Pregnancy Update: Week 32

It's been a few weeks since we updated our blog about pregnancy number two, so here's a little rundown of what's been going on.  I've been on bed rest for over a month and although it has been stressful on all of us, we're doing our best, knowing it's beneficial for Baby Boy.  I've had days of fairly constant contractions and lots of pain and discomfort, but everything is still stable.  I'm happy to report we've reached 32 and a half weeks and I'm still pregnant.  We're not completely passed the danger zone as far as development goes, but we're getting there.  I'm still shooting for at least 36 weeks even with all these complications!  We're getting excited for Baby Boy to come, but we'd rather him take his time to make an appearance and come later rather than sooner.

Bryson and I have been hanging out at my in-laws for almost two weeks so that Jarom can study for his state nursing boards and work without interruptions, though he has come to visit us frequently.  Jarom takes his exam today, so Bryson and I will be going home later.  We're all looking forward to being home (though it was nice for me to have a change of scenery and for Jarom to get work done without too many distractions).  It's nerve-wracking to have to wait for the results while also being on bed rest and facing other life stresses, but we're managing to soldier on.  We'll let you know as soon as we get test results in a few days.  Bryson has also had difficulty adapting to the changes bed rest has brought to his routine, and we're trying to help him to the best of our ability.  Needless to say, it's been a stressful few weeks, but we're staying positive and moving one day at a time toward a term baby, a passed test, and physical and emotional stability for all of us.  We appreciate your prayers in behalf of our family!  They're working!  

 

  Learning to crochet and playing board games

 Non-Stress Test to monitor contractions

 My bed rest calendar and Jarom sporting his pregnancy beard

 Getting through a bout of contractions

 I celebrated 32 weeks with a spa day

Bryson's first stop is always the Jolly Rancher bowl at the doctor's office

See, I do have a belly.  Even Bryson says so!

Bryson's First Time Snowboarding

 

J and his dad took B snowboarding for the first time on Friday.  J desperately wants to get back on a snowboard himself, but he needs to wait a few more weeks after breaking his hip, scapula, and a couple of ribs in a snowboarding accident last month.  So taking B and teaching him to snowboard this season is the next best thing.  B had an absolute blast and J had to call it quits long before B wanted to leave.  He said "doing zig zags" was his favorite thing, and J was impressed with how well B did his first time snowboarding.  I obviously was sad to miss it, but Jarom took lots of video and pictures, so that was the next best thing.   Jarom made the cute video below.



Jarom says:  "The video tells it all.  My little boy is so rad."  He titled this video "What It Means To Be a Dad."

  5 Year Old Learns to Snowboard in a Day from Jerry G on Vimeo.

In and Out (Of The Hospital)

This past week, I drug Jarom and Bryson to the hospital a few times so doctors could get my preterm labor under control.   On my first week of bed rest I have to admit that I wasn't as strict about staying down as I should have been.   But this week and last, I've been extremely diligent about staying in bed after further cervical change, more contractions, the baby dropping, and my doctor telling me she'd admit me to the hospital if  I wasn't more compliant with bed rest.  I know I still push it occasionally so Jarom and Bryson have to be  Bed Rest Police, but I am trying to just lay and be still 24/7 so this baby doesn't come any earlier than necessary.  Jarom and Bryson have been great through this stressful time and help me get me through each day.

 

Even with diligent bed rest and anti-contraction medication, I still wound up in the hospital last Sunday with contractions that were coming about six minutes apart.  I had to get three unpleasant Tributaline injections to stop preterm labor.  The contractions came back around 2 a.m. but after another injection Monday morning they were successfully stopped, though I had them keep me for observation on Monday night just in case they amen back again.  I went back to the hospital for a few hours on Wednesday because I was experiencing a lot of pain, but it turned out they were contractions caused by uterine irritability which are not labor-inducing ones.  The irritability is extremely uncomfortable, but it's something I can live with since I know it won't cause premature birth like real contractions do.  I was able to come home to bed rest, and it's good to be home. 

As of Friday, things are stable, and Baby Boy looks good.  He's still got A LOT of growing and developing to do, and even though he's dropped really low and is on the smaller side, the doctors are happy with his progress.  My cervix hasn't shortened at all this week, even with the contractions I've had, and that's good news because it's more likely to keep hanging in there and keep the baby from coming sooner than he has to.  I've only experienced a few contractions, mostly at night, which is normal for someone in preterm labor.  The doctor or also adjusted the dose on my medication, and that seems to be helping.  Having things be stable helps me relax and keep doing what I need to do to get Baby Boy here safely: bed rest.  Tomorrow I'm 30 weeks, and this baby and I are still going strong thanks to your prayers and ours.

If you'd like to read more about my experience on bed rest, I've started a blog:  http://www.bedrestblubber.blogspot.com.  Let me know if you'd like an invite.



Christmas 2013

Being on strict bed rest during Christmas has definitely made the holiday a memorable one.  But I think because we all slowed down because of it, we were really able to enjoy the holiday.  Some highlights from Christmas Eve were listening to Bryson sing Christmas carols, seeing his excitement about putting out cookies for Santa and food for the reindeer, eating a turkey dinner someone prepared for us, and having Jarom's parents over to visit. 

I loved seeing Bryson's excitement when he got up Christmas morning.  Bryson couldn't wait for me to come lay down in the bed Jarom made for me in the living room so he could show me that Santa came.  His face when opening his presents was priceless, and I loved watching him as he ripped off the paper and showed us what he got.  Last year he seemed to play primarily with only two or three of the toys we got him, and only glanced at the several others we got him.  But this year, B played with every single toy we got him and looked at every single book.  I was content to just lay and watch J go through his day and watch B while he played all day.  It was especially fun to see B use all his new toys to make a city.  He had Bristle Blocks, Legos, and books surrounding his dragons and Skylander figures to cage them in.  He's a creative boy, and he loved "playing all day."  I also liked that we were able to have a fun family day even while I was laying on a bed on the floor.  It was totally normal for B and J, despite the fact that I can't get up.

 

It was also nice to have my in-laws over.  They made out traditional Christmas dinner:  prime rib and mashed potatoes and brought it over so we could eat it.  It was so good and tasted even better than I remember, probably because we didn't have to make it.  We opened our gifts from J's family and watched The Croods and just enjoyed our time together.  It was a nice Christmas even while I was laid up, and I'll look back next year with a healthy new baby and think that this time on bed rest was just a blip on the radar of life. 

I'm thankful I was able to celebrate Christmas and our Savior's birth at home with my family.  We're also very glad that the baby and I are still hanging in there and I'm now 28 weeks and 4 days pregnant!    As hard as it is to lay down all day, it is so worth a healthy baby, and we have a lot to be grateful for this Christmas season.  Merry Christmas from our family (including Baby Boy)!

Bed Rest: Week 27

Because of all the complications I experienced when I was pregnant with Bryson, my OB and perinatologists have been monitoring me very carefully this time around. This pregnancy has been progressing well and my perinatologist transferred my care to my regular OB at 24 weeks. Last week (26 weeks in to this pregnancy), however, I started to experience occasional contractions and premature cervical changes.  My doctor put me on a medicine used to stop pre-term contractions and sent me home. 

I visited my OB again on Monday because of increased contractions over the weekend and was diagnosed with pre-term labor after increased cervical change and the contractions picked up during a non-stress test (NST).  I had a positive fetal Fibronectin test which basically means there is an increased chance of going into labor early.  But not everyone with a positive test result delivers right away or even prematurely.  I actually got a positive test with Bryson and still was able to carry him for another month.  As a precaution, I was admitted to the hospital for two steroid shots to help develop the baby's lungs.  I had to wait twenty-four hours between the treatments, but I am glad that I was able to go home in between and be with Bryson and Jarom.  I have also been put on strict bed rest for the remainder of the pregnancy.

While bed rest isn't fun or easy (it's nice for the first few days because you can catch up on all the reading, movies, and games you want, but after that staying in bed or on the couch gets old), it's necessary because I REFUSE to have this child until at least February.  Jarom and even Bryson have to occasionally remind me to get off my feet and "stop helping," but I really have been trying to stay in bed.  Jarom has been a tremendous help around the house and with Bryson, even with his broken bones.  Bryson is getting used to me being down and out and enjoys cuddling with Mom and watching DVDs in our bed.  We've had meals brought in, we received Priesthood blessings, and have had numerous other offers for help, so we're doing well and I'm managing to keep this baby cooking because of it. This week of bed rest has been good.  Now I just have to keep going and make it to term! 

Polar Express Christmas Party

Our ward Christmas party had a Polar Express theme and was fun. The people in charge did a great job with decorations and really making you feel like you took a train to the North Pole. We came in and Bryson received a ticket to give to the conductor and then got on the "train" in the hall to watch a clip from the Polar Express movie.  From there, we went to the "North Pole" and were served breakfast and hot chocolate.  The kids got to sing carols, listen to a spiritual thought from the bishop, and were able to act out the Polar Express story while it was read.  Bryson enjoyed dancing and prancing around as an elf.  Afterward, Bryson got to sit with Santa and got a bell to remember to "always believe."  Bryson couldn't think of what to tell Santa he wanted for Christmas, but laughed when Santa said that he could use a robe at the North Pole just like the one Bryson was wearing.  The party was a lot of fun and got Bryson even more excited about Christmas.  ("Only 10 more days!")

Nursing Graduation

Jarom did it!  He completed his degree in nursing and graduated this week.  He'll take the national nursing test here in a few weeks and soon be official.  It's been a long two years, and we're glad he's done (and I'm proud of him too).

In celebration of graduation, Jarom and a few of his friends dressed up as nerdy as possible to be forever immortalized in the halls of the nursing building in their class photo.  The pictures below feature John and Maggie, Jarom's best friends in the program.  It would have been a lot harder to get through the last two years without them.