PM Monitoring

Later last night I had my second monitoring session of the day and met with "my doctor" his actual title is maternal-fetal doctor, meaning his goal is to care for me and the baby, where the neonatologist is focusing on the baby, mostly after he/she is born.

So the monitoring is not really that intensive, the attach two monitors to me and they measure the baby's heart rate and if I am having any contractions. The process lasts about 30-45 minutes.

• It was kinda late last night, I think Baby was getting a little sleepy, the heart rate was good and strong, but lower than in the day right about 140-157
• The baby moved and kicked the entire time being monitored, which did cause a small decel in the heart rate for about 5 seconds. I felt Pumkin adjust at this point. They presume he/she pinched the cord real quick and then got off it.
• As far as contractions, nothing. Not on the monitor, not off the monitor, which means there are no extra threats of my body getting ready to get the baby out prematurely.

The doctor is very pleased with my progress:

• no contractions, what so ever, due to me being very well hydrated via iv and drinking like a fish
• my blood pressure is very normal, I know Aunt Char asked me and I can't for the life remember it from last time, but I think it was 109/79, but I do sometimes mix up the lower and upper numbers
• i have no swelling, which is good, no signs of edema or swelling due to iv fluid build up
• i am remaining cheerful and positive (thanks to all of your thoughts, emails, visits) which is great for baby's prognosis
• I will most likely be changing to a "better" room (wear my own clothes and have more comfort items) same floor soon which is when they plan on discontinuing the iv and going to oral antibiotics and letting me chug my fluids instead of them by iv

TO YOU:

So thank you for all you are doing. Wether it is an email a call they lift my spririts and make me not feel so alone. I cannot begin to express my gratitude enough.

A special thank you has to go out to the visitors too, I know driving here is not fun. It's far away, you get lost in the construction, but what seems like a meaningless visit to you filled with just small chat is a life saver to me.

On a more spiritual note, the prayers and prayer chains. Brian and I practice a quiet faith, but this is amazing and so special to me and I will do anything for this baby and my family.

I can never forget the homefront supporters who have so generously offered their time to care for my family while I cannot. Keeping Greyson occupied and happy, while other wise he would blow up in a mommyitis fit, feeding my boys, offering respite to Brian, who needs it just like me. We are a team and he absorbs everything that effects me.

You know who you are....and I cannot thank you enough.

Neonatologist Update

Met with on of the neonatologists of baby Pumkin's team. He was very nice, but also positive and hopeful of the possible prognosis. Our goal obviously remains the same, keep the baby in as long as possible. Moms are better incubators than are the ones in the NICU. But he did say a lot of things that make me happy.

Please note that below I keep saying "29 weeks" this does not indicate that I will be delivering anytime soon. At this point there is no indication that I will deliver any time earlier than our long term goal of 34 weeks. He just wanted to emphasize that 29 weeks is good, but any day or week after this is better and eliminates more and more of any possible issues. The older baby is gestationally (longer he/she stays in) the better and less severe any of the possible complications are.

I will try my best to summarize his thoughts:

• Babies born at 29 weeks have the same survival rate as full term newborns, thus this is not a risk factor.
• Babies born at 29 weeks have very little risk for any cognitive or sensory issues.
• Babies born at 29 weeks will most likely stay in the hospital until roughly their due date (about 6-9 weeks after birth)
• The main two risks are respiratory issues (which is why I am getting the steriods to mature the baby's lungs) and inability to feed until 34 weeks (thus before 34 weeks tube feeding would be the order)

1. The repiratory issues could be severe or mild. Varying from mild, needs some assistance and then can breathe on own to moderate needing a nasal tube with oxygen to severe needing a breathing tube. They will also possibly use surfactant (synthetic lung maturer)
2. The feeding issue: babies don't have the appropriate reflexes or interest in traditional feeding until 34 weeks

Now Mommy:

• my blood pressure is good, last reading was very normal for me, which is normal to a little low
• sugar is off due to the steroids and gestational diabetes, but being treated with insulin untile the steriods wear off (about 3-5 days)
• No contractions whatsoever...due to antibiotics and good hydration
• baby is head down preventing leak of new amniotic fluid, which is good as there is no sign of infection at all

I will be posting again later after the second monitoring of baby

Baby Monitoring

Just had the morning monitoring session. Baby is doing great. I hear the heartbeating nice and strong at the highest rates ever seen by me from a baby in my belly. Yep, little Pumkin is hitting the 160's on a regular basis.

No contractions, lots of antibotics, and chilling out for me. All is good as can be. Please keep the prayers coming.

Holy Crap

I am assuming this is spreading like wildfire, but being closest to the situation and for sure going to be rather bored soon...I thought I would send the latest news.

You may have heard that yesterday at 29 weeks (almost 7 1/2 months for you non-prego people) my water broke. Apparently, Pumkin is a little antsy about making a big debut.

Scared out of our minds...but not even sure what had happened, I called the clinic and they hesitantly told me that I was probably having bladder leakage. Less than an hour later it is confirmed as amniotic fluid. Yes, my water broke...which never even happened with Greyson.

Due to how early I was, Borgess couldn't keep me, they only want 32 week plus babies due to facilities. They were concerned about the contractions that I was having regularly, every 3 minutes. They gave me something to slow them/stop them as I was transported to Specturm Health in Grand Rapids. Bronson, which also has a NICU was full and not accepting anyone who had possibility of delivering quickly. At that point, that was me.

Took a quick ride to GR, got to labor and delivery, they did all sorts of monitoring and lab tests, gave me shots of steroids to mature baby's lungs, and administered antibiotics.

Here is what I know, which may be review, depending on who you talk to:

Baby is stable, I am stable, it is possible from what I have heard for me to hang out here for another 5 weeks being on bed rest and monitored and still have an early, but healthy baby
I am here. I will not be going home, until the baby is delivered, which we don't know when will happen, ideally, in 5 weeks, which is what they are looking at as far as a goal
I was having contractions, regularly, but they stopped. They made no progress in terms of getting ready for delivery...cervix is closed, not dilated.
Baby is healthy and reacting healthily as possible to the stress he/she has been thru. Heartbeat stayed very healthy all of my contractions petered out and I am having none now. Which is good.
I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and initially will be having insulin injections due to high blood sugar levels due to the steriod that was given to the baby to help lungs develop
Every day, week, etc. that I am here, the better for baby. So I am here chilling out, but with all that time on my hands, will have way too much time to think. Had a hecl of a time sleeping last night.

I have wireless internet and will most likely use that as a main form of communication, becuase I can't use my cell and other wise have to pay for the calls on top of how much this is going to cost. I will have my laptop sometime today and I am in room 4409, 616-391-7323. I know it is not convenient to drop by, but I am sure some people will be making at least weekly treks, so if you have read a good book lately send it with them or any low carb or high protien snacks, I have a fridge in here...:)

On the homefront, things are going to be chaotic. Brian is going to for all intents and purposes be a single dad and he will be needing as much help and support that he can get. We love Greyson to death, but he has been quite challenging so recently. I am asking for any help that you can give him. I haven't even had the chance to start my after baby meals that I had planned on doing, I thought I had time!

So if you have time to give him some relief in the form of food, time, entertainment, whatever, he won't ask for it. So I am.

I will be updating as best I can. Here is the link to the blog that I have created for baby pumkin young if you want to follow. Emails and calls are more than welcome...boredom strikes! www.babyyoungblog.blogspot.com

Take Care/Love,

Christi and Pumkin

Got my 3 hour results..

I flunked. Although this is nothing compared to the next blog that you may have read the email about already..

Waiting....

So I made it thru the 3 hour test...it sucked as per usual. Four vein pricks makes one look like an IV drug user. Not so good for the prego. I did bring a book, which I highly recommend to anyone who might have to endure this toruture. Now, the torture continues....waitint g for the results. Test was Monday.

29 Weeks...what's happening inside

You are 29 weeks pregnant. (fetal age 27 weeks)
(This picture is not pumkin, but another 29 week old baby)

• Your baby now weighs about 2 and a half pounds (1150gm)
  and is about 15 inches (38.5cm) long from head to heel.
• Brain is busy developing billions of neurons.
• Baby's muscles and lungs are continuing to mature.
• The fetus can taste and respond to pain.
• The milk teeth have developed under the gums.

The baby's head is growing bigger to accommodate the brain, which is busy developing billions of neurons. The eyes can move in their sockets. They may be able to follow a blinking light. As well as your baby's increasing sensitivity to changes in light, they may also be able to taste. Various studies show that your baby may indicate preferences or dislike for particular tastes at this stage.

Baby is also moving from side to side, but probably still is head up. In the next few weeks, they will move to the head down birthing position. At times you may feel as if baby is performing somersaults for an olympic gold medal. Baby may be performing fewer movements because living conditions in the womb are becoming more cramped. The baby is still doing a lot of kicking and stretching. Some of your baby's kicks and punches may even take your breath away.

Baby hears things better from the vibrations all around, and can now distinguish real sounds and voices. Do not forget to continue to 'teach' your baby in the womb by exposing them to music, literature, and simply talking to them. At this stage baby eyes are almost always blue and can distinguish bright sunlight or artificial light through the uterine wall.

At week twenty nine, your baby measures about 11 inches (28 cm) from crown to rump, or a total length of about 15 inches (38cm) from head to heel, and weighs about 2.5 pounds (1150gm