After about twelve hours of doctor's orders of rest and close monitoring we were finally sent home from labor and delivery last night around 1 in the morning. I am 31 weeks today so nine weeks to go until D day. I have yet to be pregnant on my due date; however, having a baby nine weeks early is not on my bucket list of life accomplishments. It's not that I thought he was coming yesterday or even today.
My concern is more this. Over the last few days my Braxton hicks have turned into cramping. I've had Braxton hicks with all three of my pregnancies, but cramping with the other two was the start of approaching labor and dilation. Now realize my labors are LONG. They are not a quick and done deal. With my first the cramps started on a Friday night and she was born two days later. With my second they started at 35 weeks and between 35 weeks and 38 I cramped and slowly dilated my way up to a five before they finally just said since I was a five, past 37 weeks, but not officially in active labor I could go ahead and have her if I wanted. I was all for let's do this!
At 31 weeks yesterday I was already dilated to a 1 with some softening of my cervix but even though I continued to have cramps all afternoon long, only a few registered as actual contractions on their monitor and in ten hours my cervix never changed. Which is all good; however, my worry is this will be similar to labor with my second. That over the next few weeks I will continue to cramp, which I still am today very mildly though because I've been resting, and SLOWLY dilate my way ahead. My worry though with starting this at 31 weeks is that we're still looking at him being early. If it's similar to my second that'd be around 34 weeks, which is way better than 31 but wouldn't 37 be much better???Also I now live an hour from the hospital so between his heart concern and now the possibility of him being early (even at 34/35 weeks) I want to make sure I make it to the hospital! Luckily my labors in the past have never been fast so even though he's my third hopefully even if I wait until it's obvious I'm in active labor we'll still have time to make it to the hospital.
I would not be surprised if we have ourselves another March baby. Just hoping for the end of March, not the beginning of March this time. In the meantime where I was thinking we could use the end of March, our spring break, to finish the last of our baby prep, I'm thinking now we might want to get on it a little sooner. Even though I've never been pregnant on my due date my other two were only two days and two weeks early, but it doesn't seem like a month early (36 weeks) typically warrants much if any extra time in the hospital. So that crib and dresser in a box may need to be put together sooner rather than later. That mattress we haven't ordered we should probably order. And I'm thinking it'd be a good idea to get the carseat soon?? As for naming him I think I've just accepted that we'll probably do that when they tell us he can't leave the hospital as Baby Boy G.
I know every pregnancy and kid and so forth always varies from individual to individual but if you have any experience with any of the questions below I would love your knowledge.
1. When it comes to early/preemies what is the threshold for looking at lots of NICU time to probably limited NICU time (that's excluding of course whatever NICU time we're looking at with his heart)?
It seems like once we get down to no more than six weeks early things improve quite a bit based on feedback I've already gotten.
2. Anyone else ever start dilating this early and a doctor tell them it could just be because it's the third or more and not necessarily early labor signs?
3. It seems like cramping is actually common even though it's one of the flags to call OB and get checked out but anyone else with cramping and dilating this early?
My concern is more this. Over the last few days my Braxton hicks have turned into cramping. I've had Braxton hicks with all three of my pregnancies, but cramping with the other two was the start of approaching labor and dilation. Now realize my labors are LONG. They are not a quick and done deal. With my first the cramps started on a Friday night and she was born two days later. With my second they started at 35 weeks and between 35 weeks and 38 I cramped and slowly dilated my way up to a five before they finally just said since I was a five, past 37 weeks, but not officially in active labor I could go ahead and have her if I wanted. I was all for let's do this!
At 31 weeks yesterday I was already dilated to a 1 with some softening of my cervix but even though I continued to have cramps all afternoon long, only a few registered as actual contractions on their monitor and in ten hours my cervix never changed. Which is all good; however, my worry is this will be similar to labor with my second. That over the next few weeks I will continue to cramp, which I still am today very mildly though because I've been resting, and SLOWLY dilate my way ahead. My worry though with starting this at 31 weeks is that we're still looking at him being early. If it's similar to my second that'd be around 34 weeks, which is way better than 31 but wouldn't 37 be much better???Also I now live an hour from the hospital so between his heart concern and now the possibility of him being early (even at 34/35 weeks) I want to make sure I make it to the hospital! Luckily my labors in the past have never been fast so even though he's my third hopefully even if I wait until it's obvious I'm in active labor we'll still have time to make it to the hospital.
I would not be surprised if we have ourselves another March baby. Just hoping for the end of March, not the beginning of March this time. In the meantime where I was thinking we could use the end of March, our spring break, to finish the last of our baby prep, I'm thinking now we might want to get on it a little sooner. Even though I've never been pregnant on my due date my other two were only two days and two weeks early, but it doesn't seem like a month early (36 weeks) typically warrants much if any extra time in the hospital. So that crib and dresser in a box may need to be put together sooner rather than later. That mattress we haven't ordered we should probably order. And I'm thinking it'd be a good idea to get the carseat soon?? As for naming him I think I've just accepted that we'll probably do that when they tell us he can't leave the hospital as Baby Boy G.
I know every pregnancy and kid and so forth always varies from individual to individual but if you have any experience with any of the questions below I would love your knowledge.
1. When it comes to early/preemies what is the threshold for looking at lots of NICU time to probably limited NICU time (that's excluding of course whatever NICU time we're looking at with his heart)?
It seems like once we get down to no more than six weeks early things improve quite a bit based on feedback I've already gotten.
2. Anyone else ever start dilating this early and a doctor tell them it could just be because it's the third or more and not necessarily early labor signs?
3. It seems like cramping is actually common even though it's one of the flags to call OB and get checked out but anyone else with cramping and dilating this early?
So, my college roommate delivered her baby a month early. Vaginal delivery. She weighed 4 pounds and some odd ounces. She was in the NICU for about a month -- no major health issues.
ReplyDeleteMy sister-in-law delivered her baby a month early. Vaginal delivery. Also 4 pounds and some odd ounces. She didn't spend any time in the NICU. They were in on a Thursday afternoon and out Saturday morning.
I think it depends on the doctors and what they want in that situation.
Thinking about you guys!
Thanks for the knowledge :). I feel like once they reach five pounds if everything else health wise looks good they tend to send them home. I feel like the ones I've known of that were only a month early were like your sister in law's experience.
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