30 Weeks

So I made it to 30 weeks and so far, so good. Being on bed rest is really hard! I want to clean, I want to organize our storage shed, rearrange furniture, scrub every surface in the house... I have this incredible urge to get things ready for baby (all my parenting books call this "nesting"), and I'm not allowed to do any of it!

The effects of the betamethasone shots I received in the hospital finally wore off after my first week of bed rest.
I am still on the progesterone and the headaches I was initially having for the first few nights have gone away. I found out headaches were just some of the side effects of progesterone, including drowsiness, exhaustion and nausea. Luckily I haven't had nausea, but I still experience drowsiness and exhaustion.

I have modified my bed rest a little, because I had about 4 different doctors who had 4 different ideas of what bed rest meant. So I have been going to work in the mornings - that is when I feel the best - and I usually only last until about 1 or 2pm. Then I come home, waddle up 3 flights of stairs, make the most dramatic entrance into my house, crash on the couch for the rest of the night with lots of water, my lap top to check in with work, and I only get up to use the bathroom and to eat.

My next appt with my OBGYN is this Friday. She will check my cervix and also to see if I'm dilated any more. I will also discuss with her my bed rest routine and see if she thinks I should be more strict or if I can do more active things.

NST (Non-Stress Test) testing is still happening 2 days a week and each time the baby does well, is super active, and I don't have any contractions. Of course that's how it goes, I just have them every time I'm NOT hooked up to a machine to detect them. I had my most recent NST on Friday and only had 1 contraction during the session, but it was different from all of the other BH contractions I'd been having. It felt like menstrual cramps on my lower left side.

Yesterday I was feeling energized and wanted to take advantage of feeling well, so Taylor and I went to our pool for 1 hour. We both burned. I rested up and we went to dinner with 2 of our really good friends, and then we went to a movie. I figured I would be fine since we would be sitting the entire time. I was wrong, my lower back killed the entire movie and no position was comfortable. Maybe there's a certain point in pregnancy where you stop going to the movie theater.

Last night I woke up with the most powerful cramps, I was sure I was going into labor. My lower back was killing me and I could not believe that I was doubled over in pain from the cramping. They felt like really bad menstrual cramps, but they were only in my lower left abdomen area. I must have been making a lot of noise because I woke Taylor up.

My pre-term labor warnings all say that if I am having contractions, I should lie down on my left side and drink water. I was lying on my left side when the contractions were happening!
I tried emptying my bladder, but the cramps kept getting stronger and stronger, I thought for sure they were contractions. (Warning - TMI ahead) Then, all of the sudden I felt a strong urge to try to have a bowel movement. A lot of cramping, 2 hours and 3 bowel movements later - what I thought were contractions turned out to be what I affectionately call "poop pains"that went away and I was able to finally sleep. I have throw out that I have the best husband ever. He got dressed twice during the night and all but packed a bag for the hospital while I was doubled over in pain. He ended up sleeping in his jeans and his jacket just so he could be ready to go incase my "poop pains" were actually contractions and I really was in labor.

All is well now, and I feel a lot better, but we decided that we can't do dinner & a movie anymore - a little too much excitement.

My biggest fear (besides baby being born too early, obviously), now that I'm not allowed to be active,  is going way over my target weight gain. As of right now, I am still right on track, and that is with 2 weeks of bed rest behind me. If I can still keep on the track of only gaining 1 lb per week the rest of the term, I will be good to go!

I have also decided that when the baby is born I want to try placenta preservation. I have read so many good things about it and I feel it couldn't hurt. I want to have it put into pill forms, so it's not like I'm going to be frying it up in a pan and inviting the neighbors over. If you want more information about this and the effects, check out Placenta Wise.

Weight Gain: 20 lbs.

Cravings: Nothing too crazy, I'm trying to retrain my brain to crave veggies and fruits, but I did have a terrible case of "get me nacho cheese Doritos & a waffle cone frosty right now or I'm going to FREAK OUT!!" Friday night.

New Experiences: fetal hiccups! During one of my NST tests, the nurse pointed out that the baby had hiccups. I didn't notice them before, they were so slight, just a series of little twitches that were rhythmic. Nothing like the powerful jabs and punches and full body spasms I have been feeling. I have noticed them a few more times since then and Taylor has also gotten to witness them as well.

My favorite new thing: a recliner chair that is also a glider. I didn't know I could be so happy and so comfortable. It takes the pressure off my lower back and I get to put my feet up. Taylor used the power of Grey-Skull to somehow carry the thing up 3 flights of stairs all by himself. I've never been more impressed or attracted to him :)