thirty-four weeks

Last Wednesday, November 11th, 2015, I had a follow-up three hour glucose test for late-onset gestational diabetes with my OBGYN. While I was there, they did my routine thirty-four week checkup. I mentioned to them that I'd been having increased fluid/discharge, so the doctor did a pelvic exam. It was the first time I'd been checked this pregnancy, and she announced me two centimeters dilated and 30% effaced. We were half way through the blood draws for the glucose test, but instead of waiting to finish, they sent me over to labor and delivery to monitor my progress and make sure I wasn't in active labor.

I hadn't been having painful contractions that day (just tightening), but had had a couple irregular ones the night before, and once they hooked me up to the monitor at the hospital, the contractions (still not painful) were coming every five minutes. After a couple of hours, they checked me again, called me 2.5 cm dilated and 40% effaced and admitted me to the hospital for monitoring overnight. Because I was only (two days shy) of thirty-four weeks, they did what they could to stop my contractions: pumping me full of fluid, giving me pills to slow the contractions, while also giving me steroid shots for Charlotte's lungs and penicillin because I hadn't been tested yet for GB Strep. My next check was called 3 cm dilated, 50% effaced, but still not engaged. Overnight things slowed down, and I stopped dilating. Matt was with me overnight, helping me make all of the uncomfortable trips to the bathroom and re-hooking me up to make the nurse's job much easier. The next afternoon, they released us, telling me to rest (no lifting, exercise, hot baths etc.) for two weeks before resuming normal activities.

So, we're taking it easy. I'm doing everything slowly and carefully, while she wiggles much too low for my taste. We're definitely going to meet this baby before Christmas, and it wouldn't surprise me if she came before her two weeks are up. They said if she tries to come again, they won't stop her.

We made her a bow holder. I framed the dried flowers people gave us when we lost Christian, and then Matt stapled ribbon across the frame to hold her bows. Last Saturday we had her baby shower, and people loved us so hard. We've been putting all of her little things away, and we'll have a nursery post for you soon. Thanks for praying for us and her! I'm not worried one bit with the idea of her early arrival, but the less time we have to stay in the hospital after she's born, the better, so we're hoping she'll stay in a little longer.