NOT meant for bed rest

So just a quick update for family and friends...

Went to my usual NST appointment on Friday. They measured the fluid before hooking me up to the machines to test heart rate and contractions. Fluid was down again to a 6. The tech said she'd remeasure after the test to see if we could get it higher.

It wasn't.

So back on bed rest until my appointment on Monday.

We will then re-evaluate to see if I have more fluid and go from there. Sigh.

Hoping for better results tomorrow and getting OFF bed rest. I suck at it! And bed rest with a 2 year old and a husband on shift???? Are they insane? THANK GOD for the help I have had! :)

Just a little hiccup...

First...sorry it's been a while. I owe family and friends photos from about 3 months worth of collecting. Probably more than 3 months now that I think about it. But I will get to it...soon enough - I promise.

Halloween was SO MUCH FUN with the little one. Those will be some of the promised pics I will be putting up - and I think they deserve a blog of their own. So give me a few days (translated into about a week or so). :)

Recently we had a little scare with the pregnancy. I was AMAZED at how calm I remained. I just didn't want to worry. I guess because I hadn't been given ALL the information.

At any rate, had my regular OB appointment on Wednesday the 28th (could be Wednesday - maybe it was a Thursday - at any rate - it was the 28th). Went in, everything checked out okay. As the appointment was coming to a close I figured I better tell my doctor something that had concerned me - just to be safe. So I mentioned that when we had our last 3d/4d that the tech had mentioned I don't have as much fluid as most women, but not as little as some have had. My doctor immediately decided to give me an ultrasound just to make sure all was okay.

The next words out of her mouth were "looks like you just bought a ticket to L&D". I guess my amniotic fluid was EXTREMELY low. She also had to do a pelvic (oh those are fun!) to make sure no fluid was leaking to cause the low amniotic fluid. None was.

As she was writing my orders, she was also explaining that IF I needed to deliver right away there were certain hospitals I'd go to and was sure everything would be fine. Okay. Whatever. I am not going to worry.

I waddle on over to L&D and the midwife was there to greet me. They said I needed to get my own room. YAY for not having to go to triage and be concealed behind a curtain! So I got myself comfy and they hooked me up to the monitors for the heart beat and contractions. Took blood and brought me gallons (literally) of water to drink. Okay. Whatever. Can't be THAT bad.

But time kept going on and on and I hadn't heard anything. I called my husband to come down because I was a little worried (after the midwife explained when I got there about having to be delivered early). But I was in the mode of keeping my husband calm that I just didn't let it affect me.

Then...we FINALLY found a nurse to let us know what was going on (since it was going on 5 hours). He came in to explain that amniotic fluid levels should be at least at 10. That was optimal. He explained anything below an 8 is cause for concern. He explained the hospital I would be transferred to would be a GREAT hospital and I'd be happy there. HAPPY??? DID HE SAY HAPPY?????

I then asked where my fluid level was. He wasn't sure but went to check. Came back and told me 4.8. Well no wonder why everyone was concerned. Now...although I tried not to show it...I was concerned.

Husband had to leave to put the kid to bed (his sister came over to relieve him) and FINALLY the doctor came in. Measured fluid 3 times and was happy enough with a level of 9 to send me home. Guess the gallons of water helped.

This past Friday (10/30) I noticed the baby not moving much. I tried again not to worry too much but with the fluid scare - I was a tad more nervous than I normally would have been. I did everything I was suppose to - ate, walked around - ate something sweet - drank something cold. The MOST kicks I got in an hour were 5. So back to L&D I went.

They monitored me for a bit - the baby was asleep when I got there but woke up about 15 minutes into my stay. They said the baby was probably sleeping a lot today which could be the reason for not feeling a lot of movement. They also did the ultrasound to measure levels again. This time - it was a 7.1 which she was okay with. Sent me home. Took my off bed rest.

Needless to say, I am confused. But I have an appointment tomorrow so hopefully I can learn what numbers to be concerned with and what numbers not to be concerned with. I will have testing two times a week which I am okay with if they can check on my fluid and not deliver this little one too early.

But now? I am scared. I seem to get dehydrated even if I have literally drank 16 glasses of water. (Okay 8 glasses - but 16 ounce glasses). I have been getting pretty dizzy lately for no reason. Today? I just about passed out while the kid was napping. I made myself lay down and just waited until it passed. I wasn't doing anything to exert myself when it happened either. So I wonder. I wonder about fluid levels. I wonder if the baby is okay. I wonder if she will come early. I wonder if it was a fluke about the fluid levels or if this will be an ongoing thing until I deliver. I just wonder. I do my best to stay positive...but it's hard. It's difficult without answers. It's difficult without someone telling me "it will be just fine". It's difficult not being able to exert myself with my 2 year old like I had been.

But I do my best. That is all I can do. I NEED to learn to take care of me - something I rarely do. In fact...I always put others before me - but now...it's time for them to put me first and help me out when I need it. I find that isn't always easy but I find it's needed.

Hoping tomorrow brings answers, good answers, calming answers.