23+4, movements stopped, I can't find HB

[magneticfield55]

Hey, I need a sanity check. Am 23+4, over past 2 days have felt nothing. Tried to find HB on home doppler tonight and couldn't. I rang MW who was quite unsympathetic. She said baby is small, said try cold water (I have, nothing) but she couldn't tell me it was ok and to know for sure to go to labour ward.

I have only felt one strong movement (one kick at MW appt on Monday when she had doppler) and the rest just flutters.

I have an anterior placenta and a BMI of 36.

Am i overreacting?

No.

You should never ignore a reduction in movements, try eating something sugary and drinking cold fanta or other fizzy drink. Lie on your left side and see if you get any movements. You may find that at different times of day your baby is more active. If you still have no movements I would call your local MLU and discuss it with them. Don't rely on a home doppler, you can often find your own heart beat or nothing at all giving you reason to panic or false hope! I hope you get some reassurance.

Very very very likely that you are overreacting and baby is just chilling out! But if you are going to worry ( and you are ) go to the hospital. Take a good book and camp out till someone sees you and sticks a monitor on you and proves you've got nothing to worry about.
My close friend had quite a few early miscarriages, and when she finally did get past 12 weeks for the first time, she then went through exactly this - a baby that used to do the whole not moving for 48/72 hours thing! She'd phone me, we'd get in the car and camp out in the hospital till someone took pity on her (or me!) and did a scan / found a heartbeat. You are totally allowed to be irrational - your baby is the most precious thing in the world. Don't worry about how it 'looks', be patient but don't take no for an answer and get the reassurance you need. But it's really very likely to be fine!

I'm going to try a few things first. I may just not be feeling it? I'll try all of the above and if nothing go.

Try not too worry. I'm 24+5 and also have an anterior low lying placenta, some days I feel nothing and then the next he seems active all day.In comparison to other pregnancies though his active days are no where near as 'active' as with my other boys (no placenta issues with them). For piece of mind why don't you go get checked out. Sending hugs and hoping you feel something soon x

Try a big glass of cold orange juice (cold and sugar in one). If you still can't feel anything, please go to get things checked. I had a similar situation, when I went in the midwife said they would always rather see someone and it be nothing than the person to ignore it and come in too late.

you're probably not feeling much as youve said, because of your placenta but that might also stop you paying enough attention when there is a real emergency. Better to go and check and feel a little bit silly? thats what id do and your mw has said you can. btw i think home dopplers arent advised for this kind of thing because they can make you worry unnecessarily but also give false reassurance.

Go and get checked, a cold drink might make the baby move and confirm that it is alive but it won't tell you if it's in/ still in distress. If the patern of movements change or reduce then you need to be seen.

Let us know how you get on.

Ring triage should be a number on your maternity notes and go and get checked out.
If your on Facebook check out count the kicks they are raising awareness monitoring you babies movements.

Hope everything is OK. Here's a link to count the kicks (they are well recognised, as giving safe sensible advise) about why you shouldn't use a home doppler -www.countthekicks.org.uk/mums/your-babys-movements/why-shouldnt-i-use-a-home-doppler/ problems include things like picking up placenta blood flow, rather than babys heartbeat, finding babys heartbeat but not realising it isn't quite as it should be, etc.

*advice

And sorry it hasn't don't the link properly, I'll try again:

www.countthekicks.org.uk/mums/your-babys-movements/why-shouldnt-i-use-a-home-doppler/

I think you should see a midwife for reassurance, but I also think you should chuck out your home Doppler. You are not trained to use one and your baby is currently very very small and more difficult to monitor. Using this won't reassure you, but seeing a midwife will.

How are things today OP? Did you go to the hospital? Hope everything is ok.

Apologies for not updating. Went to King's, listened to HB, all seems well. Discharged home. Thank you for reassurance and advice!

Always better to have it checked out. So glad is all well.

*all is well

My update was pretty vague (due to being on the phone) but I'll update a bit more fully so if anyone is having the same issue they'll know what happens.

I didn't go the night I posted this, just lay in bed and tried to feel something and eventually fell asleep. I had 3 missed calls from my midwife when I woke up and when I called her back she told me to go to the labour ward. I'd been texting my husband the night before and he wasn't worried. He was at my midwife's alarm and even more so when we got there and the receptionist told me I should have come sooner and then he began to panic and realises now he needs to be more informed about everything (as do I).

We waited for a good long time and they took my obs then we waited more for the midwife. My husband was trying to make me laugh, and I looked amazingly insensitive as the midwife listened for the heartbeat because I burst out laughing at a mime he was doing! But our son was okay- nice strong heartbeat, midwife felt him moving and said he's very small at the moment etc etc. She said she'd get us a scan, this never happened as when the obstetrician came he just discharged us.

I don't habitually use the doppler- I used it in desperation and will give it away as I don't really like it. Count the kicks isn't until 28 weeks but I intend to then. I'm annoyed my body is conspiring against me with an anterior placenta! I have a high BMI too but have lost a bit of weight so far (suspect at my next appointment I will have gained as my appetite is back with a vengence). I'm actually glad they didn't give me a scan as I found the last one so nervewracking and have one in 2 weeks anyway.

So all seems well and today I've been feeling him again. Seems he just moved into a weird position.

Thank you for advice, reassurance and a kick up the hole too!