Not a brilliant appointment

Sorry ive not kept you all uptodate have just been really busy! The 20 week scan went brill and we were told we're having a boy.

Then today we had our 24 week scan and consultant appointment and as the title suggests it wasnt brilliant. Basically they are worried because baby boy isnt growing too well (even though hes still within a normal range, hes dropped down between the middle and bottom centiles) and i have high BP! It ISN'T PE but it is concerning them. I have been put on 200mg of labetalol and have to go for a BP profile on Friday. The cons said that the growth may just be a mistake by the sonographer but they will have to keep an eye on it! the cons is planning to 32 weeks now and i will be having 4 doses of steroids over 2 days at 28 weeks plus another growth scan (which was already planned).

Just feeling a little deflated at the moment, I knew my BP wasnt brill, but was hoping it would stay normal for a little while! Plus im also bigger than i was at 28 weeks with amy and i was hoping that meant he was growing well! I know it was all probably wishful thinking but i have been so positive up until today!

The only positive for me at the min is that the hospital (who i seriously didnt trust) are being proactive and actually doing their job and keeping on top of the situation!

Anyway, fingers crossed the BP behaves on the tablets and we can get to 32 weeks without anymore hiccups!!

Holly
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Hi Holly,

Congratulations on the news of your little boy.

Have you had a doppler scan? That is a really good indicator of how well baby is really doing.
Scans are at best subjective and babies do have growth and rest spurts.

If your doctors are concerned that he is not growing well then they should be prescribing aspirin if you are not already on it and a weekly scan to monitor his growth.

I hope all goes well on Friday & will be here if you need us.

Best Wishes
Liz

sorry to hear you had worrying news. I hope the next appointment brings more positive results and you and your baby stay well.

Thanks liz and carole. Well yesterday the BP was much better (121/84 average) but the profile was done an hour after taking the labetalol, i'm unsure if having it done so soon after taking them would make any difference! The only worry that came from this appointment was the trace of protein that was found!!! arrgghh i feel like im fighting a loosing battle!!

The consultant cant be too concerned about baby boys growth just yet as i know of other ladies under this consultant who have had scans 2 weekly and even weekly when they have been concerned about growth and she has left me another 4 weeks before having another scan!

I go back to see the consultant on Tuesday and the midwife i saw yesterday has booked me in to do another profile just before i see cons! That is Tue afternoon, so fingers crossed the BP is still behaving and that the trace has gone!!!

I just feel extremely useless at the min and that early delivery is inevitable! I'm trying to stay positive and think that the hospital are doing what i wanted them to do (keeping a close eye on me). The only thing i have relaxed about in the last few days is the steroids at 28 weeks. I was worried that she was giving me them because at 28 weeks they would be delivering, but after speaking to a fair few people (and not just in my area) it seems that 28 weeks is when everyone is given steroids!

I'm hoping beyond all hope that this is just a blip, and that i can get back to how i was on monday, quite happily bobbing along enjoying this pregnancy!

Holly
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Hi Holly,

It is so difficult to enjoy pregnancy after PE has robbed us of the innocence of it the first time around isnt it.

I suspect its hard for you because you feel rather 'out of control' whith what is happening & the decisions being made for you as opposed to 'with' you.
Had you thought about getting some protein sticks to test your wee at home? You can get them from most chemists at around £8 a pot. Testing your urine at home can help to reassure you that all is well and generally gets far more accurate results that in clinic!

A positive test of 1+ or more needs to be reported, a trace can mean anything and usually nothing sinister!
However, because of your history, 1+ or more needs to be regarded as PE and not a urine infection until otherwise proven as that is far safer than the other way round!

Babies do have growth & rest spurts so again, for your peace of mind, why not ask your doctors at your next appointment to scan you more regularly? You can see your baby for yourself & hopefully be more reassured at his growth.

I hope this helps but do keep in touch and let us know how you both are doing.

Warm wishes
Liz

hiya

firstly i want to apologise for being rubbish at updates

So I am exactly 27 weeks today, only 12 days left til amys delivery date!!

I have been seen twice a week since my 24 week scan. I saw a registrar at 25 weeks, who after seeing my BPP decided to up my labetalol to 200mg twice a day, even after this my BP's havent been brill. For some reason the bottom number wont behave itself and its beginning to really get me down. I am seeing the cons again next week and i am going to ask if i can have a BP kit at home and do a 24hr profile of my own, I swear i have white coat syndrome, but they all keep ignoring me when i say it. None of the medical staff seem to realise how the hospital freaks me out, how i am terrified that they are just going to give me bad news. I have this fear at the moment about it all, how completely aware i am this time. with amy it was all so rushed and I was on so many drugs i was completely out of it and went with the flow, now i know what can/could happen I am really really terrified. I literally want to curl up in a ball til its all over

I have been completely protein free since the trace the other day, which has eased my mind slightly as it means the swelling in my legs/ankles is just what any other pregnant woman is experiencing in this heat, or so thats what the midwives keep telling me!

I just feel really down at the min, i'm having nightmares all the time which are waking me up in the middle of night. I am absolutely dreading the scan next week. I have the steroids thurs/fri this week and just keep thinking they will say they are delivering him because of the scan results! The stupid thing about that was the cons said he wasnt growing great, but then the registrar and midwives have said he was growing well I just feel in a no win situation.

I am very grateful that they are taking such good care of me, and i know that if i have ANY worries about mine/baby boys health i can ring them without a thought, but i am really struggling with the mental side of things. I am usually a VERY positive person who has a positive outlook on every situation and i just feel so damn low and depressed

I'm sorry for such a long and miserable post, but this is the only place i feel people may understand how i'm feeling. My husband is being fab, and obviously he understands, but he is trying to stay positive and I dont want to drag him down with me.

Will try and keep you updated as much as possible

holly
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