We are SO relieved to have made it to 36 weeks! The ob has been setting mini goals for us to get to and this was our last one! Obviously any extra time Bella takes to cook is great but getting to 36 weeks developmentally was a huge deal for us. I've officially been in preterm labor for 12 weeks. I'm not going to lie, it's been hard. I can manage the bed rest, Dr's appts ext, but the constant pain of the intense cramping and contractions has really taken a toll on me. In the last week I really feel like I've hit my pain threshold and have been really overwhelmed by it. I hate to come off as whiny, ungrateful or unhappy b/c I am truly grateful for the chance to even have another child after doing IVF again, things just haven't exactly been easy. But she is more than worth it!
It's def been an interesting week. I started my weekly OB appts at 34 weeks instead of the usual 36 to monitor my cervix. At last Mondays appointment I had dilated further to 2cm and was still 80% effaced. I feel like the Procardia has def stopped working a while ago. The dr told me before that your body tends to build a tolerance to it and it becomes ineffective. For me it never stopped the contractions but it was helping me from not dilating further. Monday night we thought Bella was trying to make her big debut. I was contracting off and on all afternoon then starting later that night I was having consistent contractions ranging 3-10 mins that leveled out to 5 mins apart for about 5+ hours. I called the on call Dr and they told me since i was over 35 weeks to treat things as if i was 40 weeks. Meaning to come in if the contractions stay 5 min or less apart for more than an hour. I decided that even though they were 5 min apart for more than 1 hr i would still try and labor at home for as long as possible before going in. Good thing I did b/c by 3:30 am they started to spread back out again till they became the usual irregular pattern. It was def a LONG night! I was somewhat disappointed when things did slow since I knew she wouldn't be coming but I'm glad she's given herself a few more days of growing!
Since today is 36 weeks I am officially off full bed rest status. I know with how i'm feeling I can only handle so much anyway, so its not like I'll be running marathons or anything tomorrow. The ob also has me stopping the Procardia, not that it was doing anything anymore. I doubt i'll automatically go in to labor or anything but at least it won't be fighting what my body is trying to do naturally. So now it's a waiting game. If i'm still pregnant at 38 weeks the Dr will be scheduling an induction for 39 weeks. At least we have an end date in mind, but i am hoping to do things naturally since induction was NOT nice to me that last time. In the mean time I have my next ob appt on Monday. I am curious if I have dilated any further, especially after the "labor" i had on Monday and how I've been feeling all week. I "feel" like things have progressed but you never know. Bella did drop a little this week. Her butt def feels further down and her head is causing constant sciatic pain. I guess we will see whats going on soon! I am seriously excited and anxious to meet this little girl, who know's when she will make her grand entrance!
How far along? 36 weeks! YEAH...we made it to our goal!
Total weight gain/loss: lost 10, gained 21- shes head down
Sleep: not sleeping well b/c of the contractions and cramping, tossing and turning, sciatic pain, hot flashes and having to pee a lot, restless leg pain
How big is baby? prob about 6.5 lbs: about the size of a honeydew
Best moment this week: making it to 36 weeks! What a huge relief to have come this far after being in pre-term labor for the last 12 weeks!
Movement: she is head down and tends to favor laying on her left side, so i'm always getting kicked and punched on my right side, this little girls is STRONG :)
Symptoms: preterm contractions, menstral like cramps, exhausted, intense cervical pressure, restless legs, vericose vein pain, sciatica pain, reflux even with meds
Symptoms I DON'T have: nausea
Food cravings: my home made decaf ice tea, chocolate ice cream
Food aversions: none this week
Gender:GIRL! * ~ Bella ~ *
Labor Signs: preterm contractions, menstral like cramps, and intense cervical pressure, 80% effaced and 2 cm dilated
Belly Button in or out? in
What I miss: not making 100 bathroom trips lol
What I am looking forward to: meeting this little girl!!!
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