New here - 17 weeks

[christined]

Hey there!  I read this forum a lot during my first pregnancy but have never posted.  I'm 17 weeks along with my second pregnancy.  My first I had a short cervix was, on progesterone and bedrest and delivered a healthy baby girl at 35 weeks.  I just had my first check and my cervix is already down to 1.3! The high risk specialists don't want to do a cerclage (I'm not dialted yet) and they don't recommend bed rest.  They also just switched me from progesterone shot (I hadn't started yet) to the suppositories.  I'm feeling conflicted about the no bedrest.  I feel it helped with my last pregancy.  It is the last thing I want to do with a 2 year old running around but now every time I'm active I worry that I'm doing harm.  What has your experience been with bedrest?  I'm feeling pretty anxious and depressed that this is happening again and so early in my pregnancy!
I was really hoping for a full term baby.

[BlossominSpring]

Hello and congratulations on your pregnancy but sorry to hear you're having a worrying time again. I'm 28 weeks with my second baby and am on bedrest as I have a cerclage and a short cervix. Is it worth getting a second opinion on a cerclage? I had mine at 17 weeks and was down to 2cm so doctors were keen to act quickly (and they are pretty conservative with treatment over here). I live in the UK where bedrest is not routinely recommended but am following the advice my consultant (a preterm birth specialist) gave me after my cerclage - to just rest up as much as possible. I had similar problems in my first pregnancy but managed to go to 37 with just bedrest so am a big believer in the fact it helps things.

 I keep my feet up and lie horizontal as much as possible on the sofa or in bed and I don't leave the house other than for hospital appointments. I sit up to eat with my son (who's 2) and to make quick snacks or drinks. I also sit up for very short periods to help brush my son's teeth or dress him etc. We play lying down and read lots of books together and chat. It's so so hard, especially with a toddler, but can have really positive outcomes. Call in favours from friends and family and do whatever you can to get through the next few weeks (shopping deliveries, childcare, cleaning help etc) And come and chat here if ever you need some support as we're all muddling along in the same boat! Good luck and sending you and your little one lots of positive thoughts.

[jmomma]

Welcome! Congratulations on your pregnancy, but sorry you're dealing with the cervical issues. I'm currently 23+2 and my cervix was found to be about 2.24 cms then but still holding steady at about that same length currently. I was put on 200mg of progesterone suppositories, and wasn't told to go on bed rest either, but to "take it easy". I don't have a cerclage either, they chose to check me every week and see how things were looking, and since it held steady I didn't end up getting one.

If they aren't already, I would want to make sure to be checked weekly, and I would probably "take it easy" also--no lifting, no exercising, sit or lay on the couch as much as possible. But if you're getting checked weekly, it should be easier to determine a better plan of action, so that's what I would push for the most.

[christined]

Thank you all for your kind responses.  Just to give you an update on where we are at.... We went in for my 20 week ultrasound and everything looked great but i was starting to dialate 1 cm.  They decided to place a cerclage but unfortunately when they went in my bag of water broke.  I was given the option to induce or wait and see what happens.  They say I will likely go into labor or get an infection in the next few weeks before the baby's viable.  That said, I see success stories so we've decided to wait it out.  Wish us luck!

[Karen]

Hi Christined! Ive read posts here about mamas with broken water bag and still made it with healthy babies. They do need to be monitored very closely for infections and in strict bedrest. There is hope for you and baby. I would do the same as you to wait it out. I wish you best of luck. Stay strong. Pray always.

[christined]

Thanks.  I've read a lot of positive outcomes as well.  They tell me it's an extremely small chance we'll make it to viability but we're just going to wait and see.  What's troubling to me is that again my high risk ground does not advise bedrest.  They are telling me it makes no difference.  All of the other stories i read online the patients were put on strict bed rest.  I'm just electing to do my own modified bed rest because it just doesn't feel right to be up running around with ruptured membranes.

[Karen]

Its such a downer when docs tells you viability and chances. Everytime i make it to my goal week im being told i gotta make to this and that week! Since you are already leaking fluid, i would take it very easy and really think about being strict with your bedrest. Drink plenty of water. Keep reading positive and successful stories with the same situation as you. Keep your hips elevated as much as you can and again stay laying down and DRINK PLENTY.

[BlossominSpring]

Thinking of you, Christined, and wishing you and baby lots of luck and good care. Trust your instincts and rest up. Take care x

[StillExpecting]

Thanks for sharing, Christined. Praying for your and your little ones. I think GO FOR THE BED REST. It can't hurt and in retrospect, I don't think you will ever regret giving it your all.

[christined]

Thanks you all for the well wishes.  Sadly, I went into labor last week and delivered our son at 21 weeks.  He passed immediately.  This whole experience has rocked our world.  I feel so lucky that I made it to 35 weeks with my first pregnancy knowing now that I have an incompetent cervix.  Pregnancy for me is so stressful, I don't think I can ever go through this again.

[BlossominSpring]

Oh Christined, I'm so sad to hear this and so sorry for your loss. Keeping you and your family in my thoughts and wishing your precious little boy a safe journey onwards. With love x

[Simone546]

Christined - I'm so sorry for your loss. There is nothing more painful. xxx

[msjlow12]

Hey Christened, I give you my condolences.  The situation is hard, I lost my daughter last year at 17 .6 after my water broke,  infection had sat in. I have always been a church goer, but never really knew the word. So I tell you this trust in God. He will keep you. I went back and fourth about the death of my daughter having good days and bad ones. I have Pcos and it took 2yrs to become pregnant with her. I just felt like my chances of having another baby was over. But I let go and let God. I found out I was pregnant in May of this year, almost 7 month's later. At thus time I had already switched mfm and he was very proactive.  Cerclage at 10 weeks, meds and bedrest.  Been on bedrest since June.  I say this to say God I feel prepared me for my next blessing.  With my daughter I didn't realize the severity,  funneling,  being 1cm dilated and my MFM than let me go back to work 2 weeks later. This time I know what I had to do. God bless you and your family at this time. I have lifted you up in prayer (:

[Karen]

Christined, i am very sorry for your lost...i know how devastating and painful it is as i too experienced a loss at 20 weeks. My condolences to you and your family.

[VancouverMama]

Christined - I'm so sorry to hear of your loss and my heart aches for you. You sound like an amazing woman and mama and no doubt did everything you could, even when you were given conflicting information about bedrest. Sadly, nothing could be done to prevent this outcome, even with the best medical care. I'll be thinking of you and your family as you go through this difficult time. Please know that you can always post here and get support, even once time has passed. There is no set timeline for grief and it can come on unexpectedly.