Not leaving the hospital until the baby is born

Well I woke up Sunday morning (2:00 a.m.) with a fairly significant bleed. The most bleeding I had seen so far. I went to labor and delivery and sat back in the genral triage area getting monitored until about 8:00 a.m. Unlike the other bleed episodes I did not have any contractions. 8:00 came and the Dr came in the room and "bottom lined" it for me : I am not to leave the hospital until the baby is born. Its just not safe for me to be 20 minutes away from the house and risk having an even more serious bleed. They stuck me in a birthing room for the rest of the day and was put on the most strict of bed rest and wasn't allowed to eat just in case the bleeding came back and they needed to do an emergeny c-section. They put an IV catheder in my arm (after 3 failed attempts to get it in my hand.. OUCH!) so they can hook me up to and IV in a moments notice if necessary. I was finally permitted to eat a meal at around 4:00 p.m. and was moved into a permanent room in the High-Risk OB area of the hospital around 7:00. 11:00 p.m. was rolling around and I still couldn't fall asleep. I just couldn't get comfortable in the hospital bed. The nurse came in and offered me an Ambien which I gladly accepted. Next thing I know they are waking me up at 4:00 a.m. because I was contracting regularly in my sleep (thats one good sleeping pill!) So I got a terbutaline injection to stop the contractions and passed back out despite the drugs notorius side effect of jitters and restlessness. Then around 7:00 a.m. the contractions came back so I received a second injection. So that starts us into today...

Today was a trying day. I think besides just being stressed and mentally drained, the hospital life took its toll on me. I was taken over into maternal fetal care and they did an u/s on the baby. I am 34 weeks but he was measuring closer to 33 weeks so I have a little guy in there (I know the gestational age is accurate with doing an in-vitro). Then they did the dreaded amniocentisis to test the fluid and determine if the babys lungs were mature. If they were mature I'd be scheduled for a c-section tomorrow. I really thought I'd be okay during the amnio but I was the biggest wimp! The needle hurt significantly and then my uterus began contracting and the baby started kicking and punching and that just made it all hurt that much worse. The dr told me it would be over in 20 seconds.. but it was more like 3 minutes of struggling with getting the fluid out. I pretty much broke down and cried at that point.. I just had been put through too much and mentally I was broken.

I have been taken off of continuous monitoring which is a nice break on my belly. When the took off the monitors my skin was peeling because of the irritation from the gel and the pressure of the monitors. I am using leg pressure cuffs every now and then to keep my legs blood ciruclating to prevent clots. The nurse suggested the longer I go without bleeding the more freedom I may get. Hopefully I can be allowed a shower at some point. I can sponge bath.. but I would like to wash my hair at some point. I don't want my baby to be born and say "ewww.. is THAT my mom???"

The nurse came back and told me that the amnio showed the lungs were not mature yet so I will not be doing a cesarian tomorrow. I'm not sure what the dr's plans are at this point. I REALLY hope they don't decide to do another amnio. I haven't heard from the dr since this morning so I don't know what the long term plan is. I just know the short term includes me staying in bed here at the hospital.

Thanks to all the family and friends for their thoughts and prayers. Also big thanks to the nursing staff here who are taking excellent care of me. I have a newfound admiration for nurses. They have done everything possible to take an uncomfortable situation for me and make it a little more tolerable.

I'm lucky enough to have wireless access from within the hospital so I will continue blogging my updates as I know what my future holds. Of course at any time my bleeding can come back and they will emergency C-section me. For now I am just thankful for each day that the baby gets stronger and healthier.

Argh.. they cancelled on me AGAIN

I know they are doctors and they can't help it, but this is getting SO frustrating. I think all of my last few doctors appointments have been cancelled and rescheduled. Well this next appointment is no different. I was supposed to go back on Tuesday the 8th, but now its been pushed to Thursday the 10th. It just frustrates me because I really stress about this placenta stuff and it helps having the regular dr. appointments. I should be on a 2-week schedule at this point, but my last visit was December 20th. So this puts me 3 weeks out from my last visit. I'm constantly having to re-arrange my schedule to make space for the originally scheduled appointment only to have it cancelled at the last minute and have to scamper around to re-arrange my schedule again.

Okay - just needed to vent on that one. I know dr's can't help it if they get called out to surgery and such, I've just never been one much for having patience I guess. Especially with all the complications I've been having.

Not much I can do about it. I had a bit of bleeding a few days ago that stopped on its own and I didn't have to go to the hospital. Hopefully it doesn't come back any time soon. I'm 34 weeks along now.. I just need to make it 3 more weeks!

Bedrest, blogging and boredom!

I certainly have more time now to update this blog with my new bed rest status. From a pregnancy standpoint I feel really well, but from a sanity standpoint, I am dying of boredom! I know the bed rest is the best for me and the baby. There is only so much one can do day in and day out when stuck in bed/on the couch. Only a few more weeks to go. The Dr said he'd like to see me get up to 37 weeks. That's only 4 more weeks! I'm a little scared of the "unknown" of having a C-section, but couldn't be more excited to meet my little baby boy!
I am definitely not in that "get it out of me!" stage yet. Since I'm so tall he has plenty of room to fit in my tummy without causing me too much discomfort. I am so used to feeling him inside me I know there is a part of me that will miss the kicks and wiggles in my tummy when he is finally born. I have really enjoyed pregnancy and hope I will be blessed enough to experience it again in my lifetime.
My fingers are officially to chubby for my wedding bands - or any other rings. Don't worry - its not hypertension swelling, just normal excess fluids swelling. My blood pressure is fantastic every time I go to the doctor. The nurses are always impressed at how low it is.
My next appointment will be on January 8th. They will do another u/s to look at the placenta position and continue to monitor me and decide when the right time for this baby to be born will be. Maybe I'll be lucky enough at my next appointment to have the placenta move enough to at least get me to a 'modified' bed rest status.... Hey, a girl can dream, can't she?

More bed rest.. but got to see my baby today!

Yesterday I went to the doctor and I'm pretty much stuck on bedrest indefinitely. They don't think the placenta previa will improve enough to do a natural delivery, and in most cases previa patients have serious bleeding that leads to emergency C-section delivery. Not a pretty picture to have painted, but the doctor wanted to make sure I knew how serious my condition I was and to make sure I always go straight to the hospital with any bleeding. He also said if I have more bleeding, but they get it to stop, they still may choose to admit me to the hospital for bed rest there. So this baby will come by c-section no matter what it sounds like. He'll either come because I'm close enough to full term to schedule the C-sect, otherwishe he will come early via emergency C-sect. Its a little scary knowing that I should be on the lookout for this "serious bleed." Good thing I live close to the hospital.

I went and had my 3-D ultrasound today. It was so amazing to see the baby in 3-D. It reminds me that all this complicated stuff is WELL worth it!

Here are his chubby little cheeks! I can't believe how round his face is already. He looks so peaceful. I can even see a little dimple on the side of his face.


I love this picture. I can see a little smile on his face.

Here's another picture of him looking so peaceful.

And this is his profile - cute little button nose!

Needless to say I am now ready to meet this little guy! I think in the pictures he looks a little like Sean, but I know its hard to tell right now exactly who he looks like. All that matters is that he looks perfect!

And we take another trip to the hospital...

Well yesterday seemed like a normal day. I ran a few errands, went and had dinner with my friend Michelle, went with her and her kids to a Christmas train ride and then came back home. I suppose you could say I was standing up a little more than I usually do, but I certainly wasn't doing anything strenuous.


Well I get home around 10:30 and I am feeling a tad bit crampy and I go to the bathroom and see that I am bleeding. Not a super heavy bleed, but definitely enough to get me concerned and to the hospital. So once again I'm off to the hospital (why does this only happen at night?) and go to Labor and Delivery. They hook me up to the monitors and the baby is doing just fine and kicking me all over the place. I am having regular contractions again so I get an injection of tributeline (I had this once before at 20wks when I was contracting). The injection stops the contractions, and makes me feel like I just drank 10 cups of super-strength coffee. I hang around the hospital so they can monitor my bleeding and contractions. They both tapered off. I still had a few contractions here and there, but they were far apart and seemed more like regular braxton-hicks contractions than the kind I was having when I first got there. So I was released at about 2:30 a.m.


I am now on full bed rest until at least Wednesday when I have my regular appointment with my OB to do an u/s on my placenta to see if its still in a complete previa position (tho with the bleeding we're pretty sure it still is). I'm hoping I can at least talk my doctor into letting me go to my last childbirth class Monday night. I just sit there in class anyway so I wouldn't be on my feet. We'll see.


So today its just me and my laptop and a few Netfix. I'm sure keeping me in bed today won't be too difficult as I'm pretty wiped out from my long night last night.


I am at 31 weeks right now and the doctor said the baby could survive a delivery at this point, especially since I did the betamethasone injections, but he said he'd like me to go at least 4 more weeks - I would too! I'm doing much better today. Bleeding has stopped and I don't feel crampy anymore.


I am lucky enough to have the ability to work from home so I can at least stay in bed and still work. I would be bored to death otherwise.

Baby shower at work today

I had my baby shower at work today. I got LOTS of great gifts and am just blown away at the generosity of my coworkers. I got a video baby monitor, high chair, boppy pillow, changing pad, and a few other things that I was really wanting. I couldn't believe how many great things I got. I was like having a pre-Christmas! Here are some pictures of me and my "loot."

Here is my SUPER-cool activity center!!! I love this thing!!

Here is me and my cart of goodies from my shower. Look at all that stuff!!!

I just can't thank my teammates enough for throwing me such a wonderful shower. I am definitely ready for a baby now!

Today I scheduled my 3-D ultrasound appointment. I will be getting to see my baby in 3-D next FRIDAY! Yay!! I'm SO excited to see what he looks like .. his chubby cheeks, his cute little hands and feet. I can't wait to post the pictures of my baby boy!

The nursery is done!

I finally got the nursery all put together. I think it all looks great. I love my fishy room - sometimes I just go in there and enjoy the atmosphere of the room. Thanks to all that contributed to my nursery items!! It looks fabulous!

In addition I have a stroller/carseat and also a cradle for the family room. I think all I need now is a baby!

I'm feeling pretty good for the most part. I definitely have my moments of discomfort and am also fatigued a lot. My acid reflux has by far been the most undesirable pregnancy symptom of the lot and will be happy to be rid of it once the baby is born. For the most part I still feel pretty normal. I don't feel as "heavy" as I thought I would with all this extra baby weight in the front. Its amazing what the body does to compensate to the changes.

I started childbirth class a few weeks ago. So far its been interesting. Its funny, most of the women seem to already be up to speed on the birth process, but the men in the class are seeming a little freaked out by all the things that will happen to the wife and the baby during childbirth. It just surprises me that so many of the men are oblivious to the birthing process at this late in the game, Sean's been reading a pregnancy book for fathers so he's done a good job of keeping on top of the whole process.