On a Mission

This has been the most frustrating time for us. We are still waiting for Naomi to arrive. I have been in preterm labor 4 times and sent to the hospital a total of 7 times for anything from baby's tachycardia to dehydration to contractions. Needless to say we are getting upset. The baby is measuring 6lbs 6oz and has had steroids for her lungs. The original plan was to induce me at 37 weeks which would be next week and then they have said they want to stretch me to 39 weeks. There is no reason for that, not with the problems we have been having. So I am on a mission today and tomorrow to talk the doctors into the 37 week induction which would be next week. Wish me luck!

SOOO Much to Tell

So much has happened and I have just been to tired to blog so if you want step by step updates you will have to check my cheat sheet (AKA Facebook). Went to a routine visit at the perinatologists today and what do you know, they sent me to the hospital AGAIN. The baby was tachycardic which means that her heart rate was dangerously high. Turns out I was very dehydrated and so when they got me hydrated that spaced the contractions and brought her heart rate down. I have been having contractions on and off again all day so I am not sure we are not headed in again soon. They gave me a steroid injection to give her lungs a head start and I go back to the hospital for another one tomorrow. Her heart rate was in the high 170's in the Dr.'s office and went into the 190's at the hospital. This little kiddo wants out. The doctors feel like we have reached a point where with the steroids and her being 2 days away from 35 weeks, she could come. I feel at peace with it too. I am so tired and I can't imagine she isn't too from all this contracting. We have one strong little girl coming to us, I hope we can keep up with her. Thanks for all of the prayers and thoughts and phone calls, we have the best friends in the world!

Well, 2 more days of bedrest down and who know's how many more to go. Honestly I am a little peaved that I let them stop my labor last Friday. I see the doctor tomorrow and I am going to tell her that if it happens again I don't want them to stop it. I know what you are thinking, that Nae needs to stay in there for as long as possible but after much prayer I don't feel that way. I feel like we need to let it happen if nature wants it to happen. Many people probably don't agree with me on that one but it is how I feel. It's not just that I want to be off of bedrest either because I could choose to do that with her still in me, I just know that she will be okay if she comes and next time my body says it's time...it's time. I will say that last night and today have been especially hard on all of us. The kids are having a very hard time without Mom being able to do everything and I can tell that my mother in law is overwhelmed. I am just praying that everything happens the way it should and leaving it in the Lord's hands.

Pre-Term Labor

Last night just before 7pm I started having contractions. They were small at first but got harder and harder. The doctor had said that if I have more than 4 in an hour I need to go to the hospital. Well, I didn't want to go if it wasn't the real thing and so I waited until there had been 12 in an hour and they were getting worst. I knew if we went they would stop them and that is exactly what they did. I can understand it because she is only 34 weeks gestation and she is anemic but she is doing very well according to everyone so I wonder how long they will stop the labor. I'm not sure it's good for her to stop it if it happens again, I will have to ask the Doctor's on Monday. They monitored me and checked me. I am dilating and the contractions were coming steady and so they gave me an injection of Terbutaline to relax the uterine wall. It helped to space the contractions but it didn't stop them. So about 20 minutes later they gave me another one. Terbutaline is not a fun drug, let me tell you that. It makes you shake like crazy, it makes your heart race and the nurse put it perfectly when she said "it makes you want to jump out of your skin."
Finally they got the contractions stopped and so we were able to come home with a prescription for Terbutaline in pill form and I am to take it if I have more than 4 contractions in an hour. I will be really glad when all of this is over. We are almost there! So far today I have only had 3 contractions total and so I haven't had to take that awful medicine. I have slept the day away however because it makes you crash after a while.

Bed Rest

Today I had another appointment with the OB. During the non-stress test, the baby's heart rate was non-reactive. They gave me some juice and waited a bit longer. Just as they were about to do a BPP ultrasound, the baby showed some reaction. I had no idea what all of this meant, I just knew it wasn't how the test usually goes. I found some more information about it and if you want to muddle through it, it is posted below. During the test they also monitor contractions. Mine were coming every 4 minutes. They weren't strong but they were uncomfortable and large enough to register on the monitor. When I spoke with the Nurse Practitioner they let me know that they are going to do a BPP next Monday and that I have to be on bed rest. They are going to try to get me to 39 weeks now that the baby is no longer breech and they think that at that point I could be induced rather than have a C-Section. I just cried when I got home. I had no idea how I was going to do this. Tonight was a wreck, Matt was very helpful but the kids were impossible and I just knew there was no way that this was going to happen. Matt's step-mom called tonight and once again is coming to the rescue. I am so thankful for her. She is coming down this weekend to stay for 2 weeks. My mom has offered to come early as well and so between the two of them I may actually make it through all of this without having a complete breakdown. My guess is though that this baby is not going to wait until 39 weeks, I have been having contractions and cramping off and on all afternoon even though I have been down flat. It will be such a relief to have her here.

Reactive vs. nonreactive tests

The usual baseline fetal heart rate is between 120 and 160 beats per minute. Once the monitor is in place, your practitioner will look for certain measurements to see how the baby is faring, including if his heart rate rises when he moves. An NST is considered reassuring if there are accelerations of the fetal heart rate of at least 15 beats per minute over the baseline, lasting at least 15 seconds, occurring within a 20-minute time block. This is called a reactive NST. If these accelerations don't occur, the test is said to be nonreactive. In addition, since many women have mild contractions that they may not even notice, your practitioner will note any of the baby's responses to contractions or if the fetal heart rate dips below baseline

What does it mean if the NST is nonreactive?

A fetus who is sleeping may not demonstrate accelerations. Your practitioner will have to wait, then, for him to wake up. Although a reactive NST is a good sign, a nonreactive NST does not mean the baby is in trouble. If you and your practitioner aren't reassured by the results of the NST, or if the fetal heart rate slows down alarmingly, more testing is usually done. This might include a more prolonged NST, a contraction stress test, or a biophysical profile.

The Biophysical Profile (or BPP) is a fancy name for a prolonged ultrasound, sometimes lasting over a half-hour, that monitors the baby's movements in utero. In the third trimester, many practitioners use the BPP if they want to more closely evaluate how well the baby is doing and would like more information than is provided by a non-stress test. Sometimes a non-stress test is done the same day.

Can the next 3 weeks be over yet?

Oh man...that's about all I can say right now. Well technically I can only whisper it because I am sick and have lost my voice. Do you know how hard it is to get kids to do what you need them to do when you don't even have a voice?
I am going in for an appointment at the OB's office today and I must say I am very frustrated. I go in for a non-stress test and then I am supposed to see the doctor. When all of these problems started the doctor made it very clear that I HAVE to be seen by a physician and not a physicians assistant. I also needed to see the doctor because they were going to schedule my C-Section and the perinatologist had some other things he wanted me to discuss with them. I also had some complaints (no big surprise there) about the communication or lack of communication between the two doctors and their offices. I don't know why this has me so anxious, I guess because I am sick and pregnant and trying to take care of three very energetic kids. Can't these next 3 weeks be over yet?