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Calling all the Pregnant PS''ers

Indy

Grace under pressure. How do you find the strength and fortitude?

Your situation has made me very sad and angry at the World. Not things you need to even hear about now.

You and your family have experienced loss, anxiety and fear in ways that few of us will ever know.

You are one amazing Cub-momma! Everything that you and your family have been through has prepared you for the days to come.

Here''s to that scotch........

What a crapbag situation.

Many well-wishes for easy and peaceful days ahead.
 
I can''t post much because I am back at the office today trying to tie up loose ends. I am still not having any contractions or obvious signs of labor, so I think it will be a few more days. (But my labor bag is in the trunk just in case.)
 
Indy, I really admire how you''re handling all of the bad luck that''s been dealt your way recently. Your strength is so inspirational. ::hugs::

If your cardiologist recommends a TEE, I highly recommend demanding that you''re completely out for the procedure. I don''t know if you remember, but whatever they gave me for mine early this summer left me completely aware of what was going on and it was really traumatic. I''d hate for you to have to go through that on top of everything else. I really hope that your appointment today goes well and that you don''t even have to worry about this though.
 
Robbie, actually, they just strapped some kind of sticky harness device to my chest which I have to wear for 24 hours. It''s kind of funny (gallows humor again) because I got a little tearful, and then realized that the tears had gone down my shirt making the electronic thing all wet. The instructions are full of "DON''T GET IT WET!" exhortations, so I''m all waiting to get electrocuted now. The other gallows humor ''good one'', is that I''m supposed to keep track of what I''m doing and how I''m feeling on this chart, so they can correlate it with the results from teh machine, and I was thinking it would be funny if I went into labor and then wrote "7:30pm, labor" on the sheet and wore the thing all through that.

God I''m a weirdo, aren''t I?

Kay, that''s great that you''re still in the office! And you''re welcome to some of my non-stop contractions if you want. It worked for Curly!

Courtney, I got a ''preggle'' pillow which was more than $10, but fabulous. I think it''s made by a company called ''leachco''? And I bought it on babycenter. I''d start with the cheapy, though. probably works just as well.

Lisa, wont'' you tell us what''s new with you? I think of you often. Are you still feeling blue these days?
 
Date: 10/13/2008 9:26:16 AM
Author: neatfreak
Date: 10/13/2008 9:20:53 AM

Author: Courtneylub

Can anyone recommend a great pregnancy pillow?
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Honestly for me, I didn''t like the pregnancy pillows I borrowed. The most comfortable thing I''ve found is just a cheap $10 body pillow from Target!
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I bought the Boppy Pregnancy Wedge Cushion and really didn''t love it. I didn''t try any full body pillows but found that using a regular pillow between my legs (or one legs crossed over it) and one pillow under my belly worked great!
 
Hey guys I thought you might enjoy some new Olivia pics. I figured it was about time to show the progress of the little goof-ball avatar.......

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Hey Indy - this pic''s for you!

I''m sorta in more of a funk than usual. Still feeling blipmped out and apparently for good reason as I have gained 10lbs so far and have 26 wks to go!!!

All I think about is food. Perhaps my antidepressants were keeping the fatty in me away too.

I had my 1st reg. OB visit last week and finished up the plasma protein A blood test at the peri''s to complete 1st trimester testing.

Now we wait another 4 weeks for the genetic counseling and amnio.

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Olivia is most definitely in the ''Terrible Two''s'' and she''s 18 mos.!!!

She routinely throws herself on the floor, pouts, fake cries and is non-compliant all the time.

I''m so tired these days that I can barely pick-up her hulking 27 lb baby mass.

Being 39.5 doesn''t help.

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Gorgeous, Lisa!!!

****


Indy, we''re still lifting your family up in prayer. I''m so glad you have the support system you have. Your husband sounds great. What a blessing!!

****
Blen, how cute you are, girl!!
 
Indy, I posted to you on the other thread, but I just wanted to say again what a strong woman you are. My heart just aches for you and your husband. I just want to give you a big hug.


Love, Linda
 
Kay -- Sorry about lack of contrax -- I''m hoping you are making progress anyway!

Indy -- I continue to be amazed at your strength. My mom lost my brother at full-term (born with the cord wrapped around his neck -- nowadays he would have been monitored and sectioned...) and she and I discussed your situation with the cubs. It really brought out something in her b/c she doesn''t know you, but she cried and actually shared some of what she went through with me. You know, until I had a child of my own, I could never understand the bond mothers have with their unborn babies, but now that I do, it makes these moments even more heartbreaking to hear about. It was good to talk to her about it b/c I saw a strength in her I never knew in my 35 years... and i guess the light at the end of the tunnel was that I was born exactly one year later and wouldn''t likely be here if he had survived. I know something beautiful will happen for you after all you''ve gone through, and I couldn''t wish it on anyone kinder or more deserving than you... I still hope for a miracle for you, your DH and the cubs.

Snlee -- glad you are still hanging out with us even though you''re a mommy now! Can''t wait to join you in the other thread...

LIA -- oh wow, you are SO close to the end of bedrest -- I bet you want to get up and dance huh?
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I''m SO very glad you''ve been able to keep the l.o. in -- you are in the safe zone now!

NF -- sounds like you''re holding up pretty well, considering... I hope you find a project you like to pass the time!

Pandora -- congrats on getting moved but you misplaced your ERING??!!!! AGH!! I can completely relate and I hope your story ends better than mine. Fortunately it''s not my e-ring, but when we moved in (just over a year ago), I had saved a tiny jewelry box on a shelf at my old house that had a tanzanite and opal ring that DH had gotten me on our first trip together ( a cruise to Mexiico), my charm bracelet (with birthday and anniversary charms on it) and a really odd glass-infused titanium necklace he''d gotten me. To this day I cannot find it and it breaks my heart b/c those were my sentimental pieces! Thank goodness I was still wearing my e-ring and wedding band! I hope you find them soon...

Lisa -- oh those pics made me so happy!! what a little doll she is!!

as for me, well, yeah, I''m still preggo. I have been having contractions from 4 to 8 minutes apart since yesterday and they aren''t getting any stronger or closer, but they kept waking me up last night. Overnight, my "cold" that was "going away" took a turn for the worse and I woke up coughing and burning in my chest. So first thing this morning, I called the OB to see if it was safe to be on antibiotics during L&D (b/c I was pretty sure I was going in today -- still home if that tells ya anything! ugh!). Anyway, got the ok for that and headed to GP''s office. Got a Z-pack and some children''s cough medicine (safe for the babies, but i won''t take more than i really need anyway) and have been laying around the rest of the time. I have totally lost my voice now too, but DH stayed home with me today, so he''s in charge of the boys. This weekend we really worked on doing everything we could do around the house (i wanted to be as active as possible) and we managed to DTD again, so I am really hoping and praying that some of this has helped me dilate. My regular appt is tomorrow at 900 am, so if i don''t go to l&d tonight, that *should* be my last appt since we''ll be scheduling me to have my babies within the week :)

Hope you all have a great evening -- i''ll try to check in tomorrow...
jen
36w 5d
 
Sk8rJen,

Good luck with tomorrow really really being your last appt. Maybe they''ll send you to the hospital to finally have those babies. Maybe you should have someone in the house bake something tonight.
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Here''s hoping you meet your baby girlies super soon!

Can''t hardly wait!! (I''m sure you can''t either!!)

Feel all better soon, sweetie!!
 
heyas. Canadian Thanksgiving here...so after days of large family meals, I'm feeling like an even bigger whale than normal. I'm telling you, 8w2d's and really really really expanding. It could be the infamous bloat. It could be baby-expansion. The boobs are certainly growing. My nipps kill, and if i stand up too quickly, all the nerve endings in my nips BURN. crazy stuff. They look like fake boobs. I may try to take a pic to compare my bloat tummy for you girls. *may*

Lisa - Olivia is a freekin heartbreaker. She seems every bit worth the frustration (easy for me to say). I bet people tell you to put her in modeling, right?

Blein - holy moly! you are a busy beaver! I'm impressed. Take it easy too though ;)

Indy. I just still cannot get over your strength. I'm just too nauseaus and emotional right now to have the emotional maturity to deal with the weight and depth of all that you have on your plate. It's just too much. I'm not handling it well, which makes it even harder for me to understand how you are dealing with it so gracefully. I was talking about your sitch with my mom this weekend. She told me about her sister who went into PTL labour with her little girl somwhere before 24wks (in Jan of that year). Unfortunately she didn't make it. Believe it or not, my aunt got pregnant with fraternal twins right away, and went into PTL again just after 24 weeks with the twins in October of that same year (mom couldn't remember exact dates). One was 1.5lbs, the other was 2lbs. It was touch and go for months, but they are now turning 22 years old ;) Anyways, I guess it made me realize that it's more common that I had realized. I guess we only hear the nice cozy stories about healthy babies and full-term pregnancies. I'm just gutted about what you are going through and feel down everytime I think about it. I know that's not what you want, so I'll try my best to focus on the other, positive aspects. I'll try to find the joy for you. I cannot believe you ran into your boss. Seriously!! What luck.

NF - so sorry to hear your going batty. I know this sounds terrible, but I confessed to DH recently that I'm the perfect candidate for bedrest. I'm really good at doing 'nothing' and I'm very easily entertained. What does that say about me? lol. Anyhoo, I vote taking up a new hobby and I think creating little schedules is a great suggestion. Even in they are rediculously silly event (like changing rooms, or going pee, it will give you something to look forward to! hang in there.

Good luck JEN and KAY !! Thinking of you both in the coming days and hoping for speedy births sooner than later.

Pandora - my buddy. Your anti-nausea med (especially in half doses) are sounding sooooooooooooooo appealing. I'm going to treck over that pond to meet you for a tea and half-a-dose.
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lol imagine? I really hope you find your rings soon!
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Indy, your husband sounds like a wonderful man. What an awkward run in with your boss – obviously you have no reason to feel guilty, but I would have felt like I was “caught” too. We’ll be making a donation to the March of Dimes also. I may have to take you up on the offer of the contractions. Hope your cardiac tests go well.

Dreamer, I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving feast.

Neatfreak, I am sorry you are going stir crazy. All I can think of is reading a lot of books and watching lots of DVDs.

Blen, cute belly pics. Sounds like you had quite the burst of energy this weekend. Green curry – yum!

Pandora, I hope you find your rings soon. I’m glad to hear you will have so much mental health support both pre and past partum.

LIA, glad to hear you are doing better. You are so close!

Lisa, Olivia is such a cutie! Sorry to hear she is running you ragged.

Jen, I hope your cold gets better quickly. I’m having my last office visit tomorrow too. If I don’t go into labor my next Monday they will induce. I’m hoping for dilation – I just wish they had a better way to check.
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Mela, Thanksgiving dinner sounds really good right now. You should post belly pics.
 
Hi All,

First - I found my e-ring and w-band! Yay!

DH had packed the box with them in in the DIY cupboard. I have no idea why as there was nothing in the box remotely to do with DIY at all.... men. I knew before I opened the box (which was obviously on the highest shelf possible) as I could smell the perfume (which was over everything). Grrr.

Thanks for the link by the way, but sadly it''s for the new version - which smells nothing like the original. Apparently it was getting hard to find some of the ingredients in the original version.

That said, my rings don''t fit at the moment so I''m wearing my 1908 plain gold band that I bought for travelling (I wore it for the wedding as well so it''s a semi-official w-band).


I saw the mental health team at the hospital yesterday - it was very useful and slightly alarming! They want me back on my full dose of Lamotrigine as soon as the baby''s palate is formed, but there is a big question mark over breast-feeding on it which we have to look at (they''re getting all the research papers for me).

Then they are putting me on Halperidol for the first 6 months after the birth to prevent post-partum psychosis and are talking about an anti-depressant for the post-natal depression. I find this quite frightening - Halperidol is a serious anti-psychotic, and I''m not allowed anti-depressents as they send me hyper. I have a form of bipolar which doesn''t manifest itself in ''exciting'' episodes. I''m the person who people presume is either a member of staff or a relative not THE patient when they see me in the clinics, so the idea of taking mega-meds doesn''t thrill me. I know it''s purely prophylaxis but even so....

Then they are worried about my lack of family support networks in the area and so they are involving social services from the beginning. This means I now have the midwives, the health visitors, a social worker, a psychiatric support worker and who knows else visiting for months after the birth to check that I''m sane and haven''t thrown the baby in the Thames... I''m feeling a bit overwhelmed and stressed by the whole idea.
 
Pandora,

Excellent news that you found your engagement and wedding rings!

Yay!!!
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Date: 10/14/2008 7:23:55 AM
Author: Pandora II
Hi All,

First - I found my e-ring and w-band! Yay!

DH had packed the box with them in in the DIY cupboard. I have no idea why as there was nothing in the box remotely to do with DIY at all.... men. I knew before I opened the box (which was obviously on the highest shelf possible) as I could smell the perfume (which was over everything). Grrr.

Thanks for the link by the way, but sadly it''s for the new version - which smells nothing like the original. Apparently it was getting hard to find some of the ingredients in the original version.

That said, my rings don''t fit at the moment so I''m wearing my 1908 plain gold band that I bought for travelling (I wore it for the wedding as well so it''s a semi-official w-band).


I saw the mental health team at the hospital yesterday - it was very useful and slightly alarming! They want me back on my full dose of Lamotrigine as soon as the baby''s palate is formed, but there is a big question mark over breast-feeding on it which we have to look at (they''re getting all the research papers for me).

Then they are putting me on Halperidol for the first 6 months after the birth to prevent post-partum psychosis and are talking about an anti-depressant for the post-natal depression. I find this quite frightening - Halperidol is a serious anti-psychotic, and I''m not allowed anti-depressents as they send me hyper. I have a form of bipolar which doesn''t manifest itself in ''exciting'' episodes. I''m the person who people presume is either a member of staff or a relative not THE patient when they see me in the clinics, so the idea of taking mega-meds doesn''t thrill me. I know it''s purely prophylaxis but even so....

Then they are worried about my lack of family support networks in the area and so they are involving social services from the beginning. This means I now have the midwives, the health visitors, a social worker, a psychiatric support worker and who knows else visiting for months after the birth to check that I''m sane and haven''t thrown the baby in the Thames... I''m feeling a bit overwhelmed and stressed by the whole idea.
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Hon, although I am not in your position, I know what it is like to be a woman who is used to taking care of things and being a boss-type in her job... and for women like us it can be really hard to accept help from people expecially when that help seems like its over the top. I"ve been troubled by it just being preggo and dealing with people not letting me carry things
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, and you are getting an extra big dose of "care and attention"! The mind is a powerful thing, though, and if you can try to switch your way of perceiving the support you are being offered then it will go a long way. Instead of seeing it as overwhelming, you could see it as an opportunity to have the type of support that many women would love to have, regardless of whether or not they are "high risk"! One of my close friends has an anxiety disorder, but wasn''t really caught by the system when she had PPD quite severely, and the 6 weeks after her daughters birth were the worst in here life. To be honest, it has interfered with her bonding with her daughter and I can see this to this day. She now wishes she had more supports in those first weeks, apparently it is very overwhelming to all new mothers! I am taking a page from her book and plan to have many many family members around to help me out. Without family around, having social service people come around may be the best thing.

As for the meds, yup that would be hard to take, so to speak. There is certainly something more "serious" about going on those hard-corse anti-psychotics, and the side effects are never a walk in the park. Once your present depression is managed better (when is baby''s palat formed? Will they do a scan to be sure?) and you are feeling more even-keel, maybe you can re-visit this issue and form a plan that makes you and your docs happy? Final decisions about this stuff don''t have to be made today, so take htings one day at a time.

And Yippee for finding your rings! Man, that would have stopped my heart.

Any belly pics yet?
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Lisa, my bff sent me an e-mail the other day reminding me not to underestimate "the healing power of The Cute" by which she meant cuteoverload.com, which certainly can bring a smile to the most dour troubled brow. But seriously, the cuteness contained in that whole website bundled together into a single point of cute could not begin to compete with the redonkulous cuteness of Olivia. Tell her to come over here and fake cry and throw a tantrum. She could get away with it, believe me!
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And you''d get a break in the process. Hey Olivia! Come visit Auntie Indy! Fits and tantrums are our specialty so long as you keep offering up that adorable smile as compensation!


Jen, good luck! I''m looking forward to pictures of your girls!

Mela, I hope you enjoyed your turkey! Thanks for thinking of me so much, but you''re right that I would so much rather you be happy and upbeat. Treasure your little one and be happy, girl!

God, I love turkey. I could do with some turkey right now... hmmmm... Do you think there would still be leftovers if I came up to Canada?

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Pandora, I''m so glad they are taking such good care of you. I''ve been thinking about your situation a lot, and how scary it must be.

And thanks to everyone else for your continued good wishes. I''m still just waiting and contracting. Contracting. Contracting. If anyone else wants some contractions, let me know. They''ve been every 5-10 minutes for the last 24 hours or so, so I''m guessing I''m even more dilated now. Next check-up is tomorrow.

Question: if the doctors say (as they said warned me they would say next Friday if nothing had happened yet) that the risk of infection and problems is getting high, would you let them induce, if you were in my shoes? The thought wrecks me. But DH is also getting worried. I think they freaked him out that something might happen to me too. But really, is that realistic? I guess I just don''t know. I''ll ask more questions tomorrow. It seems implausible that, given the continued organized contractions, I wouldn''t be in labor sometime in the next week or so.

21 weeks today.



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Glad little Olivia could bring some joy. I promise to post belly shots.

Pandora - I gotta say that it sounds like England has excellent services for mom's w/ potential PPD concerns. The follow-up services seem amazing - we call them wrap-around services here when they follow you at home or back into the transition to your 'real' life. In the States your lucky if someone at the hosp. catches that there could be a prob., usually from the med. record if you are on meds already or if the mom freaks out in the unit, and if there is staff at the hosp. to do an eval. let alone a psychiatric staff member to tag along. We're not that great at mental illness anything over here as you know. It's a shame b/c PPD is a huge problem.

I used to do those evals in the hospital as a med. social worker. You are certainly getting thorough care.

Although, it does sound like a lot of heavy-duty meds. Your'e type II BP? Hypomanic?

I know the designation of many antidepressants/mood stabilizers went to cat. C recently - that sucks. I'm off my regimine totally.

Yeah, when does the palate form (very interesting - maybe around week 13)? Can they visualize this via 3D us? I think sometimes this is what they use to detect physical anomalies?

Jen - Thinking of you with all those blasted contractions that are hopefully leading to somewhere. How are you managing your bustling household and this at the same time? Do you have a lot of help lined up after you come home? It's hard to imagine a chock-full house with 2 new babies at the same time!

Indy - I was thinking how wonderful you are to continue to check-in despite things. In Canada what are support services like at the hosp.? Some of the larger medical centers in the US have fairly good social support designed to assist families through the turmoil and crisis that can accompany medical intervention. When I worked in OB we had several responsibilities on the floor. Mainly the NICU but also all the hardcore social cases with drugs, family friction, demises. Talk about gallows humor. There were so many darkly funny moments. I guess we laughed b/c we so wanted to cry.

ETA - Indy I so laughed at your post above! I will send Olivia over to aunty Indy's for some rollicking good tantrum fun!

Regarding the induction - not sure why they think the risk of infection is high unless your bag has begun to leak. Otherwise it is a closed circuit in there. I've seen women with full-on bulging bags of water go for many days. Hmm....Or if there is placental abruption which it doesn't sound like to me or if a fetus is dead. I think it's up to you. Frankly this is probably making your drs nervous. Most moms I saw in your sit. wanted things to move along (my suspicion about the drs as well). But really I'm not a conspiracy theorist at heart! You continue to demonstrate a high tolerance for the unknown which is very unusual!!!! My vote is for waiting until real labor begins, why not you guys have come this far? But if you change your mind that is totally OK too! I don't think the establishment does too well with the anxiety of 'not knowing.'


Mela - I hear ya on the BLOAT! I am no svelte mamma this round! Already in my stretchy maternity stuff and proud of it! I just don't want to get stretch marks. I too would a fine candidate for bedrest like you. I do very well just laying around.

Blen - Great pics, you look fabulous!

LIA - Any new updates? I took Olivia to the dermatologist and he said it looked like atopic dermatitis (symmetrical and bilateral). Not sure if there is a genetic component though. He rx'd Desonide for 1 week followed by Vanicream (he said her skin was dry). We haven't started the med yet b/c the bumps are not so bad.

DD - How's the teaching going? I am curious to hear your analysis about the whole thing.

NF - Although I am a prime bedrest candidate (temperament) I empathize with you. I suppose having to do anything for a span of time would be a drag. Are u able to get any work done?

Kay - Are you still working? Up until the very end?

Sorry if I missed anyone.
 
Date: 10/14/2008 12:31:57 PM
Author: Independent Gal


Question: if the doctors say (as they said warned me they would say next Friday if nothing had happened yet) that the risk of infection and problems is getting high, would you let them induce, if you were in my shoes? The thought wrecks me. But DH is also getting worried. I think they freaked him out that something might happen to me too. But really, is that realistic? I guess I just don''t know. I''ll ask more questions tomorrow. It seems implausible that, given the continued organized contractions, I wouldn''t be in labor sometime in the next week or so.

21 weeks today.



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Tough one IG.

Maybe it''s because I feel invicible...or maybe it''s because I believe in miracles, but I am not sure I could get myself to have them induce. On the other hand, I am not alone - I have a husband who loves me and in a situation like this his most urgent worry would be not to lose me too. If he strongly wanted me to induce, I could be persuaded to hold his hand, close my eyes and go through with it. But there would always be a what if in my mind.

I keep remembering the story I read not long ago where a journalist''s son was born at 25 weeks and survived. Part of me just keeps praying for those cubs to hang on for 4 more weeks.
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Hugs to you.
 
Date: 10/14/2008 12:31:57 PM
Question: if the doctors say (as they said warned me they would say next Friday if nothing had happened yet) that the risk of infection and problems is getting high, would you let them induce, if you were in my shoes? The thought wrecks me. But DH is also getting worried. I think they freaked him out that something might happen to me too. But really, is that realistic? I guess I just don't know. I'll ask more questions tomorrow. It seems implausible that, given the continued organized contractions, I wouldn't be in labor sometime in the next week or so.
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Indy I think in your shoes I would want to know exactly what the risks were, how high the odds of those risks were, if there were other options etc. (bed rest with antibiotics??) before making the decision to induce. I guess a part of me would always wonder "what if" I handn't let the docs induce me? From what you have mentioned here it seems like it is an unavoidable outcome that your little boys will be born very early and prior to viability
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... but is it really unavoidable? It's already been a couple weeks since this all started, strange things happen, another couple weeks and would one or both be receptive to care (at 23 weeks)? Argh. Obviously I am not party to all the information you have, and my hope may be misplaced, but I would always wonder if I induced. So I think I'd wait and see what the docs said tomorrow and if you were progressing in terms of dialation etc before making a final call on that one. Jeez what a toughie on top of all the other toughies. {{{HUGS}}}

ETA One more thing: if the danger to my life was increased to well above the odds that my baby would live, then I would induce. I know that sounds selfish and other women I know would not put their own life ahead of their unborn child's even at 20 weeks, but I am at the same point in my pregnancy as you are and I don't feel that way quite yet. So if the odds were getting higher that your health will be severly compromised, or your ability to bear future kids (thinking of infection here), and if those odds far outweighed the odds that my child would make it to viability, then even though I would always wonder, I would induce. Just in case you feel guilty about being concerned about your own wlefare, I thought I'd let you know at least one other preggo would opt to save herself at 20 weeks.
 
I agree with DD. It would all depend on what the risks were.

I found this: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/feb/20/usa
I couldn''t find any more information on how the baby is doing now though.
 
Date: 10/14/2008 12:51:37 PM
Author: dreamer_dachsie

Date: 10/14/2008 12:31:57 PM
Question: if the doctors say (as they said warned me they would say next Friday if nothing had happened yet) that the risk of infection and problems is getting high, would you let them induce, if you were in my shoes? The thought wrecks me. But DH is also getting worried. I think they freaked him out that something might happen to me too. But really, is that realistic? I guess I just don''t know. I''ll ask more questions tomorrow. It seems implausible that, given the continued organized contractions, I wouldn''t be in labor sometime in the next week or so.
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Indy I think in your shoes I would want to know exactly what the risks were, how high the odds of those risks were, if there were other options etc. (bed rest with antibiotics??) before making the decision to induce. I guess a part of me would always wonder ''what if'' I handn''t let the docs induce me? From what you have mentioned here it seems like it is an unavoidable outcome that your little boys will be born very early and prior to viability
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... but is it really unavoidable? It''s already been a couple weeks since this all started, strange things happen, another couple weeks and would one or both be receptive to care (at 23 weeks)? Argh. Obviously I am not party to all the information you have, and my hope may be misplaced, but I would always wonder if I induced. So I think I''d wait and see what the docs said tomorrow and if you were progressing in terms of dialation etc before making a final call on that one. Jeez what a toughie on top of all the other toughies. {{{HUGS}}}

ETA One more thing: if the danger to my life was increased to well above the odds that my baby would live, then I would induce. I know that sounds selfish and other women I know would not put their own life ahead of their unborn child''s even at 20 weeks, but I am at the same point in my pregnancy as you are and I don''t feel that way quite yet. So if the odds were getting higher that your health will be severly compromised, or your ability to bear future kids (thinking of infection here), and if those odds far outweighed the odds that my child would make it to viability, then even though I would always wonder, I would induce. Just in case you feel guilty about being concerned about your own wlefare, I thought I''d let you know at least one other preggo would opt to save herself at 20 weeks.
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No DD, it is not selfish. It is honest and smart and normal. When I was 20 weeks, I would have felt the same way. I spoke as someone who now has her child and whose view is a bit colored. Knowing what I know now and loving her the way I do, I would have done anything to save her. But that isn''t really a realistic POV.
 
I found an update on the story:

http://growingyourbaby.com/2007/07/14/update-youngest-preemie-ever-thriving-and-growing/
 
Indy I would probably also analyze it statistically depending on the risks to me and the potential outcomes of the babies. Without hard evidence about the risk of things to me, I would also be hesitant to induce if there is the potential for a good outcome. If there isn''t, I would want to induce ASAP just to get it over with and begin the healing process.

Here is a website recommended to me by my doctor (he didn''t realize that my babies were too old for it already) and he said that all the Neonatologists use it as it''s pretty accurate. Might help you make some choices if you know the information needed to calculate the odds:

http://www.nichd.nih.gov/about/org/cdbpm/pp/prog_epbo/epbo_case.cfm
 
Thanks for your feedback everyone. I definitely am NOT inclined toward inducing AT ALL, but would do so if my life or even my reproductive capacity were seriously threatened AND the cubs' chances were slim.

I don't really understand why they suggested this either, although the doctor said that, since the cervix is open, the uterus is prone to infection from hoo-ha bacteria. But surely when and if that happened, we could go from there instead of jumping the gun. And that would hardly put my life at risk would it? Well, I'll ask all these questions tomorrow.

I guess I haven't been worrying about that possibility too much because it seems far-fetched to me that we're going to get that far. After all, I was fully effaced and 1.5cm dilated last Friday, and I've been steadily and strongly contracting regularly since then. I'm guessing that at the check-up tomorrow, we'll be heading over to L&D, or shortly thereafter. The head doc said from his 22 years of experience, he'd be VERY surprised if I went more than a week or two from last Friday.

As T'Gal indicates, losing a baby at 21 or 22 weeks is pretty awful, but I'm sure it's nowhere remotely near as awful as losing a child, and that's got to change your perspective.

At this point, I'd give a limb (or uterus) if it meant the cubs would live, but I probably wouldn't give a limb if it meant the cubs had a 5% chance of living.

No doubt that would change if they were children, and not fetuses.

NF, I've seen that not-very-cheerful study.
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Date: 10/14/2008 12:51:19 PM
Author: TravelingGal

Date: 10/14/2008 12:31:57 PM
Author: Independent Gal


Question: if the doctors say (as they said warned me they would say next Friday if nothing had happened yet) that the risk of infection and problems is getting high, would you let them induce, if you were in my shoes? The thought wrecks me. But DH is also getting worried. I think they freaked him out that something might happen to me too. But really, is that realistic? I guess I just don''t know. I''ll ask more questions tomorrow. It seems implausible that, given the continued organized contractions, I wouldn''t be in labor sometime in the next week or so.

21 weeks today.



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Tough one IG.

Maybe it''s because I feel invicible...or maybe it''s because I believe in miracles, but I am not sure I could get myself to have them induce. On the other hand, I am not alone - I have a husband who loves me and in a situation like this his most urgent worry would be not to lose me too. If he strongly wanted me to induce, I could be persuaded to hold his hand, close my eyes and go through with it. But there would always be a what if in my mind.

I keep remembering the story I read not long ago where a journalist''s son was born at 25 weeks and survived. Part of me just keeps praying for those cubs to hang on for 4 more weeks.
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Hugs to you.
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I believe in miracles too TG. I don''t think I could go for induction. I would rather wait it out. If those babies stand a chance it should be grabbed with both hands.

I also wonder why there is a risk of infection of the water bag hasn''t ruptured. They are in their own little safe place just now aren''t they?
 
Date: 10/14/2008 3:10:49 PM
Author: Independent Gal

NF, I''ve seen that not-very-cheerful study.
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Yeah...thought you probably had
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hey everyone,

hope you all are doing well and progressing nicely.

indy, thanks for checking in from time to time, we all really are so concerned about you and have you in our thoughts.

lisa, olivia is purely edible...the pictures are SO cute!

dd i agree that we should try to move the thread along and in that spirit i've added my first ever belly shot...yikes! here's me in all my belly glory in my 26th week. enjoy!

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indy - I second what all the smarties here have said about finding out the stats and then and only then thinking about inducing.

in the spirit of "finding the joy", I''m 8.5 weeks and def feeling "something" going on in there. I guess the only word I can think to use is ''fluttering'' from the inside. It''s neat. What''s even COOLER is DH and I both feel "energy" when we put our hands on my belly. Like undeniable, radiating energy. It''s WILD. Being in tune with these little joys makes waiting three more weeks till my first u/s bearable.

In unrelated news, No word from Jen today (or kay...). I wonder if we''ll be meeting Jen''s twins soon?
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