introducing myself!

lemen99

I'm a regular on the preemie board but I didn't think to post here until now. My name is Kathy.

DS1 was a 26-week preemie, due to IC (dilation started at 23 weeks - we were told he would be born at 24w2d when I went into the hospital but God gave us a miracle.)  My son is 2 now and doing well.

I had a transabdominal cerclage (TAC) placed before pregnancy laparaoscopically (experimental procedure) by an amazing doctor here in Indianapolis this June. 

I'm now 21 1/2 weeks pregnant. I'm getting bi-weekly ultrasounds (cervical length) and weekly P17.  My first goal is 30 weeks, then 34, then term!!!  So far everything is holding and my cervix is nice and long with no funneling. 

They won't let me labor and will do an amnio and deliver at 37 weeks (because of the cerclage). 

 I'll be reading your stories and praying for all of your babies!  Oh, and we're on team blue!

 

buggles

Welcome Kathy!

I too, have IC and have my now second TVC and on prog. with bedrest from 18 weeks. My peri. will not let me beyond 37 either but to prevent uterine rupture.

It's great to know that your cervix is doing what it should. May I assume that you're not on bedrest since you have a TAC?

 I wish you well.

lemen99

buggles:

Welcome Kathy!

I too, have IC and have my now second TVC and on prog. with bedrest from 18 weeks. My peri. will not let me beyond 37 either but to prevent uterine rupture.

It's great to know that your cervix is doing what it should. May I assume that you're not on bedrest since you have a TAC?

 I wish you well.

I can't go past 37 weeks for the same reason - uterine rupture. I won't lie this is kind of scaring me knowing how fast things progressed last time I have this abnormal fear it's going to just spontaneously rupture. 

And no, I am not on bed rest!!   We were hoping to avoid it since I have a toddler (part of why we went the TAC route, and also because preterm birth is just not a good thing).  So far so good but we take it a week at a time.

I was only on bed rest in the hospital for 2 weeks with my last pregnancy - - when they were trying everything to stop labor but couldn't and I was too late for a rescue TVC. Bed rest is so so difficult, I can't imagine how people do it for an extended period of time, but you do what you have to!

T&P to you!!!!

 

susangilchrist

Good luck!  I don't have anything poetic to say, but had to comment because we have the same due date!  We're team pink though

buggles

lemen99:

buggles:

Welcome Kathy!

I too, have IC and have my now second TVC and on prog. with bedrest from 18 weeks. My peri. will not let me beyond 37 either but to prevent uterine rupture.

It's great to know that your cervix is doing what it should. May I assume that you're not on bedrest since you have a TAC?

 I wish you well.

I can't go past 37 weeks for the same reason - uterine rupture. I won't lie this is kind of scaring me knowing how fast things progressed last time I have this abnormal fear it's going to just spontaneously rupture. 

And no, I am not on bed rest!!   We were hoping to avoid it since I have a toddler (part of why we went the TAC route, and also because preterm birth is just not a good thing).  So far so good but we take it a week at a time.

I was only on bed rest in the hospital for 2 weeks with my last pregnancy - - when they were trying everything to stop labor but couldn't and I was too late for a rescue TVC. Bed rest is so so difficult, I can't imagine how people do it for an extended period of time, but you do what you have to!

T&P to you!!!!

OMG! I thought I was the only one thinking that I would just explode like that. So I addressed my my concerns with both my pedi and ob/gyn. They assured me that before that happens that I would have some kind of warning of pain in order to allow time to get emergency care. I was so relieved b/c I had NO IDEA about uterine rupture: what it meant, what would happen, who else had it happened to and how one makes out.

For me though, it's mainly the lack of control which gets me. However, now that I know what to look out for in the event that it does occur, I feel more at ease. Statistically speaking, my ob/gyn told me in her 19 years of practice that she had one incidence of rupture- in that case much time passed between the pain sensation and getting help and that patient had a positive outcome.

Every time I feel a ligament stretching, my mind races a million times a minute wondering if it's my ute. But I now know where exactly (near my previous C-section scars) I should feel the pain should it occur.

Yeah, I also did 42 days (6 weeks) of hospital bedrest last pregnancy missing being with my eldest daughter and THAT was not easy. So right now that's my frame of reference for again not wanting to lose another one of my children. I figure if I can make the days fly by then I can deal.

 Many more weeks to you!

 

lemen99

Buggles, I am so so sorry for your previous loss

I didn't even realize (duh makes sense) that uterine rupture was also a concern with the TVC!  It's scary to think about.  My doctor has done about 250 TACs and I think he's only seen uterine rupture once that I recall him saying.  I'm sure they know what they are doing but it still is scary to think the baby might need to come out but can't!

Continued T&P to you!  

buggles

lemen99:

Buggles, I am so so sorry for your previous loss

I didn't even realize (duh makes sense) that uterine rupture was also a concern with the TVC!  It's scary to think about.  My doctor has done about 250 TACs and I think he's only seen uterine rupture once that I recall him saying.  I'm sure they know what they are doing but it still is scary to think the baby might need to come out but can't!

Continued T&P to you!  

Oh thanks again Kathy.

But just to clarify, the uterine rupture is only now a risk b/c of my multiple C-sections (weak area where the scar is) not the TVC (ordinarily they would remove this at 37 weeks before the onset of labor). I had to have the surgeries from the beginning because of my small pelvis and relatively large 8lb babies (VBAC with the 22 week loss though since he was small at that gestation).

I'll be thinking about you as well. And congratulations if I hadn't said so already on your new addition!

leneae10

Hi Kathy!  You can ignore my page to you recently, then.   I asked who did your TAC and now I see that you had a lap TAC in Indy.  I got my traditional TAC in pregnancy at 11 weeks with Dr. Haney.  This is the most pregnant I've ever been, and because it's all new territory, I've been taking it uber-easy.  I quit my job early (planning on SAH anyway once baby comes) and have been lazing around the house.

The TAC has been STRONG and my cervix has been between 4-5 cm since the beginning.  At 15 weeks with my twins, it was 2.5 and they were born 2 weeks later.

Now that I'll have road-tested my TAC through one pregnancy, I'm sure I'll be much more confident next time around.  I'm worried about rupture, too, so my OB has been keeping a close eye on me with contrax (which are starting to pick up) and I'm doing daily home monitoring and 17p shots. 

Thinking of you and praying for that 37 week baby! 

lemen99

buggles:

lemen99:

Buggles, I am so so sorry for your previous loss

I didn't even realize (duh makes sense) that uterine rupture was also a concern with the TVC!  It's scary to think about.  My doctor has done about 250 TACs and I think he's only seen uterine rupture once that I recall him saying.  I'm sure they know what they are doing but it still is scary to think the baby might need to come out but can't!

Continued T&P to you!  

Oh thanks again Kathy.

But just to clarify, the uterine rupture is only now a risk b/c of my multiple C-sections (weak area where the scar is) not the TVC (ordinarily they would remove this at 37 weeks before the onset of labor). I had to have the surgeries from the beginning because of my small pelvis and relatively large 8lb babies (VBAC with the 22 week loss though since he was small at that gestation).

I'll be thinking about you as well. And congratulations if I hadn't said so already on your new addition!

ohhh I see. I did not have a c-section prior, but only the surgery required to put the TAC in, but mine was done laparoscopically which reduces my risk of rupture.   

 

leneae10

Hi Kathy!  You can ignore my page to you recently, then.   I asked who did your TAC and now I see that you had a lap TAC in Indy.  I got my traditional TAC in pregnancy at 11 weeks with Dr. Haney.  This is the most pregnant I've ever been, and because it's all new territory, I've been taking it uber-easy.  I quit my job early (planning on SAH anyway once baby comes) and have been lazing around the house.

The TAC has been STRONG and my cervix has been between 4-5 cm since the beginning.  At 15 weeks with my twins, it was 2.5 and they were born 2 weeks later.

Now that I'll have road-tested my TAC through one pregnancy, I'm sure I'll be much more confident next time around.  I'm worried about rupture, too, so my OB has been keeping a close eye on me with contrax (which are starting to pick up) and I'm doing daily home monitoring and 17p shots. 

Thinking of you and praying for that 37 week baby! 

GeeWhiz

Welcome to the board!  The moms-to-be here are a great resource and wonderful support.  I'm in the home stretch of my own journey (just 3 more days!) and know that a lot of the strength I had came from being able to connect with others who were going through the same thing.  We will all be pulling for you to make it to 37 weeks.  Take care.