Say what?
How did that happen? :)
And when did months get extended from 31 to 42 days? (lol) Kidding... I know that if the baby came at 38 weeks or earlier I would still be term... but it was a funny kind of thing to read and a little stunning.
(Royal University Hospital - where I work. In fact, these are the doors we go in during regular hours when "the time" comes.)
And the other night we got a little "test run" for the due date. We were hanging out with our friends at our house and Oscar was feeling "happy" and decided to jump up on me. Which, I must say, he never does! The problem was that I was sitting, and that his big, 90 lb puppy foot went right into my stomach without my being able to absorb it with the rest of my body. I instantly tightened up, and the tension spread to my back and lower stomach.
I didn't say anything to Kurt or our friends... so after we drove our friends home, I told Kurt that maybe we should go to the hospital... just to be sure everything was okay. I hadn't felt the baby move, and I know a little too much about all that can happen if a bad situation is missed or ignored. The fact of the matter is that if something did happen and I knew the potential and hadn't acted, I'd feel terrible because I've seen some heartbreaking situations and heard parents say, "If only..."
We picked up my heath card at the house, kenneled the dog (also known as "source of problem") and drove to RUH. It was 11 pm, so we had to go through the emergency doors. I went in while Kurt parked the truck and I must have given off pregnant vibes, because the triage nurses looked at me and said, "Is it time?"
Uh...
NO!!
I'm only 34 weeks. Do I look full-term?? By the stars above: I'm formulating a post-baby exercise plan this very moment!! (lol)
Slight digression... I'll continue my story... :)
I told them the story and they sent me up to antepartum (where you go before full-delivery- room-type-labor starts) to get a fetal heart monitor put on. Kurt and I went up... and I got a bed (which, with how busy work has been lately, I'm very thankful for) and the nurse came in to put on the equipment. She also affirmed that we had made the right choice, and that coming in was a smart move... which made me feel not quite so silly. Kurt was also great - didn't complain at all... so that was also less stress.
All I was thinking about was my mother saying to my stomach on Thursday night, "You stay in there until I get back!" (She and my Gramma White are in Toronto for her cousin's wedding.) Good grief: is this child a rebel already?
The good news was that the baby chose almost that very moment to start hiccuping - big time. And squirm - also big time. The L&D nurse said that she had never heard hiccups that loud. I think he/she was squirming because of the hiccups. These findings were very comforting... and also kinda funny because I actually felt sorry for the baby. Personally, I hate having the hiccups - talk about lack of control.
The result was, though, that they couldn't get a clear strip - which not only indicates baby heart rate, but also subtle 'hidden' contractions. Not only that, but all the doctors were busy with deliveries... so even if things had been clear, I wouldn't' be able to be discharged until a doctor exam. So we cuddled up on the bed and Kurt feel asleep right away - despite the woman in true, full-term labor groaning and pacing on the other side of the curtain. I also dozed a little, but not as well as my hubby who wasn't plagued by the thought: "Shoot. That is going to be me in a month and a bit."
Long story short? They put the monitor back on at 0230, and the doctor came in and talked to us at 2:45... and we were free-and-clear to go home by 0300 hours. Yeah - and I still got up for church the next morning. :) Oh - and when we left, the other lady was only at 3 centimeters. (Fully dilated is 10... poor dear.)
We're thankful that the baby is healthy: they asked me to do a kick-count for a few days - but the baby is very obliging with that task... so it isn't too challenging... even as I'm writing, I'm feeling a little foot or heel in my right side, and "wiggles" in the mid-abdomen. That said, I'm also very glad that I only have 3 shifts left - even if they're 12 hours each because the other day when working I was getting all sorts of Braxton Hicks contractions and that makes it mildly uncomfortable to do my tasks. :) Oh well - small price to pay... and it is a reminder of what is coming in a month-and-a-half... just in case I forget by some chance. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment