Incompetent Cervic

I am in my own office so I think the camping matress&pillow at lunch is totally doable! anything for our babies hey!

he is the one who performed the Llets procedure and he did say he will use the McDonald Stitch on me, guess he has his reasons, I trust him.

But like I said hubby and I will take lot of precaution to not put too much pressure on the cervix.

I'm also in an office job, so sitting in front of the computer all day, only getting up to make tea/lunch and use the loo. What i also did (not sure if you're in a shared office or private office) was i took a pillow to work, and a rolled up camping mattress, and during my lunch hour (not every day, but on occasion) i actually lay down on the floor for the hour.

It sounds like you have a good plan in place. I do think spending as much time horizontal as possible does help. He doesn't seem to think it's all that necessary but i really do feel it helps take the pressure off the cervix and therefore must help in some way.

Given that you've had the lletz procedure i wonder if he will also do a mcdonald suture for you or if he'll do the shirodkar. He will know which is best. The mcdonald is placed slightly lower down and i think is easier to do, but the shirodkar is often a bit stronger though due to being placed slightly higher does carry slightly higher risks with putting it in (more chance of accidentally knicking the amniotic sac). He is very good at surgery though (surgery is his passion) so I'm sure he will do whichever one he feels is best for your situation and he will do a good job. He was very funny after he did mine because he kept commenting on what a great job he'd done with it LoL.

thanks for that Huggles, you are right one needs to take it one week at a time. In addition to my loss I have had a Llets procedure where they cut of a little bit of your cervix due to abnormal pap smear results. so Dr Truter said I will definitely need the stitch based on those grounds.

Me and him did chat quite a bit on what will happen in my next pregnancy and like you he did not sound too pro complete bed rest but because I will have to continue to work during my pregnancy my husband and I decided that we will do modified bed rest, like when I come back from work I must go straight to bed, no standing while cooking, no gym, no walks etc just to make sure we assist the stitch, and luckily my job is not strenuous, I sit all day and get up for tea breaks and loo trips so I am kind of covered.

So really if I am pregnant right now I need to use those weekly milestones to get though the pregnancy and just to take it easy. I believe Dr Truter is a good Doctor and hopefully I will give birth to a healthy baby albeit maybe not full term. will keep you posted on my journey.

Having to leave your baby in hospital is a terrifying thought.

He did say to me, as well, that even though I have the stitch there is always still a possibility my waters will break or i'll go into labour pre-term. And that is what happened in the end. I was due to have the stitch removed at exactly 37 weeks, and at 36w2d my waters broke and i went into labour. I went straight to hospital, he met me there, and cut the knot of the stitch (he couldn't reach the stitch well enough to remove it completely as i was already in labour so he just cut it to make sure it wouldn't damage my cervix). I immediatley went to 3cm dilated. My son was born 7 hours later (natural birth).

I have heard a lot of success stories from people that have had cervical cerclages. I really do think if the cause of the previous loss truly was due to an incompetent cervix then a stitch really does help. Even if just to get you almost to the end.

He didn't put any kind of restrictions on me, like bed rest etc, but I myself decided absolutely no heavy lifting (i even got hubby to bring in the groceries etc), and i tried to lie down whenever possible. I do believe things like that help. No bathing or swimming (the run the risk of infection) and no excercise. No long walks etc.

And then just take it one week at a time, make small goals for yourself. For me, i was desperate to get to at least 26 weeks, because i knew then my baby stood a decent chance of survival. My next goal was 28 weeks, because then survival is almost guaranteed. Then i wanted 32 weeks because that is a major and very significant milestone in pregnancy, and means the risks of serious long-term complications is drastically lowered. And then i wanted 34 weeks because by then you're almost guaranteed no serious complications. And then i wantd 36 weeks because i my mind that was as good as full term.

Having those small goals really helped me.

Thanks for reply Huggles. The thing is I did ask Dr Truter if I will be able to carry full term considering the incompetent cervix and he said there is a v high risk of prem baby and he said he can't do anything to change that. I guess as long as one can take the baby home after 3 days as per normal then there is really nothing to worry about. The thought of giving birth to a baby then having to leave your baby in hospital absolutely terrifies me

He was technically referred to as a premie, because anything before 37 weeks is a premie. But I still took him home 3 days after the birth, when i was discharged. He had "transient wet lungs" when he was born, which means he had a little bit of fluid on his lungs that he was struggling to clear, but they gave him oxygen for 40 min and after that he was totally fine. They requested to keep him in the incubator for longish periods as they said he was struggling to maintain his body temp, but I don't personally feel that was all that necessary (like i think if they turned the room temp up to a normal temperature rather than the sub-zero temps they seemed insistant to keep it on, and if he was against me skin to skin covered with a blanket i actually personally feel he would have been fine).

The wet lungs though, my friend's baby was born at 38 (or maybe 39?) weeks via c-section and had the same thing so i do think it's fairly common. Was easily and quickly solved with a bit of oxygen though.

wow that is very comforting Huggles!!! I am hoping my next pregnancy I can make it that far. Is the baby considered a premmie at 36 weeks? Like could you go home with your baby immediately when you were discharged?

I am a day late with my period and I am kind of excited, will take the pregnancy test over the weekend if the periods still haven't arrived.

And then the journey will begin.