@chrissdee sorry you are going through this. Sending good vibes your way.
Meanwhile we are over here stressing because at the 24wk appointment our baby was 1lb and 10oz which is in the 65th percentile. That alone is not cause for concern, but that coupled with the fact that there was no movement at all until 23w and 4d, and very sporadic movement since then, has us worried. How can a baby be in the 65th percentile for growth/weight but yet not be moving as it should be at 25wks? I know kick counts dont really start until 28wks but right now the movements in a day can be counted on one hand. How we wish someone would make a cheap home ultrasound machine lol
@knottiee3a565ac10d4d5f7 do you know if she has an anterior placenta? Anterior placenta means it’s at the front, so it’s basically a cushion between baby & outside and makes it much harder to feel movements/take longer. Especially with a first baby. Did the doctor say anything about movement at the appointment? FWIW, I have an anterior placenta, and at my 23 week ultrasound my mfm was getting frustrated with how much baby was moving and he was struggling to get the measurements he wanted, and I was like what are you talking about I don’t feel anything? (I felt 2 small kicks the whole appointment). So basically if she has an anterior placenta I wouldn’t be too worried that she’s not feeling a ton of movement yet as long as everything looked good the last ultrasound. This is my third pregnancy, I’ve had an anterior placenta each time, and I’m still struggling with figuring out movement patterns at 24 weeks tomorrow.
Hi @shinyobjects thank you for the reply. Yes, anterior placenta, currently carrying very low and 25wks today. Everything was fine at the 24wk apt with both baby and mom. But the lack of much movement at 25wks is starting to worry us. Generally there is movement early in the morning and last thing at night. But not for long. Just like a roll.
Have to also factor in that we have both been very afraid/nervous throughout this pregnancy. I'm 50 and my better half is 49. First time for both of us. Meeting each other at around 40, finances(ivf) the pandemic (treatment was overseas) and then a couple of failed rounds meant this was a hail Mary shot.
First we stressed if the ivf worked this time. Then there was vanishing twin. Then a serious bleed at 9wks (blood clot the size of a small orange). Then we stressed about getting out of the first trimester. Then we stressed because things went quiet. Then we stressed about getting to viability. Maybe we are just substituting stressers as we we go along. But its sooo hard not to. This is literally our last chance at being parents. Sorry for the rant lol
@knottiee3a565ac10d4d5f7 I can't relate to your situation and am sure you desperately want to have this take home baby but here to reassure you that with having an anterior placenta and it being your wife's first baby, the lower movement is so normal! Try to hang in there!!
@knottiee3a565ac10d4d5f7 I get it, completely. This is an ivf pregnancy for me, too, at 39 and after a devastating loss, and my body and mental health's last chance. I am not telling you not to worry-that would be entirely hypocritical of me. I stress about everything, including (and especially currently) movement, but I'm also armed with a lot of information to kind of help combat the most extreme stress. I know it is a very scary and stressful time, especially with everything you've been through to get here and your circumstances, but I also believe knowledge is power and I happen to have a bit to share on the subject, which I hope may help ease some of your stress. I have done a ton of research on fetal movement and related issues due to my past (including personally speaking with THE expert on umbilical cord accidents in the US). Don't get me wrong, I will be the first to shout from the rooftops to pay attention to movement and that it's super important! But it's super important to know YOUR baby's patterns. Each baby is different. Some babies aren't big movers. My daughter-who is currently a healthy and very wiggly 4 year old-was not a big mover in utero, or at least not enough to overcome the placenta placement. I never felt her until around 23-24 weeks, and once I did it was always very slight. When I had nsts later in that pregnancy I always had to have juice before to "wake her up" (this is outdated advice, but I didn't know better, and also that was her normal, not a change).
It sounds like your baby-at least right now-is a morning and night mover. This is pretty normal-babies tend to be lulled to sleep by mom's movements during the day, and "wake up" when mom's resting and still. What's most important is knowing your baby's patterns and noting if there are any differences in that (slower OR faster).
I highly recommend checking out pushpregnancy.org for further and more in depth information on noting fetal movement and stillbirth prevention (and some great info graphics). They are working hard to get updated information out there, and "empowering pregnancy" in the fight against stillbirth. And most importantly, if you are ever concerned about movements, please talk to your doctor and keep pushing until you feel relief in the answer. I'm a "I don't want to bother anyone" person, and I know the feeling of "it's probably just my crazy anxiety, I shouldn't say anything", but after my loss, I've learned (well, am learning) to advocate for speaking up. It's your doctor's job to hear your concerns and help you through them.
I hope this comes across with love and hope for you and your family, and as passing along information, not in the least bit of judgement. Sending all the best vibes for you, your wife, and baby!
@shinyobjects that's the best comment we have received on this journey. Thank you soooo much. And so sorry for your loss.
Because my wife is 49, the division of labor is that I'm the one who deep dives into information, and the theory is that leaves her to relax and try to enjoy her pregnancy. I like to think I shield her from most of the 'what ifs'. Although I have to say, it is extremely stressful for me because I obviously cannot feel what she is feeling so the information all seems relevant.
I know im in the minority being a guy in this group, but I find it so helpful. My wife is a gentle romantic soul. She Hope's and prays things go well but isnt very scientific about things. I on the other hand am like a vacuum cleaner with information and people's experience. I've been accused of being a worrier, but that's not the case at all. I like to have all the info I can get and if something goes wrong im generally calm because I know what's happening. My mostly calm wife on the other hand actually looses it when something happens. I guess it's a ying and yang type thing. We work well together.
Further into the topic of being a man in a pregnancy forum...I honestly cant believe that in 2023 the status quo still seems to be that pregnancy is a womens thing. I joined a few dad to be groups and had to leave. Of most concern are things like 'can you still get to golf/hunt/fish etc etc while your wife is pregnant. I also saw a lot of complaints about girlfriends and wives talking to their mothers/sisters/friends and not talking to the guys, which I think is sooo immature. Men in general either dont have the same depth/breadth of emotions/feelings, or cannot express them in a sensible way. So I choose to hang out here with the moms to be because this is where it's real and helpful.
It's a strange sensation being an expectant first time dad. I honestly believe when men hear the news for the first time there is a chemical reaction. It's either rebellion, apathy or in my case a strong compulsion to vacuum up information and try to help/support where I can.
Today was a better day. No indigestion. Leg cramps not so bad. Happy mood. Baby moving on usual schedule.
It's been a quiet weekend on the board! I hope that means everybody's doing generally good and spending some good quality time with their families for one of the last weekends of the summer.
Nothing much going on here. We met my sister's family at a Buccee's about halfway between us (we live about 3 hours from each other). That place was crazy with weekend traffic, but man was the brisket worth the hassle. I've never understood the hype around a gas station until we stopped at a Buccee's on the way to Alabama to see my parents a couple months ago.
Other than that and some back to school shopping it's been an uneventful couple of days. I had a BPP and NST today -- baby girl fights against the monitors every time we're hooked up for NST and she wasn't super cooperative for it, but she got an 8/8 BPP score. Still the absent flow in one umbilical artery, normal forward flow in the other. Doctor is happy with it at the moment and we're keeping the once a week appointments until further notice.
@chrissdee - Buccee's is amazing! Any time we travel and stop at Buccee's 3 things are a must - Their fudge, a brisket sandwich and one of their giant cinnamon rolls. Glad to hear that she got an 8 out of 8 and that the doctor is happy with things for the moment.
This pregnancy is so different. Little Bean has so much room to move compared to my other kids. With twins, I always knew who was kicking and, more or less, what position they were in. By the time they were kicking a lot, they weren't flipping around. This child however is doing somersaults. It's just crazy to me. I never know where this kid is going to be!
Re: July Randoms
Meanwhile we are over here stressing because at the 24wk appointment our baby was 1lb and 10oz which is in the 65th percentile. That alone is not cause for concern, but that coupled with the fact that there was no movement at all until 23w and 4d, and very sporadic movement since then, has us worried. How can a baby be in the 65th percentile for growth/weight but yet not be moving as it should be at 25wks? I know kick counts dont really start until 28wks but right now the movements in a day can be counted on one hand. How we wish someone would make a cheap home ultrasound machine lol
@knottiee3a565ac10d4d5f7 do you know if she has an anterior placenta? Anterior placenta means it’s at the front, so it’s basically a cushion between baby & outside and makes it much harder to feel movements/take longer. Especially with a first baby. Did the doctor say anything about movement at the appointment? FWIW, I have an anterior placenta, and at my 23 week ultrasound my mfm was getting frustrated with how much baby was moving and he was struggling to get the measurements he wanted, and I was like what are you talking about I don’t feel anything? (I felt 2 small kicks the whole appointment). So basically if she has an anterior placenta I wouldn’t be too worried that she’s not feeling a ton of movement yet as long as everything looked good the last ultrasound. This is my third pregnancy, I’ve had an anterior placenta each time, and I’m still struggling with figuring out movement patterns at 24 weeks tomorrow.
Yes, anterior placenta, currently carrying very low and 25wks today. Everything was fine at the 24wk apt with both baby and mom. But the lack of much movement at 25wks is starting to worry us. Generally there is movement early in the morning and last thing at night. But not for long. Just like a roll.
Have to also factor in that we have both been very afraid/nervous throughout this pregnancy. I'm 50 and my better half is 49. First time for both of us. Meeting each other at around 40, finances(ivf) the pandemic (treatment was overseas) and then a couple of failed rounds meant this was a hail Mary shot.
First we stressed if the ivf worked this time. Then there was vanishing twin. Then a serious bleed at 9wks (blood clot the size of a small orange). Then we stressed about getting out of the first trimester. Then we stressed because things went quiet. Then we stressed about getting to viability. Maybe we are just substituting stressers as we we go along. But its sooo hard not to. This is literally our last chance at being parents. Sorry for the rant lol
@knottiee3a565ac10d4d5f7 I get it, completely. This is an ivf pregnancy for me, too, at 39 and after a devastating loss, and my body and mental health's last chance. I am not telling you not to worry-that would be entirely hypocritical of me. I stress about everything, including (and especially currently) movement, but I'm also armed with a lot of information to kind of help combat the most extreme stress. I know it is a very scary and stressful time, especially with everything you've been through to get here and your circumstances, but I also believe knowledge is power and I happen to have a bit to share on the subject, which I hope may help ease some of your stress. I have done a ton of research on fetal movement and related issues due to my past (including personally speaking with THE expert on umbilical cord accidents in the US). Don't get me wrong, I will be the first to shout from the rooftops to pay attention to movement and that it's super important! But it's super important to know YOUR baby's patterns. Each baby is different. Some babies aren't big movers. My daughter-who is currently a healthy and very wiggly 4 year old-was not a big mover in utero, or at least not enough to overcome the placenta placement. I never felt her until around 23-24 weeks, and once I did it was always very slight. When I had nsts later in that pregnancy I always had to have juice before to "wake her up" (this is outdated advice, but I didn't know better, and also that was her normal, not a change).
It sounds like your baby-at least right now-is a morning and night mover. This is pretty normal-babies tend to be lulled to sleep by mom's movements during the day, and "wake up" when mom's resting and still. What's most important is knowing your baby's patterns and noting if there are any differences in that (slower OR faster).
I highly recommend checking out pushpregnancy.org for further and more in depth information on noting fetal movement and stillbirth prevention (and some great info graphics). They are working hard to get updated information out there, and "empowering pregnancy" in the fight against stillbirth. And most importantly, if you are ever concerned about movements, please talk to your doctor and keep pushing until you feel relief in the answer. I'm a "I don't want to bother anyone" person, and I know the feeling of "it's probably just my crazy anxiety, I shouldn't say anything", but after my loss, I've learned (well, am learning) to advocate for speaking up. It's your doctor's job to hear your concerns and help you through them.
I hope this comes across with love and hope for you and your family, and as passing along information, not in the least bit of judgement. Sending all the best vibes for you, your wife, and baby!
Because my wife is 49, the division of labor is that I'm the one who deep dives into information, and the theory is that leaves her to relax and try to enjoy her pregnancy. I like to think I shield her from most of the 'what ifs'. Although I have to say, it is extremely stressful for me because I obviously cannot feel what she is feeling so the information all seems relevant.
I know im in the minority being a guy in this group, but I find it so helpful. My wife is a gentle romantic soul. She Hope's and prays things go well but isnt very scientific about things. I on the other hand am like a vacuum cleaner with information and people's experience. I've been accused of being a worrier, but that's not the case at all. I like to have all the info I can get and if something goes wrong im generally calm because I know what's happening. My mostly calm wife on the other hand actually looses it when something happens. I guess it's a ying and yang type thing. We work well together.
Further into the topic of being a man in a pregnancy forum...I honestly cant believe that in 2023 the status quo still seems to be that pregnancy is a womens thing. I joined a few dad to be groups and had to leave. Of most concern are things like 'can you still get to golf/hunt/fish etc etc while your wife is pregnant. I also saw a lot of complaints about girlfriends and wives talking to their mothers/sisters/friends and not talking to the guys, which I think is sooo immature. Men in general either dont have the same depth/breadth of emotions/feelings, or cannot express them in a sensible way. So I choose to hang out here with the moms to be because this is where it's real and helpful.
It's a strange sensation being an expectant first time dad. I honestly believe when men hear the news for the first time there is a chemical reaction. It's either rebellion, apathy or in my case a strong compulsion to vacuum up information and try to help/support where I can.
Today was a better day. No indigestion. Leg cramps not so bad. Happy mood. Baby moving on usual schedule.
Nothing much going on here. We met my sister's family at a Buccee's about halfway between us (we live about 3 hours from each other). That place was crazy with weekend traffic, but man was the brisket worth the hassle. I've never understood the hype around a gas station until we stopped at a Buccee's on the way to Alabama to see my parents a couple months ago.
Other than that and some back to school shopping
Glad to hear that she got an 8 out of 8 and that the doctor is happy with things for the moment.
This pregnancy is so different. Little Bean has so much room to move compared to my other kids. With twins, I always knew who was kicking and, more or less, what position they were in. By the time they were kicking a lot, they weren't flipping around. This child however is doing somersaults. It's just crazy to me. I never know where this kid is going to be!
Married: October, 19, 2015
EDD 2/22/17
EDD 3/8/20
EDD 11/24/23
(Formerly Marriedhamstermom Feb ‘17)