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Alrighty then! On the cusp of my 35th week pregnant with these twinkies, it seems I may have yet again MORE updating to do!

Last week was a busy one. P-Daddy flew in to my little corner of the world on Tuesday night so we’re still adjusting to a “visitor” schedule which means my darling cherubic children have been in major arsehole mode. Which is fine, just GAH. P-Daddy didn’t have much time to settle in before we got down to business, as I had my weekly OB appointment on Wednesday morning. Aaannnnd……… It was a doozy! A normal belly check turned into a lady bits check when I mentioned, once again, my frequent contractions. This was not new news as I’ve been having more then my fair share of Braxton Hicks anyway, with a few actual real contractions thrown in for good measure. The good news? I still have lady bits present despite the fact that I haven’t seen them in, oh, I don’t know… weeks. Sasquatch. Awesome. But what did they expect? Shaving, when wiping my own arse has become a strategic process?!

Wow. Off topic.

Moving on. During my lady bits check it was decided that.. hey… I might be a wee little bit dilated. Like, a centimeter. And maybe a tiny bit effaced. Maybe. So it was off to the hospital for an NST for me. THREE straps are needed for these little things, and DANG are they comfortable! I love them! It’s great! Not itchy at all! And on that particular day I got to stay in the hospital for HOURS with the fun things! Like… I didn’t get home till after 2:30, while my OB appointment was at 9:45. Math; you do it.

*ahem*

Good news is the ladies sound great. Nice steady little pitter patters. Bad news? I am totally unobservant. My husband has been telling me that for years but I didn’t notice. Looks like I’m having contractions every three minutes. I… failed to notice. Oops. I just got so used to the BH’s that I don’t even register them any more. And for every 5 “fake” BH contraction I have, I get one “real” one. Greeeeat. It is much too early to entertain any thoughts of the ladies making their grand entrance, so this was NOT good news. The solution? Nifedipine.  For those too engrossed in my descriptives to click the link ( raise your hand!) I’ll paste below the important part:

Nifedipine side effects

If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking nifedipine and contact your doctor immediately or seek emergency medical treatment:

  • an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives);
  • unusually fast or slow heartbeats;
  • severe dizziness or fainting;
  • psychosis;
  • yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice); or
  • swelling of the legs or ankles.

Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue to take nifedipine and talk to your doctor if you experience

  • headache, fatigue, or tiredness;
  • flushing;
  • insomnia;
  • vivid or abnormal dreams;
  • nausea or constipation; or
  • increased urination.

Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

Gee, that sure does sound fun!! Nifedipine is a high blood pressure medication that also tends to calm down big muscle actions, like uterurs’s ( uteri?) that are happy contractors. I… do not like it. Because the last thing I needed was MORE tired with MORE sleeplessness, with MORE peeing and MORE dizziness. I needed all of those things right now. I’m told that these side effects can become less severe as time passes and DANG do I hope so! Lucky for me P-Daddy is in town, so if I really do need a nap, or a longer nap, or more pee time? I can just pass on my darling children to him and get-r-done. Awkward? Yes. And while I know I shouldn’t be, I’m really not comfortable doing so. Bad Mama vibes and all that. But I’m kind of running out of options so I suppose I’ll just suck it up. Plus my kids totally love their new playmate so hey, there is that.

Tomorrow afternoon I have my monthly ultrasound. I am SO counting down the minutes! It’s fun to see the ladies, fun to see P-Daddy see the ladies, and really fun to see how things are progressing. Is Ava still head down? Hows that cervix looking from the inside? How about stress.. are they showing any more signs of stress? Are things good to go and let run their course, or will we be inducing at 36 weeks? Not that I’m hoping, or anything. Nothing like that. I want to hand over fat happy babies and cooking time is required for that kind of thing. But I AM hating the new sensation around the rib area; super sore, tender ribs ( this is what I’d think broken ribs feel like) mixed with stretching skin that has never stretched before.  Think cheese grater inserted under your breasts. That’s as close as you’ll get to what this feels like. I carried both of my babies low, so that is where the bulk of my skin damage happened. Well I’m carrying these ladies low as well… but I’m also carrying high. It’s an adventure but dang. And nothing seems to help there because if I’m upright, that skin is being pulled on.

Adventure. It’s an adventure. And really, I think I got it easy. Yes, I bitch and moan about the little things. That is what I DO. But I’m loving every second of it.

OH! Question for my experienced readers! I need to pack a bag for the hospital! And all I can think to put in it are baby items which, duh, I won’t be needing. Here’s what I’m thinking so far: comfy robe, labor clothes ( sports bra, skirt of some kind?), my techno loaded MP3 ( note to self, buy new headphones) and a cd for the room so I’m not the only thing making noise, by birthing ball, comfy yet decent after-birth clothes, pads, waterproof makeup………….. and what? I’ll be nursing the girls… so nursing bra? Gah, I didn’t even like those with my own children. Shoot, that messes up the comfy post-birth outfit idea too as I’ll need something with buttons… ( revise mental shopping list).. So help me nail down what all I need to bring, okay? With my own I’d have had this bag packed the second I hit the third trimester and this time it kind of snuck up on me.

Tomorrow; ultrasound update! And… fumbling plans for what to do with my family while I’m in the hospital birthing someone else’s!