Can anyone support me throught the next 7 days till section. I have split abdon muscles and a gymnast baby

[mummytopebs]

I am 38 weeks and having a section next wednesday. I have completly split abdominal muscles from top to bottom so the baby has a free rein. She has been engaged twice and popped herself out, she turns herself around 4 times a day and i am in absolute agony. My bump is constantly changing shape looks like there is an alien in there, sometimes her head sticks out of the side, sometimes the middle, anywhere really.

At the moment she has her back against my bellybutton but this will change in around 30 mins after i have had my tea.

Is anyone else going through this? It is scaring the shit out of me and the pain is unreal x

[almostreal]

Bloody hell you poor woman.
Is it possible to move the CS closer?

[mummytopebs]

There are no spare slots x I am first on the cancellation list!!! The baby moves constantly from 5pm till 5am just flipping, i rang delivery suite about 3am this morning cos i honestly thought she was going to pop out of my stomach!

[almostreal]

mummytopebs: Seriously your in a lot of pain and sound very worried, go to your delivery ward and refuse to move until they help, let them know you view this as an emergency.
Do you have DP/DH who can equally go and kick up a fuss?
No one should be left at home in such pain and worried.

[uglymugly]

I'm not up-to-date with current maternity wear, but can you use a belly band, or something similar, that will help support your abdominal muscles and maybe provide a swaddling effect for the baby which might help calm her down?

When I was pregnant, some 30+ years ago, it was fairly standard to wear a Mothercare maternity girdle which, while not being in the least bit attractive, did provide a lot of support to my abdominal muscles in the later stages of pregnancy and reduced the discomfort.

[LuckyC]

I don't have any useful advice, but this sounds scary - how are you doing today?

[mummytopebs]

UGLYMUGLY i have been going to physio and have a fembrace but unfortunatly it no longer fits!!! The baby did not like it either and if anything it used to make her kick more.

I am sick as a chip today, rang the hospital and no cancellations and said doubt there will be one as they are not doing sections friday, sat or sun this week

Also have had my bp done by doctor and it is 100/53, and i am now concerned that this is to low?

[homeschooler]

Sorry to here you are really struggling, as if you don't have enough on your plate with the GD.

It's awful that they are leaving you in so
much pain. Is there no way they could
do an emergency c section? Hope labour starts
for you soon so that they are forced to take action.

Hope everything goes well for you with the birth

Emma xx

[uglymugly]

I'm sorry that I don't have any more ideas to offer. I do recall how weird it was when my DC moved around, but I didn't have to deal with the other symptoms you've got except for the occasional pain in my hips and the discomfort when they pushed upwards.

Did the GP react at all at your BP reading? It does seem a little low, but then I've recently had to see my GP for high BP so I may be doing some inappropriate comparisons. But given what you're having to deal with, I would expect a slightly high BP.

How good are you at making a fuss? I only ask that because even though I worked at our local hospital for a few years I still tend to be strangely reticent when I'm the patient. It does sound as though, whoever you talk to/are seen by, no-one is getting the full picture. Any hospital that does C-sections, even if a small hospital, should have the capability of doing emergency C-sections so should have all the backup necessary. Just because they don't have an elective list tomorrow and over the weekend shouldn't mean they're not able to do an emergency list. If the hospital is genuinely too small for emergency C-sections, there should be another hospital nearby where cases can be referred quickly.

If you don't feel able to forcibly argue your case (and I fully understand if you don't feel you can do that) do you have someone who can intervene on your behalf and shout say 'enough is enough'?

[Beanigan]

Hi
I can't add anything more than uglymugly's helpful advice regarding your C section but just wanted to say not to worry about the BP (on top of everything else!). 100/53 is fine, it's much better being slightly low than high.

Mine has always been low and my last measurement was 84/50 (can just about feel my radial pulse) - may feel a bit more faint/dizzy than usual but the midwife certainly wasn't concerned.

Good luck with your C section and hope your pain doesn't continue much longer.

[mummytopebs]

Thanks for you advice ladies x The hospital have been in touch again today to say there are still no cancellations. I am making myself worse i think cos i have anxiety issues and have had to reduce my tablets before my section next week, so your support is really helping.

I made myself worse today though as the hospital said come on in and go ont he machine cos baby has been quieter since last night, and the babys average heart was 125-130 when on monday and usually it is around 140-150, i am now really worried even though the midwife said it is fine for them to slow. I just want all this pain and anxiety to be over and to be with my baby girl.

Should say really this anxiety stems from a bad birth experience with dd where her heart stopped when i was on the machine and if i hadnt been on the machine at that specific time she wouldnt have made it

[uglymugly]

I hadn't realised you'd had such a horrible situation with your DD. It's not at all surprising that you're feeling the way you do, what with that experience plus the symptoms you're experiencing now.

It's good that the hospital is checking things for you and reassuring you that the baby's heart rate is fine. Did they tell you what position the baby is in? I just wonder if the baby might be settling down a bit in readiness for the big day.

I can understand that you feel anxious but from my perspective (given what you've experienced in the past and what you're having to deal with now) it does seem to me that you are actually doing very well in all of this - even if you don't think that yourself. I know from very different circumstances that it's difficult to find anything else to focus on when it's a case of getting through each day until that worry is lifted off from you. Is there anything you are able to do, even for a short while, that takes your mind away from your current difficulties? My favourite distraction technique is to listen to an audiobook on my iPod, where I can attempt to be paying attention to the story.

Anyway, how are you doing today?

[mummytopebs]

Hi not been to bad today cos baby has been moving around a bit so this has calmed me down a bit.

I think she is currently laid across my stomach and her spine is on my tummy (i think) so this is why i am probably not feeling her as much.

I am just taking each day at a time. I am busy tomorrow then see midwife sunday and go to hospital for bloods and check up on monday so hopefully will be able ot relax a bit.

I have had 3 panic attacks today so am just concentrating on trying to keep calm.

Thanks for the support i just keep telling myself not long now until i am with my little baby.

[uglymugly]

Dealing with panic attacks takes so much energy but by the sounds of it you have the skills to control them, which is very good. I think that people who haven't experienced panic attacks or anxiety don't realise how much inner strength is needed to deal with them. And often when we're experiencing them, we don't always realise ourselves that we do actually have that strength.

How good is your midwife? If she's the listening kind, maybe she can reinforce to the hospital what you're having to deal with, and ensure that you're given the highest priority they can for your c-section.

I hope you're having a better day today.

[mummytopebs]

Hi Uglymugly my midwife has been really good over the last couple of weeks and has spoke to mind on my behalf and also my gp about getting my tablets upped as soon as the baby is born.

I have been feeling better today as have been busy so keeping mind off htings. I see the midwife tomorrow so will feel better when i hear the babies heartbeat again.

[Mapes]

No advice from me, just wanted to let you know I think you're doing great and that I'm thinking of you.

[uglymugly]

How did things go with the midwife? I hope she was able to reassure you about how well you and your LO are doing.

I know from my past experience that it does help if you have good health care professionals. I had a much better experience with my second, and I think that had a lot to do with the fact that I changed GP/surgery, and consultant, and was looked after by people who actually listened to me.

[mummytopebs]

Hi midwife appt was fine x Bp was a nice 110/70 so not to low or to high and babies heart was 150 bpm. She made me feel a bit better about my worries about the babies cord going round her neck and went through the section with me.

She has arranged for me to up my tablets as soon as the babie has been born so hopefully my anxiety will ease big time then.

She told me just keep saying to myself not long now

[uglymugly]

I'm so glad that everything is going so well. Your blood pressure, I have to say, is remarkably good considering all you're having to deal with, so I really hope you can congratulate yourself for that success. Your baby's stats shows that she's happy where she is and that's another good indicator of how well you're doing.

I can understand the anxiety about the cord around the neck, and it's good that your midwife talked you through that concern and also the c-section. Your midwife sounds really caring.