New on the board... bed rest and travel?

SkiGirl1080s

Hi ladies!  I have been following the board for years and now I can officially join you!  We are expecting twins in May. 

We had our first OB appointment yesterday and she officially freaked me out.  She recommended MoMs quit work or significantly reduce my hours at 28 weeks.  I'm in an executive position and there's no way I'm quitting my job.  I honestly didn't even think about the possibility of needing to cut back hours.  If I'm on bed rest, I can still work remotely from home.  Was anyone else told something similar?

Second, I have a few work and personal trips lined up though week 24.  Excluding a trip to the Caribbean at week 11, the other trips are 2 hour flights to big cities.  She recommended no travel particularly the last trip at week 24.  She said if there was a complication I would not have reliable care and it was too risky. 

I have already had one successful, full term pregnancy with no complications at all.  I realize twins increases the risk but I wasn't prepared for the precautions she outlined.  It was my first time seeing her since we've relocated since my last pregnancy.  What are your thoughts?

pea-kay

Lots of twin moms work past 28 weeks. If you have a desk job, and can take it easy, and aren't having any complications, I don't see why you couldn't work longer than that. I worked in the office (FT to 28 weeks, PT after that) until 32 weeks.

Travel at 11 weeks is fine. But after 24 weeks, I wouldn't travel anywhere you don't want to deliver. 

You only get one chance to carry these babies. 

UsedToBeGoldie

I think you need to change your thinking.... now is not the time to worry about work- it's the time to worry about your babies and their health.  it's great you had a healthy singleton pg - but a twin pg is a different ball game... and can be very difficult if not taken seriously.

I have seen too many women lose one or both twins.... I personally didn't take ANY risks with travel... and I left work at 27 weeks to make sure I took it easy enough... and made it to 38w easily.... I never needed bedrest thankfully- but i took it easy the whole pregnancy when I could.

get Dr. Luke's book on being pg with twins, triplets and quads - it will explain risks in detail.  your doc seems to have a good head on his/her shoulders - and takes it seriously - which sadly many regular OBs don't --- so i'd take your doc's advice, and learn that work comes second to the health of the babies.

kafunder

Lots of women do work their full pregnancy and you don't automatically need to stop working. My dr's policy was to assess his patients at 28w to see how they were doing, and if they needed to be pulled from work, he'd do it.

With all that being said, I was put on BR at 22w at home for shortening cervix. I was admitted to the hospital at 28w for hospital BR. When I was at home, I tried working from bed and could get some stuff done but not full time work. Then, I tried working from the hospital, and I just couldn't do it. The dr's didn't want me sitting upright that long. And, even if they didn't care, I was too big to sit in bed by that point and still use my laptop beyond clicking my mouse. Sitting upright in bed caused me to get out of breath. It would have been easier to sit at a desk in some ways.

In retrospect, I wish I hadn't even tried working from home on BR. I think I sat up too much when I should have laying down, got up to do too much, etc. I think if I had quit work when I went on BR, I may have avoided hospital bedrest, but who knows.

After about 17w, I wouldn't travel anyplace you aren't comfortable staying long-term or getting medical treatment. My dr said no more travel more than an hour or so away from the hospital after 22w. We flew to Boston right around that time, but I felt comfortable doing that b/c Boston has excellent medical care, my whole family is there, and it's only an hour flight from where I live. I wouldn't have traveled farther than that or to anyplace more obscure.

kthappy76

Congrats on expecting twins!  My OB was very pleased when I told her I quit my high powered job when I got pg, but told me upfront I may have to restrict activity @ 24 wks.  Unfortunately, my body had other plans.  I ended up with a funneling cervix and on bed rest @ 20w, forcing us to cancel our plans (which she had blessed) to travel abroad for my b-day/our anni.  I ended up dilating before 22w and needing emergency surgery to save the pregnancy. 

It's great that you've had a successful singleton pregnancy, but as many here can tell you, twins can be a different deal all together.  It can be very unpredictable.  I had a dream pregnancy until 19 wks when I lost my mucous plug as we were heading out of town on vacation.

I would start adjusting your expectations sooner rather than later and making contingency plans for not only the potential to have to scale back at work and canceling travel, but also care for your older child if you end up on bed rest, as many twin moms do.  Best of luck.

JosiePosy

Well lots of moms do have awesome pregnancies, but I sure as hell didn't.  I had PTL at 26 weeks and delivered at 29. Things can change very quickly! So I would strongly advise that you plan for the worst and hope for the best. Twin pregnancies are an entirely different ballgame. Congrats!

lovebugkim

I was one that had an uneventful pregnancy for the most part. I worked up until 36 weeks and had my scheduled c-section 5 days later. I have a desk job for the most part, but there were days when I wondered why I had come in. As soon as I got off of work I went home, got comfy, & planted myself on the couch. DH cooked, cleaned, and took the dog for his nightly walk. I think that since I was able to relax so much and not have to worry about anything but myself and the babies, I had a great pregnancy.

Like PP said I would definitely re-think pretty much everything you said, because ANYTHING can happen at a moments notice!! I went for my 1st Peri appointment and was told to be ready to fly out to Houston at a moments notice thanks to a TTTS scare. Thankfully I was never diagnosed with TTTS, but I was monitored weekly due to my baby B having IUGR. Some weeks were bad, meaning I would walk out crying thinking that my baby wasn't going to make it, & others were a relief. You just never know & all you want is for them to be healthy.

nichellemybelle

Congrats and welcome!

I worked until 34 weeks and would have continued working but my water broke unexpectedly at 34w 1d. I sit at a desk though so it made it really easy. Dr. Luke's book is amazing. The food intake recommendations seem a little much but it's definitely a great book to read. 

As far as travel, you might want to wait and see how you feel once you are that far along. My doctor was okay with me traveling at 30 weeks but I just couldn't be comfortable sitting in a car or plane for hours on end. 

cookiemonster03

Our MFM encouraged his patients (even without issues) to stop working at 24w. DW continued to 32w though as she was a star (a little tongue in cheek, but she had no issues until 34w). That said, the MFM did approve a work trip to  France at 16w but vetoed going from 16-30 w (it was supposed to be a long trip) due to the availability of high quality care, and what would happen if something did go wrong.  I also cannot imagine she could have flown comfortably that late - by 24 w the two hour car ride to our old house (we sold it around 28w) was hard for her.

 

Mrs. Alice

Well with any pregnancy, you just can't predict what will happen and the risks are majorly upped when it comes to multiples.  My pregnancy was going just fine until 22 weeks.  I was on bed rest and in the hospital until I delivered at 28 weeks.  My OB and MFM were not too conservative about rest.  Even though I work long shifts on my feet most of the day, nobody really talked to me about slowing down at some point before the complications started occurring.  I did however plan to cut back my hours and stop working in the 3rd trimester.  If you have a desk job, I can imagine it might be a little different.  I think the stats for MoMs are about 50% go on bed rest at some point.  I wouldn't travel any far distances after 24 weeks though.

ninjabridemom

It is unpredictable, I hear -- there's a lot that can go wrong.  I'm trying to prepare for everything, bedrest included, and do what I can to keep myself healthy.

 

I'm annoyed by whoever said "now isn't the time to worry about work."  I for one can't afford to just stop working all together at 24 weeks, or any time sooner than absolutely necessary.  I'm planning on asking my doc to work from home if I DO go on bedrest, as close to full time as possible.  So while the babies come first, and I hope OP has a job that would understand, some of us DO have to make sure we work as long as possible.

punkin06

lots of scary stories here.  i have a 4 y.o. dd, but this pg is very different for me.  i'm older (34y.o.) and my body is just older, i guess, so this is a hard pg but has been okay at this point.  at 32 weeks, i'm still working 4 sometimes 5 days a week with a 2 hr roundtrip commute, taking care of my dd alone since dh works out of state, and trying to sell our home.  i've had a couple of scares with elevated blood pressure and pain in my vagina that sent me to labor & delivery triage (all for a bacterial infection).  i know several other women who worked full-time away from home during their pg without complications.

i took a 7 hr road trip at 22 weeks, but that was the last trip and my body was very tired.  i would not plan on a flight at 24 weeks ... see if someone else can go for you.  my ob wanted me to stop working at 28 wks, but he hasnt pushed the issue too much.  keep yourself hydrated (at least 70oz a day), drink lots of protein shakes, eat well, and try not to be superwoman.  i'm hoping to work from home at 35 weeks (if i can make it that long!).

good luck!  i'd also recommend dr. luke's book but dont let it freak you out too much

SkiGirl1080s

ninjabridemom:

It is unpredictable, I hear -- there's a lot that can go wrong.  I'm trying to prepare for everything, bedrest included, and do what I can to keep myself healthy.

 

I'm annoyed by whoever said "now isn't the time to worry about work."  I for one can't afford to just stop working all together at 24 weeks, or any time sooner than absolutely necessary.  I'm planning on asking my doc to work from home if I DO go on bedrest, as close to full time as possible.  So while the babies come first, and I hope OP has a job that would understand, some of us DO have to make sure we work as long as possible.

 

I couldn't agree with you more.  I will do my best to stay healthy and stress free.  At the end of the day, my family depends on my income and I can't just walk away from that.  I work for a company that would be completely understanding if I had to work remotely from bed.  Hopefully I do not have to cross that bridge but it's a nice safety net.  Good luck to us both!

JosiePosy

I think the point that we're trying to make is that your plans are not necessarily going to work out with your babies' plans. Stuff happens, and it happens fast! You can end up on bed rest at any time. You can deliver much earlier than expected or even end up in the hospital on bedrest for weeks. Understanding that you do not have total control is extremely difficult to come by, but unfortunately it's a likely possibility. I truly hope you have a smooth sailing pregnancy, but you have to prepare yourself for the fact that things may not go as planned.

 I pushed and pushed my Boss for weeks to get my replacement figured out. When she finally started training with me, I ended up in the hospital 8 days later.  after that I as done at work. I had no intention of spending 3 weeks on bestrest, 6 weeks in recovery and running bak and forth to the NICU, and only 3 weeks at home with my girls before returning to work, but that's how it played out. 

 

The bottom line is you need to be prepared. Now is the time to make a plan if the worst happens. Get finances figured out, and get your boss on board with the situational possibilities. It sucks, but it's reality. But again, hopefully things will go smoothly for you and it will be ok. But by its very definition, multiples = risk.

erinruns

I worked up until I delivered at 32 weeks, but if I hadn't delivered I would have gone out on part time disability.  I was done by that point and exhausted.  I have a desk job as well and worked from home one to two days a week.  It was nice not to do all of the walking around and to be able to take a nap in the afternoon.

I took a trip at 13 weeks and 24 weeks.  13 weeks was absolutely no issue, and my doctor cleared me two days before my 24 week trip.  It was a nice to get away at that point.  I was in NYC so if anything happened, I was covered.