Overreacting?

[ellieellie44]

I'm 35+3 pregnant. I have been in early slow labour for nearly 2-3 weeks now and contracting every 10-15mins, very very strong contractions, in agony. I now have a constant pain, like a very very bad period, and then the contractions on top of that every 10-15mins. I've been to the maternity unit countless times in the time that I've been in early labour to be told each and every time that my cervix is pretty much closed, beginning to open but still, closed. Now over this 2-3 weeks the contractions have been getting MUCH stronger and closer together, the other night I sporadically started bleeding out of nowhere, headed to maternity unit again. Same thing, bleeding had began to slow by the time I'd been there for an hour or so, still pretty much closed. My ankles keep swelling up and keep getting dots in my vision, they keep finding protein in my wee, and now on top of that ever since the bleed baby has been very quiet. Baby has been moving, but nowhere near as much as he used to. When I mentioned the reduced movements when I went back, they didn't seem too concerned, just monitored him for a bit, he did move on the monitor but it was nowhere near as much as he normally does, they then sent me home. I can barely walk I'm in that much pain, and now my feet are becoming that swollen that I can barely move my toes without it being extremely uncomfortable. I have a growth scan tomorrow and will be asking to speak to a doctor or consultant afterwards, am I wrong to be angry with the doctors? Surely they can't leave me like this and wait till I go into labour myself, I'm in early labour not dilating properly bleeding, showing signs of what I now know as preeclampsia (after googling and having a word with my mums friend who's a midwife) and baby's now quieter, and I get the current pandemic that's going on but surely they shouldn't be leaving me like this in this much pain and with this many problems? I feel as if I'm beginning to annoy them, surely I'm not just being a moaning pregnant woman and someone else sees where I'm coming from? Thank you

@ellieellie44 trust your instincts and tell the doctors how you're feeling and everything that's not right. Ask for a second opinion if you have to (this is what I did when I didn't agree with a consultant, and all the others subsequently agreed with me) and don't let yourself be discharged if you're not happy. Having gone through 8 months of hell with my last pregnancy, I feel as though these issues are familiar for doctors/consultants in this field of work and they don't all necessarily appreciate how worrying it can be for us, as the parents.

Keep pushing, OP. It all sounds very worrying and I'd be concerned that baby might at this point be safer out than in- you must be nearly 36 weeks now?

Which bacterium is in the urine? Is it group B strep?

@ginandgingers92 @Itsnoteasyfeelingqueasy told the doctors I'm not happy at all, his movements have reduced even further and they have now said that they're discharging me and they're not going to do anything about his movements I don't even know what to do

Is there another hospital nearby you can try OP?

If there isn't another hospital then I would just refuse to leave. Ask them to note on your records that you are know your baby isn't moving as he should and that you have a very real concern that something is wrong and that they're discharging you anyway.

I agree if you are telling them that the baby's movements are reduced and they are still discharging you they need to write it in your notes

@ellieellie44 hope you are doing ok my lovely

Hope you and baby are okay OP, thinking of you x

Hope everything's ok OP

Hi sorry for not keeping up with replies, I'm just about ready to pull this baby out! I'm having horrifically strong contractions every 10 minutes yet not getting any futher dilated, I don't think I've slept properly for 2 weeks now due to it and due to worrying, and the doctors just won't help me. It's beginning to drain me physically and mentally I just want the baby out now, I just sit here and cry most of the time as I'm just so fed up does anyone have any advise on how to get the labour moving faster or how to strengthen contractions so I at least dilate more and dilate quicker (I've had the steroids and been on my ball constantly and been using clary sage oil but does anyone have anything that actually works I'm so at my wits end, if the hospital won't help me check that my baby's ok and won't help get me out of this horrific pain then I'm going to at least try to speed it up for myself, they even admitted from looking at the monitor that my contractions are way too strong for how slow I'm dilating) @WhatWouldPennyDo @Teacaketotty @FizzingWhizzbee123 @LosingtheTTCplot @bananallamas @FourPlasticRings @MinesALatte @TenThousandSpoons0 @LST @Itsnoteasyfeelingqueasy @ginandgingers92 @mylittlesandwich @MrsJaneyp @cactuspear

Hi OP

So sorry to hear you’re going through this! May I ask which hospital/Trust you’re under?

So I am 34+3 and literally I was in hospital today because my baby’s movements had reduced to about 25%. They monitored me on the CTG, had a prod, checked the cord and the placenta and everything is fine and there is nothing to say why his movements have been reduced. Like you they discharged me HOWEVER they said to come back if I was concerned - even if that was 4 hours later!

If you’re monitoring is fine as absolutely impossible as it is try not think there is something fluky wrong! Yes it can and does happen but GENERALLY if your obs and monitoring is fine then so is your baby!

Another however, however, is the fact your labour is not progressing!

I’m not a doctor but I’ve worked with them for many years and I’m also a high risk pregnancy so I’m in twice a week for monitoring and I ask about a thousand questions every time I am in - If your contractions are 10cm apart and you’re only 2cm dilated that is (according to my trust) unequivocal failure to progress and it’s time to think about getting that baby out! What was your baby’s heart rate if you don’t mind me asking? The fact you have been in labour for two weeks sounds astounding to me!

The way I see it, there is not a single thing a doctor could say to me that would make me regret making sure my baby was ok and came out alive. There is not a scene in this world that I would not be prepared to make if I was concerned that my baby’s life was genuinely at risk because I wasn’t being listened to!! Ultimately this is their job!

If you are certain you aren’t worrying over nothing then go in and make them listen to you! What’s more important? Pissing of a doctor or making sure your baby remains alive and healthy x

Pennine acute trust, hospital in Manchester, baby's heart rate is usually a nice 150-160 as he's usually a ball of energy ALWAYS moving, I actually used to say to my mum that I wished he'd give me a break as my ribs and pubic bone were always in agony with him constantly kicking and spinning and he would kick up a storm when I felt nauseous which was horrendous, it's now gone down to about 125-140 at best, he wriggles every now and again and gives me a few kicks mainly at night but it's just nothing like how he used to move, I'm guessing the Lower heart rate is down to him not moving as much but then if he does do a big wriggle on the monitor it shoots up to around 170-180 in seconds, I don't know if that's healthy. my obs haven't been so good due to the fact that I'm having palpitations (possibly pregnancy related) blood pressure been fine and oxygen been fine but heart rate fluctuates between 90-160 even at resting, mostly over 100. The contractions on the monitor (the toco thing) when they happen are between 50 and (the highest it's been) 130. I just feel like it's one thing after another and I've begged and cried to my hospital to help and they just won't, I don't know if I'm overreacting with it all and if baby's obs actually sound ok, I just don't understand as he seems to be being SO lazy and he NEVER used to be lazy used to be the most active baby ever and now he's so quiet @MrsRose2018

I’m sorry you’re having such a hard time. How many weeks are you now? Still getting any bleeding?

It’s tricky for us to comment too much because we all obviously don’t know the whole situation. The doctors are doing their best to balance up your symptoms/situation, and baby’s current situation, to decide whether it’s better for baby to be out or in. It’s sometimes very hard to strike the right balance, and you will possible see it shift as time goes on (eg past 37 weeks and particularly past 39 usually better to get baby out, < 37 weeks often better to keep baby in).

PP talked about failure to progress and I do want to say that’s not quite what’s going on - I don’t think you’ve ever been in established labour from what you tell us, and so you haven’t “failed to progress”. For whatever reason you’re getting lots and lots of pain but not getting into established labour - although I’m sure by now you wish you were so that it can be over with! I’ve said before I think it sounds like there’s been some bleeding behind the placenta, which has caused some irritation to the womb and is making you feel contractions. It doesn’t sound like the bleeding is ongoing which is a really good thing.

Re baby’s heart rate - I also want to reassure you there, in that on a CTG you have something called a “baseline heart rate” which is baby’s sort of average heart rate. Earlier in pregnancy it’s usually a bit higher, and it comes down as baby gets closer to term. So it’s normal that that rate has come down from 150-160, to 130-140 over time. Abnormal would be if it’s sitting under 110. Things that make it go up can be sometimes if your heart rate is fast or you’re unwell, or baby is very active. In terms of drops I heart rate, you worry if you get a drop from that “baseline” of over about 15bpm, for over 30 secs or so, repeatedly. For example, a long drop from a “baseline” of 120 to 100 for a minute would be something to look closer at. Again, there are a few reasons for this, I closing baby just getting in a funny position, not liking it, and changing so the heart rate recovers. The doctors and midwives looking after you should be experienced at looking at CTGs and I would hazard to say that baby would be out by now if the CTG was abnormal.

Of course all that explanation doesn’t really make you feel better or your symptoms go away, but it doesn’t sound like the doctors have sat down with you to talk through some of these things that are concerning you, and explain why they’re not concerning to them - so I’ve tried to do it for you!

As previously, all you can do is try to listen to your symptoms, pay attention to baby’s movements, and keep asking questions. It may also be an idea to ask for a sleeping tab from time to time if the contractions are keeping you awake - it won’t harm baby and I guarantee you’ll wake up if you establish in labour. Getting some sleep might make you feel more able to tackle all these discussions.

Again I am sorry you’re having a hard time. It really sounds like you need a good long sit down discussion with one of the consultants where they go through all the balancing of risks and try to come to an agreement of when the right time to get baby out might be for you. It’s so important that you feel you can be an active part of that decision-making. Good luck x

Can you go to St Mary's?

Ok first things first OP... Take your green notes and go to st Mary's in manchester!

That is the hospital I am under and was in yesterday! The midwives there are AMAZING!!! Honestly I am absolutely in love with them!! I am there twice a week every week because my waters broke at 25 weeks and nothing I say, do or ask is too much for them!! I promise if you're scared and feel you aren't being listened to they will have you straight in!! They even had me in at 21 weeks for reduced movement and the midwife told me off for saying sorry for bothering them so much!!

Second my baby's heart rate was exactly the same yesterday day!! He's normally about 145 - 170 and yesterday it was between 127-140! I asked the MW to check with the consultant and she she did and even took my past CTG traces with her for comparison! Still absolutely fine and happy with everything when taken in conjunction! I asked my MW what would be a concerning heart rate and she said a drop below 120 would be too and too high would be 180! You How long did it take you to "meet criteria" if you don't mind me asking? Was there some fetal movement noted during your trace?

@TenThousandSpoons0 is also right - I'm wrong about the failure to progress as I misread your dialation of 2cm and meant to put 4cm myselfI'm really sorry about that and that was not helpful of me! That's NOT established labour!

My baby's movements are still not "normal". He's normally rolling around so much it's like a kick to the gut and makes me feel physically sick and now it's just a few taps here and there but I'm trying to remain relaxed and calm about that and accept that the medical professionals had a very thorough look and were happy!! I think - and I mean this in the nicest way possible - you're exhausted and scared and possibly getting yourself extremely anxious and worked up! The only faith is have is that the doctors would have my baby out by now if there was a genuine risk to his life so I'm trying to have faith in that! But like I said - if I was unsure and felt I wasn't being listened to, I would be back at St Mary's in a second xx

I agree with PP, the heart rate sounds OK. As for the contractions, I think my Braxton Hicks were in the same range when I was pregnant with my daughter at around 36 weeks, but there was no pain with it, just a feeling of tightening. Are you seeing more movements on the monitor than you're feeling? I went in with reduced movement and the midwife showed me where on the trace movements were- DD was still moving, I just couldn't feel her as well. Also the heart rate does spike when they're moving. Have you asked them to explain to you how they know it's not concerning?

@WhatWouldPennyDo @Teacaketotty @FizzingWhizzbee123 @LosingtheTTCplot @bananallamas @FourPlasticRings @MinesALatte @TenThousandSpoons0 @LST @Itsnoteasyfeelingqueasy @ginandgingers92 @mylittlesandwich @MrsJaneyp @cactuspear @MrsRose2018 @ItsLeviooosar hi everyone thanks for all your advice! Just an update, baby was born at 37+3 on the 17th June was a big surprise to be honest! Went to triage at 11pm as I thought my waters were leaking as when I woke up at 11am fluid came rushing out, midwifes said my waters were leaking but the doctor couldn't see me as was busy on labour ward so they admitted me and said I was going to be induced at 11am if he hadn't came by himself as it would've then been 24hours since waters broke, fast forward to 3am, I was asleep in bed on the ward and baby did a big massive wriggle, so big that it woke me up and it really hurt and then a couple of seconds afterwards my waters completely broke! 10 minutes later my contractions well and truly kicked in they were roughly 3 mins apart and then 10mins after that midwife checked me as I was in agony and had only had paracetamol and one codeine at that point and she was shocked as I was already 5cm nearing 6cm! Rang labour ward and whilst we was waiting she tried me with some gas and air as they were taking their time and I couldn't stomach gas and air made me feel sick so she just gave me another codeine and said I pretty much had to grin and bear till labour ward got up, 5 mins later labour ward came to get me and I was shouting all the way down to labour ward that I wanted an epidural as baby was in an awkward position and the contractions were horrific, they were in my back and front it was horrible, they didn't want to give me one at first wanted me to have diamorphine at first but baby's heart tracing was quite flat as he was asleep they said so couldn't have that as that can make baby more tired and sleepy so they got me the epidural, fast forward to 10am baby was here!! Quite a fast labour considering he was my first baby they said!! Baby was fine but wasn't feeding properly yet postnatal ward still discharged us so baby got jaundice at 5 days old and when we got admitted to children's ward for treatment they noticed his feeding was bad and he ended up getting a feeding tube, speech and language sent him to a proper children's hospital and he had to have camera down his throat , all they saw was severe reflux so was diagnosed with a stridor and severe reflux, still has tube in now at 3 weeks old but we're at home and have been for a week or so now and he's now taking 70-90ml every 3 hours which is much better than what he was originally doing! Thank you so much guys xx

Oh my gosh, what an ordeal! Thank you for the update and so glad you’re home now! X