work or drive. Got to admit I did drive sometimes tho because I was literally going stir crazy in the house. Twice weekly NSTs we're not offered to me but because of all the fluid sometimes I couldn't feel as much movement so I kept presenting myself to hospital because I was a nervous wreck in view of my history. The staff on the maternity unit must have been so sick of me!! I was induced but because of all the fluid Charlie's head had never engaged properly and I therefore needed emergency forceps at the end and episiotomy. I would honestly rather that a c section next time than be induced because I found the recovery from forceps and episiotomy traumatic. I was told that if my waters went at home to get on all fours with my head down to avoid the head coming down on top of the cord and to ring an ambulance. I would bear this in mind but I read that sometimes after 32 -34 weeks your AF levels can fall quite a lot so fingers crossed yours come down. Your right tho the hospital act like everything's fine but then you read all this scary stuff it's not nice. Take it easy and try not to worry you and your baby will be fine.x

 

[kit10grl]

Thanks for the response. I saw my oB today and he helped calm my fears. He recommended rechecking the ultrasound in 4 weeks again and if still elevated then we would begin more intensive review. He said if don't have gestational as my one hour came back very low. He said the detailed ultrasound showed no issues with the baby.

So my doc recommended planning the csection at 39 weeks. Why is your doc doing the sweep before 37 weeks? Just wondering if if I should ask to have the csection earlier?

Also after the baby is born, have you heard if the NICU staff will verify there is no issue with the baby?

Thx for letting me ask some questions

They will give baby a once over if they feel its neccesary. Poly often doenst have a cause but one of the more dangerous causes is choanal atresia a condition my daughter was born with. Its almost never detected on scans but could have meant DD coud have suffocated at birth ad they not been ready for her (she had other health issues at birth too). However the diagnosis for this condition is so simple, they pass a feeding tube through the childs nose into their stomach which often they would do as routine in the NICU anyway. Please keep in mind though that DD's condtion is very rare. But it is good to keep in mind that sometimes there can be serious complications with poly