Changes are on the way!
The last few days have been a
roller coaster ride for all of us. My blog has now turned into a diary as I
begin to keep track of all the changes. I know many of our friends and family
are concerned and want details, so I thought this will be a good way to keep
everyone informed. I also want to have this for Gracelyn and me to read one
day. Every baby has their own way of entering this world and I want to paint a
picture of her special day! We have our list of family and friends to start the
phone chain if anything alarming should happen. We ask everyone for prayers for
baby Gracelyn. Thanks to each and every one of you for all your support. We
love you all!
Thursday, July 12th-
very busy day at work, felt a lot of lower abdominal pressure, went to dinner
with friends, and then to Kohl’s… as I was walking into Kohl’s I felt a
sudden muscle pull in my belly. I didn’t think anything about it and kept shopping. When I got home and changed into my PJ’s I
noticed my belly looked a little different. When I look down now I can’t see my
belly button. My belly appears to have
dropped. Gracelyn’s little butt which rides high near my upper ribs is now
located mid belly. Jake looked at my belly and thinks the same… It appears
Gracelyn may have dropped into the “birthing canal”. This is a bit alarming for a first time mom. We are just turned
33 weeks.
Friday, July 13th- I
wake up and my belly still looks low. I get to work and ask some of my
co-workers and they all agree Gracelyn has dropped. I get a little nervous
because we have plans to leave for the beach (Nags Head) on Saturday. I called
the OB just to see what they have to say. I was worried … is this too early for
her to “drop”? The OB works me in for a 10:30am apt. I see Dr. Privette and she
does a Fetal Fibronectin Test and a Cervical check. I am a fingertip dilated and we will have to
wait until the afternoon for my results from the FFT. About 2:30pm I get a phone call from the OB
nurse and she informs me that my test came back positive. We were hoping for negative results. Negative results are 99% that I will not go
into labor within the next 14 days. A positive test however can be a little more
indecisive. The nurse tells me to pay
attention to my body and be on the lookout for any signs of labor. The Dr.
schedules a follow up appointment on Monday at 9:30am to recheck for dilation. I
was given instructions to take it easy and drink plenty of fluids.
Fetal
fibronectin is a protein that acts as a "glue" during pregnancy,
attaching the amniotic sac — the fluid-filled membrane that cushions your baby
in the uterus — to the lining of the uterus.
Fetal
fibronectin is often present in cervical secretions during early pregnancy.
Fetal fibronectin also shows
up later in pregnancy, about one to three weeks before labor begins. If your
health care provider is concerned about preterm labor, he or she may test a
swab from your cervical canal for the presence of fetal fibronectin. A positive
fetal fibronectin test is a clue that the "glue" has been disturbed
and you're at increased risk of preterm labor.
When the fFN
test is positive, it is an inconclusive result. A positive result can indicate
that a woman will go into preterm labor soon, but she may not go into labor for
weeks. When the fFN test is negative, the result is a better predictor. A
negative result means that there is little possibility of preterm labour within the next 7 to 10 days, and the test
can be repeated weekly for women who remain at high risk. A negative fetal
fibronectin test gives a more than 95% likelihood of remaining undelivered for
the next 2 weeks.[2] A systematic review of the medical literature found that fetal
fibronectin is a good predictor of spontaneous preterm birth before cervical dilation.[3] The test may be run on patients between 22
and 35 weeks gestation.
Saturday/Sunday- It’s been a very
l-o-n-g weekend. Everyone has left for the beach and we are waiting for Monday.
I’m a bit stressed about what a positive FFT means Mom (grandma Baker) comes
over and stays the night, helping clean, fold baby clothes, and helps to keep
me comfortable.
Monday, July 16th- Appointment
with Dr. Harden. Dr. Harden walks in and
says, “We are still pregnant!” in a happy, but humorous, tone. He has been delivering
babies for over 30 years. He is very experienced and I trust his judgment 100%.
I am rechecked and remain a fingertip dilated and he notes that my cervix has
started to thin (effacement). He does not give a percentage just makes the
statement that it’s started to thin.
What is effacement?
Effacement is the process
by which the cervix prepares for delivery. After the baby has engaged in the
pelvis, it gradually drops closer to the cervix; the cervix gradually softens,
shortens and becomes thinner. You might hear phrases like "ripens,"
or "cervical thinning" which refer to effacement.
How is effacement measured?
Effacement is measured in
percentages. For example, your health care provider may tell you that you are
effaced 50%, which means you are half way to being completely effaced. When you
are 100% effaced or completely effaced, your cervix is paper-thin and labor is
right around the corner.
Dr. Harden also advises it is not
a good idea to go to Nags Head and remain at home on the couch. He puts me on
modified bed rest and schedules a follow up appointment for Monday July 23rd.
I did have a few questions for him:
Could the positive FFT indicate
anything other than preterm labor? No,
it is just a sign that my body is preparing for delivery.
Is Betamethasone needed at this
time? No, you are so close to 34 weeks you will be fine without it. After 34
weeks nothing is given for lung development or to stall labor. At 34 weeks we
let your body do what it has been preparing for these last few months.
Betamethasone
and dexamethasone cause an immature fetus's lungs to produce a
compound called surfactant. A full-term baby's lungs naturally produce
surfactant, which lubricates the lining of the air sacs within the lungs. This
allows the inner surfaces of the air sacs to slide against one another without
sticking during breathing. Premature infants whose lungs have begun producing
surfactant are more able to breathe on their own, or with less respiratory
treatment, after birth.
Dr. Harden helps to reassure me that I can
remain at this stage for weeks, but he does not hold a crystal ball and I could
deliver as soon as tomorrow. Some good news is that Gracelyn is kicking and
moving all over the place, her heart rate steady in the 140’s, and she measures
at 33 weeks. This is good evidence she is doing just fine in my belly, but
maybe she is just a little stubborn like her mommy and wants to come out and
play.
Tuesday Night July, 17th: Around 6:30 I
experience a lot of tightening in my belly and it is somewhat alarming. I’m not
doing anything at this point but sitting on the couch watching TV. It goes away
within a few seconds and I think probably just a Braxton hick contraction.
About an hour later I get up to go to the bathroom and my belly suddenly gets
tight and hard… this is definitely different than an hour ago. My entire belly
is rock hard and you can see through my dress my belly tighten and contract. I immediately
go lie down on my left side and start to drink lots of water. What feels to me
like a contraction last for about 60 seconds and then my belly returns to a soft
round baby belly. The tightening, all
over hard belly returns 2 more times when I stand to go to the bathroom. I get
right back in bed and both times the sensation lasts for about a minute. The
final straw: I am lying in bed and the
tightening begins with no movement this time. I get my phone out and again it
last for about 60 seconds. I call Jackie (Jeff’s mom- who is an OB nurse) She
advises me to continue what I’m doing and with my current situation it wouldn’t
be a bad idea to call the Dr. and let them know what’s going on. I call the OB
and Dr. Wheeler advises me to come in to get checked out. We arrive at Wake Med
around 10:00pm- it was such a smooth process. They are ready for me as soon as
I walk in the ER and up to triage I go. The nurse is standing at the door as
I exit the elevator and she starts the work up within seconds. Gracelyn is all
hooked up with no signs of contractions, her heart rate stable, and all looks
good. Dr. Wheeler is in a delivery and comes to see me within the hour. I’m
rechecked and remain a fingertip dilated, but now am 75% effaced. Dr. Wheeler then decides since I’m
not quite 34 weeks the Betamethasone is a good idea. My first injection is
given in the hospital and after a few more hours of monitoring we are on our way
home. Dr. Wheeler lets us know at this point if things continue to progress
after 34 weeks they will not do anything to stall labor. At this stage in the
game the outlook is safe for a delivery with some assistance from NICU. A
follow up appointment is scheduled with the OB office for Thursday morning at
11:00am where I will be rechecked and my last dose of Betamethasone will be
given.
I want to think all of our family
and friends for being so supportive during this time. Everyone has been so
thoughtful and so many prayers have been sent for baby Gracelyn. We are truly blessed
to have such an awesome support system. We could not do this without each one
of you. It has definitely been a roller coaster ride these last few days and I
don’t plan for anything to slow down at this point. The only thing we can do at
this time is put this in the Lord’s hands and continue to pray. The positives from our adventure last night;
We had a trial run to the hospital, know the shortcut to the hospital and do
not have to rely on the GPS, have another day to pack a hospital bag and get a
check list together, and most important a round of steroids on board and no
baby yet.
