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

Day 57: The Simple Things

I made it further in this pregnancy than my last.  B was born at exactly 35 weeks, and today I'm 35 weeks and one day!  I also have less than a week of bed rest left (5 1/2 days to be exact)!  My doctor told me at today's appointment that my cervix is still stable and I'm still only dilated to a one.  She concedes that my contractions are getting more intense, but it should still take awhile for them to progress far enough to put me into actual labor (she is waiting to see if they kick into high gear once I get off Progesterone, Procardia, and bed rest next week.  So Baby and I are still going strong and we're getting closer and closer to full-term and getting off of bed rest.  Bed rest has not been easy, but it's working, and it has helped me really enjoy the simple things, like eating a meal lovingly prepared for me and watching B make Valentines for his class.  Enjoy photos of my simple pleasure from today: 

 

Day 43: My Doctor Is Getting Greedy

At my 33 week appointment today, my doctor found that my cervix is still short but stable.  As of now, it's closed and measures a little less than 2 centimeters according to her calculations.  (Measuring cervical length and dilation without ultrasound is pretty relative . . . when I went into labor at 28 weeks, one nurse said I was dilated to a one and another said I wasn't dilated at all).  Whatever be the case, stability is good news.  It's funny though because my doctor was first hoping for 30 weeks, then 32, then 34 weeks for this baby (I know I'm not there yet).  Now that I've made it this far and everything is still stable, my contractions haven't caused cervical change and dilation, and medications are working, she's pushing for 37 weeks so I have a baby we can take home.  Last week, Dr. M. said "four more weeks," and today she again said "Four more weeks."  I think I can do it, though I'm sure the next four weeks will be long ones.  At least I only have three more weeks of bed rest and medication.  I'm continuing to take it one day a time, but I think it's funny that my doctor is getting greedy for more time, and so am I.  Maybe I'll even go full-term!      

 

 

Day 41: Staying the Course

After almost 6 weeks of bed rest, lots of contractions and uterine irritability, two scares that required hospital visits, J's state boards, meltdowns from B, and other stresses, I finally feel I can breathe a sigh of relief.  Tomorrow I'll be 33 weeks along!  Baby Boy would likely do pretty well if born at this stage, though he'd still be early and have to stay in the NICU.  My cervix, albeit very short, is hanging in there, and I haven't had many unbearable contraction episodes this week.  I'm managing to stay busy and positive and am still plugging along.  I am also confident in the blessing I got last week that said that my body would be able to continue to protect the baby for "several more weeks."  Now that J has passed his test and we're in less of a crisis mode as far as Baby Boy is concerned, I feel a lot more safe and secure, and I'm grateful for that.  That doesn't mean I won't stay the course.  I've made it this far and won't give up anytime soon.  I'm still hoping for 36 weeks or beyond, but in the meantime, I will just take it day by day and count every day I stay pregnant as a blessing.