Hi, my second worry question for the day.. I have a 10 month old and pregnant. As of yesterday, the Dr. hasn't seen a heartbeat yet. I am about 4 or 5 weeks. Would carrying my baby cause a miscarriage? I know the Dr's say to not carry more then 10 lbs while pregnant, but how can you avoid this when you already have a child? Other moms had to have carried around/held other children/car carrier, etc while pregnant. Would this cause a miscarriage?
Thanks for any advice..
Picking up your child is not going to cause a miscarriage. A miscarriage happens (more times then not) when something in the development of the fetus goes wrong. Something in cell division or neurological (or other system) development goes wrong. It's sad to say, but a miscarriage is kind of a good thing. Because the things that would be wrong with that child, both physically and mentally, would make it's life unbareable for that child. I had a miscarriage. When the pathology report came back it said that it was an under developed egg. So, in a case like that, you wouldn't want that pregnancy to go full term. You need to stop worrying. That causes stress on your body. And stress on a pregnant body is not good. Just remember, if it wasn't meant to be, it wasn't meant to be.
HI Tracy! It may just be too early to find a heartbeat. My OB doesn't even listen for a heartbeat until the 9th week.
Also, I have never heard that you shouldn't carry more than 10 lbs while pregnant- you can definitly carry more than that. I wouldn't do any HEAVY lifting, like, moving your furniture by yourself but that just because your bones are softer during pregnancy. It's very unlikely that it would cause a miscarriage.
I know it's hard but try not to worry! And if you end up with a miscarriage, please don't blame yourself. You haven't done anything wrong!
No...there is NO WAY lifting any amount of weight would CAUSE a miscarriage. Some women feel like they may have done something to cause a miscarriage because the timing lines up with some activity. But it cant cause it...it just may help it along if it was already impending.
FWIW, heartbeats are generally found by ultrasound after the 5th-6th week. Hang in there.
I know how upset you feel the same thing happened to me. I don't why this @#$% doctors have to scare the crap out of you looking for a heartbeat so early. They couldn't find the heartbeat for my daughter either and she is now 20 years old LOL!!!! I remember crying all the way home and stressing out for a week. Don't worry lifting your baby will not cause a miscarriage. I did have a miscarriage before my daughter and I had bleeding, and cramping. If you are feeling fine, no bleeding, no cramping, try to relax and I am sure you will hear the heartbeat next time.
Hi Tracy,
I also had some Dr's visits when they did not hear a heartbeat & I have a healthy boy. I did have 2 previous miscarriages so I was as worried as you. I am overweight & the Dr thought that may be one reason for the difficulty in finding the early heartbeat. I also carried around my then 3 yr old the whole time I was pregnant. You may want to try a sling for your 10 month old to give you a little relief. Best of luck. Try not to worry.
Tracy:
My son was 2 when I got pregnant the second time and I lifted him through my second trimester -- I had no choice. Don't sweat this too much -- they didn't even check for a heartbeat until after 6 weeks for both of my pregnancies. Worrying will only put undue stress on you and your baby. Congrats on your pregnancy and good luck. :)
Hi Tracy,
Others have already said this, but I just thought I'd add another voice saying it's fine to carry around your other child! There's no established limit on how much to lift, but "avoid lifting heavy objects" is a pretty common statement ... I've seen "heavy objects" described as anything over 10 kg (which is 22 lbs, much less than your son weighs :)
This early on, it's not much of a concern, but one the baby and the belly start to get a little bigger, it's generally a good idea to avoid lifting very heavy things. As long as you don't have a high-risk pregnancy, this basically means don't do heavy weight-lifting exercises, don't move furniture, etc.
Here's an article from Baby Center where an OB actually says moving furniture in the 1st trimester is OK, but to stop in the second http://www.babycenter.com/406_is-it-safe-to-move-furniture-while-im-pregnant_1246875.bc.
I hope that helps to put your mind at ease!
I have never heard that you shouldn't lift more than 10 pounds (and I am a mom of a 14 and a 10, and am a childbirth educator). Pregnant women lift their kids all the time. It does not cause a miscarriage. If the "baby" is not alive, it's not due to lifting your child. At 4 or 5 weeks pregnant, it's only 2-3 weeks since conception, the organs are just forming. There's likely no heartbeat and I wouldn't stress over it. There's no reason to even check on one at this stage - either it's going to be there or it is not and either way, the outcome will not change.
Good luck, I hope this will be a perfectly healthy pregnancy for you.
No that won't cause a miscarriage. In the majority of miscarriages there is something wrong with the baby. In somecases there is something wrong with the mom 's body. I had a thyrouid problem that we didn't know about the complications of and I miscarried. I fixed the problem and had a very healthy pregnancy and the baby is now 2 months old. Hang in there and hopefully at the next ultrasound you will hear a heart beat. Alberta
I am high risk & 7 weeks pregnant now with a 2 1/2 year old. They told me to limit how much I pick him up as much as possible, but even they know it can be unavoidable. I try to pick him up from something high - like the couch.
Actually, it's no more than 35 lbs. The 10 lb limit relates to post-caesarean activity. I think it MIGHT cause a miscarriage due to stress on the muscles, etc., but not until you're much more progressed.
I don't believe so. You were lifting your daughter before you got pregnant, while you got pregnant and now. I think that's more of an "don't SUDDENLY" type thing. Like they tell women who exercise it's fine to continue just don't do more than you do before. But they do tell you if you do not exercise not to start a regimen. Whatever your body is used to is fine to continue with. Unless for some reason you have a particular condition - which I'm sure your doctor would have told you about, there's no relation. Like you said, millions of women went through subsequent pregnancies while carrying around older kids!
And at 4-5 weeks, that really is early to hear a heartbeat. My doc had told me that he wont even check before 6 weeks, and prefers to wait until 8 whenever possible. Because while there is a slight chance some babies heartbeats will be seen/heard, it's unusual that early on.
I know it's impossible not to worry until you actually see/hear it, but try not to stress about it. I too have suffered loses, so I know how desperately you need to hear that the heartbeat is strong. :)
I can't imagine it would. I was carrying around a two year old my entire pregnancy and had a healthy baby. Miscarriages this early on are usually from genetic and structural problems which are beyond your control. Also, I've heard its very common to not detect a heart beat until 7 weeks, it takes some time for the heart to fully form. I'm suprised your doc ould perform an ultrasound so early on...typically they wait until 8 weeks
Tracy, oh, I am sooo sorry. I miscarried this past March and I know I miscarried the first time but it was very early. I almost lost my oldest at 6 weeks and he survived, had two more boys and lost one this past March and now I am pregnant and I was told yesterday, I was 5 weeks and 5 days amd today I am 5 weeks and 6 days. No, lifting your child is not the reason for miscarriage and we all who have lost a baby at one time or another have wondered what we have done to cause the miscarriage. Personally, I went through all the stages of grief and some of the stages went through multiple times. I know that we try to find answers, but I have trusted in God to help me get through those tough times and we waited and now I am pregnant. I hope it's meant to be. jesus gave me His strength to get through that time and I accepted that it happened, but those babies are in Heaven waiting for me and I will get to take care of those babies for eternally when my time comes. I say to you....I will pray for you that you will have peace and only Jesus Christ can give you His peace that passes all understanding and He will guide you through this time. I am writing a book on my personal experience with miscarriage and what God has done to help me through it. Don't worry or fret over the fact the doctor hasn't seen it. It may be early and did he do the internal U/S or external? when I was spotting for my oldest son, I was 6 weeks and they did the internal and found the heart blinking and it was tiny (obviously). Keep your head up high and be positive and know that your 10 month old will and has sense your concerns and worries and will effect him/her by wanting to be with you more because she feels you have no security right now. You have a 10 month old who needs you right now and if it's meant for you to have this new baby you will and hope you feel at peace. I know that I have three healthy boys, but it doesn't mean that I don't want to have more because I do and my husband does too. so, you want more and it doesn't mean you don't love your child you have now (10 month old) but you would like another one. Some people don't know how to feel and say some things right especially if they never miscarried before so I usually ignore them and throw their comments out the window. Let us know how it goes and remember, don't let them do a D & C unless you are very sure you miscarried. My oldest, I almost miscarried at 6 weeks and he's a live, healthy and very smart!! he's 4 1/2 years old and he came 5 weeks early. My water broke early and he came the following evening. If you want to talk, let me know and I will pray for you, Tracy S.
When I was pregnant with my first, I didn't lift a thing! I became pregnant with twins when my daughter was almost two---I had no choice but to lift her (I had a very healthy pregnancy with the twins, but worried constantly!).Then when the twins were seven months, I found out I was pregnant!!! I was lifting them, often together! I always brought up the issue of miscarriage with my OB, and he would assure me that lifting the kids would not cause one. Rather, he was more worried about back problems and getting a hernia from lifting the kids. I never lifted anything besides my children, the stroller, groceries-things I needed to take care of on my own. You know your limits! Best wishes to you!
I have a 30 pound 2 year old and carried him the whole time i was pregnant with #2. I recently gave birth to a healthy 9lb baby and had no complications. I have always read and been told that in the early weeks, carry no more than 40-50 pounds and no more than 25 pounds in the third trimester(got this from what to expect when your expecting). But, realistically, is not carrying your 10 month old an option? If she's not walking, you will have to pick her up at times. I found that the second time around pregnancy is alot less "precious". Your first needs you, there is not enough nap time and towards the end it is kind of ridiculous because you can barely get around and your first baby doesn't understand or care about your limitations at all. But it is also amazing because you get to share the new baby with your oldest and the first entertains the second even if she is just screaming.
Good luck! Enjoy it!
I was actually a little further along (think 6 or 7 wks) when they couldn't detect a heartbeat but the next time I went - there it was.
This was w/my oldest - the same who was almost 6 when I had her little sister. She wasn't a ton, but your usual 5 year old and although I was told not to carry any more then 10 lbs, sometimes I had no choice. Even after when I had a tubiligation - told the same thing - nothing over 10 lbs - well by the time I had it done my 3 month old was over 10 lbs. I think they set that guideline for you to just use common sense.
I know that you are still going to worry, but try not to as much. Good luck & please keep us posted.
Tracy - congratulations! I had three little ones all in a row and never stopped carrying the older ones when I was pregnant with the younger ones. In fact, when I was pregnant with my third, I sometimes had to carry both of the older ones (ages 2 and 1) down the stairs because we had just moved out of hte city and they didn't know how to go down the stairs by themselves. I don't recommend that, but I had no problem carrying the kids when I was pregnant either time.
Good luck and hope it all goes well.
been there done that...I had my first 4 kids in 4 years...no twins...so I was carrying baby/toddlers, pushing a double stroller while carring another baby...and on and on...i think the guideline for lifting is don't do something you normally don't do already...you don't start a new workout when you get pregnant, but if you already workout it's fine to conyinue as long as you're comfortable. Along with that and the lifting, if it hurts stop! You're probably fine for now, but as your pregnancy continues and the baby you have gets better at walking make him/her walk more...for 2 reasons one less pain for you and 2 because once you have baby #2 baby #1 will have to be carried less...so start that BEFORE baby #2 comes that way #1 doesn't associate it with the arrival of #2...boy was that confussing??lol!!! Good luck, and don't worry to much. It's not your or your baby #1 fault that you don't hear a heartbeat. Some pregnancies aren't meant to be no matter what you do(not that I think you're having issues other than the normal nerves...it's early still!!! patience!!but if something does go wrong, it's not your fault!!) I have been blessed with 5 healthy babies and also unfortunately felt the pain of having a failed pregnancey. Don't stress out because you're lifting your baby. Good luck!!