Spotting

[weesej]

A little backgound. I am pregnant for the 5th time. I lost my first baby Dominic at 13.5 weeks, #2 is Colin 3 years, #3 is Cass 2 years, lost #4 as a blighted ovum at 11 weeks named Ember, am now pregnant due in late October.

I have been spotting off and on since 4 weeks, I am now 14. It is driving me crazy. I was totally sure I was going to miscarry until I began to hear the heartbeat 3 weeks ago. I am now feeling little movements, what a blessing. I still feel so ambivalent towards this pregnancy. I spotted over the weekend again. I just feel so uncertain. The only pregnancies I have bled in I lost, so even though this can be normal and I will have a baby in the fall, I feel so unsure:confused: Just need to beef and get support rather than more worry.

[finn]

I also am due in late october and have been spotting brown off and on since week no. 6. I've had 4 ultrasounds and everything looks fine according to my ob. They did see some old blood on the ultrasound around the placenta which they say could have been from implantation. Every time they put the ultrasound probe into my vagina it comes out clean. The ob said once the spotting is brown it's lost it's hemoglobin and it's old blood. It is scary but I have been reassuring myself that I am past the stage that I miscarried on my second pregnancy (9 weeks) and my instincts tell me that this little baby will make it.

Also I'm considered high risk because I had really high blood pressure on my first pregnancy so my ob is really keeping a close eye on me. Maybe you could ask to see your ob more requently to keep a closer eye on you, I have found it reassuring. Good luck!

Mother of 3 year old boy

[Jacque Savageau]

Jen, after a loss we always have fear. Bleeding does escilate that.

Every person and every pregnancy is different, so there is hope here. I bleed through 2 pregnancies. One the baby was stillborn at 38 weeks, the other, the baby was born perfect and is now my 8 year old son.

As a midwife apprentice, I'm sure you know of all the many causes of bleeding during pregnancy. However, it's now happening to you. Is the bleeding bright red or dark like finn?

Dark blood is usually ok. It means the blood is not fresh and has been there for quit some time. Bright colored blood is more of a concern and should be monitored carefully by you. Evaluate how your feeling physically and if the bleeding frightenes you, or you just don't feel right, seek some answers.

Finn, I'm so sorry that you too are going through this. Please feel free to post more and ask for support.

I'll be thinking of both of you.

[tlc4tots]

When I was pregnant after 2 miscarriages. I sent an e-mail to everyone I knew asking them to pray for our baby. I wanted the baby to feel the love and be welcomed to the world. I don't believe that distancing yourself from the pregnancy shields you from the grief in event of miscarriage. Enjoy every minute you have with the baby as long as the baby is with you. I found getting ultrasounds very helpful to reduce my stress level. There was a really, really good article in Mothering a few months back about miscarriages. There was a part that talked about the baby spirits and how they come to us. Talk to your baby spirit and tell it to be brave and strong and how much you love it.

I know it' very scarey. I still miss my babies that died. My older son tells me "Mommy you'll see them one day in heaven". Our baby spirit did make it the third time. Her name means answered prayer.

[weesej]

It is red and pink spotting, fresh stuff. My midiwfe is also my teacher, so I have unloaded my fears a few times, but I also feel a little reserved. I am 15 weeks tommorow and feel movement so know the baby is ok, but it still wigs me out when I wipe and see red. Half the problem is I do know all the unusual things that could be causing it, but also do not want to get myself more worried than is necessary. No doubt it is all normal spotting, and if it is not things will escalate later and I can get an ultrasound and find out what is going on in more detail. I still have not really even begun getting maternity clothes for summer because I feel so unsure. Its gonna be HOT in a couple of weeks and here I am without clothes. Just wish it would go away and let my excitement stay high.

[Jacque Savageau]

Jen, I can relate to you! :hug

Though knowledge is power it can also work against us. I read everything I could get my hands on and had myself so paranoid.

My bleeding was bright and spotty at best. Turns out, I had a placenta Privia. The spotting was due to the expanding over the cervix opening.

Somehow, it moved at 17 weeks and the bleeding stopped. I did get some occassional spotting throughout, but nothing like in the begining.

It is a releif to feel the baby and know he/she is growing and squirming.

As for the summer clothing. What if you get some baggy shorts and large T-Shirts the non- maternity type. Then you'll just feel like it's 'normal' clothing.

You're deep in my thoughts right now, keep us posted.

[finn]

Ms. Mom, it was a comfort to see your post, as I just spent yesterday afternoon in the labor and delivery ward due to red spotting and cramping. Up ontill now it had just been brown. I was a complete mess. But when they did the ultrasound there was the baby jumping around!!!

It turns out that the placenta is low lying and maybe irritating the cervix. They told me it could move and to expect more bleeding or brown spotting. I'm so anxious, they've put me on bedrest which is almost impossible with a 3 year old son but I'm trying my
best. I'm still cramping but I have a history of premature cramping in both previous preg's. Did you have cramping too, and if you don't mind me asking how much blood?

[Touch of Sunshine]

Have you been checked for an infection? Sometimes a yeast infection can irritate the cervix and cause bleeding. Also are you on progesterone? The suppositories again can irritate and cause some bleeding. The only other thing is have you been checked for group b strep? It's a very common infection, and in most women there are no symptoms, but in others, that's right, spotting.

Hope things ease for you, at least you feel some movement to help reassure you some.

Take care.

[finn]

No they have'nt checked for an infection, I will ask at my next appointment which is on monday. Also I'm not on progesterone so rules that one out.

I had more blood today and a heavy mucous discharge, called my ob and they said just rest no moving around. So our life is having to change quite a bit. Since they did an ultrasound on saturday and an internal exam they say it could not have changed in two days, it's irritation due to the low lying placenta. I'm so scared about it all.

Jen how are you doing?

[Jacque Savageau]

finn, I'm sorry you're going through this. It is frightening when things don't go 'as planned'.

I had Placenta Privia's and Low Lying Placenta's in ALL my pregnancies. I guess some people are just more prone to them. In my case I have Lupis and that causes my body to fight against a pregnancy.

The bleeding could get pretty bad at times, then other times nothing? Usually followed by some brown spotting a few days later. It was like a cycle.

Like you I was on bed rest. My doctor suggested I try to sit with my feet up and lay on my left side as much as possible. Also, try not to lift anything. Can you section off your living room for your 3 year old? I had a cooler under the coffee table with sandwichs, OJ, water and fresh fruit. This way I didn't have to worry about lunch. Dh would pack up the cooler in the morning before he left for work.

I also had a box with building toys and art supplies for ds to play with (he was 2 at the time). I would lay on the couch and read to him or play games on the coffee table.

Also, don't feel bad about letting him watch a little TV. I know, we all hate to do that, but sometiems it becomes necessary.

Yes, I did have cramping. Like a menstral period. My doctor explained that it was due to the irritation of the placenta and some mild contractions. It seemed to add up.

I do agree though that some of your symptoms could be a yeast or urinary tract infection. As your doctor to do a quick check on that next time your in. It VERY easy to treat and could make a huge difference.

I had UTI's with dd's pregnancy and they were very painful. They were able to treat it with natural methods. I drank a great deal of Tomato juice (actually better than cranberry for a UTI) and took cranberry extract in an herbal tea. Also DRINK DRINK DRINK!!! I know, you're supposed to be laying down and this will make you have to go to the bathroom every 5 min. but, it really is key in keeping your body healthy.

Please feel free to pm me or post here if you need any more suport - you're in my thoughts.

weesej, I'm thinking about you too - how are you doing?