In the 30s!

Today I am 30 weeks pregnant. I have never been 30-something-weeks along, and I am SO happy to have made it this far!

Bedrest is hard, but I can tell how necessary it is. My uterus is definitely more sensitive and "jumpy" since my hospital visit last Sunday. I contract every time I get up. The contractions could be normal and harmless - but I'm not taking any chances!

I forgot to mention that we asked for Thumper's weight at our last ultrasound on Wednesday. 3 lbs! A very good weight for a 29 weeker! :)

Preggo pic

Upon realizing that I didn't have a single picture of my pregnant self, my Mom took this the day I turned 29 weeks pregnant. Also the day before I was hospitalized for preterm labor. Maybe when I am allowed to be upright again, I will be able to get more pictures. I'm just glad to have this at all!

Bedrest

I am home now on bedrest. This is because of the fact that I am 1-2 cm dilated, and we don't know if I have been this way for a long time, or if it is the result of all the painful contractions I had on Sunday. My OB is being very conservative because of my history delivering so early - and I don't blame her! Bedrest is very strict until I am about 32 weeks along. That means I am to lie in bed or lie on the couch, I can get up only to use the bathroom, take a shower, get a snack. That's it. If, at 32 weeks, my cervix is still lovely and I'm not contracting too much, then bedrest can be modified to include some more activity. If everything is perfect by 34 weeks, I might be able to rejoin the world. That will be on June 26th - a long time from now. This is going to be quite the adventure! I just feel so lucky to still be pregnant.

To Hell and Back: Still Pregnant!

We have, so far, received the best news we could have hoped for. I am still very pregnant and it looks like I will be discharged from the hospital tomorrow morning!

I do not wish magnesium sulfate on anyone. Some women don't experience all the side effects, while others are tormented with them all. I was the unlucky latter. It was truly a nightmare for me and the family, but we are so very thankful that we made it though, slowed down my contractions, and baby got the two needed steroid shots over the 48 hour period. The shots are needed to speed up baby lung development, should Thumper be born too soon. I had also gotten the shots for Alden last time, but didn't need to be on Magnesium Sulfate to stop preterm labor, because I was able to use a much nicer drug that can only be used until the 27th week gestation. Too far along for that now!

I am still in the hospital tonight, and will meet with my OB tomorrow morning to determine the final plan of care. After we made it through the mag sulfate, I had a cervical ultrasound which showed - amazingly - that my cervix looks NORMAL at 3.5 cm! I cried many tears of joy at that. The Perinatologist who reviewed the u/s also said that many women are 1-2 cm dilated throughout much of their second pregnancy. She also said that with an amazingly long cervix like this at 29 1/2 weeks, I have only about a 1% chance of delivering before 34 weeks gestation. Simply unbelievable. I cried many tears of joy when I heard that.

We met briefly with the Senior Resident here, who said that I will be discharged tomorrow morning. Possibly on home bedrest, but also possibly back to work, if my OB deems work is a place that won't cause my uterus to contract too much. Although many women contract normally throughout their 3rd trimester, it is so hard to say with my history what is normal for me.

There is no way I could have gone through Hell and back without the incredible support of Dave, Alden, and our families. Alden is doing great visiting me in the hospital. Asking really good questions, and painting pictures for all of us at his daycare. He knows that I am getting better, but doesn't know that it has anything to do with Thumper, which I think is best.

Thanks for all of your support. We'll keep you updated!