Worried in leaking amnio and felt midwife wasn’t listening

[MrsRose2018]

Hi ladies

25 weeks pregnant with first baby so all is new to me. Also MC last year so slightly more paranoid.

I'm a little concerned I may be leaking amniotic fluids. I felt some trickles this morning but Tbf I do have a leaky bladder and damp underwear is not uncommon.

An hour ago I fully emptied my bladder, put on some clean pants and lay on my side for an hour not moving. I checked my underwear and there are wet patches visible and it doesn't smell of urine. I have no pain and no coloured discharge. It’s like someone poured small amounts of water in my pants.

Spoke to my hospital assessment unit and the midwife (I think she was a MW) said it could be thrush or a bladder infection as I have low lying pressure and the liquid could be discharge. She Told me to wear a pad for a bit and call back if it's continuing.

This Doesn't look anything like any discharge I have had in my life and I have had enough thrush and bladder infections to know what they feel like. Nor do I have any other of their symptoms. I don’t like to second guess medical professionals but for the first time I don’t feel I was 100% listened to or taken seriously, however I appreciate first time mothers worry a lot unnecessarily.

Any advice/input/similar situations would be greatly appreciated!

x

@Frustratedandworried that is literally the best thing you could have told me and I have heard all evening!

All I've been told is to watch and wait and for now not to be too worried. No one has really discussed early delivery... yet and I'm just focussing on keeping him cooking for longer

xx

@WitchDancer thank you so much 💕💕

MN has Its flaws and some of the posts/comments can be unpleasant but this forum has honestly been a lifesaver these last 2 days

Xx

Yep watching and waiting! I was allowed home after 7 days with the first 2 on bedrest and went In 3 times a week for bloods and monitoring as well as checking my own temp 3 times daily at home. Third and 4th times I went home after 24hrs as had little ones at home and they knew I knew what I was looking out for!

Well done for standing your ground MrsRose. Sending you and baby every good wish!

Mother's intuition! Well done OP for standing your ground.

Well done for standing up for yourself. Hope all goes well. Keep us informed. x

Thanks ladies!!

I honestly don’t know if I’m just paddling down the river of denial or if these pregnancy hormones have given me a personality change! I’m obviously very worried that I’m going to have to deliver early but I can’t change what’s going on so I’m trying to just be as chill as possible. I’ve had steroid injections in my arse (which are the most painful thing I’ve ever experienced (so far) and antibiotics to try prevent an infection - which are making me really poorly so they need to be changed - but otherwise I’m in surprisingly good spirits!

I have a scan later today and another internal, but the last one said that whilst my waters have gone the cervix is still fully closed so provided he doesn’t decide to make a move (50% women go into labour within 72 hours) or I don’t get an infection we can try and carry on as long as possible with a view to induce at 34 weeks! x

I realise I’ve just basically repeated myself but I can’t sleep when I’m not in my own bed so I haven’t slept since Tuesday night 🤦‍♀️ Xx

Wishing you all the best. Random possibly helpful hint from my nights in hospital - there is an app called Expectful which does wonderful pregnancy meditations, I find that even if I don't fall fully asleep they allow me to doze off a bit x

@frustratedandworried

Do you have any advice as to wtf I do now to prepare for a premature birth?

Is there anything I should read? Literally having to change my entire plan/idea for this pregnancy and birth now!! x

For me the most overwhelming thing the first NICU journey was that i wasnt prepared for the number of machines / wires and it was quite overwhelming. If someone had told me in advance I think I wouldn't have been so shocked...silly as it sounds it just never occurred to me. Nicus are usually wonderful places and the staff are fab at encouraging all sorts of bonding usually starting with helping keep eyes / mouth clean, and changing nappies inside the incubator < quite the skill >. They tend to say dont expect baby home before due date ( many do leave before but that's the generic answer you usually get) ...it can often feel one step forward, 2 steps back.

We knew all of ours would be prem so we had a stash of premature baby clothes, despite their decent weights ( I grow huge babies!), normal tiny baby clothes drowned them. Nicus give you nappies but Tescos premature range were always fab too.

It can be fab to have 2 muslin squares or similar...tuck one inside your bra for hours so it smells of you and have one tucked under baby...swap them daily so baby can smell you and you can smell baby as it can help with feeding / milk production. Pumping next to incubator also helps with let down reflex etc.

Lots of hand cream for you as youll never wash your hands as much as on NICU!

with regards to birth plans... the main difference is there will usually be more people in the room when you deliver and a NICU team ready for delivery. With our second he was whisked away immediately...we didnt see him for hours and in hindsight I would of given my phone to staff and asked them to take a photo but I do also understand they were focussing on stabilising him. With no4 I asked in advance in the delivery room that as they delivered him could they just hold him up on the way to the resussitaire so I could see his face 😊

Sorry waffled a bit there ... are there any particular questions you have that may be easier otherwise I'll just waffle

@frustratedandworried I think it's just the complete change to my "birth plan". I know it's just a plan and you need to be flexible but it couldn't be more different!

I had hoped to be giving birth to a fat wee boy who had me in labour for 20 hours. I wanted the MW led unit and a pool I could dip in and out of for pain relief. I only wanted gas and air and no inductions or pain killers!

I even skipped over the chapters in my book about prem babies in ignorance.

I will obviously do absolutely anything in this world to get him out alive and happy but I'm so sad at how things have turned out!

For me right now I am trying to concentrate on what I can do to make him better when he comes out! Breastfeeding is SO important to me so I think I'm gonna invest in two Elvie pumps (ouch) and get the book by Le Leche League and try and bank some milk for him so we can hit the ground running! That's also an amazing suggestion about the muslin cloths!

I think it all depends on how much he hangs in there! If we can get to 30a+ weeks I hear you can pick them up and touch them more!

The thought of not being able to cuddle
My baby and seeing him filled with tubes and wires brings me instantly to tears! Xx

Also @Frustratedandworried is there anything I can DO?!

Im a larger lady - BMI 37, also quite short l, only just over 5ft) so I’ve been veeeery careful with what I have eaten and exercise and actually have lost weight - however this is now contributed to by loss of fluids!

If I eat more can I “fatten him up? I know that’s such a stupid question...

Any extra vitamins? I take aspirin and vitamin D but would calcium and caster oil be good for his bones and eye development?

Nappies - you mention Tesco but review say Aldi are the best but their website says the size range is 4-11lb. I know this varies but is there an average weight prem babies are released at?

Were you basically sedentary when your waters break or did you still Potter around? This is our first so I have the luxury of not chasing round after other kiddos...

And the biggy - skin to skin! Is that a no go now depending on how small he is? :(

Sorry I know I can ask the consultant all this but I am not seeing her till discharge on Saturday!

xx

You can’t fatten a baby up by eating more.

@LizziesTwin I figured that was the case even as I wrote that! This is my first baby and I’m just lying on my own on my hospital ward right now thinking a thousand things at once

I’m glad you’re in hospital and there’re keeping a close eye on you both. The baby’s needs are met before yours so your baby will be fine. Any extra calories you eat will be stored in your body and just extra weight for you to lose after having your baby. Kind of sucks to be honest!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/premature_birth

I've not used this section, but looks as though it may be helpful for you OP.

Good Luck!

I pottered around the house as we had 3 other little ones to look after but i tried to take it easy where possible. I didnt express milk in advance as the pumping action can in some cases induce contractions / tightening although I did try to harvest some colostrum the week before. Personally I couldnt breastfeed... my milk never came in properly despite being prescribed drugs etc however the two I tried with were born in quite serious circumstances so that likely contributed! Lots of my preemie friends breastfeed till 6/12 months

Not an average weight per se but ours wanted to see some consistent weight gain and obviously feeding / maintaining temperature established.

We had skin to skin at 24hrs with no2 and 40hrs ish with no 4 ( no1 and 3 didnt need nicu) ..NICU will encourage this as soon as reasonably safe :)

Hospitals also usually have pumps in NICU for use and they always worked better than my own... no idea why!

I think the hardest thing once they are out and in NICU is just patience. You feel helpless at times but try to listen to the staff. The first time round I ignored a lot of their advice about going to sleep, resting more etc, and I stressed myself out massively. Second time round I was far more relaxed ( despite no4 being critically ill for other reasons) and found a better balance.

@MrsRose2018,

Hi, I'm glad your being looked after in hospital and I wish you and your little baby all the best.

Im 22 weeks today. I too feel like I may be leaking fluid. It's just small wet patches on my underwear. I'm having to change my underwear a few times a day. It doesn't smell like urine. I can feel when it comes out. Like a small gush.

I mentioned it to the consultant and midwife when I was in for my scan but they couldn't see anything wrong. I feel like I was fobbed of. They just took a swab to check for thrush. I have no symptoms of thrush.

I was just wondering how it was for you. Was it small wet patches or was it soaking your underwear and could you feel it cone out.

Could it be such a slow leak that it's only leaving small wet patches. I dont know if I'm being silly going back in to the hospital as it might just be discharge although like you said it doesn't feel like any discharge I've had before either.

Sorry gross pic

Hi @maryd84

I'm afraid that is exactly what mine looked like! I took photos whilst I was waiting in the unit so I could track progression.

I think yours looks a little more discoloured than mine though and I was told REPEATEDLY to go in if there is any discolouration because that's a sign of infection and that's an immediate delivery situation!

I am so grateful that I listened to my gut and went in because I've had a lot of treatment already to prepare me for a premature delivery!

Also, and I don't want to scare you, Pre 24 weeks your baby still needs your amnio to breathe etc where as my gestation of 25 weeks their primary concerns were infection!

Ultimately they need to do an internal exam, check your cervix and see if there is fluid present!

xx

To everyone who has posted on this thread, i just want to thank you all so very very much for your invaluable advice and support!

I have just returned home after my 72 hours of observation. I have reached 26 weeks today and so far all my scans and obs etc show no signs of infection and no immediate indications baby boy is going to make a break for it!

Just a long waiting game now and the first goal is getting him to 28 weeks!

My guts are in bits from the antibiotics and my sciatic nerve on my left has totally gone into spasm from lying on my back for 3 days but I am so grateful and so happy right now!

When Mumsnet works, it really works well!!

💕💕💕 xx