Finally an update, you say! Sorry, I say!
I’ve officially hit 21 weeks, only 3 more until viability, but my day has been rather interesting.
I had my ultrasound and check up with the OB today and learnt some interesting news. Good new is my cervix length is unchanged! Actually this is fantastic news. However, bad news is that my cervical stitch is in wrong and doing nothing what-so-ever to hold my cervix closed. They thought it might have torn through due to my coughing all week, but I told them how I had been confused about the stitch at the Morphology scan so they looked at the pictures and it looks exactly the same which means it was probably put in wrong.
I could choose to get upset by this. To focus on the fact that going through all of that (hospital stay, pain, restrictions etc) was for nothing. But I think being a seasoned professional in the “nothing ever goes to plan” and “there’s always something” department I have learnt to accentuate my optimism. My cervix length hasn’t changed! I could very well have gone in today to find the cerclage in wrong AND shortening which would have been 50 times more stressful with all the what ifs. But despite the fact the stitch has done squat all, my cervix has held strong!
The doctor was still worried I had been getting pain as it really shouldn’t cause pain, as well as my continuing Bracton Hicks contractions, so I am now on weekly appointents and ultrasounds.
I have come home with a weird sense of peace though. I had prepared myself for the possibility that they would find shortening and stick me in hospital. Being put in unexpectedly when I was pregnant with Allegra, I knew preparing myself would make it a whole lot easier. But its not just the relief of actually coming home, it’s also the sense that things are back on the same train line my expectations of the pregnancy were on.
Firstly, making 24 weeks (viability) is no longer a hope or goal, quite the opposite, its only 3 weeks away and looking mighty likely to arrive with Theoden still on the inside!
Secondly, I expected to cruise along with a fairly uneventful pregnancy and then something get picked up down the line and I get put in hospital to chill out there until he decides its time to arrive. Whenever that may be. I never expected to have shortening, the need for a stitch and the possibilty of getting put in hospital at 21 weeks. I always reminded myself and everyone else that “every pregnancy is different” and “you just never know what’s going to happen”, but I still never expected it.
Now I feel like things are back on track. I will go on like normal enjoying my family of 3.5 (whilst being sensible and not pushing myself) and each Monday I will head on in to get an ultrasound and appointment with an open mind.
With Allegra I had what’s called dynamic change in my cervical length. They did pick up a small amount of shortening, but then 24 hours later it had quartered in length. Then it took 2.5 weeks watching it slowly shorten and shorten and then dialating, with birth soon after. So basically what that means is although when my uterus decides its had enough it might warn us by each week going in and seeing it slightly shorter than the last week, its more likely ill go in one week and the length is all but gone (and then I would get put in hospital).
So each monday will be a day to wake up, put my optomistic hat on and say “What is today going to hold?”.
My cup is full right now, full of optomism, joy and faith — no more room for anxiety and stress, it can trot on off!
Now here is a photo of my 21 week bump for those bump photo fans out there 🙂
Micro Miracle Mum 