Welcome Baby C., Our Bed Rest Miracle

Anyone who has been following my blog the past few months (all two of you) knows I've been diligent about posting every day.  I missed my postings for the last few days because, as you probably guessed, Baby C decided to make his arrival five days early and I didn't have to wait to be induced.

This past week I've had lots of irregular contractions and have not been sleeping well as a result.  I alternated between the bed and the couch all week, trying to find comfortable positions to weather the annoying contractions that didn't seem to be doing much to progress labor.  On Tuesday, I went to bed and woke up about an hour later with horrible contractions, but I figured I'd wait them out and see if they got more regular and talk to my doctor about them at my appointment scheduled for Wednesday morning.  Between 11:45 p.m. and 4:00 a.m., I was up with strong contractions that I had to breathe through, but they were very irregular in terms of duration and frequency.  Sometimes they were two minutes apart and sometimes they were twelve, and I just wasn't sure they were strong enough to be considered real labor, though they were very painful.  I managed to catch a few minutes of sleep, but by 5 a.m., the contractions were extremely intense and painful, although still irregular (8-10 minutes apart and then 2-3 minutes apart, and then a fifteen minute break), and there was no sleep to be had.  J got up to go to work at 6 and I told him I was in a lot of pain, so J told me to call the doctor who told me to come in to the hospital even though contractions were still irregular. 

So we grabbed B and our bags that have been packed for weeks and headed to the hospital.  By 6:45, I was in my hospital room dilated to 5 centimeters and had my first round of antibiotics for Group B Strep and an epidural shortly thereafter.  Thankfully Grandma Jane was there to take B out to the lobby for the epidural and later the delivery.  Contractions really slowed down after the epidural, which was fine with me because it takes four hours for the Strep B antibiotics to take effect and I was able to get some rest.  Around noon, after having contractions 6 to 8 minutes apart, I was finally  dilated to a 6 and 90% effaced, so the doctor came in and broke my water.  My contractions kicked up after that and during a few really strong and long contractions Baby C's heart rate dipped to the 90s which made me very nervous, but the nurse reassured me that Baby C was OK because the dips weren't significant nor consistent.  Around 2 PM, I had the nurse check and she discovered I was fully dilated and ready to push, so we sent B and Grandma out of the room.  

 At 2:15, I started pushing while waiting for the doctor, but Baby C's heart rate dropped to the 80s and low 60s at times.  The nurse had me stop pushing and start panting while she put a heart monitor on Baby C's head.  She had me wait until his heart rate came back up and the doctor came in to start pushing again.  Apparently, he swallowed some amniotic fluid on his way out because of the distress, but because he was coming fairly quickly and his heart rate went back up, they let me continue with the delivery.  J would like me to add the lovely fact that he got splashed with amniotic fluid when Baby C's shoulders were being delivered.  J was the only lucky recipient of the spray (somehow the doctor and nurse managed to avoid it) and J was worried that the cell phone in his pocket was going to be ruined.    After a total of 35 minutes of pushing, Baby C was born at 2:51 P.M.  Baby C weighed 6 pounds, 9 ounces and is 18 3/4 inches long (In our family we have to stretch height as far as we can) with a 14 inch head circumference.  His Apgar scores were 8 and then 9, and we are so glad he's here!

 

Having a full term baby is so much different than our experience with B, our 35 weeker who had to stay in the NICU.  They didn't have to whisk him away from me and I was able to hold him immediately and establish nursing soon after birth (though he cried for about twenty minutes and didn't eat for about an hour after birth likely because, as we found out later, he'd swallowed so much fluid on his way out).  B came in to meet his brother and has been very loving and gentle.  He helps put in C's pacifier when needed and likes to comb C's hair and hold him occasionally.  However, B doesn't appreciate hearing C cry, especially when we go in to change him at 3 in the morning.  We were in the hospital for two days (it was a full house with my mom and B in one bed and J, Baby C, and I in the other) and have been home for two days.  Baby C is doing well, though he is a big spitter and had to have the mucous and fluid build up in his stomach suctioned out.  I am going through all the woes of nursing a newborn, but this recovery has been way easier than when I had B (though B continues to tell me that I "still look REALLY pregnant").  After the roller coaster of bed rest, we are so glad Baby C is here and made it full-term!  Bed rest works, and Baby C is our own little bed rest miracle!

Welcome, Baby C from Jerry G on Vimeo.

Day 85: 39 Week Pregnancy Survey

How far along: 39 weeks and 1 day   
Weight gain:  None; I'm the same as last week. 
How big is baby: Baby Boy is hopefully seven pounds or more, especially if he's going to be born on Friday.
Move­ment: I feel mostly squirms and him shifting around these days, as he has less room to move around.  But he's still moving.
Wedding Rings (on or off?):  Still on.
Belly But­ton (in or out?):  It's sticking out a bit.  I think it's gross, and so does J.  
Maternity Clothes:  I'm still wearing maternity clothes, and am looking forward to being out of them soon.
How I’m Feeling: I'm uncomfortable with the weight of my belly and the mild swelling/edema.  If I'm up and walking around and the baby is moving, I can definitely feel the extra weight I'm carrying around.  I'm still having irregular contractions and cramping, especially at night, which makes it even more difficult to sleep.  I'm definitely ready for this baby to be here, but know labor and delivery will be my next major hurdle, and then there will be difficult days with a newborn ahead.
Symptoms: As far as I know, I am still 75% effaced and dilated to a two. But the occasional contractions I've had this week may have made some progress.  I'll find out tomorrow when I go to my doctor's appointment.  As mentioned above, I'm also experiencing many of the other discomforts of pregnancy (some swelling/edema, back pain, cramping, pelvic pressure, etc.).  I'm actually having irregular contractions as we speak that are getting stronger, but I'm not sure if they're doing anything to start labor.
Sleep:  I'm pretty tired these days because I have a hard time getting a restful night's sleep.  Whether I try sleeping propped on the couch or surrounded with pillows on the bed, I can't seem to get comfortable, and I wake up frequently because of the discomfort and the need to use the bathroom.   Like I said last week, I guess I have to get used to sleeping less once Baby Boy gets here, so here's my preparation for future sleep deprivation.
Cravings: Nothing really.  I'm trying to maintain a balanced diet, especially as delivery approaches.
Food Aversions: Nothing really.
What I Miss: I miss sleeping comfortably and being able to bend down and do other things that are difficult now that I'm nine months pregnant.
Hardships this week: Having inconsistent contractions that have been painful but haven't led to labor has been a hardship, as has waiting for Baby and finding things to pass my time until he gets here.
Highlights this week:  Setting my appointment to be induced on Friday was definitely a highlight.  I'm really looking forward to having Baby here.
What I'm looking forward to: My induction and delivery of baby on Friday and knowing that my mom will be here for the birth of Baby Boy.  

Day 84: Anti-Climactic (39 Weeks)

I know these pictures are getting more and more anti-climactic as I come upon full-term, but I thought I'd keep posting them as long as this baby is staying put.  It seems like he's hanging on until the very end, and we'll most likely have to wait to meet Baby Boy until I'm induced.

Highlights of Week Thirty-Nine (37 week fetal age) 

• Baby is seven pounds or more and is about 18-20 inches long, so he doesn't have much room to maneuver now.
• Baby is head down in pelvis to prepare for delivery.  The head diameter is about 4 inches.
• Baby's basic physical development and systems, including lungs, are now complete and maturing.
• He's putting on weight and accumulating more body fat this week.  
• He's shedding most of the downy covering of hair (lanugo) that covered his body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that has covered and protected his skin during so far.  Baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of his first bowel movement.
• Baby’s digestive system is putting on its finishing touches in preparation to take baby’s first real meal.
• The outer layers of your baby's skin are also sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.
• The hair on Baby's head may now be thick, and his fingernails extend beyond his fingertips. 

Day 83: I'm Trying

As I've mentioned, I've had a lot of irregular contractions in the past few days.  Today, we went on a walk to be able to see if they'd keep up and get more regular and closer together.  Of course, they didn't.  So it looks like we'll see Baby Boy on Friday, after the induction, as planned, and not before then. 

Day 82: The Discomfort Grows

I've been annoyed by lots of irregular contractions in the last twenty-four hours, and I'm getting more and more uncomfortable by the day.  It's just hard when I know that the contractions really aren't doing anything because they start and stop, but they can be quite painful.  My legs and feet are still pretty swollen, the baby is constantly on my bladder, and sleep is also getting more difficult, as it is hard to find a comfortable position (even with lots of extra pillows).  I have an appointment on Wednesday to prepare for Friday's induction, and we'll see if these contractions have done anything to help me progress, but I'm guessing Baby Boy won't make his arrival until Friday, after they induce labor with Pitocin and kick my contractions into high gear.   Needless to say, the countdown for Baby's arrival is on!  

Day 81: One Week

Since Baby Boy has decided to extend his stay in utero for who knows how long, I have scheduled an induction for next Friday morning.  Of course, if labor starts because Baby decides to come on his own within the next week, we won't need the induction.  But, either way, by next week at this time, we should have a healthy and full-term baby boy in our arms.  We're looking forward to it.

Please note:  The photo below is of me holding B,  NOT current baby!

Getting prepared to hold Baby #2 by reminiscing about holding B for the first time the day after he was born (he was whisked away to the NICU the night he was born and I wasn't able to hold him until the next day.  Thankfully, that should not be the case with this boy).

Day 80: Nesting

I had a few contractions yesterday and took a mile walk to see if they'd keep up, but of course, they didn't.  I called to schedule my induction for the week after next, but I'm still waiting to hear back from the doctor's office about what day they can fit me in and see if that coincides with a day J won't be working.  I'm not about to schedule a delivery without J being by my side.  If the scheduling doesn't work out, I might just have to wait until I go into labor on my own, whenever that may be.  So while I play the waiting game, I've been "nesting."  It's funny how the preparation instinct kicks in before labor ensues.  In the last few days, I have organized closets and cupboards, cleaned out the fridge and freezer, made some more meals and desserts (banana bread today) to eat after the baby arrives, and cleaned every room in the house, and I think I'm finally running out of projects.  We put up Baby Boy's bed in our room, set up his changing station, and his clothes are washed and ready to wear, so we're pretty much as physically prepared for baby as we can be.  Now we just have to wait for Baby to arrive, whenever that might be. 

Day 79: 38 Week Pregnancy Survey

How far along: 38 weeks and 2 days  
Weight gain: Down a pound and a half this week (my legs are not as swollen, and I've been more active this week, so I lost a little weight, which is fine with me).
How big is baby: Baby Boy is hopefully closing in on the seven pound mark.
Move­ment: I feel mostly squirms and him shifting around these days, as he has less room to move around in my cramped uterus. I also see and feel his little bum, feet, or hands protrude from time to time.
Belly But­ton (in or out?): Still on its way out (Ew!)
Wed­ding Rings(on or off?): Still on
Maternity Clothes: I'm still wearing maternity clothes and feel huge in them.
How I’m Feeling: I'm uncomfortable when the inconsistent contractions kick in before stopping again. I am finding it very difficult to sleep these days. I'm also getting tired of being pregnant, especially after being told for weeks that he'd be early, but he'll be here soon enough.
Symptoms: I am still 75% effaced and dilated to a two. I'm having occasional contractions that can be pretty intense, but they're irregular, so no active labor yet. I'm also experiencing many of the other discomforts of pregnancy (some swelling/edema, back pain, pelvic pressure, etc.)
Sleep: I'm having difficulty finding a comfortable position to sleep in, and I wake up frequently. When you add bathroom trips to that, it's hard to get a restful night's sleep. By the late afternoon and early evening I'm pretty tired and irritable, but I'm trying to push through it. I guess I have to get used to sleepless night once Baby Boy is here, so I might as well start now!?!
Cravings:  I'm still craving fried and fatty foods like French fries, but I'm staying away from them.
Food Aversions: Nothing really.
What I Miss: I miss sleeping comfortably and being able to bend down and do other things that are difficult now that I'm nine months pregnant.
Hardships this week: Having inconsistent contractions that haven't done anything to change my cervix and bring on labor has been annoying. The fact that they're intense for a little while and then stop and then start again is getting old. Feeling tired all the time has also been a hardship this week, as has waiting for Baby. After months of being told for months that he was coming early, these last few days have seemed long. So I'm trying to keep busy to pass the time and remember that the longer Baby stays put, the better for all of us.
Highlights this week: Finding out that I can be induced the week after next was a highlight, as I never thought I'd go this long. I've enjoyed nesting this week too.  My house is really clean and organized.
What I'm looking forward to: Having a healthy baby ANYTIME now.

Day 78: No Change

I went to the doctor today, and was a little surprised that there has been no real change since last week, despite the contractions I've reported.  I am dilated to "slightly" more than a 2 and am still 75% effaced and haven't really had many contractions today.  Now that I'm 38 weeks along, I'm ready for this baby to come whenever he's ready, and was hoping that I'd made some progress so that this baby would come sooner rather than later.  J works five days a week starting next week at his new job, my mom is coming to help with the baby, and our insurance changes next week, so we'd like Baby Boy to come before things get more complicated schedule-wise and insurance-wise and while my mom is in town.  But we don't have a lot of control over the matter.  I am not going to go crazy with the home-induction techniques and herbal remedies which can actually do more harm than good, but I'm not against walking a few miles this weekend or trying some exercise positions to maybe convince this kid he wants to come.  I started wearing breast shells to help prepare my flat nipples for nursing, and the pressure from the shells can sometimes bring on contractions, but hasn't done so for me so far.  I've been doing a lot of walking, lifting, and cleaning in the last few days to prepare for labor, but the activity doesn't do a whole lot either.  I guess if Baby Boy is not ready, he's not ready and we just have to wait him out.  Next week I can schedule an induction for the following week, but we have to figure out when J is working that week and when my doctor is available if we go that route.  We're hoping that labor just naturally occurs. . . this weekend, preferably, but we shall see how it goes.      

 

No real change this week