No, not my client... me! I'm 24 weeks pregnant and have had some mild cramping for 2 weeks. I had braxton-hicks type contractions with my other 2 kids beginning about 4 months, but they never changed my cervix. I had a really bad feeling when this began though, and put myself on partial bedrest which really really worked! But yesterday (24 weeks 4 days) I contracted all day, some even painful. Then just before bed, I noticed yellowish mucus. I emailed my midwife (I'm a homebirther) right away. She emailed this morning saying to come in immediately. I then noticed more contractions and more mucus before leaving. The midwife did the test to determine if delivery will happen in the next 2 weeks which came back negative. She also did a urinalisis (sp?). They put me on a moniter and I had no ctx during that time (yay!). She checked me and found that I was somewhat dilated and my cervix was thinning out. I am being sent for an ultrasound tomorrow to measure the length of my cervix. At my 17 week ultrasound, my cervix was 3.3 cm long, so they want to see if it is thinner than it was. She said I may just have a naturally thin cervix. Weird.
I am sooooo thankful that my last doula client before my leave delivered yesterday. She had a cesarean due to breech and because of the hospital, she opted to have me not come since I wouldn't have been allowed in or in recovery.
So I am on complete bedrest right now until the midwife is certain that things will not be progressing. Does anyone have any experience being on bedrest... with a 4 year old and a 2 year old? I'm worried. Thank you!
Wow! I'm sure there are a lot of things running through your mind right now and probably a lot of emotion, too. Other than allowing your kiddos to spend lots of time watching kid movies, you could set up colouring/playdough on the coffee table and lie on the couch while they play... you could set up play centres in the living room to keep them centralized... you could have a lot of little snack bags made up so they can grab one when they're hungry...lots of reading stories together...
Obviously if you have a neighbor or family that can check in with your regularly to help out with your needs, and hiring someone to do the cleaning laundry could be helpful too.
I'm sorry you're having to deal with this!
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I just found your post and I want to let you kinow I do know how you feel. I have 5 children and while pregnant with my 5th. (he is now 3 1/2) I was put on bedrest due to bleeding and contracting. I was exactly 23 weeks 4 days and after the ultra sound they found that I had vasa previa and velimentis (sp) cord insertion. So I remained on bedrest for 11 weeks! My other children were 15, 10, 5 and 3. So it was really a challange. My older kids were awsome....they played lots of games, bingo was a favorite. We would play them on my bed together alot. Lots of reading together. We went through pictures and put them in ablums, we organized our favorite recipes into binders. We made lots of christmas presents...I was on bedrest from October until the end of december, Aidan was born on 1/2/04 . Please feel free to pm me if you need to I would be glad to talk to you. I hope all is well and I hope this helps you.
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Marybeth
Doula, Chilbirth Educator (CAPPA) almost done with my certifacation, Student Midwife , Mommy to 5 boys.....19, 13, 8, 6, and 3..
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I'm so sorry you are going through this. I will keep you and that little one in my prayers. 4 and 2 years old is tough but play doh is always a hit here and so is coloring. Maybe they can give you A LOT of fashion shows with their dressup clothes-my girls love that. If I think of anything else I will post it. Rest and take care of yourself.
I was on bedrest at 24 weeks with my son and I had a three year old and a 1 year old at the time. Do you have someone that can come and stay with you to help you with the care of the kids. Have freinds and family make meals and put them in the freezer so you aren't up preparing meals. Have someone come and clean for you, grocery shop and run errands. The less you do the better your outcome. Have family and freinds bring over games and videos for the kids so it is easier to keep them in the same room with you. Bring their favorite toys and pillows and blanket into the living room with you so you can let them nap there and you arent having to get up and down for stuff like that.
I know some things that helped me when I would start to contract would be to lay on my left side, take a warm bath and relax. Try to lay down as much as possible rather than sitting up. Anything that keeps the baby off of the cervix. That is what I learned from my situation. My midwife put me on total bedrest with bathroom privileges only, meaning I could only get up to use the bathroom. She told me not to even stand long enough to take a shower.
Please keep us updated
__________________ Wife to John married now for 7 years. MOM to Charity 20, Ashley 17, Brandon, 16. Stepmom to Amber 11, and John 9. Proud Grandma to Austin 3 and new grandson Oliver born Sept 2nd Working on Doula certificaton Working on CBE certification
Thank you all!
Here is the update! I am almost 30 weeks now. I have been on bedrest for what seems like forever! I am fortunately allowed more than just potty privileges; I can even get up and go to church if I feel good enough! I have had friends come to help about 2 days a week, which has been a lifesaver. They cook, clean, do my laundry and dishes and help with the kids. I have had to get up more than I should recently to parent when I have no help.
My ctx have slowed down a little and I don't feel as much pressure on the cervix as previously. At my midwife appt 3 weeks ago, there had been no further dilation or effacement (still at 50%) but baby was super low. Still is. I'm doing lots of knee-chest stuff to get her off the cervix. I'm also seeing a chiropractor who has had good luck stopping preterm labor. It seems to be helping. My ctx these days almost appear to be more like braxton-hicks... but it's been a couple of years so it's hard to remember!
The midwife will check my cervix again in a couple of days at my 30 week appt. At that point, if I haven't progressed further, I will be allowed a lot more freedom.
Thank you all so much for the suggestions and encouragement! It means a lot to me!
I'll keep you posted!
Does anyone have any experience being on bedrest... with a 4 year old and a 2 year old? I'm worried. Thank you!
Those were the exact ages of my kiddos when I was put on bedrest with Josh. I was expecting it, but that didn't make it any easier! I had the same experience in all 3 of my pregnancies, starting at 23w, 24w, and 26ishw, respectively.
All I can say is make sure you've got computer access to feed your addiction (it's okay...we're all junkies! ), some good, positive books, and t.v./movies to keep you busy. Are you alone with the kids? GET HELP! Mine were really good...shockingly....but after a few hours alone together with no breaks, we all sort of wanted to "off" each other, if you KWIM Plus, they watched a lot of movies because I couldn't take them outside or even in the car, so they were ready to and go from being locked in the house with me. Also, make sure you're snacking on healthy stuff...junk food is convenient and tasty, but, after a day or two of it, you'll feel like crap. Being in bed all the time really saps your energy and not eating healthy just adds to it.
I have not read the other posts yet (my kids are being terrible...time to go be a mom a now! ...) but I'm sure there are lots of other great suggestions. Hang in there! We're thinking and ing for you!
ETA: Just read your update Glad things are looking better....do you have info on the u/s or dilation?
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i just went through kind of a similar thing. my cervix has been really soft this whole pregnancy. a while ago i totally lost my mucus plug and when i checked my cervix to see what was going on, i was at leas 3 ch dilated and my cervix felt like a wilted morning glory. i was feeling "heaviness" but not contractions as far as i could tell. my midwife was afraid i was silently dilating so she had me drink some wine and lay down. later when she checked me, my cervix had tightened up a bit but i was still 70% effaced. since my internal os was still relatively firm she put me on lax bedrest - i can be up around the house but no lifting over 10 lbs and no sex.
here's where it gets exciting: my midwife referred me to a good naturopath. she gave me a homeopathic constitutional remedy which seems to be quite effective. i am also taking black haw tincture 2x daily and have false unicorn root tincture on hand if my cervix starts acting up again. last time i felt my cervix it was firmer than it has been this whole pregnancy and i could even feel a very firm ridge at my external os, which had previously felt very wilted.
if you can see a good naturopath and get some black haw and false unicorn tinctures (available at New Seasons, Whole Foods, local herb shops, local midwives or from the naturopath) then that might be a great aid to your pregnancy and hopefully get you off bedrest. feel free to pm me if you have any questions about it. best wishes!
The midwife did the test to determine if delivery will happen in the next 2 weeks which came back negative.
Umm, what test is this?? Illuminate me!
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B'earth Angel the absentee doula "He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetuate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it."
It's called the Fetal Fibronectin Test. I don't know exactly how it works, but 95% of the time or so, it is supposed to accurately determine whether delivery will be in the next 2 weeks. I think it's based on hormones released just before birth.
I have been getting some whopper contractions- 90+ seconds long and getting painful- in the last couple weeks. They are clearly more than braxton-hicks, but I don't know if they are changing the cervix at all. I'm 32.5 weeks. I'm so thankful thatI just have to hang on 4.5 more weeks before I can have my homebirth! Yay!
Now I'm also waiting on the results of a bile acid test to see if my liver is functioning properly. I got sick to my stomach and then started itching badly a week or so ago. I am praying that it's just dry, stretching skin. Scary.
Thanks for all of your advice and encouragement!
I'm so sorry you are going through this. I will keep you and that little one in my prayers. 4 and 2 years old is tough but play doh is always a hit here and so is coloring. Maybe they can give you A LOT of fashion shows with their dressup clothes-my girls love that. If I think of anything else I will post it. Rest and take care of yourself. 
Quote:
I had the same experience in all 3 of my pregnancies, starting at 23w, 24w, and 26ishw, respectively. 
), some good, positive books, and t.v./movies to keep you busy. Are you alone with the kids? GET HELP! Mine were really good...shockingly....but after a few hours alone together with no breaks, we all sort of wanted to "off" each other, if you KWIM 
Plus, they watched a lot of movies because I couldn't take them outside or even in the car, so they were ready to 
and go 
from being locked in the house with me. Also, make sure you're snacking on healthy stuff...junk food is convenient and tasty, but, after a day or two of it, you'll feel like crap. Being in bed all the time really saps your energy and not eating healthy just adds to it.
...
ing for you! 
Glad things are looking better....do you have info on the u/s or dilation?
this gave me a chuckle!
Illuminate me! 
childbirth instructor 
