pregnancy/ birht problems

[jessie]

just wondering if anyone had problems with their pregnancies or births. My as/adhd son was very small for full term 4 and a half pounds ( i don't smoke ) I had spotting during the pregnancy and had to be monitered at around 36 wks as he was very quiet. Also as I was rushed into the delivery room the nurse asked me when my waters broke ( I had no experience of this but knew all about it with my second child) There were no waters to be broken .I spoke to a midwife friend who said that there is a secondary water sac, but I didn't have any ? Also he was born pretty flat and had to be taken away to have his airways cleared. I had two lots of pain relief (think it was pethadine) and the second was within a few hours of the birth as it was a fairly long labour. No stiches tho............................Oh and he had jaundice

 

jessie

[lindy-lou]

i had placenta praevia and had a c section.

[OPooh]

I had sickness not only all the way through but after the birth too. Apart from that he was 9 days late and almost 9 lbs - and I'm only 5ft 3

[bid]

My son was 'grunting' (not breathing properly) when he was born, after a very quick delivery (but long labour). He needed oxygen and IV antibiotics.

 

I have read an interesting theory that many ASC children have difficult births because they don't respond in the usual way during birth...in other words, it's not the difficult birth that causes an ASC, but an ASC that causes a difficult birth...

 

Does anyone know anything more about this theory??

 

Bid

[clintess]

i also had placenta praevia and difficult birth

[Lynden]

I had horrendous pregnancies with my NT daughter, high blood pressure right through so put on medication, placenta pravia, spotting, SPD, PUPPP rash and suspected pre-eclampsia. I had a 30 hour labour and emergency section, she was 9lbs 10oz and stuck in my pelvis. With my ASD son I had high blood pressure again so was on meds from the get go. I had SPD again also. He was an elective section where they botched the anasthetic and numbed me from the chin down, he had the cord round his neck but his apgars were quickly normal, but other than that his birth was uneventful. He was 7lbs 6oz.

 

I got sterlised after him as was deffo not doing pregnancy again!! LOL

 

Lynne

[desperate]

Hi Neil was a difficult birth, he had a "toilet" in the womb and had to be induced. He was only 5lb. born and myother boys were all around 9lb. He was born at thirty eight weeks so that shouldn't have made much difference to his birth weight. He also had to have oxygen and four hourly blood tests. His fontanal was also wide open. It covered his whole forehead and reached down to his nose. He developed a very dangerous lung infection and was on life support for two weeks. It's impossible to know if that had an effect on his autism as it's impossible to know how he would have been without those difficulties. It's an interesting thought though, that his autism caused the birth difficulties and not the other way around. He had no speech until he was almost ten, and I always put that down to damage caused because the fontanal was so open.

[Klou]

Hi

 

My pregnancy was fine. Birth was fine too although labour was very long 22 hours. It took longer than expected for him to come out. So I am quite interested in the idea that ASC causes different response by the baby to the birth process. IMO ds was a stubborn little boy then and he hasn't changed!

 

Having said that I had no interventions and apart from gas and air, and tens no pain relief so compared to most it was quite straightforward.

[adamsmum]

K was breach so i had a c section. Adam went to loo and was in stress so had foceps the hole laboure was 30 mins and verry troumatic for us both. My other boys only took about 25 mins sounds goot but it hurts more. Cain was so fast i dident have time for the gas

[carrieq]

I was in labour for 48 hours before ds became distressed and I had an emergency section. He was stuck so his head was really pointy. I had flu in pregnancy at about 14 weeks and was very dehydrated. At that point they were unsure whether he would survive or not.

Carrie

[bettybiscuit123]

I had a practically perfect pregnancy and labour for my daughter who is not autistic. But with my son who is ASD i spotted during pregnancy, was hospitalised with gastro-enterittus (sorry about spelling!), was ill all through pregnancy, felt faint all the time and had alot of swelling. He was 14 days over due and I had him induced, his head come out and it took what felt like a life time for the rest of him to come out!!! He was 9lb 9oz and had jaundice too. I also developed an over-active thyroid which i was told was bought on through pregnancy.

[justamom]

I too had a difficult pregnancy with my AS son, and sailed through my 2nd pregnancy with my NT daughter It was an emergency c-section, he was destressed and had the cord around his neckhe was born at 38weeks weighing 2.9kilos (sorry dont know pounds) He was very jaundiced and was under UV lights for 1 week.

[Flora]

I had planned C sections with both my boys. William and Luke couldn't have been more different. However, they were both good birth weights. William was sensitive/allergic to cows milk and had seizures until he was 3 months old. At 3 months Luke began fainting and this continued right up until he was about 6 years old. He still often goes pail and floppy, and has been tested for everything that may cause this. Other than those problems they neither of them showed any sign of being autistic until they were passed their first birthday. Even the pregnancies were different; they are still two completely different characters; the only similarity being that they both have ASD.

 

Lauren

[Tylers-mum]

T was fullterm and a health 8lbs plus, he was breech so was born by c-section. He never breathed straight away but they brought him round thankfully after what seemed like an eternity but must have been about a minute or so. He had trouble feeding and kept bringing it his feeds back up so was tube fed for his first 2 feeds.

I also discovered I had some infection which wasn't treated during the pregnancy and the results came back to me after I had him. I was really ill and gievn IV antibiotics but had lots of morphine to treat the pain which got worse once I'd had the c-section.

T was in and out of hospital for the first year of his life with gastric reflux and faliure to thrive b/c of it.

[punky]

Three boys, all 6 days over natural birth very fast labour very fast birth,

1st one spotting through pregnancy, and lost a twin,

second normal but in distress during labour, third quick again and over due but I had plateletts that were dropping really fast and they were worried i was developing help syndrome in final week, all babies were in a bad position and none of them cried for days when they were born...straight after the birth that is. all 8 1/2 lb plus and im 5ft 1

Edited January 27, 2006 by punky

[KarenT]

I had a lovely pregnancy but J was induced ten days over date. Two failed attempts to induce by gel followed by fourteen hour labour. Second stage lasted four and a quarter hours (guidelines say it shouldn't last more than two). J was born after episiotomy and ventouse with cord round his neck, took three minutes to get him breathing but he didn't need to go to baby unit. His neck was shaped like a Mr Whippy ice cream. He was big too, 8lb 13oz.

 

Karen

x

[Tensing]

I didn't even know I was pregnant with Henry until the February and he was born in the March (And yes he is my 4th). He was born at 23 weeks and spent 10 and half weeks in NICU and SCBU.

[007paul007]

My wife was induced 20 days after her due date and her apgar score was 0/10 which is surposed to be the worst score, they said that the waters when they broke really smelt and perhaps the baby had been distressed in some way.

[Nemesis]

My AS son was born after a very prolonged labour. An attempt at a ventouse delivery failed as did the first attempt at forceps. He was eventually delivered with a different type of forceps - my DH says the doc with the forceps had his foot on the bottom of the bed for leverage and another doctor had hold of the first doc round the waist. I kid you not DS has a scar right down his forehead as a result.

He was 'grunting' at birth, having swallowed fluid during the delivery and spent the first 24 hours in SCBU where they bottle fed him against my express instructions Needless to say I did not go back to that hospital. My DDs were born elsewhere - both very straightforward.

I have always wondered if this contributed to DS's difficulties. It had never occurred to me as someone else suggested that the ASD might have caused the problems with the birth rather than the other way around. Does anyone know anything to back up this idea?

Nemesis

[pingu]

Hi

I would also love to hear this theory. My History is as follows.

With my first i suffered from Pre-eclampsia, and was in hospital for 5 weeks before he was born. He was classed as a 'small for dates baby' His growth stopped altogether at 32 weeks. and i had a condition called (excuse the spelling) polihydrominus, which meant that there was too much fluid around the baby, and they thought he might have a problem swallowing the excees fluid so it was building up. Apparently diabetes can cause this but i tested negative. He lost weight whilst inside me, and eventually they decided against a normal birth as he was by then too weak. he was born by C section weighing 51b 13 oz. Feeding problems continued and even now at 13 years old he is only 4 stone. (Ongoing probs Tested for AS, but not conclusive, undiagnosed ADHD and many sensory problems, He has a problem with the hyperthermolous gland in the brain, which controls temperature, apetite, sleeping, behaviour and growth)

 

My next was also a boy, again i had pre-eclamspia, polihydrominous, and at 24 weeks he became less active. He hung on untill 28 weeks, but he was too weak. He was stillborn at 29 weeks. We named him shaun. They found no cause of death, but i was told i could have a problem carrying boys, as i had suffered two miscarriages before having Liam (1st)

 

After this came 'dreamgirl' Named in memory of her brother Shauna gave me a problem free pregnancy, no blood pressure problems, nothing !! She was too born by C Section (5 14oz) (i desperatly wanted a normal birth, but i had health probs which they would'nt risk) Incedently shauna is Claustrophobic, selective mute at age 3 (at 4 she spoke again) and at present she is undergoing tests for OCD. Great imagination but lots of AS Traits. (literal thinking, lining things up etc) she also has dyslexia and dyspraxia

 

Kieran was next. Probs with blood pressure once again, the horrifying pains, and polihydrominous returned. Again a c section he was born weighing 6ib 5oz But he had the cord around his neck and took 2 hours to go pink, He was horribly blue But luckily he was ok. He is the only one who displayed signs clear enough to be taken seriously by others, and at 5 he was diagnosed with AS and Dyspraxia. When i try and explain the kids histories to docs etc they say its coincedence. But im not convinced it is. I am always blaming myself, as i can see a lot of me in them, and am convinced that i have managed to make them into clones

 

Anyway. I would be interested in the theory of the asd causing birth problems.

Take care

Shaz

x

[board]

i was booked for a planned c section at 37 weeks but hospital made mesake and give me it at 35 weeks my daughter was born not breathing takrn away to scbu in a nother hospital didt see her for 3 days weight 5 lb in scbu for 2 weeks in and out of hospital than told she as asthma and waiting to find out if is as ASPERGERS she is my 7th 2 normal deliveys lost 2 and 3 c-section jill

[jayjay]

Hi my first child a daughter was born after 3 days labour but my son who has ASD was born by emergency c section as i lost meconia (not sure i have spelt that right, basically his waters and his poo) so they had to clear his lungs out bless him when he was born

jayne xx

[lainey]

my labour very long with asd son about 36 hours had eperdural pain relief his heart beat went a bit funny they put monitor on his head whilst i was in labour and cord was loose round his ne ck pregnancy started with spot bleeding and at the labour started with bleeding heavy

[jessie]

wow, it seems as though most of us have had problems. I've never heard the theory around asd causing the difficult births etc..... My second son(nt) was born after only 8 hours without any complicatons at all. He was also a much healthier weight. I had heard a thoery connecting the pain relief injections if given too far on during the labour resulting in the bay being born flat and that the cord has to be cut very quickly while the baby is taken away to have airways cleared...... I think I'd heard that this was a very crucial time for the baby, especially if the baby isn't breathing independantly due to having blocked airways eg the time between having the cord cut and being treated. Has anyone else heard about this.

 

jessie

[neda]

I had severe SPD with my son and was on crutches from around 15weeks. Had to take painkillers and anti inflammatories throughout pregnancy to control pain to allow me to deal with the 2 girls. Hospital wanted to take me in from 24weeks to control the pain but I couldn't do this because of girls. Son was born after I was induced 2 weeks early due to pain, he was covered in a rash which had to be swabbed later that evening he turned blue due to lack of oxygen and had to be rushed to special care baby unit where he was treated with intravenous antibiotics. Have continually asked myself if his problems are related to the medication I needed to take. Reading these posts it really does make you think.

[jb1964]

I was a bit sickly throughout the pregnancy - when I was 36 wks - had examination where they thought i seemed smaller than previous examination. Had scan at 37wks - and results showed IUGR - with the abdominal circum. being very small and they suggested weight around 4lbs. Induced the next day - after three days of labour put on drip to speed up contractions and birth by ventouse (very violent birth!!).

 

Daughter weighed 6lbs which stunned all the doctors - although very poor at feeding - tiny amounts, followed by sick (sometimes projectile) and chronic constipation, developed umbilical hernia, born with non-congenital talipes (club-foot). Had large fontanelle which didn't close fully until she was around 3yrs. Been under Paed.Consult. since 6mths for failure to thrive. Put on wysoy (and milk free diet) until 4yrs - suspected milk intolerance. Asthma diagnosed at around 3yrs.

 

Continued to be a poor eater and chronic constipation sufferer until now (still monitored for height and weight). Although diet has started to improve (become more varied) over the past 2-3 yrs and within the last year weight has increased from 4stone to 5stone (which is massive!!!) Diagnosed with AS last Nov 05 at 12yrs old.

 

Other daughter 3yrs old - has no problems. She was born at 40wks, weighed 8lb 11oz, after difficult pregnancy (strepb and other infections) - grunting after birth - swallowed fluid and had pooh while in labour.

[raelien]

My pregnancy was fine - but the birth was a night mare -

 

I started full blown labour on the wednesday at ten pm and col was born on the sunday at 1.40am. after an extensive and painful labour he was born under a general a/thetic and a c section - and ai realy regret it -

 

I didnt bond as I should becuase I wasnt awake at his birth - it took a day or two!

 

I wont have another child becuase I dont want to risk that agin

[KarenM]

The cord was tightly round dds neck and she was grey and floppy She was taken away and put in special care unit in an incubater for a day.

Karen

[rainbow queen]

my son too had cord round his neck and was blue ,needed oxgen, was really bad induced labour lasting days and had real problems pushing him out,also bled while i was pregnant,and placenta was low down,thought id need a section but it moved back up at end.

[Flora]

There are so many theories flying around. But my only NT child was the one who had the worst delivery. 36 hours of labour, followed by her heart stopping beating, emergency c section in which they didn't even wait until I was asleep before they started the procedure; she then had to be intubated and have cardiac massage and spent 2 days in SCBU. There is absolutely nothing wrong with her at all, she's 13 now. My two boys with ASD had straight forward planned c section deliveries, were fine when they were born but both went on to have dx of AS and ASD respectively.

 

I really don't think that there is any hard and fast links; everyone's experience is unique.

 

The only link I've observed as consistant with some people is the extra amniotic fluid in pregnancy. The two people I know who experienced this went on to have severely autistic sons.

 

Lauren

[pingu]

Hi

The only link I've observed as consistant with some people is the extra amniotic fluid in pregnancy.

 

That's interesting, do you know of a website to look over this, or is is just your personal experience??

 

shaz

x

[LizC]

Hi with Matthew I had a very difficult pregnancy, extreem back pain/he wouldn't keep still ever! I had planned c/s (c/s for all 3 of my kids) he was 7lb 13, smaller than my other 2 and was very short too. he suffered terribly with reflux as a baby and finally outgrew that by about 2 1/2. we always knew he was 'different'..

 

Liz

[jannyk]

with my first two dd and ds was sick every single day even in labour but with ds J 14 ASD no sickness or anything didnt even feel pregnant all three quite easy labours but with J his heart beat dropped and i had to have the oxygen mask he was the lightest too weighing 6lb 12oz really long with big hands and feet x

[madmooch]

H was in distress and there was muconium (poo) in my waters, he was emergency c-section and he's severe asd.

C died 20 mins before birth and had 2 fits and stopped breathing twice during the first 24 hrs and were waiting for her to be checked for poss brain damage

 

Needless to say, def no more kids!.

 

Clare

[Flora]

Hi

That's interesting, do you know of a website to look over this, or is is just your personal experience??

 

shaz

x

 

Shaz, it's just personal experience. With my second son, I was always a month larger than my dates though wasn't dx with extra fluid (can't remember the medical name). Two friends I know personally had a dx of this condition, and both of them had boy's who developed severe autism.

 

Lauren