Pregnancy after MMC

[sadtoday21]

Hi everyone! I moved our thread over here so we can all keep in touch as we continue on this journey.

Many congratulations again to @Amanda81 on the birth of your beautiful baby girl Holly! Our first baby on the thread. Also tagging the regulars @Catconfusion @Kiki061190 @bananamonkey. Newcomers welcome as well!

@kiki061190 it’s such a strange feeling isn’t it. Kind of tickling but a bit uncomfortable. Yes I think it’s a worry for anyone but now I’ve been diagnosed with a condition that increases my risk it’s really put me on edge. At least I know why my tummy has been so big now. The excess fluid is making it more uncomfortable and I’m getting breathless now. Hopefully it’ll ease up over time. Basically baby boy is producing too much fluid and they don’t know why. It could just be temporary or it could indicate a problem with him. The consultant said there’s only so much they can see on a scan. All signs look good but there are conditions that can only be diagnosed after birth. I guess if the fluid has increased next time they’ll do more tests. It’s about 1% of pregnancies this happens in so not common. I’ve got a busy few weeks so I guess I’ll just focus on other things and try and keep my mind off it. If something feels wrong I’ll go to the hospital. Xx

Fingers crossed you get answers ASAP @Catconfusion ! They might monitor you and maybe baby boy might come a little early if they are worried. As long as they give you the best care as you and baby boy are the most important!

Thanks @Kiki061190 I hope so it’s just I have 4 weeks until the next appointment. I guess the midwife can monitor the heart so we’ll know if he’s in distress. It’s just this fluid issue I’m concerned with. Anyway, hopefully nothing to worry about. I can’t believe I have a five pound 3 baby in there. Some babies are born and full term and don’t weigh much more. At least he’s sturdy so hopefully strong as well! xx

@Catconfusion Exactly! The midwife will keep and eye and at least you know he is a good weight. He’s gonna be a big boy! I’m not sure how big baby girl will be. Hard to judge by a bump sometimes. I’m at the midwife on Tuesday morning so should hear her heartbeat and fingers crossed all urine comes back clear. Is your bump uncomfortable at all? I feel the skin is sooooo tight now and I’m using oil and moisturiser on it every single day. Also walking slow now and out of breath! Dtd with OH is starting to become more challenging 😂

@Kiki061190 just wait until a few more weeks! 😂 I’m trying to contemplate dtd now at nearly 36 weeks and I’m not sure about it tbh. Also, it’s really really hard to shave anywhere at all and I feel less than well groomed! I’ve finished my hospital bag and baby’s now - just need to put his clothes in. Also bought some bottles just in case. Basically everything is done, I just need to do a lot more batch cooking and hang out some pictures in the nursery. And read about labour - midwife is telling me I have to do perenium massage now and it’s daunting. I’m in denial about the stretching I think! Baby is not in breech for now, so that’s one thing. How are your preparations going?

@Catconfusion if I were you I’d be worried too and also feel like a month is too long! But it does seem like lots of women have this and they just monitor. Your baby is bigger than mine already! But keep in mind the growth scans can also be way off. I think you are right on the movement - it is more like wriggling than kicks now and definitely harder to feel at the back and on the right front for me (where my placenta is). It’s just so worrying and I feel under so much pressure to monitor him. Thankfully he’s been moving a lot tonight after a late start this morning. I’m really hoping he comes earlier than later - I can’t stand the anxiety of the full 40+ weeks.

@Kiki061190 it’s so uncomfortable. One of the side effects of polyhydramnios is breathlessness and severe heartburn. I’m definitely getting those symptoms due to bump being much bigger than it should be. I’m now not sleeping more than 4 hours a night, mainly because I can’t turn over in bed easily so it’s better to get up. It’s basically the stuff that happens later in pregnancy coming sooner because my bump is 4 weeks ahead.

Thanks @sadtoday21 Yes it’s definitely the lack of appointments to monitor that’s getting to me. I can deal with the size and even the excess fluid if it’s being checked. It is a potentially dangerous condition that can escalate quite quickly so I’m not sure why It’s not being monitored, anyway I’ll see what the midwife says.

I think the growth scans could be a bit out but he’s been consistently big. They’ve even said he was big at the 20 week scan though no one told us at the time. It’s three different sonographers too. The lady on Friday was a little shocked at his size. My tummy is also huge, though granted the extra fluid isn’t helping. It will be interesting to see what his birth weight will be. He’ll definitely be big but it might not be as huge as the current measurements suggest.

It sounds like your baby is in a similar position to mine. Good you got lots of movement last night. There is a lot of pressure to monitor and I can imagine with the anxiety it’s even worse. How much longer have you now got to go? Hopefully he does come early. Have they suggested any ways you can manage the anxiety? You’re doing so well and have come so far. You’ll have your baby soon and it’ll all be worth it! Xx

@sadtoday21 Oh I totally know what you mean about shaving. It is so hard to know if it’s all properly shaved down there at the moment! My OH seems to love my pregnant body so he would dtd every night if i had the energy 😂 Sounds like you are well prepped! We have started the nursery but the furniture keeps being delayed. Her bedside crib is made though and I’ve washed her hospital bag stuff. I’m going to make it my mission to have both bags packed by next week when I’m 32 weeks. I’m enjoying spring cleaning my house at the moment!

@Catconfusion Being shirt of breath is so hard. I’m also struggling majorly with sleep. I can’t move in bed now without making noise so I can imagine you’re worse with your bump! I’ve 6.5 weeks left at work. Counting it down now as I’m starting to feel I need some rest. My work are flexible if I want to finish earlier which is good to know. I know what you mean about baby bits growth. Sometimes someone can say he is big and then the next person has a different opinion but you have been consistently told he is big. I bet he is absolutely adorable! I can’t wait to see everyone’s little ones when they are born 💓

Also ladies I was lying in bed last night and baby girl was moving about so low down! I mean I literally put my hand slightly below my pant line and I could feel her moving!!! Any idea if that means she’s head down?

@Kiki061190 I’ve had this too and baby boy was head down! I think it was his fists rather than legs. My DH is the same re dtd but the problem now seems to be me! Its been fine up to now, but suddenly my body seems to have dried up and it’s really painful, sorry if tmi ☺️. Any idea if this is normal at this stage? Dh joked that it’s a sign we already have a baby and to stop trying 😂. It’s literally the worst though and I feel bad for him!

@Catconfusion ah the heartburn! I guess you must be feeling symptoms more at my stage given your bump size. It is really hard to sleep too. Have you tried anything for it? I’m not taking anything, but I’ve thought about maybe getting a hot water bottle or something to help with sleeping. Right now I’m managing ok, but definitely exhausted! I hope your midwife can help with some monitoring in between appointments at least. Mine hasn’t been much help with anxiety tbh, but to be fair the problem is that the only thing I want is constant scans and they can’t do that. I’d really be more reassured having regular growth scans every two weeks or at least once a month. But they won’t do it just because of anxiety and my measurements have been fine so far. I was really concerned baby was measuring 34% but it seems they won’t do anything unless it’s under 10. Just want this week to go by quickly until Thursday now and hope the movement stays normal.

I hope it goes quickly @Kiki061190 It must be so hard getting to work and concentrating. You’re doing so well. Great you could finish early if need be.

She could be head down. I’ve had grinding very low down. It feels so weird!

Yes @sadtoday21 sleep is definitely tricky. It just feels so heavy. I’ve had some Gavescon for the heartburn which has been ok but it seems to come back. It’s the burning in my throat that’s uncomfortable.

It’s such a shame they couldn't offer you reassurance scans every couple of weeks to help with the anxiety. It’s so tough. Great news that baby is way off the 10% cut off for size. I hope this week flies by so you can get to your scan. The waiting is the worst part of pregnancy. I just wish there was some way to speed up time sometimes! Xx

Good Morning Ladies, so sorry to hear you've had lots of worries. Glad your monitoring went OK @sadtoday21 and hope the week till your next scan goes quickly, it would be so great if we could have monthly ones!

That sounds quite stressful @Catconfusion, it does sound like he's going to be big but did you say before that big babies run in your family? I don't know anything about the polyhydramnios but I can understand the worry, it's such a shame you have to wait 4 weeks to see the consultant again, hopefully the next MW appointment can be reassuring.

I had a few movement worries yesterday as she had a quiet morning, the pressure to monitor it seems much more intense this time round, I know it's for a good reason but I find any change causes the leap straight to anxiety. The movements have definitely changed now to more twisting and poking rather than kicking as she has less room which makes it harder to tell. She is properly head down, when I walk any distance I can feel her head down there right in my pelvis it's so weird. The MW pressed her hand there and it felt horrible! It also feels like her hands are poking me where my legs meet my body. It sounds like it's the same for you @Kiki061190, did the MW say which way she was presenting?

Feel like I want to finish work now and start preparing but seems ages away still, 6 weeks to go now as I've decided to take my last week off because I feel so massive already and it's only going to get worse, my hips are pretty stiff. I ordered my TENS machine though and bought some nappies so made a little progress. Once the decorators have left this week and I have space again I will wash my bfing clothes and breast pads so I can make a start on my hospital bag, I need DH to get all the baby clothes out of the loft though and we have busy weekends for the rest of the month.

As an aside I didn't get round to doing any peri massage last time @sadtoday21 (it's nearly impossible to reach!) and had no stitches. I have started eating medjool dates again as apparently they help your cervix open, not sure how much it helped but worth a try!

@sadtoday21 I think it could be fists as I’m getting movements under my right rib as well which might be feet? I’ll ask my midwife tomorrow at my appointment. Oh it’s just such a hassle trying to get undressed ect but good on him for wanting to dtd so much!

@bananamonkey @Catconfusion oh sometimes when I walk I do feel such an odd heavy sensation down there. I feel like sometimes when she moves I need to pee almost instantly because of how she must be sitting. Going to ask the midwife tomorrow to tell me how she’s lying!

@bananamonkey I want to be finished already! I have 6.5 weeks to go and every day I’m feeling more exhausted. Can’t wait for the days when I can stay in bed and stay in my comfy clothes! Great you don’t have long to go. We can make it!

Also has anyone heard about raspberry leaf tea? I’ve heard it helps strengthen everything for labour but unsure whether to try?

Thanks @bananamonkey for reminding me about the dates! Also curious about raspberry leaf tea and other things to bring on labour (people start using EPO again?). I don't want to start just yet, but within the next two weeks when I start nearing 38 weeks (eek! two weeks!). Sorry to hear that you have also had movement worries, I really feel the pressure is so much to monitor and its only on you, which is so hard. I've already been in three times for monitoring! And the last time they told me the guidance has changed and they no longer do growth scans after the ctg, they only do the ctg and send you home if it all seems fine. It doesn't really reassure me.

Question about pumping - anyone thought about this/researched good electric pumps? I don't want to buy one before baby is here, but I want to have one picked out for later on when I'm too tired to research.

I planned to try the raspberry leaf tea around 40 weeks but she surprised me by coming earlier, did lots of sitting and bouncing on my ball though as I couldn’t sit for long on the sofa. If I get really uncomfortable this time I might be desperate to try anything!

I’ve heard really good things about the Medela swing pumps @Sadtoday21, I didn’t get on with my electric one but can’t recommend the Haakaa one enough.

Hello ladies,

Have just spent the last few hours reading through the previous thread and this one and I’m delighted to find some kindred spirits and read your mostly positive stories.

Firstly, I am so sorry for all of your losses. The miscarriage club and the recurrent miscarriage club are the worst ones to be a part of. I’ve been reading blogs and threads since the start of our journey but this is the first time I’ve felt like joining in myself.

I want to share my story with you, partly as I feel it will be helpful for me but in case I can help anyone else or find someone at a similar stage of their journey.

Apologies for the long post but I feel like getting it all out there.

My husband and I fell pregnant soon after first trying, in Oct 2018, and we were delighted. At around 9 weeks, I wanted to go for an early scan as I didn’t feel many symptoms and wanted reassurance. At the scan, the sonographer said baby was only measuring 6+3 and they couldn’t pick up a heartbeat. They asked us to return a week later and, after what felt like the longest week in the world, they confirmed no growth and no heartbeat. We were devastated. I choose to take the tablets in hospital a few days later and passed our tiny baby.

We fell pregnant again in March 2019 and felt hopeful as everyone said it was likely a one off the first time. A week and a half after finding out, I had a period-like cramp and a small amount of red blood when wiping. Panicking, I called the early pregnancy unit who asked me to go in the following day for a scan. Unfortunately, there was nothing to see on the scan, I had ‘reabsorbed’ the tissue. Again, we were devastated, although thankful I didn’t need hospital treatment.

We fell pregnant again in August 2019 and this time felt very different. I had lots of pregnancy symptoms, morning sickness especially, and was really pleased. We were booked in for an early scan due to our previous miscarriages and, like all of you, was dreading it. Scans had only ever brought us bad news. This one wasn’t much better. They found a baby and a ‘weak’ heartbeat. They wanted us to return a week later, again. We prepared ourselves for the worst at the next scan but they could still pick up a ‘faint’ heartbeat. We were asked to go back a week later. Living life week to week, scan to scan was so hard. Trying to prepare for worst whilst always having some hope that there will be a miracle and your baby will be ok. The next scan showed no heartbeat. Three miscarriages in a row - broken doesn’t even begin to describe it. I was again given tablets in hospital but they didn’t work. We tried a second round and still nothing so I ended up getting surgery. We left the hospital feeling broken, devastated and with the heaviest of hearts.

We were referred to the recurrent miscarriage clinic and tissue from the third baby was tested but all came back clear so offered us little comfort or explanation about why this was happening.

I’m now pregnant for the fourth time and very anxious. I’m taking progesterone pessaries twice per day and 75mg of aspirin. We had a scan a week and a half ago; baby was measuring at 7 weeks and we saw a very strong heartbeat. It was a very emotional moment and the furthest we’ve ever gotten. Our next scan is on Friday and I’m absolutely terrified we’re going to get bad news again. I’m normally a fairly calm and confident person but I can’t stop over-analysing every symptom (e.g. if I wake up at 5am needing to pee when it’s been 4am other nights, do my boobs feel as sore as they have, is my nausea still as bad today?) and I’m driving myself mad! Keep having mini panic attacks thinking about the scan and really struggling to focus at work.

Does anyone have any advice on how to get through the next few days? Have spoken to my husband and he’s very understanding and supportive but it’s just so different when it’s your body and you’re constantly aware of it.

Thanks for reading my very long post and allowing me to share my story with you. Any advice will be greatly appreciated x

@Hoping2020 - firstly, I am so sorry about your losses, you've had such a tough journey!

I'll be honest, I've followed this thread for a little while hoping to join when I've passed my 12 week scan - I know several of the ladies here from previous threads @Kiki061190 @sadtoday21 @Catconfusion @bananamonkey , all super lovely and supportive ladies that have gone through what you (and me) have gone through earlier on. These ladies are further along though which is why I'm hoping to join soon ☺️🤞I'm glad to see that all you lovely ladies are doing well and nearing third (or already in third?!) trimester!

I just wanted to invite you to the thread "Pregnant after loss and dreaming of rainbows" @Hoping2020, this thread is full of women in very early stages of pregnant (after one or several miscarriages), most of us have just had our first scans just like you. This is a "middle thread" until we hopefully all pass the elusive 12 week mark. Most women feel just like you're doing now and at the same stage of pregnancy.

Again, the ladies in this thread have been through everything we're going through at the moment and will no doubt be of really good support, but feel welcome to join the other thread too!

Hope to join you guys here soon ❤️ 🌈

@sadtoday21 Oh I’m like you, I don’t want to buy an electric until I know I can breastfeed 👶🏻 I’ve heard good things about the Elvie one and the Medela ones though. Anyone also got any tips on a baby carrier? I was looking at the baby Bjorn?

@bananamonkey I’ve heard raspberry leaf tea is good for labour but some people seem to start it at about 32 weeks. Might ask the midwife this morning!

@Hoping2020 Hi there! Welcome! I’m so sorry for your loss. It’s just so hard, some ladies on her have been through multiple losses. I don’t think there is anything that will ease your anxiety but I really found having the thread and talking to the ladies each day about my worries ect helped me. The fact that we are all in it together gave me a support system to get through those early stages of uncertainty especially. I hope that’s what we can also do for you 💓 Congratulations on your pregnancy, take each milestone one at a time. A positive scan is such a great step!

@SunStruck Oh hiiiii girl! So amazing to see you! Congrats on your BFP 🌈 I’m sending you allllll the love and can’t wait to see you over here when you feel ready. How far along are you at the moment?

@Kiki061190 thank you!! 😘😘 I am 7+1 today, already had a first scan at 6 weeks with heartbeat etc, all looked good... next scan at 8 weeks 😳

How far along are you now?! All good? Yes I've missed you guys and hopefully this time it will be a sticky one!

@SunStruck Amazing news! I know it’s so hard in those first few weeks, take it scan by scan. I’ve got everything crossed for you 💓 we’ve missed you too! I was asking @Catconfusion the other week about you ladies. Any word on MrsMGE? I’m 30+5 😳 @sadtoday21 is due next month! Then me, @bananamonkey and @Catconfusion are all Aprilish time.

@Kiki061190 oh that is so soon! 🥰 how's pregnancy treating you, has it been good so far?
How big is the bump now? 🥰

@MrsMGE was participating in a few threads (had a break ttc) but was supposed to start again soon. I haven't seen her in a while though and miss her! I know she's gone for a health kick and has lost weight 🥳

@SunStruck It’s been good! I’ve had some PGP but overall been in good health so far. I don’t think my bump is that big but I am only 5’1ft so I wasn’t expecting to get massive. Still loads of time though! I found once I hit the second trimester the time flew in and the third seems like it’s going even quicker 🤨 starting to look forward to finishing work as I’m getting tired now. Can’t wait to hear how your scan next week goes, sounds like you get some good health care where you are 💓

@Hoping2020 I’m so sorry to hear about your losses. Fingers crossed for this time. It’s so hard dealing with early pregnancy after loss. All of us on this thread have been there. My only advice is to keep busy and try not to worry about symptoms as having lots or not having any can be completely normal. Obviously cramping and bleeding might be something to worry about but things like nausea and tiredness seem to vary so much.

@SunStruck yay!!!! So pleased to see you here. Join us when you’re ready but don’t worry about being at an early stage and maybe not knowing much about later stages yet. It’s such good news you saw a heartbeat. Your chances are really good now. Fingers crossed for your scan next week. It’s great they are taking good care of you! xx

@avocuddles just thought I’d tag you in this thread. The lovely ladies on here and I have been chatting for about a year since we went through our losses. Now we’re all pregnant. No pressure as you might not be ready but if you fancy chatting it would be lovely to see you here. x

Thank you so much everyone, feeling a little better already having people to share the journey with. It’s a huge help reading about those of you that are having successful pregnancies, makes it feel real and achievable, rather than a distant dream.

Thank you @SunStruck - I’ll join that thread. Will be helpful to connect with people at a similar stage. It sounds like you and I are only a week or so apart! Congratulations on your positive scan. I found I was elated after our first scan and I’m gradually growing more anxious as we near our next one which is on Friday. When is your next one?