Sunday, January 29, 2012

37 Weeks, say what?

36 Weeks

37 Weeks

Ok, I know I have probably said this in every single blog post, but this time I REALLY REALLY mean it! I can't believe that I have made it to 37 weeks. I honestly never thought I would make it "full term"... I don't think anyone else thought I would either. The doctors allowed me to stop all my medications (my progesterone shot and contraction medication) at 36 weeks. They also allowed me to FINALLY get off of bedrest! That was like the most exciting day! I haven't been able to go places or do much for the past 17 weeks. SEVENTEEN! Do you know how long that is? Its a freakin long time! So even thought I am allowed to do more these days, I am trying not to over do it. These last couple weeks, I have definitely WAY PREGNANT! My hands, feet and face swell if I do too much. I'm so tired all the time that I basically just nap all day. I'm so hungry but my stomach is so squished that I physically can't eat that much. :-( I have to roll to get out of bed which at night, is like every 5 minutes to pee I swear! LOL! My stomach is getting huge! People finally think I look pregnant! Yay! It only took 37 weeks, I swear!

Mason is still breech. Last Monday, they tried to turn him manually. They did this procedure called a external cephalic version. The ultrasound you while the doctor pushes on the baby and tries to get him to flip. He tried 3 times, but no luck. I kinda had a feeling that he wasn't going to budge... and so did the doctor but I thought we would give it a shot to try and avoid a c-section. No such luck! And let me tell you, that procedure is the MOST PAINFUL thing I have ever had to do (while awake and not on pain medication) I actually screamed a couple times while he was doing it and cried. For the next 3 days, it felt like someone had beat me repeatedly in the stomach. Every time Mason moved, I cringed. Ugh. Never recommending that to anyone. So anyways, it looks like our little guy will be making his entrance into this world (if I make it that far) MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13TH AT 10:30AM by c-section. I picked that day because it is my best friend (in the whole world) Michelle Kerr's birthday! I joked with her a while ago that If I had a c-section I would make that the date, but I honestly never thought that it would really happen. She is like a sister to me, I am so excited that he will get to share that special day with her!

So the countdown begins....2 more weeks! Thats it! I am getting so excited to meet this little guy! I honestly have no idea what he will look like or how big he will be. Every ultrasound he is a stinker so I can't get a good face shot. His last ultrasound (a couple weeks ago) they estimated him to be 5 lbs 6 oz so it will be interesting to see how big he is at the u/s on Wed. Other than that, everything is going well. I am not too scared about having to have a c-section since I have had so many surgeries in the past... I am just hoping for a speedy recovery so I can finally let everyone return to their own lives and stop helping me out so much! I am just so excited... we are trying to finish up all the last minute baby things over these next 2 weeks. I kinda like that I have a set date..hopefully I can get everything done in time!!!!

Friday, January 6, 2012

Another Milestone Met

So I have hit my final milestone I set for myself, 34 weeks! I honestly never thought this day would come (especially after my last trip to L&D) Looks like I will have to set another one for myself, next goal 37 weeks. That one sounds a little unrealistic but who knows, maybe it will happen!
34 Weeks


So since my last post, I ended up in the hospital once again. at 30/31 weeks, I just wasn't feeling right. I honestly couldn't tell you what it was. My contractions and pain seemed the same, I just felt drained. Like I had the flu. I ached all over and was extremely tired. I of course just brushed it off for days, until finally Jesse made me go to L&D to get checked out. I felt kinda stupid walking in there, not really having a reason why. So they hooked me up to the monitors and checked me. I about died when she told me I was dilated to 3 cm and 90% effaced. All those feelings I had when the told me I was dilated to a 6 with Braxton rushed back. I was in such shock and immediately began crying. I was definitely not expecting the news she had just given me. They started me on on Magnesium to stop the labor and did an ultrasound to check on the baby. He looked great, although he was still breech (head up) They measured him to get an estimate of how big he was. They said he was around 4 lbs 4 oz already! So they admitted me and put me on hospital bedrest The next couple days were pretty rough. The magnesium made me feel HORRIBLE, my contractions seemed worse, I couldn't sleep or get comfortable in the bed, and I was beyond emotional for so many reasons. I was scared that 1) the baby could be born 2) I was going to be stuck in the hospital the remainder of the pregnancy 3) I would miss Christmas with Braxton (and the rest of my family) I could not hold it together. Luckily, once they took me off the mag I seemed to do a lot better. They also switched me to a different contraction medication Procardia. It seems to help SOOOO much better! After 3 days of being there, and no change to my cervix again and a negative FFN test. They allowed me to go home and continue being on STRICT bedrest!
32 Weeks


I have definitely been following the doctors orders. I stay upstairs in bed and only get up to go to the bathroom or shower. Occasionally, I will go downstairs to spend some time with Braxton and Jesse. I swear I have never watched tv or been on the internet so much in my life! But it is beyond worth it to keep this baby in! Oh, and we finally picked the name and announced it on Christmas. MASON BRIGGS RUCKER! Braxton can't say the whole name but he does say "Mas" It is so cute! At my dr appt last week, the doctor said everything looked good. My contractions had been a lot better since they switched medications, I hadn't dilated anymore and they said that I could probably get off strict bedrest around 36-37 weeks! I am so excited!!!
33 Weeks

Although, I have been feeling better. I absolutely feel WAY pregnant. I swear I get bigger each day. I pee all the time.. sometimes every 15 min. I can't get comfortable sitting or sleeping. I have started getting headaches again and back aches. Nothing sounds good to eat and I'm nauseous all day (that is when I'm not throwing up) The past week my hands, feet, ankles and sometimes my face have been getting super swollen. I feel like I have every pregnancy symptom right now. The baby moves constantly. His kicks actually hurt and he somehow always manages to kick my bladder or my cervix. can we say painful? Oh, and he gets the hiccups... usually at bedtime and they last for hours. I feel like I can't breathe but thats probably because he is still breech and his head is like right there in my ribs! I am hoping that he decides to turn otherwise I might have to end up having a c-section. We will see. I have my next growth ultrasound next week to see how big he has gotten and if he has turned!

As hard as this has been and as uncomfortable as I am right now, I wouldn't have it any other way! I want my baby to cook inside me... not an incubator, again. Well, here's to hoping I make it another week!