Just need a hand hold please...

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Had a really nice pregnancy up to til last week - - 33 weeks - - has been 10yrs since last one so felt quietly confident and had a nice vaginal birth with him so not too worried overall....

Had reduced movements on wednesday, contractions ramped up as lost plug on thursday morning. I've got a low lying anterior placenta so the pain was mostly in the back. Rang labour ward and was told to come in to check. Had a speculuum examination to find that cervix was soft and favourable 2cm dilated. Obv Little Bubba would be early.

Apparently they now have this test which gives a probability of preterm birth (fetal fib. test) which came back as +ve for next 72hrs and 95% +ve of next 2 weeks. So, ended up admitted for 48hrs with steroidal injections. Ouch.

That bit was fine. Totally prepared for that bit. What I wasn't prepared for was my BP dropped to 69/38 and ended up with 2L of fluids back. Never managed to get a stable BP above 100 systolic....Hb 76 MCV 68...was told that baby was also tranverse breech...

Consultant was lovely but more concerned with the fact that I had PND (caused by abusive exH which they have only just acknowledged as the actual problem - seriously, he was very messed up) and wanted to know how I would feel about EMCS with neonatal complications and whether it would 'set me off'. So, was discharged with low BP, low Hb and told that they would 'watchfully wait' over the next 2 weeks. She isn't confident that Bubs will turn.

Trying to get my head around an early birth (which is fine as Bubs is estimated as 90% with approx weight of 6lb 2oz at 35 weeks); going into vaginal labour with low lying placenta and transverse baby and possibly a PPH.

Unsurprisingly, have no energy at moment, dizzy and symptomatic low BP and trying to reassure older son - who saw me collapse and have the drs running round the bed trying to stabilise me - that I'll be fine. Whilst also having to make emergency appointment with actual Consultant (not the hospital one) to discuss my PND and put a 'plan' in place - even though the PND was caused by an ex twat who was unspeakably horrible and had nothing to do with the Baby whatsoever.

Just needed a ranty hand hold as suddenly the homebirth idea is out the window and its all gone a bit scary girls. Thanks for reading.

Space here to hold your hand

Sounds like it's been tough with you being so poorly and scary waiting to see if the baby comes early. You must be completely shattered, especially worrying about how your DS is feeling about it all on top of everything. Are to able to rest up at home now?

Have you had any similar PND feelings this time? It sounds like you feel okay as that was about your Ex, and this situation is different. I wonder if they are just trying to put support in place just in case.

Wishing you lots of luck and I hope you and your little one are okay. Pls let me know how you are x

you poor thing Space - hand hold here.

All sounds quite scary but glad to hear there are great predicitve tests (!) and that they are ready for whatever happens next. As to the PND, probably won't be necessary - we hope! - but good to be prepared for the worst should it rear its ugly head.

Looks like you'll be meeting little Bubs pretty soon - best of luck

I have had 3 babies and all have had various complications from preeclampsia to gestational diabetes and bleeding in my last 2 weeks.

It was good that they asked you about PND because you have now entered complicated birth territory. There is quite a bit they can do early to help you with this.

Are you set on wanting a vaginal birth or is a CS something you can accept?

If you want a vaginal birth you should ask about spinning. My chiropractor was able to position DS for me and keep him there. I wouldn't do any of this without medical opinion first though as you are not yet 37 weeks.

Thanks - the PND was a misdiagnosis but because it was written down on paper it reared its head. I was totally prepared for that - it was one of the first things mentioned when I booked in. I never had PND - I bonded really well and felt fine with DS. My exH told them I had PND and then used the medication on me - it wasn't nice...but thats in the past. I understand why they feel the need to ask - I work in the field myself - but it just felt they were seeing the PND that was written on paper - however brief - and not the complication of a hypotensive anaemic woman with low lying placenta and a high probability of early birth.

I'm not averse to a CS or a vaginal - whichever results in a healthy happy outcome - but for them to know that the CS is the most likely outcome and yet still want me to labour naturally is the bit I'm having trouble with.

Thanks gals. I looked at the spinning babies website and I might try some of the exercises.

I have had an EMCS and two planned CS's here in the US. I would suggest you go for the planned CS if you can over the EMCS.

If it is likely that you will need a CS I would also be looking to avoid the labouring part. I laboured for 22 hours before my CS with my first. It was quite something to recover from. I do suggest avoiding this if possible. I was lucky that I was at an amazing hospital, something akin to the private facilities in the NHS hospitals in London and the hospital here at a nursery for me to send DD to, and it was day 3 before I was out of bed. I slept for 16 hours in the first 24 hours after delivery. I was that exhausted.