Baby Update: 30 Weeks

Ahhh.... still can't find my camera!  I'm not in the best shape to be rooting around searching all over for the camera.  I'm so sad because I really want to continue my weekly picture updates:*(  I took one on my phone but can't transfer it to the computer.

Today I had a doctor's appointment and it seemed to go well. My cervix has not changed which is a HUGE blessing & shows that bed rest is working!  My baby's heartbeat was strong and healthy!  I had no contractions during the stress test which was great too!!  Tomorrow I will find out the results of the Fetal Fibro test that I had done again today.  We are praying for a negative result so that I will have two weeks of relief knowing I will not go into labor within the next two weeks.  I am going to continue bed rest for awhile... at least for the next month, if not for good.  We'll see what happens.

This week Josh and I have really been tested in our faith and trust in God.  A stressful situation is going on at his school and we are praying that he gets rehired and tenured for next year.  Please join us in prayer that he has a job for next year.  God has always provided for us and we continue to trust in Him for giving us all we will ever need! 

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 30 Weeks

Size of baby: She is over 3 pounds- about the size of a cabbage

Maternity Clothes: I wear a mix of maternity and regular clothes, pajama pants are my favorite now that I am on bed rest.

Gender: It's a girl!!!

Movement: She is VERY active - especially after I eat!!

Sleep: I'm sleeping pretty good!

What I miss: Running, walking Charlie, my hubby (he's doing musical right now so I never see him) doing household chores around the house for Josh

Cravings: This week I was craving a hamburger, curly fries, w/ pickles and a banana split blizzard from DQ.  Fruit always tastes good... especially blueberries!!!

Symptoms: Cramping, heart burn, and some contractions

Best Moment this week: Spending time with Courtney- she made me a delicious pizza, and when I received the bed rest package from my friends at work.  Made my day!!

I choose JOY!

Being on bed rest, I realize that every day I have a decision to make: 
1.)  to be depressed about the fact I am on bed rest, cooped up in the house, unable to work, unable to be active OR 2.)  to be filled with joy and trust God that this is what I need right now and cherish it. 

As much as my nature tends towards the first... I choose JOY!  Is it easy to be filled with joy during a time of uncertainty like this when it concerns your baby and your health?  Absolutely not!  However, this morning I realized that God knew this would happen at this point in my pregnancy.  It's not news to Him!  I trust that I am doing what is best for my baby and myself.  I am doing what His plan is for me at this point in my pregnancy. 

The time that I have now is more like a blessing.  It's a time for me to get rest, get visits from my family, and find encouragement!  I have been so moved by the amount of facebook comments, emails, cards, phone calls, meals, and visits!  This is also a time for me to enjoy the little things in life... a room filled with bright sunshine, springlike breezes through a slightly opened window, naptime when tired, snuggles with my puppy, and kicks from my little girl!  These are all things I typically miss out on when life is too busy.  It's these little things and the encouragement from family and friends that have brought me joy during this time. 

1 Thessalonians 5:16 "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

Baby Update: 29 Weeks

Today is my third day of bedrest and so far so good.  I had a dr. appointment yesterday and they did some more monitoring.  My baby girl's heart looks great and the doctor said that she is a "happy baby"!  She is such a little wiggle worm... constantly moving and swimming around.  The doctor gave me a "kick count" sheet to track the number of kicks per hour, and at this point I can't even imagine counting all of them.  Thank you God for such an active and happy baby!!  Talk about reassurance!

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 29 Weeks

Size of baby: She is 3.1 pounds (via ultrasound) - about the size of a butternut squash

Maternity Clothes: I wear a mix of maternity and regular clothes, pajama pants are my favorite now that I am on bedrest.

Gender: It's a girl!!!

Movement: She is VERY active - especially after I eat!!

Sleep: I'm sleeping pretty good!

What I miss: Sleeping on my stomach and running

Cravings: Everything just tastes REALLY good!  Fruit, veggies, guacamole... anything I see Rachael Ray make on TV:-)

Symptoms: My growing belly!:-P Cramping, heart burn, and some contractions

Best Moment this week: Finding out that I am not gestational diabetic & leaving the hospital on Sunday!!
 
*** Picture coming soon... I don't look very great now that I am on bedrest!!

A Bump in the Road- Baby Update: 28 Weeks 4 Days

This weekend has been...let's just say a bump in the road.  Friday night into Saturday morning I was experiencing a lot of contractions and cramping.  At around 2:30 a.m. we decided to go into the hospital to for monitoring.  Saturday early morning I was not having too many contractions.. hardly any at all (it's that how it always is...go get your car fixed and it starts working when the mechanic looks at it.  Unlike the car at the mechanic, this is a very good thing and I was very happy to see that they calmed down. I also learned that most of what I had been feeling and thinking were contractions were mostly just a lot of cramping and the result of an irritable uterus.  This girl loves kicking and stretching!!  They said I was having some contractions, but they are inconsistent and I was able to sleep right through them- another great sign. 

Thank you God! 

 I did find out that I am dilated 1 cm, which may not necessarily be a bad thing, just something for me to be aware of.  My doctor also did a fetal fibro nectin test, which tests for a certain protein and hormone that are released before labor.  With this test if it comes back negative it means you will not go into labor in the next two weeks.  If the test comes back positive it means that there is a 50/50 chance that you could deliver before 37 weeks.  Before the results were back, my nurse told me she was pretty sure my test would come back positive, but that it would be a false positive as a result of some bleeding from the test (sorry to give you too much info!!)  And yes, the nurse was right it was postive... and hopefully just a false positive.  Because of me being dilated and the positve fetal fibro test they needed to monitor me over night and into this morning (Sunday) and I am now on bedrest, hopefully just short term until my follow up appointment with my dr. Tuesday.  This morning we were released from the hospital because there were no further changes in my cervix and baby looks good.  Thank God!  They also gave me steroid shots both days to help develop our baby's lungs in case we deliver early.  

Through this I feel like God is teaching me a lot.  I'm learning about trusting in Him, even when it is difficult.  Sometimes I find myself just wanting answers...I'm a teacher for goodness sake! haha!  But I am learning how to trust God even when test results come back uncertain and when I don't have all the answers.  God is in control and will take care of us!  He is the creator of the universe for crying out loud... this little bump in the road is not to difficult for Him to take care of!

On a positve note, I did get some good test results!  Because the nurse was curious, she pushed to get early results from my 3 hour glucose test I had on Friday, and we found out

I do NOT have gestational diabetes!!  YAY!  Thank you for all of your prayers and encouraging words. 

God has been so faithful in providing Josh and I with our miracle baby girl.  He truly is taking care of her.  We got another ultrasound at the hospital.  She is as healthy as ever-weighing already at just over 3 pounds. I love seeing my little girl.  She is so perfect!  God is doing such a beautiful job knitting her together!

Psalm 139:13 "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb."

Knowing that God loves my little girl, even more than I do, and knowing that He is her creator is so encouraging.  This is a good reminder for me and you too.  God loves and cares for us more than we'll ever know.  To read more about this little girl's amazing story: check out my earlier posts titled "Mist", "With God...ALL Things are Possible", and "The Significance of a Flower."  I hope that these posts and our story will bring you encouragement. 

To all of you out there who are still waiting for your babies, who have had difficulty conceiving,

1 Samuel 1:27 "I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him."

or who just need encouragement I pray that these stories will bring you hope and peace. 

Matthew 19:26 "With God all things are possible."

Please leave a comment with your encouraging stories or "bumps in the road" that you are going through! 
I'd love to pray for you!

Baby Update: 28 Weeks

28 weeks!  That's right... we are officially in the third trimester!  It's so hard to believe that my pregnancy is 2/3 of the way finished.  This week we had a doctor's appointment and heard her strong heartbeat.  She is head down... stay that way little girl!  I had my glucose test too this week.  There's nothing better than a good Vitameatavegamin drink! haha!  After I drank it I said, "It's so tasty too, tastes just like candy ::shivers:: "  I found out yesterday that I failed the test, so today I got the same "yummy" drink and had the 3 hour long testing after the overnight fasting.  It was not fun, but I was glad I brought a book with!  We will get results on Monday and I am just praying it was a fluke and that everything is normal.  The good news is is that our baby is healthy and kicking a TON! 

Baby Update: 27 Weeks

This week we survived what news reporters are calling "The Blizzard of 2011"! We enjoyed two snow days on Tuesday and Wednesday, which allowed us time to relax, take naps, bake 2 batches of cookies, and play outside with Charlie.  It was SO nice!   I am feeling my little girl's kicks stronger now... sometimes causing discomfort, but I love it!  She is over 2 pounds now and is waking and sleeping at regular intervals.  Her favorite time of the day to be awake is when mommy is sleeping.  Yes, this girl has her days and nights mixed up!!  One of my pregnancy books says that I am starting my third trimester this week, the other one says it starts next week at 28 weeks ( I'll celebrate that next week.)  This is my last week of month 6!  Yahoo!!  Now this snow needs to melt and spring needs to come quickly!