The 5th Floor
Dear Baby,
Well, you are officially a pregnancy of firsts, even though you are my third baby.
I realized last night at dinner that I hadn't felt you all day. I tried having the boys talk right into my belly: "wake up baby!" they yelled. I tried playing the piano loudly, I tried drinking a sugary drink, I tried jumping up and down---you were just not moving. And then I started to get worried.
I called Nana, because I always call her when I have questions, and she said I should probably go to the hospital. I didn't want to. I didn't want to sit and wait and be boring. So, I gave you another hour while I was at Young Women's.
Well, I got home at about 8:30, and told Daddy we needed to head to the Emergency Room. Papa came over to stay with your brothers while they slept and while we were at the hospital, and then off we went. Daddy brought our hospital bag, just in case we were there for a while.
Luckily, we weren't. But still.
We went into the ER entrance, where we were told they would send us straight up to Labor and Delivery on the 5th floor. Whew! It's so much quieter up there. That was a relief. A nurse pushed us in a wheelchair through the maze of the hospital, past lots of construction and all sorts of things, until we arrived on the dim and quiet floor where you will eventually be born.
We were put in a room by a nice nurse, I changed into a hospital gown, and then we waited.
Our "real" nurse, Jamie, came in and helped hook up the monitors on my belly: one for your heart one for contractions. I did get a little nervous, because it took a minute or so before we found your heartbeat. I kept thinking--oh no, he's not moving and we can't find his heartbeat?! But luckily, find it we did, and you were hovering right around 140, where you should be.
So that was good. You also started moving a bit, which was even better. But we didn't get to go home right away; I was having some pretty intense contractions! The nurse called Dr. Harrison, who asked that we stay about 20 minutes to see how contractions were going. They certainly weren't consistent, but I had several that were long and intense enough to be part of labor.
Dr. Harrison also asked Jaime to check and see if I was progressing. I didn't want her to do that, because that was what put me in labor with both Henry and John! But she did--80% effaced, but not dilated at all. So that's good! We still have at least a week for you to grow in me.
So we got sent home, knowing you were ok and that Mommy is ok, too.
I didn't have to go to the hospital at all with Henry and John, and here we are with you--trip #2! I felt a little bit silly, but as Daddy said on the way to the ER--if it doesn't feel right, then we need to be sure. And I just didn't feel good about staying home and not checking on you. It was such a relief to feel you moving around that night and this morning, though!
Keep moving, little one. We have a few more days before we're completely ready for you to make your debut.
Love,
Mommy
35 weeks and 4 days
Well, you are officially a pregnancy of firsts, even though you are my third baby.
I realized last night at dinner that I hadn't felt you all day. I tried having the boys talk right into my belly: "wake up baby!" they yelled. I tried playing the piano loudly, I tried drinking a sugary drink, I tried jumping up and down---you were just not moving. And then I started to get worried.
I called Nana, because I always call her when I have questions, and she said I should probably go to the hospital. I didn't want to. I didn't want to sit and wait and be boring. So, I gave you another hour while I was at Young Women's.
Well, I got home at about 8:30, and told Daddy we needed to head to the Emergency Room. Papa came over to stay with your brothers while they slept and while we were at the hospital, and then off we went. Daddy brought our hospital bag, just in case we were there for a while.
Luckily, we weren't. But still.
We went into the ER entrance, where we were told they would send us straight up to Labor and Delivery on the 5th floor. Whew! It's so much quieter up there. That was a relief. A nurse pushed us in a wheelchair through the maze of the hospital, past lots of construction and all sorts of things, until we arrived on the dim and quiet floor where you will eventually be born.
We were put in a room by a nice nurse, I changed into a hospital gown, and then we waited.
Our "real" nurse, Jamie, came in and helped hook up the monitors on my belly: one for your heart one for contractions. I did get a little nervous, because it took a minute or so before we found your heartbeat. I kept thinking--oh no, he's not moving and we can't find his heartbeat?! But luckily, find it we did, and you were hovering right around 140, where you should be.
So that was good. You also started moving a bit, which was even better. But we didn't get to go home right away; I was having some pretty intense contractions! The nurse called Dr. Harrison, who asked that we stay about 20 minutes to see how contractions were going. They certainly weren't consistent, but I had several that were long and intense enough to be part of labor.
Dr. Harrison also asked Jaime to check and see if I was progressing. I didn't want her to do that, because that was what put me in labor with both Henry and John! But she did--80% effaced, but not dilated at all. So that's good! We still have at least a week for you to grow in me.
So we got sent home, knowing you were ok and that Mommy is ok, too.
I didn't have to go to the hospital at all with Henry and John, and here we are with you--trip #2! I felt a little bit silly, but as Daddy said on the way to the ER--if it doesn't feel right, then we need to be sure. And I just didn't feel good about staying home and not checking on you. It was such a relief to feel you moving around that night and this morning, though!
Keep moving, little one. We have a few more days before we're completely ready for you to make your debut.
Love,
Mommy
35 weeks and 4 days
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