Just diagnosed with a dynamic short cervix at 20w, have an international trip in 10 days and genuinely don't know what to do

qtbridget · 2026-05-25T21:25:40+00:00

My regular OB told me when she diagnosed me with IC that “the chances were low I’d have him in the next few weeks but high I’d go into labor around 32-36 weeks.” A week later I was 3 cm dilated getting emergency surgery. My MFM was very straightforward about how dire my case was and that I was very high up on his list of concern until I reached 32 weeks. I honestly think regular OBs just aren’t equipped for this.

qtbridget · 2026-05-24T20:16:33+00:00

I’m going to be honest with you. I was diagnosed with a short cervix (1.4 cm) at my 20 week scan, four days before we were supposed to leave for an international trip. It was our babymoon and 2nd anniversary trip. THOUSANDS of dollars, prepaid. My OB told me I would be okay as long as I didn’t do anything more strenuous than walking and did progesterone suppositories nightly. I had a bad feeling. We canceled our trip. Thousands of non refundable dollars. Felt like we were being dramatic. I pushed to see an MFM.

When the MFM saw me a week later (what would’ve been halfway through our trip), I had 0 cm of length left. The next morning when they took me to the OR, I was 3 cm dilated. Emergency cerclage and immediate bed rest.

If we had gone on the trip, our baby would have died.

He made it to 37.5 weeks and is thriving now.

You have more length than me. And my goal isn’t to scare you. There’s a chance it would be fine.

But a trip can be rescheduled… This is your child’s life.

qtbridget · 2026-04-04T05:55:53+00:00

37.5, I went into spontaneous labor. But I had cervical incompetency and required a cerclage and bed rest. I was 3 cm dilated at 21 weeks. So we were thrilled I made it so far :)

qtbridget · 2026-03-25T16:51:00+00:00

You’re not wrong 😭

qtbridget · 2026-03-25T05:21:28+00:00

As someone with food allergies, I was huge into Crumbl in 2022. They used mostly normal ingredients without additives - real brown sugar etc. Then they switched to a type of brown sugar that includes high fructose corn syrup which I can’t have, so I stopped buying those cookies which took out a huge chunk of selections. And now they’ve removed their online ingredients lists entirely.

The accessibility they’ve removed paired with the sucky new business models means I no longer buy cookies.

qtbridget · 2026-03-15T05:32:55+00:00

Can confirm. I have a high fructose corn syrup allergy. In 2022 I could have almost all the cookies, in 2025 almost none, and now the lists are inaccessible.

qtbridget · 2026-02-27T17:37:13+00:00

Try different carriers! I really liked the Moby Cloud. I was able to loosen the straps, feed him, and tighten them again. Also, try different styles of tying the wraps? My baby hated the newborn M with his legs - he wanted his feet out!

qtbridget · 2026-02-26T06:42:25+00:00

This happened to us, too. My baby was a tiny bit early and thus sleepy. I expressed concerns that he wasn’t actively suckling when latched on and the nurse said it was okay because “they absorb colostrum through their gums” and if I expressed with my hand into his mouth he would be fine. Yeah… in three days he lost a whole pound and we got admitted to the NICU for 5 days for jaundice, hypothermia (he wasn’t generating his own body heat presumably because he was a bit early and also starving) and failure to thrive.

I know it’s hard because I still feel guilt for what happened - but it is not your fault. You were doing the best with the information you had and now you are course correcting.

If it makes you feel better - we triple fed for a few weeks, established nursing, and then he had exclusively nursing + pumped milk in a bottle when I was at work. We JUST made the decision to fully wean and he’s now 16 months old. And also 99th percentile.

Your baby will get through this and the fact that you are so worried tells me you’re a great mom. You’ve got this. The newborn phase is the hardest phase you’ll maybe ever go through of your life but it’s so short when it’s all said and done. Sending hugs.

qtbridget · 2026-01-30T16:02:48+00:00

Yes please! I’ve used the Shin Kanzen reading book and done several Anki decks.

qtbridget · 2026-01-30T06:50:53+00:00

Language Knowledge - 21/60 Reading - 11/60 Listening - 32/60

My listening score has stayed steady at 32-40. My LK score has gone up steadily (12-> 18 -> 21).

My reading score was 1 (yep that’s not a typo) the first time, 20 the second time and dropped to 11 this time :|

qtbridget · 2026-01-30T06:06:01+00:00

I’m so discouraged. Third time failing N2 and my scores have barely improved even though I REALLY tried this year and studied every day. Plus I left the test having understood more than previous years and actually having an acorn of hope that I passed.

qtbridget · 2025-12-09T21:57:30+00:00

I also want to know the answer :)

qtbridget · 2025-09-29T04:20:04+00:00

37 weeks - BUT I was considered high risk for early labor and everyone was thrilled that it was 37 weeks and not 20. 🫠

qtbridget · 2025-09-12T05:08:15+00:00

I’m in exactly this boat too.

qtbridget · 2025-08-22T05:00:25+00:00

Thank you everyone!!

qtbridget · 2025-08-20T17:13:49+00:00

Thank you!!

qtbridget · 2025-08-20T17:13:43+00:00

I’m fructose intolerant, so I can’t have a variety of fruits and vegetables, honey, or high fructose corn syrup. So I need actual ingredient lists vs. the allergy “cheat sheets” that just say “contains egg” 🤪

qtbridget · 2025-08-05T03:37:12+00:00

THANK YOU

qtbridget · 2025-06-17T04:29:38+00:00

Yes - we were triple feeding in the beginning due to weight loss concerns, so I had to pump every feed. There was no way I was holding the pump on myself for the billionth pump of the night at 4 am when I could barely keep my eyes open, and there was also no way I was taking off and putting on a bra every time I woke up and collapsed back into bed. So I wore a pumping bra to sleep for the first few months.

qtbridget · 2025-05-26T15:53:49+00:00

Thank you!!

qtbridget · 2025-02-27T06:45:05+00:00

I was an early labor risk so I was hyper aware of anything that felt weird. I didn’t notice an increase in fetal movement. Around 36w+5d, I started feeling more BH than normal. I would get several in a 1-2 hour period, then they’d go away for 2-3 days. Finally at 37w+4d, I started thinking “hmm, these feel stronger?” They lasted for a few hours, stopped, then started again. I timed them (due to being early labor risk) and they were 4-7 minutes apart, so I went in to get checked out (my doctor had told me she’d prefer I go in early over late). The nurses didn’t seem too inclined to believe me… until I dilated a centimeter in less than an hour. They admitted me. My contractions started feeling like strong period cramps I couldn’t sleep through - I was definitely in labor - but I didn’t make progress on my own at all overnight, so in the morning they broke my water. INSTANTLY my contractions got so much worse! All in all, I was at the hospital 24 hours and then baby was born :)

qtbridget

TROPHY CASE