The Rumors are True: And So It Begins...L&D

Once we found out the great news that JAM's brain issue was no longer an issue, Mahal and I assumed it'll be smooth sailing from here. Only 3 more months to go until my due date so how hard could it be right? WRONG! First of all, this post is going to have to do with my labor and delivery so if you don't like to read about things associated with that, DON'T KEEP READING!! haha. If I'm a little T.M.I (too much information) don't say I didn't warn you. It's all to complete my preggo series and to share my birthing experience so other mamas can get an idea of how it may be for them. So, last chance to turn back! Here we go....

OK, so everyone recommends those baby books and many were given to me throughout my pregnancy. However, I never read them haha. Mahal actually did. Go figure that he read that when women become pregnant, their sex drive is either heightened or leaves completely. He also read that it was safe to be sexually active during pregnancy and being a first time mom I verified that with the doctor to be sure. However, she did NOT tell me that I shouldn't have sex in my third trimester since it can active labor. Something about the sperm and the cervix blah blah that I found out about after the fact. Anyways, like I said in my last post, my due date was set for September 5th. Being preggo during the summer months in the humidity of Chicago was no bueno. I carried around a gallon of water to make sure I wasn't dehydrated, but I was so uncomfortable. Since I was still living with my mom during my pregnancy, Mahal used to pick me up on the weekends to spend time together. Friday, July 14th was my aunt's birthday and we planned to go to her house later that day to celebrate. Since Mahal's grandma lived nearby my aunt's house, we decided to kill some time and stop by there first. We snuck in a little "quickie" before we headed there and I hung out in his grandma's living room while he was with his grandma in the kitchen. I was pregnant and hot so I flipped up my shirt to expose my belly and let it get some air while I watched TV. JAM was oddly moving around since he is usually active at night and it was the middle of the day. I was staring at my belly watching him move around when I noticed that my stretch marks looked like they were tightening and relaxing (that's the best I can describe it). I didn't feel any pain or discomfort, but it just looked odd to me so I called the doctor. She said maybe JAM's activity and what I'm experiencing was due to dehydration and to drink lots of water. I laughed and told her that's impossible as I stared at my gallon of water right next to me. She said if it continues to happen to call her back.

8 months!

I let Mahal know what happened and went to the bathroom. As I turned around to flush the toilet I noticed a pink tint to the fluid. All the water I was drinking, my pee never looked too yellow these days. It was more close to clear looking half the time, but this pink tint was so faint I had to do a double take. I called Mahal to show him and he said the books say that your mucous plus will be noticeable so that's probably not it since we're staring at the toilet debating if it's even pink. My belly tightening was still going on as I sat back down and stared at it and it's only been 5 minutes, but my gut is telling me to call the doctor again so I did. I mentioned my bathroom mishap as well and she said if I'm that worried to go get checked out at the hospital. I said no problem and thought nothing of it since it was a visit just to put my mind at ease. However, when I told Mahal, HE FLIPPED! The way he was pacing and hyperventilating you would think the baby was crowning right then and there! He was driving like a mad man to the hospital until I told him to calm down. I called my aunt to tell her we couldn't make it to her birthday celebration since I'm gonna go get checked out at the hospital. My whole family was there so they all said to just update them when I was done. I called Mahal's mom and she flipped too! Like mother like son I guess haha. I told her I wasn't in labor, but I just wanted to let her know I'm getting checked so once she calmed down she said to call with updates as well.

We finally got to downtown Chicago where my hospital was. The thing I hated about that was downtown parking is a pain in the a$$! They charge you a lot to park anywhere and you still have to walk far. Since Northwestern Hospital was building a new women's hospital across the street, the parking garage for my hospital was a couple blocks away. So we walked and walked and arrived at the hospital all winded and preggo. I told the nurse at the desk my situation and how my doctor said to get checked out. She handed me some forms to fill out and pointed to tell us where to wait. 10pm rolled around and Mahal dozed off after waiting a couple hours for a doctor. A nurse called us and brought us to a room to examine me. I answered a few questions while she checked my cervix and she cut me off to say that she was gonna go get the doctor to check me for a second opinion. Mahal and I started to worry because the last time that happened we found out something was wrong with JAM's brain. A doctor, NOT my doctor, came in the room to check me. She said, "Well, I guess you won't be leaving tonight! You're 7 cm dilated. We need to put you on meds to stop the contractions because you're still too early." Excuse me?!!! did you just say 7 cm?!!!! I asked all the questions I needed to ask and they admitted me into the hospital. Mahal called the family and I got changed and ready for whatever they needed to do. They tried to insert and IV and couldn't because I was too dehydrated. Haha go figure. I guess drinking water by the gallons isn't enough for a pregnant woman during the summer months.

Not the sexiest picture of me, but I'll take one for the team =p

They told me that they were going to put me on magnesium to stop the contractions and I had to get a series of 4 steroid shots in my thigh to help JAM's lungs mature just in case I do go into labor. They said if the magnesium stops my contractions and when I get my 4th steroid shot on Sunday, I can go home if everything works out. It's Friday and I can go home Sunday? I can do that. The magnesium made me so hot that I asked to make my room cooler. Everyone who came in was freezing! I was sweating. The nurse said any cooler the thermostat with just shut off the A/C so I just dealt with it. My little sister and uncle were the first ones to visit. We just hung out and let the time pass. The steroid shots didn't hurt so much. They said to expect a pinch and a burn but I didn't feel much of anything. Until my last shot that is. Not to be rude, but my nurse for that morning legit looked like a witch. Black hair, bushy eyebrows, long curvy nose, wart on the nose, the works. I whispered to Mahal that I was actually scared and nervous of her. My instincts were right though. She administered the last steroid shot and I swear she just took it and stabbed me with it! I flinched, it pinched and it burned!! For hours! Luckily she was called in to another L&D so she had to give me another nurse. THANK GOD! Now, I was just waiting for the news of when I can go home.

My little sister and I

After I received my last steroid shot I went to get an ultrasound to see if the steroid shots were working. I also ended up getting TWO amniocentesis procedures to check JAM's lung development. Having such a big needle being poked into my stomach was scary, but it honestly didn't hurt at all. Later that day, they took me off of the magnesium and the doctor for that shift came in and checked me. He said that although the medicine helped me maintain my 7 cm, it seemed as if I started to proceed to 7.5-8cm once off the meds so I had to stay at the hospital on bed rest until I was in a safe zone to deliver if my body cooperated. This meant staying until I was 35 weeks. I was already 33 weeks pregnant, but my due date was still 7 weeks away. I was worried because I know that the longer he stays in there the better for developmental purposes. So they moved me from the labor and delivery floor to the post partum floor where I would wait until I hit at least 35 weeks. Hopefully. I started to think about what the hilot lady said. The end of July or beginning of August my baby will be born. Hmm...fingers crossed for 35 weeks.