growth scan

Hello everyone.
i am now 26 weeks and 3 days. I had my first growth scan on 25 August at 24 weeks. Baby is rather on the small size, just managing to touch the last line of the chart. They did a doppler (not a detailed one) and the blood flow was fine.

I have another on Thursday. Since that scan I have been feeling down and not positive at all. Although the hospital was not overly concerned at this point I cant help but feel trouble is on its way.

I have an anterior placenta to make matters worse and can hardly feel the baby move at times. When I do feel baby move it is very much like what I felt with Lily, small kicks and vibrations only.

Wish me luck for tomorrow, if only baby could get to average or I would be happy with some weight gain.

PS blood pressure is behaving itself x

Hope everything goes well tomorrow and look forward to hearing how you get on.

I worried my whole pregnancy with Orla its normal after what we went through.x

hope today went well.

Hi Amanda,

I hope the scan went well and baby is jsut having a little rest before a growth spurt!

Best Wishes

Liz

Hello everyone,

Baby is still barely touching the growth chart but is growing and the hospital are not too overly concerned. Baby weighs 774g and varies in gestation with head and legs but has a tummy of a 26 week baby, which is what I am.

I have another scan on 22nd Sept.

I have started to have visual disturbances, white swimming lights. I had these before from 20 weeks last time.

I have had 5 episodes in 9 days. I am very worried its on its way again. My blood pressure is still good and no protein. I got signed off from work on Thursday and my blood pressure was bottom reading 74 and 75.

I just wish I was further along. My pre-eclampsia became evident at 28 weeks but I had symptoms before that. I got to 30 weeks and 6 days. I am 28 weeks on Sunday.

Just hoping the rest will do me good and the asprin will work its magic.

heres hoping,
amanda

Hi Amanda,

I'm sorry you are so worried, I know what I was like with Laurence. It's not nice at all. It's really positive that the baby's abdomen is right for dates, I know my consultant was always most concerned with that. Also good to hear that you have good bp etc. Try to keep calm, easier said than done I know!!
Take care,
Lizzie

Hello everyone, thanks for your positive vibes. I am as today 29 weeks and 4 days.
I had a scan at 28 weeks, 4 days, for doppler and growth. Doppler was good EDF and growth was up to 1022g which is only 22g away from what Lily was at 30 weeks and 6 days. So baby is growing.

Consultant said if baby stops growing at any point then she will deliver!!! I have also had steroids which concerned me a great deal. It made me very anxious that they knew something I didnt. However, they said they would rather me have them than not.

I had a doppler scan today which was still good. Blood pressure abit higher bottom reading 84, no swelling or protein. Growth scan next week.

Just hope I keep going, not much I can do or say other than try and relax and wait and see.

The consultant also wrote IUGR on my notes, which is not very re-assuring!!

x

Hi Amanda,

Congratulations on reaching 29+4,

I know this is a really anxious time but the steroids really are a good sign. If the worst really does happen again then baby will be far better prepared to arrive early. If s/he doesnt then it wont make any difference so its a win win situation.

The doppler is still a really good sign and a very useful tool at predicting PE so with luck and a good doppler - the beast will stay away. If it doesnt, its not as likely to cause so much havoc as you know where its hiding places are and on the look out for it so chancews are you would pick up its traces long before hand.

As for IUGR - baby might just be a littley and nothing to do with IUGR. As long as she is growing and you are both fine size is simply a number.

Keep strong
Warm wishes
Liz

Thank you for your kind words Liz, it did bring me confidence. I am now 30 weeks and 4 days. I had Lily at 30+6. The good news is I am not in hospital at this point or about to have an emergency c-section.

I had another growth scan today and baby's estimated weight is 2lbs 15oz. Which in my expectation is great. Doppler good, BP good, no protein etc. So overall a really good appointment.

However consultant still thinks I may have some BP issues and is concerned that although baby is following its own trend just under 10th centile it is small and that it is unlikely that I will make 37 weeks. She will continue to monitor every week and then make a decision.

I really want to try for a VBAC. I can have have a sweep and she will have a go at popping my waters but no gel.

I trust this lady and will take her advice on our best interests but wondered whether I should just be left till my due date as everthing is ticking along??

Any thoughts

Amanda

Hi AmandaLily's mum,

Congratulations on getting this far in pregnancy PE free, well done.

At my 23 week doppler, my OB told me that its likely that i will get BP issues after 30 weeks which means a definate c-section.... I went onto having a my baby the day after her due date with natural labour and a natural birth after 2 c-sections!

From around 33 weeks start walking, gentle walking (you dont want to raise your BP

Here is a link to a post i written about how i think helped bring on labour...

https://www.facebook.com/?ref=hp#!/topic.php?uid=129423916815&topic=16852

At the end of the day your OB is looking after yours and your babys interests. My OB was prepared to let me go on until 6 days after my due date for labour to start. He already booked me my c-section because he felt that my placenta might start to fail...it didnt and i went into natural labour on my own. Please do have a read of my link and stay positive. You are only 30 weeks so relax and put our feet up.

Thanks for your link, I read it and will be trying your proven methods. Sorry i havent responded right away but I have been without my computer for several weeks.

I am now 34 +2!!! There have been a few moments when I thought this was it. I will update you......

on 13/10 I had good doppler, good BP, and no protein.

on 20/10 baby weighed 1742g, which was great. But..my blood pressure was up 132/90... I thought this was just a blip as I had been waiting nearly 2hrs to see consultant and I had had no lunch and I had my little girl with me. I went to the day unit the next day and the BP was back to normal... Phew.

on 27/10 my doppler said EDF seen previously it has always been good EDF present. i also reported reduced movement and I was admitted overnight for CTG's. I spent 4.5 hours on the machine, had a really bad nights sleep due to two snorers and ended up on the couch in the day room. Anyway I had a trace the next day and it was good so I was discharged.

I am now seen twice a week two CTGs, growth alternate weeks and dopplers every week. I cannot complain about my treatment and plan at the hospital, they are being very thourgh and giving me plenty of reassurance.

One question, I was told to stop taking asprin now but my main consultant has put 36 weeks in my book... any ideas...

thanks for everyones support....just a few more weeks to go...

Amanda

Hi Amanda

Well done for coming so far and no sign of the beast that is PE.

Aspirin is usually stopped at 36 weeks to give blood chemistry time to normalise prior to delivery.

I hope this helps and I look forward to hearing happy news in a few weeks time!

Warm wishes
Liz

Hi everyone, I am now 36+3.

I was seen by the registrar last Thursday so not my usual consultant and he has said that as the baby has moved above the last line on the growth chart I am now in the realms of normality. (baby was 2216g on 3/11).

So, no more growth or dopplers scans. I was ok with this initially but now i am anxious. I have stopped taking asprin on Sunday, this has made me more anxious as it was my confidant that PE would not strike. (if that makes sense).

I am also very worried about my VBAC choice. I really want to experience it but would not choose any pain relief except gas and air which would probably make me sick!! I feel we have been through so much that I dont want to risk this baby in any way. I am worried about the baby getting stuck and the cord being around its neck etc. (im sure these are worries for every mum).

I am still being seen every week for CTG, BP and protein etc. I will be requesting to see my consultant on Thursday to discuss these issues. My BP is now around 131/82 (this has risen consistantly month on month).

Any advice would be appreciated as I feel abit alone at the moment.

regards
Amanda.

Hi Amanda,
I was exactly the same as you. Really wanted to try for a vbac but had lots of concerns. I also had my c-section at 26 weeks which makes it riskier as well as only having a year between sections. However, my consultant gave me all the risks for both sides and I weighed it all up. Came to the conclusion that if I went into labour before my due date I would go for it. The section was booked for the day after I was due! I had 2 membrane sweeps, one at 38 and then 39 weeks...I know that sometimes it is not possible for this to happen if there are not any signs! Luckily, the second one worked and Laurence was born naturally with gas and air and pethidine. The consultant on call at the time made it clear that if at any point my bp got too high or the labour was too long he would be delivered. Laurence's heart rate was monitored the whole time and a midwife was with me at all times. For me, the whole experience was positive and I now feel very glad that I gave it a shot. It's a really tough decision to make, and I agonised over it for hours. I'm sure you'll come to the right decision for you!!

Lizzie

ThankLizzie,

I contacted the consultant today who called me back. She has asked me to come in tomorrow as she is on call and we can discuss VBAC further.

I am almost 100 per cent that I will ask for a C-Section, somehow over just this week a VBAC doesnt seem that important to me anymore. I just want the baby here, safe with no compromises.

I didnt have a choice before but I do now and I dont want to risk it. Strange that I have had this change of heart, I dont know why but I hope its for the best.

amanda

Hi Amanda,

I hope the appiontment with your consultant has gone well.
If its any comfort to you, your worries will be very familiar to lots of people here. Whenever you get close to a land mark date the anxiety is more likely to kick in. It is a constant reminder of the things we were expecting in our first pregnancies that were crually stolen from us.

As I have always said, your instinct is a powerful tool. If your instinct is to go for VBAC or CS then that is because it is right to do so.

I look forward to hearing baby is safewly in your arms where s/he should be and that you get the birth experience you hope for.

Warmest wishes
Liz