24 Weeks: Fright Week (AKA My Trip to Labor & Delivery)

Halloween is in just a few days, but apparently I needed to have my own personal Fright Week a few days early. Let me tell you, Labor & Delivery is a SCARY place to end up at not quite 24 weeks pregnant. Here's what went down:

I've been having Braxton Hicks for weeks now, but my OB said it's normal and not to worry unless the contractions became regular/timeable. Well, they got there Wednesday...all morning, every 3-4 minutes on the dot.

I called the doc, thinking I'd get a "There, there, paranoid pregnant woman...you're fine." Instead, I got, "You need to get down here immediately. Can you leave work right now?" Um. Yes?

Long story (sort of) short, after an ultrasound and 40-45 minutes of monitoring, it was determined that, though baby looked great and my cervix was closed, I was in a state of "threatened preterm labor." And they sent me trucking over to L&D/Triage. There, they gave me a labor-slowing drug called terbutaline and hooked me up to another set of monitors...where I proceeded to wait for TWO HOURS. This sucked for two main reasons: (1) the drug had some crazy side effects - racing pulse, whole-body shaking...scary stuff...and (2) it didn't work.

So they gave me yet another drug. (And, I might add, at this point, I was getting really scared.) Then more monitoring. That was the point at which they started talking about admitting me to the hospital overnight (it was about 5:30 by then, and I'd been there since lunchtime).

Thankfully, though, about 20 minutes later, the contractions began to become weaker and sporadic, and finally tapered off. Sigh. Of. Relief. Doc wrote me a prescription for the drug and agreed to send me home, with instructions to stay off my feet and take the pills as needed, then come back Monday. So, I spent the weekend on the couch, trying to "take it easy" (which, it turns out, is very, very hard for me...NOT vacuum the carpet when I see lint???). Contractions came and went, sometimes frequent, sometimes sporadic...always sort of nerve-wracking.

Yesterday (Monday), I went to the OB again. Baby still looked great, cervix still closed. The doc did a "fetal fibronectin" test (THIS, for interested parties), which, if positive, would indicate that "real" labor was likely impending. It was negative (praise God)...which means that, while I'm not out of the woods for certain, there's a 90% chance that I won't go into true labor within the next week or so, at least.

I'm still having contractions. And the difficult part in all this is that there's really no sure-fire way to know whether this is true threatened labor, or absolutely nothing - just maddeningly regular BH. Doc has okayed me for being back at work, so long as I continue to stay off my feet and take the pills as needed. Also, instead of my once-a-month appointments, I'll now be going in once a week for ultrasounds and more fetal fibronectin tests, to keep a watch on things. I've officially become high maintenance. Ha.

All that to say, Baby and I are fine for now, and VERY grateful not to be banished to bedrest...but I'd appreciate continued prayers. Baby Girl needs to stay put for a good while longer!

And, yes, I'll provide a regular weekly update in the next day or so...something a little lighter and more fun. :)

23 Weeks

23 Weeks, and here's this week's crappy self-photo (woo hoo!):

 

 

I think it looks bigger again this week. Maybe the issue last week was the white shirt instead of black? Apparently, the whole "black is a slimming color" thing does NOT hold true in pregnancy...I look twice as big when I wear it!

 

Baby is the size of a: Large grapefruit. But...um, is it just me, or do these fruit sizes - from thebump.com - seem a little off? I seriously think a grapefruit is smaller than last week's papaya. Huh.

 

She's still just shy of a foot long and weighing a little over a pound.

Development: Baby's sense of movement is well developed by now, so she can feel me moving around, dancing, etc. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing for future breathing (er, and screaming?). And her ears are getting pretty finely attuned, so she should be used to familiar sounds by now (mine and Alex's voices, cars honking, the vacuum cleaner, etc.).

Movement: It's getting much more frequent and obvious. She gets kick-y about 10-15 minutes after just about every meal, plus in the middle of the night. I can also feel her at random times all throughout the day. She's a little soccer player already, apparently; I totally need this shirt:

Ha. That said, I'm learning that there's a down-side to consistently feeling movement now, too: when I go several hours without feeling her, I get nervous. Sigh.

Weight gain: If the home scales are right, no change the last couple of weeks. But we'll see what the oh-so-dreaded doctor's scales say next week.

Maternity clothes: Yeppers. Still in a lot of my regular things, too, though (elastic/stretchy skirts, loose dresses, etc.).

Sleep: I sleep SO hard lately, and wake up way too tired. Guess it comes with the territory.

Morning Sickness: I think this category can go away at this point. Yay. Hopefully it won't make a comeback in the third trimester.

Aversions/Cravings: Nothing, really. But the "everything tastes weird/off" phenomenon is back. I can't even chew mint gum without it leaving a horrible aftertaste. The only thing that helps is brushing my teeth a bazillion times a day.

Bump: I think this category can go now, too. I'm bumpin' like a gangsta.

Am I betraying my white-girl-ness? Heh.

Symptoms: Still just SO tired all the time. Also, Braxton Hicks contractions are ever-present...I guess they're just going to be around until "real" labor contractions in a few months.

 

Oh, and for all you Learners of Things out there, here's the venerable Mr. Hicks himself:

 

 

Nice sideburns, huh? (Or...neckburns? Yikes.)

 

I miss: Being able to lie on my stomach! I didn't realize how often I did that until now...when I can't...boo.

I feel: Tired. But pretty good other than that.

Looking forward to: The "Baby Showcase" event at the hospital this week. Should be fun! Also my next OB appointment in exactly one week.

Daddy moment: I woke Alex up about 15 minutes after we went to bed last night to tell him to roll over (yep...he was snoring...again). He always feels SO bad when I tell him that - he doesn't like waking/keeping me up. This time, he insisted on some preemptive action: he took his pillow and a blanket and moved to the couch for the night, so I could get good sleep before starting the week. Aw...husband points.

22 Weeks - Five Months Down, Four to Go!

 

Happy Hump Day ("Bump Day"?), everyone! I've officially completed five months of pregnancy, and Baby Girl now weighs a whole pound!

 

Baby is the size of a: Papaya...makes me want to be somewhere tropical right now. She's just shy of a foot long.

 

 

She's weighing, like I said above, right at a pound. For reference, you could pick up any of the following:

 

(My recommendation is pick up the Ben & Jerry's...and a spoon...)

Development: Baby's eyelids and eyebrows are fully formed, and so are her fingernails. She's also still kicking away - her favorite times to get moving, it seems, are first thing in the morning, at night in bed, and during staff meetings at work.

Weight gain: Dunno - haven't weighed this week.

Maternity clothes: Some. I'm still wearing a lot of my regular clothes, including at least one pair of my regular jeans (with the hair-tie), but I definitely love having maternity jeans and leggings, and I'm gradually bringing out a few other maternity things (dresses, tops), too.

Also, while we're on the topic, can I just say that I'm SO glad at how far maternity fashion has come? See Exhibit A:

Ew.

Sleep: I'm sleeping like a dead person, and waking up feeling like one, too. Sheesh.

Morning Sickness: A little nausea occasionally, but nothing like during the first trimester. It's more just a semi-queasy/unsettled feeling - nothing worth writing home over.

Aversions/Cravings: Nope!

Bump: Yep!

Symptoms: The bad: major exhaustion. I'm seriously so tired all the time lately. The good: my nails are looking awesome these days - so much stronger than normal.

 

I miss: Having energy.

I feel: Tired. But also smiley. I'm enjoying the random strangers who comment on the baby, offer congratulations, ask when I'm due, etc. I've even had a couple of unsolicited belly touches - ha! I know that bothers some pregnant women, but I don't mind it..

Looking forward to: We're planning to go to an "Oh, Baby! Showcase" put on by Community Health next week. It's a free event, and I think it looks fun. There'll be a slew of pediatricians, midwives, and OBs to talk with, plus demonstrations (e.g., how to correctly install a car seat), info on breastfeeding and parenting and whatnot, and who knows what else. Oh, and food. Free food. And giveaways/door prizes.

Daddy moment: Kudos to Alex for spending Monday night watching a nearly two-hour childbirth documentary with me on YouTube. We've been talking a lot lately about labor/delivery options and our preferences, and it's HUGE to me that he's so on board with my desire to have an unmedicated/low-intervention birth, and that he's so interested in learning about it all and being involved.

21 Weeks - Ninja Baby

Twenty-one weeks means only 19 weeks to go! I'm officially halfway through the second trimester and now more than halfway through this pregnancy. Wow.

 

This week's pic is another crappy/blurry bathroom pic...apparently I'm not so good at this self-pic thing. I'm going to stop apologizing for these, though, as if they're an anomaly, since they're (obviously) pretty much the norm. At least you can see the belly!

 

 

Big, eh? I feel kind of like this these days:

 

 

(Sorry to expose your eyes to that.)

 

Baby is the size of a: Carrot. Length-wise, that is. A little over 10.5 inches long. And weighing in at 14-15 oz. (closing in on a pound!).

Development: She's apparently working on her ninja/Chuck Norris skills - I'm feeling her more and more these days. (She's kicking as I type this, for the record; must know I'm talking about her.) She's small enough that the kicks are still soft and not at all uncomfortable/painful (none of the "Ow! She just kicked me in the ribs!!" stuff yet). The best comparison I've been able to find is that it feels like popcorn kernels popping. It's similar to gas bubbles but stronger and more pronounced - definitely baby. I love it!

Weight gain: The scales say I actually lost a pound this week. Huh. It could be due to my recently renewed "I will eat healthy for this baby" mission - I've had a ton of Greek yogurt, fruits, beans, and veggies this week (so...much...spinach...) and basically no junk at all. Or it could just be good ole fluctuation. Meh. Who knows. Anyway, that still means up six pounds from pre-pregnancy weight.

Maternity clothes: Rocking the maternity jeans, and I also busted out one maternity shirt this week. The shirts are still too big, really, but it was durned comfy.

Sleep: Not bad! Still waking up a lot, but when I'm out, I'm out.

Morning Sickness: Again, a couple of random bouts of nausea this week, but nothing awful.

Aversions/Cravings: Not really. But, heaven help me, Halloween candy is out on the shelves. And that means THESE:

And these:

And {{whimper}} these:

(Note to self: Put the baby carrots in the shopping cart, and repeat ten times: "I will stay OUT of the candy aisle...I will stay OUT of the candy aisle...")

Bump: Is anyone realllly questioning that at this point?

Symptoms: Braxton Hicks! I had no idea that could start this early on, but the doctor assures me it's very normal and nothing to worry about...just the uterine muscle "practicing" for delivery in a few months. A few times a day, my entire belly clenches up into a tight mass...not painful, but it IS uncomfortable (and was scary at first). 

 

Also, the leg cramps are still showing up here and there. I think I scared Alex to death last night, suddenly bolting straight up in bed, throwing off all the blankets, and grunting "Owowowowowowowow!" Stinking knotted muscle. My leg is actually sore today from it.

I miss: Booze. Just kidding. Nah, there's not too much I'm missing as of this week. Except those Reese's pumpkins I'm not buying.

I feel: Pretty good. Tired, but not awful. Mostly just happy and excited and already wishing it were February so we can meet this little gal.

Daddy moment: Alex talks to the baby every evening, telling her he loves her and wants to meet her soon, etc. He was asking last night if I think she recognizes his voice yet...and I bet she does. Love that.

20 Weeks - Half Baked!

Twenty weeks!

 

It's official - baby is halfway through "cooking" as of this week! That means 20 weeks down, 20 to go. Cue the happy dance...or, better yet, the Carlton:

 

(You know you loved that show.)

Aaaaand...because we had our 20-week anatomy scan yesterday, I have pictures!

Look at that cute little profile. (Aw.) At the top, you can see her arm/hand up hear her face. And here she is waving:

Everything looks perfect, and she's growing like a champ.

Baby is the size of a: Banana...length-wise, that is. She's now about 11 inches long (head to toe) and, while the growth charts say about 12.5 ounces, doctor says she's now at 14 ounces (how they can measure that, I have no clue)...just shy of a full pound!

Development: She's working on her taste buds. And apparently wiggling/flipping/karate-kicking up a storm. We could see her rolling around during the ultrasound, and Alex was able to feel her kicking from the outside for the first time last night - SO cool.

Weight gain: According to the (oh-so-hated) doc's scales, I'm up seven pounds...daaaaang. That's some rapid weight gain in the last month, but the doctor says I'm actually still under the average (which, at 20 weeks, is 10-12 pounds), so she considers the extra gain this month a good thing.

Maternity clothes: Some. I'm loving the maternity jeans/pants. But no maternity tops yet; my normal shirts and dresses (the looser and empire-cut ones) are still working fairly well.

Sleep: I've discovered the trick to better sleep: an ICE BOX of an apartment. Poor Alex wakes up a shivering mass, head under the blankets, by morning. But, hey, I'm sleeping better.

Morning Sickness: A few relapses of evening sickness this week, but nothing awful.

Aversions/Cravings: Nope...hungry all the time, though. That couuuuld explain some of those seven pounds. Ha.

Bump: Yep. You can see that for yourself.

Symptoms: Exhaustion - I've been SO tired lately.

I miss: Having a waistline. Ha.

I feel: Excited.

Looking forward to: Hitting "Publish" and sharing these updates with you guys!