37 Weeks!

Well, we reached our goal of 37 weeks and it was a much more drama-filled three weeks than I would have liked, hence the lack of blogging.  Three weeks ago tonight, I was having a large number of contractions per hour and called my doctor.  She told me that I needed to go the the hospital and have things checked out.  So, off Darin and I went and little did we know how long we would be gone.  I got to the OB ward and they hooked me up to the monitors and sure enough I was having quite a few contractions, although I hadn't dilated anymore, which was as good thing.  I spent the night hooked up to the monitor and an iv and they also gave me something for the pain to see if that could stop the contractions.   I eventually dosed off for a couple hours and the contractions slowed a little.  Tuesday morning my doctor came and checked me and I was a two and still having contractions.  They tried some more pain medication and a drug to try to help stop the contractions, but this time nothing changed.  This is when things got a little more complicated.  

I was only 34 weeks, which meant that more than likely the little one would have to be transferred to the bigger city hospital because the hospital that my doctor is at is a smaller city hospital.  For a normal birth my doctor said that I could follow baby after 6-10 hours and that was all right to us.  Then she ordered a sonogram to check on the size of baby and this is when we found out that baby was breech, oh so much more complicated because it would have to be a c-section and I couldn't follow baby for 2-3 days.  After praying about it, Darin and I decided that I should probably be transferred before the baby comes and while they would still take me in the ambulance.  During this time it didn't really seem like I was in labor to the doctor because I wasn't progressing any, but I was having consistent contractions.  

Off I went in the ambulance, with Darin following close behind, this was hard for the both of us.  That was my first and hopefully last ambulance ride.  I arrived at the new hospital with a NICU and was once again put on monitors and this time given morphine and a sleeping pill to help get through the night.  That did the tricked and I slept really well, but I continued to have contractions throughout the night.  Wednesday morning, my nurse was so sure that I would be heading in for c-section, that she started prepping me for one.  I was at a three be now, but still really wasn't in the labor.  The doctor at the hospital saw the same thing as my doctor, that although I was having consistent and now pretty good contractions, I still wasn't in labor.  So, she decided that it wasn't necessary yet to take the baby, since I was only 34 weeks.  They wanted to try the medicine that I had been given earlier to try to stop the contractions to see if maybe it would work this time.  

Well, it did and my contractions slowed down and they were able to think about sending me home.  (throughout the whole stay the little one's heartrate was great, not bothered at all by all that was going on)  The one probably about us going home, was that we are over an hour away from the hospital with the NICU and that is with no traffic.  Nobody was comfortable with sending me home, the way I was.  Fortunately we have friends with a house about 15 minutes from the hospital that they are trying to sell and offerred it to us to stay in if need be.  With this option, they kept me overnight on the pill form of the drug to monitor the contractions and then sent me to the house close by.  

On the way home on Thursday, Darin picked up my prescription and we settled in.  He went to the ranch to pick up somethings and Caily, I hadn't seen her since Monday night.  Friday, we had our friends come stay with me, while Darin went to the ranch to try to get some work done.  I needed help because I was on bed rest, as in lay down or recline for everything other than bathroom breaks and short meals.  Friday I had a scare when I went to the bathroom and saw some blood, so off we went to the hospital to make sure everything was all right.  Two hours and a couple of simple test later, it was determined that once again, I was not in labor and good to go.  At first, I was pretty concerned because I was having some good contractions and baby's heart rate was kinda high.  The good thing about that quick doctor's trip, was that I had brought my pills and the nurse was looking at them to figure out dosage and realized they pharmacy had given me the wrong stuff.  They had given me something for a foot fungus, fortunately, it wasn't anything that could harm the baby.  So, since I had been off the medication for 24 hours, they sent me home not on it, which I was grateful for because it made me feel gross.  

Anyway, the rest of the weekend was rather uneventful and I went to my own doctor that Monday for a check up.  She did a quick ultrasound and found out that the baby had turned, which was great!  She put me on rest, not strict bedrest, but no lifting and limited activity.  My mom had booked a ticket to come down the Monday during the day before I went to the hospital, so she arrived on Tuesday to help out, which has been great.  She was suppose to only stay a week, but it turned into two because the night and early morning before she was suppose to leave I was having a lot of contractions and thought baby was coming.   So, that has been very helpful with keeping up the house and getting things ready for baby.

That brings us to today, which means I am 37 weeks our goal from three weeks ago.  I went to the doctor today and am allowed to do everything again!  Last week's appointment, we had an ultrasound and baby is doing well and was measuring around 6lbs 11 oz, so hopefully the little one doesn't get too big before the big day.  I hadn't progressed anymore from last week, when I was a 3-4, so now we get to wait and see when this little one will get to meet us.  It is interesting because I have a lot of contractions, so hopefully, when the day comes, I will know when to go to the hospital and there will be enough time to get there because we live 45 minutes away.  

All in all we are so thankful for all the prayers and God's hand in this because each and every day that the little one stays in is a blessing.  

Here are some pictures . . .

This is baby and me at 35 and a half weeks and the next two are 36 and a half weeks.  

These two are of Darin and Caily and I love the way it shows their love for each other.