Monday Roll Call for March 14

[LizR]

Hi ladies,
Great to hear so many of us are doing well! Sorry I've been out of touch. Things are still looking good over here. I'm 28 weeks today-- woo hoo! Been on bed rest for the past 14 weeks. Craziness. 1/2 of my pregnancy on bed rest. My doctor has allowed me 2 outings a week. Have a doctor's appt next Thursday. Hoping to be given a bit more freedom.

Hey, I was wondering if anyone here is on bed rest from a bleed. I had a huge subchorionic hemorrhage in December which landed me on bed rest. Was wondering if anyone else is off their feet for the same reason.

Happy (early) St. Patrick's Day!!
Liz

[callen82]

Hey everyone!  I'll be 37 weeks tomorrow and the baby is still cooking!  Still having contractions every 2 minutes, and of course, they aren't doing a damn thing to my cervix.  In fact, I am LESS effaced this week than I was last week.  Go figure.  AFI is at 8.  They'll check again today at MFM.  C-section is scheduled for April 5 (only 2 days before my due date).  Unless MFM decides something different with the fluid level drop or the ventricle/head size, I've got 20 days left.  My doctor said I should still rest because of the contractions, but I'm no longer restricted.  I started EPO yesterday because I can attempt a VBAC if I go into labor before 38 weeks.  Otherwise, it's under the knife.  Hope everyone else is doing well and keeping those little ones cooking!

[arenee22]

Corrie-Sorry to hear you are having such a rough couple of weeks

Thanks for the encouragement ladies. I don't have a history of cervical issues so I am new to this. My dr says its safe to have the baby now, but of course I would prefer to have the baby at full term. Everything was going so well................
I am staying off my feet more and I am watching my contractions.

[keewee0630]

Hello Everyone!

I'm still cooking as well.  I'm now 28wks 4 days and things are going absolutely perfect.  I had my 1 hour glucose test yesteday, haven't heard back yet in regards to the results.  Had a cervical check and its still a little over 4 cm (the cerclage is doing its job!).  Still going stir crazy from being in the house, but it was good to get out yesterday.  My baby shower has been planned for April 2, 2011 and the docs gave me permission to attend, so I was also very happy about that.

[Luvmytieren]

GrowinEli- I'm sorry so much is coming down on you. Please hang in there and know you're not alone. Last year I did 23 weeks bed rest. During my pregnancy my FIL committed suicide, my parrot of 16 years died, I lost my job, my 14yr old was acting out, and I suffered depression for the 1st time since I was a teen! But I will tell you that making it to term was the biggest healer! And I know you'll get there. Take deep breaths, snuggle your daughter, and know that we are all here for you!

If you like, here's my 23 week bed rest story. http://embracebedrestblog.com/2011/02/13/23-weeks-of-bed-rest-remembered/

Sending love & looking forward to many more weeks of updates!

Congrats to all you other mommies as well for another week well done!

Margaret

[Luvmytieren]

LizR- I did 23 weeks of bed rest last year after a huge subchrionic hemmoraghe that landed me in the ER after I bled out at work. I also had blood pooling in the lining of my uterus, big blood clots, & Placenta Previa.  Every time I went to the bathroom my whole pregnancy I looked at the toilett paper for fear of seeing blood. We were told that if I bled again I'd have to be on hospital bed rest. It's a scary thing & I'm sorry it happened to you. Here's my 23 weeks on bed rest. http://embracebedrestblog.com/2011/02/13/23-weeks-of-bed-rest-remembered/
Read "That Day" as it's the account of the day I bled out. Sending you good vibes! Hang in there!

Margaret

[LizR]

Margaret!!!
I had just finished reading THAT DAY when I saw your  message suggesting that I read it. First of all, so glad that everything worked out so well for you. Yay! Second, reading your story, especially of how it all began inspires me to put pen to paper (or fingers to the keyboard!) to document my own story. You make a great point saying that once you have the baby in your arms you tend not to remember the pain or suffering it took to get there (I'm paraphrasing here) and I'm already a little vague on the details and it's only been 14 weeks since my bleed happened. Once I post this, I will write down my story, just so I have it. All those little details from the e.r. will be a distant if not forgotten memory if I don't record them now! It's comforting knowing someone went through the same thing I did. I had days of heavy bleeding, golf ball sized blood clots and for sure thought I was miscarrying and was shocked and delighted to see the little guy on the ultrasound. My bleed happened at 14.5 weeks, so not too long after yours did. Anyway, I'm at 28 weeks and haven't had any bleeding (or discharge) for probably 8 or maybe 10 weeks. Anyway, thanks so much for reaching out and sharing your blog. It's much appreciated!
Take care!
liz

[flowerchica]

GrowinEli - I'm so sorry you are dealing with this. I hope the docs can find a good balance between the meds and your baby's health. WIshing you the best of luck!!!

[BWilson]

Hi Ladies,

Sorry I am so late to roll call, last week I was one of the first and this week it totally slipped my mind! I feel like I have been forgetting a lot of things lately. Hope it is just the Prego-brain acting up.

Things are good, I am officially 27 weeks today! So exctied, I cannot believe it is has been 7 weeks since we got home from the hospital.

I take17p shots...they help so much! Does the new price count with insurance?

Hoping for as many more weeks as we can get.

Praying for all of you ladies out there, we can do this!

Hugs,
Bre

[growinLevi]

Thank you ladies. I appreciate all of the support. I am doing better today. Finding out my daughter is loosing her sight in one eye was hard but I watched her playing today and realized that she is so full of life. She loves everything! I am not going to be the one to mourn her sight when nothing holds her back. She was talking to Eli in in my belly in Eli kicked her in the mouth. She started laughing so hard. My life is really wonderful. I have so much to be thankful for.

[elypineda]

Hi Ladies!!  I'm sorry for taking so long to check-in.  After reading all your posts I have to say, I've cried, smiled, and felt SO PROUD of all of us.  We have come such a long way, and am so grateful for that.  To all the mommies that are going through rough patches, hang in there.  I know how hard it could be when one is going through tough times in the moment, but always know that it will pass.   
As for me, I am 36 wks 5 days and have been 100% effaced (non-measurable cervix) and dial. since I was 22 wks preggers.  I can't belive he's still cooking!!  He is good!  I tell my husband - the exit has been completely open for months and he's had no interest is exiting!  Oh, and a positive ffn result at 28 wks!!  As my husband told me, GOD's hand has held him in this long!!    I'm still at my mothers home and have been here 1 month and a week already after a long 2 month stay at the hospital and a 2 week bed rest at my home.  I got my last p17 shot on monday.   My doctor was coming to my mom's home to see me every Sat., which i am so grateful for since they don't go to patients homes, but made an exception for me.  Since he can't make it this weekend, he asked me to go to office tomorrow.  It'll be my first outing in almost 4 months and I am freaking-out!    I'm trying to walk a little more to see if i get some strength and energy, but it's been so hard for me.  I get SO tired just walking short distances, I can't imaging walking to docs. office from car and then to the building next door for an ultrasound.  The good thing is that it's next to the hospital, so if anything happens, i'm there.  I'm getting stronger contractions more spread apart, but i guess not enough to provoke labor.  I'm really looking forward to seeing the little one in the u/s tomorrow!
As always lots of strength and patience to all the mommies in bedrest.
Elizabeth

[Yvonne]

Hey Ladies!

I have a great reason for being late for checkin!

Our Twin boys were born on Sunday, March 13th!

It was a quick labor and delivery, as I expected it would be when it happened since I had been on Bed rest with the magical disappearing cervix since 28 weeks.

We were 37 weeks - on the nose!  My waters ruptured at 5:30 in the morning and the boys were born vaginally only a few hours later in the hospital.

The really neat thing about my hospital post natal stay is that my room was right next door to where the pregnant ladies were resting!  I went out of my way to meet each of them and tell them how amazing they were. I even told them about this site, so hopefully we will see them hanging around these parts sometime soon.

Anyways, without further ado, introducing...

Andrew Joseph
Born at 8:42am - March 13th, 2011 - 5lb 2 oz

&

Alexander Robert
Born at 9:02 - March 13th, 2011 - 4lb 12oz

A pic link:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150158468255733&set=a.10150149738470733.345312.568730732&ref=nf

Thank you all for the support you offered and the sense of community we shared over my time on Bed rest.  You are all amazing!

Yvonne

[mckoygirl]

Corrie - Wow... what a whammy. I wish I could give you more encouragement!  
What kind of blindness does your child have? I'm a nurse and nurse practitioner student so I'm curious. My five-year-old daughter's father has Amblyopia (or lazy eye), which caused him to be blind in that eye because they didn't catch it until he was 7 years old. It's hereditary but so far she seems ok.
As far as Eli's size goes.... do you have Pre-eclampsia or just chronic high blood pressure? In pre-eclampsia, the baby can start to measure small because it's not getting everything it needs inside from the placenta, possibly due to the constricting blood vessels that supply the womb, and partly because the placenta just isn't working as it should with the high pressures. It becomes a balancing act, in that they have to weigh the risks of delivering early, which isn't desired, unless the baby would be better cared for/(grown) outside the womb.
I guess the biggest thing for you to remember in this situation is as long as you're doing everything YOU can do bedrest and taking medications as prescribed, there's nothing more to be done. You are being followed (it sounds) very closely which is great, and the fact they already have found the baby is small this early means you will get extra great care.
I've gone through bouts of depression through all this, but it waxes and wanes and eventually I realize it's out of my control and I've got to give up the worry to God. My husband keeps telling me: "It's in God's hands Doll."  
Take care and hang in there!
Elizabeth- WONDERFUL! You are an inspiration!!! So glad you've made it this far I know what you mean about tiring when walking short distances, I get winded just moving around in the bed, and my heart rate jumps up to like 140 just shifting. My husband thinks I'm a little dramatic sometimes, but I really get out of breath so quickly.  This is my 7th week of bedrest, and my babies (24wks twins) are now viable!!!!!

[saraonbedrest]

Hi,
I will be 34 weeks tomorrow. Very exciting. I had an ultrasound last week and my cervix was still holding at 1.7cm. I saw my OB today and she let me go off bed rest starting today, after 10 weeks

I will have an appointment next week to see how my cerclage looks and see if it needs to be removed in the OR or it can be done in the doctor's office. Just 3 more weeks and I will be 37weeks!!! I still can't believe I will be able to get there! Will see

Sara.

[growinLevi]

Mckoygirl- My daughters blindness is actually due to a massive Group B Strep inffection as a baby. She lost 70% of her brain at that point and has spent the last four years rewiring her brain. She is an amazing little girl. Most people that pass her on the street would never know that anything is wrong. She went from blind up until 6 months to slowly recovering the use of her eyes. She doesn't process vision as quickly as someone with normal sight but she has very high functioning vision for what she has been through. Her left eye just seems to be forming connections faster so the brain wants to turn off the right eye because it is not keeping up and causes her double vision. We saw a new Dr yesterday and he has a few more things for us to try to keep her right eye turned "on". Hope is such an strong motivator!

As for me. I have gone pre-eclamptic three times and have had 1 IUGR baby due to my blood pressure. Dr was trying to avoid that this time by controling my blood pressure but the meds he had to use have the side effect of growth restriction. There hasn't been a lot of research done about the med I'm on and how it effects the baby. Most OBs won't use it at all. I was told the growth restriction shouldn't be a problem with the lower dose that i take but it seems to still be causing some restriction. The Dr is pretty sure it is not my blood pressure because that has been under control( due to the meds) since it started going over hypertension at 16 weeks. They will check again in three weeks and we'll find out if I need to come off the meds which means I will move from bedrest at home to bedrest at the hospital. All in all i am doing okay with it. I know that I can't control this but I believe there is a plan for me and my little guy. I am just so excited that we are almost to 30 weks!

Corrie