I’m off bedrest. Let the nesting begin!
My stomach is really tight today. Either my body is just getting used to having the carry the weight of my belly or I’m having one seriously long contraction! I think it’s a little of both.
I’m off to sort clothes for all the kids, convince Nathan to help carry the laundy downstairs, and do some general cleaning.
I gained weight last week. I’m up 22 pounds so far.
Blood pressure was 130/70. My normal is pretty low, but these numbers are still within a normal range.
No addition progress. I suppose that’s good since I’m not even 36 weeks yet.
However, the measurements of my tummy are off by enough that we’re having another ultrasound tomorrow to check fluid levels and baby growth. I’m measuring 30 at 35 weeks. 5 cm off means they want to take a closer look. It could be nothing.
Please pray for peace for us and that the ultrasound will show a healthy baby.
This baby that I’ve been working so hard to keep growing is actually going to have to come out sometime. I’m starting to remember what labor was like the last two times. Now it’s too late to change my mind about having this third baby!
I have my list of people who are willing to be on call to watch the kids. Hopefully, we wont pick a time when none of the 4 people are available! If I go into labor during the day on Wed or Thurs this week, I’m not sure how I’m getting to the hospital. My ideal scenario would be to go to my OB appointment on Tuesday and have my doctor tell me that I was ready to go straight to the hospital and have the baby. I doubt that will happen.
Nathan has taken lots of pictures over the last month. I can’t post them because they aren’t on this computer and I’m not really supposed to be sitting up at the computer desk.
According to babycenter.com:
How your baby’s growing:
Your baby doesn’t have much room to maneuver now that he’s over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it’s so snug in your womb, he isn’t likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he’ll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.
I’ve been on bedrest for 32 days. My next appointment is Tuesday. That will be just 3 days shy of 36 weeks. I hope to get some restrictions lifted on Tuesday and then be set free on Friday. I am so grateful I’ve lasted this long.
Cousin Liz spent the last 2 days helping: playing with the kids a lot, fixing lunches, cleaning the kitchen, loading the dishwasher, baking cookies and cake, vacuuming, learning to change diapers, getting the kids dressed. It was really nice to have someone here overnights too.
Today I hope to gather all our names and numbers of people to call for our next trip to the hospital. I’m not planning to go again until we are having our baby! I need to make sure we have a couple of options for each day for childcare and transportation to the hospital. Having kids already makes the logistics more complicated. The fact that Audrey came so quickly means that whatever plan we have needs to be something that can happen very quickly!
Any guesses on when this baby will arrive? Our due date is June 19. Audrey was 23 days early. Ethan was 44 days early. Audrey came 5 days after I came off bedrest.
Dad asked me why we could see boy parts on the baby ticker picture. He was afraid it might make some readers uncomfortable. So, I’m here to clarify that what you’re seeing is the umbillical cord.The baby picture isn’t set up to specifically be a certain gender. You can’t always see it. It depends on the angle of the baby.
More updates later. . .
I think I’ve just finished 4 weeks of bedrest! 10 more days and then I’ll get to move around as freely as I like!
I had my regular doctor appointment this morning. My blood pressure was good, weight was actually down from last week, and my belly is measuring 32cm (this size should correspond pretty closely with the number of weeks you are along- within about 3cm is pretty normal). No need for an internal this week since contractions have slowed down a lot and I was just checked on Friday.
Nathan is guessing that the baby will come next week. I think it will be after I come off bedrest. Maybe Memorial Day?
I’m getting excited about meeting our baby. I’m also remembering how much it hurts to give birth. Well, there is no going back now!
I’ve made it to 34 weeks now. I can’t believe that I’ve already been on bedrest for 26 days! That doesn’t make it look like the next 11 days will be so bad. A month in bed and my family is surviving and our baby is growing. Ethan and Audrey have adjusted very well. It’s been so nice that they have been able to be watched at our home most days so they don’t have to be somewhere different every day.
My cousin, Liz, just finished her first year of college and she will be staying with us a couple of days a week to help us. That will help Nathan save some vacation and sick time. The kids will have a blast with Liz and I’ll sleep well knowing that if we go into labor in the middle of the night on the days that she is here, that we will have someone here to stay with the kids. E&A should provide a good crash course in Early Childhood!
Friday brought yet ANOTHER trip to the hospital. I had contractions on and off all day. Finally, at the end of the day, I reached the magic number of 6 an hour for 2 hours in a row. This time, I was emotional. The lack of sleep and the uncertainty brought me to tears as I lay in the hospital bed for the 5th time in a month. Thankfully, the contractions stopped. The contractions have progressed me a bit further. I’m now a little more than 1 cm dilated and I’m 60% effaced. I was thinking we wouldn’t actually do the home monitoring, but because of all the contractions I’ve been having, it looks like we are going to do it. I need more “hands on deck” for the next 2 weeks.
On a positive note, I have slept better the last couple of nights. I feel so much better with some solid chunks of sleep. The increase in my terbutaline dose seems to be stopping the contractions. It makes my hands shake like I’m detoxing though and it pushes up the baby’s heart rate. I’ll be glad when we are done with it.
On an unrelated note, Ethan has changed his name to “Ethan Superman Blast-off”.
Today marks how far along I was when I had Ethan. It seems this little guy is going to hold out longer than Ethan. I had my second betamethasone shot this morning. The nurse mixed in some novacaine and it felt way better than yesterday’s shot.
Late evening/early mornings have been rough. That’s when contractions seem to come and I’m not sleeping well. I felt so sore and weary this morning that I was almost convinced that I would be having our baby today. I started feeling better later, but I really think we’re nearing the homestretch.
The kids have been great and we’ve been so blessed with help to watch them and lots of yummy meals have been provided! Every day I feel a little more at ease and a little more excited rather than terrified of the thought of going into labor.
Everything has stayed status quo. Baby is still hanging in there. I’m trying to stick to just taking the terbutaline as needed. The bottle says every 4 hours as needed. My doctor is okay with me not taking it if I’m not contracting. It’s making it harder for me to sleep when I take it. Everything looked good at the appointment. I’m measuring small, but I think it’s because the baby is so low and he doesn’t make my belly stick out as far.
After my OB apt, it was time to go to the hospital to get the first of the two betamethasone shots. I remembered the needle looking ominous when I had these shots while on bedrest with Audrey. I purposefully didn’t look. Instead, I looked at my husband who was going to be a great support to me. Yeah, well, that didn’t work so well when his eyes got big and then he covered his eyes! He could have just looked at my face and not the needle. This shot is very painful. It’s injected into muscle (thigh or hip)and it burns. It continues to hurt a lot even after it’s all done. I get the second one tomorrow. They sometimes give a topical anesthetic to numb you a little first. I’m very tempted to ask for that tomorrow.
Off to bed for me!
