WEEK 28 : Week by Week Incompetent Cervix Pregnancy Guide - 3rd TRIMESTER!

NOTE : For the regular advice on Week 28, I suppose there are hundreds of other websites to tell you how it goes. This blog serves to supplement those sites, my personal favourites being What To Expect, Baby Centre UK and Parents. Do take note, however that I am not a professional physician, I practise law for a living and the only thing I know about incompetent cervix is through my own experience as a mother of 2 and a 23 week old baking in the oven! :)  The purpose of this blog then is just to simply share the joys and heartaches, the blessings and curses, the sadness and happiness and the disappointments and the pleasant surprises of our journey as a mom with an incompetent cervix.


Are we really in the 3rd trimester already? Yes, we are almost there! Can you believe that we have actually stayed in bed for the entire 14 weeks since our cerclage??? WOO HOO!!!! This calls for celebration! A glass of red wine, perhaps. I heard it's good to settle down contractions. :)

While other websites for normal pregnancies will tell you to look out for signs of diabetes, pre-eclampsia and all those 'normal risks', well, as IC mommies, what we should look out for is preterm labour (read all about it in Week 27).  You may ask, what is the difference between the 'normal' preterm labour and preterm labour as a result of the incompetent cervix?

Well, preterm labour can happen anytime after your 20th week of pregnancy (before the 20th week it is considered a miscarriage), and there are many causes, including an incompetent cervix.  The thing about an incompetent cervix is, there is usually nothing wrong with our babies, or uterus, or the placenta, or even our physical wellbeing.  We are healthy, there is truly nothing wrong with us or our babies, it's a MECHANICAL problem.  The cervix is supposed to do its job and keep the baby IN and other things (like infection) OUT (read Week 9) .  It is supposed to shorten, dilate and open only shortly before labour, not in our 2nd trimester! Unfortunately, this is what it is all about. It either shortens, or dilate, or funnel, way before it is supposed to.  Some of us are born with a short cervix anyway.  The cerclage (read Week 13 and Week 14) seems to be the popular option, believed to be 80 to 90% successful in keeping the babies in until fullterm.

Most doctors prescribe bedrest together with a preventive cerclage in a planned incompetent cervix pregnancy, and I remember I was up and about a month after my 2nd preventive transvaginal cerclage.  But each cerclage is as different as each pregnancy is different, as each woman is different. If you have come this far, you will be in a state where you know the chances of survival of your baby is high even if she/he is born prematurely now, but then again, we always want the best for our babies.  If we can carry till fullterm, why do we want to take any risk at all?

This is a week where you just sit back and reflect.  Your journey may have been different from mine. You may have lost your babies before, and Week 28 is the furthest you have ever been.  You may be pregnant for the 1st time and struggling to understand what is this incompetent cervix all about.  Or you may have been thoroughly prepared, mentally, physically and financially, for this pregnancy which you know is going to be a high risk one.  Or you have just been diagnosed and it is too late for a cerclage and you don't know if you can carry to fullterm.  Whatever your journey entails, stay strong and have faith.  I never knew I was going to have 2 beautiful boys, and pregnant with a 3rd one - a baby girl, what with PCOS and an incompetent cervix to top that.  Miracles do happen.

Remember to eat healthily, take the opportunity to rest and see this bedrest as a blessing to soul search.  To bond with your children at home.  And be thankful for all the support you have received through this all.

WEEK 25 : Week by Week Incompetent Cervix Pregnancy Guide - The Fitness Mom

NOTE : For the regular advice on Week 25, I suppose there are hundreds of other websites to tell you how it goes. This blog serves to supplement those sites, my personal favourites being What To Expect, Baby Centre UK and Parents. Do take note, however that I am not a professional physician, I practise law for a living and the only thing I know about incompetent cervix is through my own experience as a mother of 2 and a 22 week old baking in the oven! :)  The purpose of this blog then is just to simply share the joys and heartaches, the blessings and curses, the sadness and happiness and the disappointments and the pleasant surprises of our journey as a mom with an incompetent cervix.
 
 
From now on, take comfort in the fact that baby is going to put on more and more weight.  And birth weight is always associated with viability of a preterm baby (Read more about viability in Week 24).  Of course we are still heading towards fullterm, but we also know that our pregnancy is a high risk one. 

You are probably piling on some, too. Weight, that is. If you were a fitness freak who thought you could kickbox your way through to birth day, you may have been sorely disappointed when you were diagnosed with an incompetent cervix as you know then it is no longer possible.  Even for those of us who need not go on strict bedrest, high impact exercises are certainly not encouraged.  And for some reason the flab comes on faster than the muscles don't they?  I mean, it took us ages to tone those thighs and arms, but now 6 months into our pregnancy and perhaps bedrest for the last 3 months and there... the clumpy flabby disgusting looking bye bye granny arms and thunder thighs. UGH!!!! 

Fret not!  First of all, we will probably lose all the cellulite (that's what those clumpy looking thing is, and it's made up of water retention due to our pregnancy and of course... lack of exercise) within the first 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding (I lost mine within 3 months as I was producing something like 18oz of breastmilk every 4 to 6 hours - yea they call me COW).  And of course you can go back to the gym after your period of confinement.  Just to encourage you guys, I gained a total of 24kg for my 2nd pregnancy (I was on modified bedrest since cerclage was in at Week 15 all the way till Week 37 when stitch was off and my appetite was GREAT at all times) but lost 27kg within 4 months after given birth all just through breastfeeding. No dieting (if I was eating like a horse during pregnancy, I was eating like 5 horses throughout my 2 year breastfeeding period) and no intensive exercise.

Ok, that's after confinement.  What about now? Surely there are some exercises we can do now, bedrest or not? Furthermore, totally no movement isn't exactly healthy and may cause side effects like deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.   Here are some exercises which you may safely do even with prescribed bedrest, but DO CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR first, as all our incompetent cervix pregnancies are different.

1. Kegels: Draw the pelvic-floor muscles that surround your vagina up like an elevator climbing up to your belly button, tightening them as if you are stopping the flow of urine; do not squeeze your buttocks. Hold for 10 seconds, breathing normally, then slowly release. Repeat 10-20 times. Benefits Helps you identify, control and strengthen your pelvic-floor muscles; this can help prevent urinary incontinence and speed healing after childbirth.

2. Chest and shoulder opener: Lace your fingers behind your head, opening your elbows wide. Sit tall and lean back slightly, lifting your chest as you breathe deeply until you feel your ribcage expand. Exhale as you draw your elbows down toward your knees and relax. Do five times, building up to 10. Benefits Increases lung capacity, improves posture, stretches the chest and shoulders and makes you feel alert and awake.

3. Ribcage breathing: Grasp your upper torso, spreading your fingers wide along your ribcage. Inhale deeply through your nose (feeling your ribcage expand under your fingers). Exhale through your mouth as you gently draw your belly in and do a Kegel. Do five times, working up to 10. Benefits Strengthens your deep abdominal and pelvic floor muscles; improves breathing and circulation, giving you a boost of energy.

4. Gentle pelvic tilts: Sitting “Indian style,” with knees bent, inhale through your nose as you lift your chest and lengthen your neck, arching your back. Exhale through your mouth as you round your spine, gently tucking your pelvis under, and draw your abs in as you do a Kegel. Return to the starting position and do five times, building up to 10. Benefits Promotes circulation throughout your entire body and gently tones the deep belly muscles, aiding digestion.

5. Upper-body strengthener: Pull your abs in and draw your shoulders back and down as you raise your arms out to the sides at shoulder height and bend your elbows 90 degrees. Inhale, then exhale as you press your arms overhead, squeezing your arm, shoulder and upper back muscles. Keep squeezing as you slowly lower your arms. Repeat 10-15 times. Benefits Increases upper-body strength and stamina (you’ll need these to carry your baby and all her gear!) and improves posture.

6. Lower-leg mobility: Stretch your legs out in front of you and pull your abs in. Roll your ankles clockwise10 times, then switch directions. Next, flex your feet, pointing your toes toward your knees. Repeat 10 times. Benefits Increases lower-leg circulation and helps maintain strength and flexibility.
(Source : http://www.fitpregnancy.com/pregnancy/pregnancy-health/bed-rest-workout)

If you are advised to refrain from even these exercises, then do so.  After all, we are already at this point, and we do want a healthy fullterm baby don't we?

WEEK 23 : Week by Week Incompetent Cervix Pregnancy Guide - COPING WITH BEDREST

NOTE : For the regular advice on Week 23, I suppose there are hundreds of other websites to tell you how it goes. This blog serves to supplement those sites, my personal favourites being What To Expect, Baby Centre UK and Parents. Do take note, however that I am not a professional physician, I practise law for a living and the only thing I know about incompetent cervix is through my own experience as a mother of 2 and a 21 week old baking in the oven! :)  The purpose of this blog then is just to simply share the joys and heartaches, the blessings and curses, the sadness and happiness and the disappointments and the pleasant surprises of our journey as a mom with an incompetent cervix.
 
 
I remember my last pregnancy (my 2 and half year old was born April 2012), when I was at 23 weeks around Christmas season.  I was going about my usual Christmas shopping, carolling even with the local choir group, and preparing for the most wondrous time of the year 2011. I am expecting an April baby again, but this time around, things are not as fa-la-la merry.  This is my 3rd cerclage and my obgyn observed during the procedure that my cervix was now badly damaged and there were a lot of scar tissues from the previous cerclages.  Bedrest is no longer an option, but a necessity. 

(yup that was me... the one in pants... only I was allowed to wear pants as I couldn't find  a skirt which fits)

Yes, if all things go well with your preventive cerclage (even if it's a transvaginal cerclage and not a transabdominal one, which most will tell you no bedrest is needed with the latter) then more likely than not, you will be able to go on with your normal activities.  Truly, those websites which tell you that now is probably the time when you feel your best - they are not that far wrong.  The nausea is definitely gone, your little one's kicks and punches are assurances that she is doing well in there, and you are no longer looking like a whale yet.  So yea, you should be feeling well.  But some of us may be feeling the woes of an INCOMPETENT CERVIX pregnancy at its peak now, and there are many reasons for it (do read Week 22 here).

But fret not! SURELY there are some stuff you can do lying down right? Here are some ideas :

1) Read all those novels which you bought at the book fair 3 years ago which are gathering dust on your bookshelf!

2) Entertain your older children with the good ole Monopoly, Scrabble or Snake and Ladder!

3) When was the last time you actually sat down through a 2 hour movie? Well, now is the time!

4) Go ahead, feel beautiful and pampered with a pedicure/manicure session!

5) Start a journal for you little one, you can keep it in a box file together with her/his 1st foot print, congratulatory cards and other momentos for your baby's reference in her/his later years! Or if you wish, start a Facebook account for him/her right now!

6) Write a blog, like what I'm doing now. Or write that novel you have always wanted to. Or that poem, perhaps even that song you have always wanting to write all your life but never found the time to!

7) It's almost Christmas right? Bring out those art and craft stuff (ok, get hubby to dig them out from the store room) and start working on handmade Christmas decor and greeting cards with your older kids!

8) Shopping online anyone? Well, I have no choice but to do that (thank God for technology) for my Christmas shopping this year!  

9) Get chatting in parenting forums, incompetent cervix forums, make friends with other mommies from all around the world who understand what you are going through (you will realise that these strangers understand you more than the 600 'friends' you have in your Facebook friend list)

10) JUST LIE BACK! Relax, stare at nothingness and revel in the fact that you are pregnant, sleep, nap, hum a few Christmas tunes, and remember to thank God and sing praises to Him for all the blessings in your life!

1 more week to viability! HURRAY!

WEEK 21 : Week by Week Incompetent Cervix Pregnancy Guide - SEX AND ORGASM AFTER CERCLAGE

NOTE : For the regular advice on Week 21, I suppose there are hundreds of other websites to tell you how it goes. This blog serves to supplement those sites, my personal favourites being What To Expect, Baby Centre UK and Parents. Do take note, however that I am not a professional physician, I practise law for a living and the only thing I know about incompetent cervix is through my own experience as a mother of 2 and a 21 week old baking in the oven! :)  The purpose of this blog then is just to simply share the joys and heartaches, the blessings and curses, the sadness and happiness and the disappointments and the pleasant surprises of our journey as a mom with an incompetent cervix.
 
OH! The regular week by week pregnancy guide I'm following just told me that most of the early pregnancy woes are gone and I should be feeling pretty relaxed and wonderful now!  And the only thing I would probably worry about now is ACNE!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT! Ok... yes I do notice how my scalp gets oilier than usual (but I can't be washing my hair everyday due to bedrest constraints, can I?) and acne is suddenly popping up on my forehead and my face like a teenager (not that I used to have acne problems in my teenage years) but that is the LEAST of my concerns!!! And oh... we are supposed to 'crave sex' around this time, as we no longer suffer the nausea of 1st trimester and yet we are not exactly a hippo of 3rd trimester yet, hence the biggest question in our heads is supposed to be... which position is most suitable?  Hm.... THIS IS THE EXACT REASON WHY I DECIDED TO WRITE THIS SERIES OF BLOG FOR IC MOMMIES EXCLUSIVELY!!!

Ok, sex is out. In fact, some of us are told that all pelvic activities are out, in other words, not only no sexual intercourse, but no orgasms as well, not even sexual arousal! Frankly, some of us may feel rather comfortable with the TAC or the TVC in, and many doctors may allow us to resume our 'normal activities', and true enough, with the additional blood flow to our genitals we may feel like we are in a perpetual state of arousal.  So I have observed that many women did go ahead to have sexual intercourse, some resort to 'just insertion of the tip of the penis', while others are just happy with heavy petting with dear hubby without actual intercourse.  

This subject is not very much discussed, and I even came across a forum where one IC mommy asked the question and was bombarded with hurtful accusations, some even abusive about how could she worry about something as trivial as sex when her own baby's life is at stake?  I'm not going to be judgmental here, but a lot of these angry mommies are mommies with preemies and mommies who had actually lost their babies due to IC, so I can understand the fury.  But on the other hand, how many of us have not actually thought of sex just because there is a cerclage within us?  How many of us have not actually scoured the internet for answers to this so called taboo question?  How many of us have not actually went to sleep exhausted only to be awakened rudely by an intense but involuntary orgasm following a very intense wet dream?

This is a very difficult situation isn't it? I guess I was lucky as my husband never brought up the subject, and he never demanded for anything unless I was feeling up to it and he settled for a handjob, or oral sex (you on him, not vice versa, you don't want to risk any infection!)  To be sure, you may ask your doctor and discuss this topic, but again, how many of us would actually do that without some degree of embarassment? So we scour the internet for answers, and while most sites will tell you to abstain, discussions by real moms in real forums will tell you very different answers.  Yes, ask 10 different moms and you will get 10 very different answers.  Towards the end of the day, you decide. And perhaps these are some questions you can ask yourself before making that decision :

1) How was your last visit to the doctor? Did he mention your cerclage is holding well and your cervix length is fantastic and there is almost no funnelling?

2) Was it a TAC or a TVC? If it was a TVC, was it a preventive one or an emergency one after you have already started to dilate/funnel? Is this your first TVC? Were there any scar tissues from previous TVCS? What was the condition of your cervix?

3) Since your cerclage, were there any complications? Any bleeding after the week of the cerclage placement? Any twinges and cramps and pains? Any further funnelling? What about contractions - is your uterus more irritable than ever? What about discharge?

4) Do you understand the biology of what happens during sexual activities?  There will be uterine contractions, your cervix may ripen and funnel further, and prostaglandins in semen may trigger premature labour.  There is a reason why some old wives' tale tell you to have a lot of sex after your due date and your baby isn't coming yet!

5) Are you feeling comfortable, physically and emotionally to go ahead with it?

6) If you are reading this at Week 21, your baby is not viable yet.  Are you willing to lose the baby should your sexual activities bring about premature labour?  If you are reading this even after baby is past its viability, are you financially and emotionally equipped to look after a premature baby who may end up in the NICU for weeks, maybe months? What if the premature baby suffers some permanent disability? Is it all worth it? 

Does giving in to a moment's temptation worth it? Do the benefits actually outweigh the risks? Always remember, every pregnancy is different, and so every incompetent cervix pregnancy is different. Even if you have gotten away with daily sex with the previous cerclage, will this time around be as lucky?

Let us ponder about this a moment this week. For there are still at least 16 more weeks to come.  If you think about it, 16 weeks isn't that long.  16 weeks ago, you have just found out that you were pregnant. Not that long ago, eh? :)

WEEK 19 : Week by Week Incompetent Cervix Pregnancy Guide - VAGINAL DISCHARGE!

NOTE : For the regular advice on Week 19, I suppose there are hundreds of other websites to tell you how it goes. This blog serves to supplement those sites, my personal favourites being What To Expect, Baby Centre UK and Parents. Do take note, however that I am not a professional physician, I practise law for a living and the only thing I know about incompetent cervix is through my own experience as a mother of 2 and a 20 week old baking in the oven! :)  The purpose of this blog then is just to simply share the joys and heartaches, the blessings and curses, the sadness and happiness and the disappointments and the pleasant surprises of our journey as a mom with an incompetent cervix.
We are almost halfway there.  If you are reading this because you have been googling the internet after you have just been diagnosed with incompetent cervix, then you are at the right place.  I just pray and hope from the bottom of my heart that you have not lost your baby, but you have just had your cerclage placement, and you are either bedresting at home or at the hospital.  You may want to read this series of my blogs from the beginning, as I document what to expect, physically and emotionally, in this journey of an IC mommy.

Some of you may have been following through this journey as a 2nd time IC mommy (I'm a 3rd time IC mommy myself), so we know exactly what is coming ahead of us. Well... do we, really? Every pregnancy is different, and every IC pregnancy is different.  Other websites will tell you that Week 19 is really a good week to travel, have that 'babymoon', because once a new baby comes along you won't have that luxury anymore.  Well, what babymoon? We can't so much as walk to the bathroom for a simple toilet trip without worrying that our cerclage may give way there and then!  Ok, so for those of you who had a preventive cerclage, you are probably in your 2nd month of bedrest.  Our emotional wellbeing aside, we are probably noticing some changes in our body, particularly where the stitch is.  A lot of discharge? Twinges? How does a cerclage look like in a first place and how much trust should we put in it?

There are several types of cerclages, but I am not about to discuss the technicalities and medical aspect of that here as I am no doctor.  But what I do know is the cerclage gave me my 2 boys (I almost lost my 6 year old at 23w4d but for an emergent cerclage, and I had a preventive cerclage at Week 15 with my 2 year old.  I carried both till fullterm, both cerclages removed at Week 37.  Currently I am pregnant with No.3 (a little girl at last!) and had a cerclage placed at Week 14.  I was told that I was already funnelling (read more about funnelling on Week 18) and there are scar tissues on my cervix due to previous cerclages, but so far, the cerclage is holding up.  That doesn't mean I have never worried, or I am not worrying.  With the progesterone vaginal suppositories, there is a lot of watery discharge, and being an IC mom, the main worry is always the leaking of our waterbag.  So what is this discharge? Why is there so much discharge? Well, I am going to give a few explanation, but remember, if it really troubles you or your gut instinct is telling you to go to the ER... PLEASE GO.  

Otherwise, here may be some reasons why there is so much discharge (speaking from my experience and observation of others with the same condition):

1) There IS a foreign object in there namely the cerclage, it's nature's way to flush out any foreign objects for the safety of the pregnancy (but don't worry, it's not going to flush out your cerclage

2) If you are on vaginal suppositories, again these little pills are foreign objects, and if you do a quick google search now, you will see all these websites will tell you that it is normal to have vaginal discharge as one of the side effects of the vaginal suppositories.  I have spoken to my doctor as well and he did say it's normal but if it is troubling me (well, I was so troubled for weeks I did not get a good sleep as I was checking and checking whether the discharge would suddenly be a gush of water) then perhaps I should swallow it instead of inserting it (I was on Utrogestan, one of those you can take orally, so before you down any of your vaginal suppositories please speak to your OBGYN)

3) You may have an infection. How do you know what's the difference then? Well, this discharge is probably yellow or green, or whitish (not clear) and it SMELLS. This one calls for the ER as I was told by my doctor that if we have an infection, our body will release prostaglandins, the same hormones which will accompany our onset of labour.  

4) Very unlikely, but yes, you may be leaking amniotic fluid (your waterbag is leaking) and of course this is serious!!!! Like I said earlier, if you are gushing water or you have changed a few soaked pads (not the pantiliners, but the thick sanitary pads) then go to the ER!!!

5) Or finally... relax.  Ask ANY pregnant women, even those with normal healthy no risk pregnancies... they will tell you they have discharge as well.  This is for the same reason as No.1 - it's our bodies flushing out anything which it thinks harmful for the pregnancy, so the discharge is actually good for us!

I hope this week's blog allay some of your discharge fears.  At the same time, remember to eat well, swallow those prenatal vitamins and enjoy your baby.  Yes, especially those little movements which are reminding you that she/he is in there waiting to snuggle in your arms :)

WEEK 11 : Week by Week Incompetent Cervix Pregnancy Guide - FINANCES AND OTHER CONSIDERATION

NOTE : For the regular advice on Week 11, I suppose there are hundreds of other websites to tell you how it goes. This blog serves to supplement those sites, my personal favourites being What To Expect, Baby Centre UK and Parents. Do take note, however that I am not a professional physician, I practise law for a living and the only thing I know about incompetent cervix is through my own experience as a mother of 2 and a 17 week old baking in the oven! :)  The purpose of this blog then is just to simply share the joys and heartaches, the blessings and curses, the sadness and happiness and the disappointments and the pleasant surprises of our journey as a mom with an incompetent cervix.

Heartburn, constipation, fatigue? Yea you are probably still at that stage at Week 11. The morning sickness may be waning off, but it may still be causing a lot of trouble.  My appetite was ferocious for my 1st 2 pregnancies.  With the current No.3, I have no appetite for anything other than tomyam.  It's that spicy and sour soup originated from Thailand, and there is this belief among the Chinese that sour is not good for early pregnancy? But well... eating only tomyam is better than not eating at all!

Some of us IC moms may already be preparing for our TVC. Read Week 10 here.

What all of us have to remember is of course to eat healthily.  I am not a good example, but I was still conscientiously taking my folic acid, as well as plenty of fruits to avoid constipation. As IC moms, one thing we will soon learn is that bowel movements are to be as easy as possible - bring on those prunes and bananas! Well, I developed an aversion to sweet things (I gag at the smell of sweet things) during this 3rd pregnancy so I had no choice but to buy bland fruits like guava and pour lots of salt or saltines on it.  But again, don't take my advice on food! In fact, do read some good websites on healthy food during pregnancy like this http://www.webmd.com/baby/guide/eating-right-when-pregnant

 Do a final take on finances before the day. Check if your insurance covers the cerclage procedure, and whether your company allows hospitalisation benefits, and of course, the cost of the procedure.  I paid not more than RM2500 (USD750) for each of my 3 cerclages, but the cost may differ from state to state, hospital to hospital.

At Week 11 for my current pregnancy, the subchrionic hematoma had already bled out on its own, thanks to plenty of water, bedrest and prayers.  I was put on duphaston 3 times a day, and continued to do so until after my TVC.

I was still reluctant to break the news to anyone, including my own family.  Hubby decided to tell his mom, sis and bro, but that was about it. I told a handful of very close friends, but only because I needed the support emotionally.  Many thought resting in bed doing nothing is a wonderful thing, but if only they peeked at my daily calendar, they would know that REST was never on the schedule and I haven't grown accustomed to it eventhough this is the 3rd time.  I tried as much as I could to finalise my children's affairs, made plans with hubby on chauffering the kids and preparing them to school every morning.  What I do know is by the time I got my preschooler prepared to be out of the door by 8am, I was dead tired (even pre-pregnancy) but I had to continue to prepare myself for work after I drop the toddler off at the babysitter.  So we truly needed help to at least takeover that few hours in the morning from me. Mom in law is the answer, and she has been a fantastic help thus far! 

WEEK 8 : Week by Week Incompetent Cervix Pregnancy Guide - THE PREPARATION NOW THAT IT'S REAL

NOTE : For the regular advice on Week 8, I suppose there are hundreds of other websites to tell you how it goes. This blog serves to supplement those sites, my personal favourites being What To Expect, Baby Centre UK and Parents. Do take note, however that I am not a professional physician, I practise law for a living and the only thing I know about incompetent cervix is through my own experience as a mother of 2 and a 16 week old baking in the oven! :)  The purpose of this blog then is just to simply share the joys and heartaches, the blessings and curses, the sadness and happiness and the disappointments and the pleasant surprises of our journey as a mom with an incompetent cervix.

If you are seeing your baby for the first time on the ultrasound, I can feel your excitement! You may even be able to hear his/her heartbeat, and you might be so tempted to announce to the world now that it is sooooo real!!!

But if already know you have the condition of an incompetent cervix and this is another 'IC baby' (as we IC moms fondly refer to our little babies), you may start having mixed feelings.  Along with other 1st trimester pregnancy worries, you know that while others look forward to Week 14 as it marks the end of the 1st trimester, that will be the time when we will have to undergo the cerclage procedure.  Some of us may already have some changes to our cervix, or if you are like me, you have a short cervix to begin with.  You may not know of your condition yet, but some countries are already making it compulsory for cervical length to be checked at 16 weeks (do refer to Week 7 on England NHS's petition).  I have also shared some of the worries (financially, psychologically and physically) in Week 7. 

Some of us do get some bleeding/spotting at this point.  I was diagnosed with subchrionic hematoma
which is supposedly common, but how many pregnant women like the idea of bleeding during her pregnancy? Blood is never a good sign, and seeing a dark patch around the sac on the ultrasound isn't exactly reassuring.  The happy ending says the blood clot will dissolve on its own, the unhappy ending says you end up in a miscarriage.  Either ways, it is especially not a welcomed diagnosis for an IC mom, simply because this should be the last few weeks of normal activity, perhaps even a few more gym sessions before the dreaded bedrest (modified, strict or otherwise), but with a subchrionic hematoma, again bedrest is prescribed. So now what... instead of 6 months of restricted activity, it has become 8???

But well... if it is for the good of having that little bundle of joy in your arms in the end... WHY NOT? If I have to do this over and over again, I would.  But at this point, perhaps the question of whether you would stop having babies may pop up with hubby (ignore the rest, remember?). For me, this is my 3rd IC baby. and my OBGYN noted during my cerclage procedure 2 weeks ago that there were scar tissues from my previous cerclages, and he had to stitch around and away from those scar tissues. It will not get easier or less risky if I do decide to have more babies. He did mention I may have issues with dilation when labour comes (cervical dystocia). And of course, other factors like, will your career be once again stagnanted, how about finances? If you already have 2 or 3 children, you will need to plan for their future as well.  Bedrest may affect them too, as most of them may still be a toddler, or a preschooler, and they  need lots of cuddles and attention and outings. Which, of course, is not possible with bedrest.

Since your pregnancy is now very real (there are statistics that show if you hear and see the heartbeat at 8 weeks, the chances of a continuing pregnancy increases to 98% as compared to just a couple of weeks ago when it was slightly above 60%), this is a good week to start making some solid plans for what is to come.  Start with the short term ones, like who will help out with household chores during the weeks (or months) of bedrest after the cerclage placement, who will chauffeur the older kids around to babysitters, playschools and piano lessons, who will prepare your meals, and what will you do to occupy yourself.  Do you have to inform your employer now? Should you?  It is best to be honest and open, tell your boss the possibilities, from the best to worst case scenario, and what to expect.  As for yourself, Be prepared for the best... or worst. You may be asked to leave, or you may be granted paid leave.  But always remember at the end of all this... what can be worth more than that Little Rainbow you will hold against your breasts?

WEEK 6 : Week by Week Incompetent Cervix Pregnancy Guide - EMOTIONAL PREPARATION

NOTE : For the regular advice on Week 6, I suppose there are hundreds of other websites to tell you how it goes. This blog serves to supplement those sites, my personal favourites being What To Expect, Baby Centre UK and Parents. Do take note, however that I am not a professional physician, I practise law for a living and the only thing I know about incompetent cervix is through my own experience as a mother of 2 and a 16 week old baking in the oven! :)  The purpose of this blog then is just to simply share the joys and heartaches, the blessings and curses, the sadness and happiness and the disappointments and the pleasant surprises of our journey as a mom with an incompetent cervix.

Your morning sickness hitting hard, ain't it? Welcome to the world of 1st trimester difficulties.  As promised earlier, this series of blog is NOT meant to duplicate what the other websites are telling you, be it about your baby or the changes in your body.  It is meant to share with you (and you are of course most welcome to share your experiences, joys and pains in the comment section below!) my experience , physically and emotionally (and a whole lot of other aspects) of having incompetent cervix pregnancies.  Oh ya I feel obliged to mention spotting at this point and your fluctuating hormones... all part and parcel of having a little human being formed in you!

And oh, if you have been taking fertility drugs or actually had an IVF or any other fertility treatment, you may want to double check with your OBGYN whether you are expecting more than a baby. ONE baby laying down on your incompetent cervix is bad enough, if you have 2 or more, you may need extra precautions and advice. I don't know, I've never been through multiple pregnancies before! (Thank God? I don't know. If you read my previous weeks' postings, you would have known by now I adore kids).

So, are you ready to share the news to the whole world yet? (Read my take on this in Week 5 here).  There are always pros and cons. If you have had an early miscarriage before, you may want to keep it to yourself first because you know how painful it is when people ask you how's your pregnancy and you had to keep repeating that you already lost it.  Or you  may want to keep it to yourself because you didn't think it necessary to share good news to others who may see it as a bad news. You will never believe what I've been through... when people found out I was pregnant with No. 3, instead of the customary "Congratulations" they are more concerned about whether it's safe to have No. 3, whether I'm sure I want the child (like yea.... more than I want you as a friend you idiot), whether it would affect my work, and whether my hubby 'knows it yet' (like it's akin to news that someone died).  On the other hand, you may want to share it because you are just oh so happy (and of course if this is the first time you are dealing with an incompetent cervix, you probably wouldn't even know about it yet).

You may have already started calculating the date your cerclage will be placed, whether you will need bedrest, if so what sort, complete or modified, for a few days or few months, what should you tell your bosses and babysitters (to your older children, if any).  For me, I know I had to tell mom in law very soon as I would need her to come over to see to the 2 older kids right after my cerclage is placed.  

Emotionally, I know it was going to be difficult.  I had always wanted to be a stay at home mom but due to financial constraints I had to work.  No. 3 is a good excuse to finally reason with hubby that it makes some financial sense as cost of babysitting and the extra tuition and piano lessons are high. I can teach my kids.  I can look after my kids.  I can cook (eating out is costly too), and I can clean (hourly cleaners are costly too). But well, these are things to be considered in the weeks and months to come.  It doesn't harm to start thinking about it, especially if it soothes you emotionally. For me, hanging up the courtroom robe for good and spending time cooking cleaning and caring for my kids is also known as THE PERFECT LIFE! :)

You have about 9 more weeks to go before your cerclage is placed, and depending on various factors, you may need to be on some kind of bedrest for the rest of your pregnancy, so if you feel fit enough to hit the gym, do it now.  Shopping, of course. Clean up the house a bit before it looks like one of those 'before' images of the "Hoarders Intervention" reality series on Home and Health channel in the months to come (come on, even the best house cleaners teamed up with hubby will not be able to clean it the way you do!).  Most of all, spend time with your kids.  Take them out to the beach, maybe even a short holiday.  Other websites will tell you morning sickness may weigh you down and that 2nd trimester is when your 'honeymoon period' is, well... you have an incompetent cervix and the 2nd trimester will be your worst nightmare (sorry for this piece of reality) so leave your babymoon to the 2nd trimester. You know what? You don't have time for morning sickness and complaints about breast pains at this point, you have 9 weeks left to enjoy being a normal pregnant woman!

So hang in there.

WEEK 5 : Week by Week Incompetent Cervix Pregnancy Guide - GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS

NOTE : For the regular advice on Week 5, I suppose there are hundreds of other websites to tell you how it goes. This blog serves to supplement those sites, my personal favourites being What To Expect, Baby Centre UK and Parents. Do take note, however that I am not a professional physician, I practise law for a living and the only thing I know about incompetent cervix is through my own experience as a mother of 2 and a 16 week old baking in the oven! :)  The purpose of this blog then is just to simply share the joys and heartaches, the blessings and curses, the sadness and happiness and the disappointments and the pleasant surprises of our journey as a mom with an incompetent cervix.

By this week, your pregnancy test would probably show an accurate positive. YAYYY!!!!

If you have been trying for a baby forever, or if you have just experienced a traumatic loss (be it due to incompetent cervix or other reasons) this may come as a wonderful news.  I have shared how different it is my feelings towards having a positive on my home pregnancy test kit. (Read Week 4 here).  To share further about the anxieties when No. 3 made an unexpected appearance, well... it was an immediate joy.  I have always wanted 7 children.  But due to the darned cervix I knew it was not a very practical want. Hubby was adamant that 2 beautiful healthy boys was enough.  Our financial situation was just getting better as I have my own law practice and each time I had to bedrest for long months, the income just wasn't there anymore. When you are your own boss, you just don't earn when you are not working. With No. 2, the bedrest was longer as I was put on bedrest since Week 15, the week the cerclage was placed.  And when I was 5 months along, still bedresting, hubby lost his job.  It was an extremely tough time.  So naturally I understand why hubby was so reluctant to have another baby, even with a now stable income and in fact a new home!

But I would give up any material things in the world for another baby in my arms! So I was elated... but breaking the news to hubby was one of the most unnerving thing to do.  I went to the OBGYN the next day(who happens to be hubby's childhood friend and bestfriend) to confirm the pregnancy. And he wished me luck with breaking the news to hubby.  He actually found it amusing! :)  That night, I was shivering and shaking all over when I gave the ultrasound picture to hubby.  He stared at it for a second and asked me what it was.  I told him "Our baby". He took another look at it and asked me "Is this real?" I said yes. He stared at it EXPRESSIONLESS for a good 5 minutes without a single word. His facial countenance revealed NOTHING. Then he took a deep breath and asked, "So when is it due? When is the cerclage? You do need a cerclage right?"  

It wasn't easy and I am writing this at 16 weeks, sometimes I still get the feeling that he hasn't come to terms with it yet.  And sometimes he does blurt out "This is the EXACT reason why I didn't want a third one," whenever I had a bad day, or sometimes he would jest (and it's not funny I tell you) "That's why we shouldn't have a 3rd one" when we discussed our state of celibacy.

Speaking of which, if some of you think that it's time to be having lots of sex now since you would be on pelvic rest till fullterm, do consider the fact that your cervix may already be funnelling, effacing, or even dilating at this point. Very unlikely but don't take any chances. If it is already shortening or dilating, there may be risk of infection (the very reason the cervix is there is to protect your pregnancy from infection but if it's already giving way, then....)  Best check with your OBGYN. This is no time to be bashful.

I am going to sound like an old broken record the next few weeks, but EAT HEALTHY!!! FOLIC ACID!!!

And oh, you may or may not want to share this piece of good news to others yet.  The risk of a miscarriage is still high (not due to IC but due to other early pregnancy losses issues) and if you are like me and you have had enough of those well meaning (and not so well meaning) people telling you rudely to 'keep your legs closed' and 'stop having kids' and 'you can't even handle 2 you sure you want another?', then you may want to just enjoy this little secret with the closest and trusted friends and family first.  For me, the last  count of such close and trusted friends was less than 5 fingers.  

Ok, let's get ready for next week!

 

WEEK 4 : Week by Week Incompetent Cervix Pregnancy Guide - THE START OF AN IC PREGNANCY JOURNEY

NOTE : For the regular advice on Week 4, I suppose there are hundreds of other websites to tell you how it goes. This blog serves to supplement those sites, my personal favourites being What To Expect, Baby Centre UK and Parents. Do take note, however that I am not a professional physician, I practise law for a living and the only thing I know about incompetent cervix is through my own experience as a mother of 2 and a 16 week old baking in the oven! :)  The purpose of this blog then is just to simply share the joys and heartaches, the blessings and curses, the sadness and happiness and the disappointments and the pleasant surprises of our journey as a mom with an incompetent cervix.

If you have successfully conceived, your baby has already entered its embryionic stage!!! Its organs are beginning to be formed. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!!! Of course you still have no idea whether you are pregnant, and the most sensitive and expensive pregnancy test kit at this point may still come out negative!

You may or may not have experienced implantation bleeding (read Week 3 here).  And if you have, it is probably happening this week, and you may have recognised it. And there may even be a faint line on your kit, so yippee!!! To tell hubby or not to tell hubby? For me, with No. 1, I made that phone call immediately.  With No. 2, I waited till he gets home. No. 3 was unplanned and I knew how apprehensive he was, so I didn't say anything until the ultrasound at the OBGYN confirmed it.  Well, it's all up to you!

Well, since you can read all about the excitement and anticipation in other websites, maybe we can talk a little about those of us with an incompetent cervix.  It gets rather real now, doesn't it?  Your pregnancy test kit may have confirmed a pregnancy. Which means... another long road to holding a fullterm baby in your arms.  If you have had a bad experience or a loss, you just have to be positive this time around.  Maybe this time your cerclage will hold up.  Maybe this time your preventive cerclage will be much better than your emergency one the last time.  Maybe you are able to be on your feet again a few weeks after your cerclage! Again these are questions you want to start compiling to ask your OGBYN during that first visit soon.  If you are on facebook, do join this group of lovely ladies Incompetent Cervix Awareness.  I survived through 2 of my IC pregnancies with the support of this group.  They are not judgmental and they are ever ready to share and to give you lots of positive vibes.  Believe me, bedrest will take its toll on you physically as well as emotionally!

Continue to eat healthy. I cannot say this more.  Continue to enjoy these last few weeks of physical activity.  Clean your house, clear the mess, go shopping, exercise, a short holiday, and of course, lots of intimacy with hubby.  Soon both of you have to practice celibacy (well, at least he can still enjoy orgasm either on his own or with your assistance, but you have to be on STRICT PELVIC REST! ) so now is the time to perhaps satiate yourself :P

Again, steer clear of negative people.  Be around supportive and loving friends and family.  You will need lots of positive vibes for what is to come.  I don't mean to scare you, but we are going through a HIGH RISK PREGNANCY.  We cannot deny this fact.  Some well meaning advice, even from those whom had difficult pregnancies before, may not be relevant, perhaps even unwelcomed. Simply because our situation are different.  In fact, even among IC mommies, we react differently to the cerclage, and our cervix certainly do not respond the same way to the same procedures or medications. So just continue to be strong.

WEEK 3 : Week by Week Incompetent Cervix Pregnancy Cervix Guide - APPREHENSION VS EXCITEMENT

NOTE : For the regular advice on Week 3, I suppose there are hundreds of other websites to tell you how it goes. This blog serves to supplement those sites, my personal favourites being What To Expect, Baby Centre UK and Parents. Do take note, however that I am not a professional physician, I practise law for a living and the only thing I know about incompetent cervix is through my own experience as a mother of 2 and a 16 week old baking in the oven! :)  The purpose of this blog then is just to simply share the joys and heartaches, the blessings and curses, the sadness and happiness and the disappointments and the pleasant surprises of our journey as a mom with an incompetent cervix.

So, wasn't last week an exciting and um...  SEXY week?

So there is nothing much you can do this week except to wait. That 14-day wait can be tiresome, really.  Especially if you have fertility issues like me.  The knowledge of an incompetent cervix may even be so stressful that it adds to the 'bad hormones' that may prevent conception. Sigh... not easy being a woman, eh?  You look for every little symptom, every little sign that may point to early signs of pregnancy.  But we also know that signs of pregnancy mimic signs of PMS!!! ARGH!!!! Why doesn't it get easier?

Ok, so I found this website many years ago (remember the sitting on the toilet crying when period started? Read Week 2 here ). It was truly helpful (but believe me, only psychologically) in getting that dreaded 2 weeks to pass before you can actually go to the pharmacy and empty the shelves of pregnancy test kits! http://www.twoweekwait.com/    You will find yourself doing a lot of silly things during these 2 weeks, but don't worry, this website will assure you that there is no need to visit the psychiatric department just yet :)

Oh ya, one thing I learnt is,implantation bleeding is very real. All my pregnancies... I thought dear Aunty Flo has visited again... but turned out to be just implantation bleeding.  So watch out for that ladies, and don't panic nor fret when you see bleeding.  It may just be that.  Especially for those of us with an incompetent cervix... hey we don't dilate this early. No mucous plug whatsoever to worry about. If the little one has already been created, just give it a little time to travel to your uterus (it takes between 6 to 16 days I believe) and implant itself into the uterine wall. Continue to eat healthy, remember the folic acid, and wait for a while more....

You may want to continue your lovemaking sessions though... because you know what? With an incompetent cervix, you may be prescribed complete pelvic rest as well. Which means no sexual intercourse, no sexual stimulation whatsoever and definitely no orgasm! That would be a good 36 weeks of celibacy (ok, maybe you can still do it before Week 14 when your cerclage is due to be placed, and maybe after Week 37 after the cerclage is removed, but still..... 20 plus week of celibacy is no fun!)  Also, go enjoy shopping, kickboxing, carrying your toddler if you have one, and all those physical activities you may not be able to do anymore very soon.  If you haven't heard yet, bedrest is part and parcel of the life of a pregnant woman with an incompetent cervix.

Emotionally... of course if this is not your first pregnancy, you will have mixed feelings. Anticipation, fear, excitement, apprehension... if you have supportive friends and family of course things do get a LITTLE bit easier.  But if you have been listening to endless "One is enough" or "Why do you want to go through this again?" then well... be strong. You are not asking them to go through the pain with you. Neither are you asking them for any favours when you are bedresting.  They could be worried about your psychological as well as physical well being... but if only they knew how much you want to have this baby.. they will soon understand.  As for those who are simply irritating beings planted into this Planet, just ignore them.  In fact, when you do get pregnant, make sure they are the last to know! You don't need to share this good news with them, much less get any negative energy from these negative people!!!  Just stay close to hubby, he is the only one who is important in this journey other than yourself. And if you do have another little one (or two) at home running around, give him or her plenty of attention.. Perhaps a good time to go for a short holiday in Disneyland or Legoland, reassure him or her that mommy will always love him or her (or them) just the same. LOVE MULTIPLIES, NEVER DIVIDED.

WEEK 2 : Week by Week Incompetent Cervix Pregnancy Guide - ONE IS ENOUGH?

NOTE : For the regular advice on Week 2, I suppose there are hundreds of other websites to tell you how it goes. This blog serves to supplement those sites, my personal favourites being What To Expect, Baby Centre UK and Parents. Do take note, however that I am not a professional physician, I practise law for a living and the only thing I know about incompetent cervix is through my own experience as a mother of 2 and a 16 week old baking in the oven! :)  The purpose of this blog then is just to simply share the joys and heartaches, the blessings and curses, the sadness and happiness and the disappointments and the pleasant surprises of our journey as a mom with an incompetent cervix.

Your period has stopped. You are feeling like a brand new woman (at least, for another cycle till PMS sets in again, unless, of course if this is the week you successfully conceived, then it will be PMS for the next 36 weeks or so!).  The sun is shining and you are prepping yourself up for the lovemaking sessions that is to come.  Some of us may be preparing for IVF, yet some of us may be frantically measuring our basal temperature, checking our cervical mucous for that 2-inch stretch, or buying all the ovulation kit you can find in the local pharmacy.  This is an exciting week!

But hey... RELAX.  From my experience, when I was told to 'do it every other day from days 7 to 15'... it didn't work.  If you are like me and you have PCOS, you may be put on Clomid and Metformin.  Then told to do the deed when it's time to do so.  Both times, it didn't work for me. With No. 1, I gave up after 6 rounds of Clomid and plenty of crying on the toilet seat when the first signs of period showed up.  I conceived the following month without any meds.  For No. 2, I conceived after 4 cycles of Clomid and Metformin, but lost the baby at 9 weeks for some unknown reasons.  After my D&C and lots of crying, I conceived within the next 2 cycles, again, without any meds.  No. 3 (the current 16 weeker) was the best.  I'm supposed to be PCOS right? So what's the probability of conceiving without any meds? No.1 and No.2 may have been 'triggered' by the meds.  But No. 3 made an appearance unexpectedly 3 months after I weaned off my 2 year old without any meds.  Just plenty of gym sessions and stress free lovemaking sessions!

Ok so I guess moral of the story is... a little bit of exercise, a lot of love and intimacy, and medicate if necessary. But miracles do happen.  Of course, if this is your 1st, you still have no idea that the incompetent cervix may be lurking behind the shadows of the excitement and anticipation, but if you are trying for a 2nd pregnancy, well, you know the cerclage will be coming in handy and the success rates are high (80% if I remember correctly from the websites I scoured).  If you already have a TAC (transabdominal cerclage), don't fret. You already know before you did it that it will barely affect your chances at conception.  Let worries worry themselves.  Don't forget those all-important folic acid, it doesn't matter if you do not conceive this month.  It won't harm you. Read Week 1 here

Of course, there may be some apprehension on hubby's side.  He may still be worried about your first loss, or your first bad experience with a preemie, or even if it was a full term pregnancy you may have gone through a traumatic emergency cerclage - whatever it is, lift each other up. Support each other and pull this through together.  Don't ever let that outsider tell you that 'one is enough'.  Keep your head up, maintain your stoicism, and have fun!

The Blessings and Curses of the Incompetent Cervix

What is incompetent ccervix? If you come from this part of the world where I come from, you probably wouldn't have even heard of it before. Cerclage? Modified bedrest? TVC? TAC? Strict bedrest? Shirodkar? Macdonald? What are those?

Just google. Yes Mr G our bff. And you will get an answer. The dos and donts, and many of the websites will tell you pretty much the same thing, main thing being "One of the symptoms of an incompetent cervix is multiple previous pregnancy losses". Like... huh??? You need to lose a baby or 2 before you get diagnosed? Oh it's just a miscarriage isn't it? After all, another website will tell you a certain percentage of women suffer miscarriage anyway don't they? I have miscarried at 9 weeks before, and let me tell you, it was devastating.  But with an incompetent cervix there is another painful twist to it. You would have carried the baby way past 1st trimester, your baby is fully formed, with arms and legs and eyes and nose... yes... it's a BABY. You would have bonded with the little one, prepared your nursery, named the child even, and felt those little kicks. With an incompetent cervix, your little baby is hale and hearty, no chromosonal defects whatsoever. YES. THE DEFECT IS WITH YOUR DARNED CERVIX. It can't hold your pregnancy. And you perfectly healthy baby slips out of your womb because your cervix is incompetent.

Look at my title. Blessings and curses? What blessings can there possibly be? Well, to divert for a while... I have long noticed how many hundreds of websites there are providing a 'week by week pregnancy guide' and these are guides for a healthy no risk pregnancy. Whenever Week 14 comes, they even tell you "OH THIS IS YOUR HONEYMOON TRIMESTER!!!" Well guess what? For women with an incompetent cervix. That is simply not the case. Week 14 is probably the week where you are scheduled for a cerclage. Ok I'm rambling. Point is, I will try my very best with just my experience and a little I gather from the forum for incompetent cervix women I'm in, I will start another blog WEEK BY WEEK starting from Week 1 itself. For women with incompetent cervix. There, I will explain further what is this all about.

But well... since I mentioned blessings. Ok, blessings. First of all, of course, the fact that you may almost certainly appreciate your babies more.  Every surviving child is a miracle child.  Some women who were never diagnosed went on to lose their babies in late pregnancies, with no surviving children at all.  Some women, eventhough diagnosed, lost their babies anyway even after a cerclage.  Some women had surviving preemie who never went on to have a normal life due to defects caused by just simply being a preterm baby.  So if your carried fullterm with an incompetent cervix, or if your surviving baby lives a happy healthy normal life... you will tend to appreciate your children more.  The little rainbow. The little miracle.

Secondly, the bedrest may be a good thing after all. It makes you slow down a little in terms of your career and all the activities you have been juggling since your schooldays.  You finally have time to read those books collecting dust on your bookshelf, or watch that DVD you bought ages ago, or to write that article you had always wanted published, and of course... time for soul searching. If you are like me, you finally have time to finally have time to gather your thoughts and find constructive ways to leave the job you have always despised.  You may even have time to get closer to God, perhaps open up that Bible you have left at the very bottom shelf....

Thirdly, you are now aware that this is a very real very possible condition.  You can help others. Create awareness.  Share your story with your friends. They don't have to lose anymore babies if they are aware that this is a possible condition and may even checked with their O&G if they have this condition.  You will be surprised that as learned and well read as you are, you never knew that this condition exist and is said to affect 5% of childbearing women.  All those week by week pregnancy guide will briefly mention incompetent cervix in a sentence and dismissed it as rare. How many of us will think that we belong to that 5%? We either don't want to consider it, or we don't think it's possible we are that unlucky. Ignorance is not bliss!

Let's not dwell on the curses shall we? I mean, by now you would have known what it comes with. But this is only the tip of the iceberg. Do follow me in my "WEEK BY WEEK INCOMPETENT CERVIX PREGNANCY GUIDE" if you want to know how is it like, week by week, day by day, for a woman with this condition.

To sum it up, I wanted 7 children since I was 5 years old. I watched Sound of Music and I wanted my own DO RE MI FA SO LA TI (remember that scene with Julie Andrews and the von Trapp children on the bullock cart and she was just pointing to the children with the horse whip while they sing their respective notes DO MI MI, MI SO SO, RE FA FA, LA TI TI) but then I was diagnosed with PCOS (this is another story altogether) and then the incompetent cervix. So I am already indeed blessed that I have 2 beautiful healthy boys and no.3 is 16 weeks in the oven! (Oh yeah, I'm bedresting and hence the ability to sit back relax and write this blog). Don't  think there will be anymore as the scar tissues from the previous cerclages are taking its toll on my cervix. But well, who is complaining?