Sorry so long!!!!
I had Rylan, my 34 weeker, on June 9th. We TTC'ed, hoping to get another little boy, as we had 2 girls and 1 boy. I was convinced I was pregnant because I got "implantation pain" at 3 DPO on the same side I ovulated on. It was just a mild/moderate stabby pain low down. I couldn't wait to take a urine test so I went to my dr. and asked for a blood test, It was 8-9DPO. The next day, I got a call that it was negative. I was disappointed but by the next day I was convinced again that the blood test was wrong... I asked to see if it was a QUAL or QUAN blood test, as a qual. would just test for more than 5 which woudl be positive but the quan would give you exact levels. He told me it was quan, less than 1!! But 3 days after the blood test I got a quick positive on a First Response HPT with FMU. I was after telling everyone it was negative, so it was a surprise.
In the beginning I had some bleeding and spotting but I did with previous pregnancies so I was worried but knew it could all go well like in the past. We just did extra HCG levels to make sure they went up. They were higher than normal so no worries there. Didn't have much sickness or signs. I was convinced it was a boy, like we hoped. 20 week u/s I found out it was a healthy looking baby boy! Then I started to bleed again around 26 weeks. Got admitted for a few tests. Got a biophysical, was let go after 2 nights. From then on I had issues with bloody mucous, etc. I eventually went back to the hospital and they told me that it was my cervix being fried and silver nitrated it and basically told me to come back when my bleeding was a heavy period. The next morning (my birthday!) me and the kids had plans to go to my parents to have dinner and cake. I went to get in the shower and blood just poured out, it was more than a heavy period. I nearly lost it. I was sitting on the toilet calling my mom on the phone, she had to calm me down a little. I got MIL to watch the kids and went back to the hospital. The same dr. was on and she basically rolled her eyes at me. I mean the bedpad was all full of mucousy blodo and the nurse was asking if my water broke or something. The dr. just sent me on home!!! I was livid mad, in tears. I went to my parents as planned and they let me put my feet up and not run around after the kids. The next day I went to my OB, and she said she'll do her own exam, after hearing the situation... She did and she was convinced that, even though my cervix was friable, it was from the internal os. She called the case room and said she wants them to check for signs of placental abruption and to give me the first shot for lung maturity then admit me upstairs in the mat ward. I was there for 3 nights this time. My biophysical came back fine, and I got my second shot. My OB came in to tell me that she doesn't want to let me out but she will if I promise to try and not overdo it and come back at any cramps or signs of more blood. Even though, the biophysical came out good, she said, it has to be a big bleed to be picked up and most bleeding will go unexplained. So this was a saturday. I didn't do much but Tuesday I had this really strong feeling that I needed to have my bag all packed. I was ok'ed to make a trip out to the store to get a few things. I was gone 20 minutes... I was wearing a heavy liner but at hte checkout started to feel a bit wetter. I just let it go, like maybe I was warm lol... Came home packed the rest of my hospital bag, just in case... went to change for bed, had a gush! I jumped on the toilet and called out to s/o telling him I'm pretty sure my water just leaked! The kid heard so there was a commotion. I felt 'different', like my tummy was heavier. I was waiting to see if cramps/contractions started (now I was only barely 33 weeks at this point) or it to happen again. I was laying down and getting up... but it didn't happen again from waht I could tell... I didn't want to go back out to the hospital because they were treating me bad there the last few times (even though this is the only issue I've had with treatment there in 4 pregnancies). So I went from Tuesday night to Thursday morning when I had an OB appointment... I didn't tell her about it (felt stupid, second guessed myself), she went to do an internal and thought I seemed a bit wet so she wouldn't do it until I was checked at the hospital. Part of me, kind of knew that I wouldn't be home pregnant with this little guy again, but I was in big denial and was still surprised when it came out positive and I was told that I was staying till they could induce me at 34 weeks, and that I would be on IV antibiotics for 48 hours then oral antibiotics till he was born.
I called my MIL and family to say I was being admitted again, but this time till he is born and he'll be a preemie, etc.
I was a little sad. This was suppose to be my last pregnancy and I wanted to really enjoy it. I felt like I missing out on a big part of the end.
I've never dealt with the NICU and was supposed to have someone come up and talk to me before being induced, maybe get a tour... Didn't happen.
Monday I was 34 weeks, someone FINALLY comes to talk to me after all weekend of only seeing nurses. It's some dr's on my OB's team. They pretty much tell me that it wouldn't be today because of priority listing and I would get a biophysical and they'll make sure someone from NICU would come and talk to me.
Then like 3 hours later, my nurse tells me to get my stuff the birthing unit called up for me to be induced!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyways, I was hooked up around 3ishpm monday june 8th, he was born Tuesday June 9th. Quickly once I finally went into labor. I called s/o and told him labor was started actively now and to come... this was like 1030-1045. Next thing I know I'm feeling lots of pressure... Nurse checks and I'm like 8, like 2 contractions I say It feels like he's just going to slide out.. She checks and I'm fully... They had to wheel me to pre-op because it's connected to the NICU... There are like 10 people in the room. S/o misses the birth. When he comes out they show me befor ethey pass him to the NICU ladies to check him out... I cry because he's so tiny looking... A nurse takes a picture of him... They allow me to hold him because he seems fine... I get a picture with him. They take him and take me back to my birthing room. I call s/o on the cell, he answers and says "I'm there in 2 minutes, I'm almost at the doors!!".. I say "he was born and he weighs 4'15"... he was disappointed. So him and mom show up. He's rotten because he left straight from work and plasters and paints... the nurse says he won't be allowed to see the baby in NICU but goes and gets him some scrubs and tells him to use the shower in my birthing room LMAO!! Someone from NICU comes to tell me how he is doing. They had to put him on CPAP. We see him. Then I'm brought back upstairs to my room. My mom went up there when me and s/o saw baby. I knew only 2 people could go in, and I didn't know how the lists worked so mom couldn't come in till I knew what was allowed... She was sad, but wouldn't say anything. We caught her crying when we got to my room... Me and s/o felt so bad and promised her she would get in to see him! So, they leave. I pump the first time. Then go to see him. This time he's in a room (before he was in the temp room to be watched for like the first hour or so. I was a little surprised he was in the intensive care part... I went to see him and was hooked up to IV antibiotics because his lung xray looked cloudy... but he wasn't on cpap anymore.
Anyways, I got to hold him the next day for a short bit before I went home. The next night he was started on a little oxygen (a sniff, she called it). Soon after, he was moved to intermediate care. About a day or two after he got there, I got to try and breastfeed him the first time.
He was there for 3 weeks, but it seemed like longer to me!! He would have been there longer but I had to push for them to start feeds on him. They were happy just using the tube, forever, I think. He was off the monitors for days and they were only still letting him one feed, the breastfeeding session he had with me at 9pm everynight!!!
It was wonderful to take him home. The nurse almost changed her mind about letting him go, after me waiting for the pedi all day (because I was planning to bf.... Oh I would have kicked up holy hell if she had to backstep on me, because I was told on thursday, they were shooting for sunday. As long as I saw dietician, he did fine with 24 hour non-tube feeds, and he passed his carseat test and the pedi checkup). It was all done and he passed everything with flying colors!! I think she was being stereotyping because I'm young and have 3 kids already at home. I should have reported her because she has NO business to put me in a category... I'm a good mom and I'm not a young girl on welfare popping out kids, but that is how she treated me. She kept saying to me "It's his brain at stake here, don't forget"... like I was never going to feed him! I was so insulted, I'm even getting worked up right now!! My kids are my life... I don't get a break, everything I do is for them. Everyone tells me that I should take a break for myself sometimes! So I'm definitely not fitting into the stereotype she was making me into.
Now he's over 3 months old. Getting chubby. Is beautiful, and mommy's boy. He's adored by his siblings, especially since he started smiling big and laughing out loud. They LOVE making him laugh out loud. LOL
If you read all of this, then you are crazy.... but Thanks :-)
Since I was lurking, I thought I should share Rylan's preemie story.
We have talked about the possibilty of another baby in the future but I'm not sure. I'm so afraid that it would happen again. My OB told me that likely, the next one would go fine, but there is a higher chance of prematurity again since it happened and that I would be higher risk. My 3rd pregnancy was full of bleeding too, plus, lots of contractions and such. I went full term with her but was admitted twice and was considered threatened preterm, so with Rylan, I almost felt like it would be the same thing. Lots of trouble, and worry but it'd go full term just like she did.
