Multiples

WWYD bedrest or not? dr says it's up to me

After my contractions episode this week, he wanted to err on the conservative side and pull me out of work (didn't necessarily say strict bedrest) but after 2 cervical checks and a neg FFN and a promise to take it easy for the weekend, and the oral terb which has seemed to stop the contrax he said I was ok to go back to work.

Here's my dilemma - I want to stop work soooo much!  I'm a teacher so I can't work from home of just cut back my hours so stopping would be stopping completely.  I've been out of work since thurs at this point and it's been great (I know that's so not the same as another 6 weeks).  But there is also part of me that knows that being off my feet and not dealing with work will be great for me and the babies.  However, if I leave now I fear that it would be like the crash of 1929 around here.  I would lose my salary for probably the months of may and june (possibly some of april) bc I only have about 30 sick days saved up.  Plus, my FMLA time owuld run out before the end of the school year so I would have to pay for COBRA for the summer which is 1300$ per month.  Putting us at that kind of financial disadvantage scares the crap out of me especially when the dr said I could go back to work.

FWIW - I plan on leaving on March 30 th (35 wks), but if my next FFN is positive then I plan on calling it quits at that point.

I know there isn't really any hard and fast answer here, but I was just venting.  Thanks for listening.

TTC#1 since Feb 07 with PCOS and mild MFI
i carry your heart with me(i carry it in my heart) Our first love and loss 7/2/07

3 cycles clomid TI = BFNs
3 cycles clomid Ovidrel IUI = BFNs
6/27/08 Surprise BFP = chemical pg
IVF#1 July 08 BFP @7dp3dt
TTC #3 since February 2010
FET Sept. and Oct. 2010=BFN's
IVF#2 June 2011=BFP

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Re: WWYD bedrest or not? dr says it's up to me

  • being a preemie mom, my viewpoint is very skewed, as i would have done anything to keep my babies in longer. ?you'll never look back and regret bedrest, but you might regret pushing yourself too hard. ?at 31 weeks, they would still be facing struggles and at least a month of nicu time. ?hindsight is always 20/20 and you don't want to look back and "should have, could have, would have". ?i still 2nd guess everything i did...and i was on bedrest from 19 weeks till i delivered at 26...
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  • Is there any way you can do 1/2 days and have the afternoons covered by a sub?  That would help out a little bit.  When I went into PTL @26 weeks I was terrified of all the complications that my babies might face.  Yes, it sucked using up FMLA time just lying there, and yes I did go insane being in bed all day, but I was able to deliver healthy babies.
  • I agree with pp, as much as bedrest sucks, you never regret it, especially if it keeps your babies in longer.  I wish I could have kept mine in even longer but I thank the hospital bed rest for keeping them in as long as they did.  I was 31w5d when I was 3cm dialated and ended up carrying them until 34 weeks and it was worth the uncomfortable bed, etc.  As it was one of my boys stayed in the NICU for 7 weeks.  Only you know whats best for you, the financial hardship is hard, believe me we are STILL paying for my maternity leave, but coming from a MOM of preemies, any extra time those babies can cook is fantastic!  GL with your deciison!
  • I would definitely go with the bedrest. You are at 31 weeks, I am hoping to make it until 28-10 weeks at work, and I have a desk job.  I agree that it's not worth the stress and losing out on the potential benefit you may get from staying home.
  • it was super hard to make the choice but I am glad that I chose bedrest. we had quite a few scares around 26-30 weeks and I made the choice to lay low.. because of this I know I was able to carry them to 38 weeks. I had an extremly active job ( i owned a bakery) and for me it was either all in or all out. Yes the money fact is super scary but the idea that the babies could end up in the NICU because I was stubborn  and wanted to work was not worth it.

    I would call and find out all the facts on cobra ect. and what the state will cover if you have to go out for a medical reason.

    gl

  • considering my ob is taking me out by 28w even if all is going well- I think you should stop working. Dr lukes book suggests leaving work between 24-28w for twins.... and i'm all about doing what i can to keep these babies cooking long and out of the NICU.

    esp since you have had contrax - i would not risk it at all.

     

  • I can only agree with what the pp's have said. I've been on bed rest since 1/9 and it BLOWS. ?My FMLA will expire on my actual due date and my pay checks are fractions of what they usually are, and will ultimately stop coming. ?We're going to seriously struggle and I'm terrified.

    That said, when I was first put on BR due to PTL and IC, doctors were introducing us to neonatologists preparing us to have 27 week premies. ?I'm now 34 weeks and we're discussing scheduling my c section for 38 weeks. Obviously this is not always the case; BR doesn't CURE these things, but I know if I had continued to work any longer we'd be headed to the hospital this morning to visit our boys in the NICU. ?Instead I'm on the couch and DH is making me breakfast- not bad!!

    It's worth it. ?I promise!!?

  • What grade do you teach? That could also make a big difference. I teach kindergarten and I choose to stop working at 28 weeks because I just couldnt keep up with the kids anymore. It was too hard after not getting much sleep at night and then having to move around nonstop during the day. I also was having contractions if I pushed a little too hard. My dr. did tell me early on she wanted me to be done working by 30 weeks since most women who carry multiples are the size of someone full term with a singleton by that time. I truely believe that if I would have continued to work much longer and didnt stay home with my feet up, my babies would not have lasted until my scheduled c-section.?

    If you teach an older grade level it might be easier to sit more of the day so you are not always on your feet.However, you need to make a decision you can be happy with. Things did get tough for us financially when I lrft work so early, but it was worth it to have my girls born without any NICU time and bring them home right away.?

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  • What grade u teach? i teach kindergarten and there was no way to sit. i was out of work at 24 weeks. i wasn't on bedrest, just to take it easy. by 26 weeks i was on modified bedrest. with this pg i have been on bedrest since 25 weeks. i understand the money issue. for the boys i jad enough sick days and FMLA that it didn't effect us to bad, but for this pg it is effecting up. i only hax 4 days pf sock time and the rest of my unused FMLA days. so money will be a issue. but i never regret bedrest. even though i had the boys early and probably this one too, i know that if i kept working they would have came a lot earlier. good luck on your decison.
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  • That is a very tough call.  I would analyze the numbers and see what the financial cost will be.  If you're super stressed about the money and on bedrest, that's not really good for you or the babies either.

    Every woman is different.  I had a really easy pregnancy and delivered at 37 weeks.  I had a desk job for the most part (did community programming in the evening) and worked until 36 weeks 1 day without any problems.

    My OB originally said that he would probably start thinking about bedrest at 28 weeks.  That day came and went and since I was doing well, we really didn't talk about it again.

    The bottom line is you need to trust your gut and your doctor.  You know your body and what you can and can't handle.  

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