Re: new here-BU @ 31 weeks (to Lori)

December 7, 2004

Hi Lori -

Congrats on making it to 31 weeks. You are in the home-stretch now!

My name is Jen and I'm also BU and had no problems at all in my pregnancy until

I got to 34 weeks. My daughter was also on my right side so I can completely

relate to feeling lopsided! My labor & delivery were very frightening but my

daughter

Emma Rose is perfectly healthy and almost 2 now. Time flies but the memory of my

birth

experience is still fresh in my mind.

I bled, I think the placenta tore, uterus contracted and she came within a few

hours. I was

lucky to be home and minutes from my hospital and NICU. I had a vaginal birth

with no

drugs (no time, it wasn't by choice) but a retained placenta. So that had to be

removed

surgically after my daughter was born and she was sent to the NICU. After

examination

though they found nothing wrong with the placenta, it was just deep inside me

due to the

shape of the uterus.

I know that sounds scary but we are a success story and I'm actually considering

being

an AMBASSADOR FAMILY (spokesperson) for the March Of DImes in 2005. Emma was

born

weighing 3 lbs/11 oz and spent just ten days in the NICU. She didn't need

breathing

assistance and was only in an incubator for 5 days/ 5 days open crib. I was

nursing her the

next day. She was discharged weighing 3 lbs/13 oz and reached all her milestones

(crawling, walking, talking) as if she were born on her birthday without having

to adjust

her age.

Looking back I should have insisted on being seen more often in those last few

weeks of

my preg.but I wasn't really treated as high-risk. There was just a note in my

chart " MA -

either SU or BU " and I think if I get pregnant again I will insist on more

ultrasounds, a peri

consult and really taking it easy.

My advice would be to take advantage of all that extra care, have them check for

IUGR and do frequent cervix checks. Also, if you feel contractions or have any

bleeding,

even slight, don't be afraid to speak up.

If you have any additional questions just let me know!

Jen D

35

BU

1 dd Emma Rose 12/29/02

>

> Hi there! I was lucky enough to have my BU diagnosed well before I

> even tried to get pregnant. 10 years ago when they first discovered

> it, they really discouraged me from trying to have children at all.

> I am now 34YO and have been seeing a wonderful specialist. He put

> me on modified bedrest from the beginning of the pg, which has

> worked really well so far... I have had few complications, and am at

> 31 weeks now. It has been very scary though, and we have had a ton

> of ultrasounds. I know that we have a very high risk of pre-term

> labor, and was curious to know what other people with BU have

> experienced. My uterus in on the extreme end of this anomaly... the

> dip in the middle of my uterus extends all of the way down the

> middle and actually protrudes into my cervix (almost like having two

> 1/2 size uterus'). The baby (a boy :-) is in the right horn. I am

> actually getting to be quite lop-sided at this point in my pg. and

> it is really noticeable when I am laying down flat. Any stories

> about pre-term labor and what to expect would sure be appreciated.

> It is really hard to relate to my pg. friends who don't face any

> complications. Thanks!

> Lori

December 8, 2004

Hi Jen,

Thanks so much for your response to my post. I actually felt very encouraged

after reading your note, and read it to my husband as well. Because of the

severity of the " dip " in my uterus, my specialist has said that I need to have a

c-section. I am fine with that, and am just amazed to have made it this far! I

am curious Jen, and feel free not to answer if this is too personal, did you

decide not to have anymore children? We have it pretty set in our minds that we

won't try again if this little one arrives safe and sound. I am not complaining

b/c I realize how lucky I am to have made it this far, but it has been a really

LONG haul being on modified bedrest for 8 months. I know it sounds easy, but I

am usually such an active person and I had to take a medical leave from my job.

We have also had our share of " scares " throughout this journey which have turned

out fine, but have added to the stress. It has felt like I've been on an

emotional roller coaster- especially as the baby gets closer and closer to

becoming a reality, because I can't imagine how I would handle it if things

didn't work out now (we don't really usually even go there- too upsetting). Re:

having another baby, I don't know how I would stay on bedrest and look after

another little one, either. Plus I feel that with my age creeping up on me, and

all of the complications of BU, we just don't know if trying again would be the

right choice for us. We really feel that we would be so blessed just to have

one happy, healthy baby.

I'm going for a detailed ultrasound on the 15th to check the growth of the baby

and to make sure that he is developing well within his percentile range. I have

had around 20 scans so far in this pg., and they have checked my cervix at every

single one. We had a few scares earlier on when I went to a less competent

hospital and they misread the length of my cervix (it is hard to read b/c my

" dip " protrudes right into the top of my cervix, making it look like there are

two cervixes from certain angles). They were ready to do a cerclage and

everything, and when I had my cervix checked at BC Women's hospital, they found

that it was completely fine.

Did you have any symptoms prior to going into labor? The hospital that I'm

going to give birth in is around 1/2 hour away, so I'm nervous about getting

there (and the winter weather is making me even more nervous). We don't

normally get a lot of snow, but it has snowed twice already this year (not alot,

but enough), and the road between here and the hospital can be a treacherous

one. I'm also curious to know if you had any pain in your vaginal region toward

the end (sorry if TMI). I find that I get a really uncomfortable kind of

cramping feeling " down there, " particularly when I walk around. I asked my

specialist about it last week, and he said something about nerve endings and all

of the pressure on that region. He said my cervix looks fine, so not to worry,

but it does seem to be getting worse-- more frequent and even when I'm sitting.

Going to the bathroom doesn't seem to make a difference. Maybe it's just part

of pregnancy, but it's all new to me.

Thanks again for your response! I would love to hear from you again. Lori

Re: new here-BU @ 31 weeks (to Lori)

Hi Lori -

Congrats on making it to 31 weeks. You are in the home-stretch now!

My name is Jen and I'm also BU and had no problems at all in my pregnancy

until

I got to 34 weeks. My daughter was also on my right side so I can completely

relate to feeling lopsided! My labor & delivery were very frightening but my

daughter

Emma Rose is perfectly healthy and almost 2 now. Time flies but the memory of

my birth

experience is still fresh in my mind.

I bled, I think the placenta tore, uterus contracted and she came within a few

hours. I was

lucky to be home and minutes from my hospital and NICU. I had a vaginal birth

with no

drugs (no time, it wasn't by choice) but a retained placenta. So that had to

be removed

surgically after my daughter was born and she was sent to the NICU. After

examination

though they found nothing wrong with the placenta, it was just deep inside me

due to the

shape of the uterus.

I know that sounds scary but we are a success story and I'm actually

considering being

an AMBASSADOR FAMILY (spokesperson) for the March Of DImes in 2005. Emma was

born

weighing 3 lbs/11 oz and spent just ten days in the NICU. She didn't need

breathing

assistance and was only in an incubator for 5 days/ 5 days open crib. I was

nursing her the

next day. She was discharged weighing 3 lbs/13 oz and reached all her

milestones

(crawling, walking, talking) as if she were born on her birthday without

having to adjust

her age.

Looking back I should have insisted on being seen more often in those last few

weeks of

my preg.but I wasn't really treated as high-risk. There was just a note in my

chart " MA -

either SU or BU " and I think if I get pregnant again I will insist on more

ultrasounds, a peri

consult and really taking it easy.

My advice would be to take advantage of all that extra care, have them check

for