At week 36 of this pregnancy, the midwife I saw that day put in my chart that I was to be induced at 39 weeks if conditions were 'favorable'. I've been jinxed.....I have had non-stop contractions since that point, but none of it is 'changing' me to a more 'favorable' state. I GIVE UP!
I lost five pounds, and the midwife today told me that I am 70% effaced..but shut tight as a drum. I now have the cast iron cervix and the incredible floating baby...she won't drop. And if she doesn't drop and apply some pressure to my 'girly parts', then heaven knows how long she will be in there! The midwife also informed me that fifth pregnancies often go this way...lots of useless uterine irritability and little to no progress....mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmkay'....thanks!
In other news, I have officially taken leave of the hospital. My nurse manager and I agreed that it would be better for everyone if I started my maternity leave now, so I can come back that much stronger in about a month or so. She offered me a total of 14 weeks off....I don't think I need that much. I may take 8, tops. When I come back, there will be a high need in maternity, and I will finally get to cross-train, so that definitely has me looking forward to returning!
Even though I have been through the birth process a few times, I still find myself getting just a wee bit nervous as to how I'm going to handle it this time. If I am already in this much pain...how the heck am I going to deal with it when it's 'for real'? Will I even know? I am starting to get to the point where I can almost ignore the contractions, because I know they aren't doing anything to pay attention to. About the only thing that might get my attention is my water breaking...that I might have to do something about!
Sorry for the whine, folks....the wait is on.....for how long? Who knows?
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
OH MY HOLY FREAKIN' OUCH!
I went in for my external version today...it was one of the most excruciatingly painful moments of my life! They turned her...it took a half an hour to do so, she was VERY stubborn about being moved! I about ripped Rob's hand off, it hurt that bad!
It turns out that she was in a frank breech position, meaning that if I went into spontaneous labor and she just happened to be born, her butt would make it's entrance first, with her legs folded in front of her face. She had her little head tucked up right underneath my heart...guess she liked the sound..maybe I will try a ticking clock once she arrives and see if she sleeps through the night...
I went in to see my midwife a couple of hours later. I thought she might have flipped right on back to her former position, and the midwife could not tell by palpation if the head was still down. So they popped me into an ultrasound really quick..and she was still head down. All I can say is...PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE stay there!!! I will do almost anything to avoid a C-section...but if they have to do this again..then they are inducing me immediately afterwards!!! I swear I am going to have bruises on my belly for days!! Tonight is definitely a Lortab night!
It turns out that she was in a frank breech position, meaning that if I went into spontaneous labor and she just happened to be born, her butt would make it's entrance first, with her legs folded in front of her face. She had her little head tucked up right underneath my heart...guess she liked the sound..maybe I will try a ticking clock once she arrives and see if she sleeps through the night...
I went in to see my midwife a couple of hours later. I thought she might have flipped right on back to her former position, and the midwife could not tell by palpation if the head was still down. So they popped me into an ultrasound really quick..and she was still head down. All I can say is...PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE stay there!!! I will do almost anything to avoid a C-section...but if they have to do this again..then they are inducing me immediately afterwards!!! I swear I am going to have bruises on my belly for days!! Tonight is definitely a Lortab night!
Friday, March 13, 2009
Directionally Challenged Baby
I went in yesterday for yet another ultrasound to check the baby's size. She is not quite 7 lbs, + or - 13 ounces......AND.......she's breech. I am scheduled to go in on Tuesday for an external version, which I am NOT looking forward to! You see, even the midwife doing the simple act of rolling the doppler over my belly causes me pain, and this procedure is going to be 100 times the pressure! The doctor told me that there was a good chance that my water would break during the procedure, as well as a risk of placental abruption (placenta tearing from uterine wall - VERY BAD!)
End result....if all the drama mentioned above actually does happen, then I am whisked downstairs for an emergency C-section. I am thinking that the worst that will happen is that I will have a VERY sore belly for a couple of days. Maybe, if I am lucky, this kid will just decide to flip on her own and I can just forgo all the aforementioned drama!
So, everyone....start sending your good vibes this way...turn...turn...turn...
End result....if all the drama mentioned above actually does happen, then I am whisked downstairs for an emergency C-section. I am thinking that the worst that will happen is that I will have a VERY sore belly for a couple of days. Maybe, if I am lucky, this kid will just decide to flip on her own and I can just forgo all the aforementioned drama!
So, everyone....start sending your good vibes this way...turn...turn...turn...
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
'Baby Door update"
I am now in the weekly check mode..I am almost done! The midwife checked me and I am 60% effaced, baby is still ballotable, and no dilation has happened. Upon palpation, baby is found to be between 5-6 lbs. Which is on the large side for this point. The midwife suggested that I might want to consider induction at 39 weeks to keep the weight manageable. I told her that there was absolutely NO way that I would consider a chemical induction! She told me that they would just break my water if I was 2-3 cm dilated and let things take their course. I agreed to that. So, whether I go on my own, or am induced, this kid is coming by the end of the month!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
The Final Countdown
I have 7 weeks left to this pregnancy...where did all the time go? Of course, at the same time I am asking myself how I can possibly hold out another month and a half, it is a wonderful conundrum.
I took my first futile trip to labor and delivery yesterday afternoon. I have at least one of these visits with every single pregnancy. I worked an eight hour shift at the hospital on Sunday evening, and arrived home around 12:30 a.m. I was feeling vaguely uncomfortable, but that is kind of normal at this point...comfortable just plain ceases to exist! I finally laid down to sleep at around 1:30 a.m. and immediately started experiencing contractions..I didn't pay too much attention to them..I figured they would go away eventually and I would be able to fall asleep. They didn't go away, and I didn't get any sleep. I even had a couple of incidences where I felt like I needed to push...which freaked me out.
I got out of bed in the morning feeling absolutely miserable and extremely irritable, and STILL contracting! It didn't matter what I did, these things would not get lost! I showered, ate breakfast, and fed the 3 year old. I then went upstairs and informed Rob that I thought there might be a small problem. He volunteered to come with me to help with my puppet show - I think I accepted with poor grace...something to the effect of "If you want to.." We proceeded to the show, he carried everything in and did most of the set up, helped me with the entre act, and even sat behind the stage and handed me puppets during the show. I managed to get through all of it without any major trouble, we cleaned up and left. As we were right down the street from the hospital I am delivering at, we went straight there.
They hooked me up to all the monitors, asked me the standard zillion questions, and did a bunch of tests. They even stuck an IV in my hand and dropped in a bag of saline for good measure. They found my contractions to be mild ones, but at the rate of about 3 to 5 minutes apart. It was kind of a weird pattern....I would have a cluster of about 10 to 15 with that time spacing increment, then nothing for about 10 to 20 minutes, then they would start over again. All the tests came back negative, and they checked the 'baby door' and found it shut nice and tight, they checked it again before they let me go, and again found no change. My midwife was a bit puzzled by everything, as was I. I absolutely hate it when things go haywire with no reason as to why! My midwife wanted to give me a shot of morphine so I could go home and sleep, but I really didn't want to be that far gone, so she compromised and sent me home with a prescription of hydrocodone and orders to take it easy.
I still had contractions last night, but none with any regularity or pattern to them, thank goodness! I was scheduled to work another 8 hour shift last night, but decided I had better take my caregiver's advice, so I called in sick, took a pill, and went to bed!
I slept quite well last night, woke up this morning, and went to do another puppet show.
All quite on the western front....for now!
I took my first futile trip to labor and delivery yesterday afternoon. I have at least one of these visits with every single pregnancy. I worked an eight hour shift at the hospital on Sunday evening, and arrived home around 12:30 a.m. I was feeling vaguely uncomfortable, but that is kind of normal at this point...comfortable just plain ceases to exist! I finally laid down to sleep at around 1:30 a.m. and immediately started experiencing contractions..I didn't pay too much attention to them..I figured they would go away eventually and I would be able to fall asleep. They didn't go away, and I didn't get any sleep. I even had a couple of incidences where I felt like I needed to push...which freaked me out.
I got out of bed in the morning feeling absolutely miserable and extremely irritable, and STILL contracting! It didn't matter what I did, these things would not get lost! I showered, ate breakfast, and fed the 3 year old. I then went upstairs and informed Rob that I thought there might be a small problem. He volunteered to come with me to help with my puppet show - I think I accepted with poor grace...something to the effect of "If you want to.." We proceeded to the show, he carried everything in and did most of the set up, helped me with the entre act, and even sat behind the stage and handed me puppets during the show. I managed to get through all of it without any major trouble, we cleaned up and left. As we were right down the street from the hospital I am delivering at, we went straight there.
They hooked me up to all the monitors, asked me the standard zillion questions, and did a bunch of tests. They even stuck an IV in my hand and dropped in a bag of saline for good measure. They found my contractions to be mild ones, but at the rate of about 3 to 5 minutes apart. It was kind of a weird pattern....I would have a cluster of about 10 to 15 with that time spacing increment, then nothing for about 10 to 20 minutes, then they would start over again. All the tests came back negative, and they checked the 'baby door' and found it shut nice and tight, they checked it again before they let me go, and again found no change. My midwife was a bit puzzled by everything, as was I. I absolutely hate it when things go haywire with no reason as to why! My midwife wanted to give me a shot of morphine so I could go home and sleep, but I really didn't want to be that far gone, so she compromised and sent me home with a prescription of hydrocodone and orders to take it easy.
I still had contractions last night, but none with any regularity or pattern to them, thank goodness! I was scheduled to work another 8 hour shift last night, but decided I had better take my caregiver's advice, so I called in sick, took a pill, and went to bed!
I slept quite well last night, woke up this morning, and went to do another puppet show.
All quite on the western front....for now!
Monday, January 5, 2009
A Face In the Making....
Here are some shots of our baby girl that is due to arrive in April...
11 weeks and a sharp side profile...
The reason why face shots were SOOOOOO hard to get!
26 weeks...she had her arms OVER her face AND her legs folded in front of her face as well...
22 weeks....you can see some fluffy cheeks in the making...
17 weeks...still more alien than human at this point...
I went for my last ultrasound this past Friday, and she was pronounced perfect! They immediately started in on scanning her heart, she turned at just the right moment, and we got the most perfect view of her aortic tract that you could hope for! The doctor came in and scanned through all the shots, looked at me, and said, "The baby looks great! You don't need to come back anymore!" HOORAY! My prediction for this girl's appearance...well...from what I can see of her face at the 26 week shot...she looks an awful lot like her brother Cade...we shall see....
11 weeks and a sharp side profile...
The reason why face shots were SOOOOOO hard to get!
26 weeks...she had her arms OVER her face AND her legs folded in front of her face as well...
22 weeks....you can see some fluffy cheeks in the making...
17 weeks...still more alien than human at this point...
I went for my last ultrasound this past Friday, and she was pronounced perfect! They immediately started in on scanning her heart, she turned at just the right moment, and we got the most perfect view of her aortic tract that you could hope for! The doctor came in and scanned through all the shots, looked at me, and said, "The baby looks great! You don't need to come back anymore!" HOORAY! My prediction for this girl's appearance...well...from what I can see of her face at the 26 week shot...she looks an awful lot like her brother Cade...we shall see....
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Christmas Happenings
This year I pulled out the video camera instead of the still, so I got absolutely no pics of Christmas. I don't know how to edit and post video, so y'all will just have to use your imaginations...
It doesn't matter how many times I tell myself that I am NOT going to wait until Christmas Eve to take care of all the Santa duties, inevitably, EVERY year - Rob and I spend most of the night wrapping everything that 'Santa' brought. This year wasn't so bad though, we were only up til' 12:30 a.m. We cleaned up and headed for bed around 1 a.m. At 2 a.m. we are awoken to shouts from Cade..."Santa came, everyone! Santa came!" Rob ran down to stop him before he started tearing in to everything, but it was too late - all three olders were up, thankfully, Quentin was still snoring and unaware even with all the racket that Cade was making. Rob sent everyone back to their respective beds and told them to go back to sleep. Yeah, right! Cade tossed and turned and he and Jaron whispered and giggled about what Santa might have brought them, oh, and Brenna was sitting bolt upright in her bed, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as well....
Finally Rob relented and let them go down to choose one present to take back to their beds. That appeased them for all of two minutes, then we were once again listening to Cade's restless tumblings and the occasional sneaking down the stairs. He peeked...EVERYWHERE. There were things in the garage..he ran up and reported to his siblings, there was a note from Santa by the cookies..he reported that in the loudest stage whisper possible. He checked out the stockings and gave report as well. That was the last straw - Daddy told him that he was ruining Christmas for everyone, and that he had better get to sleep in a hurry or risk Santa coming back to reclaim all the presents. He finally settled down and I think everyone finally fell asleep around 4 a.m.
Rob and I woke up again around 7:30 a.m. and decided that we would let Quentin have first crack at the presents...this is where I started filming...he didn't care that Santa had come..he was just ultra-tweaked that he had been woken up! He cried and cried, layed on the stairs and cried some more. He finally got over his upset, however and made it downstairs the rest of the way. He was more than happy when he saw all the presents and kept looking at me, saying,"Christmas? Santa?" Then Rob handed him one of his presents.."Mine?" "Yes, yours", we said - and the melee began!
The older kids came down shortly after, and I do believe that all of Santa's handiwork was completely undone in about 15 minutes flat. Everyone was pleased with what they got and Christmas was declared a success, once again!
I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday and has a wonderful New Year!
It doesn't matter how many times I tell myself that I am NOT going to wait until Christmas Eve to take care of all the Santa duties, inevitably, EVERY year - Rob and I spend most of the night wrapping everything that 'Santa' brought. This year wasn't so bad though, we were only up til' 12:30 a.m. We cleaned up and headed for bed around 1 a.m. At 2 a.m. we are awoken to shouts from Cade..."Santa came, everyone! Santa came!" Rob ran down to stop him before he started tearing in to everything, but it was too late - all three olders were up, thankfully, Quentin was still snoring and unaware even with all the racket that Cade was making. Rob sent everyone back to their respective beds and told them to go back to sleep. Yeah, right! Cade tossed and turned and he and Jaron whispered and giggled about what Santa might have brought them, oh, and Brenna was sitting bolt upright in her bed, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as well....
Finally Rob relented and let them go down to choose one present to take back to their beds. That appeased them for all of two minutes, then we were once again listening to Cade's restless tumblings and the occasional sneaking down the stairs. He peeked...EVERYWHERE. There were things in the garage..he ran up and reported to his siblings, there was a note from Santa by the cookies..he reported that in the loudest stage whisper possible. He checked out the stockings and gave report as well. That was the last straw - Daddy told him that he was ruining Christmas for everyone, and that he had better get to sleep in a hurry or risk Santa coming back to reclaim all the presents. He finally settled down and I think everyone finally fell asleep around 4 a.m.
Rob and I woke up again around 7:30 a.m. and decided that we would let Quentin have first crack at the presents...this is where I started filming...he didn't care that Santa had come..he was just ultra-tweaked that he had been woken up! He cried and cried, layed on the stairs and cried some more. He finally got over his upset, however and made it downstairs the rest of the way. He was more than happy when he saw all the presents and kept looking at me, saying,"Christmas? Santa?" Then Rob handed him one of his presents.."Mine?" "Yes, yours", we said - and the melee began!
The older kids came down shortly after, and I do believe that all of Santa's handiwork was completely undone in about 15 minutes flat. Everyone was pleased with what they got and Christmas was declared a success, once again!
I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday and has a wonderful New Year!
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