March 2022 Moms

PGAL 12/16

This thread is for those who are pregnant after a previous loss(es). TW for entire thread due to discussion of MC, TFMR, CP, etc. 

Weeks/EDD?

Previous loss(es) (share as much or as little as you like)? 

How are you feeling? Emotionally & physically? 

Any appointment updates? 

Any big milestones?

Rants/Raves/Questions?

Re: PGAL 12/16


  • Weeks/EDD? 26+4 3/20

    Previous loss(es) (share as much or as little as you like)? 3 early losses

    How are you feeling? Emotionally & physically? both are stable at the moment. I don't know when that will change, but i'll take it for now!

    Any appointment updates? nada. Will have GTT, placenta check, and OB appt week after xmas. My ob told me to wait until after xmas for the gtt so i can enjoy the sweets incase i have GD  :D

    Any big milestones? nope, just chugging along at this point. 

    Rants/Raves/Questions? I'm done with my christmas shopping and awfully proud of myself lol. Haven't wrapped a dang thing, but that's another story! 
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  • Weeks/EDD? 28 weeks +1 day, due March 9

    Previous loss(es) (share as much or as little as you like)? PPROM in first pregnancy resulting in stillbirth, it was long and drawn out.

    How are you feeling? Emotionally & physically? Tired, feeling baby’s weight/ position. Emotionally, better than I was Monday, but still kind of overwhelmed, just waiting for the next scan.

    Any appointment updates? 12/21 at MFM, 12/22 regular OB, 12/29 MFM, 1/3 MFM, 1/11 MFM

    Any big milestones? Made it to 3rd trimester, just hoping for good results with MFM these next few weeks in hopes to carry Lilly Rose to term. 

    Rants/Raves/Questions? Told my best friend what was going on the other day, but she’s very much in the boat of ‘never wants kids’, still she considers my son a nephew and we’re both Christian so I was hoping she’d be praying. 
    Trouble is, she (thankfully for her sake) really doesn’t grasp the trauma associated with losing a child and so when I try to explain why I felt like my body was trying to fail me again she keeps telling me to not let my previous loss affect me and saying things like ‘When you worry you suffer twice’ or ‘You’re not having faith’ when I explain the possibilities of if my Lilly Rose is determined to not be growing/thriving.
     I kept reiterating it’s not as simple as she thinks and I have faith, but I needed to process and prepare for the possibility of a NICU baby.
    She seemed annoyed and said “Then live your life.”
    We haven’t talked since.
     I tried to text her today better explaining things, but IDK if she’ll understand. :/
  • @faithmovesmountains oh friend, that's so hard.  On one hand, it's great that she cannot comprehend what you're going through, but her toxic positivity is no help to you. I'm sorry she wasn't empathetic about your concerns for Lilly, not to mention for all you've been through. Your feelings, fears, and all of it are valid and worth an attempt at empathy, at least. Thinking of you <3 
  • @morgantu MIL does all my Xmas wrapping 🤣 I'm so glad you're feeling good!

    @faithmovesmountains I'm so sorry your friend isn't able to support you properly. All of my closest friends (including my sister) other than 1 are all childless by choice...so they don't understand what it is to be a parent...and the one that has kids has 4 and has never experienced loss. They also don't get why I would rather hang out with my kids than go to parties or out for dinner so I've just stopped trying to explain. I'm so sorry that you are having to go through all of this and navigate the fears and anxiety on your own. Thinking of you and sending ❤ 
  • @morgantu i havent wrapped a single thing either, and honestly don’t want to start 😂

    @faithmovesmountains thinking of you ❤️ The advice your friend is giving you may seem to her to be harmless, could actually be re-trauamatizing. I’m so sorry she couldn't offer the support you needed. Im sure it would feel really isolating to have someone you care about minimize your experience. Here for whatever you need! Praying for your upcoming appointments
  • Weeks/EDD? 26+3 / RCS around March 14th

    Previous loss(es) (share as much or as little as you like)? 14 weeks, 10 weeks, CP, 7 weeks

    How are you feeling? Emotionally & physically? Physically getting sicker again. Blech. But nothing new. Emotionally...better as long as I can feel him moving. I had a pretty bad fall last night so I'm a little stressed today anytime I don't feel him.

    Any appointment updates? GP on the 22nd then OB on the 11th...wellbr signing RCS papers and choosing a delivery date.

    Any big milestones? Just waiting for 3rd tri 🤞

    Rants/Raves/Questions? Anyone else getting bouts of...I don't know...maybe panic attacks? I can't explain exactly how they feel but I had to have my parents pull my nephew put of bball practice early and come home because I felt like I was going to pass out...
  • @morgantu
    Thanks and kudos on the Christmas presents! I just finished wrapping all the presents the other night myself. :)

    @Panaceia
    I’ve had a few panic attacks, but getting to the point of almost passing out sounds a bit worrisome. :/ Is there anything that triggers them or are they random?
     Might be worth bringing up with your OB in case it has something to do with low iron levels?
     Sorry I can’t be more helpful. FX you feel better soon.


  • @faithmovesmountains I have a GP appointment on the 22nd so I'll bring it up with her then. It is probably just a combination of HG, anemia, low blood pressure and where baby is positioned right now...but it's still freaking me out which I think is making it worse:/ Definitely nothing I can think of that is triggering them...but it does tend to happen when I'm in my head about things...
  • Weeks/EDD? 28+1, March 10

    Previous loss(es) (share as much or as little as you like)? MC in April

    How are you feeling? Emotionally & physically? Physically doing way better. Had my first 12hr shift back at work yesterday post-preterm labor. Went well. So busy, but felt good. Emotionally battling a lot of doubt and fear re:unmedicated labor and negative birth outcomes. I think the preterm labor and needing a lot of interventions to stop that has really made my confidence take a huge hit. Focusing on meditations and affirmations reminding myself that I have everything I need within me and that I am safe and my baby and body will take care of everything. Still…so hard.

    Any appointment updates? 28wk appt was today, GTT done, got lots of repeat labs, rhogam, tdap, and have all my appts through 40wks scheduled. So crazy.

    Any big milestones? 3rd tri 🎉

    Rants/Raves/Questions? Anyone suffer anxious thoughts about something catastrouphic happening during delivery and either you or baby not making it? Is this normal or am I losing it? Have never struggled with these thoughts before. But just recently have been really obsessing over having to know every bad thing that *could* even possibly happen.
  • @night_nurse I'm sorry for the stress and anxiety ❤ You are definitely not alone in the catastrophic thoughts department. The day before delivery with DD2 I wrote her a huge letter just *in case* something happened and I didn't make it. I cried all the way to the hospital and until I was actually in the OR. This time the thoughts have started much earlier, which is where a lot of my anxiety and panic attacks come from. You are definitely not losing it. I have no advice to make this better other than the health professionals and doctors are very good at their jobs and the odds of something bad happening is very small...although I know that knowing that does not help to lessen the fear at all. Just know you are not alone ❤
  • @night_nurse
    I’m sorry you feel that way, that has to suck. :( Prayers and hugs.
     
  • @night_nurse I'm so sorry you are having those thoughts. That is so hard. I've had them but not to that extent. I am having a lot of anxiety about driving or DH leaving to go to work, stuff like that. It just feels so heavy that something could happen to one of us. 
  • Thanks all for the reassuring words ❤️ Feeling better today. I’m (obviously) prone to anxiety but this has been another level. Hoping with time and mindfulness it will get better.
  • @night_nurse with my first delivery,  I was induced for High BP .  I was not aware of everything that could have gone badly until everything was over.  Now going into a second delivery and already having DD1 at home to care for, I broke down recently with the same sort of thoughts...who will care for her and baby boy if something happens to me when I deliver him?  The thought of my children without me is so scary.    I understand your thoughts.  To me, I just think its a normal part of this, though I'm also terrible with anxiety, typically medicated outside of pregnancy,  I know you have dealt with SO much with preterm labor already.  I can't even imagine how anxiety inducing it must have been to return to work.   I'm glad you stayed busy as I'm sure that helped tons. Sending hugs and love to you!
    By the way, YAY for 3rd Trimester 😊  
  • @friends-fan the majority of my worry is imagining my children’s lives without me too, and living an imaginary heartbreak over and over just ruminating on the idea that it could happen. I don’t mean to cause others stress by bringing this subject up. Was really surprised by how much it has affected me. I appreciate everyone offering advice and kind words.
  • @rachelredhead
    I had postpartum depression after having my son, but I didn’t recognize it for a long time so it went undiagnosed and untreated.
    My dad was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer halfway through my pregnancy with DS and when I was only 3 weeks postpartum my maternal grandfather died.
    My Mom and her side of the family wanted to use baby snuggles to cope, but they selfishly made me come to them every time and like a well-meaning idiot I believed I could do it all, but it took its toll.
     I was adjusting to being a new mom, healing up, and no one thought of me. They ate without me, shoved me off in the hottest room of the house to breastfeed so I didn’t make anyone uncomfortable. It felt like faces faded in and out of existence while I was trapped on this metaphorical island in the middle of the ocean with DS.
     I would struggle through and return home blackout tired to stumble up the stairs to nurse and pass out for a couple hours.

    My mom kept telling me how lucky I was not to have postpartum depression, but in truth I didn’t know. I didn’t know if my feelings were normal or if I was depressed.

    It wasn’t until several  months in that I realized and even then I felt like I couldn’t ask for help. Like I was trapped in my own head screaming for someone to notice me.

     I think as a result of all the stress, I battled multiple rounds of mastitis.

    This time around, I’ve been struggling still with my mental health while being pregnant, but I’m aiming to take better care of myself postpartum. Your post really resonated with me because I wish I had taken better care of myself with DS and had a support system that normalized sometimes needing help to maintain mental health is okay rather than a sign of lacking faith/strength.
  • @faithmovesmountains I’m a Christian and grew up in a very conservative household. I think a lot of faith communities wrongly place the blame/burden of mental health on the sufferers, making them feel like they should be able to cope with prayer alone. I do believe God heals but he also gives us brains, and doctors, and science, and knowledge to support us when we’re struggling. I was diagnosed with melanoma a couple months postpartum and that’s what actually drove me to ask for help. It was the proverbial straw breaking the camel’s back. As hard as that time was, I’m thankful it forced me to acknowledge it was all too much. 

    And I just want to be clear nobody should feel bad for seeking care at ANY time. It doesn’t have to be because you or a family member received a bad diagnosis, or you lost a job, or there’s a pandemic. LIFE is hard sometimes. You can experience the “perfect” postpartum season (lots of leave, easy recovery, lots of support) and STILL need help. This is not a moral failing. This is being a human and humans are built to need other humans, to need help. 
  • @rachelredhead
    I’m sorry you had to get to that point, but glad you were able to seek help.

    I totally get that ‘prayer alone’ thing because I have been guilt trapped by that so many times into feeling like I’m not a good Christian because I try to give it all to God and I still have anxiety or struggle with a form of PTSD over the loss in my first pregnancy.

     I also fully believe God can heal and I’ve seen him at work in my life, so I always got so thrown off in my inability to completely conquer mental health issues and wondered what I was doing wrong.

    I’m only recently coming to a place where I realize I’m not necessarily doing something wrong in my walk with God, but it has a lot to do—at least for me— with not feeling supported.
     It’s been a running theme this pregnancy where I’ve felt very unsupported and alone. Part of it is unpreventable. People have to work/ have their own lives. We’re in a pandemic still and MFM doesn’t allow children under 16 inside the building, so most of my appointments have been alone and will continue to be as I go through this patch of uncertainty.
    Other things, though, come from lack of consideration from others. Maybe not on purpose, but there have been plenty to act as if nothing has changed while I’m pregnant.
    That no physical or emotional changes I’m going through should impact my ability for certain tasks or ability to handle certain information. That when I say I feel like I’m overdoing it I’ve been brushed off. That if something triggers memories of my first pregnancy, I shouldn’t dwell on it or I’m worrying too much and I need to stop.

    Some of the people that say prayer alone should fix these mental health issues are exacerbating them.

     I agree there shouldn’t have to be a prerequisite to seeking help for mental health issues, but I also feel like toxic positivity is a big contributor to worsening them.
  • I'm sorry if my comment was triggering.  I sometimes don't think about things before I say them. I sincerely apologize  

    I was medicated for postpartum anxiety (actual diagnosis?) after DD1.  I struggled with such bad anxiety , alot I felt was attributed from just being a first time mom and being absolutely clueless but I panicked over every little thing... couldn't sleep at all due to all the catastrophic thoughts in my head.  Thankfully my husband recognized knew something wasn't right with me that I was far from my usual self, even with my new role as mommy and we spoke to my Dr about how I was feeling.  I was put on something that was BF safe and eventually weaned off it.  My OB now is aware of my past and has mentioned several times if at any point I feel I may need medication not to hesitate to reach out.  I'm extremely thankful for that and that he's vigilant with his patient's mental health Too much goes undiagnosed when mental health is not made a priority and it absolutely is a priority.  Its not a shameful thing as some unfortunately think. I was once that person that thought it was fictional.  Taking care of yourself first is priority to take care of your loved ones. ❤


  • @friends-fan
    I can’t speak for everyone, but this topic is always flagged for trigger warning. I consider it a free space to express how we feel, because it’s not always easy to do that irl— particularly with everyone in our lives having their own opinions.
     No need to apologize for your comments/ feelings IMO.
  • I also struggled with severe postpartum anxiety after DD1 was born. It was so bad that I literally couldn't be more than 5 minutes away from where she was (luckily work is literally a 1 minute drive from where we are currently living) and when she started school I made sure she was in a school that was less than 5 minutes from work also. Going anywhere with her was nearly impossible because I was convinced someone who hated babies was going to shoot her while driving. Walks were the same. Every person we passed was potentially someone out to get us. And if she was ever anywhere without me I was convinced something terrible was going to happen. Not to mention every other fear/thought I had. It was all consuming and completely controlled my life for 5 years. It lasted until after she weaned at almost 4 years old. Luckily I did not have this during pregnancy or postpartum with DD2, only as we approached birth, but I have definitely been struggling with anxiety again during this pregnancy. With mine I know that the things I was afraid of were mostly irrational...but they still made complete sense to me at the time. I am very hopeful it does not return with this little guy but I have already talked to my doctor and have a plan in place for if it does.
  • @Panaceia Struggling with the anxiety/panic attacks here as well - has one a couple nights ago, and stress/anxiety is a HUGE seizure trigger for me, so I have to be careful.  I think my strategy to avoid worrying about the pregnancy has been to just avoid acknowledging it at all, so whenever something happens that makes me acknowledge it, it triggers a lot of anxiety.



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  • Weeks/EDD? 28 weeks

    How are you feeling?

    Emotionally & physically? Avoidant.  I've been ignoring that I'm pregnant - I kept thinking at every stage that after ___ I'd feel better, but I'm not.  I found the journal I kept during my daughter's pregnancy, and felt guilty that I only have 12 weeks to go and haven't written down anything.  Physically I'm fine - have a growing belly finally, have gained a few pounds, so it's getting harder to ignore that a baby is coming.  We haven't announced to anyone aside from siblings, parents and a few close friends, and I think we'll wait until he's here to do so.

    Any appointment updates? Third trimester - wow, that came fast!

    Had an OB appointment today, another OB filling in for my regular one.  She happened to know quite a bit about epilepsy during pregnancy, so she was able to provide a wealth of fantastic information that was very reassuring.  Glucose/blood pressure were good, and I've been started on an iron supplement to help with anemia.

    Any big milestones? 



    Rants/Raves/Questions?

    My husband and I were in the middle of a whole home renovation when I found out I was pregnant.  We currently have the entire upper floor of our home demolished to the studs.  New windows and insulation went in this week, and the drywallers will be starting the first week of January.  I'm starting to panic a bit that it won't be done before baby, but I'm wondering if not having a room for baby or any baby things out may be contributing to the disconnect.  May pull out some totes from storage, or order a few outfits online to help build that excitement!



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  • @Jeenyus I ordered some clothes on line for baby and just doing that has helped me to feel more connected. We don't have a dedicated room here for baby since we're still at my parents house, but I did rearrange my abd DD2's bedroom to start thinking about where the crib will go etc which is definitely helping to make it feel more real!
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