30 Weeks

Post date: Aug 26, 2011 2:55:27 PM

Sometimes it's hard to believe that I'm already to 30 weeks. Only 7 more weeks to go until Briella is born! Briella's crib has officially arrived in the mail so we (I say 'we' but in reality it will Jim constructing and me watching) can begin her room; Fun. This past weekend started off well; went to a large Farmer's Market and bought Briella some very cute flower clips. Jim finished his Kawasaki Bike restoration that day as well. The bike looks awesome. He has a real talent for working on cars, bikes, and house stuff too. He saw the potential in buying a bike that needed restored in order to fix it up to sell it and he did it well.

Later that night I bought Briella some headbands and beanie hats online that are made for flower clips. She's going to look so beautiful regardless, but the little hair accessories will be extra cute. Beginning on Sunday night I began having a lot of stomach pain and by Monday it had continued as well as having back/lung pain. Me being who I am was going to ride it out because stomach aches are a common issue for me, but Jim insisted that I call the doctor to tell them my symptoms. The doctor immediately said to go to the hospital for 'tests'.

There's something about being a pregnant woman but you still think and believe you can do most anything and even though I am 30 weeks along, sometimes I forget about the more delicate state that my body is in right now. I guess I didn't assume or realize how seriously they take any unusual symptom during the third trimester so they quickly hooked me up to the fetal monitor and did a variety of tests. Other than showing a good amount of Braxton Hick contractions on the monitor, my test results were 'normal'. After four hours I was sent home with the instruction to drink lots of water, rest as much as possible, and continue monitoring the contractions until my doctor follow up on Thursday. I've been experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions since at least week 18 so I'm weirdly used to them but I probably shouldn't be.

Between going to work in my classroom and parent meetings this week, my body tired out quickly. By the time we went to my Thursday doctor appointment, the Braxton Hicks contractions were happening non-stop whether I was standing or sitting. The doctor wasn't in our room for but one minute before she was telling me that she is taking me off of work, putting me on bed rest, and sending me right to the hospital for more monitoring and tests. I'm not going to lie that my heart kind of sank a little bit. I've been doing a lot of preparing and anticipating for my student's arrival next week and thinking that I won't even be there for their first day seemed very sad to me. Don't get me wrong, I think of Briella's health and safety as my absolute number one priority; it just goes back to what I wrote earlier that pregnant women sometimes forget that they can't do it all.

After almost another four hours at the hospital last night, I was discharged on the basis that I will be on bed rest and taking a medication to try to stop the contractions with a follow up appointment on Monday. I watched my best friend, Jill and her husband have their son born at 30 weeks and I wouldn't wish that experience upon anyone, let alone us or our baby. I realize that if I need to stop working and be on bed rest to keep Briella safe then that is what I need to do. I'm not going to lie and say that it will be easy because I'm used to doing things without asking for help. Jim is great and very helpful. In fact, he was happily relieved that I was put on bed rest because he wants Briella and me safe. No sooner than we walked in the door from the hospital last night, he was already waiting on my every need. He's really great to me and Briella is going to be a very blessed baby to have such a doting father as Jim.