Hey there everybody,
I truly don't know where the time has gone and how I've managed to let 7 weeks go by without updating this blog! So sorry about that! I'm sure you've all been waiting on pins and needles for an update! For those of you that did not detect the tone of sarcasm in that last sentence, I again apologize! :)
Well, not much has happened in the last 7 weeks. I've just been chugging along, inching closer and closer to my due date! At around 26 weeks, I did have a little bit of a scare. It was a Thursday, and I noticed from the time I woke up that morning that I was having lots and lots of Braxton Hicks contractions. Was having trouble walking through them, and would just have to pause until it passed, and then keep going until another one hit. I was somewhat distracted in the early morning, making breakfast for the kids, and making their lunches for school that day, dropping off one, and then the other. I came home around 9:30, and just wanted to sit down and do nothing, so I did. I sat on the couch for 4 hours straight! Let me tell you, it was heaven...well sort of. The darn contractions were coming every minute or two as soon as I sat down, and even though I was sitting, I couldn't move through them, like my legs were paralyzed, but not really. The not being able to move part was mostly because it hurt to move, so I just wanted until it passed, but when they kept coming and coming and were very strong, I started to get worried. I called my OB right before I had to go pick up my daughter, and left a message for the nurse, and waited for a call back. She called back about 35 minutes later, and after describing more in detail what I was feeling, she wanted to see me. Even though I was staying well hydrated that day, she wanted to test my urine for a urinary tract infection (UTI). That could very well be the cause of the contractions since everything would be irritated and inflamed down there, and could be spreading to my kidneys. With the contractions, I also had a constant ache in my lower back and hips. I was just very very uncomfortable that day. So, I picked up my daughter, then my son, and then my husband, and then went to my OB office and saw the nurse, and she dipped my urine to check for the UTI. That was negative. All this time, contractions are still coming, having to pause in my walk through them. My stomach would get rock hard, and moving anything other than my hands, would make it worse. My doctor had just been called to the labor and delivery floor for a delivery and so the nurse asked me to hang tight and she would see if my doctor wanted to see me or do anything else. Whoever was delivering was speedy fast because my doctor was back in the office 15 minutes later! She decided to see me, and she checked baby's heartbeat, and then she checked my cervix to see if I was dilating at all with the contractions. She said I was open a little bit on the outside but that was to be expected since this was my 4th pregnancy, and that she wasn't worried about that necessarily. After watching me through a few contractions, she decided to send me upstairs to labor and delivery for observation. Troy and the kids came with me, and while they insisted I ride in a wheelchair (hospital policy), we made our way to the labor and delivery floor. They hooked me up to the monitor that tracks the baby's heart rate, and to one that also picks up contractions. I was told to sit tight for a little while, so they could just observe what my body was doing. The kids were tired, and hungry, and so Troy took them home after I made sure had a ride back to the house after they were done with the observation. My doctor came in about an hour or so later, and said that the baby's heart rate sounded great, so no problems there, and that the contractions that I was having were not picking up on their monitor. Well, that's just fantastic! She was a little surprised since she palpated my belly during a few contractions and thought for sure they would pick up. She checked me again to make sure I hadn't dilated at all in the hour I had been there, and then got ready to discharge me. She told me the only explanation for the discomfort I was having was that I was "just having a bad pregnancy day." Alright then! I guess I'll take a bad pregnancy day over pre term labor or anything else that might result in this baby making a very early appearance. She told me to take it easy for a few days and to drink lots of water, and just try to relax. I resisted the urge to ask her what "relax" meant and just nodded and smiled. So far, I haven't had another "bad pregnancy day" like that, and while the contractions are still there, they aren't right on top of each other like they were that day, and while I still have to pause if I'm walking or sit still until they pass, it's just par for the course at this point, I guess!
At 30 weeks, the intended mother flew in, and we set up to have a 3D ultrasound done, as well as my regular check up with my OB. Everything went great! We did a growth ultrasound at my OB office, and they are estimating that this baby is already 4 lbs 4 oz!!! All I can say is yikes, this baby might be a big boy! I've gained about 12 pounds so far, and while the doctor is pleased with that, I can't help but wonder how big this boy is going to be at birth! Not gonna lie, I'm a little freaked out! Maybe he will chill out on the growth when he runs out of room in the next few weeks! Hey, an oven can hope! :) He has long arms and legs, and is very flexible as he likes to put his foot to his forehead all curled up inside! Heartbeat is nice and strong, and it was great to see the intended mother's face as she looked at her baby on the screen! We grabbed a quick bite, and then headed to the 3D ultrasound! I've never done one of those before, so it was something I was excited about. I was instructed to eat about an hour before the appointment, and to drink some caffeine, so I did both, and then off we were. It was a fun experience. They don't do anything diagnostic, they just do things like try to get facial expressions, and just give you a look inside to see what baby is up to. It was very cute, and again so nice to see mom's face and excitement as she anticipates her new arrival.
Found out a few weeks ago that I don't have gestational diabetes, phew, but that I am anemic. My level was a 10.3, and they want it above 12. I've been extremely tired lately, but that seems to be my only symptom related to being anemic. She said they typically see people with my level of 10.3 right after they've delivered the baby and lost all the blood, so the fact that I'm low like this before giving birth is a little bit scary, but she gave me a prescription for Iron supplements, and so I've been taking those every night. I would much rather take the supplement than have to get a blood transfusion after birth! I'm also trying to get more iron in my every day diet as well. My doc also prescribed something for the extreme heartburn I was having, and would just like to take a moment and thank God for whomever came up with this medicine. It's been great! I'm no longer waking up with my whole chest on fire in the middle of the night, and I can eat pretty much anything again! The list of things I couldn't eat was getting longer and longer every day!
I am currently 31 weeks, and starting to really look forward to the end! Been having some crazy weird dreams lately, with last night's dream being that I gained 110 pounds in the last week of pregnancy and was horrified! lol wouldn't that be something!
I haven't applied to nursing school for those of you wondering about that, as the deadline is April 1st, but my goal is to have everything submitted my the second week of March so that I don't have to worry about anything like that as my due date will be just a few weeks away. I have to take a special test and so I am in the process of studying for it! For those of you praying, I ask that you keep me in mind for the testing, and for the pregnancy of course! The timer on the oven doesn't need to run out yet, as much as I'm ready for it to!
Thanks for reading!
Sarah
