image from Google images - 30 weeks development w/ anterior placenta placement
Well, today I got to see my boy! It was a neat surprise, but I was so glad to have the opportunity to see him AND be listened to so nicely by my midwife to some concerns I had that lead to me seeing him on ultrasound today. He's looking so beautiful, even in the usual black and white images! What. a. gift.
I had been noticing that lately I don't feel him move much - just like his sisters were so quiet inside. I had such "quiet" pregnancies with them. Hubby barely ever gets to feel them move, including this boy. Of course, the books tell you they "slow down" in the womb the last few weeks, etc - and my girls never seemed to move much (Back-stories - Lovely came after my water broke at 38 weeks - I was induced as my body would not go into labor. It all went well, aside from some breathing issues with her - one night in Special Care helped her. Then, Valiant was sorta induced because of "barely moving drama" at 40 weeks 1 day - I went into labor with her in the hospital being prepped for pitocin to get labor going because when I reported she was barely moving - but with a "that's normal, right? All the books say so and her sister never moved!" they gave me a NST and I failed that, and we had an ultrasound and they apparently look for 10 things to see if a baby is healthy and she failed all 10 so it was time to get her out - all because my placenta was shutting down, I was low in my fluid - etc. Blessedly, she was born fine, but when I delivered my placenta, it was gray and lifeless - we got her out just in time!) but I learned with little Val that apparently it IS hard to tell the difference between normal light movements and fetal distress and one should bring it up.
So, going back to this boy - basically with him I still only feel the occasional flutter, or roll, or poke - and a dull one at that. Hubby barely gets to enjoy any movements. I don't have the jabs, etc that other moms complain about. I've been having dreams of knots in cords, etc (in our neighborhood and in our town we've known of 2 fetal cord deaths before 40 weeks and it has been weighing on me) and while I know our kids have all been quiet in utero - the whole "Val birth experience" affects me, and I decided to bring it up today at my appt while risking me looking over protective or over concerned.
My midwife was SO nice today and said it was a legit concern that I barely feel anything and with Val's birth issues, it was worth us watching him more carefully these last few weeks. She took me right back to the ultrasound room and I got to see him for a bit (no pics - sorry!). He's head down...for now. He's a cutie!!!
My fluids look great, and he looks very healthy. He was really quiet though - she had to jab him a lot. She agreed that maybe we make calm kids lol (well, they seem calm till age 4 HAHA) but when he did make some big movements, I still barely felt them. She did some more checking and discovered my placenta is large and "anterior" meaning it is attached to the FRONT of my stomach and he is behind it, and the placenta is acting like a cushion/pillow and masking all his major movements most moms complain about lol. The google image above shows this position.
She said maybe this is how it was with Val too and maybe even Lovely, but that doesn't explain how it shuts down, my fluid drops, the baby gets distressed etc. as it did with Val at 40 weeks and leading up to 40 weeks with the lack of movement. So....because of Valiant, they'll check me and my fluid levels and movements at my now standard every 2 weeks visit (wow! I'm going every 2 weeks now? hehe!) and I'm having a full imaging scan at 34 weeks and probably week 38-39 in their radiology dept. for movement, fluid levels, placenta viability, etc to make sure I'm not having a scary delivery again.
I feel so well taken care of, and I'm glad I mentioned my worries. I was worried I'd seem like a over protective/worried mom bringing this up, etc. My midwife was so generous in listening to me and really made me feel like I was being pro-active and was glad to know this medical background of Val's birth.
And bonus ~ with all these checks - I'll get to see him more before birth! COOL!
So....that was my morning...he looks so big in there - perfect little head too, so well defined compared to 20 weeks! He looked like he was fattening up nicely too. He could end up being my biggest baby!
I'm getting so excited! I pray God grants us a safe delivery and a chance to get to know him for a long time. I do have those fears of the opposite happening...you know? I'm sure things will be great!
** Oh - to add - when we discovered Val's issues and the need to deliver immediately, the midwife was stern in asking me why I did not report the lack of movements sooner, since they had been less and less. I told her it was because of what I read, and I'm not an alarmist - but I did learn my lesson that even if the books say something, trust your gut OR bring up what you feel (or describe in greater detail - like - "I feel her move, but it isn't all the time...") to help your care provider help you. Books are not always correct! DUH on me!***
I had been noticing that lately I don't feel him move much - just like his sisters were so quiet inside. I had such "quiet" pregnancies with them. Hubby barely ever gets to feel them move, including this boy. Of course, the books tell you they "slow down" in the womb the last few weeks, etc - and my girls never seemed to move much (Back-stories - Lovely came after my water broke at 38 weeks - I was induced as my body would not go into labor. It all went well, aside from some breathing issues with her - one night in Special Care helped her. Then, Valiant was sorta induced because of "barely moving drama" at 40 weeks 1 day - I went into labor with her in the hospital being prepped for pitocin to get labor going because when I reported she was barely moving - but with a "that's normal, right? All the books say so and her sister never moved!" they gave me a NST and I failed that, and we had an ultrasound and they apparently look for 10 things to see if a baby is healthy and she failed all 10 so it was time to get her out - all because my placenta was shutting down, I was low in my fluid - etc. Blessedly, she was born fine, but when I delivered my placenta, it was gray and lifeless - we got her out just in time!) but I learned with little Val that apparently it IS hard to tell the difference between normal light movements and fetal distress and one should bring it up.
So, going back to this boy - basically with him I still only feel the occasional flutter, or roll, or poke - and a dull one at that. Hubby barely gets to enjoy any movements. I don't have the jabs, etc that other moms complain about. I've been having dreams of knots in cords, etc (in our neighborhood and in our town we've known of 2 fetal cord deaths before 40 weeks and it has been weighing on me) and while I know our kids have all been quiet in utero - the whole "Val birth experience" affects me, and I decided to bring it up today at my appt while risking me looking over protective or over concerned.
My midwife was SO nice today and said it was a legit concern that I barely feel anything and with Val's birth issues, it was worth us watching him more carefully these last few weeks. She took me right back to the ultrasound room and I got to see him for a bit (no pics - sorry!). He's head down...for now. He's a cutie!!!
My fluids look great, and he looks very healthy. He was really quiet though - she had to jab him a lot. She agreed that maybe we make calm kids lol (well, they seem calm till age 4 HAHA) but when he did make some big movements, I still barely felt them. She did some more checking and discovered my placenta is large and "anterior" meaning it is attached to the FRONT of my stomach and he is behind it, and the placenta is acting like a cushion/pillow and masking all his major movements most moms complain about lol. The google image above shows this position.
She said maybe this is how it was with Val too and maybe even Lovely, but that doesn't explain how it shuts down, my fluid drops, the baby gets distressed etc. as it did with Val at 40 weeks and leading up to 40 weeks with the lack of movement. So....because of Valiant, they'll check me and my fluid levels and movements at my now standard every 2 weeks visit (wow! I'm going every 2 weeks now? hehe!) and I'm having a full imaging scan at 34 weeks and probably week 38-39 in their radiology dept. for movement, fluid levels, placenta viability, etc to make sure I'm not having a scary delivery again.
I feel so well taken care of, and I'm glad I mentioned my worries. I was worried I'd seem like a over protective/worried mom bringing this up, etc. My midwife was so generous in listening to me and really made me feel like I was being pro-active and was glad to know this medical background of Val's birth.
And bonus ~ with all these checks - I'll get to see him more before birth! COOL!
So....that was my morning...he looks so big in there - perfect little head too, so well defined compared to 20 weeks! He looked like he was fattening up nicely too. He could end up being my biggest baby!
I'm getting so excited! I pray God grants us a safe delivery and a chance to get to know him for a long time. I do have those fears of the opposite happening...you know? I'm sure things will be great!
** Oh - to add - when we discovered Val's issues and the need to deliver immediately, the midwife was stern in asking me why I did not report the lack of movements sooner, since they had been less and less. I told her it was because of what I read, and I'm not an alarmist - but I did learn my lesson that even if the books say something, trust your gut OR bring up what you feel (or describe in greater detail - like - "I feel her move, but it isn't all the time...") to help your care provider help you. Books are not always correct! DUH on me!***
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Glad all is well. Can't wait to meet him!
ReplyDeleteMy third also had an anterior placenta, I didn't feel her at all until much later in the pregnancy. She was also Posterier at the end which was different than my other 2 and changes where you feel the kicks. And she was also born with the cord around her neck. So she was a bundle of surprises. :)
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that everything is well, it is always good to trust your instincts, and so so wonderful when your careprovider takes your instincts seriously!
Good to hear that all is well. Both of my girls were super active. I hardly got a break from getting kicked, poked and prodded. To get them to move for my husband, I would put things like remotes or cold drinks on my belly so the baby would kick at it. It was our way of playing with the baby.
ReplyDeleteKaren's comment might be something to consider - try different things more on the side to get Son to react so Hubby can feel it.
ReplyDelete