My Birth Journey Part 1: Prenatal

August 10, 2016, 7:00PM
Settling in for the night, I sit down on the couch to start kick counts.  I’m 35 weeks pregnant and getting perfect kick counts daily.  Little boy is ACTIVE!

Except for tonight.
7:10: nothing.

7:20: 1 kick.
7:40: 3 kicks.
OK, I normally have all 10 by now.

9:00: 5 kicks total.
Didn’t Doc say that I should have gotten 10 kicks in 2 hours?
Ok, it’s fine.  Let’s drink something sugary and try again.
11:00PM I’m still not getting 10 kicks.  What the hell is going on?
Hubby calls L&D (labor and delivery) and asks them what to do.  After talking with Doc, they tell me to head in.

Ok, now I’m freaking out, crying, total pregnancy hormones because I just KNOW that something is wrong and I’ve lost the baby.

We get to L&D, I strip down, put on the drafty robe and get hooked up to the IV and fetal monitor.  Super comfortable.  OF COURSE little one starts moving like a crazy person therefore I LOOK like a crazy person.  But it’s fine, better safe than sorry!
Apparently I’m just dehydrated but Doc wants to monitor me for 8 hours.  8 hours!  Yeah, I’m not going to work in the morning.  Email boss at 12:45AM.

Everything is fine.  Movement is fine, heartbeat is fine.  
Wait, what was that?  Here comes the nurse, not running but not nonchalant either.

A few minutes later, here comes Doc saying little one’s heartbeat decelerated to below 60 for a second and that isn’t normal.  She’s definitely keeping me and for 12 hours now.

2 or 3 hours go by and everything is fine.  She sends us on our way BUT she’s upping my monitoring.

August 12, 2016, 11:00AM
Follow up appointment with Doc. She wants me getting a NST/BPP (non stress test/biophysical profile) twice a week.  Great.  

She also wants to induce me at 39 weeks because I “make her nervous”.  Super great.  

I’m really trying to keep it together at this point because my doula has given me enough readings that I know that induction may equal c-section.  I DO NOT want a c-section.  It’s not happening!

Doc steps out and sends the NST tech in.  Here we go.  I’m LOSING it.  Hyperventilating, crying, the works.  Sweet woman, bless her heart, is probably the reason I’m not getting institutionalized.  We proceed with the NST once I chill out and all is well.  I’m sent on my way with instructions to call my MFM (maternal-fetal medicine specialist) and schedule a BPP. 

The following two weeks look like this:
August 15, 2016  - NST
August 16, 2016 - last follow up ultrasound for MFM
August 17, 2016 - prenatal with doula - start evening primrose oil to try and induce naturally
August 19, 2016 - NST/BPP
August 22, 2016  - NST/BPP with MFM
August 25, 2016  - regular second-to-last prenatal appointment
August 30, 2016  - NST/BPP with MFM
September 1, 2016 - last prenatal appointment and hospital pre-admit
Thank heavens I have an understanding boss and I don’t ever want to see a doctor’s office again!

Check back next week for part 2.  I’ll be writing about my induction and the birth. edit.