Starting March 6th, I began contracting pretty frequently and strong too. I was currently 33 weeks and 2 days at the time. We went in to labor and delivery triage. They checked if I was dehydrated and blood pressure was fine. I was checked for dilation and there was none. Offered to give me terbutaline to stop the contractions. I had some when I was pregnant with Ezekiel at 34 weeks. It is not a fun experience, I remember feeling heart palpitations and Ezekiel was moving weird. So I told the nurse we would think about it and she left. After a while she came back and asked if we had decided. I refused to take it because of the way it effected me last time. I tend to be extra sensitive to medications and react to them instantly. She had the doctor come in and check me. He also discussed what that medication could do and not taking it was totally my decision. We were discharged and went home. I was still contracting, but it was more bearable. I continued this way for 3 days. I know that resting, hydration, and magnesium help. This time it didn't seem to be doing much, so just trying to get through them and pray for strength.
I was doing pretty good and not getting too many. A family tragedy happened and we lost a cousin. I grew up with her and hearing she had suddenly passed was so hard. It was so heart breaking and shocking. We were the same age and she was like a sister to me. I knew it would not help my already delicate situation. It was difficult because my family was so far away and not being able to be with them was difficult. So I tried not to think about it that much to not get worse. Even though death is a part of life that doesn't make it easy to accept. With many prayers and love we all got through it.
At 34 weeks we had another ultrasound to check on growth. He was measuring at 5 lbs. 11 oz. and everything looked normal, except his heart. They were seeing his heart valves different sizes. We were then referred to a pediatric cardiologist. It made us worry and stress a lot. I finally had an echo cardiogram done at 35 weeks. It showed that his pulmonary valve was dilated and the aortic artery was narrow. She suggested delivery there at their hospital, but later found out we could deliver at our hospital. He had to have an echo as soon as he was born. He would also be in the NICU for monitoring. I was still contracting this week and continued until 36 weeks. I lost my mucus plug the night before my appointment that week. I was really contracting at my appointment and was seen by a different midwife that week. She insisted we just go to labor and delivery to get checked. We went knowing I was probably not in active labor yet. I was checked to be only 1cm and 40% effaced, his head still high. A few days later went in to labor and delivery with stronger contractions and thought my water could be leaking. Still the same status as far as dilation was concerned. I felt really nauseous and they gave me Zofran to help me get food down. We left at noon and still contracting. We decided to hang around town and eat lunch. We went to walk around Ross and see if they would continue. They kept coming and walking was making me tired. We drove to the hospital parking lot and sat in the car timing contractions again. They were close, strong, and painful. We sat for about an hour and then they began spacing out so we drove back home. Still feeling nauseous so I took some more Zofran and Tylenol for pain. I took a hot shower and that made them strong again. Finally felt a little less nauseous and ate a banana. Cried about being in so much pain and being so exhausted. Prayed and read my birth affirmations to help calm me.
I feel like as I get older it is harder to cope with labor and not get so in your head. I also feel that because his heart issues were unknown I was fearful of going into labor and birthing him. Even with all the great medical care we were receiving, it was so hard for me emotionally again even though this was my best pregnancy so far. The next morning I was still contracting and feeling the same nausea we had another appointment this week. My midwife checked me and still the same as the day before. She prescribed me a different anti-nausea medication and asked if I wanted her to strip my membranes. I agreed to give it a try and it was so painful. We also decided to go ahead and schedule my induction for April 17th at 8pm. My contractions were still going but sporadic and had a biophysical profile the next day to check on baby boy. He passed his biophysical profile and had some bloody show, but not much else happening. From this day which was April 3 until April 16 continued contracting off and on. Every appointment she would check me and still the same. I asked what we would do to induce me since I was only a 1cm still. She explained that the midwives usually like to start with Cervadil to get it going. She discussed what it was and how it worked. I was a little nervous about it because I have never had it. All my previous labors have started on their own, although I have had to also have Pitocin to augment them to progress. Even with Michael, when we went in for an induction I was already at a 6cm and contracting. So it was hard to know how I would do with the Cervadil. Also my blood platelets were up to 130,000 this week, so even though that is low it is not low enough to need intervention for that, thankfully.
April 17th finally came and the day went by slow. I finished last minute nesting projects like the kids sibling bags, laundry, and cleaning the house (well as much as I could with contracting). We made the kids dinner and gave Grama Georgie all the instructions on the kids. Also what we would do as far as Easter because we would most likely still be in the hospital.
Here I am before we left for the hospital at 39 weeks pregnant.
Here is a picture of everyone giving their final blessings to baby Gregory.
We were scheduled to go in at 8 pm, but we left at 7:50pm. We checked in to the hospital at 8:30pm. They had just had an emergency so the nurses were not around. The midwife that would be delivering baby met us and said they would get me in a room as soon as they could. We had asked my hubby's youngest sisters to be there for the birth, since they missed Michael's because it went so fast. So we all four hung out in the triage waiting room talking and snacking. By 9pm they had a room ready and we were taken back to get checked in. We met our nurse, had vitals checked, got my iv started, and discussed our labor pain management plan. Also discussed baby's heart issue and that we needed NICU here when he was born. They checked how dilated I was to see what we would do. I was still 1cm, 60% effaced, and -2 station. Our midwife explained we would start with Cervadil, what it would do and that it could be 12 hours before anything happened. It was mostly emphasized because the girls were not going anywhere. They didn't want them bored and tired I guess, lol. We also can't know how long it will take our bodies to react to it and begin labor. I had the Cervadil put in around 9:30pm. They explained that a thin strip was placed into my cervix and left there until it fell out on its own or they needed to remove it. They told me to get rest now to be ready for labor. I was sitting there thinking it might be a really long night and that I could get some sleep. Then I got the first strong contraction within 15 minutes and had my hubby read me the birth affirmation cards I had made.
Here is the warming bed for baby Gregory Ellis!!
Stay tuned for part two and see what happens next...
:)<3
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