Bed Rest

For those who have not yet heard, my doctor recently put me on bed rest. I went in on Monday for my 37 week appointment, thinking it would be as all my appointments have been...take some measurements, take my weight, ask some questions, and go home after 20 minutes. Well, when the doctor measured my belly, he seemed rather concerned that it was only 31 centimeters instead of around 37 centimeters, as it should be at the 37th week. He decided I should be administered a non stress test and an ultrasound immediately.

Well, all I can say is thank goodness Blake was at my appointment (everything had been going so smoothly, he'd stopped coming to the appointments with me months ago). Taylor was with us too and seemed a little out of sorts that mommy had to be hooked up to machines over the next hour. The non stress test showed that there was enough fluid around the baby, but if it got too much lower, induction would be necessary. The ultrasound came back mostly positive as far as the baby's head size, lungs, heart, bladder, kidneys, etc. The one area of concern was her abdomen. It was the size of a fetus at 34 weeks, not 37 weeks as it should be. This indicated that maybe my placenta had stopped doing its job and was no longer providing her with the nutrients she needs.

After hearing these results, the doctor decided that the baby may be better fed outside of me than she is inside of me right now. He said I will definitely be induced by week 39, but that she may need to come out as soon as this Friday, July 1st (my due date is July 17th). He put me on bed rest for the next few days, giving me strict orders to do nothing but eat a lot and lay down. I go in tomorrow for another non stress test and exam to determine if I will be on bed rest for one more week or if it's time to just get the baby out so she can get better nourishment.

Personally, I kind of hope I am scheduled to be induced on Friday. I don't like just sitting around worrying about her, wondering if she's actually getting fed inside of me. I want to get her out so I can make sure she is getting fed. I think my doctor is hoping my cervix will be more favorable by my appointment tomorrow as I have been at 1 cm and 75% effaced for 2 weeks now...not ideal for inducing, maybe resulting in a c-section. I'd prefer to avoid the c-section, but my main priority is getting my little girl out safely and getting her fed. I'm just glad we made it past week 37 so she has attained full-term status.

It has been a pretty unexpected turn of events, but Blake and I are trying to prepare for the possibility of having our baby in just 48 hours as best we can. Poor Taylor can sense a change and has been especially clingy to me, wanting to be held and cuddled by me a lot more and saying things like, "I want to cry like a baby does." She also had potty-trained herself for over 2 weeks with no accidents and now is right back in diapers, scared of her potty seat all of a sudden. I'd had a feeling we might experience some digression as the due date neared, but (as I'm sure some of you other mothers have experienced) it's still pretty impossible to "rest" when you have a 2-year-old climbing all over you.

I have to say, I couldn't be more grateful for extended family at a time like this. Both my in-laws and my family have been awesome about taking care of me and entertaining Taylor so that I can rest, a huge blessing as Blake doesn't return from work until 8pm every night. I would be much more of an emotional wreck without the love and support I have felt from all of them. Knowing that someone is playing with Taylor and making her happy at a time when I just can't is so reassuring. It helps me to focus on taking care of myself and our soon to be little girl #2. All the texts and calls from from friends, sisters, etc. have also been so appreciated. Thanks to you all...we will keep you posted on when this baby is coming...now to just anxiously await my appointment tomorrow morning.