37 Week Appt & Update

ca_dawson · #1 April 6th, 2010, 04:00 PM

I had my 37 week appt yesterday (even though I don't technically turn 37 weeks until thursday!) Everything is looking great. BP is good, urine good, HB good. Since being off bedrest Thursday I have progressed a little. She was saying last appt that I was "mostly closed" and this week I'm a good centimeter dialated. Still engaged at 0 station and effaced about 80%. My cervix is still super soft and she said she kinda pulled her hand out quickly saying she didn't want to "stir things up" in there....whatever that means!

We did have a bit of a scare. I started having bad cramping Sunday night all into Monday, I guess they were contractions according to the dr. It would start in my back and wrap around my front, intense menstrual like cramping that I could hardly walk through. Well those lasted every 10 minutes for a full 24 hours but wouldn't get closer together or anything! I was so frustrated! Anyways with all this cramping baby hadn't been moving much. So she put me on the ultrasound and did a BPP (biophysical profile?!) Her fluid levels were good, but she still wasn't moving much even with all the poking and proding. So then I had to drink some juice and we tried again. That time she did give us a few good kicks (still not like her normal activity) and she practiced her breathing and all that good stuff. So the dr concluded that she is just running out of room in there and told me to keep an eye on it. Today she's been a bit more active but still not like what she was.

I was getting very frustrated after coming off the bedrest and meds. I was still getting strong regular contractions on the meds and the first day off was so painful, but they weren't picking up a pattern! Friday morning I really thought it could be it because I was having strong regular contractions 5 mins apart for 3 hours. Got up, did some closet organizing and cleaning and they persisted. Laid back down and decided to try to get some rest. So I slept a couple of hours and then when I woke up they were back to being irregular! Ugh it was frustrating! So I've been having them on and off since then. Sometimes they have a nice pattern and sometimes they're all over the place. I feel like the meds confused the heck out of my body and now it doesn't know what to do!

My dr did make me feel better though. She also had to do the meds and bedrest and said she had the same thing happen afterwards and didn't know what was going on even though she was an OB resident! She said that could happen and they call it prodromal labor. Its not quite false labor because the contractions are doing something (dialating/effacing) but that its not quite regular enough to progress into active labor. I did some research and it says this can last days or even weeks!

I sure hope not because these suckers hurt and I don't know if I can go through weeks of that! I mean I've already dealt with weeks of contractions, can't I be done already?! It should either do something or go away! So yesterday I spent the day googling and timing contrations and just ended up frustrating myself. So last night I decided that I was just going to go about my business and if things started up it would stop me in my tracks! So I cleaned last night until I exhausted myself so I could get a good night's sleep! It worked great because for the first time in a while I slept great! So today I took Bowser on a walk, did some more cleaning and organizing, watched some tv, basically did everything but paid attention to my body! I'm still feeling cramping/contractions, but not dwelling on it! I feel like I have to pee 24/7, even after I just peed and she feels like she's gonna fall out, but I'm pretty sure that won't happen!

I feel much better mentally today. So that's where I'm at, just trying to keep busy until this little girl decides to make her grand appearance!

#2 April 6th, 2010, 05:10 PM

She'll be here before you know it!!! So glad that things are progressing for you!

Hoosier Kitty · #3 April 6th, 2010, 05:41 PM

Hang in there girlie!!!

CandaceDianne · #4 April 7th, 2010, 05:23 AM

Awww you poor thing!!! I hope Lexi makes her appearance soon, but Im glad everything is progressing (slowly but surely).

MommaLee · #5 April 7th, 2010, 07:43 AM

Glad you made it to full term

Lyz · #6 April 7th, 2010, 08:37 AM

this is actually what happened to me. contractions started at 30 weeks where they had to stop labor (I told you that before). Then starting around 36 weeks I started with contractions every day, like REAL contractions (the kind you have, from back to front and painful mentrual cramps). I had to get BPP every week to check on her and that's when, at 38w3d they decided to induce me for low fluid.

But, my dr said that I was progressing well enough that I would have probably gone on my own in the next few days.

Those contractions WILL do something for you! You could go next week and be 3cm and not even know it. Glad to hear you have a great attitude towards it all. Enjoy these last few weeks with your hubby and try to rest as much as possible.

Looking forward to hearing about either next weeks' appt or that you're in labor

amazing_love · #7 April 7th, 2010, 09:22 AM

Well it's good that your body is progressing even if it is slowly! Sorry about all the pain you have to go through! It sounds like a good sign that labor is coming soon though, but i can imagine how annoying it would still be. Hopefully Lexi will stop teasing you and come!

I can't wait to meet her!

ca_dawson · #8 April 7th, 2010, 12:26 PM

Thanks ladies! The way I'm looking at it now is the more work done now, the less I have to do in actual labor!

With that said, my body is torturing me again this morning! I woke up feeling fine. Had a granola bar and some water for breakfast. Then on my second big jug of water (those big hospital cups they give you, I've been drinking those nonstop since I got out of the hospital.) I noticed I'm not feeling so hot. About 10 am out of nowhere started feeling nauseous, have had 4 bouts of diarrhea this morning, and feeling flu like, run down and generally icky. I've also developed a major backache this morning. Like the kind where you just can't get comfortable no matter what you do. I've been timing contractions since about 12:30 and they were about 7-9 minutes apart. The past hour they've been about 6 minutes apart pretty consistently. Could be nothing but my body playing more tricks on me or could be the start of something. I guess I'll just have to wait and see! I'm going to move around a bit since laying here isn't helping the backache and see what happens. If I'm still achy I'll try a warm bath. But I'll definitely keep everyone posted!