Baby Update - 34 Weeks

How many weeks?  34 weeks – yea, we made it!!!

How am I feeling?   I’m feeling great…so incredibly blessed to have made it this far.  34 weeks…I can’t believe it!  I’m also so thankful for all your prayers over this pregnancy.  Corey, Camryn, and I are fortunate to have such a wonderful support group.  Y’all are the best!

Hospital stay update?  I did speak to my doctor over the weekend about our plan going forward but we haven’t really settled on anything just yet.  With Connor’s birthday being tomorrow, I asked the doctor to not change anything this week.  Hopefully by next week, we’ll know more about what to expect for the rest of the pregnancy.

Specific prayer requests?
     (1) the progesterone works properly and keeps my uterus happy;
     (2) the cerclage stays in place and keeps my cervix closed;
     (3) the magnesium continues to stop contractions;
     (4) any contractions I have will not change my cervix;
     (5) I reach our next goal of 36 weeks;
     (6) I continue to trust in God’s plan and be thankful at all times;

     (7) my body be the perfect environment for Camryn's healthy growth;
     (8) I remember that this distance from family & friends is only temporary;

     (9) God continues to provide me with His strength and peace as I approach the

           last few weeks of pregnancy; and
     (10) God provides my nurses and doctors with wisdom to make best decisions for

             our care.

33 Week Ultrasound Update

Camryn weighs 5 lbs. 1 oz. and my cervix is closed measuring 3 cm long.  When my doctor stopped by this morning, he was so happy to hear that Camryn had hit the 5 lb. mark.  We are going to discuss the plan going forward over the weekend. 

Have a great weekend!

Baby Update - 33 Weeks

How many weeks?  33 weeks – one more week until our next goal!!!  The weeks really are flying by.  I’m getting more excited the closer I get to holding our little miracle in my armsJ.

How am I feeling?   As my belly grows, I’ve been experiencing heartburn pretty much all day long.  Lying flat probably doesn’t help, but I’d rather deal with the heartburn than the pain I feel when I sit up too much or too long.  Other than that, I’m doing great! 

Hospital stay update?  There’s not a whole lot to update y’all on.  I’ve just been reading, watching TV, and napping…just trying to pass the time.  I have another fetal growth ultrasound and cervix measurement tomorrow so once I get the results, I will post an update on Camryn’s weight and my cervical length.

Specific prayer requests?
     (1) the progesterone works properly and keeps my uterus happy;
     (2) the cerclage stays in place and keeps my cervix closed;
     (3) the magnesium continues to stop contractions;
     (4) any contractions I have will not change my cervix;
     (5) I reach our next goal of 34 weeks;
     (6) I continue to trust in God’s plan and be thankful at all times;

     (7) my body be the perfect environment for Camryn's healthy growth;
     (8) I remember that this distance from family & friends is only temporary;

     (9) God continues to provide me with His strength and peace as I approach the

           last few weeks of pregnancy; and
     (10) God provides my nurses and doctors with wisdom to make best decisions for

             our care.



Baby Update - 32 Weeks

Hope y’all had a relaxing Memorial Day.  Corey spent the weekend up here with me which was nice since it had been almost 2 weeks since we’d seen each other.  My mom and sister brought Nika Monday for another visit.  It had been over a month since our last visit.  She’s been rebelling a little at home so I’m hoping our visit with keep her happy until I come home. 

Over the weekend, Corey and I talked to my doctor about what our game plan will be for the rest of my pregnancy.  Of course, our next goal is to make it to 34 weeks.  My doctor will be thrilled with any day over 34 weeks, but we all want Camryn to keep cooking as long as possible.  Depending on how everything goes between now and 34 weeks, once I reach 34 weeks he may take me off the Mag and give me an oral medication that stops contractions, if needed, or I will stay on the Mag until 36 weeks.  Once I reach 36 weeks, I will stop the progesterone injections and my cerclage will be removed.  At that point, we’ll just wait for nature to take its course.

I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Just four more weeks…The closer I get the more excited I am to meet our little girl.  To be honest, I’ve had a few panic moments lately.  One, I’m a little nervous about labor and delivery.  Two, I’m a little overwhelmed when I think about being a parent, caring for a newborn, and how I’m going to accomplish that while adjusting to being home after 3 months of hospital bed rest.  I know things will come naturally and God will provide me with everything I need to be the best mom I can be.  I just have to keep reminding myself of that truth when the fear creeps in.

Specific prayer requests?
     (1) the progesterone works properly and keeps my uterus happy;
     (2) the cerclage stays in place and keeps my cervix closed;
     (3) the magnesium continues to stop contractions;
     (4) any contractions I have will not change my cervix;
     (5) I reach our next goal of 34 weeks;
     (6) I continue to trust in God’s plan and be thankful at all times;

     (7) my body be the perfect environment for Camryn's healthy growth;
     (8) I remember that this distance from family & friends is only temporary;

     (9) God continues to provide me with His strength and peace as I approach the

           last few weeks of pregnancy; and
     (10) God provides my nurses and doctors with wisdom to make best decisions for

             our care.

Baby Update - 31 Weeks

That’s right…31 weeks!!!  It’s hard to believe how far we’ve come from that scary Saturday evening on April 2 when we didn’t know what was going on.  Now, 7.5 weeks later I’m amazed at how well things have been going.  I’ve had a few bumps along the way but for the most part, the hospital bed rest has been pleasant.

Having gone through what we went through with Connor definitely gives us a different perspective on our current situation.  We are willing to do whatever it takes to keep Camryn cooking as long as possible.  We pray she doesn’t have to spend one minute in the NICU, she can stay with us in my recovery room as much as possible after her arrival, and what I’m really looking forward to…carrying her in my arms out the hospital doors when I’m discharged after her delivery.  Not being able to take Connor home with us when we left the hospital was one of the hardest things to do.  While we knew we were leaving him in the best care, doing it still broke my heart.  So going into this pregnancy, I had it set in my mind that I would do whatever it took to get as close to full-term as possible.  I have to admit, I honestly didn’t think I’d be spending 3 months in the hospital, but I certainly don’t mind it because I’m still pregnant and Camryn is doing great.

What a busy week I’ve had…Friday I had a very nice, relaxing massage (thanks again Angela & Justin!).  Then, I was surprised by my sweet friends Amy, Jenn, Rachel, Wendy, and Tori with a mini baby shower…adorable decorations, cookies, pink lemonade, and gifts (so thoughtful - thanks girls!).  We had my family baby shower Sunday afternoon.  The cake, cookies, and snacks were wonderful.  It was so nice seeing everyone and opening up all the cute baby clothes and gadgets.  Camryn has a great start to her wardrobe with matching outfits, headbands, and bows (thanks mom & Julie for getting everything together and to all my guests for making it a very special day!). 



Me & Camryn



With the grandmas 

With the great-grandmas

I was informed yesterday that I am now the most senior patient in antepartum.  The lady I met at the Mother’s Day lunch who had been here 3 weeks longer than me delivered a healthy baby boy this week at 36 weeks.  Mom and baby are doing great, and he didn’t have to go to the NICU!  What wonderful news!

 

Specific prayer requests?
     (1) the progesterone works properly and keeps my uterus happy;
     (2) the cerclage stays in place and keeps my cervix closed;
     (3) the magnesium continues to stop contractions;
     (4) any contractions I have will not change my cervix;
     (5) I reach our next goal of 32 weeks;
     (6) I continue to trust in God’s plan and be thankful at all times;

     (7) my body be the perfect environment for Camryn's healthy growth;
     (8) I remember that this distance from family & friends is only temporary;

     (9) God continues to provide me with His strength and peace; and
     (10) God provides my nurses and doctors with wisdom to make best decisions for

             our care.

Hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day Weekend!  Please take time to remember and honor the military men and women who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom.

Baby Update - 30 Weeks



       

8 Weeks

30 Weeks

Hope y’all enjoy these pictures.  I was going through all my belly pics and thought this comparison was pretty funny!  What a difference 22 weeks makes.  You can definitely tell my skin hasn't seen the sun in a while:)

How many weeks?  30 weeks – 2 more weeks till our next goal!!!

How am I feeling?   Since I’m not used to being up and about, I can really feel gravity pulling down on my ever growing belly when I get up to go to the restroom.  But that just means Camryn is growing which is exactly what we want.  I’ve also noticed that I’m more tired throughout the day.  All in all, I’m doing well.

Hospital stay update?  Our baby girl is weighing in at 3 lbs. 7 oz.  The ultrasound tech didn’t measure my cervix but my doctor is going to check me on Monday.  Other than that, everything else has been the same.

I’m really looking forward to the rest of this week.  Friday I’m getting a one-hour massage (thanks Angela and Justin) from a lady that comes to the hospital for the antepartum patients.  Then, my wonderful family is throwing me a baby shower Sunday.  I’ll try to take pictures so I can include them in next week’s post.

Weight gain?  I have officially hit the 40 lb. mark, and I’m trying to embrace it rather than stress about it.

Specific prayer requests?
     (1) the progesterone works properly and keeps my uterus happy;
     (2) the cerclage stays in place and keeps my cervix closed;
     (3) the magnesium continues to stop contractions;
     (4) any contractions I have will not change my cervix;
     (5) I reach our next goal of 32 weeks;
     (6) I continue to trust in God’s plan and be thankful at all times;

     (7) my body be the perfect environment for Camryn's healthy growth;
     (8) I remember that this distance from family & friends is only temporary;

     (9) God continues to provide me with His strength and peace; and
     (10) God provides my nurses and doctors with wisdom to make the best decisions for
            our care.

Baby Update - 29 Weeks

How many weeks?  29 weeks

How am I feeling?   I’m feeling pretty good these days.  Camryn has to be growing because my belly is definitely stretching out there and her kicks are getting stronger!  I can’t believe I’m just 3 short weeks from our next goal of 32 weeks.

Hope everyone had a great Mother’s Day.  I had plenty of visitors Saturday and Sunday – very nice weekend.  My favorite part was my Mother’s Day gift from my hubby – Camryn’s diaper bag.  I found it online at Pottery Barn but soon realized it was no longer available.  Fortunately, someone was selling a brand new bag on eBay.  My wonderful husband was bidding down to the last minute and won!  I think it’s the cutest diaper bag ever!

Hospital stay update?  Everything is pretty much the same as last week.  Still on the same amount of Mag.  I have several contractions each day but they’re not painful or regular.  I really think lying flat and emptying my bladder every hour is keeping the contractions down.  We have another growth ultrasound and cervix measurement next Monday so we should have the results for next week’s update. 

Weight gain?  Brace yourselves for this one…37 lbs!!!   I really couldn’t believe the scale this week.  I just can’t imagine that I’ve gained almost 40 lbs. already.  I’m still hoping for another 7 more weeks of pregnancy so I’m a little concerned about what that means for my total weight gain.  My sweet husband assures me that I’ll have no problem losing the weight once I get back on my feet again.  The doctors aren’t concerned with the weight gain either so I guess I need to chill out and not worry about it.

Specific prayer requests?
     (1) the progesterone works properly and keeps my uterus happy;
     (2) the cerclage stays in place and keeps my cervix closed;
     (3) the magnesium continues to stop contractions;
     (4) any contractions I have will not change my cervix;
     (5) I reach our next goal of 32 weeks;
     (6) I continue to trust in God’s plan and be thankful at all times;

     (7) my body be the perfect environment for Camryn's healthy growth;
     (8) I remember that this distance from family & friends is only temporary; and

     (9) God continues to provide me with His strength and peace.

Baby Update - 28 Weeks

How many weeks?  28 weeks – PRAISE GOD!!!

How am I feeling?   I am so very happy and thankful to have reached our first goal of 28 weeks!  Every morning I wake up thanking God for allowing me to be pregnant another day.  I’m also starting to experience some of the wonderful discomforts of pregnancy which I’m sure are only magnified by the fact that I’ve been lying in a bed for the last 4 ½ weeks.  Saturday was pretty rough for me.  Camryn was sitting really low and causing some major discomfort.  I realized this pregnancy thing is kicking my butt!  Thanks to my wonderful nurse, I’m feeling much better now.  She suggested I try lying down flat on my side rather than in a reclined position to relieve some of the pressure off my cervix.  Lying flat makes my back hurt more but I can handle back pain better than the other pain I was feeling.  Besides, what pregnant woman doesn’t have back pain? 

Hospital stay update?  Today has been a very big day for me.  Not only am I celebrating making it to 28 weeks, a support group here at the hospital hosted a special Mother’s Day lunch for the antepartum patients.  It was nice to get out of my room, have a change of scenery, and meet other moms with crazy pregnancies.  Not that I would wish a difficult pregnancy on anyone…it’s just nice to know that I’m not alone.  There’s a lady who’s been here for 8 weeks.  Hearing her story was very encouraging. 

At the end of last week, I started contracting again more than usual.  The doctors increased my Mag to 4 g/hr for 2 hours, and the contractions stopped.  Since then, I’ve been on 2 g/hr and will probably stay at this dose rather than going back down to the 1 g/hr.  The doctor thinks my uterus may become more irritable as it grows larger and feels it’s best to stay at 2g/hr.  As long as the contractions stay to a minimum, I’m happy.  I think my body is getting used to the medicine as I’m not as hot and groggy now that I’ve been on the medicine for several weeks.

Specific prayer requests?
     (1) the progesterone works properly and keeps my uterus happy;
     (2) the cerclage stays in place and keeps my cervix closed;
     (3) the magnesium continues to stop contractions;
     (4) any contractions I have will not change my cervix;
     (5) I reach our next goal of 32 weeks;
     (6) I continue to trust in God’s plan and be thankful at all times;

     (7) my body be the perfect environment for Camryn's healthy growth;
     (8) I remember that this distance from family & friends is only temporary; and

     (9) God continues to provide me with His strength and peace.

Baby Update - 27 Weeks

How many weeks?  27 weeks – 1 more week until our short-term goal of 28 weeks!!!

How am I feeling?   Lately, I’ve been really positive and just so grateful that here I am almost 4 weeks from that scary, dreadful Saturday when I truly thought the worst was going to happen and I’m still pregnant!  Yes, I have a ways to go but I’m enjoying every day, every inch my belly grows, every heartbeat I hear when we monitor Camryn, every kick and hiccup, all the discomforts and pains that come with pregnancy because experiencing all of this truly is a blessing.    

Would it be nice to have a “normal” pregnancy where I could be at home with my husband, friends, and family, be able to drive and go wherever I wanted, be able to cook dinner, clean my house, prepare Camryn’s nursery…?  Absolutely.  But I’ve realized that my dream of a “normal” pregnancy isn’t what God has prepared for me.  Isaiah 55:9 says His ways are higher than mine.  God’s plan for my life…for this pregnancy is so much better than anything I could imagine on my own.  Slowly but surely I’m learning to let go of what I think is best for my life and surrender all control to Him. 

Hospital stay update?  Tuesday afternoon I started contracting more than usual so my doctor increased the Magnesium to 2 grams/hour.  This is the dose I was put on when I was first admitted to the hospital and is considered a fairly low dose.  We’re not sure what caused the contractions but my doctor isn’t too concerned at this point as the increased dose has calmed my uterus.  I will go back down to 1 gram/hour once my contractions are under control again.  Increasing and decreasing the Mag dose is something we may have to repeat several times throughout the rest of my pregnancy. 

Specific prayer requests?
     (1) the progesterone works properly and keeps my uterus happy;
     (2) the cerclage stays in place and keeps my cervix closed;
     (3) the magnesium continues to stop contractions;
     (4) any contractions I have will not change my cervix;
     (5) I reach the current short-term goal of 28 weeks;
     (6) I continue to trust in God’s plan and be thankful at all times;

     (7) my body be the perfect environment for Camryn's healthy growth;
     (8) I remember that this distance from family & friends is only

          temporary; and

     (9) God continues to provide me with His strength and peace.

Quick Update - Ultrasound

We had another ultrasound Monday morning to measure Camryn’s growth and my cervix.  Great news…my cervix measured 4.1 cm long (closed with cerclage still in place).  The doctor told me before I had the ultrasound that my cervix will start to shorten as my pregnancy progresses, but they only get concerned if it measures less than 1.5 cm.  So with my current measurement, we’re in good shape. 

More great news…Camryn weighs 2 lb 10 oz!  She gained 1 lb 1 oz in 3 weeks!  My pregnancy books and emails say she should be right at 2 lb. at this point so she’s measuring a little ahead of schedule.

Hope everyone had a great Easter weekend!