I think one of the toughest parts about the 9th month of pregnancy is the waiting game of when the baby will come. What makes it even harder is suffering from so many pre-labor contractions that fool me into thinking maybe this is the real thing! My time of day to get contractions seems to be between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. (really weird since it's a time when I'm laying on my side and doing absolutely nothing)! I usually find myself tossing and turning for those few hours, going to the bathroom numerous times (because pretty much every time I have a contraction I have to go to the bathroom) and eventually taking a bath so I can actually relax. It's really hard to go through these painful contractions only to find that they eventually go away and I'm not in real labor.
I have been incredibly emotional lately. I feel like I cry myself to sleep every night because today wasn't the day that baby decided to come. I am currently only 5 days away from my due date and it's frustrating for me to hear that it's normal for first time moms to go late. I was just so sure I would have this baby early since I went into early labor at 34 weeks. Now I am thinking I am going to be pregnant until mid-November! I have returned to work part-time which seems to help the days go faster, but it definitely doesn't make life any easier. I go to work and play with babies all afternoon and all I can think about is how I don't have my little guy yet. Then I go to church and see TONS of new little babies that have been born in the past month and it makes me so upset because I have so anxiously been waiting for mine to come. It's also hard when I see the same people every day/week and they always say "why hasn't that baby come yet!" or asking "how are you feeling?" Well, I'm not feeling that great because I have contractions every day and have been waiting weeks for my baby to come and I cry myself to sleep all the time because he's not here yet and all I want is for my little boy to be here! I understand their concern, it's just hard to hear it all the time.
I have decided to talk to my midwife about being induced at 41 weeks if the baby hasn't come by then. It's definitely not my first choice, but I have been so incredibly uncomfortable that I think I have a right to say that I'm not going to keep being pregnant after 41 weeks!
One thing I have enjoyed about this month is getting to spend more time with my husband. Since we have kept our schedule so open in case the baby comes, we have had several evenings to spend together. It's not always easy when I come home from work and have Braxton Hicks, but my "Lovey" will rub my back, make me a good meal and make me laugh a lot. He has also put up with my tossing and turning every night (and with that getting smacked in the face with my 3rd pillow that I keep under my belly), and even comforting me at 4:30 a.m. when I am crying because I can't sleep. He's awesome :)
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
Nursery Pictures
Here is the latest picture of me and my belly! Just about 38 weeks now! Hooray for making it to full term! With the early labor scare and all of the pre-labor contractions I am thankful to have made it this far. Now, I just want him to come! When I was checked about a week ago I was 2 c.m. dilated, 80% effaced and the baby was at stage 0. I chose not to get checked at this week's appointment because I'm pretty sure it stirred things up last time and made me have 15 hours of pre-labor contractions and put me in the hospital. All we want now is for real labor to come! I started Evening Primrose Oil earlier this week, been drinking Loose-Leaf Red Raspberry Tea, sitting on my birthing ball a lot (helps keep the baby low), and I went to the chiro and had all sorts of adjustments to help move things along. Our hope is that the baby will come early next week. With Andrew being so busy at work on the weekends it would be good for the baby to come early on in the week. Below are some pictures of the nursery! Enjoy!
Friday, October 8, 2010
Labor Lesson
I spent half of Tuesday night in the hospital thinking I was in labor. I had been having regular contractions (also very painful, much different than my normal braxton hicks) for 7 hours and they were getting longer/stronger and closer together. So, the doctor recommended I come in to get checked. I was 2cm, 80% effaced and baby was at stage 0. This was no different than what I was at my doctor's appointment earlier that day. I stayed at the hospital overnight, YET AGAIN, so they could monitor my contractions. I begged them not to give me an IV and thankfully they agreed, but they did give me a shot to help me sleep. It literally made me feel like I had a hangover because I could barely move my tongue to talk. I had contractions 5-7 minutes apart all night long and in the morning when they checked me my cervix was exactly the same! That was 15 hours of regular labor contractions with no changes!! Their diagnosis: Preterm Contractions-which is what I've been suffering from since I went into early labor, only this time they seemed real! They sent me home and said "Enjoy having preterm contractions! Take Tylenol PM to sleep and let us know when you're in real labor!" Ok...they didn't actually say that, but in my head that's how I took it.
My labor lesson in all of this: Even though you may have consistent contractions that feel like real labor contractions, unless your cervix changes you are NOT in labor.
So, who wants to come teach me how to check my cervix? That way when I think I'm in labor again I can check myself and tell those doctors "I'm in LABOR!"
My labor lesson in all of this: Even though you may have consistent contractions that feel like real labor contractions, unless your cervix changes you are NOT in labor.
So, who wants to come teach me how to check my cervix? That way when I think I'm in labor again I can check myself and tell those doctors "I'm in LABOR!"
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Bed Rest
Weeks ago if someone had mentioned "bed rest" to me I probably would have jumped up and down in joy to think that I would be given so much time to lie around and do absolutely nothing. But let me just say that after a week and a half of "lying around" and doing "absolutely nothing" I would much rather be working full time! And, I still have another week and a half to go of bed rest-that is, unless the baby decides to come before then!
First I went into preterm labor and spent the night in the hospital so they could stop my labor. Then, only a week later their talking about inducing me because I might have preeclampsia (thankfully I don't!). And now I am suffering from high blood pressure (causing me to have dizzy spells, see stars, and have headaches). So my days of bed rest typically consist of:
-Sleeping in
-Showering
-Watching TV (quite surprisingly I'll watch hours of A Baby Story or I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant)
-Eating (probably not the best foods for me, but the doctor told me I need to gain 1 lb. or more every week. Despite my poor diet of onion rings, pizza, brownies, and lots of cheese I have managed to gain only 1 lb. this last month).
-Organizing the baby room (I will get pictures up soon!)
-Knitting burp rags
-And doing some light housework
I finally broke down and told Andrew I needed to get out of the house for just a little bit and he took me on a walk around the block earlier this week and my sister took me to Target so I could spend my gift cards on some final things I needed for the baby. The doctor said I am allowed to choose 1 thing/day to do that is on feet, so today I choose vacuuming!!
I am really hoping that the baby will come sooner than later. I got checked at the doctor today and she told me I was 2 cm and that the baby is very low. She said I could go into labor at any time, but there was no guarantee that I wouldn't make it to my due date on the 31st. Some days I will go the whole day without any contractions. And then there are other days where I lay around on the couch for 3 hours having contractions. All I can say is that I am trying my best to not be impatient and wait on the Lord for when He chooses for baby to come!
First I went into preterm labor and spent the night in the hospital so they could stop my labor. Then, only a week later their talking about inducing me because I might have preeclampsia (thankfully I don't!). And now I am suffering from high blood pressure (causing me to have dizzy spells, see stars, and have headaches). So my days of bed rest typically consist of:
-Sleeping in
-Showering
-Watching TV (quite surprisingly I'll watch hours of A Baby Story or I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant)
-Eating (probably not the best foods for me, but the doctor told me I need to gain 1 lb. or more every week. Despite my poor diet of onion rings, pizza, brownies, and lots of cheese I have managed to gain only 1 lb. this last month).
-Organizing the baby room (I will get pictures up soon!)
-Knitting burp rags
-And doing some light housework
I finally broke down and told Andrew I needed to get out of the house for just a little bit and he took me on a walk around the block earlier this week and my sister took me to Target so I could spend my gift cards on some final things I needed for the baby. The doctor said I am allowed to choose 1 thing/day to do that is on feet, so today I choose vacuuming!!
I am really hoping that the baby will come sooner than later. I got checked at the doctor today and she told me I was 2 cm and that the baby is very low. She said I could go into labor at any time, but there was no guarantee that I wouldn't make it to my due date on the 31st. Some days I will go the whole day without any contractions. And then there are other days where I lay around on the couch for 3 hours having contractions. All I can say is that I am trying my best to not be impatient and wait on the Lord for when He chooses for baby to come!
Monday, September 27, 2010
Belly Talk
Andrew's conversation with my belly today:
Me: Baby's moving...
Andrew: Hello baby, you stop making mommy so uncomfortable.
Andrew impersonating the baby: Well then tell mommy's uterus to knock it off!
Me: Baby's moving...
Andrew: Hello baby, you stop making mommy so uncomfortable.
Andrew impersonating the baby: Well then tell mommy's uterus to knock it off!
Saturday, September 25, 2010
No More IV's Please!
One thing I have decided is that I absolutely hate IV's. We had a little pregnancy scare this weekend and I have to say one of the worst parts of being in the hospital was having an IV.
Friday I was at work and doing great when all of a sudden I had really sharp pains down the right side of my stomach and into my back. It was so bad that I knew it wasn't something I could ignore. After the pain went away I decided to get my boss and tell her I needed to go to the doctor. She started panicking and running all over the place trying to find Andrew. In the mean time, I started walking up and down the sidewalk outside while I called the doctor. They told me to come in to the office. So, what would any normal husband do? Would they just place you in the car and drive the speed limit all the way to the hospital, stopping at every single red light? NO! Andrew plopped me in the car and drove 90-100mph to the hospital, running every red light he could! On the way there I had more really sharp pains and it just made Andrew drive faster and faster.
Once we got to the clinic and checked in the pains stopped and I felt fine. They did a urine sample thinking that I might have a kidney stone but it came back normal. The midwife finally decided to send me to the hospital to get hooked on a monitor and checked to see if I was in labor. Sure enough...I was! I was having really strong contractions (and sharp pains whenever they would peak) and was already 1 1/2cm dilated, 90% effaced with the baby at stage 0. Since I was only 34 weeks they decided to try and stop my labor and keep me overnight to monitor my contractions.
Then came the IV...boy do I hate IV's!! I have such tiny veins that they really had a hard time, and it didn't help that I was freaking out since I was in early labor (Andrew had run to the vet at that time to pick up our dog from her grooming appointment so I was all alone) and I was shivering horribly because I was so cold. They started piling warm blankets all over me and then kept trying to stick me. Finally a different nurse came in and got the IV going. But for some reason it still really hurt! I asked her to check it several times and she just chuckled at me and said it was fine, but later my mom pointed out to her that the hub (I think that's what it's called) was actually turned sideways when it should be straight. So then she started tugging and re-taping everything which hurt even worse! Even after she fixed it the IV was still really painful, so in the middle of the night when a new nurse came in I had her redo the IV in my other hand. That felt so much better, but then the new nurse decided to leave the other IV in my hand in case they needed it later. So there I was with an IV stuck in each hand, and the one that wasn't even being used was the most painful!
Throughout the night they gave me shots (not sure what the drug was called) to stop my contractions. At first the shot didn't do anything. The second time the contractions stopped for a few hours and then came back. At about 2 a.m. they had to give me another shot and that seemed to do the trick. All the while I was confined to my bed, very nauseous, having to get up every hour to go to the bathroom since they were giving me fluids, getting antibiotics since I hadn't done a Strep test yet, getting antihistamine pills to help me sleep, and dealing with the freaking IV's! It was a long and very uncomfortable night.
I was finally fell asleep from about 2:30 a.m.-6 a.m., but those beds are so uncomfortable! My back was killing me and with all of the monitors strapped to me and IV's in the way I just couldn't get comfortable. AND I was really hungry so my tummy was grumbling all night long. In the morning they gave me some toast and orange juice which helped a little. Since I hadn't had anymore contractions they told me I was free to go home. So, I am home and SO happy to have those IV's out of me and to be able to go the bathroom without the nurse having to help me in and out of bed every time. I've got bruises all over from the shots and my back still aches. The doctor said I just have to take it easy and listen to my body. If I don't feel like working then I don't have to and I should drink lots of fluids. We will just pray that Baby stays in there a little bit longer and that when I go into labor that the pain isn't nearly as bad as it was. AND that I won't have to have those stupid IV's in my hands!
Friday I was at work and doing great when all of a sudden I had really sharp pains down the right side of my stomach and into my back. It was so bad that I knew it wasn't something I could ignore. After the pain went away I decided to get my boss and tell her I needed to go to the doctor. She started panicking and running all over the place trying to find Andrew. In the mean time, I started walking up and down the sidewalk outside while I called the doctor. They told me to come in to the office. So, what would any normal husband do? Would they just place you in the car and drive the speed limit all the way to the hospital, stopping at every single red light? NO! Andrew plopped me in the car and drove 90-100mph to the hospital, running every red light he could! On the way there I had more really sharp pains and it just made Andrew drive faster and faster.
Once we got to the clinic and checked in the pains stopped and I felt fine. They did a urine sample thinking that I might have a kidney stone but it came back normal. The midwife finally decided to send me to the hospital to get hooked on a monitor and checked to see if I was in labor. Sure enough...I was! I was having really strong contractions (and sharp pains whenever they would peak) and was already 1 1/2cm dilated, 90% effaced with the baby at stage 0. Since I was only 34 weeks they decided to try and stop my labor and keep me overnight to monitor my contractions.
Then came the IV...boy do I hate IV's!! I have such tiny veins that they really had a hard time, and it didn't help that I was freaking out since I was in early labor (Andrew had run to the vet at that time to pick up our dog from her grooming appointment so I was all alone) and I was shivering horribly because I was so cold. They started piling warm blankets all over me and then kept trying to stick me. Finally a different nurse came in and got the IV going. But for some reason it still really hurt! I asked her to check it several times and she just chuckled at me and said it was fine, but later my mom pointed out to her that the hub (I think that's what it's called) was actually turned sideways when it should be straight. So then she started tugging and re-taping everything which hurt even worse! Even after she fixed it the IV was still really painful, so in the middle of the night when a new nurse came in I had her redo the IV in my other hand. That felt so much better, but then the new nurse decided to leave the other IV in my hand in case they needed it later. So there I was with an IV stuck in each hand, and the one that wasn't even being used was the most painful!
Throughout the night they gave me shots (not sure what the drug was called) to stop my contractions. At first the shot didn't do anything. The second time the contractions stopped for a few hours and then came back. At about 2 a.m. they had to give me another shot and that seemed to do the trick. All the while I was confined to my bed, very nauseous, having to get up every hour to go to the bathroom since they were giving me fluids, getting antibiotics since I hadn't done a Strep test yet, getting antihistamine pills to help me sleep, and dealing with the freaking IV's! It was a long and very uncomfortable night.
I was finally fell asleep from about 2:30 a.m.-6 a.m., but those beds are so uncomfortable! My back was killing me and with all of the monitors strapped to me and IV's in the way I just couldn't get comfortable. AND I was really hungry so my tummy was grumbling all night long. In the morning they gave me some toast and orange juice which helped a little. Since I hadn't had anymore contractions they told me I was free to go home. So, I am home and SO happy to have those IV's out of me and to be able to go the bathroom without the nurse having to help me in and out of bed every time. I've got bruises all over from the shots and my back still aches. The doctor said I just have to take it easy and listen to my body. If I don't feel like working then I don't have to and I should drink lots of fluids. We will just pray that Baby stays in there a little bit longer and that when I go into labor that the pain isn't nearly as bad as it was. AND that I won't have to have those stupid IV's in my hands!
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Birth Plan
This weekend Andrew and I had our Child Birth Ed. class at the hospital. It was a very good class (taught by a Doula) and taught me lots of relaxation and breathing techniques that will be helpful for a natural labor (which is what I hope to do!). I think it also gave Andrew some insight on what to expect, since he doesn't do well when I am in pain or sick. The Doula also gave me homework: daily exercises (squats, kegels, butterfly stretches, and back arches), to practice my breathing and relaxation techniques daily, and to create a birth plan!
Some specific things I've put on my birth plan are: to not offer me pain medication, a list of people who are allowed in the room during labor/delivery, for the baby to be placed immediately on my chest for skin on skin after delivery, that Andrew has the choice to stand where he wants during delivery (since he's not sure he wants to watch or not), and items that I want available to me during labor and delivery.
If you have any suggestions for labor/delivery as far as what was helpful for you (either provided by the hospital or that you brought in yourself) please let me know! I've already told Andrew I want a birthing ball at home to sit on and to bring to the hospital with me! I'll take any suggestions you have!!!
Some specific things I've put on my birth plan are: to not offer me pain medication, a list of people who are allowed in the room during labor/delivery, for the baby to be placed immediately on my chest for skin on skin after delivery, that Andrew has the choice to stand where he wants during delivery (since he's not sure he wants to watch or not), and items that I want available to me during labor and delivery.
If you have any suggestions for labor/delivery as far as what was helpful for you (either provided by the hospital or that you brought in yourself) please let me know! I've already told Andrew I want a birthing ball at home to sit on and to bring to the hospital with me! I'll take any suggestions you have!!!
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