Ladies Who Have Experienced a Cerclage

I was pregnant with triplets and had a cerclage at 26 weeks. I was on hospitalized bedrest...all was successful. I delivered completely healthy triplets with no problems due to the cerclage.

A good friend of mine just experienced this. One doctor said that bed rest was unnecessary, and the other said it was necessary. What she ended up doing was laying down for most of the day, but allowing an hour or so for "family time" so she could play with her son, and eat with her husband. She got the stitch out at the end of Sept. By the first week of Oct. she was something like 7 cm dialated, but not going into labor, so they induced her. The baby was "due" at the end of Oct. She appears to be a perfect little baby.

Hey A.,

I too had a cerclage put in with my twins at 20 weeks due to an incompetent cervix. I went to immediate and complete bed rest that only allowed me to get up when I had to use the restroom or allowed me one 5 minute shower a day. Other than that I had to lie in bed on one side or the other all the time. It was pretty rough some days! It is really hard to stay in bed all the time and not be able to do ANYTHING for yourself......but it is more than worth it. I followed my bed rest word for word and delivered healthy twins at 37 weeks weighing 7 pounds each! Like the other poster said it now seems like a little blimp out of my life. I also agree that the recovery after bed rest can be difficult especially if your bed rest is as severe as mine was, but I tried to do some of the physical therapy they gave me and all in all I just managed to get back into shape by going to the mall and walking around. Everyday we would go and just walk one section and then soon two sections and so on and so on. It was good for me to get out of the house and really helped! I recommend you search the internet because there are organizations that can help hook you up with a volunteer Mom (generally someone who has been through bed rest themselves) to help you get through it. I think they offer visits and can just be a neutral and understanding friend! and P.S an ironing board works very well as a bedside table that can lowered or raised up for your needs! You can PM me if you need anything!

Good Luck
K.

A.,

I too had a cerclage. I was seeing a high-risk doctor and he found that my cervix was shortening. They decided to put in a cerclage and I too went on immediate bed rest.... TAKE A DEEP BREATH. The fact that the doctor's caught your situation is a great sign! AND a cerclage is actually not that uncommon.

Just take your bedrest VERY seriously. It will be SO worth it in the end as you know from having your son! You need to stay positive. I don't know of your beliefs but prayers never hurt and some imagery. Picture that baby staying put. Picture yourself like a vault... nothing is getting in and nothing is coming out! My acupunturist told me when I close my eyes to imagine pink and green surrounding the baby. Pink signifying love and green signifying life and growth.

AND know that you can do this... you can get that baby to a place where she will thrive in the outside world! You are a mom- the strongest type of woman on the planet!!!!!

Good luck- I'll keep you and your baby in my prayers!
K.

At 22 weeks I had a cerclage, carrying twins. My doctors CPMC) described my cervix as "jello" and determined I have Incompetent Cervix. The cerclage did not hold - not even overnight. Because I also had pre-term labor, I stayed in the hospital for 3 months (yes, 3 months) until I had two 4 1/2-pound baby girls at 34 weeks. I have been discouraged by my OB from having any more kids, unless of course I want leave my now 4 year-olds and stay in the hospital for a while.

Staying on bedrest is really hard at first, suddenly stopping work (as a psychologist, I had to abruptly refer out all my clients)- but it is amazing how I settled into it, surrendered to it, knowing that I was doing the only thing I could for my girls. My husband, family and friends were amazing, organizing my nursery (my mom and sister even flew 3000 miles to paint the walls!), visiting me, calling me everyday, etc. I had no kids at home so my only challenge was managing my boredom (and anxiety). In retrospect it was worth it, obviously, and it just feels like a little blip in my life. Sometimes the greatest things are hard won.

I'll say that physically recovering from months of bedrest is tough - particularly with the demands of a newborn (or two...) I had a night nurse for a while because I just didn't have the stamina for sleeplessness, atrophy AND twins. (A helpful spouse/partner or relative is amazing too.) It's a tough road to get strong afterwards, so I did start exercising as soon as I could after a C-section.
Best of luck.

I haven't had a cerclage, but my best friend did. It was difficult and painful, but she had a healthy baby boy born only a few weeks before the due date. She also had bed rest, and was on meds to stop labor for a few months.
Get lots of rest, try not to stress about school/work, and concentrate on keeping yourself and baby healthy!

A.,

I had a cerclage put in with my second pregnancy at 13 weeks due to an incompetent cervix. I had lost a baby at 20 weeks due to an incompetent cervix. I went in for my 5 month US with the high risk OB that I was seeing (one of the best in LA) on a Wednesday and was in the hospital on Sunday having a miscarriage. Believe me, you never get over losing a child.

Being on bed rest is the easy part. I am a single mother by choice so I was on my own. I had friends come in and check on me. I had a local church group (St Simon & Jude in Huntington Beach CA) help with some errands and phone calls to keep me company. I used Comfort Keepers to take me to Dr. appointments. I also had a sideline buddy (http://www.sidelines.org/), which is a high-risk support group for moms and their family. They connect you with someone who has gone through what you are going through. Your sideline buddy calls or emails you and can help with questions.

At week 25 I was hospitalized for 3 days with bleeding and preterm labor. At week 27 I was hospitalized again for bleeding and preterm labor. I stayed in the hospital until my son was born at 32 weeks. I never had any problems with cerclage tearing.

My son was 4 lbs 14 oz and 18.75 inches long at birth. He was a good weight for a preemie. He had a breathing tube for about 48 hours. He came home on an apnea monitor for premature apnea (he was having low heart rate episodes in the hospital) and medication for the apnea and reflux. He was on medication for apnea for 3 months. He was on the apnea monitor for 5 months. Him coming off the apnea monitor was my mother’s day present. He stopped reflux medication at 18 months. Premature babies reflux and apnea go hand in hand. A good preemie book: Preemies the essential guide for parents of premature babies by Dana Wechsler Linden, Emma Trenti Paroli, and Mia Wecsler Doron, M.D.

I didn’t have a normal pregnancy nor did I bring home a term baby. And yes everything about it was scary but worth it. And no I have not forgotten the son I lost.

I hope all goes well with your pregnancy and you have a healthy term baby. The best advice I can give is to do everything in your power to keep the baby in uteral as long as possible (BED REST, BED REST, BED REST) because if something goes wrong you never get over the guilt or the what ifs.

D.