More bedrest rants... 27 weeks 5 days

Well, since I am finding it difficult to stay motivated to lay down all day and keep this baby in, I have decided to create a grading system for myself on this "Baby Growing" class I am enrolled in. I was always a good student so maybe this will somehow motivate me. The grading rubric is as follows:

Baby born at -
28 weeks: Fail                                 F
29 weeks: Needs Improvement        D
30 - 32 weeks: Satisfactory              C  (unless it is between
                                                             June 1st and June 10th-
                                                             more coming on that)

32 - 34 weeks: Good                        B
34 - 36 weeks: Very Good                A
36 + weeks: Excellent                      A+

So! It'll be interesting to see what grade I get in this class! Will someone send me a report card if I pass? :) jk.

Here's the weekly report:

I have spent since last Monday evening (May7th: The Turning Point Day) mostly laying in bed, occasionally on the couch, and twice in the reclining lawnchair outside attempting to not become albino. My kids have been juggled between two different neighbors, my mother-in-law, a couple college girls, and Josh in the past 4 days alone. At least 8 different families have brought us meals. (A silver lining! No cooking!!) I am up to 140 pounds. The weather outside has been 70-80 and sunny all week and it is killing me to watch it out my bedroom window! I haven't gotten bored enough to start reading a novel yet, mostly occupying myself with "How I Met Your Mother", "That 70's Show," the internet, and crafty nursery projects I can do in bed. I like feeling like I'm still getting stuff done, so working on a baby mobile, needlepointing a pillow, etc. are things I feel productive at. I made Josh stop at JoAnn's yesterday and get some supplies after my doctor's appt and I think he was at his max patience level.

Now about the appointment:

So last week I didn't get to see the doctor cause she was in delivery. I saw the ultrasound lady, who saw my "funneling" cervix, then the physician's assistant, who put me on bedrest and told me to come see Dr. Huggins in a week. Then she called me and said the doctor wanted me to get some steroid shots too, so I can beef up. jk. It is standard to give 2 steroid injections (in my butt) about 24 hours apart if they fear your baby may be born prematurely. This has been show to greatly improve the development of the baby's lungs quicky in utero, so they are born with a better chance in the NICU. They may still need oxygen and things but it's just supposed to help a lot. My neighbor, who had her little girl at 27.5 weeks, said she got the shots a day or two before she delivered and her baby's lungs were pretty good. She's now 2 and healthy. So that's encouraging.

My ultrasound still showed the "funneling." Whoohoo. But the stitches she did at 12 weeks are still holding so basically about half of the cervix or "baby tunnel" is unzipped and half is closed. It's hard to explain but basically the stitches at the bottom end of the tunnel are keeping my baby from falling out, even though the pressure is starting to build and the top is opening. My only fear is what if this growing pressure just causes the stitches to tear right out, like a seam ripping open on a dress before the doctor schedules them for removal at 36 weeks?  I asked her if that could happen and she replied, "It's not likely." I felt like Lloyd on Dumb and Dumber when I replied, "Sooo.... you're telling me there's a chance...." Is it bad of me as a mother to be more worried about my own possible pain and trauma than the baby's in the NICU? Maybe.... but she probably won't remember it. I would for sure remember the searing pain of my cervix ripping apart to shreads. (TMI? Sorry.)

Well that is all I will write about the bedrest right now. Caleb just woke up and wandered in here a few minutes ago so we put on The Backyardigans and he is content. Josh should be getting home from work any minute (he's on nights, M-TH). Caleb just leaned over to me and whispered, "I got a secret... come here..." Then leaned over in bed next to me and whispered (slowly, like he waas definitely not even sure what his secret was going to be yet, but just wanting to say something) "Um... Dad is at work right now.... fighting bad guys!" It was so cute. Now he randomly just said, "Know what my favorite jungle animal is? A giraffe." I never know what's going to come out of that kid's mouth next. It's crazy to think I laid in bed for him from 23 to 36 weeks, but he came out healthy and fine in the end. I guess I just have to remember it's a small price to pay for a healthy child in the grand scheme of things. I still want to throw my magazine when I see a nine month pregnant lady walk into the doctor's office able to still carry her 2 year old on her hip and her cute bag on the other shoulder, but I know I could compare myself to plenty of other women I know personally who have had struggles a lot worse than mine, trying to get babies into this world. I don't understand why Heavenly Father wants it this way for some and not others, but I guess I will ask him that someday! Until then, I'll try to stay optimistic and grateful for the two healthy kids I have.

Now onto a lighter post topic.... Dog #2 coming soon.... Save me.