i'm actually not bored yet.
the truth is that i have a million things that i can do while sitting on my butt in front of a computer. my summer prep for the new school year alone could keep me busy for the entire week (not that i've devoted much time to that yet... but i think i will). it sucks to know that my entire family is currently together in my hometown getting ready for my cousin's wedding today, and that my carefully planned and totally surprise baby shower scheduled for sunday has been indefinitely postponed. but i have no doubt that i made the right choice, and being here relaxing really isn't all that bad.
yet.
i've been most surprised/pleased by the change in how i feel. for the three or four days before i went to the doctor this week i had been plagued by what i just assumed was third trimester discomfort. my body ached all over and every time i had to get up or even change position i felt like i was doing some kind of olympic-level exercise. but worst of all was my back. out of nowhere over the weekend i started having excruciating lower back pain, like i've never felt before. i didn't think twice about it at the time (seemed like fairly normal pregnancy stuff to me), but within hours of starting the medications it went away... completely.
it's hard to say how much the bed rest contributed, but i do know that before the past couple of days sitting down and especially laying back was the absolutely least comfortable thing i could possibly do. i was doing it quite a bit anyway, because my back hurt so much that moving around was painful, too, and after being active during the day all i wanted to do was NOT MOVE in the afternoon/evening. i told the hubby that bed rest might kill me mostly because the position the doctor most wanted me to be in (reclined with my legs up on the couch) was like hell on earth for me. the past few days i'd mostly been sitting straight up in a chair for support, or laying on my side. not that it helped that much.
but i kid you not, by wednesday night (having taken only one dose of one medication) the pain was starting to subside. by yesterday morning it was totally, 100% gone. all my aches, all the back pain... gone. yes, i was also on bed rest during that time, but i don't think my downtime from 3pm until noon the following day was all that different than what it had been in previous days. i really think the medication is what brought the relief, which makes me wonder... is it just because of its anti-inflammatory properties? or could my pain have actually been pre-labor symptoms? it's possible, from what i've read. while some back pain is normal during pregnancy, it seems that sudden and severe back pain that doesn't go away no matter what can be a more serious concern.
either way, i'm clearly thrilled to be feeling better. i can (though, of course, i'm not allowed to) move around like i was a couple weeks ago, feeling mostly like myself instead of a gigantic, unwieldy ball of pain. i'm hoping that perhaps this means that my cervix has been responding to true labor symptoms in my body that the medication was able to stop, thus allowing me to go about my life while staying on the meds for the next couple of months. that would be quite lovely. nothing to do but wait and see what the doctor says on wednesday. until then... maybe it's nap time.
Friday, July 27, 2012
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
bed rest.
oh, crap.
i went back today to have them check my cervix again prior to going out of town tomorrow. i was so nervous the past two visits but after it had held steady at 3.2cm for two weeks i pretty much stopped worrying and assumed everything was fine. well, you know what happens when we assume.
suddenly today my cervix is only measuring 2.5cm. yes, that's a decrease of almost an entire centimeter in just over one week. the doctor was alarmed. i suppose i have been more active the past week or so than i was prior to that, but i'm still not doing anything crazy. i've done a lot of walking, gone to prenatal yoga and pilates, went to the movies and out to dinner, done some stuff around the house. but no heavy lifting, no strenuous exercise. it's so frustrating.
he told me i absolutely could not travel, and then when i started to cry told me that the only way he could possibly consider it okay would be if i laid flat on my back for the entire car ride there and back (the jostling and bumping of the car is very bad for pressure on the cervix) and, while at my parents' house, i remained on the couch or in bed at all times. he went over the details of me going into labor and having the baby super early in a city so far from home, with doctors that don't know my situation, and then having the baby hooked up to machines for months and us unable to come home. i know he was being dramatic and giving me the worst case scenario, but it was enough to convince me that it was not worth the risk to travel right now.
so for the next week it's complete bed rest, plus i'm starting two medications. one i'll stay on for the rest of the pregnancy: procardia, which prevents further shortening and other labor symptoms. the other one is indomethacin, and i'm only taking it for four days. that one is apparently the same kind of medication, but it seems to be stronger and can actually help to rebuild the cervix, so there's a chance it might get thicker and more stable again. this medication may also give us information about why the cervix in shortening in the first place: studies have shown that if it does restore the cervix to normal after a week of use this generally means the woman was experiencing preterm labor which led to the shortening. but if, after a week on the medication, the cervix doesn't change this means that the cervical tissue is simply weak. if this is the case, the cerclage (cervical stitch) surgery is usually done, but i think that i am too far along in my pregnancy for that procedure now. so... i'm guessing for me that would just mean more bed rest.
i go back a week from today. in the meantime, instead of embarking on an exciting vacation to see all my family and close friends, i will be sitting on my butt on the couch. i am so bummed about this. but i'm hoping beyond hope that this week will take care of the problem and i'll at least be able to resume some activity. but even if it's bed rest 'til the end, i know the most important thing is taking care of this baby. as excited as i am for him to get here, i don't want it to happen before it's time. the doctor said 34 weeks is the absolute earlier that it's even remotely okay for him to arrive, and even that (still 5 1/2 weeks from now!) would obviously be early. so i will do what i need to do, and hope that the hubby is available and amenable to waiting on me hand and foot for the next week. i guess that part could be kinda fun.
i went back today to have them check my cervix again prior to going out of town tomorrow. i was so nervous the past two visits but after it had held steady at 3.2cm for two weeks i pretty much stopped worrying and assumed everything was fine. well, you know what happens when we assume.
suddenly today my cervix is only measuring 2.5cm. yes, that's a decrease of almost an entire centimeter in just over one week. the doctor was alarmed. i suppose i have been more active the past week or so than i was prior to that, but i'm still not doing anything crazy. i've done a lot of walking, gone to prenatal yoga and pilates, went to the movies and out to dinner, done some stuff around the house. but no heavy lifting, no strenuous exercise. it's so frustrating.
he told me i absolutely could not travel, and then when i started to cry told me that the only way he could possibly consider it okay would be if i laid flat on my back for the entire car ride there and back (the jostling and bumping of the car is very bad for pressure on the cervix) and, while at my parents' house, i remained on the couch or in bed at all times. he went over the details of me going into labor and having the baby super early in a city so far from home, with doctors that don't know my situation, and then having the baby hooked up to machines for months and us unable to come home. i know he was being dramatic and giving me the worst case scenario, but it was enough to convince me that it was not worth the risk to travel right now.
so for the next week it's complete bed rest, plus i'm starting two medications. one i'll stay on for the rest of the pregnancy: procardia, which prevents further shortening and other labor symptoms. the other one is indomethacin, and i'm only taking it for four days. that one is apparently the same kind of medication, but it seems to be stronger and can actually help to rebuild the cervix, so there's a chance it might get thicker and more stable again. this medication may also give us information about why the cervix in shortening in the first place: studies have shown that if it does restore the cervix to normal after a week of use this generally means the woman was experiencing preterm labor which led to the shortening. but if, after a week on the medication, the cervix doesn't change this means that the cervical tissue is simply weak. if this is the case, the cerclage (cervical stitch) surgery is usually done, but i think that i am too far along in my pregnancy for that procedure now. so... i'm guessing for me that would just mean more bed rest.
i go back a week from today. in the meantime, instead of embarking on an exciting vacation to see all my family and close friends, i will be sitting on my butt on the couch. i am so bummed about this. but i'm hoping beyond hope that this week will take care of the problem and i'll at least be able to resume some activity. but even if it's bed rest 'til the end, i know the most important thing is taking care of this baby. as excited as i am for him to get here, i don't want it to happen before it's time. the doctor said 34 weeks is the absolute earlier that it's even remotely okay for him to arrive, and even that (still 5 1/2 weeks from now!) would obviously be early. so i will do what i need to do, and hope that the hubby is available and amenable to waiting on me hand and foot for the next week. i guess that part could be kinda fun.
Monday, July 16, 2012
27 Weeks!
i feel like i've been living at the doctor's office lately, but at least it's all been good news. i went to the regular OB the friday after i was put on modified bedrest, where they were surprisingly unconcerned about my shrinking cervix. the doc admitted that yes, if it continued to shorten it would be problematic... but she did not seem at all concerned about it at 3.3cm. of course, i've yet to see anyone in that office concerned about anything. it's the polar opposite of the high-risk doc's office.
but i continued my mostly bedrest status until i returned to the high risk doc the following wednesday. they measured my cervix again and said it was "stable," though by the numbers it actually measured 1mm shorter than the previous week. i guess that small of a difference isn't notable. the doctor told me to resume my "regular activities" (though he still seemed pleased that i'm not currently working) until i came back today. so i did my normal thing for a few days... certainly not anything strenuous, but walking and yoga and going out to dinner and whatnot. it was really, really nice after being stuck on the couch for a week.
i went back to the doctor today and once again my cervix measured 3.2cm, just like last week. they seemed relatively confident that it would remain stable, but as a precaution i'm going back next week before i go out of town. they want to make absolutely certain that there's no need to put me on medication to prevent any further shortening. i am actually glad to have the additional appointment next week. i have been slightly paranoid about this and don't want to embark on my trip worried every second that something is wrong.
the more i reflect on this, the more i realize i could never have another "normal" pregnancy after this one, even if i wanted to. i am far too accustomed to this completely over-the-top monitoring, and it suits my type-A personality far too well.
anyway, other than the cervix stuff everything is great. the baby is still super active, and he's turned himself over again which i find significantly more comfortable than when his head was by my belly button and his feet were in my bladder. now he's head down so he's constantly kicking the top of my uterus, which isn't all that annoying. of course he'll probably shift again... he moves around like crazy.
today they estimated that he weighs 2 pounds, 4 ounces, which is the 57th percentile for size. i'm glad he's on the bigger side in case he does end up having to arrive early, but i hope he doesn't decide to supersize himself. i am not in favor of birthing a baby the size i was as a newborn (9 1/2 pounds).
i'm definitely feeling pretty huge, but i assume that's normal at this point. it's freakin' hot out and my hands and feet are having some swelling issues. feet especially. they throb. but my hands are on and off bad enough that i've given up on wearing my wedding ring -- i have it on a necklace around my neck. i'm still sleeping well, and a lot, though sometimes getting comfortable to fall asleep is tricky. overall, though, i feel mostly like myself. just a bigger and slower version. i assume that i passed my glucose screening, because they said they'd call if i didn't and it's been a week and a half and they haven't called.
the baby's room is starting to come together and we're amassing clothes and gear from various sources. my first shower is next weekend so we expect to be up to our ears by then. and in three months he'll (hopefully) be here! it feels like a long time to wait but i have no doubt it's going to fly by.
but i continued my mostly bedrest status until i returned to the high risk doc the following wednesday. they measured my cervix again and said it was "stable," though by the numbers it actually measured 1mm shorter than the previous week. i guess that small of a difference isn't notable. the doctor told me to resume my "regular activities" (though he still seemed pleased that i'm not currently working) until i came back today. so i did my normal thing for a few days... certainly not anything strenuous, but walking and yoga and going out to dinner and whatnot. it was really, really nice after being stuck on the couch for a week.
i went back to the doctor today and once again my cervix measured 3.2cm, just like last week. they seemed relatively confident that it would remain stable, but as a precaution i'm going back next week before i go out of town. they want to make absolutely certain that there's no need to put me on medication to prevent any further shortening. i am actually glad to have the additional appointment next week. i have been slightly paranoid about this and don't want to embark on my trip worried every second that something is wrong.
the more i reflect on this, the more i realize i could never have another "normal" pregnancy after this one, even if i wanted to. i am far too accustomed to this completely over-the-top monitoring, and it suits my type-A personality far too well.
anyway, other than the cervix stuff everything is great. the baby is still super active, and he's turned himself over again which i find significantly more comfortable than when his head was by my belly button and his feet were in my bladder. now he's head down so he's constantly kicking the top of my uterus, which isn't all that annoying. of course he'll probably shift again... he moves around like crazy.
today they estimated that he weighs 2 pounds, 4 ounces, which is the 57th percentile for size. i'm glad he's on the bigger side in case he does end up having to arrive early, but i hope he doesn't decide to supersize himself. i am not in favor of birthing a baby the size i was as a newborn (9 1/2 pounds).
i'm definitely feeling pretty huge, but i assume that's normal at this point. it's freakin' hot out and my hands and feet are having some swelling issues. feet especially. they throb. but my hands are on and off bad enough that i've given up on wearing my wedding ring -- i have it on a necklace around my neck. i'm still sleeping well, and a lot, though sometimes getting comfortable to fall asleep is tricky. overall, though, i feel mostly like myself. just a bigger and slower version. i assume that i passed my glucose screening, because they said they'd call if i didn't and it's been a week and a half and they haven't called.
the baby's room is starting to come together and we're amassing clothes and gear from various sources. my first shower is next weekend so we expect to be up to our ears by then. and in three months he'll (hopefully) be here! it feels like a long time to wait but i have no doubt it's going to fly by.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
25 weeks: good news & maybe not-so-good news
the good news is that i'm feeling great and all is well with the baby. he's estimated to weigh 1 pound, 14 ounces (64th percentile) and seems happy and active. i can feel him moving all the time and he looks adorable in the ultrasound pics, when he'll show his face.
the maybe not-so-good news is that when i went in to see the high risk doc this morning, they found that my cervix seems to be effacing. for those not in the pregnancy know, that means it's shortening -- which it's not supposed to do until just before birth. normally, when you're not pregnant, the cervix is open a bit to allow things to pass through. but during pregnancy, it stays tight and closed to keep the baby in, and develops a mucus plug to make sure nothing gets in or out before it's supposed to.
the last time i was at the doc (two weeks ago) the closed part of my cervix measured 37 mm, which is about in the middle of the normal range of 3 - 5 cm. but today it only measured 33 mm, which alarmed them a little. the doctor told me they don't like to see it shorter than 35mm, but that 25 is the real danger zone. he said it could just be a fluke and maybe caused by traveling, or the fact that the baby still likes to sit real low, putting a lot of pressure on my cervix. in this case it could get better, or at least not get any worse. he said that happens with a lot of women. he wants me to take it easy for a week and go back to see him then, when they'll measure it and see if this shortening is a trend that will likely continue, or if things are holding stable at 33mm (in the latter case, they'll just continue to monitor it and won't worry). he was glad to hear i am on summer vacation; he said if i was working he wouldn't want me to go in for a week! egads. but there's nothing stopping me from doing mostly nothing for the next seven days, so that's my plan.
you may be wondering what will happen if it seems that my cervix is still effacing when i go back next week. i sure was. he said the first step will be medication (steroids) and possibly bed rest. the steroids can stop preterm labor and also help the baby's lungs to develop faster just in case the little guy ends up arriving early. bed rest will depend on how bad it is. and if that doesn't work (which the doc tells me is unlikely in most cases) they will have to do a surgical procedure to basically tie the cervix shut. this is called a cerclage and i really, really hope it doesn't come to that. but i like having all the information, so at least i know the worst case scenario.
so. that's where we're at. i'm not over-thinking anything and just hoping that a week of r&r, which was already in my plans post-school year and post-vacation, will do the trick and everything will be a-ok. this is not to say i'm not worried as heck, because i am. but there's not much i can do other than follow the doctor's orders. and, of course, be thankful that i'm getting the monitoring that i am so that this didn't go unseen!
the maybe not-so-good news is that when i went in to see the high risk doc this morning, they found that my cervix seems to be effacing. for those not in the pregnancy know, that means it's shortening -- which it's not supposed to do until just before birth. normally, when you're not pregnant, the cervix is open a bit to allow things to pass through. but during pregnancy, it stays tight and closed to keep the baby in, and develops a mucus plug to make sure nothing gets in or out before it's supposed to.
the last time i was at the doc (two weeks ago) the closed part of my cervix measured 37 mm, which is about in the middle of the normal range of 3 - 5 cm. but today it only measured 33 mm, which alarmed them a little. the doctor told me they don't like to see it shorter than 35mm, but that 25 is the real danger zone. he said it could just be a fluke and maybe caused by traveling, or the fact that the baby still likes to sit real low, putting a lot of pressure on my cervix. in this case it could get better, or at least not get any worse. he said that happens with a lot of women. he wants me to take it easy for a week and go back to see him then, when they'll measure it and see if this shortening is a trend that will likely continue, or if things are holding stable at 33mm (in the latter case, they'll just continue to monitor it and won't worry). he was glad to hear i am on summer vacation; he said if i was working he wouldn't want me to go in for a week! egads. but there's nothing stopping me from doing mostly nothing for the next seven days, so that's my plan.
you may be wondering what will happen if it seems that my cervix is still effacing when i go back next week. i sure was. he said the first step will be medication (steroids) and possibly bed rest. the steroids can stop preterm labor and also help the baby's lungs to develop faster just in case the little guy ends up arriving early. bed rest will depend on how bad it is. and if that doesn't work (which the doc tells me is unlikely in most cases) they will have to do a surgical procedure to basically tie the cervix shut. this is called a cerclage and i really, really hope it doesn't come to that. but i like having all the information, so at least i know the worst case scenario.
so. that's where we're at. i'm not over-thinking anything and just hoping that a week of r&r, which was already in my plans post-school year and post-vacation, will do the trick and everything will be a-ok. this is not to say i'm not worried as heck, because i am. but there's not much i can do other than follow the doctor's orders. and, of course, be thankful that i'm getting the monitoring that i am so that this didn't go unseen!
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