Thankful...

Tonight...

I am thankful. 

Thankful to have this little bean still cookin' away in my belly.  About a year ago, I shared with you my experience with my firstborn, our son, Joel.  Since then, we (my husband and myself) have done a fairly good job of keeping me out of the hospital during my pregnancies. 

Last night and today were rough. 

Last evening around 6:40, I began having contractions while sitting in church...on one of those unmoving pews.  After 3 c's in a matter of minutes, we decided I should go lay down, down some fluids...rest.  They cut back to 4 minutes apart.  As soon as I got up after the service ended they picked back up again.  After getting home and laying down (and the wonderful husband getting the kiddos fed, dressed, and put in bed) they finally began to peeter off for real.  By the time I went to sleep, they were back to my normal 1-2 an hour.  I really wasn't fretting it.

This morning, they cropped back up again.  Long story short, I was able to run in to see my OB who checked me and administered a fetal fibronectin test.  No results yet from that test (should be tomorrow morning sometime) but in checking me we found I was 1cm dilated.  Honestly, it may be nothing...it may be something.  I still say 31 weeks is a leeeeetle early for dilation. 

So, where are we at right now?

Self diagnosed bedrest.  *smirks* 

If the FFN test were to come back positive, I would head back in to the doc tomorrow for steroid shots to help develop the baby's lungs. 

I will simply be backing off on some things that I had been doing up till this point. 

And please let me clarify: I KNOW there are women out there, tons of women, who have experienced things much worse than I have!!  I KNOW that the survival rate of a baby born at my gestational age is pretty great actually.  Could things be worse than they are right now?

You betcha! 

But I desperately want to bring a baby into this world who is full term, nursing like a champ, has some plump little rolls (you should have seen my skinny 36 week baby!!), and beyond all else...is healthy and gets to stay with me.  (fyi, this beautiful little dream DID indeed happen with my 3rd baby/pregnancy!!)

She is currently rolling and punching me to beat the band...keeping me awake...which is why you are getting a blog post at 12am!!  I'm not one for sharing a ton of my personal life on my blog, but I know some of my readers have been wondering how this pregnancy is coming along. 

Here are a few other little tidbits:

I have low iron.

I have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes.

My blood pressure is chronically LOW right now...seems to be causing light headedness, out of breath spells, heart palpitations and so on. 

After I saw my OB today, I had an already scheduled apt with a cardiologist to discuss these symptoms I've been having.  I came home with a heart monitor and a fresh stick in my arm.  (That was my 5th blood draw in the last 2 weeks) 

So...I THINK that's it!!  If you have questions, bits of advice...encouragement, I am all ears!! 

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My shop will be going on vacation as of April 1st and will reopen the 3rd week of June.  If there's something in particular you were wanting to purchase or order, please get with me soon!!