Day 69: A Few More

You can hardly tell from this picture that I'm almost 37 weeks pregnant

I've had a few more contractions today than I've been having, but am still not in active labor.  They're getting a little stronger and longer in duration, but they're not at all regular, and I still think labor is a ways off.  But we shall see.  I'm getting more and more uncomfortable by the day, and more impatient for this baby to come, but I'm willing to wait as long as Baby Boy needs and will try to keep myself busy in the meantime (all our baby prep is basically done, so I'll have to find other things to occupy my time).  Tomorrow I'll be 37 weeks along, so worse case scenario, there are only a few weeks left and Baby will be here before we know it.  I have a doctor's appointment on Tuesday, so we'll see what she says as far as whether or not I've progressed this week, but like I said, we might just be waiting for a few more weeks. 

Day 68: Freedom

As I said yesterday, I'm having less contractions now than when I was on bed rest and medications.  Go figure!  I am now getting to the uncomfortable point that I've heard of so many pregnant women complaining about their last few weeks.  I'm starting to get back pain, it's getting more difficult to bend over, and I get tired easily. So the end of this pregnancy is becoming less and less of a risk and more like any other pregnancy.  Thus, I've been using my freedom to be up and around.  I've enjoyed a normal Saturday with lots of errands (we had a lunch of samples at Sam's Club, got some groceries, went to the bank, returned items to the library) and some chores (dishes, bathroom cleaning, and laundry).  We also went to to dinner with J's family and although all these things were pretty mundane, it's nice to be able to do them, especially since all is quiet with this pregnancy.  That said, I am getting more and more impatient to have the baby.  I'm thinking next Thursday would be nice, but I know I can't choose.  I'm just getting worried now that J's starting to take on more shifts the week after next (he works nights) and my mother-in-law will also be out of town.  I'll have to get a back-up driver and babysitter . .. tomorrow.  The baby can't come between the 1st and 6th of March, but knowing that, he probably will.  But then again, who knows because as I said, nothing's happening at this point.

 

Day 66: Week 36 Pregnancy Survey

How far along:  36 weeks and 3 days
Weight gain: 1 1/2 pounds this week, measuring 35 weeks (likely because I'm carrying so low and because I have a little extra amniotic fluid in there)
How big is baby:  Baby Boy is just over 6 pounds according to Monday's ultrasound
Move­ment:  Now that he has a lot less room, Baby seems to be moving around a little less, but he's still moving.  He's especially active in the early morning, around noon, and at night, and early morning. 
Mater­nity clothes:  I'm still wearing maternity clothes, and have grown out of some of them.  J hates that some of my shirts don't quite cover my belly.  My excuse for not having better-fitting maternity clothes is that I didn't carry B this long and since I've been on bed rest for both of  my pregnancies, I didn't need that many and haven't had the ability to shop for new ones.  But now that I'm off bed rest and may still be in it for the long haul, I might just have to go shopping and get a few new items so my clothes actually fit. 
Stretch marks: A few
Belly But­ton (in or out?): Still on its way out (Ew!)

Wed­ding Rings (on or off): Still on
How I’m feeling:  I am physically uncomfortable, but I am glad and somewhat surprised to still be pregnant, considering how worried my doctors and I were just two months ago when I first experienced complications and preterm labor.  I'm a little worried about my risk factors and am just hoping all is well with Baby Boy.  I also find it funny that weeks ago, they had a hard a time stopping labor, and now even with more activity and without medicine, I'm only having a few more contractions than when I was on bed rest, and am kind of wondering why that is. 
Symptoms:  I am 75% effaced and dilated to a little over a one.  As I said, I'm having occasional contractions, which have only increased slightly with the rise of my activity level this week.  They have, however, become a little more intense and longer in duration, so I could be progressing, just slowly.  I am not in active labor at this point, and J could be right, and I could go full-term, or even past my due date (wouldn't that be ironic).  I'm getting more uncomfortable and my stomach is getting tighter, but I'm willing to hang in there as long as Baby is. 
Sleep:  My big belly is making it more and more difficult to get comfortable and stay asleep.  I also have to get up several times a night to go to the bathroom, so I'm not getting a ton of restful sleep, but I am still managing to sleep a little.
Cravings:  Mexican food and pasta, but everything gives me heartburn these days
Food Aversions:  Milk has been bothering me lately.
What I Miss:  Sleeping comfortably and being able to bend down without feeling like I'm going to pop.
Hardships this week:  Waiting to hear back whether or not J has the job that starts in March has been hard.  Hopefully we'll know by the beginning of next week.  Dealing with our insurance company who does not want to pay for J's "out of network" emergency room doctors when he had his snowboarding accident two months ago has not been fun either. 

Highlights this week:  Getting off of bed rest has been great.  I'm not doing anything out of the ordinary, but it's SO nice to be able to be up and around again. 

What I'm looking forward to:  Having a healthy baby anytime within the next few weeks.

Day 65: The First Things

I'm not sure what you would do if you were finally let off bed rest after nine weeks, but I did the normal things that I have been wanting to do for the past 63 days, the things you probably don't want to do today or any day, but are things that have to be done.  I wanted to do these things after not having done them for so long.  So for the past 48 hours since I was paroled from bed rest, I've been putting away laundry, grocery shopping, making dinner (Mrs. Krostaya's meatloaf. .. yum), and doing other routine chores.  I'm trying not to over-do it so that I don't induce labor, as I've had a few more contractions now that I've been taken off of medication and am moving around a lot more.  After weeks of inactivity, I am easily fatigued doing even simple things (I took a break in between rooms when I was vacuuming to sit on the couch for a few minutes), but I am feeling good and any contractions I've had haven't really done much.  (We'll update you as soon as real labor starts).  I would like labor to start naturally, so I'm not doing anything too strenuous, but it has felt good to be able to do some of the more mundane things that I've wanted to do for a long time. 

I know when I first went on bed rest that nine weeks seemed like an eternity.  But that time has come and gone (thankfully) and I can testify that life goes on during and after bed rest.  The bed in our living room finally come off the floor today, I changed the sheets and made the bed on my own, and I was able to sit up to clip coupons and prepare for my shopping trip, without having to rely on someone to do it for me.  So I was productive today and am glad that I can be a little more active than before (I am still trying to take it easy so I can stay pregnant for at least another week, and we can have a take-home baby in our arms).   Here are a few before and after shots from when I was on bed rest and today, now that I'm off.  

                                           Before                                               After

 

Day 64: Worry Wart

It's been nice to be up and around today, without any movement restrictions.  I've managed to get a lot done, especially in comparison to the minimum amount of things I got done while on bed rest. Even with the distractions of cleaning the kitchen, attending playgroup with B, and grocery shopping for a few essentials, I am still worried about Baby Boy. I think moms start worrying about their children as soon as they find out they're pregnant, and don't stop worrying about them even when they're grown adults, of any age.  Although I am at the 36 week mark, I am still worried and will probably still worry until this baby is here, safe and healthy. 

I am dilated to a one and 70% effaced, and that could mean labor will occur sooner rather than later, but then again, who knows?  The real issue is that my doctor discussed more of my risk factors with me yesterday, and I can't stop thinking about them.  These risk factors could mean nothing, or they could mean serious complications for Baby Boy.  Whatever be the case, this pregnancy is even more of risk than we originally thought.  I thought being taken off of bed rest would leave me feeling less stressed, but I'm just as stressed now as I was when I went into labor nine weeks ago, but for different reasons.  In some ways, I just want him to get here so we can make sure he's fine, but in other ways, I know the longer he stays in utero, the better.  I just have to stop worrying about all the POSSIBLE risks and just keep plugging along.

My amniotic fluid levels are a tiny bit on the high end, so I have very mild polyhydramnios. I have 20.5 centimeters of fluid, which is only a  1/2  centimeter above the norm, so doctors aren't too worried at this point.  But if it the levels get higher in the next few weeks, it could be indicative of a huge problem for baby such as esophageal issues where the baby isn't swallowing correctly, heart and neurological defects, and fetal abnormalities.  There is also a higher risk of placental abruption or prolapse during birth, as well as postpartum hemorrhaging.  Thankfully, I don't really have any of the risk factors associated with high water (a tummy measuring weeks ahead, a baby measuring much larger than normal, third trimester bleeding, severe abdominal pain, and swelling of the limbs).  The milder the case of polhydramnios, the better, so I have that going for me, as fluid levels are only slightly higher than normal.  I am further cheered by the fact that ultrasounds haven't shown anything wrong with the baby and from the looks of the ultrasound yesterday, it look like his kidneys, heart, and bladder are functioning properly.  More often than not, higher fluid levels do not lead to any complications, so I'm pretty sure these results are just causing me unnecessary worry, but it's still unnerving.   

The doctor also wants me to measure Baby Boy's movements every night to make sure Baby is still active and not in possible distress.  Today and yesterday he's been moving just fine, but this weekend, it seemed like movement decreased significantly. Doctors explained that's likely because he's even more cramped than most babies because of my uterine abnormality and doesn't have a lot of room to move.  Higher fluid levels can make movements harder to detect, as can the fact that he's facing my back and is very low in my pelvis.  So I'll be vigilant about "kick counts" and I'm sure if I'm watching closely, I'll notice them more than I did this weekend, just as I have in the past two days.  I was glad to have the ultrasound yesterday to make sure everything  Baby was moving and growing OK, and I pray that everything continues to be that way.

I also tested positive for Group B Strep (25% of women are natural carriers without even knowing it).  This means that I will need antibiotics during labor to keep the baby from contracting it when coming through the birth canal.  For babies, Strep B can be extremely dangerous and even fatal.  I'm sure that with the antibiotics, the baby  will be fine.  That just means I need to get to the hospital with enough time for them to administer the antibiotics.  Sometimes women who have a history of pre-term labor progress very quickly once actual labor ensues, so the doctor wants me to arrive when I'm having contractions about 7 minutes apart and lasting 40 seconds or more, rather than the 4-5 minutes apart they tell most women.  That way, they will have enough time to administer the anti-strep medication and the epidural I'm looking forward to.  If my water breaks, I have to go in as soon as possible so there aren't any complications caused to the baby because of the strep.  I'm assuming I'll know when I am in actual labor (though I don't know when that will be) and be able to get to the hospital and get the antibiotics in time, but it's another issue that causes me worry. 

There are most likely no problems with Baby Boy's development and even with the risk factors, everything should turn out fine for the remainder of my pregnancy, during labor and delivery, and after birth.  I am trying to stay optimistic and not look at research on the above issues that just freaks me out.  I'm also trying to remember that I am in the hands of capable doctors who are just preparing me for the worst, as most likely, none of these things will cause any harm to the baby - I've decided sometimes being less educated about issues like this, is better and leads to less worry.  Even with the likelihood of a good outcome, prayers that everything goes well with the remainder of this pregnancy (how ever long that will be) and that Baby Boy will be born healthy are appreciated.  And maybe saying a prayer for me not to worry so much would help too.

Day 63: Bye, Bye Bed Rest (36 Weeks)

Today my bed rest sentence issued exactly nine weeks ago was finally revoked because Baby Boy and I made it to week 36!   Baby Boy is growing and weighing in at 6 pounds, 1 ounce and is about 17 inches long.  The ultrasound technician commented on his short little legs, but having another baby who is on the short side is no surprise to J and I who aren't very tall ourselves.  My stomach is measuring around 35 weeks because baby is low in my pelvis, but I'm still growing and Baby is still moving even in the very cramped conditions my bicornuate uterus provides!  Because he's so low, some of these ultrasound shots have part of his forehead cut off, and he kept moving his hand in front of his face (no, that's not a foot in the third photo below), but I liked being able to see my baby's little face and knowing he's doing OK.

I have also been taken off of Procardia and Progesterone which help to prevent early contractions and cervical change.  Some women go into labor within hours of stopping the medications and others last 10-14 days or more.  So we shall see what happens from this point.  Right now besides some back pain and feeling completely out of shape (after only getting up to go to the bathroom and the table for two months, even walking or sitting is fatiguing), I'm pretty asymptomatic.  Who knows when the contractions will start and send me in to actual labor?  People ask me when I think this baby is coming, and honestly, I have absolutely NO idea.  

 

Highlights of Week Thirty-Six (34 week fetal age):

• Baby weighs just over six pounds and doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's about 17 inches long. 
• Baby is head down in pelvis to prepare for delivery.
• Most of his basic physical development is now complete - he'll spend the next few weeks (hopefully) putting on weight and developing fat layers.   Baby will put on about half a pound a week from here on out. 
• Lungs should be just about fully developed (boys' lungs do generally take longer to develop than girls' lungs, however).  Circulation and immune systems are basically good to go, too.
• Skin is getting smooth and soft and his gums are rigid.  Baby's bones and skull are still relatively soft to make for an easier delivery and will harden after birth.
• His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. 
• Baby's reflexes are coordinated.  He can turn his head, grasp firmly, and respond to sounds, light and touch. 
• Eyes opened when awake and closed when sleeping.
• 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 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 is sporting full-length fingernails and toenails and hair is growing on head.
• Baby is now developing daily activity and sleep cycles.
• Brain development continues to advance quickly.
• Baby’s digestive system is putting on its finishing touches in preparation to take baby’s first meal in a few weeks’ time.