36 Weeks
Nothing has stopped the contractions. Nothing has caused me to go into full labor. Nothing is helping the Hyperemesis that has returned.
(Again, almost 4cm at my last appointment, 90%.)
I don't have much of an appetite now, and if I have to much to drink I feel all swishy. I hadn't really gotten sick since my visit to the hospital 3 weeks ago, but now it's back.
The baby goes through times of a lot of sleep, no movement, which scared me. Then she/he gets all frantic and every slight movement is painful.
It feels as though the baby is sitting sideways… at this point he/she should have their head down, and back to my front. But it's back is to my right side, and it's feet kicking my left. This kid has always favored my right side…
Perhaps if this kids were to get into the right position, everything would move along. I sit up as straight as possible, I sit on the exercise ball, I lay on my left side, I lean up against walls. This kid is being stubborn.
I've been taking the Evening Primerose Oil (Omega-6). I replaced my Omega-3 with it. It sits better with me, doesn't cause the heartburn that the Omega-3 did. And if it will help bring on labor, great!
Showing posts with label baby hiccups. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baby hiccups. Show all posts
Monday, April 14, 2014
Monday, February 24, 2014
3 Day Hospital Stay
26 Weeks, still
During my hospital stay, they injected me with Terbutaline. I'd had it before, but with my POTS, boy that sucked. Dizziness, and a hyper baby, made for an interesting evening. The nurses came in to my room every 20 minutes to adjust the monitors for baby's heart rate. They told me to sleep, but how in the world is a person suppose to sleep if they're being disturbed every 20 minutes. According to my Jawbone UP, I got 2 hours of sleep that night - 0 hours of deep sleep.
I was prescribed 3 days of Procardia, 4 times a day. It was suppose to help relax everything. I was also given 2 doses of a Steroid injection, to help baby's lungs develop.
Saturday I met with a Doctor from the NICU, to give us information about if I were to deliver in the next 2 weeks. She arrive initially when I was alone, and the minute she walked in the room and introduced herself, I started to cry. I couldn't handle this, not yet. I asked if she could come back, when Steve arrived. She agreed. So when he did come visit me, I had the nurse call her back. According to the hospital statistics, babes born at 25 weeks have an 89% survival rating, most of them going on to live normal healthy lives. They stay until their due dates, sometimes longer. But if I could make it to 26 weeks, the rate goes up to 93%, and higher each week after that, with less NICU time. I know families with Micro-premies, I've seen the good and the bad. I was scared. She tried to reassure us, if we could get baby to at least 32 weeks, with 1 more dose of the steroid shot, we'd have a perfectly healthy baby boy or girl coming home with us, with no more than a 2 week NICU stay. Of course, 34 weeks and on is better.
By Sunday morning, the contractions had almost dissipated, only a few here an there, mostly when baby was really active. I met with the Fetal Monitoring Specialist. He was a ton of fun (sarcasm). Again, this was something I needed my husband there for. Thankfully my nurse was in the room with me for support. It's not his job to sugar coat anything, I need to know the risks. But goodness, is it MY FAULT that I had hyperemesis from day 1? Do you really think a woman choses to feel like crap, puking 15+ times a day, not being able to eat or drink anything for months, and have to walk around with 4L of IV fluids for weeks? Oh, and the blot clot causing the PICC line to need to be removed was absolutely preventable…. Yeah, totally my fault. Then he gave me a hard time about not getting genetic testing done. We didn't get it with the other 3, so why would I do it this time? Why add the stress of a possible positive test (which doesn't mean anything's wrong, just that they're a chance). He actually tried to get me to do the test that day. We said no. (Side Note: I'm sure he's a well respected doctor and know what he's doing, but his bedside manner was atrocious.)
They needed to keep me for 24 more hours, to complete my procardia doses, and to observe baby for 24 hours after my steroid injection. I also had to wait for ultrasound.
I was looking forward to this ultrasound. Hoping that we could get some proper measurements of the baby, since we really couldn't at my office visit a couple of months ago. Baby was finally cooperating. He/she was about 10 inches long, 1Lb and14oz. Strong heart beat, active, tons of hiccups (which everyone said is REALLY GOOD). Baby's adjusted due date: April 15. Got some great facial pictures: his/her hand by it's face, and a couple of 3D images of it's face.
I even found out what we were having. Steve told me I could, but I have to keep it to myself. I told him I needed to know who I was praying for, not just baby, but by it's name. My secret, but I'm so glad to know.
I was discharged after I got back to my room. I wasn't put on strict bed rest, but told I needed to remain as sedentary as possible. I needed to eliminate all stress (did I mention I already have 3 kids?) and rest as much as I can. The Fetal Monitoring specialist came to see me again before I left (yay). Both he (and the NICU doctor, and my nurses, and every OB I saw this weekend) told me to ask for as much help as possible. Get someone to bring us food, run errands, watch the kids so I can nap. I hate asking for help, because the last time we did, no one helped...
Dr. S. said he expects to see me again in 6 weeks. Not for an appointment, but because he doesn't think I'll make it that far. Pastor and his wife prayed over us, spoke the Word for an April baby. I have faith in that, but as long as baby comes after March 4, I know he/she will be OK.
During my hospital stay, they injected me with Terbutaline. I'd had it before, but with my POTS, boy that sucked. Dizziness, and a hyper baby, made for an interesting evening. The nurses came in to my room every 20 minutes to adjust the monitors for baby's heart rate. They told me to sleep, but how in the world is a person suppose to sleep if they're being disturbed every 20 minutes. According to my Jawbone UP, I got 2 hours of sleep that night - 0 hours of deep sleep.
I was prescribed 3 days of Procardia, 4 times a day. It was suppose to help relax everything. I was also given 2 doses of a Steroid injection, to help baby's lungs develop.
Saturday I met with a Doctor from the NICU, to give us information about if I were to deliver in the next 2 weeks. She arrive initially when I was alone, and the minute she walked in the room and introduced herself, I started to cry. I couldn't handle this, not yet. I asked if she could come back, when Steve arrived. She agreed. So when he did come visit me, I had the nurse call her back. According to the hospital statistics, babes born at 25 weeks have an 89% survival rating, most of them going on to live normal healthy lives. They stay until their due dates, sometimes longer. But if I could make it to 26 weeks, the rate goes up to 93%, and higher each week after that, with less NICU time. I know families with Micro-premies, I've seen the good and the bad. I was scared. She tried to reassure us, if we could get baby to at least 32 weeks, with 1 more dose of the steroid shot, we'd have a perfectly healthy baby boy or girl coming home with us, with no more than a 2 week NICU stay. Of course, 34 weeks and on is better.
By Sunday morning, the contractions had almost dissipated, only a few here an there, mostly when baby was really active. I met with the Fetal Monitoring Specialist. He was a ton of fun (sarcasm). Again, this was something I needed my husband there for. Thankfully my nurse was in the room with me for support. It's not his job to sugar coat anything, I need to know the risks. But goodness, is it MY FAULT that I had hyperemesis from day 1? Do you really think a woman choses to feel like crap, puking 15+ times a day, not being able to eat or drink anything for months, and have to walk around with 4L of IV fluids for weeks? Oh, and the blot clot causing the PICC line to need to be removed was absolutely preventable…. Yeah, totally my fault. Then he gave me a hard time about not getting genetic testing done. We didn't get it with the other 3, so why would I do it this time? Why add the stress of a possible positive test (which doesn't mean anything's wrong, just that they're a chance). He actually tried to get me to do the test that day. We said no. (Side Note: I'm sure he's a well respected doctor and know what he's doing, but his bedside manner was atrocious.)
They needed to keep me for 24 more hours, to complete my procardia doses, and to observe baby for 24 hours after my steroid injection. I also had to wait for ultrasound.
I was looking forward to this ultrasound. Hoping that we could get some proper measurements of the baby, since we really couldn't at my office visit a couple of months ago. Baby was finally cooperating. He/she was about 10 inches long, 1Lb and14oz. Strong heart beat, active, tons of hiccups (which everyone said is REALLY GOOD). Baby's adjusted due date: April 15. Got some great facial pictures: his/her hand by it's face, and a couple of 3D images of it's face.
 |
| Deep in Though |
 |
| Frowny Face |
I even found out what we were having. Steve told me I could, but I have to keep it to myself. I told him I needed to know who I was praying for, not just baby, but by it's name. My secret, but I'm so glad to know.
I was discharged after I got back to my room. I wasn't put on strict bed rest, but told I needed to remain as sedentary as possible. I needed to eliminate all stress (did I mention I already have 3 kids?) and rest as much as I can. The Fetal Monitoring specialist came to see me again before I left (yay). Both he (and the NICU doctor, and my nurses, and every OB I saw this weekend) told me to ask for as much help as possible. Get someone to bring us food, run errands, watch the kids so I can nap. I hate asking for help, because the last time we did, no one helped...
Dr. S. said he expects to see me again in 6 weeks. Not for an appointment, but because he doesn't think I'll make it that far. Pastor and his wife prayed over us, spoke the Word for an April baby. I have faith in that, but as long as baby comes after March 4, I know he/she will be OK.
Monday, February 17, 2014
And So It Begins… Again
Week 25
Braxton Hicks contractions are suppose to be painless. They're suppose to be short and infrequent. So then why am I having them every 5 minutes, for about a minute, and it's stopping me in my tracks. I've been doing everything that a woman's suppose to do when dealing with these: walk around, empty bladder, drink some water (as much as I can handle), take a bath, try to relax.
After talking to my nurse, and following up with my doctor, I was instructed to go to the hospital after 2 straight hours of these contractions. I was averaging 90 minutes of contractions, then a few hours off. Every day. For the last week. Even through the night. So thankfully the contractions stop on their own after a while, keeping me out of the hospital for the time being.
Baby's heartbeat was a bit lower this week during my visit with Nurse Kate, and was hiding from the doppler. Again, baby had the hiccups.
Because I've not gained a lot of weight (compared to other moms at this stage), I've not given baby a lot of room to move around. So anytime he/she moves, it hurts. Baby stays in a lateral position most of the day; now that it's growing the movements are more painful, and occasionally I'll get foot or hand in my ribs.
The nausea is returning more fiercely. I'd really thought I was done being sick. Guess I was wrong. I suppose it's a good thing we were hit with these snow storms, I was able to stay in and rest without needing to call off work, because the whole city was shut down. Hubby and the kids were able to keep themselves entertained while I rested.
I've been having a hard time sleeping, too. Can't seem to sleep through the night. My husband and I bought ourselves Jawbone Up 24's for Christmas, best investment ever. While I don't have the energy to walk the suggested 10,000 steps per day, it's nice to see my sleeping patterns. Which are pretty awful. I guess it's my body's way of preparing me for sleepless nights in a couple of months.
Braxton Hicks contractions are suppose to be painless. They're suppose to be short and infrequent. So then why am I having them every 5 minutes, for about a minute, and it's stopping me in my tracks. I've been doing everything that a woman's suppose to do when dealing with these: walk around, empty bladder, drink some water (as much as I can handle), take a bath, try to relax.
After talking to my nurse, and following up with my doctor, I was instructed to go to the hospital after 2 straight hours of these contractions. I was averaging 90 minutes of contractions, then a few hours off. Every day. For the last week. Even through the night. So thankfully the contractions stop on their own after a while, keeping me out of the hospital for the time being.
Baby's heartbeat was a bit lower this week during my visit with Nurse Kate, and was hiding from the doppler. Again, baby had the hiccups.
Because I've not gained a lot of weight (compared to other moms at this stage), I've not given baby a lot of room to move around. So anytime he/she moves, it hurts. Baby stays in a lateral position most of the day; now that it's growing the movements are more painful, and occasionally I'll get foot or hand in my ribs.
The nausea is returning more fiercely. I'd really thought I was done being sick. Guess I was wrong. I suppose it's a good thing we were hit with these snow storms, I was able to stay in and rest without needing to call off work, because the whole city was shut down. Hubby and the kids were able to keep themselves entertained while I rested.
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| Found this by the couch after I got done getting sick… aren't my kids sweet? |
I've been having a hard time sleeping, too. Can't seem to sleep through the night. My husband and I bought ourselves Jawbone Up 24's for Christmas, best investment ever. While I don't have the energy to walk the suggested 10,000 steps per day, it's nice to see my sleeping patterns. Which are pretty awful. I guess it's my body's way of preparing me for sleepless nights in a couple of months.
Monday, February 10, 2014
Christmas and Kidney Infections
23 weeks
It's Christmas time… and I'm really not in the spirit of things.
I didn't want to bake cookies. I didn't want to buy gifts. I didn't want to cook.
My husband really took charge this year, and made it a Christmas to remember.
I'm not getting sick like I had been, just lots of heartburn and dry-heaving. But I'm still not eating or drinking as much as I should be at this point. To top it off, Braxton Hicks contractions are increasing, and I'm having awful back pain.
Nurse Kate came over to give my my weekly shot. I mentioned to her all the hiccuping, and she got a bit concerned. She wanted to listen to the heartbeat, make sure baby wasn't in distress (BP 160, very active, lots of hiccups). Then she went through her list of possible symptoms, and when I mentioned the back pain, she nonchalantly asked where it hurt, and when I told her "middle of my back, right side only" she kinda went pale. Kidney infection. With Christmas the next day, calling the OB's office wasn't going to do much, and I wasn't going to spend my holiday in the ER, so she told me to drink as much cranberry juice and water as I could until I could be seen.
I'd only had one kidney infection in my life, I don't remember it being this painful. When I finally got ahold of my doctor, she wasn't surprised and didn't even make me come in to the office. She said with my dehydration and the baby growing right there, it's a wonder I didn't get one sooner. So she called in for some lab work and ordered me a high dose of antibiotics and told me to "take it easy."
Thankfully my kids were going to be going to my parents house for a few days while my husband and I work and they kids are off school. I mentioned to my mom about the infection and she told me to make sure I ate greek yogurt while taking the antibiotics, it's suppose to prevent the 'good bacteria' from being killed off. I can't handle yogurt right now, but I did pick up some acidophilus supplements, which should do the same thing. My other big concern is the fact that antibiotics affect P.O.T.S, and not always right away. I noticed my worst P.O.T.S. episode this pregnancy came a few weeks after my blog clot was treated with a few days of antibiotics…
So now my daily pill intake is: 3 Zophran, 4 Diclegis, 2 Phenergan, 8+ Tums, 3 mini prenatals, 1 B12, 1 Acidophilus and 2 Antibiotics…
It's Christmas time… and I'm really not in the spirit of things.
I didn't want to bake cookies. I didn't want to buy gifts. I didn't want to cook.
My husband really took charge this year, and made it a Christmas to remember.
I'm not getting sick like I had been, just lots of heartburn and dry-heaving. But I'm still not eating or drinking as much as I should be at this point. To top it off, Braxton Hicks contractions are increasing, and I'm having awful back pain.
Nurse Kate came over to give my my weekly shot. I mentioned to her all the hiccuping, and she got a bit concerned. She wanted to listen to the heartbeat, make sure baby wasn't in distress (BP 160, very active, lots of hiccups). Then she went through her list of possible symptoms, and when I mentioned the back pain, she nonchalantly asked where it hurt, and when I told her "middle of my back, right side only" she kinda went pale. Kidney infection. With Christmas the next day, calling the OB's office wasn't going to do much, and I wasn't going to spend my holiday in the ER, so she told me to drink as much cranberry juice and water as I could until I could be seen.
I'd only had one kidney infection in my life, I don't remember it being this painful. When I finally got ahold of my doctor, she wasn't surprised and didn't even make me come in to the office. She said with my dehydration and the baby growing right there, it's a wonder I didn't get one sooner. So she called in for some lab work and ordered me a high dose of antibiotics and told me to "take it easy."
Thankfully my kids were going to be going to my parents house for a few days while my husband and I work and they kids are off school. I mentioned to my mom about the infection and she told me to make sure I ate greek yogurt while taking the antibiotics, it's suppose to prevent the 'good bacteria' from being killed off. I can't handle yogurt right now, but I did pick up some acidophilus supplements, which should do the same thing. My other big concern is the fact that antibiotics affect P.O.T.S, and not always right away. I noticed my worst P.O.T.S. episode this pregnancy came a few weeks after my blog clot was treated with a few days of antibiotics…
So now my daily pill intake is: 3 Zophran, 4 Diclegis, 2 Phenergan, 8+ Tums, 3 mini prenatals, 1 B12, 1 Acidophilus and 2 Antibiotics…
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Hiccups and Heartburn
22 Weeks
It seemed like the days would never come when I wouldn't get sick. But here it is. I've gone a few days without getting sick, and it feels great. Now, the catch is, I'm taking 3 Zophran, 4 Diclegis, 2 Phenergans a day, and at least 8 Tums, but I'm not getting sick! (Unless you found dry-heaving, 'cause I'm still dealing with that a dozen times a day!)
I'm only eating a small breakfast and a small dinner every day, maybe a snack or two during the day. And only drinking about 30-40oz of juice/Gatorade. But it's better than nothing.
Despite that, the baby is growing. My belly is getting quite large, and it's all baby. Depending on baby's position, I may look bigger or smaller. Some days he/she is low, so I don't look like I'm showing. Other days baby is high and I look like I have a basketball under my shirt.
The heartburn with this baby is worse than I'd experienced with the other 3. Mostly, I'm assuming, because of 20 straight weeks of getting sick daily. I'd read an article recently suggesting that prolonged use of antacids can cause a vitamin B12 deficiency, but I think that was just related to the zantac and prilosec… oh well, I'll add that to my list of pills to take, just in case.
Baby seems to have had hiccups non-stop the last couple of weeks. I mean, I know babies sleep 20 out of 24 hours in utero; it feels like every waking moment baby has the hiccups. It actually hurts! Especially the days when it's sitting up high, under my diaphragm… ouch.
I suppose feeling the baby's hiccuping is a good thing, I know baby is there and growing. Everyone says it's normal and a good thing… but really, 2 weeks straight?
It seemed like the days would never come when I wouldn't get sick. But here it is. I've gone a few days without getting sick, and it feels great. Now, the catch is, I'm taking 3 Zophran, 4 Diclegis, 2 Phenergans a day, and at least 8 Tums, but I'm not getting sick! (Unless you found dry-heaving, 'cause I'm still dealing with that a dozen times a day!)
I'm only eating a small breakfast and a small dinner every day, maybe a snack or two during the day. And only drinking about 30-40oz of juice/Gatorade. But it's better than nothing.
Despite that, the baby is growing. My belly is getting quite large, and it's all baby. Depending on baby's position, I may look bigger or smaller. Some days he/she is low, so I don't look like I'm showing. Other days baby is high and I look like I have a basketball under my shirt.
The heartburn with this baby is worse than I'd experienced with the other 3. Mostly, I'm assuming, because of 20 straight weeks of getting sick daily. I'd read an article recently suggesting that prolonged use of antacids can cause a vitamin B12 deficiency, but I think that was just related to the zantac and prilosec… oh well, I'll add that to my list of pills to take, just in case.
Baby seems to have had hiccups non-stop the last couple of weeks. I mean, I know babies sleep 20 out of 24 hours in utero; it feels like every waking moment baby has the hiccups. It actually hurts! Especially the days when it's sitting up high, under my diaphragm… ouch.
I suppose feeling the baby's hiccuping is a good thing, I know baby is there and growing. Everyone says it's normal and a good thing… but really, 2 weeks straight?
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