Losing a baby at 20-24 weeks of pregnancy
Experiences of a following pregnancy
Many parents we spoke to had been able to have another baby after their loss. They felt very lucky, but often those pregnancies were difficult.
Naivety of pregnancy shattered
Pregnancy was never the same again. Many parents felt they had lost the carefree attitude and joy they had felt about pregnancy before it had been shattered. After losing a baby, they now knew everything that might go wrong and found the next pregnancy terrifying. Some parents talked about how differently they approached the pregnancy. Some hid their news, and didn’t feel it was right to announce it through social media or to friends and family. Carly talked about how she avoided buying new things for the baby. She felt that “half of me wanted to say 'ah hurray, I'm pregnant', and be happy and then the other half was going 'well don't get your hopes up again… you know what happens”.
Lindsay described how she had a few hours of being excited about her pregnancy before she felt overwhelmed by fear.
Lindsay described how she had a few hours of being excited about her pregnancy before she felt overwhelmed by fear.
And, yeah. Just like the prospect of what could happen again. And it's been a shame in some respects, because that lovely naivety of pregnancy that I had with [my son], and with Henry really until it went wrong, has just been shattered. And so whereas I before I used to think 'well if you get to your twelve week scan, you're fine', like 'let's go shopping and buy stuff', you know? [Laugh]. Whereas now, I'm thirty four weeks now, and I still haven't bought a single thing, or organised a single thing [laugh].Sarah described how she felt more pessimistic about pregnancy.
Sarah described how she felt more pessimistic about pregnancy.
Into this kind of viability stage. I found I was a lot more aware of success rates at certain birth times. So knowing that at this point ninety percent of babies live for over a year, at this point - you know. Just going through - So I knew that I was like okay, if I can get onto this week, then this baby's got a ninety percent chance of survival, and if I go to this week, then you know. So I was just a lot more aware that time. Because I think what I didn't take into account last time I was pregnant is that not everyone gets to keep their baby. And that's something - Because I'd had two healthy babies, being pregnant meant having a baby, done. And it was almost - And I'd see people putting things up on Facebook, like "Oh, we had our twelve week scan." And I, yeah. I was just like tentative on their behalf, like don't get too - you know, don't get too excited, it might - But you know, you don't want to take away someone's excitement about their baby, and you're just thinking 'oh no, don't get your hopes up'. Which is like such a negative thing, attitude to have. I knew it sounded bitter. But at the same time, I just couldn't understand why people could be so enthusiastic so early on, when there might be a chance that you might lose your baby, because - you know - didn't they know that you could lose your baby that quick, just like that? You know, so I think I just - I became - It was a bit of a, oh I don't know quite how to describe it. But a bit of a negative attitude towards pregnancies at the whole. And just, just having this real kind of glass half empty kind of attitude towards it, that knowing that just because you're pregnant doesn't mean you're having a baby. And that was it. Yeah. So it wasn't - Just can't feel that same excitement. And I think that has, that has been like that while I've been pregnant this time round, is that - well, you know, 'if' I end up on maternity leave, or if I'm on maternity leave this time next year. And people are saying "Oh yeah, you will be going on maternity. Not if." If. Like it's always been ifs and buts this time. Collette felt she didn’t want to tell anyone she was pregnant again because she was so petrified her baby was going to die.
Collette felt she didn’t want to tell anyone she was pregnant again because she was so petrified her baby was going to die.
Courtney found other mothers who had experienced loss understood her feelings about pregnancy.
Courtney found other mothers who had experienced loss understood her feelings about pregnancy.
I feel like I go now because they're my friends. So, and they understand me so well. So whereas I go and I discuss my month and how bad it's been, or the good side it's been, I also go because I want to hear how they're doing. And if say that month someone comes up to me - like for instance someone come - was in a conversation and they're pregnant, and they were like "Oh, I really want a boy." And then someone else was like, "I really want a girl." And I'm just like, "No, you want it alive." [Laughing]. I'm like "It doesn't matter if it's a girl or a boy, it doesn't matter, as long as it's healthy, and alive, then it's not - then nothing's an issue." [Laugh]. The Sands group would understand that. They'd - I could say that there, and they'd understand why I would come away annoyed. They'd even laugh about it.
And to have people around you that understand little things like that, and comments like that, is priceless. It literally gets you through. Like, we - We now to a point have become friends that - like you, you would text them like they were your best mates, the people that you've lost. It's, it's like you experience something together and you understand.Loretta described how her anxiety changed through her pregnancy.
Loretta described how her anxiety changed through her pregnancy.
So I sort of tried to make the most of being pregnant.
And did you manage to enjoy it?
On days that you could forget, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, there were occasionally when, you know, you did quite enjoy being pregnant and walking round. And then sometimes you'd sit there of a night, and you'd worry about it.
Mmm. And how many weeks did you get to with -
With [son’s name]? I went to thirty seven weeks. No, thirty six weeks and five days I went with him. And had to have a planned Caesarean. Vikki described how she couldn’t believe she was going to have a baby until she walked out of the hospital with them in her arms.
Vikki described how she couldn’t believe she was going to have a baby until she walked out of the hospital with them in her arms.
When Alison was concerned about her baby’s movement she appreciated the support of her midwives.
When Alison was concerned about her baby’s movement she appreciated the support of her midwives.
That they would actually - yeah, that they didn't dismiss my worries at any point. And I don't, and I don't think that they knew about my previous experience. I can't remember at what stage they did and didn't know. So, that was quite useful. And within that, one of the midwives I remember we'd had like the - where they strap your belly up for the - I don't know what it is. For the, for recognising the heart rate. And I remember she took a few minutes out, to like sit us down and fully explain everything about the readings, and why that meant that everything was okay. And that was amazing. Because like she - otherwise you're just kind of saying "Oh, it's fine." But she actually explained, sat down and explained that this is where I'm getting this information from, and this is why I can tell you that you're alright. So that was incredibly helpful, just for like three minutes of her time. It saved a lot of anxiety after that, so. Helen Z found scans helped allay her fears but also found them extremely distressing.
Helen Z found scans helped allay her fears but also found them extremely distressing.
So, what weeks did you have a scan?
So, privately I had a scan at I think - Well, I had a scan at seven weeks. And then they'd said to me something about the baby not being the right size, even at seven weeks. So I went back at nine weeks. So that scared me, even though it was so early.
Then I had my twelve week scan. And then I think we had a private scan at fifteen weeks. And then we had - And then the NHS gave us scans at twenty, twenty four, twenty eight, thirty two, thirty six. So I had scans the whole way through.
And was there a time when you started to relax a little bit more in the pregnancy, or?
No.
No?
Because I've made friends with women that have lost their babies at full term.
Everyone was like "Once you've got past twenty three weeks, you'll relax." But you meet so many people that have lost babies maybe later down the road.
Fathers also found subsequent pregnancies extremely stressful. Matthew said he worried “because… I couldn't see a positive outcome for it. I just felt it was going to end in the same way. It was going to end badly.”
David described his need to know the baby was moving and kicking before he went to work each day.
David described his need to know the baby was moving and kicking before he went to work each day.
She'd have to get scanned at the hospital. Is that right?
Elaine: Mmm.
David: Without telling me. So, it was a case of six, sorry - nine months of actual –
Elaine: Eight and a half months [laughing].
David: Eight and a half. Yeah. Eight and a half months of stress, and with a fantastic result at the end of it, but. Yeah.
Parents had mixed feelings about going back to the hospital where they had given birth the first time. For some parents this offered continuity of care with the same midwife or doctor who knew about their previous experience. Parents appreciated when staff knew about their loss so that they didn’t have to keep retelling their story. Physically returning to the same hospital was often difficult as it was associated with so many distressing memories. Some mothers talked about having flashbacks or feeling physically sick or fainting.
Returning to hospital made Sarah feel physically sick. She appreciated having a sticker on her notes to tell staff she’d lost a baby.
Returning to hospital made Sarah feel physically sick. She appreciated having a sticker on her notes to tell staff she’d lost a baby.
And that's been useful, actually. And just - So I don't have to feel like I have to - And it's got his date of birth on it. So I don't feel like I have to explain myself constantly. People see that and they know to be careful. So not to be - Because you know, you get some people who just go "Oh, is it your first baby?" You know? "No. No." And then "Oh, right." And then you explain - you know, you have to explain. And that is frustrating when that happens.
But yeah, but most people, you know, they know that sticker's on the front, and they know to just look for it, and that it's - it's there. But yeah, going back to the hospital was, was hard. But I've been back so many times now that it's now more - I more associate it with this baby, like a separate experience. So.
Giving birth allowed some parents to lay down happier memories associated with birth. Elaine described how the birth of her son “leaves a nice feeling around” birth and labour rather than a “traumatic” one. However some were disappointed when friends or family thought their new baby would ease their grief. Lindsay was upset when “lots of people, friends and family, are a bit like - excellent, so you've got your happy ending now, and everything's perfect” because “that grief doesn't disappear because I am now pregnant again.”
Kirsty described how friends and family thought having another baby would take away her pain.
Kirsty described how friends and family thought having another baby would take away her pain.
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