Thursday, March 11th was a very confusing day. It started with me feeling a bit squeamish when I woke up at 5:45 in the morning for work. I thought that if something was going to happen, it would, and I couldn't stop it. I just thought that I would get ready for school. Things were pretty normal after that, because I started to feel okay.
When I got to school, I was focused to do some work, and I got busy. It was a normal day. I had a doctor's appointment later on at 2:00 pm, and I was eager to hear if I was any further along with labor. That and my work were the only two things on my mind that day. That was until about 11:15 am when I started to feel that I was leaking fluid. When I stood up to go to the cafeteria to get some lunch, I started to feel the leakage. I thought that maybe I just had a weak bladder, but it just kept coming. It was truly a freaky feeling. I wasn't sure if my water broke or what was happening. I encouraged the lunch ladies to go quickly when making my sandwich because I needed to get to the bathroom. Being very supportive and knowledgeable of my pregnancy, they were nice to help out and work fast. I took my lunch back to my office desk and ate. I was worried that it was the beginning of labor, and I knew that I wouldn't be able to eat during labor. I ate my sandwich and strawberries very quickly. I also called the doctor's office while I ate to inform them of my situation. They didn't seem as concerned as I was. I wasn't scared, but I was a bit confused. I wasn't really feeling any pain, so I thought that there wasn't a need to rush. I did have lots of back pain, which I had been told was probably back labor. Women can have back labor for weeks, so I didn't stress over it.
The nurse called me back and told me that I should come in for my appointment earlier than my 2:00 pm time at 1:00 pm instead. I thought that this was a bit odd, since I was talking to the nurse at 11:30 am. If things were very serious with my condition, shouldn't I have been seen earlier than 1:00 pm? The nurse informed me that everyone would be gone during lunchtime, so I would have to wait. I just thought that was crazy. My doctor had always said that if things changed, I should either come in to their office right away or go to the hospital. This conversation with the nurse wasn't what I thought it would be, but it also made me start to think that my situation wasn't that bad. She said that if I was bleeding, then I should go to the hospital. I wasn't, so I felt okay about my 1:00 pm appointment. I went to the bathroom after that to make sure I wasn't bleeding, and I ran into my friend Heather. I told her what was going on, and she was very concerned. She went to get the school nurse and bring her to me. I didn't think that was necessary, but I was also too afraid to walk the distance to the nurse's office with this leakage issue. I had no idea what could happen, and I was afraid that it would get messy.
Heather and the nurse, Phyllis, were very confinced that I was in labor and that I wouldn't be coming back to school the next day. They also said that I needed to get someone to take me to my appointment, because it wasn't a good idea to drive. I really didn't want to bother Dennis at work, since I didn't think that my situation was serious. They wouldn't leave me alone until I agreed to call Dennis to pick me up for my appointment.
I went to the main office to wait for Dennis, and I informed the secretary and bookkeeper, friends of my pregnancy tales, about my situation. They, also, were very confinced that I would not be coming back to school any time soon. The principal even popped his head in the room and mentioned "get to the doctor," since he was concerned about witnessing a birth. :) What a funny guy!
Dennis and I made our way to the doctor's office, and since we were early, we had to wait about 15-20 for our appointment. This was also another sign that maybe things weren't that bad, since no one seemed to want to rush things. I first went to get checked by the doctor on call, who happened to be the same doctor from my March 1st visit to the hospital, Dr. Leapheart. She said that my water didn't break and that I was pretty much closed up. She didn't say that I was open a "fingertip" like my other doctor did on Monday, but she did say that I didn't show any change. This tells me that everything was the same as Monday, but the only main difference was the gushing of fluid. She reassured me that I didn't pee myself, which was good to know, but she did say that my mucus plug had started to come out. I had assumed that a mucus plug was solid, and I would know when it came out. I guess I was wrong, because she made it seem like it was something that would continuously seep out. That didn't make me feel better. I then went for an ultrasound which showed a healthy baby, and it also showed that I had much more fluid than I did on Monday. She said that this was a sure sign that I wasn't leaking amniotic fluid. I guess that was a good thing. It meant that I wasn't in labor and that I wouldn't be having the baby that day. I still wanted to see how things went with the monitor, so that was my last stop at the doctor's office. I wasn't on the machine nearly as much as I would normally be, which I thought was odd, but the monitor showed that I was having contractions. Yet again, the doctor didn't seem too concerned about this. I guess it is more normal for these things to happen when a woman is at least 36 weeks pregnant. I was exactly 36 weeks pregnant at this appointment. She even told me that if I did go into labor, she wouldn't do anything to stop it and that I could even go back to working full time. I was very surprised to hear that. I guess things are different when you get into the ninth month of pregnancy. I was out of the danger zone, so whatever was about to happen could happen. What first seemed like some major changes with me today turned out to be nothing different than what was normal.
Dennis took me back to my car at school, and I ended up running errands for about two hours before going home to rest. The contractions were still there, but if my doctor wasn't worried, then I wasn't worried. I still think March is the magic month for baby, but with the way things are going, he could very well be a full-term guy.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Surprising Doctor Visit (March 8, 2010) and Afterwards
After my short week of bed rest, I returned to a half day of work on Monday, March 8th and then to the doctor. I was feeling some back pain at work and maybe a little cramping, but I didn't really think anything of it. At the doctor, I was first put on the fetal monitor, which was different from my regular routine. I wasn't feeling anything special in the belly area, so I was extremely surprised when I looked at the contraction portion of the print out to find a large hill forming. To someone at 35 1/2 weeks, I was hoping to see a flat line on the contraction portion of the print out, but instead, I saw a hill that reached close to the top of the paper. The closest I had ever come to a hill would have been about a 1/4th of what I was looking at. I knew it meant that I was having some major contractions, but it was o weird to see contractions that I wasn't feeling. I sat on that monitor for over a half an hour without my doctor or even a nurse coming to check on me. The entire time that I sat on that monitor, the hills up without failure. At first, I just thought that it would be one big hill, like a fluke, but after consistent hills, I knew that it wasn't good.
When the doctor finally came into the room, her eyes got very large as she asked me if I felt any of the contractions. I told her that I just felt bloated and the occasional pinch in my belly. She said that what I was feeling was contractions. I just couldn't believe her, and I really couldn't believe what I saw on the print out. She quickly told me to get off of the machine and that I would be having my ultrasound next. The ultrasound showed me that Andrew was moving and doing alright. The tech also pointed out that his lungs were working and strong. I could actually see him breathe! :) It was wonderful to know that he was healthy. The tech seemed pretty confident that if he were born soon, that he would be healthy. I was very happy to hear that. After the ultrasound, my doctor check my cervix in another room. She wanted to see if there was any changes since I was having some major contractions. She mentioned that the contractions were 4-5 minutes apart, which is very close, but she said that it wasn't extremely serious if I wasn't in a lot of pain. She mentioned that I must have a strong tolerance to pain. I knew that wasn't true. Even though I had never been in labor before, I knew that it couldn't be so painless as what I was feeling. I'm sure it was just too soon in the whole process for the pain to be there. I couldn't be so lucky to have a pain-free labor experience. I don't think those exist. After checking my cervix, she told me that I was a fingertip dilated. I don't know exactly how big her fingertip is, but I assumed that since my cervix was now open, I should be a bit prepared for labor at any moment. Especially since she told me that I was also 80% effaced, which means that my cervix was thinned out up to 80%. Everything I had learned about dilation and effacement told me that these were signs of labor. I hoped that it didn't mean that the labor would be coming soon. The doctor said that since I was nearly 36 weeks, she wasn't as concerned about me being in early labor with consistent contractions. She didn't even suggest that I go straight to the hospital. She just said that if the pain started to get bad, that I should go to the hospital. I was determined not to go, because I needed one more day at work to get copies ready for the substitute as well as fulfill my duties the next evening at the German Honor Society induction ceremony.
The contractions started to feel a bit painful at bedtime. That night sleeping was difficult because when I normally would get up to go to the bathroom, I felt the contractions very strongly. I kept thinking if I should wake up Dennis and have him take me to the hospital, but I thought that I would wait for them to get worse. They seemed to feel the same that night until about 3 or 4 in the morning. At about that time, I didn't really feel any more pain. I thought that maybe it was just false labor, but since the doctor's appointment, I knew that what I was feeling was real.
I got up around 6 in the morning to get ready for school. I wasn't feeling bad, and I thought that I could have a good day and was excited to have another day at work. I was feeling some contractions and back pain while at work, but I didn't want to go to the hospital until I felt worse. I was able to get through my half day of work, and I even made it to the honors induction. I was so worried the entire time that my water would break or that I would go into labor somehow. I was feeling contractions, though. My belly was tight, and I was having cramps. Luckily, the evening went fine and I made it through without giving birth. I went home to feel cramping still, and I just knew that the baby would be here very soon.
Dennis was getting excited, because he spent part of Sunday painting the letters to Andrew's name on canvas to place over his crib. We were actually able to hang them up after the induction ceremony. Dennis even took pictures of the room, which is starting to look much more 
ready for the baby to come home. I think that the recent labor scare really helped Dennis get excited about finishing the baby's room. I can't be more excited about it, and I just think that it is the cutest little room that I've ever seen. I'm so excited that it is in my house, and we are going to bring our little boy home to it! :)
When the doctor finally came into the room, her eyes got very large as she asked me if I felt any of the contractions. I told her that I just felt bloated and the occasional pinch in my belly. She said that what I was feeling was contractions. I just couldn't believe her, and I really couldn't believe what I saw on the print out. She quickly told me to get off of the machine and that I would be having my ultrasound next. The ultrasound showed me that Andrew was moving and doing alright. The tech also pointed out that his lungs were working and strong. I could actually see him breathe! :) It was wonderful to know that he was healthy. The tech seemed pretty confident that if he were born soon, that he would be healthy. I was very happy to hear that. After the ultrasound, my doctor check my cervix in another room. She wanted to see if there was any changes since I was having some major contractions. She mentioned that the contractions were 4-5 minutes apart, which is very close, but she said that it wasn't extremely serious if I wasn't in a lot of pain. She mentioned that I must have a strong tolerance to pain. I knew that wasn't true. Even though I had never been in labor before, I knew that it couldn't be so painless as what I was feeling. I'm sure it was just too soon in the whole process for the pain to be there. I couldn't be so lucky to have a pain-free labor experience. I don't think those exist. After checking my cervix, she told me that I was a fingertip dilated. I don't know exactly how big her fingertip is, but I assumed that since my cervix was now open, I should be a bit prepared for labor at any moment. Especially since she told me that I was also 80% effaced, which means that my cervix was thinned out up to 80%. Everything I had learned about dilation and effacement told me that these were signs of labor. I hoped that it didn't mean that the labor would be coming soon. The doctor said that since I was nearly 36 weeks, she wasn't as concerned about me being in early labor with consistent contractions. She didn't even suggest that I go straight to the hospital. She just said that if the pain started to get bad, that I should go to the hospital. I was determined not to go, because I needed one more day at work to get copies ready for the substitute as well as fulfill my duties the next evening at the German Honor Society induction ceremony.
The contractions started to feel a bit painful at bedtime. That night sleeping was difficult because when I normally would get up to go to the bathroom, I felt the contractions very strongly. I kept thinking if I should wake up Dennis and have him take me to the hospital, but I thought that I would wait for them to get worse. They seemed to feel the same that night until about 3 or 4 in the morning. At about that time, I didn't really feel any more pain. I thought that maybe it was just false labor, but since the doctor's appointment, I knew that what I was feeling was real.
I got up around 6 in the morning to get ready for school. I wasn't feeling bad, and I thought that I could have a good day and was excited to have another day at work. I was feeling some contractions and back pain while at work, but I didn't want to go to the hospital until I felt worse. I was able to get through my half day of work, and I even made it to the honors induction. I was so worried the entire time that my water would break or that I would go into labor somehow. I was feeling contractions, though. My belly was tight, and I was having cramps. Luckily, the evening went fine and I made it through without giving birth. I went home to feel cramping still, and I just knew that the baby would be here very soon.
Dennis was getting excited, because he spent part of Sunday painting the letters to Andrew's name on canvas to place over his crib. We were actually able to hang them up after the induction ceremony. Dennis even took pictures of the room, which is starting to look much more 
ready for the baby to come home. I think that the recent labor scare really helped Dennis get excited about finishing the baby's room. I can't be more excited about it, and I just think that it is the cutest little room that I've ever seen. I'm so excited that it is in my house, and we are going to bring our little boy home to it! :)
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Wake-up Call (March 01, 2010) and Follow-up Visits (March 03 + 05, 2010)
On Monday, March 1st, I went to my regular doctor's appointment, which I have had every Monday since I was put on bed rest at the end of January. I was glad that I spent the morning at work, even though I was still only able to work four hours at a time. It was much better than being on bed rest.
I got to the doctor feeling completely normal. I did feel a bit tight in my belly during the day, but that could have been for any reason. During my doctor's visit, I first went in for an ultrasound, which was normal. Then, I went to sit in a small room where I was hooked up to a monitor to measure the movement and heartbeat of the baby as well as any contractions that I might have had. To me, I didn't feel anything happening, but when the doctor came in to check the monitor, I could tell that she saw something. She didn't say anything at first, and after sitting at the machine for about a half an hour, which also was normal, she came in and asked me if I was feeling any of the contractions I was having. I told her "no." She seemed very serious about it, and she rushed me off of the machine right away.
The next stop in my visit was to go to a room to be examined. This was the third part of my normal routine, but during my check up, the doctor felt my belly and asked, "you don't feel this? You are having a contraction now?" I had to believe her, since this was her job, but it was so weird for her to know that I was contracting when I didn't feel any differently. She asked next if I drove myself to this visit, because she wanted me to go straight to the hospital for further monitoring. I guess the contractions were pretty consistent, and she worried that if they weren't controlled, I would go into full, active labor. She feared that the baby wasn't developed enough, since I was only 34 weeks pregnant. Though I wasn't feeling any pain, the possibility of pain could escalate, so the doctor didn't want me to drive myself. She said that she would call the hospital and tell them I was on my way to Labor and Delivery. I was very shocked at what I was hearing, because I went into the appointment expecting a normal visit, but instead, I left thinking that I could have a baby today.
When I left the building, I immediately called Dennis to tell him to come home. It was just after four o'clock, so he was nearly on his way home anyway. We both had no idea what to expect. Part of me wanted to be prepared just in case, so I worked on finishing the packing of my bag. When Dennis walked in, he took my bag and we got in the car for the ride to the hospital. The entire way there, we discussed our thoughts of what was happening. I just didn't believe that I was having contractions, and I couldn't imagine that this could be THE trip to the hospital. We didn't have a pediatrician, nor did we have the car seat in the car. I didn't have a copy of my birth plan printed, and I was concerned that things were happening too fast for us. We really weren't ready. It was nice that we had had our baby shower beforehand, but we didn't have everything ready at home. It would be an understatement to say that we were on the verge of freaking out! :)
As we got to the hospital, Dennis dropped me off at the main entrance while he went to park the car. He left the suitcase in the car, since I just didn't think that this was the real thing. I thought that if we ended up having a baby, he could come out to get the bag later. We completely forgot the baby's bag at home, but I think that it was again a response to our thoughts of it being a false alarm. Dennis came into the hospital and wheeled me up to the fifth floor where we found the Labor and Delivery department. Luckily for us, we attended prenatal classes at the hospital in January, which allowed us to tour the "baby floor." We actually knew where to go, which was one less stress.
As we got to the check-in counter, the nurse knew we would be there, and she soon moved us to a triage room. The floor was finishing up a remodeling, and this room seemed a bit undone. It was good for what we were there for, but it was very small. It actually had two beds in it, but that was almost all that would fit, besides a chair for each section for the "support person." When I got to the room, the nurse told me to strip down and put on a hospital gown. I did so in the bathroom, and took my spot on the bed. I was then hooked up to the same type of machine that I was on at the doctor's office, but this machine was hooked up to a computer, so I could see the lines for the baby's heartbeat and the line for the contractions much bigger than on the printed tape of the lower part of the machine. Dennis also was able to read the computer and could tell when I was having a contraction. That kept him busy for a time. I couldn't really see what was happening because of the way the computer screen was positioned. It didn't matter. One of the first things that they did to me, which was after about a half an hour, was to give me a shot of steroids to help the baby's lungs, heart, etc. develop faster. I never really thought to ask anyone before about how they gave this steroid called Bethamethazone, but I soon found out. A nurse from pharmacy came in with a needle, and she told me that it would burn going in. The "in" was my hip. I felt like a little kid all over again with visions of a childhood shot resurfacing from my inner subconscious. It wasn't horrible, but I hated needles. No shot would have been better, but this was something that needed to get done in order to project our son from being born too early.
I could also feel some pain in my back, and it was very hard getting comfortable in that bed. I just thought it was a crappy bed, but it ended up being back labor. I was really having consistent contractions. This was such a weird and surreal feeling. Soon, another woman came in to occupy the other bed. The nurse pulled curtains closed, so I never actually saw the lady next to us, but it was not matter. She was closer to her due date from what I overheard her tell the nurse, but her contractions seemed to stop almost as soon as she arrived. Lucky for her, she was able to leave after a couple of hours. My contractions kept coming, so I was given a shot of Terbutaline three times within a course of 45 minutes. The nurse gave each shot in the fat of my upper arm. This was also so fast that it really wasn't that bad, but the aftershock of it was the bad part. The nurse had told me that I would feel my heart racing. I did feel that, but I felt more of a shaky feeling. Dennis asked if I were cold, but it was mostly the medicine making me shake. During the six hours of our time in the hospital, I must have drank four or five glasses of water to help with my contractions, which of course led to many trips to the bathroom. I was also given a glass of apple juice and some graham crackers since I wasn't really allowed to eat anything, and I was starving. I can't imagine being in real labor for hours and possibly days without eating. That is going to be horrible.
With all of the shots and glasses of water that I had to endure during my time there, I was also given an IV. This was not a nice part of my trip. If you know about IVs, you'd know that the nurse takes a needle and sticks it into my hand which is then taped to a tube. The tube is connected to a bag on a tall metal holder. The bag is full of fluid that eventually makes its way into my hand to keep me hydrated. It was awkward going to the bathroom because I would have to wheel it in with me, and being so pregnant and having drank so many glasses of water, I was up every half an hour it seemed. Not to mention, I was also very shaky still from the medicine. It was supposed to stop my contractions, and I was hoping that it worked. The doctor-on-call came in to check me a couple of times to see if I was dilated or effaced, and luckily, nothing happened in that area. The only thing that they could tell was that I was having contractions, which was not enough for me to have a baby that night. I really wanted to go home, since I was starving. I felt bad also that Dennis didn't have anything to eat. I told him to leave and get some food, but he didn't want to leave without me. Also, if we went home that night, we knew that the baby wouldn't be born for a while. Since we were freaked out earlier about not being ready, this was a relief to us. We really went through a wake-up call that night, and when the doctor came in to tell us that we could go home, we were ready. The only bad thing about going home was that I was put back on bed rest for the next couple of days until I saw my regular GYN/OB on Wednesday.
On our way home, Dennis and I decided that we would spend our lunchtime the next day making a list of things to do before we had the baby. We vowed to get some things done over the weekend, just in case. Since the baby was going to wait a bit longer, we wanted to take advantage of this extra time to get ready. The next day at about 6:30 pm, Dennis and I were back at the hospital for the second of my two steroid shots. Luckily for us, we took along books to read, since we had to wait over an hour just to get the shot. I couldn't imagine being in active labor and having to wait in that wait room. It was full of people, and three pregnant women were waiting to be seen before us. I really hope things are as busy for us when it is time to deliver Andrew.
At my follow-up appointment with my regular doctor on Wednesday, the ultrasound tech measured the baby and discovered that he weighed 5 lbs. 14 oz. This made me feel much better because I knew that a baby of this size should be fine if born anytime soon. My appointment went as planned with the ultrasound, monitoring and exam by the doctor. It seemed that I was still having some contractions, but my doctor wasn't as concerned as she was two days before. Having had the two steroid shots seemed to calm her, but I think also that my contractions weren't as constant as before. We agreed that my bed rest should continue throughout the rest of the week to be on the safe side. My next appointment was on Friday, where again I was having some minor contractions, but since that was the only thing happening, the doctor didn't feel that I needed to go to the hospital. He, the male doctor that I see at the end of the week as opposed to my regular female doctor, who I see at the beginning of the week, said that he was confident about me delivering anytime after that day. He still hoped that I would be at least 36 weeks pregnant before I delivered, but he wasn't extremely worried if I went into labor. At the point of this visit, I had just started my 35th week of pregnancy, so thinking of delivering in a week was somewhat exciting for me. Though it could be a reality, I still hoped to get one or two weeks of teaching in before I went on my full maternity leave. Yes...I still thought of the things I needed to do at work and how I would love to accomplish them before having the baby! We'll see how the rest of March unfolds, but I have a feeling that Andrew will be in my arms before April, and since my doctor told me that she didn't feel I would carry the baby until the full-term date, I really felt that a March birth was in my future! :)
I got to the doctor feeling completely normal. I did feel a bit tight in my belly during the day, but that could have been for any reason. During my doctor's visit, I first went in for an ultrasound, which was normal. Then, I went to sit in a small room where I was hooked up to a monitor to measure the movement and heartbeat of the baby as well as any contractions that I might have had. To me, I didn't feel anything happening, but when the doctor came in to check the monitor, I could tell that she saw something. She didn't say anything at first, and after sitting at the machine for about a half an hour, which also was normal, she came in and asked me if I was feeling any of the contractions I was having. I told her "no." She seemed very serious about it, and she rushed me off of the machine right away.
The next stop in my visit was to go to a room to be examined. This was the third part of my normal routine, but during my check up, the doctor felt my belly and asked, "you don't feel this? You are having a contraction now?" I had to believe her, since this was her job, but it was so weird for her to know that I was contracting when I didn't feel any differently. She asked next if I drove myself to this visit, because she wanted me to go straight to the hospital for further monitoring. I guess the contractions were pretty consistent, and she worried that if they weren't controlled, I would go into full, active labor. She feared that the baby wasn't developed enough, since I was only 34 weeks pregnant. Though I wasn't feeling any pain, the possibility of pain could escalate, so the doctor didn't want me to drive myself. She said that she would call the hospital and tell them I was on my way to Labor and Delivery. I was very shocked at what I was hearing, because I went into the appointment expecting a normal visit, but instead, I left thinking that I could have a baby today.
When I left the building, I immediately called Dennis to tell him to come home. It was just after four o'clock, so he was nearly on his way home anyway. We both had no idea what to expect. Part of me wanted to be prepared just in case, so I worked on finishing the packing of my bag. When Dennis walked in, he took my bag and we got in the car for the ride to the hospital. The entire way there, we discussed our thoughts of what was happening. I just didn't believe that I was having contractions, and I couldn't imagine that this could be THE trip to the hospital. We didn't have a pediatrician, nor did we have the car seat in the car. I didn't have a copy of my birth plan printed, and I was concerned that things were happening too fast for us. We really weren't ready. It was nice that we had had our baby shower beforehand, but we didn't have everything ready at home. It would be an understatement to say that we were on the verge of freaking out! :)
As we got to the hospital, Dennis dropped me off at the main entrance while he went to park the car. He left the suitcase in the car, since I just didn't think that this was the real thing. I thought that if we ended up having a baby, he could come out to get the bag later. We completely forgot the baby's bag at home, but I think that it was again a response to our thoughts of it being a false alarm. Dennis came into the hospital and wheeled me up to the fifth floor where we found the Labor and Delivery department. Luckily for us, we attended prenatal classes at the hospital in January, which allowed us to tour the "baby floor." We actually knew where to go, which was one less stress.
As we got to the check-in counter, the nurse knew we would be there, and she soon moved us to a triage room. The floor was finishing up a remodeling, and this room seemed a bit undone. It was good for what we were there for, but it was very small. It actually had two beds in it, but that was almost all that would fit, besides a chair for each section for the "support person." When I got to the room, the nurse told me to strip down and put on a hospital gown. I did so in the bathroom, and took my spot on the bed. I was then hooked up to the same type of machine that I was on at the doctor's office, but this machine was hooked up to a computer, so I could see the lines for the baby's heartbeat and the line for the contractions much bigger than on the printed tape of the lower part of the machine. Dennis also was able to read the computer and could tell when I was having a contraction. That kept him busy for a time. I couldn't really see what was happening because of the way the computer screen was positioned. It didn't matter. One of the first things that they did to me, which was after about a half an hour, was to give me a shot of steroids to help the baby's lungs, heart, etc. develop faster. I never really thought to ask anyone before about how they gave this steroid called Bethamethazone, but I soon found out. A nurse from pharmacy came in with a needle, and she told me that it would burn going in. The "in" was my hip. I felt like a little kid all over again with visions of a childhood shot resurfacing from my inner subconscious. It wasn't horrible, but I hated needles. No shot would have been better, but this was something that needed to get done in order to project our son from being born too early.
I could also feel some pain in my back, and it was very hard getting comfortable in that bed. I just thought it was a crappy bed, but it ended up being back labor. I was really having consistent contractions. This was such a weird and surreal feeling. Soon, another woman came in to occupy the other bed. The nurse pulled curtains closed, so I never actually saw the lady next to us, but it was not matter. She was closer to her due date from what I overheard her tell the nurse, but her contractions seemed to stop almost as soon as she arrived. Lucky for her, she was able to leave after a couple of hours. My contractions kept coming, so I was given a shot of Terbutaline three times within a course of 45 minutes. The nurse gave each shot in the fat of my upper arm. This was also so fast that it really wasn't that bad, but the aftershock of it was the bad part. The nurse had told me that I would feel my heart racing. I did feel that, but I felt more of a shaky feeling. Dennis asked if I were cold, but it was mostly the medicine making me shake. During the six hours of our time in the hospital, I must have drank four or five glasses of water to help with my contractions, which of course led to many trips to the bathroom. I was also given a glass of apple juice and some graham crackers since I wasn't really allowed to eat anything, and I was starving. I can't imagine being in real labor for hours and possibly days without eating. That is going to be horrible.
With all of the shots and glasses of water that I had to endure during my time there, I was also given an IV. This was not a nice part of my trip. If you know about IVs, you'd know that the nurse takes a needle and sticks it into my hand which is then taped to a tube. The tube is connected to a bag on a tall metal holder. The bag is full of fluid that eventually makes its way into my hand to keep me hydrated. It was awkward going to the bathroom because I would have to wheel it in with me, and being so pregnant and having drank so many glasses of water, I was up every half an hour it seemed. Not to mention, I was also very shaky still from the medicine. It was supposed to stop my contractions, and I was hoping that it worked. The doctor-on-call came in to check me a couple of times to see if I was dilated or effaced, and luckily, nothing happened in that area. The only thing that they could tell was that I was having contractions, which was not enough for me to have a baby that night. I really wanted to go home, since I was starving. I felt bad also that Dennis didn't have anything to eat. I told him to leave and get some food, but he didn't want to leave without me. Also, if we went home that night, we knew that the baby wouldn't be born for a while. Since we were freaked out earlier about not being ready, this was a relief to us. We really went through a wake-up call that night, and when the doctor came in to tell us that we could go home, we were ready. The only bad thing about going home was that I was put back on bed rest for the next couple of days until I saw my regular GYN/OB on Wednesday.
On our way home, Dennis and I decided that we would spend our lunchtime the next day making a list of things to do before we had the baby. We vowed to get some things done over the weekend, just in case. Since the baby was going to wait a bit longer, we wanted to take advantage of this extra time to get ready. The next day at about 6:30 pm, Dennis and I were back at the hospital for the second of my two steroid shots. Luckily for us, we took along books to read, since we had to wait over an hour just to get the shot. I couldn't imagine being in active labor and having to wait in that wait room. It was full of people, and three pregnant women were waiting to be seen before us. I really hope things are as busy for us when it is time to deliver Andrew.
At my follow-up appointment with my regular doctor on Wednesday, the ultrasound tech measured the baby and discovered that he weighed 5 lbs. 14 oz. This made me feel much better because I knew that a baby of this size should be fine if born anytime soon. My appointment went as planned with the ultrasound, monitoring and exam by the doctor. It seemed that I was still having some contractions, but my doctor wasn't as concerned as she was two days before. Having had the two steroid shots seemed to calm her, but I think also that my contractions weren't as constant as before. We agreed that my bed rest should continue throughout the rest of the week to be on the safe side. My next appointment was on Friday, where again I was having some minor contractions, but since that was the only thing happening, the doctor didn't feel that I needed to go to the hospital. He, the male doctor that I see at the end of the week as opposed to my regular female doctor, who I see at the beginning of the week, said that he was confident about me delivering anytime after that day. He still hoped that I would be at least 36 weeks pregnant before I delivered, but he wasn't extremely worried if I went into labor. At the point of this visit, I had just started my 35th week of pregnancy, so thinking of delivering in a week was somewhat exciting for me. Though it could be a reality, I still hoped to get one or two weeks of teaching in before I went on my full maternity leave. Yes...I still thought of the things I needed to do at work and how I would love to accomplish them before having the baby! We'll see how the rest of March unfolds, but I have a feeling that Andrew will be in my arms before April, and since my doctor told me that she didn't feel I would carry the baby until the full-term date, I really felt that a March birth was in my future! :)
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Baby Shower (February 21, 2010)
The next best thing about February was that two days after I returned to work, my mom and sister threw me a baby shower at my sister's house. It was rather exciting to know that I was going to have a shower. Dennis was a bit confused about the whole idea of a shower, because it is nothing he's ever really experienced or heard much about. He thought it was kind of weird to register for presents and have a party with a bunch of women all for a baby. After I explained to him that this would be my only baby shower, no matter how many children I had, because a shower is about helping a new mom get prepared to bring home the baby, he started to get excited about the idea as well. He still understood that it would be a woman-only party, so he decided to go to the last day of the Chicago auto show with Lil Dennis and my dad.
I got to my sister's house about an hour early for my baby shower on Sunday, February 21, 2010. I went to the hospital to visit my grandma first, since I didn't think that I would have much time later on. She was having some complications with blood pressure and her kidneys, and she couldn't make the shower. I still wanted to spend part of the day with her, since I was just so glad that she lived so close to us instead of in Ohio. My nephews were really excited about the shower and even called me the day before to try and convince me to have the party early! :) They didn't quite understand that it was a "girl" party, but it was cute for them to be so excited. From what my sister said, Ayden was up all night worrying about missing the shower, that she allowed him to stay. He was going to work with Maddy as helpers.
At my sister's house, my mom and niece, Maddy, were already there helping set up. My sister really went above and beyond with the food, and I was so excited about the cake my mom made. Her cakes are the best. We started out taking pictures of me with everyone and with the cake. I didn't quite feel photogenic being so big, but I know that I would really be glad later to have the pictures. It was so nice for my family to throw the party, and I was excited that so many friends, neighbors and colleagues could make it.
My brother-in-law Dennis and nephew Alek left for a day at the mall and hunting store, so Alek would be occupied while we had the shower. Ayden stayed, as promised, and he and Maddy discuss strategies for handling coats and gifts. They were extremely excited and ready for action. I pretty much just found a chair and tried to relax. I was feeling really tired at this point, since the shower started at 2:00 pm and getting close to my nap time! :)
Sandy, the hall monitor from school, was the first to arrive. She came much earlier
than the others because she was worried about getting lost! :) Jil was also there early with little Anne Marie. Jil and I went through much of our pregnancy together since she was due to have Anne Marie in January, and we discussed ever aspect of pregnancy together. Dennis and I were even the last two people to see Jil before she delivered her baby. There may have been others who visited them in the hospital, but the day before Jil was checked into the hospital, Dennis and I went over to their house to watch a playoff game. We talked about delivery, but we had no idea that Jil would be so close to delivering her baby. Little Anne Marie was just over one month old at this time, and I was able to hold her through much of the party while Jil ate and played games.
Shortly thereafter, more people began to arrive, and just after two o'clock, we started the party with some snacks. I was ready to dig in because my sister made spinach/artichoke dip, which I love, and I couldn't wait to eat some of mom's cake! Yum! Everyone took this time to socialize with one another, and we all were laughing over our fake name tags, which
was a nice way for people who don't know each other to mingle. My name was formula for the party! :)After taking a snack break, my sister started the festivities with a couple of baby games. The first game was a version of "The Price is Right." Each of the guests were given a pen and a piece of paper. My sister had a large pile of baby items, and she asked the group to pick the correct price from a list of three. I have to admit that I had NO IDEA how much any of that stuff cost. My mother and sister, of course, made a comment confirming my thoughts. How they can read my mind is a mystery to me. After guessing the price for about ten different items, a winner was finally found, and my sister graciously gave out one of the Scentsy candle holders she sells. There also was a drawing for another candle holder. This drawing included all those guests who brought diapers to the party. If you brought a package of diapers, you were allowed to put your name in the drawing. It was a nice incentive for people to help me stock my diaper holder, and the prize that was offered was much more valuable than diapers, making it a nice treat to the winner. The last game that the guests played was "Feed Me." Actually, the game didn't have a name, but it should have. This game required people to find a partner and take on the role of either mom or baby. Being the mom-to-be, I didn't play any of the games, but it was fun watching. The people who took on the 
role as "mom" were given a baby spoon and a jar of baby food. My sister made it easy on my guests and gave them baby applesauce, which was much better than creamed corn or turkey or something. :) The other person was the "baby," who was given a disposable bib to wear. The object of this game was for the baby to eat the baby food as fast as possible. My sister pretty much gave them no rules and told them to find the best and fastest way that worked for them. Some teams caught on quickly and the "babies" took the jar out of their "mom's" hands and chugged it. By "chugging" something, one must tilt her head back and let all the contents from the jar slide down her throat. Those were some dedicated players! :) My sister had asked me a few days before the party if my guests were fun. I didn't know why she was asking me, but I told her that they were. I guess they proved it with this game, because there were so many women competing to be the winner. Of course, there were plenty of groups who actually used the spoons, but it was fun to see how some groups really got into the game.
When the games were done, it was time for presents.
Not being one for getting lots of attention, the present-opening portion of the party was a bit awkward for me. I was glad to have one of my helpers by my side to look on. Ayden was such a good boy that day, and he was excited to see what the baby got as gifts. Everything was so little and cute. I loved seeing how different everything was from each other. My gifts included clothes, bath items, kitchen items, swim wear, blankets, toys, books, etc. I loved the outfits, and the frog items were really cute. Not only did Andrew get a really soft and fluffy frog blanket, but he also got a large frog organizer for the bathroom. Other very cute items were little doggy or teddy bear outfits, a wooden truck, and a pair of swim shorts that had surfboards on them. Everything was so unexpected, since I had never had a party such as this before. I was so excited for everything that I opened because I knew that it all would be used soon enough with little Andrew. 
It was even easy for me to envision Andrew as a toddler wearing his green Winnie the Pooh robe and slippers. The day was filled with promise and excitement, and I am glad to have had so many friends there to share it with me. I don't think it could have gone any better. I was very excited to get home and have Dennis see all of the things for his son.
It was soon four o'clock, and the party was over. My sister took pictures of me with my guests before we all said "good-bye."
I got to my sister's house about an hour early for my baby shower on Sunday, February 21, 2010. I went to the hospital to visit my grandma first, since I didn't think that I would have much time later on. She was having some complications with blood pressure and her kidneys, and she couldn't make the shower. I still wanted to spend part of the day with her, since I was just so glad that she lived so close to us instead of in Ohio. My nephews were really excited about the shower and even called me the day before to try and convince me to have the party early! :) They didn't quite understand that it was a "girl" party, but it was cute for them to be so excited. From what my sister said, Ayden was up all night worrying about missing the shower, that she allowed him to stay. He was going to work with Maddy as helpers.
At my sister's house, my mom and niece, Maddy, were already there helping set up. My sister really went above and beyond with the food, and I was so excited about the cake my mom made. Her cakes are the best. We started out taking pictures of me with everyone and with the cake. I didn't quite feel photogenic being so big, but I know that I would really be glad later to have the pictures. It was so nice for my family to throw the party, and I was excited that so many friends, neighbors and colleagues could make it.
My brother-in-law Dennis and nephew Alek left for a day at the mall and hunting store, so Alek would be occupied while we had the shower. Ayden stayed, as promised, and he and Maddy discuss strategies for handling coats and gifts. They were extremely excited and ready for action. I pretty much just found a chair and tried to relax. I was feeling really tired at this point, since the shower started at 2:00 pm and getting close to my nap time! :)
Sandy, the hall monitor from school, was the first to arrive. She came much earlier
than the others because she was worried about getting lost! :) Jil was also there early with little Anne Marie. Jil and I went through much of our pregnancy together since she was due to have Anne Marie in January, and we discussed ever aspect of pregnancy together. Dennis and I were even the last two people to see Jil before she delivered her baby. There may have been others who visited them in the hospital, but the day before Jil was checked into the hospital, Dennis and I went over to their house to watch a playoff game. We talked about delivery, but we had no idea that Jil would be so close to delivering her baby. Little Anne Marie was just over one month old at this time, and I was able to hold her through much of the party while Jil ate and played games. Shortly thereafter, more people began to arrive, and just after two o'clock, we started the party with some snacks. I was ready to dig in because my sister made spinach/artichoke dip, which I love, and I couldn't wait to eat some of mom's cake! Yum! Everyone took this time to socialize with one another, and we all were laughing over our fake name tags, which
was a nice way for people who don't know each other to mingle. My name was formula for the party! :)After taking a snack break, my sister started the festivities with a couple of baby games. The first game was a version of "The Price is Right." Each of the guests were given a pen and a piece of paper. My sister had a large pile of baby items, and she asked the group to pick the correct price from a list of three. I have to admit that I had NO IDEA how much any of that stuff cost. My mother and sister, of course, made a comment confirming my thoughts. How they can read my mind is a mystery to me. After guessing the price for about ten different items, a winner was finally found, and my sister graciously gave out one of the Scentsy candle holders she sells. There also was a drawing for another candle holder. This drawing included all those guests who brought diapers to the party. If you brought a package of diapers, you were allowed to put your name in the drawing. It was a nice incentive for people to help me stock my diaper holder, and the prize that was offered was much more valuable than diapers, making it a nice treat to the winner. The last game that the guests played was "Feed Me." Actually, the game didn't have a name, but it should have. This game required people to find a partner and take on the role of either mom or baby. Being the mom-to-be, I didn't play any of the games, but it was fun watching. The people who took on the 
role as "mom" were given a baby spoon and a jar of baby food. My sister made it easy on my guests and gave them baby applesauce, which was much better than creamed corn or turkey or something. :) The other person was the "baby," who was given a disposable bib to wear. The object of this game was for the baby to eat the baby food as fast as possible. My sister pretty much gave them no rules and told them to find the best and fastest way that worked for them. Some teams caught on quickly and the "babies" took the jar out of their "mom's" hands and chugged it. By "chugging" something, one must tilt her head back and let all the contents from the jar slide down her throat. Those were some dedicated players! :) My sister had asked me a few days before the party if my guests were fun. I didn't know why she was asking me, but I told her that they were. I guess they proved it with this game, because there were so many women competing to be the winner. Of course, there were plenty of groups who actually used the spoons, but it was fun to see how some groups really got into the game.When the games were done, it was time for presents.
Not being one for getting lots of attention, the present-opening portion of the party was a bit awkward for me. I was glad to have one of my helpers by my side to look on. Ayden was such a good boy that day, and he was excited to see what the baby got as gifts. Everything was so little and cute. I loved seeing how different everything was from each other. My gifts included clothes, bath items, kitchen items, swim wear, blankets, toys, books, etc. I loved the outfits, and the frog items were really cute. Not only did Andrew get a really soft and fluffy frog blanket, but he also got a large frog organizer for the bathroom. Other very cute items were little doggy or teddy bear outfits, a wooden truck, and a pair of swim shorts that had surfboards on them. Everything was so unexpected, since I had never had a party such as this before. I was so excited for everything that I opened because I knew that it all would be used soon enough with little Andrew. 
It was even easy for me to envision Andrew as a toddler wearing his green Winnie the Pooh robe and slippers. The day was filled with promise and excitement, and I am glad to have had so many friends there to share it with me. I don't think it could have gone any better. I was very excited to get home and have Dennis see all of the things for his son.It was soon four o'clock, and the party was over. My sister took pictures of me with my guests before we all said "good-bye."
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