Can't shake bad feeling- 35 weeks and worried about hiccups

ladyteach0505

This was posted at some point in another thread, but I suppose I'm just at a loss as to how to deal myself.

Everyone has told me hiccups are totally fine. I track LO hiccuping 4-8 times a day ranging from 5 minutes to almost 20. There hasn't been a single day since before 28 weeks I haven't logged hiccuping and hiccuping multiple times in the day. Even though two doctors in my practice say it's just nervous system development I can't shake this bad feeling that there's a cord issue. My OB finally told me could do a non stress test every week from now until delivery if it would help my anxiety, which I plan to discuss with him at my 36 week appointment tomorrow. He also said I could have an ultrasound if I really wanted one but that it probably wouldn't pick up a cord issue even if there is one. I am thinking I will schedule one so that I have a chance to talk to the high risk doctor who reads them and see if he's in agreement about cord issues and hiccuping.

I feel so frustrated. My genuine fear is that I'm missing something that could be caught (and I suppose lead to a c-section to perhaps prevent labor complications) but that everyone will tell me how normal this all is until there is a problem. After going through infertility and severe anxiety I don't ever see trying to do this again and that makes me feel even more like I have to get to the bottom of this. What if I don't and something happens to her; it feels like this one baby is my one chance to be a mother.

I suppose this is a vent as much as an advice post. I've considered trying to find a doctor for a second opinion but they all want records and I don't really want to tip off my current practice to the fact that I'm having major trust issues. The OB I see is the highest ranked in my city for patient reviews online so it feels even more like I don't have a lot of options to investigate this.

I know infertility has messed me up, but what if lightning strikes twice? Any ideas?

gsancho

I'm sorry you're still dealing with so much anxiety...at least you're in the home stretch and should have a healthy baby in your arms soon.  I would trust what your OB has said and maybe in a week or so get another u/s if you don't mind paying extra, just for your peace of mind.  

I can tell you I've had a big hiccuper on my hands, too.  Last week it was 9 times in one day (usually it's 5-7) - I felt like I was going to go crazy from it being ALL DAY LONG.  So I asked my OB about it again when I was getting an u/s this week and she reassured me that even though she hiccups more than usual, all looked good.  

Out of curiosity, why do you thing hiccups would correlate with cord issues?  I'd never heard of that.  (*loss mentioned*)  I do have a friend who unfortunately lost her baby late term due to cord issues, but she has said there were zero warning signs.  

ladyteach0505

@gsancho Thanks for always being so nice. It helps hearing that there are others who are having a lot of hiccuping-my pregnant friends IRL have no idea what I'm talking about, which adds to my stress.

Unfortunately if you start to Google you'll see there is some debate as to whether "excessive" hiccuping is a sign of cord compression. I started researching cord knots this morning and there are some mixed journal reviews as to whether fetal hiccups are indicative of a problem. The general consensus seems to be that if there is a nuchal cord you monitor it closely. True cord knots, on the other hand, are very hard to diagnose given the technology available I guess. Perhaps someone more informed than I am can chime in.

I keep telling DH I wish that my OB would have said something like "Oh, I've got women coming in all the time wi h this- no biggie." He's never said that though. And I have to assume if t was so common he would say that to maybe let me know I'm not the only one. I read into things.

Kinderteach78

I don't think I've ever felt hiccuping! I'm at 33 weeks and my dr never asked about it either. They just ask if I feel movement, which I feel tons of. Should I be concerned too? Hmm

turquoisequeen

I feel hiccups all the time. Every day and at least a few times a day. It's even woken me up before so who knows how many more times it's happening while I'm asleep. My OB said tons of babies hiccup so I'm assuming it's more common than we think and some people mistake it for little kicks or something. I'm hoping yours is normal too and there are no issues.

Probably wouldn't hurt to just see if you could discuss it with the high risk dr to get their opinion though and for peace of mind.

intheplanningstage

My little girl had the hiccups several times a day, from 33 weeks onward. Dr. said it was fine unless I felt decreased movement with them. My perfectly healthy 3 week old is currently sitting on my lap and she's already had the hiccups twice today. We asked the dr and they said both before and after birth its totally normal because they are getting used to breathing. Try not to worry (I know easier said then done...I googled just like you did and thats why I asked my dr)

TLooney17

My little boy who is now 4 had hiccups multiple times a day while he was an inside baby. My sisters boys both did too, so I think it is very common. Many people might just not feel it or recognize what they are feeling.

gsancho

@ladyteach0505 is your baby facing your back now?  I started feeling even more hiccups when mine turned.  Since her back/torso are up against my belly I notice every time she has hiccups...I also feel her kick less now, since she turned.  I'm wondering if hiccups is as frequent as we feel for everyone, but they feel the kicks more if the baby stays facing their belly longer.  Just a thought...

ladyteach0505

@gsancho  I have literally kept a record of when she's hiccuping and if there's anything around it.  I am stumped because there's no obvious pattern.  Sometimes it's after I drink water.  Sometimes it's when I'm active. Sometimes it's when I'm laying down.  There's just no rhyme or reason to it.  Last night I woke myself up by stretching a lot (I felt the stretch in my belly as I woke up) and then she started hiccuping which stressed me out.

As of my Tuesday ultrasound she is head down facing sideways right.  (I feel hiccups on the left!?)  This of course got me worrying that maybe it's not hiccups at all. And the fact that she's measuring a week behind didn't help all of the anxiety.  It was very hard to get clear pictures on Tuesday, I assume because of her size, but they did look at the cord and saw good blood flow at this point and everything checked out.

I just pray at this point for a healthy baby and for my anxiety to clear up on its own.  I really don't want to take medication.  I hate infertility.  I hate that I can't just appreciate living in the moment.  

End rant.

theglitteredpterodactyl

I don't have anything overly helpful to add, just that apparently I had the hiccups multiple times a day when I was still cooking inside my mom, and now that I'm out I get them at least three to for times a week. So you have that to look forward to! Once your baby is safely in your arms, I recommend slow back massages. Helps cure mine every time.

iheartsippycups2

Am I the only one who didn't know we should monitor hiccups?! This is my second pregnancy & my Dr has never asked me hiccup patterns not have I ever noticed how often or not he hiccups. I'm so confused right now...

weansworld09

PAIF lurker

Baby A had hiccups all. The. Time. while in utero. No cord issues occurred.

The last few weeks are really tough and it can be easy to let anxieties build. I would step away from Google and have faith in your dr.

cshm11

DD had hiccups all the time, from the time I started feeling her, all the way to delivery, and until she was about 6 months old. No cord problem It would be more likely to show on an NST as decelerations, and by 35 weeks, I assume you're having NSTs? I know it's hard, and I worry about every single thing also. But hopefully you will find some relief from the fears *hugs*

ladyteach0505

@cshm11 Out of curiosity, does your office offer NSTs every week? I got one yesterday at 36 weeks because I asked for it, but it's not something my office would offer every week if I didn't ask for it.

cshm11

ladyteach0505 said:

@cshm11 Out of curiosity, does your office offer NSTs every week? I got one yesterday at 36 weeks because I asked for it, but it's not something my office would offer every week if I didn't ask for it.

Gracious sakes! Yes, I will get one every 2 weeks from 30 weeks on, and every week from 36 weeks on. I would ask for it every appointment if I were you. I don't know if I only get them because of my irritable uterus, contractions, and hx of preterm labor, but yes, I get them. Honestly, I start getting NSTs off and on from 16-18 weeks since that's when I start having contractions.