6 weeks left...maybe?

Well, I thought I'd give an update. I haven't said much about my pregnancy just because I'm usually trying to post pictures of the girls. Plus, who wants to focus on pregnancy??? :-)

Anyways, as some of you know, I did have borderline high blood pressure at the end of my pregnancy with Molly and, as a result, they decided to have me induced at 38 weeks. My blood pressure went down as I delivered and Molly was born 2 weeks early -weighing a whopping 8 lbs. 7 ozs. So everything worked out wonderfully in the end, despite 2 1/2 weeks of bed rest.

This time around I have been carefully watched. I had one high blood pressure reading back before the 20 week mark and, fortunately, that subsided and everything has been fine since. However, at the beginning of last week, I had another high reading. Although when the midwife took my blood pressure again, immediately after the high reading, it was OK. (Maybe because I ran in there and they called me back right away? Which never happens! I usually have to wait forever and I have time to just read a magazine and relax.)

Anyways, that put up the red flags for my midwife and she started doing all kinds of tests and checks. I was feeling fine and really didn't think there was a problem. And I was actually a little bothered - feeling like it wasn't all necessary. I'm all for checking to be more safe than sorry, but it was getting a little ridiculous.

Well, I repent, for a few days later I started feeling yucky. And I felt yucky for another few days until I finally left the midwife a message yesterday to tell her of my symptoms. (I was having a headache that would come and go regardless of whether I took Tylenol or not, plus more swelling than normal in my feet - and both of those are symptoms of pre-eclampsia.) Not a good thing to develop while pregnant. But usually controllable if watched carefully.

Well, the midwife called me back to ask me to come in right away. By the time all was said and done (all the bazillion checks) and my midwife had talked to a Dr. in the office, she came back to tell me that I was not going to like what she was going to say. Oh great, I thought. Just tell me. I figured that the worst news could be that I needed to go deliver my baby - just as my husband was driving into Washington D.C. where he would be staying on business for the next 3 1/2 days. But, that thought came and went. I really wasn't expecting anything that serious. Instead, the midwife said that I would need to come in twice a week to be checked (I had just started coming in once a week). And that I would need to severely limit my physical activity (i.e., no errands, groceries, laundry, cleaning, picking up children, etc.) We established that I could do the basic necessities and that was about it. Today I realized that just doing the basic necessities with 2 little ones to care for is probably not defined as "severely limiting my physical activity." But at least I was able to rest on the couch here and there. More than I would have. I think it will be easier once Greg is home and he can help.

The good news is that I do not have preeclampsia so far (at 33 1/2 weeks). And let's hope and pray that it doesn't occur. The way they are monitoring me, though, should prevent any mishap. Let's just say, blood pressure check after non-stress test after blood test after urine test - I'm sure they would detect something as soon as it comes on - if it is to come on. Last pregnancy it never did, but they delivered me early to get rid of the risk of it developing in the last couple of weeks.

The "6 weeks left...maybe?" post heading is just to say that, even though I try to remain positive about the outcome, I am expecting that this little one may have to come a little early too. Hopefully not too early, as signs are showing that she is significantly smaller than Molly was. But SIX weeks of not being able to clean and run errands? From my last experience, 2 1/2 weeks was enough to teach me gratitude for the small and simple things that I was able to do. I mean, I was DYING to clean and run errands by then! I must have much to learn about patience and endurance :-)