32 weeks.

Here I am...happy to be at 32 weeks! :)

I've had a bit of an up and down week this week so far. Monday afternoon I had lots of contractions and as a result ended up taking my medication early that day to avoid (if I could) having to head to the hospital again. It took a couple of hours but the contractions settled down from every 3-4 minutes to the usually 10-15 minutes. I was happy to not go into the hospital but know that if it keeps happening then that may be what happens.

I saw my doctor today and he told me it would be fine to take 120mg/day of the nifedepine seeing as my body is getting "too" used to the medication. He's hoping this will help having too many spells like monday. His advice is to also take it really easy again for the next couple of weeks. I have to be at least 34 weeks along to deliver in B'ham and of course he would love to see me get even a week or two past that. After 35 weeks they won't try to stop the labor but let the labor take it's course. At that point, he would do the c-section. I'm not sure if I mentioned this in an earlier post but I am having a c-section this time around (like the last) because the baby is unfortunately in breech position and is in no mood to flip around I guess :) Too bad, this is not what I was hoping for and of course the recovery isn't great (just what I don't need after all this) :( But hey, a healthy baby is the goal and I am thankful that I have been blessed so far and know that this also is in the Lord's hands.

For now, baby is still very active and keeps reminding me that he/she is doing great still :) I am measuring 2 weeks ahead which the doctor figures will mean another good size baby for his/her gestation. Good news for us...even if babies are born early...the bigger they are usually means the better they do.

I am also happy to be at a point where the question of steroids for baby's development can be avoided. Don't get me wrong, if I need to do this because delivery is imminent in the next week or two then that's what we'll do BUT, if I can avoid delivering that early then the effects of the steroids don't do much anymore for the baby and it is of course best to avoid anything as unnatural as a very large dose of steroids to a tiny baby if we can. (spoken from someone who has been taking medication for over half the pregnancy) :]

Well, a wonderful friend of mine reminded me the other day that "The Lord allready has a birthday picked out for this little baby" and it IS wonderful to think of that and that He knows what is best for all of us. Not a hair will fall from our heads without His will and that is a great reminder and comfort while we've wrestled through weeks of uncertainty and medical help during this pregnancy. God is good!

31 weeks

Things have stayed relatively quiet the last week. I have been in to see the doctor each week and now we're just taking things day by day. I have had quite a few contractions and more cramping but as long as I'm still hanging in here it's all good!

The doctor has advised me to stay on the higher dose of the nifedepine for now, it seems to keep things down to a dull roar and even though I've maybe had times when I should go back to the hospital to be monitored I've managed to control things at home well enough. Lots of rest, warm baths and some medication and we're taking things day by day.

The doctor mentioned again yesterday that if I am back at the hospital, contracting more than 7 - 8 times an hour then he'll administer the steroid shots right away if I am before 33/34 weeks and if they cannot calm the contractions down he'll send me to Seattle. We are very prayerful about getting to the 34/35 week mark where we can have the baby in Bellingham. At 35 weeks and past they will not try to stop the labor but go ahead with a c-section (as baby is still breech).

Well, we're getting there :) and that is exciting. Hopefully the next few weeks go by quickly!

30 weeks!

Wow - 30 weeks! I am so thrilled to be this far along. I know the next month or two won't be that easy but hey we're getting there. It's a bit surreal almost to think of a new baby in the house. We are all getting very excited about this fact :)

Last week we had spring break with the kids and although busy with everyone home it was a great week. Lovely weather, the bathing suits came out a couple of days and the sprinkler was on! We also took a family trip to Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle. I know what you're thinking...should Kristi really be doing all the walking but DON"T worry...Brad was oh so happy and eager to push me in a wheelchair all day! What a hoot! Ah well, it was worth it. The kids loved the zoo, it's so well done with lots of animals. The weather had cooled down a bit by Friday but there was no rain so we were happy.

On the way back from Seattle we made a little stop at Babies 'R Us and bought a new pack 'n play for the new little babe. The kids were super eager to set it up and for the last week now it has been used as a doll bed! Shayna is busy practicing with the attached change table and the baby bassinet. How fun!

On sunday we had both our parents over for Easter dinner. They did most of the preparing and clean-up which was lovely. However, even so, I started having lots of contractions...which so you know, have been increasing for the last week because of the new medication I strated that doesn't seem to work as well as the motrin. The contractions were coming every 5 min or so and so I layed down for a while and drank some water to stay hydrated. They did slow down and I just went to bed early that night. I did not sleep that well, lots of cramping and so the next morning I called the on call doctor. He said to go to Labor & Delivery to be monitored. We headed over there just after lunch and had a lovely afternoon hooked up to the baby monitors and even had an ultrasound :) I was contracting every 10 min but with an extra dose of meds they were able to slow them down quite a bit. I went home a few hours later and am now supposed to double my dose of nifedipine at night to 60mg and still 30mg in the morning. It seems to be working the last few days so we will continue to pray for another month or six weeks of relative uneventfullness in this pregnancy.

As much as I love the nurses and doctors at St.Jo's we do prefer to spend our quality time together at home doing other things :) Hopefully that's where were able to be for the next while yet.

Thanks for your prayers, and all your care and concern!

Extra Information

Here is some information I found helpful to clarify what the steroid drugs do if administered at the right time in a pregnancy that is at risk for premature delivery. This information came from the March of Dimes website:

Steroids (such as betamethasone and dexamethasone) speed the growth of the baby's lungs and organs. These drugs reduce infant deaths by about 30 percent. They also reduce the two most serious complications of premature birth, respiratory distress syndrome (by about 50 percent) and bleeding in the brain (by about 70 percent).



And here is some information on the two drugs I am taking during this pregnancy to reduce PTL symptoms. The first one, nifedipine, is what I will start taking next week at 29 weeks after going off of the motrin (which is a NSAID [non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug] like indomethacin).

Calcium channel blockers
(nifedipine)
Possible side effects for the mother: Redness of the skin, headache, dizziness, nausea, low blood pressure
Possible side effects for the baby: None noted as yet

Prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors
(indomethacin, ketorolac, sulindac)
Possible side effects for the mother: Nausea, heartburn
Possible side effects for the baby: Tightening of the blood vessel through which the baby's blood flows from one major blood vessel to another (ductus arteriosus), high blood pressure in the lungs, decrease in kidney function, bleeding within the brain or heart, jaundice (yellowish color of the skin and eyes), decreased blood flow to the bowel resulting in infection (necrotizing enterocolitis)

(: ǝʇɐpdn ʇuǝɯʇuıoddɐ (28 weeks)

Okay - no joking ;)

Happy April 1st!!

I saw the doctor today and he is a little concerned about the fact that the contractions and cramping have increased and that the motrin isn't working as well as it has during the last month. He gave me a few different options for what to do at this point and what we decided is to continue with the motrin for one more week (the max he'll allow me to stay on it) as long as things are relatively under control. Next week I'll start a new medication called nifedipine (spelling?) which in his opinion isn't usually as effective but there are too many risks to staying on the motrin at this point. The doctor would also like to do a course of steroids for lung development in the next couple of weeks depending how things are going. We'll discuss this and also discuss if and when my doctor would like for me to go to Seattle to see a perinatologist for a second opinion.
We'll be praying for an uneventful week for now...(the kids have spring break next week and it would be nice if things stay stable so we can enjoy the time off together).