Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Any day now...

Every day I wake up and go to bed thinking, "the baby is coming today/tonight." I worked Saturday, Sunday, and Monday and halfway through the day Monday my contractions were coming pretty regularly. They were not painful, but I could definitely tell they were there. Before I left work, one of the girls checked me and I was 3-4cm dialated. The whole way home from work I contracted every 2-5 minutes. This continued until about 1 am when I was finally able to fall asleep. I didn't go to the hospital because I know better and DID NOTwant to sit in the ER forever and be monitored and not sleep, and stop contracting and get sent home.
Well, I am still contracting. Yesterday I contracted every 4 minutes for a few hours, then it stopped. Same thing last night.
I am hoping I don't wait and get to the hospital at the last minute and not have time to get the antibiotics I need during labor to keep the baby from getting sick. But I am not going in with false labor either.
So, I guess I am waiting on one of these things to occur:
1) My water to break
2) These contractions to become pretty intense/painful
3) The doctor to tell me I need to be admitted after she checks me tomorrow.
If none of these things occur, I am having Sutton on Wednesday, October 5.

Maybe next time I post, I will have that sweet baby boy in my arms. We shall see......

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Going Crazy??

I think I have said this many times before, but here it is again....
"It is NO GOOD to be a labor and delivery nurse while you are pregnant."
When people hear what I do for a job they say, "Oh, well you know what to expect so I am sure pregnancy is easy for you." Oh, so, so wrong.

It is in my nature to be a nervous-Nelly as you probably know. But this morning, I was a total mess. First of all, I didn't sleep well at all last night because I had contractions most of the night. Nothing that I was concerned about, but they kept me awake. Then I woke up for the day at 7:15 with Cohen. I made us breakfast and I made me a homemade pumpkin spice latte. I noticed by 7:45 that the baby hadn't moved yet. I drank more coffee, layed on my left side, poked at his usually active little feet.....Nothing. Not one tiny movement. It had been about 1 hour since I had been awake, and the baby hadn't moved once. You should feel your baby move at least 4 times in 1 hour, and this guy hadn't moved a bit. I called our wonderful life-saver babysitter Miss Lily and asked if I could drop Cohen off for a bit so I could go to the ER and get the baby checked out. I dropped Cohen off at Lily's, then called my Mom bawling. I have seen too many sad outcomes to brush his lack of movement off as him just sleeping. My mother said her and my Dad would meet me at the ER. Chad said not to worry, the baby was just really tired. I prayed like crazy and cried so much I could barely see to drive. I was stuck in rush-hour traffic and also had an empty gas tank. I stopped and put $10 of gas in my car and drove like a crazy person to get to the hospital. As I was getting off the exit at Centennial, I felt a tiny little kick. Whew! I then began to cry again and praise God that the baby was okay. I went to the ER, baby looked great, and I was able to relax. God is so good! I can't take another lazy baby though. It scared me so bad.
My parents did scold me for not having a full tank of gas in my car since I could go into labor at any time. Haha. I always run my car to the E. Good point though.
When I went to pick up Cohen, Miss Lily said as soon as I left she grabbed Cohen and held him tight and they prayed for the baby to be healthy. So thankful for such a wonderful babysitter for my sweet boy.
So, I am sure my doctor is ready for me to have this baby because I have been a crazy patient for the last two weeks. I am ready to meet him too. Hopefully not for 2 weeks though. But anytime will work:)

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

2 weeks or less....oh my!

Good news on the baby today. The fluid level is much better. No bedrest and no repeat ultrasounds. Yipee! The baby got a 8/8 on his BPP. (That's a test done for fetal well-being).
So the plan is to go back to Dr. Yu next Thursday for a 38 week visit, then induce on October 5 if he hasn't arrived yet! He will be sharing a birthday with his 2nd cousin Braden who will be four that day.
I was highly against induction last time because I really wanted to go into labor on my own and have the mad rush to the hospital that only happens on TV, and be completely surprised as to when Cohen would arrive. But after having to be induced last time, I know my chance of having a c-section because of being induced is extremely low. And, it is much easier to arrange childcare for Co if I know the date and time we are going to the hospital.
So, maybe he will come before Oct 5, maybe not. I am fine either way. I really want an October baby since it is by far, my favorite month.  My doctor is only on-call on Wednesdays, and this weekend. But I am pretty positive he won't be here by this weekend.

We finally got Sutton's crib together last night. Now I just have to put the bedding on it and hang some stuff on the wall. We didn't get Cohen's bedroom done until 39 weeks. We are procrastinators.

Here is little Sutton Henry today. Looking like he has his brother's
lips and nose. I sure hope he has Cohen and Chad's eyes. They are
so pretty:)

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Not again!

36.4 weeks
I went to the doctor today for a 36 week appointment and an ultrasound to check baby's growth. I have been apprehensive about the 36 week appointment this whole pregnancy. At 36 weeks with Cohen, I went to the doctor expecting a quick heartbeat check and got news that the amniotic fluid was low and I would be getting weekly ultrasounds and be on bedrest until delivery. Bedrest wasn't so bad, but using up my vacation time without my baby was no good.
Well, sure enough, the ultrasonagrapher had only been looking at the baby for a minute when I realized there was probably a fluid issue again. Before I could ask her, she said, "Looks like you have low fluid."
Snap! This is not what I wanted. For a few reasons..
1) I know too much as an OB nurse and low fluid makes me nerrrrr-vous. (I won't scare all you ladies who may have low fluid in the future with the details of the things that can go wrong when you have low fluid).
2) Bedrest is IMPOSSIBLE with an 18 month old boy in the house.
3) I want to stay out of work until January. If I am on bedrest or deliver early, then I will have to return sometime in December. Who wants to work in December?? Not me.

So, I went back to the waiting room and anxiously waited for Dr. to see me. She surprised me when she said I don't have to go on bedrest today, but to take it easy, hydrate, and come back on Tuesday for another ultrasound. She will recheck his fluid, and go from there. As long as it is not trending downward, then we should be okay. Whew! I really like my doctor, and I could have kissed her then!

I am drinking as much water as I can, and staying on top of his movements to be sure he is active as always. I am okay to have a 38 week baby, but NOT a 36-37 week baby unless I go into labor on my own. Being induced early with a boy could equal a stay in the NICU for breathing issues.
So, I am praying for a healthy, 38+ week baby without bedrest. However, as long as Sutton is healthy overall, I'm okay if that equals bedrest for a week or two.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Baby Moon/ 5 year Anniversary

Chad and I went to Chattanooga last weekend for a 5 year anniversary trip/ Baby Moon. Being 35 weeks pregnant, we didn't have many options on where we could go since I am not comfortable flying or driving long distances with this big baby belly.
We had a wonderful time. It was the first time Chad and I have taken a trip alone with just the two of us since we got married. Our vacations always include family or friends so it was nice to just be alone together. We went to the Aquarium and to Rock City. We went to dinner every night and lunch every day. Chad saw The Help with me and scored major points with me for watching such a chick flick. We walked about 4 miles each day around the city. Exhausting!! Especially in 90+ degree weather pregnant! Good news is, I am still pregnant after all that.
Here are some pictures
At Lover's Leap.
Sutton's first trip!


35 weeks.
 I think I have said before how I am not a very fun mom as far as food goes. I don't give Cohen any juice or sweets. I have started relaxing a bit on the sweets and I will occasionally allow him a cookie or ice cream. Chad bought him some popsicles last week and he enjoyed it!
I don't know how to rotate it. Sorry:(





Yummy Yummy Yummy!
This weekend my wonderful friend Rowena is giving me a "diaper drop" for Sutton.  I am so excited about spending time with friends and family, and getting diapers and gifts for Sutton. I can't believe he will be here in a month. Cohen is going to be such a great big brother! We are so blessed!