I have had many people in the last few weeks ask me if i was writing down everything about this pregnancy. Keeping track for posterity and what have you. I thought i was. "I have a blog" I tell people. Sad truth of the matter is, I have a blog that is lucky to see a monthly entry.
While i try to explain away my slackerness, I will just start writing. And keep writing until this little bambina decides to grace the world with her presence.
I turned 30 weeks pregnant last week, and promptly spent the rest of the week at home on bed rest.... Yet again. It started last week on Wednesday when shortly after lunch time I realized that I hadn't felt her moving much at all. After much prodding and prying from the loving nurses I work with, I finally called in to my Dr's office. I was asked to come right over and be seen. So that's what I did thinking the whole way there that it would just be a simple check for heart beat and back to work I would go.
I was put on the NST monitor, or Non- Stress Test machine where they watch babies heart beat and the uterus for any activity like contractions. In a normal test in someone 30+ weeks along, the strip should show baby's heart rate increase a small amount 3-4 times in a 20-30 minute time period. Bambina failed this test miserably. Her heart rate remained low and steady the whole time. I was ushered into and Ultrasound room for a scan of baby that would look at her Biophysical Profile. Basically watching her gross muscle movement, muscle tone, amniotic fluid level and her diaphragm for breathing movement practice. she gets 2 points a piece for each of these things, and she has to show them to the US tech in a 30 minute time period. she narrowly passed this test. Her fluid level should be between 10-20 at this time, and we were rockin it right at 9.7. The very low end of normal, I was told. And on top of the low fluid thing, it took baby the whole half hour and some vibration stimulator thing to make her do the breathing movement.
SO needless to say, I was stressed out, and then told by my lovely DR. that I was being sent home with strict instructions to lay low and drink PLENTY of fluids. that's the only way to build up amniotic fluid. Great, two more days off work that I don't need and a whole lot of time on my hands to sit and stew about baby and what could or could not be wrong with her.
I was allowed back to work on Monday after a restful weekend laying on my couch drinking more water than the lake can hold. Baby was nice and active all weekend and I wasn't to worried about her by the time i went back to work Monday. By Tuesday at 11am, I facing Deja Vu! Baby was again not moving at all! I hadn't felt her move since going to bed on Monday night.
Doing what the Dr.'s and nurses had told me last week at my impromptu appointment I call them again to tell them, she was MIA in movement. Back to the office I went. more NST's and another US after she failed the test yet again. On the bright side this time, her fluid level was up a little bit just over 10. so the rest and hydration was doing its job slowly but surely.
Its so very frustrating to worry about something that A- you have absolutely no control over in the long run, B- you can't see to check on or have any sort of reassurance, and C- that the Dr.'s seem to think all will be fine when you feel like your little world is falling apart.
So, here I am, wishing there was a window into the womb.... 37 weeks can't come soon enough
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ugh I remember so well all that stress and worry, then you just think- If I could only hold the baby it would be better. I'm sorry about all the craziness! Hang in there only 5-10 weeks left- I'm only 10 weeks behind you. Oh and the good news babies can survive usually after 25 weeks now- not the greatest hospital bill ever, but doable. Good luck it will ALL be worth it to hold that baby!
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