This morning, I made the mistake of trying to take a shower while Alyssa was drifting off to sleep in her bassinet. I should have known it wouldn't work. She hates to lay anywhere except her swing or bouncy seat (or someone's arms, of course). She started crying, and by the time I could get out of the shower and get to her, there was a big tear rolling down her cheek. Poor Alyssa! Thankfully, she had tired herself out so much that all I had to do was pick her up and walk with her for a minute or two, and she was sleeping like a rock.
Our big brown cat, Lucinda, is totally in love with Alyssa. She came up and licked her on the head while she was eating this morning. It was very sweet. But then later she tried to kiss her right on the mouth (searching for milk perhaps?), and that was just too gross...I had to launch Lucinda off the bed. Poor Lucinda!
Monday, March 20, 2006
Saturday, March 18, 2006
New adventures
Alyssa has been sleeping well the last few nights. Mommy even managed to get an astounding 7 1/2 hours of sleep herself Thursday night! (They weren't consecutive hours, but it's still really impressive!)
Alyssa got to see her first IU basketball game with the Cooks tonight. Despite Alyssa'a best cheering in her new IU outfit, they lost. But thankfully, it's the last IU game she'll ever see that is coached by Mike Davis. ;)
She also got to meet her cousins Elliot and Anthony tonight. Elliot seemed to think she was okay, but he refused to trade in his little brother for her.
Mommy and Daddy went on their first date since Alyssa'a arrival (lunch at Red Lobster) while Alyssa stayed with Nana and Pop Scheck for a couple hours. She slept the whole time except for while she was getting her diaper changed.
Alyssa got to see her first IU basketball game with the Cooks tonight. Despite Alyssa'a best cheering in her new IU outfit, they lost. But thankfully, it's the last IU game she'll ever see that is coached by Mike Davis. ;)
She also got to meet her cousins Elliot and Anthony tonight. Elliot seemed to think she was okay, but he refused to trade in his little brother for her.
Mommy and Daddy went on their first date since Alyssa'a arrival (lunch at Red Lobster) while Alyssa stayed with Nana and Pop Scheck for a couple hours. She slept the whole time except for while she was getting her diaper changed.
Monday, March 13, 2006
In Love
Alyssa is doing well and growing every day! She has had a couple of fussy nights, but we're hopeful that she'll sleep well tonight, because we have finally been able to keep her awake for a few hours this evening.
It seems like Alyssa changes so much every day. It's fun to look at her face each morning in the daylight and see how she has changed overnight. I'm totally in awe of this beautiful little girl that God has created.
It seems like Alyssa changes so much every day. It's fun to look at her face each morning in the daylight and see how she has changed overnight. I'm totally in awe of this beautiful little girl that God has created.
Friday, March 10, 2006
Reflux
We got a great report from Dr. Beach today. Alyssa now weighs 7lb 6 1/2 oz, which is awesome. She is still having some reflux problems (which she demonstrated by spitting up all over herself and Mommy as we were getting her undressed to weigh her), and the doctor could hear the reflux happening with the stethescope, but at least Alyssa is happier and gaining weight now. We might try a different kind of medicine if she continues to have problems.
Alyssa seems to get more beautiful every day! She is becoming more alert and spending more time looking around. She is always very fussy between about midnight and 1:00am, but other than that, she is sleeping fairly well.She still loves her bouncy seat, and she likes to hear the running water sound that her bassinet makes. (She sometimes wakes up just because the sound has stopped.) She also likes to have the TV in our bedroom on all night. She cries if we turn it off. (We hope she doesn't keep that habit up when she's old enough to actually watch the TV!) And if she naps in her own room, we actually have to leave the light on for her so she can sleep. I guess she has had enough of being in the dark after nine months all cooped up in the womb.
Alyssa seems to get more beautiful every day! She is becoming more alert and spending more time looking around. She is always very fussy between about midnight and 1:00am, but other than that, she is sleeping fairly well.She still loves her bouncy seat, and she likes to hear the running water sound that her bassinet makes. (She sometimes wakes up just because the sound has stopped.) She also likes to have the TV in our bedroom on all night. She cries if we turn it off. (We hope she doesn't keep that habit up when she's old enough to actually watch the TV!) And if she naps in her own room, we actually have to leave the light on for her so she can sleep. I guess she has had enough of being in the dark after nine months all cooped up in the womb.
Thursday, March 9, 2006
Bath Time
Alyssa took a bath in her tub tonight. She loved the warm water, and it was very calming for her. I think she's going to like taking baths before bedtime.
Tuesday, March 7, 2006
Feeling better
Alyssa's tummy is still doing well. Dr. Beach called this morning to check on her, which I thought was really cool, and she was happy with the report. We go back to the doctor on Friday to check Alyssa's weight. Alyssa slept perfectly last night. We're settling into a pretty good routine for eating and sleeping. She usually wakes up like clockwork every four hours or so. She's starting to become a lot more alert, so we're getting to see her beautiful eyes open more. She seems happy and content, and when she does cry, it's not the "I'm in pain" screaming anymore. She's such a good baby! We set her carset in the pack n play bassinet last night and put her in it to sleep so that her head would be elevated. She really seems to like it. I have a feeling that the transition to sleeping in the bed later on might be a challenge, but for now we just want to know that she's sleeping comfortably. (Besides, we're hoping that this might train her that she's supposed to go to sleep whenever she's in her carseat!)
Alyssa seems to enjoy nursing now, and she nurses for a while before each bottle. It makes feedings a lot longer (and quite a bit more painful for Mom), but it seems to be helping to keep her tummy moving along so she doesn't get tummy aches as much, and she's getting some good healthy antibodies. She is a little piglet! She will nurse for 20-30 minutes and then drink as much as 3 ounces of formula, and she often thinks she wants more than that! That's more than most babies her age drink, but as long as it's not causing her tummy problems or coming back up, it's okay with us-especially since she has been losing weight. Hopefully she will have beefed up a bit by Friday.
We have loved and cherished Alyssa from the moment we knew about her, but we're really getting to enjoy spending time with her now that she is on the outside and she and Mommy are both feeling healthy. We think she's the best! God has given us such a special blessing!
Alyssa seems to enjoy nursing now, and she nurses for a while before each bottle. It makes feedings a lot longer (and quite a bit more painful for Mom), but it seems to be helping to keep her tummy moving along so she doesn't get tummy aches as much, and she's getting some good healthy antibodies. She is a little piglet! She will nurse for 20-30 minutes and then drink as much as 3 ounces of formula, and she often thinks she wants more than that! That's more than most babies her age drink, but as long as it's not causing her tummy problems or coming back up, it's okay with us-especially since she has been losing weight. Hopefully she will have beefed up a bit by Friday.
We have loved and cherished Alyssa from the moment we knew about her, but we're really getting to enjoy spending time with her now that she is on the outside and she and Mommy are both feeling healthy. We think she's the best! God has given us such a special blessing!
Unplugged
Alyssa is officially "unplugged"...her umbilical cord stump fell off today. Now she can take real baths in her tub! :)
Saturday, March 4, 2006
Miracle drug!
WOW, we have definitely found the reason for Alyssa's all-night crying and tummy trouble! After taking the acid-reducing medicine, Alyssa slept all night except for feedings! Mommy and Daddy were amazed and SO thankful! Alyssa always looks beautiful to us, but she's all the more beautiful when I have had more than 20 minutes of sleep during the night. :)
Friday, March 3, 2006
6 long nights!
After six nights of literally all-night crying (Alyssa and sometimes Mommy) and tummy problems, we took Alyssa back to the doctor today. As we suspected, the doctor said it sounds like she has reflux. She prescribed some medicine to try and said if it doesn't work, Alyssa will need to have an Upper GI barium x-ray on Monday. We're really hoping the medicine works! Alyssa has been spending a lot of time in her bouncy seat since it sits her upright and helps keep the acid down in her tummy. We hope that tonight will be more comfortable for all three of us!
Alyssa's weight is down to 6lb 14oz. It isn't a big concern since most babies don't regain their birth weight until 2 weeks of age, but it is a bit puzzling since she actually weighed more than birth weight on Monday. She'll have her weight checked again next week just to be sure it's headed in the right direction.
Speaking of weight...when I lose two more pounds, I'll be back to pre-pregnancy weight! I have lost 13 pounds in the last 4 days alone. (I think most of it was water in my feet!)
Alyssa's weight is down to 6lb 14oz. It isn't a big concern since most babies don't regain their birth weight until 2 weeks of age, but it is a bit puzzling since she actually weighed more than birth weight on Monday. She'll have her weight checked again next week just to be sure it's headed in the right direction.
Speaking of weight...when I lose two more pounds, I'll be back to pre-pregnancy weight! I have lost 13 pounds in the last 4 days alone. (I think most of it was water in my feet!)
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
She's here!!!!!
It's hard to believe that Alyssa is 5 days old now! The last week has gone so quickly!
Here is the story of how things went in the delivery room...
The process of getting Alyssa here was quite an adventure. I started pitocin at 5:00a.m. on Thursday, the doctor broke my water at 9:00, and by around 11:30, I was only 3 centimeters but already ready for my epidural. The epidural was AWESOME at first. (I considered running away with Mike, the epidural man!) A few hours later, though, it became really spotty, and I think I was feeling pretty much everything in my lower right side. Bless his heart, Mike kept coming in and pumping more meds into me, but it only seemed to work in one of my legs.
I made slow progress at first, and my contraction pattern was not ideal for most of the day. The contractions weren't quite strong enough, and they were happening one on top of another without letting up in between. Given the contraction pattern, slow dilation, and what we thought was a large baby, the doctor and nurses really didn't think I'd be able to give birth vaginally. The doctor said we would give it a try, but I could tell that he expected to be performing surgery in a few hours.
At 4:00, the doctor came to check me, and since I had only been 5-6 cm a few minutes earlier, I expected that he might be making the decision for a c-section. But no...I was suddenly completely dilated and ready to go! So the doctor left, and I started pushing at 4:10.
It soon became apparent that Alyssa was stuck behind my pelvic bone. She just kept bumping her head into it when I pushed. We were told in childbirth class that the pushing stage can last "up to 2 hours" with a first baby. So as I noticed that two hours were almost up and I was getting really tired, I was ready to give up. Finally, the nurse called the doctor and he came back around 6:15. (Note that I've been pushing for over two hours now with a less-than-perfect epidural.) Again, I expected that I would be on my way to the OR, but the doctor wasn't giving up yet. Over the next hour, he tried all sorts of medievil torture techniques to get Alyssa past my pelvic bone. (I don't think my right hip will ever stay in the socket again!) Finally, he was able to get the vacuum attached and pull her past it. After another few minutes, out she came at 7:10. Everyone was amazed that I didn't end up with a c-section. The nurses in the nurses station all cheered when they heard the news. My nurse said she had had the meds pulled and ready for a c-section.
Alyssa came out at sort of an angle, and her left hand came out beside her head, which could have been part of the reason that she was stuck for so long. She had a conehead and lots of bruising that made her head sore, but it is much better now. She has been healthy and strong from the moment she was born. Throughout labor, her heart rate did just what it was supposed to do. She's really a trooper!
She is absolutely beautiful! She looks JUST like her daddy's baby pictures. She was much smaller than everyone thought she was, which is a good thing considering the way labor went.
We came home from the hospital Saturday night, and we are getting settled in at home. Alyssa has been REALLY gassy at night and has cried all night long two of the three nights. She sleeps beautifully during the day, though! She didn't sleep more than 5-10 minutes at a time last night, but went to sleep at 5:30am and is still asleep now at 11:45! When her days and nights get straightened out, maybe she will be able to sleep this long at night! We saw the pediatrician yesterday. She is up to 7lb3oz now, which is really soon to be up past birth weight. The doctor said she looks perfect!
Here is the story of how things went in the delivery room...
The process of getting Alyssa here was quite an adventure. I started pitocin at 5:00a.m. on Thursday, the doctor broke my water at 9:00, and by around 11:30, I was only 3 centimeters but already ready for my epidural. The epidural was AWESOME at first. (I considered running away with Mike, the epidural man!) A few hours later, though, it became really spotty, and I think I was feeling pretty much everything in my lower right side. Bless his heart, Mike kept coming in and pumping more meds into me, but it only seemed to work in one of my legs.
I made slow progress at first, and my contraction pattern was not ideal for most of the day. The contractions weren't quite strong enough, and they were happening one on top of another without letting up in between. Given the contraction pattern, slow dilation, and what we thought was a large baby, the doctor and nurses really didn't think I'd be able to give birth vaginally. The doctor said we would give it a try, but I could tell that he expected to be performing surgery in a few hours.
At 4:00, the doctor came to check me, and since I had only been 5-6 cm a few minutes earlier, I expected that he might be making the decision for a c-section. But no...I was suddenly completely dilated and ready to go! So the doctor left, and I started pushing at 4:10.
It soon became apparent that Alyssa was stuck behind my pelvic bone. She just kept bumping her head into it when I pushed. We were told in childbirth class that the pushing stage can last "up to 2 hours" with a first baby. So as I noticed that two hours were almost up and I was getting really tired, I was ready to give up. Finally, the nurse called the doctor and he came back around 6:15. (Note that I've been pushing for over two hours now with a less-than-perfect epidural.) Again, I expected that I would be on my way to the OR, but the doctor wasn't giving up yet. Over the next hour, he tried all sorts of medievil torture techniques to get Alyssa past my pelvic bone. (I don't think my right hip will ever stay in the socket again!) Finally, he was able to get the vacuum attached and pull her past it. After another few minutes, out she came at 7:10. Everyone was amazed that I didn't end up with a c-section. The nurses in the nurses station all cheered when they heard the news. My nurse said she had had the meds pulled and ready for a c-section.
Alyssa came out at sort of an angle, and her left hand came out beside her head, which could have been part of the reason that she was stuck for so long. She had a conehead and lots of bruising that made her head sore, but it is much better now. She has been healthy and strong from the moment she was born. Throughout labor, her heart rate did just what it was supposed to do. She's really a trooper!
She is absolutely beautiful! She looks JUST like her daddy's baby pictures. She was much smaller than everyone thought she was, which is a good thing considering the way labor went.
We came home from the hospital Saturday night, and we are getting settled in at home. Alyssa has been REALLY gassy at night and has cried all night long two of the three nights. She sleeps beautifully during the day, though! She didn't sleep more than 5-10 minutes at a time last night, but went to sleep at 5:30am and is still asleep now at 11:45! When her days and nights get straightened out, maybe she will be able to sleep this long at night! We saw the pediatrician yesterday. She is up to 7lb3oz now, which is really soon to be up past birth weight. The doctor said she looks perfect!
Monday, February 20, 2006
STILL waiting...
Alyssa seems to be very comfortable right where she is. (I'm actually having fewer and fewer contractions every day.) I, on the other hand, am anything but comfortable! My blood pressure continues to be a concern (though not an emergency). My hands are SO swollen that it hurts to bend my fingers, and I'm having bad headaches (a combination of blood pressure and sinuses, I think). I can't wait for Alyssa to make her big entrance! Jeff is very eager to meet his daughter face to face too.
We see the doctor tomorrow afternoon. I suspect that he will induce me before this week is over as long as insurance will cover it (and that shouldn't be a problem considering the blood pressure issue). It's definitely time to get this process over with so we can bring our baby home!
We see the doctor tomorrow afternoon. I suspect that he will induce me before this week is over as long as insurance will cover it (and that shouldn't be a problem considering the blood pressure issue). It's definitely time to get this process over with so we can bring our baby home!
Friday, February 17, 2006
Bad news, Good news
Here is today's doctor appointment update...
Bad news: barely any progress in my cervix since Tuesday
Good news: The doctor stripped my membranes again, so we're hoping that there will be more progress by next time.
Bad news: After months of contractions, I didn't have a single one during my NST!
Good news: Alyssa's NST results were just fine, so she is not showing any negative effects from my blood pressure
Bad news: My blood pressure still isn't all that great, especially when I get up and move around.
Good news: It goes down when I lie down and rest.
Bad news: So the doctor tells me I pretty much need to stay lying down and do nothing.
Good news: Because of my blood pressure, the doctor will hopefully be able to induce me next week if I haven't gone into labor before then, so...
Great news: Alyssa will be here very soon!!!
Bad news: barely any progress in my cervix since Tuesday
Good news: The doctor stripped my membranes again, so we're hoping that there will be more progress by next time.
Bad news: After months of contractions, I didn't have a single one during my NST!
Good news: Alyssa's NST results were just fine, so she is not showing any negative effects from my blood pressure
Bad news: My blood pressure still isn't all that great, especially when I get up and move around.
Good news: It goes down when I lie down and rest.
Bad news: So the doctor tells me I pretty much need to stay lying down and do nothing.
Good news: Because of my blood pressure, the doctor will hopefully be able to induce me next week if I haven't gone into labor before then, so...
Great news: Alyssa will be here very soon!!!
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Still waiting...
We're still here and still waiting to meet Alyssa face to face. I was in a LOT of pain Tuesday night after having my membranes stripped, but it didn't quite start labor. We see the doctor again tomorrow. He'll check my blood pressure and cervix, and we'll have the NST to check on Alyssa. I had the highest blood pressure I have ever had earlier this afternoon, but it went down once I laid down on my left side for a few minutes. The nurse at the doctors office said that it shows how important it is to rest and stay "closer to bedrest". I'm SO glad that we didn't have this issue earlier on in the pregnancy, because I would be totally nuts if I had to lie around the house alone all day for weeks or months! Thankfully, my mom and stepmom have come out to visit me and take me out to lunch the last couple of days, so I haven't been bored yet.
Hopefully tomorrow's appointment will bring good news that Alyssa is healthy...and ready to come out! :)
Hopefully tomorrow's appointment will bring good news that Alyssa is healthy...and ready to come out! :)
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Not moving so quickly.
Here is our update after our appointment today...
I haven't made too much progress since last week. I'm 1 1/2 cm dilated and more than 70% effaced. The doctor did say my cervix is much softer this week though, which is good. He stripped my membranes (which was not painful at all like I have heard it usually is) but he said he doubts that we'll be at the hospital tonight or anything. The ultrasound looked good. Alyssa looks healthy, and she is not nearly as large as what she was predicted to be at this point. She is measuring 6 pounds 14 ounces, which is a perfect size. I definitely like the idea of having a 7-8 pound baby instead of an 8-9 pound baby!!!
The big news of the day is that my blood pressure is creeping up. It was 130/92, which isn't shockingly bad, but it is high enough that the doctor took me off work. He said don't be surprised if he induces me in the next week or two because of my blood pressure. We are scheduled for appointments every few days from here on out. At each visit, we will have an NST (non-stress test) where they monitor Alyssa's heart rate, her movement, and my contractions for 30 minutes or so to make sure that my blood pressure isn't causing problems for her. Then the doctor will check me out, strip my membranes, and decide whether it's time to induce. Though the high blood pressure isn't good news, we are happy that Alyssa looks healthy and that she will be born soon!
I haven't made too much progress since last week. I'm 1 1/2 cm dilated and more than 70% effaced. The doctor did say my cervix is much softer this week though, which is good. He stripped my membranes (which was not painful at all like I have heard it usually is) but he said he doubts that we'll be at the hospital tonight or anything. The ultrasound looked good. Alyssa looks healthy, and she is not nearly as large as what she was predicted to be at this point. She is measuring 6 pounds 14 ounces, which is a perfect size. I definitely like the idea of having a 7-8 pound baby instead of an 8-9 pound baby!!!
The big news of the day is that my blood pressure is creeping up. It was 130/92, which isn't shockingly bad, but it is high enough that the doctor took me off work. He said don't be surprised if he induces me in the next week or two because of my blood pressure. We are scheduled for appointments every few days from here on out. At each visit, we will have an NST (non-stress test) where they monitor Alyssa's heart rate, her movement, and my contractions for 30 minutes or so to make sure that my blood pressure isn't causing problems for her. Then the doctor will check me out, strip my membranes, and decide whether it's time to induce. Though the high blood pressure isn't good news, we are happy that Alyssa looks healthy and that she will be born soon!
Monday, February 13, 2006
Almost there!
Tomorrow could be a big day! We have an ultrasound and then we see the doctor. He's going to strip my membranes, which could very well start labor in the next day or two. If it doesn't work tomorrow, he will repeat it twice a week until it does work, so we're going to have Alyssa on the outside very soon!!!
I changed the due date on the website to the 27th since it looks very likely that Alyssa will be born before the end of the month...maybe even this week!
I changed the due date on the website to the 27th since it looks very likely that Alyssa will be born before the end of the month...maybe even this week!
Tuesday, February 7, 2006
Moving right along!
We had a great visit to the doctor today! I'm 1 centimeter dilated and 60-70% effaced. The doctor said that's far ahead of where most people are at this point. Alyssa is very low, and the doctor was touching her head, which was pretty cool (though a bit creepy to think about). :) The doctor also said that if it comes down to making decisions about timing for induction (though it looks like my body will probably do things on its own), he will use a due date of February 27th, which gets us in a few days earlier. And if I go into labor now, they won't try to stop it. Alyssa and I both look healthy. My blood pressure has been up and down and was a little high today, but when he had me lie down on my left side and checked it again, it was just fine.
I have heard lots of women describe the last month of pregnancy as miserable, but I didn't understand what they meant until now. I am extremely uncomfortable. I'm having lots of contractions that are very painful at times. It's getting very difficult to breathe, and the carpal tunnel syndrome due to swelling in my hands really hurts. Oh, and then there is the lack of sleep. And a squished bladder. And headaches, nausea, acid reflux, aches and pains...basically all normal symptoms but enough to make me REALLY eager to have Alyssa on the outside!
After the good news today that things are moving along, I am feeling much more positive about things. The contractions are well worth it if they are actually moving me closer to labor. I'm excited to finish packing our hospital bags and to put away the baby clothes I have washed. Now that there is an end to the pain in sight, I am able to focus more on the excitement of getting to see Alyssa's face soon!!!
I have heard lots of women describe the last month of pregnancy as miserable, but I didn't understand what they meant until now. I am extremely uncomfortable. I'm having lots of contractions that are very painful at times. It's getting very difficult to breathe, and the carpal tunnel syndrome due to swelling in my hands really hurts. Oh, and then there is the lack of sleep. And a squished bladder. And headaches, nausea, acid reflux, aches and pains...basically all normal symptoms but enough to make me REALLY eager to have Alyssa on the outside!
After the good news today that things are moving along, I am feeling much more positive about things. The contractions are well worth it if they are actually moving me closer to labor. I'm excited to finish packing our hospital bags and to put away the baby clothes I have washed. Now that there is an end to the pain in sight, I am able to focus more on the excitement of getting to see Alyssa's face soon!!!
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Happy 1st Birthday, Dorothy Grace!
Today is a sad day for us as we remember Alyssa's big sister. Dorothy Grace would be celebrating her first birthday today. Even though we never got to meet her face to face, she will always be a part of our family, and we miss her.
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Exhausted
Sorry it has been so long since an update. I have been busy playing nurse. Jeff has been really sick, requiring a trip to the ER for a high fever last Thursday. He has the same thing I had before Christmas. He is still feeling awful, but he's on the road to recovery now. His cough is improving enough that he actually slept for a 3-hour period without waking up last night. (I, on the other hand, was awake every hour to go to the bathroom!) :)
My shower at school last Wednesday was SO much fun! I was really overwhelmed with all of the awesome gifts, and it was really neat to spend that time with everyone.
Since our house has been a quarantine zone, no one has been able to visit and see our gifts yet, and I haven't had time to write thank-yous or put things away yet, so our living room is full of gift bags full of presents right now. It looks like Christmas! (Come to think of it, there is still a Christmas tree out there too.) :) Grandma and Grandpa Cook are coming over this weekend to help do some work on Alyssa's room and get things organized.
Since the fFN test was negative, the doctor is letting me keep working, but I have been strictly ordered to rest. I said to the nurse "He said to just rest when I can, right?" and she said "NO!...he said to rest AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE!" I thought that would be difficult, but I'm SO tired right now that it's not hard at all! I even lie down on the couch at work for 15 minutes or so every day during my lunch break. I have never been able to nap much during the day, but right now I feel like I could take a nap anytime, anywhere! :)
My shower at school last Wednesday was SO much fun! I was really overwhelmed with all of the awesome gifts, and it was really neat to spend that time with everyone.
Since our house has been a quarantine zone, no one has been able to visit and see our gifts yet, and I haven't had time to write thank-yous or put things away yet, so our living room is full of gift bags full of presents right now. It looks like Christmas! (Come to think of it, there is still a Christmas tree out there too.) :) Grandma and Grandpa Cook are coming over this weekend to help do some work on Alyssa's room and get things organized.
Since the fFN test was negative, the doctor is letting me keep working, but I have been strictly ordered to rest. I said to the nurse "He said to just rest when I can, right?" and she said "NO!...he said to rest AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE!" I thought that would be difficult, but I'm SO tired right now that it's not hard at all! I even lie down on the couch at work for 15 minutes or so every day during my lunch break. I have never been able to nap much during the day, but right now I feel like I could take a nap anytime, anywhere! :)
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
All clear!
Just a quick update because I'm still at work...the test was negative, so everything is okay for now. I'll write more later.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Early Arrival?
We saw the doctor today. Since I have been having so many contractions and they have been coming regularly at times, he did a test to check for a chemical called fetal fibronectin (fFN). From my understanding, it's a chemical found in the "glue" that holds the baby's sac to the wall of the uterus. If the chemical shows up in the test, then it means that the "glue" is beginning to break down early, and I have a significant risk of delivering Alyssa in the next 1-2 weeks. That wouldn't be good news this early. I would have to have some sort of treatment, such as stopping work, bedrest, medication to stop the contractions, and/or steroids to mature Alyssa's lungs. None of those things makes an ideal situation right now, so we're certainly praying for a negative test! The good news is that is the test is negative, then the risk of delivering soon is VERY low, and all I have to do is stay off my feet as much as possible. He said that I might be having and feeling more contractions just because Alyssa is so big.
As for the issue of Alyssa's size, I'm still measuring ahead of schedule, but I'm actually measuring two weeks smaller than I was at my last appointment (34 weeks) since Alyssa is dropping. It's still something they want to watch, so I will have an ultrasound in two weeks at my next appointment (assuming the fFN test is negative). The doctor said if she is still looking big, he will be more likely to induce me a bit early or, if my cervix isn't cooperating, to do a scheduled C-section. I have mixed feelings about that last option, but we (hopefully!) have a while before that choice will have to be made.
I'll post a quick update with the test results as soon as I can.
As for the issue of Alyssa's size, I'm still measuring ahead of schedule, but I'm actually measuring two weeks smaller than I was at my last appointment (34 weeks) since Alyssa is dropping. It's still something they want to watch, so I will have an ultrasound in two weeks at my next appointment (assuming the fFN test is negative). The doctor said if she is still looking big, he will be more likely to induce me a bit early or, if my cervix isn't cooperating, to do a scheduled C-section. I have mixed feelings about that last option, but we (hopefully!) have a while before that choice will have to be made.
I'll post a quick update with the test results as soon as I can.
Sunday, January 8, 2006
Not all fun and games...
7 1/2 weeks until our due date, and we're counting down. :) I LOVE having Alyssa inside me, and I will really miss having that bond with her, but I'm getting very uncomfortable. Staying hydrated is a constant struggle, and my contractions are almost all the painful kind now. On the 31st, I had contractions every 30 minutes all day long, and they hurt. Thankfully, they stopped, and I am not getting them so regularly anymore. The smallest tasks are getting more difficult now. There are times that standing, walking, getting in and out of the car, bending over, and even rolling over in bed can be really challenging. :) I have to laugh about it or I'd be miserable!!! It's funny to think that THIS is what I have waited and prayed for for so long. Women (myself included) choose to go through this ON PURPOSE??? :) No one tells you about the yucky parts of pregnancy. (I guess if they did, no one would want to get pregnant!) :) In the end, though, it will be more than worth it, which I'm sure is why no one feels the need to mention the unpleasant parts very often.
Alyssa is very active right now. As soon as she hears Jeff or me talk (or cough or sneeze) in the morning, she wakes up and starts dancing. I wish I could see her and know exactly what she's doing and which part of her body is making that big bump on the side of my belly. :) I had another dream the other night that Alyssa kicked her little foot out (though this time she put it out through the right place instead of directly through my belly). This time, Jeff took her foot and pulled her right out. :)
My baby shower at work is this week, and I'm SO excited!!! I have been waiting for this for what feels like forever! It will be so fun to celebrate with my friends. As much as I'm excited to spend every minute I can with Alyssa when she's born, I already feel a little sad that I won't see my work friends every day for at least 5 months. I work in a great place with awesome people.
Alyssa is very active right now. As soon as she hears Jeff or me talk (or cough or sneeze) in the morning, she wakes up and starts dancing. I wish I could see her and know exactly what she's doing and which part of her body is making that big bump on the side of my belly. :) I had another dream the other night that Alyssa kicked her little foot out (though this time she put it out through the right place instead of directly through my belly). This time, Jeff took her foot and pulled her right out. :)
My baby shower at work is this week, and I'm SO excited!!! I have been waiting for this for what feels like forever! It will be so fun to celebrate with my friends. As much as I'm excited to spend every minute I can with Alyssa when she's born, I already feel a little sad that I won't see my work friends every day for at least 5 months. I work in a great place with awesome people.
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