Bed Rest

I knew with this pregnancy, with my history and being pregnant with twins again... There would be some point where I would need to go on bed rest. Well, that point came a little earlier than I had hoped. But we are so very grateful that this time around we at least got some warning and thanks to modern medicine things were able to be stopped. 

The last few weeks as the days ticked by, both Stephen and I have been nervous, anxious and emotionally stressed knowing that we were getting closer and closer to the time that I delivered Andrew and Ethan. 26 weeks 4 days. It has been etched in my heart for many different reasons.  

A few weeks ago I had started feeling some Braxton Hicks contraction, which I never felt last time around. I had an appointment with my OB a few days after feeling them and he reassured me that they were completely normal. Well a few days later we were at church. I kept feeling them more constantly. Stephen and I left church a little early so I could go home and lay down. But before I could get to that point. I'd had a few more and we decided to just go get everything checked out. 

I'm so glad we did because apparently there was more happening then I could feel and I was constantly contracting. They immediately gave me steroid shots for the girls to help their lungs develop faster and put me on magnesium to calm the uterus and slow things down. 

This pregnancy I've seen a perinatalologist who specializes in high risk preganancies every two weeks since I was 12 weeks along. They do ultrasounds at every appointment and take all sorts of measurements. One of those being my cervix length. Anything above a 2.5 is in the normal range. Mine have usually averaged aroung 3.3-3.6. They checked it again when I was admitted to the hospital and it had dropped to a 2.1 and it was funneling(starting to open near the babies head). They then of course ran all sorts of test and said I was dialated to a 1-2cm. 

After three days of IV fluids and 24 hrs of magnesium sulfate (which makes you feel tired, dizzy, nauseous and just completely out of it.) They started me on indosium. Another muscle relaxer to help calm the uterus down. I went in for another ultrasound 3 days later.  Things had improved my cervix was a 2.6 and although the funneling was deeper, it was closing up. This was such a relief to hear.  I continued on the indosium and followed up again a few days later. My cervix measured 3.0 this time and the cervix was mostly closed. Who knew your cervix can change back? I sure didn't. At this point there was a big debate on whether I should stay at the hospital or I should go home and be on bed rest there. 

Thankfully my OB is totally on board with me staying. As hard as it is on my family to be gone. This is right where both Stephen and I would prefer me to be. I need to make it at least through the month of August. Then I will be 30 weeks and the risk of a long-term disability goes down significantly. These girls will most likely come early, but when is the big question. We'll see how things go and are taking it a day at a time. 

It been about a week and a half and for now this is life at the Holden home. We know that this is just temporary. Stephen has been amazing at just taking everything on. The household chores, taking care for Andrew plus all the stress with work. Our ward has been amazing and has step up and help this new family that most people don't even know. From taking Andrew at the drop of a hat to bringing meals by and visiting me at the hospital...they have been wonderful! Only in the church would you feel completely comfortable letting complete strangers take your child and bring you food and not worry one bit. I feel so grateful knowing my family is being taken care of.