6 episodes of reduced movements

[meggie1412]

Im 35+3 and was in hospital today for my 6th episode of reduced movements. Iv got a growth scan and consultant appointment on Monday to put a plan in place but Iv no idea what to expect? It's my second baby and I never had any of this with my first. I wondered if anyone had any similar experience and how it ended? Thank you x

OP were your episodes of reduced movement all recent? Did they conclude everything was okay? If I were in your position I would be asking to be induced ASAP.

@ElderMillennial thank you for commenting! everything turned out ok after sending me for scans. My first reduced movements was 30+6 and last one today at 35+3
They first put it down to baby being breech, but she's not breech anymore and I'm still getting the reduced movements. With me being under 37 weeks I didn't know if they would induce me or what they could even do before I get to full term but I'm worried about this keep happening all way until due date. Never had this issue with first baby. He was born naturally at 37 weeks exactly weighing 7lb 5oz! X

Morning @meggie1412,

I'm sorry you've been in and out of hospital but completely agree with @ElderMillennial that you should be pushing for induction or at least a hospital admission.

There is a massive massive push on hospitals listening to women and their bodies during pregnancy and I'm surprised they're not doing more with you.

I won't go in to too much detail but family history tells me you need to be in hospital for monitoring over a longer period, not just a scan.

Please please please go back to the hospital and raise your concerns again. There a fab charity Mama's Academy who if you contact them on fb may be able to advise exactly what you should say/do to get some action!

Good luck, I'm sure everything will be perfect and you'll have a new little bubba in no time 💛

I had to insist they induced me with my 3rd at a similar time, 35/36 weeks, he just stopped moving. I would also call the maternity unit and ask for daily monitoring until you have your scan and consultant appointment, there is a reason they say your babies movements are one of the most important ways to check all is well.

@BrownF89 @CazM2012 thank you both so much! My heads been such a mash with it all. I didn't think I'd have a leg to stand to stand on with induction before full term or them even booking me in for as soon as I get to 37 weeks and I didn't want to sound selfish by making baby come early. But you've both reassured me! And that it is possible to Be induced at this stage! It just seems the further along I'm getting the more frequent it's becoming. I'm really going to push at my consultant in the morning; I just really hope he's upstanding and agrees and that I don't have a fight on my hands. I just want baby to be ok and feel like I can't properly look after her until she's in my arms😓

@CazM2012 how was your baby when born at this stage if you don't mind me asking? Did they need any support etc?

Thank you all xx

We managed to get 2 steroids into me 24 hours apart before induction which made the world of difference. He struggled slightly with holding his temperature and sucking (but was also a very lazy baby ) but he stayed with me and we were out of hospital within 48 hours, we were lucky I know there was a chance he could have been sent to special care. It was my worst labour which could have been because of being so early but he was better off out than in at that point.

@meggie1412 - just to jump in again (sorry!!) My sisters last baby was taken out (planned section following history) at what they thought was 37weeks but when he arrived they realised he was definitely earlier than that. He had a little trouble at the beginning catching his own breath so spent a few days on NICU just for monitoring etc. but he is now a crazy cheeky little two year year old and all is fine!

I'm sure everything will be fine, you'll have your steroid injections and then baby will be on their way! Just push push push the consultant!! You're a Momma and you know better about your baby than any medical professional.

Good luck for tomorrow and please keep us posted!x

Thank you both! It's really reassured me and il definitely keep you updated on what happens tomorrow! Wish me luck!🤞🏻

@CazM2012 how long was your labour if you don't mind me asking? From when they first induced you?

When considering an induction of a preterm baby please listen to trained medical professionals over randoms on Mumsnet. There are alternatives such as extra monitoring.

@spookycookies yes of course. Iv done everything the medical professionals have advised so far, and will listen to everything they say tomorrow. But as I haven't been through this before I wasn't sure what to expect as I didn't think there was much they could do at this stage before I get to 37 weeks so just wanted to prepare myself a bit especially in the current climate I have to go alone so feel a lot of pressure solely on myself to make the right decision. So me and my partner have taken the last couple of days to go through every scenario to try and prepare. We just want what's best for the baby💖

[quote meggie1412]@spookycookies yes of course. Iv done everything the medical professionals have advised so far, and will listen to everything they say tomorrow. But as I haven't been through this before I wasn't sure what to expect as I didn't think there was much they could do at this stage before I get to 37 weeks so just wanted to prepare myself a bit especially in the current climate I have to go alone so feel a lot of pressure solely on myself to make the right decision. So me and my partner have taken the last couple of days to go through every scenario to try and prepare. We just want what's best for the baby💖[/quote]
Sounds like you're doing everything right. Just annoys me when people suggest things based on their circumstances rather than from medical knowledge. Having a preterm baby is not to be taken lightly.
Good luck with everything.

Good luck for tomorrow

@meggie1412 can I ask, do they think the movements really are reduced or that you just can't feel them because of position etc?

My first was a nightmare... I could never feel her if she was kicking inwards, which was frequently (my BMi pre-pregnancy was 18 and I had a posterior placenta so there wasn't much reason for it). It was such a stress trying to 'keep an eye on movements' and felt exactly the same as you that I just needed to be able to physically see her and not to be solely responsible at all times!

I only ever went to the hospital once (though was in Ireland in semi private care so got much more frequent scans routinely compared to UK). I had to walk 1.5 miles to the hospital because I lived next to a Stadium that had a Robbie Williams concert on so couldn't get the car out/get a taxi. I cried the entire way convinced it was the end. Allthough I hadn't felt her all day, when the hooked me up to the CTG and did the scan she was in there kicking away the whole time. I just couldn't feel it!

Can you discuss this with the team... are movements actually reduced/you are struggling to feel them.

I completely agree that induction and especially pre-term induction are not something to take lightly or against medical advice. And although I 100% agree that you have to advocate for yourself and baby, perhaps that would be much more frequent planned scans/dopplers between now and term?

I think people always say 'you just know' but I think that can make you worry more and especially when its your first time and you have no comparisons.

Good luck! I hope you get a great plan put in place that can give you some comfort!

Thank you!

@Muststopeating So at my previous scan they said that she is moving but it's just that I’m not able to feel her due to the position she’s in (breech) but to go up whenever I’m concerned as it will be hard for me to identify whether I’m not feeling her because of position or whether it’s because she’s not ok. Which is a worry for me incase I miss that she’s not ok! And While I was on the monitor before one of the scans a midwife sat with me the whole time feeling my belly and she couldn’t feel anything even when the monitor was saying there where movements. Baby's now not breech but Iv still had the same issue which seems to be a concern as they always put it down to her being breech so I didn't think I'd have any more episodes once she turned head down.

I ideally wouldn’t want to be induced before 37 weeks and didn’t realise this was a thing but it was a worry and something I wanted to get my head around beforehand incase that does get mentioned. They’ve not mentioned anything about induction yet so it’s just a matter of seeing what they say tomorrow they just said they’re concerned of how often it happens but I didn’t know what they could do with me not being full term yet

I will definitely listen to what they say and accept what they think is the right option I just wasn't aware of what them options could be xxx

Honestly I would be led by the consultants on this.

I had an EMCS at 35+1 because one of my twins had stopped moving. I didn’t know because of the other twin, and the red flags of reduced growth were not acted on. I am extremely lucky he is here.

I expect they will push for an induction but when will depend on various factors including growth. Please call every time it happens, even though I know it’s annoying.

Please also remember that if they are recommending induction, you also have the right to have a caesarean if you would prefer - they rarely mention this but induction is not your only option.

Where is your placenta?
This happened to me, they didn't want to induce before 38 weeks as heart rate and growth scans were fine. We did daily monitoring though - they'll probably agree to that if you ask.

I had so many episodes of reduced movements, I had an anterior placenta so some days I’d not feel anything at all. The hospital did a scan every three episodes to check everything was okay. They induced me at 40 + 5 after another reduced movement at 40 + 3.

Quite often they’d be able to hear her moving on the machine but I couldn’t feel anything at all!

I guess I’m just driving myself mad trying to prepare when no one knows what they will say🙈

I have a posterior placenta so they’ve never put it down to placenta.

Her growth etc as always been ok and not an issue and they checked that my placenta was working properly and blood flow and all was ok it does just seem to be the reduced movements.

They did speak about booking me in for a section which they where going to look into tomorrow if baby was still breech. But I don’t think she is anymore (as far as I’m aware she’s not) so was worried that they would ignore the reduced movements and just discharge me because she’s now head down if that makes sense!xxx

They won’t ignore reduced movements. They’ll be weighing up whether baby is safer in or out depending on different factors. If they decide baby is safer in for now that may change.

I personally would have a very low threshold for this but that’s because of what I’ve been through. DT2 was very ill when he was born, two months in NICU, and it would most definitely have been better for him to be born even earlier. They still don’t know why he had IUGR, tests on the placenta were normal.