The Past 36 Hours...

The past 36 hours have been a little interesting, more so than I would typically like, but here is how it goes....

Went in Monday morning for my routine NST, was greeted by my regular OB and informed that she had decided to administer a round of steroids, for baby girls lungs, in the hopes to have lung maturity by 37 weeks, or JIC things happened sooner. So I got my first dose yesterday, and needed to go back today for the second dose. Also, since I have so much AF, often during the NST's baby will come off the monitors, after some movements. My OB ended up standing with me for quite sometime, holding the paddle trying to get her to stay on the strip, in order to track a A+ strip, rather than just an A... she joked that she was being anal, and I assured her that anal was just fine by me.... I really appreciated her extra efforts she went through, to be sure she was getting the reaction from baby that she wanted, I know that no other house doctor would have went through those efforts. She ended up giving baby this jolt of sounds thing to really get her to react, which was a first for me, but it worked.... I also got permission to get out of my house for a few hours yesterday, as we were having Eradico out to treat for insects. I was a little nervous, since I have been laying low for so long now. But I did venture out, and headed to Target, I utilized one of those motorized carts, the ones "old people" typically use. I will admit is was extremely embarrassing... the carts only travel like 1mph, even slower than I can walk these days, and when you have to reverse, it does this really annnoying beeping sound, so the entire store can hear. But oh well, it got me out of the house, and allowed me to get a few much needed things, I wanted like misc. baby stuff, some comfy pants for me, since I am outgrowing everything, with this low big belly, some puzzles for Drew, and just random things. By the time I left the store though, I worried that somehow I had overdone it, but how, I was literally sitting and riding in a cart the whole time... after getting home, my lower back was killing, my legs ached, and I was noticing contractions, I laid around, used heat, eventually tylenol, then I started counting contractions, per a call to my doctor. I counted 8 within an hour, although they were random, some at 16m, 3m, 2m, 14m, 6m, you get the drift.... anyway, since of the blood thinners and all, and not really knowing what was going on, doctor had me go into L&D. I was sure I would be right back home, so I had Kevin stay home with Drew, to try to get some sleep, as you might know he has not been feeling well himself lately, with Kidney Stone issues... Well to my surprise, by the time I was hooked up, I was contracting regularly every 2 minutes they said. It was quickly decided I would be admitted for observation and some IV fluids, well contractions kept up, to I was given a terbutaline shot to try to calm the uterus, this medication made my heart race like crazy, so b/w that and contractions sleeping was not an option. Thank god for random midnight movies and facebook to play around on... an hour later contractions were still there and felt intensified, even feeling them in the back. So another dose of the medication was given, finally it started slowing things down, however it really lowered my blood pressure as well - so no matter what no more of that drug for me.

By morning contractions were spaced out and sporadic, an OB from my group checked my cervix, and found no change. She did decide to switch me from Lovenex to Heparin, so I started that today, and still got my second dose of steroid. Basically from what it sounds like, since I will be 34 weeks tomorrow, these contractions will no longer be stopped should it happen again, so either I will go into fullblown labor or maybe they would stop on their own? I am really hoping no more visits except for scheduled NST's, and then there for my c-section. While in the hospital the Neonatologist paid me a visit, to discuss the preterm labor, she is the same doctor who treated Brooklyn during her life, she discussed with me what baby's care would likely be if she were born b/w 34-36 weeks, it was a little hard to hear that she could need to stay in the hospital for a while. So yes, it was scary seeing her walk through the door, and hearing reality, but very comforting as well, and very much appreciated! she is such a nice and compassionate lady. But I am really, really praying that baby comes at 37 weeks, with full lung maturity and great feeding skills.

I am thankful for everyones continued prayers, and adding us to your prayers lists at churches. We love you all, and can't wait to share our newest daughter with you all.