Summer 2011 Pregnancy Group - Welcome! Pg.1 Has Intros!

[riogirl71]

Mellow - be careful since UTI can bring contractions, get checked out by your OB too!

I went to my OB and he checked my cervix all is well and he said stretch pains which feel different but that';s great news!

[baby_blu73]

Mellow - How horrible and terrifying!!!! I'm glad everything has calmed down for you. Did you get ahold of your Dr. today??? You and your tiny ones will be in my prayers!

[karin1]

Mellow......I'm glad you're feeling better and that you're babies are okay. Get lots of rest! I can't imagine how scared you must have been.

[Wanababy]

Hi everyone
Sorry I was M.I.A. for so long. I was so busy at work and university! It is my final year of my post graduate degree; worked so hard for years and really wanted to finish this year, but I am having so much trouble with organising my practical’s for the year that it already got me in tears twice this week (out of frustration)! Decided to stop worrying about it and whatever happen will happen. If I don’t get it done this year it will be disappointing, then it will have to wait until next year! Anyway, family comes first, right?
To make things worse, I’m having terrible nightmares, and my experience in the labour ward is making it worst! I have done so many prem twin deliveries, and have seen so many dead newborns over the years, all the abnormal and sad cases are coming back to me in my dreams!
At least physically I am doing great, a lot better than a month or two months ago! Much more energetic, even though my bump is becoming a mountain fast! The girls are kicking away now, and we are doing a ctg strip whenever we are quiet at work!

Mellow; hope you made an appointment at your OB, it al sounds very scary to me, maybe you should have your cervix checked out ASAP!

[baby_blu73]

Wanababy - Hang in there, hon! I can't image the stress your under right now. I'm sure if you get set back because you're having twins, everyone will completely understand.

Happy Bunny - Sorry to hear about the insomnia and migraines. Hopefully everything will subside after you're no longer in the lab. Fingers crossed for you!

Mellow - How are you and your little ones??

afm - Well, I finally figured out what the problem is and why I'm not getting cervix length checks. I was thisclose to changing OBs but wanted to make sure I was switching to one that would do the preventive checks. Turns out my insurance doesn't cover these checks as a preventive measure!!! What the HECK??!! They'll pay tens of thousands of dollars to cover IVF so I can get pregnant but not spend a few hundred to make sure I STAY pregnant???? Lord have mercy! So, I didn't change OBs. I meet with her for the second time in a couple of weeks and just found out she's not on call that day. Hopefully, we have the opportunity to connect on a better level. Especially now that I know she's not just trying to torture me by refusing to check my cervix length.

[karenthescorpio]

Mellow- I'm glad to hear that things calmed down. I can imagine how worried you were. Please be sure to go see your doctor asap to get verification/treatment for UTI. It can indeed bring on premature labor. Cranberry juice or capsules will help too. But you need to get official treatment. Those babies are too precious!

Stephanie- I would look into seeing if your insurance will cover cervical length scans if done by a MFM. Cervical length scans are not a part of a regular OB's practice. Some don't even know how to do them. Insurance companies may know this (sneaky little bastards) but this is one of many reasons a patience will have to see a MFM. There has to been some kind of misinterpretation of your benefits. To have an insurance company veto cervical scans across the board isn't likely. You definitely should have a MFM looking after you anyway. Keep bakin' momma!

Happy Bunny- In my previous pregnancy (twins) I had a very hard time sleeping for any length of time. And got migraines too. When I couldn't take not sleeping anymore I took on benadryl capsule. And for my migraines I took Tylenol exta strength. I hope that with the removal of work coming your way, you can get some rest and take extra good care of yourself!

Wannababy- Glad to hear the twins are kicking away. That's so awesome! I'm not feeling any obvious kicking yet. I'm only in my 16th week...and I'm told my placenta is anterior...which could make feeling kicks/movements this early very difficult. Take good care of yourself. As you know, twin pregnancies are more demanding on your body!

AFM- I'm slowly getting over being sick (throat infection that moved to lungs). OMG, it's just been the worse! And with frigid weather, it's really been 100% miserable. I pray each day for my little baby to stay safe. Also, I started taking a weekly shot called P17 (a type of progesterone) as a preventative measure against PTL (since I have a history of it). It was so funny when my OB was making such a big deal about having to do an IM injection and that I could get a nurse to come to my house to do it or I could come to the office....and I was like...I was an IVF patient. One shot once a week it a no brainer. hehehehe Other than getting over this sickiness, I'm doing good. Enjoying seeing my belly starting to look a bit more pregnant and less "thick". Looking forward to my big 20 week u/s which is when the MFM office will do more detailed measurements in 3D! DH is going to go with me to this one!

Sending positive energy and big hug to all! Keep bakin' those babies!
Karen

[klinger13]

Hi all! I was ridiculously swamped at work last week, went to visit my kids over the weekend, and works just as crazy this week. So I've been reading but have been neglecting my posting.

Karen - Wow, you have been battling that illness for sooooo long!! You poor thing! Here in South Jersey we're supposed to hit 68 degrees on Friday so I'm sure you in North Jersey will get to enjoy that not-so-frigid day too. I already told my dog that we're going to walk for hours on Friday to soak in that sunshine. p.s. What date is your anatomy scan? I'm still seeing Dr Davis for my OB/MFM care so my u/s is Tuesday...cannot wait!!

Stephanie - Hoping you can get the cervix checks figured out. The explanation they gave seems so crazy and I agree that you should have a MFM.

Mellow - Sorry you had such a terrifying experience. Geesh! Hope you're feeling better and they can treat the UTI quickly.

Barbara - Congrats on giving your 2 weeks notice. I'm trying to stick out until end of May but I've been so frustrated at work, I almost put in my notice the other day. So we'll see how long I actually make it.

Annashope - Glad everything is looking good and hope you've got lots to do on your partial bedrest. Do you do any hobbies while on your bedrest?

Ryann - So cool that you may be having B/G twins! Can't wait to hear it confirmed on later u/s!

AFM, I'm not-so-patiently waiting for Tuesday 2/22 to get here for my anatomy scan. Other than that, DH put together the nursery furniture over the weekend. It really made it feel "real" to walk into our guest room and see a crib, changer, and dresser in there, WOW!! So this weekend I've got to go through the remaining furniture that's in the "former guestroom" to figure out what we're keeping and what we're giving away. Feeling fine, but definitely have a hard time getting comfortable at night. I find I toss and turn all night just trying to find a good position to sleep in. Ah well, I think of it as practice for being up all night with the baby.

[mellow4]

Hey gals,

Just as I thought, no UTI for me. I didn't think there was one. I had zero symptoms of it. Just the yeast infection that wasn't very bad either. Anyway, so glad I followed my gut and stayed off of antibiotics when I didn't need them. My biggest issue now is figuring out what is causing this problem with my bowels, that is setting off this horrible cramping and contractions. I had a long discussion with one of the MFM docs yesterday, as they tried to convince me why I don't need cervical length scans...I told them in not so many words that I would insist on it, and I don't care that I have carried a singleton to 37 weeks, I've never carried twins, and have always had issues with contractions too early and what happened the other night should not be over looked...especially since this isn't the first time I've experienced this during this pregnancy. I also told them I had no confidence in what Dr.'s think since they didn't listen to me and dismissed my concerns that led to them letting my son die, when he could have been saved. I'm sure they hate me, but I couldn't care less what they think. It's not worth the risk of loss, ever! Anyway, they are doing a cervical scan next week at my level 2 scan.

Karen~ You start feeling better! How horrible to feel so yucky for so long. Hope your on the healing end of this yuck.

Hope everyone is having a good, and uneventful week!

[zoegirl]

Annashope: Wow! That is a long bedrest! I've never heard of anyone having bedrest for that long! What are the restrictions on "partial" bedrest?

Mellow 4 - Glad you are better - good for you to be assertive. You have to fight for what you need. No questions!

Happy Bunny- I also have had what seem to be mild migraines. They are accompanied by nausea, aggravated by light and get better with caffiene. I also only sleep for about 2 hrs at a time but have assumed that is because of needing to pee. I also had problems sleeping in the 18 months prior to this pregnancy anyway. Shortly after my chemicla pregnancy I started to have panic attacks and would wake up terrified . . . made me scared to sleep and I also had stress induced twitching.
congrats on stopping work!

AFM-In-laws are bringing DH home from 10 days in the Hospital of Univ of PA today - has a recurring bone infection in fused ankle joint (terrible accident in 2002). It was accompained if not caused by, a lung infection this time. He'll be in bed for 3 weeks and will get 60% disability pay after 6 days out of the office (that woudl have started yesterday), thank God! SO, I"ll be on nursemaid and cook duty in addition to childcare and housekeeping (DH usually cooks a few nights per week and grocery shops).
I wish we could afford for me to have a choice of quitting work early or even being a SAHM. As it is, I make more $$, have the better benefits, and will likely only get 10 weeks leave with these babies unless I am ordered to stop working before they are born (my employer's short term disability only covers 75% pay for 6 weeks for vaginal, 8 week for C section AFTER you are out for 30 calendar days. Since I'll have a new complement of 2 weeks sick time as of July 1, as many as 10 days of that will be paid ). If we get a good tax refund I'd like to use it to have a proper maternity leave but DH will have to agree I suppose. Since my babies are larger than average for 11 weeks gestation (measuring more than a week ahead), perhaps I'll get too big too drive and be allowed to stop work early (I drive two hours+ round trip commute daily and am on a van pool, but it's a 20 minute drive to the van pool pickup - in the opposite direction from DH's office.)

[karin1]

Mellow.....Good for you for insisting on a cervical scan! Sometimes you have to clue them in and be aggressive.

Zoe.....Wow! You have alot going on! Hopefully DH will recover quickly.

Klinger......Must be so nice to get the nursery together. Can't wait to hear about your anatomy scan.

Happy Bunny.......I suffered from migraines for years while taking birth control. Not knowing that's what caused them. I also got them on lupron. I agree with Zoe....try the Benadryl at night or Tylenol Pm is okay too and the Ex Str Tylenol during the day with a cup of coffee. I hope you feel better. I've been getting headaches lately and am scared they'll turn into migraines. Hang in there!

AFm......I had my OB appt yesterday. It was great! She did an u/s and said that we would be doing one everytime I see her every 3wks. She also said that she would have me go for another u/s where I had the nuchal scan next week and that I would go there every few weeks too. So does this count as MFM? I asked about the cervix and she said that she would start checking at 20wks. Is this too late or normal? She said that the babies look great and are growing at the same rate. I go today for the second part of the blood test from the nuchal scan. During the u/s, she tried to see the parts and thinks that one is a boy for sure and the other had his/her legs closed. They are both very active babies too! I'm hoping that when we go next week for the more in-depth u/s that we can find out.

I went yesterday to GapMaternity and bought a few tops. They were having a 30% off sale just in case you ladies feel like buying something new.

Sorry if I missed some of you ladies! Have a great day!

[annashope]

Zoegirl I agree it is a VERY long bed rest however 2 years ago when I had cancer and was originally told I would never have a baby I promised myself and God that if given the chance I would do anything for this baby. Now here I am doing anything

Kerenthescorpio I have a question for you. I have been on Endometrin (estrogen supp) for the first 11 weeks and then was told to stop because placenta takes over at about 10 weeks. Well I stopped and withing 24 hours of stopping started having light brown spotting... I was very scared and asked my OB and he said everything is ok and that I must just have a sensitive cervix....well the spotting became more common and yesterday morning it got heavy so I put myself back on Endometrin and the spotting went away. So what do you think I should do? DH thinks we should just stay on endometrin 2x a day as long as it works but it makes me so mad that the doctors just disregarded what I was saying. So I was curious why are you on pregesterone shots?

[karenthescorpio]

Annashope- I was on the progesterone in oil shots until I was 12 weeks per the request of my OB. My RE wanted me to stop them at around 8 weeks but I knew better. If I were you I'd stay on your suppositories until 12 weeks. Also, suppositories irritate the cervix. You don't have to have a "sensitive cervix" for any kind of vaginal suppository to irritate it. I honestly don't understand why doctors make you use vaginal suppositories when pregnant. They just irritate the cervix and put you at highter risk for an infection.

I am on P17 shots b/c they are prescribed for people who have had PTL (which I did with my last pregancy). Although a progesterone based product, it works different than the suppositories and/or progesterone in oil shots. The formula is different and P17 is specifically for preventative measures against PTL. In my last pregnancy my now ex-MFM had me do progesterone suppositories. Didn't help one darn bit and it probably contributed to the infection I acquired (along with my vaginal cerclage).

Just keep taking your progesterone. It definitely won't hurt a thing! xo
Karen

[zoegirl]

Karenthscorpio-
So the progesterone they give you to prevent PTL is not the same as the PIO they give you in first trimester with IVF? I was saving my left over PIO because I thought it might save me money later on if I have PTL and am prescribed progesterone. Are you saying I don't need to save it?
Like I said, I learn something new every time I log on to this thread!

[karenthescorpio]

Hi all! I was ridiculously swamped at work last week, went to visit my kids over the weekend, and works just as crazy this week. So I've been reading but have been neglecting my posting.

Karen - Wow, you have been battling that illness for sooooo long!! You poor thing! Here in South Jersey we're supposed to hit 68 degrees on Friday so I'm sure you in North Jersey will get to enjoy that not-so-frigid day too. I already told my dog that we're going to walk for hours on Friday to soak in that sunshine. p.s. What date is your anatomy scan? I'm still seeing Dr Davis for my OB/MFM care so my u/s is Tuesday...cannot wait!!

Stephanie - Hoping you can get the cervix checks figured out. The explanation they gave seems so crazy and I agree that you should have a MFM.

Mellow - Sorry you had such a terrifying experience. Geesh! Hope you're feeling better and they can treat the UTI quickly.

Barbara - Congrats on giving your 2 weeks notice. I'm trying to stick out until end of May but I've been so frustrated at work, I almost put in my notice the other day. So we'll see how long I actually make it.

Annashope - Glad everything is looking good and hope you've got lots to do on your partial bedrest. Do you do any hobbies while on your bedrest?

Ryann - So cool that you may be having B/G twins! Can't wait to hear it confirmed on later u/s!

AFM, I'm not-so-patiently waiting for Tuesday 2/22 to get here for my anatomy scan. Other than that, DH put together the nursery furniture over the weekend. It really made it feel "real" to walk into our guest room and see a crib, changer, and dresser in there, WOW!! So this weekend I've got to go through the remaining furniture that's in the "former guestroom" to figure out what we're keeping and what we're giving away. Feeling fine, but definitely have a hard time getting comfortable at night. I find I toss and turn all night just trying to find a good position to sleep in. Ah well, I think of it as practice for being up all night with the baby.

Klinger- I'm so jealous that Dr. Davis is your OB/MFM. He's the BEST! You are definitely in great hands, as you know. A friend of mine that I met on Abbyloopers just had her first TAC baby. He did her TAC, too. My OB studied under him 20 years ago. She's ok, but I don't like her office staff very much. I do like my new MFM though. She's very proactive and sensitive to my history. I only plan to go see Dr. Davis if I start to have issues. It's about a 95 min drive each way for me. Tell him hello for me when you see him next week and that his TAC is doing it's job so far! Let us know how your anatomy scan goes!!
xoxo
Karen

[karenthescorpio]

Karenthscorpio-
So the progesterone they give you to prevent PTL is not the same as the PIO they give you in first trimester with IVF? I was saving my left over PIO because I thought it might save me money later on if I have PTL and am prescribed progesterone. Are you saying I don't need to save it?
Like I said, I learn something new every time I log on to this thread!

Right. They are not the same and PIO isn't the right thing to treat PTL. P17 is formulated differently than the progesterone we take in our first trimester for placenta support. It is given preventatively before any issues potentially start. Some docs will say they serve the same purpose, but they really don't. The next step for me if I start having contractions/too many Braxton Hicks would be tocolytics and/or Procardia (the heart medicine- it relaxes the smooth muscle of the uterus). Some women, however, need PIO/suppository type of support in pregnancy b/c they have low progesterone levels...which if not treated can be a big issue and lead to PTL.