Multiple episodes of reduced movements

[drV]

Hello all.. I am exactly 35 weeks today and as the title says, I have been in hospital for multiple episodes - 6 times for reduced fetal movements right from week 22.

After 28 weeks, I have been monitored with a CTG, Which the baby has passed with flying colours every single time, usually within 10-15 mins. Because of going in so many times, I was also put on twice weekly scans to monitor the blood flow and fluid around the baby. Despite everything being normal, baby is having frequent episodes of reduced movements.

This is my first pregnancy and a rainbow pregnancy after two losses. I can't even imagine anything going wrong after coming this far in this pregnancy 😭

I live in the constant anxiety and just unable to relax even for a day. My mental health is so severely affected, I find it hard to concentrate on anything else right now. I feel guilty of ignoring my husband too, but he has been an incredible support in all areas of my life; which makes my guilt worse thinking I am not giving him anything in return other than tears and anxiety😵‍💫

Has anybody gone through similar situation and had healthy babies? I have literally started thinking something is not ok with my baby🥺

Also, I am being told that I will be having an c section at 39 weeks. I can't even imagine living in this anxiety for 4 more weeks 😭 was anyone able to request for an earlier section/ was induced earlier due to recurrent episodes of reduced movements?

Sorry for the long post, I would really appreciate any help from you lovely mumsnetters 🙏

So sorry you're struggling OP. Is there a reason for the reduced movements? Like baby/placenta positions thats stopping you from feeling movements?

Speak to the mental health team to try and get some assistance with your anxiety. While your anxiety is well justified given the current circumstances and previous losses, it isn't good for you or baby. Every test and scan is showing baby is fine so right now it is much better for baby to be in than out. They're saying 39 weeks for section because that is best for baby. In America they've changed 'full term' to 39 weeks and designated 37-39 as 'early term' as they still sometimes need a bit of help and can be a bit more vunerable.

Even if you do manage to bring the date forward, if it was 37 weeks and baby needed some help in nicu you'd be anxious because baby was in nicu. Even having a newborn with no health issues whatsoever is anxiety inducing (checking if still breathing, how on earth are they letting me take this fragile thing home, how am i allowed to be responsible for this baby!). So please focus on engaging with help for your anxiety, and the doctors will bring the date forward if they think its medically necessary.

I agree with @SaveMeFromMyBoobs and wish I’d taken similar advice of getting my anxiety in check before baby was here, as now I’ve found a whole new host of things to worry about.

Back to the original question, I was induced at 38+3 due to growth curve concerns, alongside episodes of reduced movements (although some of those were very much anxiety driven) and borderline low amniotic fluid. DD ended up being born at 39wks weighing a healthy 6lb 8oz.

@SaveMeFromMyBoobs thank you for your input🥺 no there's no apparent reason for reduced movements.. I have a posterior placenta and baby's growth is upto date.. the only issue with her is she was diagnosed with echogenic bowel at 20 weeks scan, which is being resolved as per the opinion of a fetal medicine specialist.

I totally agree with talking to mental health team, which I will definitely bring up with my midwife/consultant in my next appointment this coming week.

It just has been a very difficult pregnancy since beginning and when i was 13 weeks, my dad passed away due to cancer.. it's like one after the other to worsen my anxiety. Honestly can't wait for the baby to be here 🥺

@PointyMcguire it's so true anxiety can mess up with our mh so much, specially during pregnancy!

So glad your DD was born healthy! I totally agree there will be a whole new plethora of things causing anxiety even after the baby is born.. it just never ends does it 😬

They may bring your c-section forward if you're still having the reduced movements at 37 weeks. Ideally they'd like to wait until 39 weeks but if it continues they may get to a point where they choose to deliver.

I had this with my last baby. I feel your pain, so so frightening. I was getting monitored about once a week by the last two months. He was delivered at 37 weeks as he was so big. As soon as he came out he fell asleep and stayed pretty asleep until five weeks old. I took him to the gp, HV and A&E because I was so beside myself. They did lots of tests and the verdict was he’s just very relaxed. He’s now a chunky, healthy one year old but still very happy, relaxed and sleeps a lot. I feel like he was the same in the womb. I had support from the perinatal Mh team for anxiety, it may be worth asking if they can give you some cbt. But keep getting monitored if you feel baby is not moving. The reassurance of seeing the graph move was the only thing that kept me sane. 💐💐💐

Oh I just saw you lost your dad. I’m so sorry. Grief and pregnancy are very hard to mix. I wish you all the best.

I had a very similar situation - repeated reduced movements, CTG and multiple scans all fine. Eventually they just induced me at 37 + 5. No reason ever found but I was relieved when they finally induced!

I was induced at 37 weeks due to three episodes of reduced movement. I’m sure you wouldn’t, but never assume your anxiety is getting the better of you when it comes to this.

Having a tricky pregnancy and repeated RFM episodes were a key factor in my anxiety when the baby came too.

reduced movement, and over movement (often not mentioned but equally as important) is scary, seeking perinatal support could help with anxiety around this.

I had reduced movement and hospital stays. There are also other options too - You can request your baby be born now, you can ask to stay in hospital until baby is born, I wish someone had given me all those options

I had similar with my son, he is now a fit and healthy 4 almost 5 year old.
(Also had 3 losses before him) despite him passing the ctg each time I definitely continued to have reduced movements. I had some not so nice comments from one doctor telling me something going wrong at 35 weeks was nothing like previous early miscarriages- he asked why I looked so worried when presenting to the unit at midnight for the 4th episode of reduced movements. At 36w4 I saw a different consultant who did scan said everything was fine but phoned me late on that evening to say that her gut said baby needed out and she believed in mothers instinct, there were no beds Available that day but to come in for induction 48 hours later.
I was induced on a Sunday morning, fetal heartrate dipped and rose a few times during labour and my son was born on the monday evening. He was born very flat and rushed to nicu - they believe he had an infection (I had strep b), he needed antibiotics, a blood transfusion, had a collapsed lung and had baggy skin on his legs etc. He spent 7 days in nicu, 5 days before we got to hold him. Then he went from strength to strength, fed constantly went from 2nd centile to between 50tj-75th centile for weight within 6 months. (His height has always been 75th-90th)
My story ended well, he is a happy healthy boy now, currently singing songs in his bedroom because he's "not tired" (he never is!) but what I will say is don't ever stop going back in. If you think the movements are reduced or are less go back, every time, they will be happy to see you. In my area they will induce at 37weeks if you have had multiple episodes of reduced movements.
Others are right there's probably a good chance some of it is your anxiety - believe me I get it pregnancy after losses is more anxious than I could ever have imagined but I'd still rather go in every day for monitoring than miss something.

If no underlying cause has been found, is there any possibility that this is just psychological? I agree with asking to speak to the perinatal mental health team regardless. Good luck OP

I was induced at 39 weeks because I’d been in for five episodes of reduced movements. I had an anterior placenta, which didn’t help and got pregnant quite soon after a MMC so was extra anxious but when baby came out I knew that the real reason I hardly felt her was because that’s just now she was! When she was newborn she was so so chilled out, I could see exactly what she just have been like in the womb, just relaxing all of the time! She’s now almost 2 and no longer that chilled out child, quite the opposite in fact 😂, but is healthy and smart and just generally wonderful.

I remember so vividly how HARD that pregnancy was with the lack of movements and pattern and the episodes of reduced movements and I’m sending you all of my love, OP, it’s so so hard. But you’re almost there. I’m glad you’re being closely monitored, keep going in if you have any change in movements at all and the medics will do what they think best. Best of luck with it all, here’s hoping you have a chilled out little one when they eventually arrive, too - my DD slept really well for ages!

@drV I’m only 25 weeks along so I don’t have any advice or experience to share with you I’m sorry but I just wanted to say how sad and incredibly sorry I am to hear about the loss of your Dad.
Losing a parent is so unbelievably hard and traumatic and for it to happen when you are pregnant is even more heart-breaking.
I really feel for you and can understand what a tough time you are going through (I lost my Mum to cancer 20 years ago).
I’m so sorry and am sending you lots of love, strength and bravery.
Keep going back to the hospital, whenever you are concerned or worried. I’ve been told that they would rather see us a thousand times and for things to be fine, than us put off going or not go and something be wrong.
It’s important that you go for support and you deserve every reassurance that can be given.
Take very good care of yourself. There’s no right or wrong way to deal with grief so just do whatever gets you from one day to the next. Be kind to yourself xx xx

I'm so sorry you're feeling like this. I'm in a similar boat, expecting my rainbow baby and currently overdue. I have been fairly anxious throughout and went in with reduced movement worries a few times but all was fine.

But the anxiety has spiralled since going over my due date and now I desperately want baby here safe and sound - unfortunately I'm also battling a total fear of induction and c section so am really conflicted with what to do 😔 I went in worried about movements the other day and CTG was fine but I still can't shake the worry.

Anyway, I just want wanted to send you some solidarity and a big big hug. Your baby will be absolutely fine, but I think it's important you speak to your midwife or a mental health team at your hospital about how you're feeling ❤️