32 weeks pregnant with cerebral palsy

[Tealmama]

I am a 37 year old woman with spastic cerebral palsy, it affects my legs and left side. I have been wheelchair bound since a very young age. I am 32 weeks pregnant and in a lot of pain. I have had a very healthy pregnancy and my baby girl is a healthy 4 pounds, 7 ounces. When I first became pregnant I was referred to a maternal fetal specialist. At first the suggested delivery time frame was 35 weeks because I a petite and have limited mobility since I am wheelchair bound. As the pregnancy progressed the delivery time frame has increased they are now telling me that they want me to deliver at 38 weeks. Here is my issue I am in a significant amount of pain and it is getting more and more difficult for my mother and husband to lift/transfer me without making my pain worse. I understand the importance of letting my baby develop in the womb for as long as possible. I understand this all to well because I was born prematurely at 27 weeks weighing only 2 pounds, 13 ounces. Currently I am laying down 90 percent of the day because of the pain. I keep telling my OB about how difficult things are becoming for me. I feel like they are not listening to me because all they keep saying is at this stage discomfort is normal and all that matters is the development of the baby. What they don't seem to understand is my spasticity has gotten worse and my husband/mother are starting to have trouble lifting me. I feel like I can make it to 36 maybe 37 weeks but no longer because of lifting/pain. Sorry about the long post, but can anyone offer any advice or suggestions on what to do. Thanks.

[TMeeps02]

I'm sorry that I didn't see this post before because I had a somewhat similar experience, although am not chair bound. What happened? Did everything work out?

[Tealmama in reply to TMeeps02]

I ended up having a beautiful baby girl at 33 weeks, she was in the NICU for a month. She is now a happy 3 month old.

[TMeeps02 in reply to Tealmama]

That's wonderful! Congratulations.

Now that it's been a few months, looking back, do you still feel as if they weren't attending to your concerns properly, and if so, do you have any thoughts about what might make providers take pregnant women with different needs more seriously? I think about this pretty often.