Baby Update

We've had a little drama with the baby this week, so I thought I'd share what's going on. First of all I get a lot of contractions normally with all of my pregnancies so I usually don't worry unless they come in a regular pattern. Last Tuesday night, I started getting an outragious amount of Braxton Hicks so I tried to take it easy. I was still having a lot by Thursday so I told Gage he had to stay home and take care of things for me while I laid in bed and tried to relax. Friday I had my doctor's appointment and everything looked great then, (still a 1 and soft) so I figured I was all clear. Well Friday night the contractions came every 4 minutes. I made it until 3:30 in the morning when they go so bad that every contraction was extremely painful and I just couldn't take it anymore and I went to Labor and Delivery at the hospital.

Now I've done this whole song and dance before. I usually go in, get a shot of Terbutaline, they monitor the baby and then I go home. This time after two bags of IV fluid and THREE shots of Terbutaline they couldn't get my contractions to stop. I wasn't dilating, but after every contraction, the baby's heartrate would drop really low. This isn't a good sign and signals that the baby is having some stress. It's like she wasn't able to catch her breath fast enough after a contraction. So they take me downstairs for a detailed ultrasound. Our little girl was doing great! She has plenty of fluid around her and measured right on and weighs exactly 4 pounds. (she's a small one!) So they give me a steroid shot to help the baby develop faster and a different medication to help stop my contractions. Finally after 6 hours, they were subsiding. I was told that I needed to come back the next day (which is today) for another steroid shot and another NST.

So I went in this morning, got my steroid shot, a fetal fibronectin test and the NST. (non stress test). The fetal fibronectin test came back negative which means I have a HIGH probability of NOT going into labor within the next 7-10 days. This is great because I HAVE to make it to at least 34 weeks. (which I will be on Thursday) Of course me dilating isn't the issue right now, it's the baby. I am on bedrest this week to try and avoid any painful or regular contractions that will cause the baby stress. My NST didn't go as well as they hoped today and Marley is still showing signs of stress. Not THAT bad, but not that great either. So I go back in on Wednesday for another NST. Right now I am to try and avoid anything that will give me contractions, I am on a blood pressure medication which helps relax my uterus, and I am to keep a close watch on the baby's movements. If she isn't moving like normal, or I get more contractions I have to go back to the hospital right away. If we get to a point where the contractions are out of control and she isn't recovering from the stress, they would have to take her by C-section. Obviously we don't want that to happen, so I'm trying to remain as calm as possible. The occasional painless contraction is not a problem, just the painful regular ones. Hopefully I won't have to be on bedrest too much longer, but we'll see! And like I said before, she isn't doing THAT bad right now, which is good.