Hi Ladies, I am sorry to post here when feeling so anxious but I just need to find out if I am the ONLY one on the planet that feels this way at the moment. I just cant stop worrying about pre term labour and baby not being viable there seems to be so many horrible things happening to wonderful woman on here and I feel so heartbroken for them I am finding this stage of the pregnancy really hard as I am so close to being viable but cant for one second stop worrying that we might not make it, I have been having cramps on and off and had a really bad night last night (it may be trapped wind) but my mind automatically thinks it is something bad like pre term labour or an abruption Does ANYONE else worry like this? Do I need to go for counselling to get through the next 17 weeks? I am going on mat leave on the 14 August and am not coming back to work after so I might ask to see someone closer to that time?? What do you think? I am driving myself mad with worry and the worst thing is is that there is nothing I or anyone else can do to stop anything from happening if it is going to happen, I have also recently read that the hospitals in the UK dont help babies born before 24 weeks, that seems really nasty and unfair? Why do they do this? Sorry for all the questions just need a bit of a morale boost.

Oh hon have you talke to your mw about how you are feeling? I am sure she would be able to recomend someone you can talk to if you feel you need that.

As for the cramps, I don't know if it helps any but I find that if I am stressing out about something I start getting cramps...... could it be that?

Just wanted to give u big

What u are feeling is normal, I certainly had similar feelings to urself, think it is all the hormones that cause us to feel like this. Please remember that although it seems that alot of ladies go through tragedies the majority of women go onto have normal viable pregnancies, its just because of all the amount of women that use this forum it seems more prevelant (i.e if we werent all on this forum we wouldnt hear these stories). Sorry doll dont know if that made any sense.

Relax, enjoy ure pregnancy.....only a week to go till u are viable

Have u thought of investing in a doppler so u can listen into LO's HB and put ure mind at ease. xoxo

Oh, hun, you are not the only one. Everyone worries. You are only days from being "viable" and really, it is a label. Every baby develops differently. Every pregnancy is different. 24 weeks is like an "average" mark. People are fighting all the silly laws out there for that reason. Typically, when a baby is at 24 weeks, they can be helped by medical care outside the womb because they have develped some of the organs to a point where medical science can intervene if necessary, but of course, every baby is a little different. No person wants a baby to be born that early, as they have such a struggle
I don't mean for this to sound bad, but there is never any guarantee that your LO will be ok. Things happen at 35 weeks, and 40 weeks and even after the LO is here. You really just never know. Trying to stay calm and relax is the best thing you can do to help LO. If you think that talking with someone might help, then please do it!
Also, if it helps to put your mind at ease, at the point where you are now, there are things that can be done to try to prolong labor if it were to start, giving your baby the best fighting chance possible. They give you steroids to help the lungs develop, etc.
You aren't the only one who feels this way. I think when we get to a certain point, and realize how far we've come, it just seems so awful to think about anything happening.
Remember, it's much less common to have problems at this point, but sadly, there are some ladies here who do, and we all feel terrible for them and are so upset for them that it's hard not to imagine that being us, too. The best thing we can do for them is offer our caring and support, as we realize how precious and fragile life is.
The best thing we can do for ourselves is try to stay positive and take care of ourselves and LO.

No need to be sorry, that's what this board is here for hun.
I'm worrying all the time too, that something will go wrong, I think most people do especially if it's their first baby. Which mine is.
I keep getting pains like tummy cramps at the moment, not very pleasant, don't know what they are. I'm sure they are normal though, I hope.
Other than that i've felt fine, touch wood.
I agree, have a chat to your midwife or another health professional to see if they can help you. Don't worry so much honey, it might be the stress that makes everything seem much worse than it is.
Take care.

Andrea
xx

Hiya bump buddy!

First off....you're completely normal to worry about this. I think though you need to relax, all the other times that you've had these same cramps it's been nothing, so why should it be something bad this time?

Your baby has a 16% chance of survival from birth at 23 weeks (i read that on baby expert thing...I'll try to find it) which when you consider how far you've come, and how much of a fighter you have there, I think you're pretty safe! Statistics mean nothing to the individual, so keep positive, try not to worry and enjoy the growing bump, the kicks, the cravings and all that lovely stuff!

If you're having trouble unwinding, then by all means go and talk to your MW and GP, That's what they're there for and they may be able to help refer you on to someone if you feel you need it.

Try not to get worked up hun...I had cramps last week with all the stress of my work case, but I know that bubs wont give up on me that easy...it was just a reminder they're there and still with us and not to worry.

I hope you feel better hun....1 more week and officially viable and then it's all the lovely stuff of labour to look forward to......

Keep smiling hun...we're always here!

I think it is normal that every time you read about a tragedy, you think that it can also happen to me

Everybody worries, it is about trying to control it. I think reading the boards or the internet too much sometimes can also be harmful, but lots of stress is definitely not good for the LO

hun i could have written your post myself !!! its exactly how i feel 24/7 i did have 3 very early losses (all before 7weeks ) so thats prob not helping my frame of mind an like u i keep hearing horror storys which play on my mind i do look around though an think wow every single person alive millions an millions trillions of people were all born ! all there mothers gave birth an nothing happened to them while in the womb !! try an think this it helps me for a bit

Thank you so much my angels, I feel like crying as you guys are so nice and understand me totally, I dont know what i would do without you, I am going to chat to MW when I see her on the 3rd, this will be my first MW appointment as I have been under consultant care, Its only a week to go until I see her and if my cramps get worse Ill go to the day assessment unit, thank you sweethearts, lots of love and kind hugs xxxx