Anterior placenta
I am 20 weeks pregnant with my second baby. I saw my mw yesterday for a routine check up, and expressed my concern (and disappointment!) that I had not felt baby move yet - with my first I could feel her from about 21 weeks and everyone says you feel subsequent pregnancies sooner... Anyway, she checked the heartbeat and all was fine. Then she looked in my notes and told me my placenta was all out front so was buffering any movements baby made hence I could not feel any movements yet (no-one had mentioned this before!). I asked her if I would still be able to have a natural birth and she reassured me, no hesitation, that yes I would.
However, since talking to some friends about this, a couple of them have said they had the same thing, but that the placenta dropped down and they ended up having c-sections... now I am squeamish as hell, and the thought of being cut open is already giving me nightmares. It terrifies me basically! I am desperate for another natural birth and just wondered what your thoughts are, and if you had the same experience with an anterior placenta? Am I worrying unnecessarily? I expect I am...
Replies
Hi Little Robo,
Try not to worry, the placenta can attach anywhere within the uterus & will occasionally move with the uterus as it grows (more commonly further up the wall rather than down).
My eldest I had an anterior placenta, I didn't feel any movement until around 24wks into term but delivered her naturally (all be it 8days late).
My youngest my placenta was covering my cervix at 12wks but by 20wks it was squarely posterior in my back.
Relax & enjoy the rest of your pregnancy, you have no reason to believe you won't have a natural birth at this point. Best wishes.