High Risk--in More than One Way

Updated on April 16, 2008
C.S. asks from Amarillo, TX
22 answers

I recently found out I am pregnant again. It was a total surprise, mainly because with my daughter we had to plan and really try. I had 4 miscarriages and one ectopic between my two kids. I have only one tube left as a result and it was pretty difficult to get pregnant with my daughter, so this was a total shock. I really thought I was through. The pregnancy with my daughter was difficult at times because I had to take progesterone twice a day for the first 12 weeks and then heparin shots twice a day for the rest of the pregnancy. We induced a month early because the doc was concerned with her predicted weight from a sono. With this one I have already started the progesterone and instead of heparin my doctor put me on Lovenox once a day--already. I also turn 40 in less than a month so I am high risk in several ways. I am really concerned about this pregnancy because I never lost the weight from my last pregnancy so I am already starting out heavier than I want. I had just started a workout program the week I found out I was pregnant and I don't know if my doc will let me continue. He has already told me I am not to lift, push or pull anything over 20 pounds; tough to do since my daughter weighs 26 lbs. Also, I am scared about the Lovenox because I have heard it can cause hemorrages (sp?) during delivery. I know God has His reasons for this pregnancy. Some days it's just really hard to leave it all in His hands. Any advice would be appreciated.

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So What Happened?

Thank you for everything. I wanted to let you know that I miscarried over the weekend.

More Answers

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D.B.

answers from Dallas on

Congratulations! This child will be an amazing treasure :)

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N.L.

answers from Dallas on

C.:

Sorry I have no advice, buy you are in my prayers. GOD Bless!

Love and blessings,
N.

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C.G.

answers from Dallas on

walk every day and take the stairs and leave it to God.

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S.F.

answers from Dallas on

Hi C., congratulations on your pregnancy. Yes, I believe too that God has a reason and He is the one that will see you through. I wanted to let you know about a group where you can receive support and prayers. It is called The Hannah Group and meets every Tuesday evening at 7:00P.M. in the North Richland Hills Church of Christ Building. I am one of the facilitors. I have a 3 year old boy and have had three miscarriages since him. We are trying again and my doctor also will put me on progesterone and heprin. I believe in using the best medical care you can, but know that ultimately it is in the hands of the Lord. If you are interested in hearing more about our group or would like some prayers and scriptures that may help you, feel free to e-mail me at ____@____.com. S. Fairly

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B.H.

answers from Dallas on

Hello C.,

It sounds like you have a whole bunch of thinking going on. I lost a baby after going full term and they never found the reasons. When I got pregnant again, I was at first happy then all the "what if's" came into my mind.

One day while talking to a friend she made some suggestions that helped me. I can't promise they will help you but you can try.

1) Make sure you trust your doctor. If you feel in anyway that you don't then try to find one you do trust. High risk pregnancies narrow your serch on that one. Lucky for me I trusted my doctor, even after I blamed him for my loss at the onset, he and I had a heart to heart and I felt much better.

2) Take care of the things you can, eat right, get help if you need it and can find help, mine came from my Church family. Get enough sleep and if necessary take naps if you can. I couldn't follow that one, I had a 5 year old son to care for.

3) Let God take care of the things you cant. I prayed very hard to get pregnant and then I was second guessing his gift. I know this was not planned on your part but God sent you a blessing for His own reasons.

4) Finally, enjoy as much of the journey as possible. You may never take it again so build a positive memory bank to share with the child you will meet at the destination.

As I said these may not help you like they did me. I had to write them down and post them on my fridge. Espically the Eating Right part. I had not lost my previous baby weight either.

I only gained 17 lbs with my daughter, she is beautiful and pregnant with her first child as we speak.

About me: Working divorced grand mother living in TX for three years.

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V.H.

answers from Dallas on

Hi,
I just had to write, since this is so close to home for me, but I do this for a living, I am a therapist, so I don't usually write in this.

I know you are right with understanding God has his reason, and you will come to know it. And I am glad you are in the present, no time to worry about the past, too busy. I don't think you can take the time to worry about delivery either, just research and go on. But the working out? push it, a little. My docs always were telling me "not to..." and there is a happy medium. Find what you can do and move, if it is just twirling your wrists.
Where you are is a challenging one for moms. I had three, two special needs, no quite the spread you have, no more or less difficult. I lived through it, and my kids are great.
I was just willing............ that is all it took. and some prayer.
Good luck.
Vicki

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I.P.

answers from Dallas on

Hi, C.
I am an acupuncturist and I have seen quite a number of women at high risk in pregnancies like yours. See if you can find someone in your area that does that. Otherwise if youa re willing to travel I will be happy to see you.

Dr I. Lim Peck LAc.,Dipl.Ac( NCCAOM);RN;RMT;CAAPM;CSAS
Integrated Center For Oriental Medicine
5924 W.Parker Rd., #100
Plano, TX 75093
Ph # ###-###-####
Fx # ###-###-####
http://www.integratedcenterfororientalmedicine.com/

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C.A.

answers from Dallas on

I will be praying for you and your sweet baby. I had a lot of problems with my 2nd pregnancy and will probably not be able to have any more, so I understand your fears. If I were to get pregnant accidentally, I'd be terrified. But you are 100% right saying God has his reasons! You can probably look at your precious 2 already and see that. I thought I was going to have a preemie, so I read a lot on the March of Dimes and heard great things about Lovenox from ladies who were on it. You can read stories there. Lots of women have blogs about their pregnancies. Lots of them talk about post-preemie/NICU pregnancies. Hope it helps a little bit.

Also, the doctors thought my little guy was going to be very early, but I was able to carry him to 37 weeks. Now he is 10 months old and perfectly healthy! Keep us posted!

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K.G.

answers from Dallas on

First - Congratulations!!! Second - take it easy and try to stop worrying - that can do more damage than you think! I took Heparin shots with my second child (had a total of 3 miscarriages before him). I have not heard anything on the Lovenox so I cannot comment on that! I know you're thinking about the turning 40 while pregnant, but women over 40 have healthy babies every day! My advice would be to try not to worry and take really good care of yourself! I'm sure some moderate exercise would be beneficial, just follow doctors orders! Try not to lift your daughter (I have back trouble and was told not to lift my 3 yo, it is hard but made a big difference when I quit lifting him)! Tell her it might hurt your back, it will be easier on her if she doesn't feel responsible for the baby and that it's not because SHE'S TOO HEAVY. You'd be surprised what they can do for themselves w/o you lifting them! I always offered my hand to hold or a lap to sit on instead and that worked pretty well (after lots of fits to be carried - hang in there)! And third - best wishes and enjoy this pregnancy, a precious gift!

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S.W.

answers from Dallas on

Here are a couple of comments I have to say about your post.

1. I wouldn't worry about your weight at this point. Yes, it's unfortunate that you're not a the weight you wanted to be at, but trying to lose weight now would put you and the baby at risk. I say just start doing everything right now - eat healthy and get whatever exercise you're allowed. Worry about major weightloss once the baby is born.

2. A friend of mine had a baby a year ago and she had Lovenox shots for the last few months of her pregnancy. She had no problems during delivery. Try not to stress out about that.

3. Yes, it is in God's hands, but you can do everything possible to help His hands bring this miracle baby into the world. Follow the doctor's orders and if at any time you feel uncomfortable, you can always seek other medical opinions.

Try to get as much relaxation time in as you can. Enjoy being pregnant and avoid stress (easy to say, I know). Everything will work out the way it should.

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J.T.

answers from Dallas on

Congrats! Yes, God definitely has a plan for you and your growing family. My best advice to you is that being overly worried about your risks with do neither you or your baby good. Stress hormones play a critical role in how well a pregnancy goes. By all means, learn from your past pregnancies and take the precautions your doctor has given, but what is totally in your control is how YOU deal with the situation emotionally. Walking is a great exercise and usually recommended by most OBGYN'S even in high risk pregnancies (ask first, of course). Especially with the days getting longer and the temp being so great right now, getting outdoors will not only boost your spirits but help with your concerns about too much weight gain. Walking 30-mins after meals will help with burning the glucose that your food becomes for energy. Instead of the glucose being stored for later use, you will use it while walking. This becomes especially important if you've had a baby previous that was getting too big. Babies, especially in the last trimester, plump up if there is too much glucose hanging around. About the Lovenox, just tell your Dr. about your concerns. She may be able to ease your mind or possibly change meds. As with any drugs, side effects are always a possibility. But, being aware, educated and prepared in these situations will help you be in control. Again, congrats on your little miracle. My prayers are with you.

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M.B.

answers from Dallas on

C. you can always lose the weight but you can't always be carrying a precious baby. We don't always have our plans match up with what God has planned, but ultimately His will for our life is much greater than we could even imagine. About 4 weeks ago our pastor spoke about worry and how when you worry you are showing little faith (go to www.Lifechurch.tv and click on messages - it is called Hostage:Worry) on that following Thursday the salon I worked at caught on fire while we were still in the building unaware of what was going on. Anyhow, that message which packs a lot of punch to what was being said really shed light on how we put God in a box when we should put ourselves in God's box and let him worry with what comes along in our lives that we can't change. Anyhow, you can't change where you are at age wise, you can do weight watchers and be pregnant, you can't change the fact you have to take medicine that has side effects, but you can pray each day for your baby's health and yours as well. God puts things into our lives so that we have to rely upon Him, so may be this baby is one way He can keep you focused on His strength not your own. I was pregnant with my 4th and my husband lost his job but my child was the grace that God gave me to get through all the touch times we faced.

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S.C.

answers from Dallas on

C., I am a labor and delivery nurse and I have worked with high risk patients. While your sitation is high risk and should be watched very carefully, you are not alone. More and more women are chosing to have children at an older age and more women than you think have to use lovenox and progetrone during there pregnancy. I think your assumption is correct on the working out, I would not. Take it easy. I just found out that I am pregnant again and I am in the process of teaching myself and my toddler that mommy can no longer carry her, she is a big girl now. It's hard sometimes, but you have to think of new ways to do some things. Since your last baby was induced early b/c of wt I would watch your diest very close. Unhealthy food and an excess in sugar do cause big babies. I have also seen women that start there pregnancy overwt, end up losing wt throughout the pregnancy. Don't get me wrong, this is not the time to diet. But just eat healthy, fruit veggies and dec your sugar. This will help your over all health and your babies. And as far as the bleeding out during delivery, if you are schdeuled for an induction, you will be told not to take your lovenox dose 1-2 days before your scheduled delivery so that you will be at a dec chance for that. They will aslo draw your blood and see how "thin" it is when your admitted to check for your risk for that. Don't ever be afraid to call your Dr with concerns or questions and if you aren't already, I would ask to at least consult with a perinatologits or MFM, they specialize in high risk pregnancies and just have more experience. I wish you and your baby the best!

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D.D.

answers from Dallas on

Dear C. S,

Your message touched me. I have already said a prayer for you, your family and your baby on the way. I prayed that God would enfold you with His love, comfort, peace and protection. I prayed for the protection of the baby.

If you ever just need to talk or pray with someone, please don't hesitate to contact me at ____@____.com D

P. S. If you ever need the help of a good Realtor, check me out at www.debdunn.com.

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B.S.

answers from Dallas on

Congratulations on your new miracle in progress. Melanie makes a great point - God's plans are so much better than anything we could ever devise so have faith.
Someone suggested walking, a great idea, most obgyns fully endorse and encourage that. You don't have to walk a million miles but it will help you keep things in check. My ob even suggested that I walk in the mall on rainy days (a man after my own heart!!), the perimeter of Grapevine Mills is a mile or so-ish (you could check on their website).
Keep us posted.

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B.C.

answers from Dallas on

C., you are right. God does have a reason for this pregnancy with which He has blessed you and I applaud you for seeking advice from others. I do have a suggestion that I'd like to offer to you. The vitamin supplements that you take during this time can make all the difference in the world. And I just want you to know that they are definitely NOT all alike. The doctor will prescribe "pre-natals". But I would urge you to look into taking those made by the Shaklee Corp. They are FAR better for you, especially through your pregnancy. THey are whole food supplements that are as close to nature as possible with no preservatives or additives or any of those things added to them. And they have all been clinically proven to be safe and toget into the blood stream and work. You can only get Shaklee products from a distributor.

I have used these products for 24 years and can tell you about numerous moms who switched to Shaklee products when pregnant and had incredibly healthy pregnancies and babies that were 10's.

I have been a distributor for 18 years, C.. I am a grandmother and when my son's wife was expecting, I worked with a renown nutritionist as to what she should take. She was very helpful about telling us what to take and also why they would benefit the pregnancy. I would be happy to share all this with you. My e-mail address is ____@____.com if you would like to talk with me.

God Bless!

B. C

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M.R.

answers from Dallas on

I took Lovenox with my last 2 pregnancies and had NO problems. I think it is very important to have a hematologist follow you also during your pregnancies. I went to Dr. Costa at Lake Vista Cancer center in Lewisville. Hematologists work very closely with cancer drs, you don't have to have cancer to go here. He will make sure to monitor your medication. Hope that helps. let me know if you have any other questions.

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L.K.

answers from Dallas on

I was on Lovenox from weeks 13-36 with my last pregnancy. I had 3 miscarriages before my girl was born almost 15 months ago. Your doctor will switch you to heparin at week 36, or at least 2 weeks before your due date because the effects of heparin can be reversed with medication during labor if needed. Lovenox does not have an "antidote", so to speak, but it doesn't normally cause problems even if taken the day before delivery. I never had any problems with Lovenox and my little girl is perfect. Don't be scared. I wish you the best!

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K.H.

answers from Dallas on

C., please take comfort that the Lord knows what he is doing, he wants this child to be here!

How many weeks are you? Have you surpassed the previous gestation of your babies that were lost? I know its hard, I was less than pleased about my second baby and I too had a rough pregnancy... not as bad as your first, but complicated nonetheless. I feel so badly NOW that I wasn't happy about being pregnant with my 7 mo old! How HE has blessed me... she is an angel... I couldnt' live without her! In fact, we want another.... I'm not sure how we will manage or how I can think of doing it again, but once I got that baby in my arms, I couldn't dream of not wanting another.

You might ask your OB if they have any recommended reading or support groups at the hospital. I know the weight issue is hard, but this is a very brief moment compared to a lifetime of love for a child. Just think of how much weight you'll lose chasing after both little ones!!! Also, I always heard that if it was something that you did everyday, like lift your child, that it was ok to keep doing. Ask you OB if they include picking up your little girl... he may allow that, but not working out.

Good luck and God Bless...

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D.G.

answers from Dallas on

Hi C.. I too have a high risk pregnancy, however I am only 30. My whole pregnancy with my son, I had to be on Lovenox injections my first 32 weeks then they switched me to Heparin the last 4 weeks. I am also overweight. I didn't have any problems with the Lovenox injections my whole pregnancy. Actually my doctor had told me that Lovenox is safer for the baby than some of the others. But I did figure out that if you use ice on your injection site then do the injection you don't bruise from the shot. I was able to make it to my due date however we did induce four days earlier because the doctor wanted the delivery to be controlled. Anyways, good luck with your pregnancy and congratulations. If you have any question or would like to talk e-mail me.

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C.R.

answers from Wichita Falls on

The right Answer will come to you , My prayers are with you ,life is very diffecult, and seems very unfare at times ,But as we go thought life we also find out how Wonderful it is too . I know everything will workout for you , Im 53 have a Daughter Tracy who will be 34 in august she has 3 beautiful girls Felicia 13 and Alyssa 12 and Cody a ababy Boy who will be 2 july 28th and just had a new baby girl Shyen Ella march 5th they live in New jersey i live in texas I also have a son Joey he is married and they have a son Tommy who will be 2 may 18th i was married to him for23 years he died 8 years agao i got remerried 2 years ago ,I have a great life and i thought after my husband died my life was over ,But with having 2 wonderful Childern and them giving me grandchildern my life is wonderful , think about all the bright thingsin your life I hope everything goes well for you Love C. R. , Bowie Texas

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K.H.

answers from Dallas on

Congratulations! My mother had my youngest sister at almost 41.. she was the 5th child and totally unexpected. My mom was not happy to be pregant as at that time, my oldest brother was 20, my other brother 18, I was 16 and another daughter who was 11. Once my youngest sister was born though, it was one of the happiest moments in her life. My sister is cherished by us all and a great comfort to my mother, now 72. My mother was also heavier than she liked, but after the baby she lost all the weight and slimmed down even more. My mom now says that her 40's was one of the best times of her life.
Hang in there, take care of yourself and in another year, you will probably wonder why you were so worried.

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