18-10-2011 - 3rd trimester update...

My mood while writing this blog: Happy, anxious, tired...

Hello Ladies,

So I am on this site all the time but have been hanging out more in the weekly forums than updating my page, oops, sorry.

Yesterday I turned 34 weeks. Doctor says that if I go into labor from this point forward, no attempts of stopping it will be made. Baby and I are measuring a little ahead based on the measurements that were taken 3 weeks ago. He was in the 65th percentile, basically measuring a week or 2 ahead. And my fundal height was also measuring slightly on the high range but nothing that concerned my doctor. Hell the only reason I knew it was because I asked him how I was measuring, he wasnt even gonna mention it but that all looks good. And then last week I went into his office 2 times for what turned out to be false labor. I am having a constant back pain, lower ab pain, pelvic pressure and contractions. but they are not getting regular and are not as of Thursdays appt dialating my cervix. But MAN, do they HURT. I was reading What to Expect when youre expecting and I am showing 7 out of the 9 signs of prelabor - The pressure, I HAVE dropped, I am now constantly tired, I am nesting, I got bad diarrhea all day yesterday, the higher instances of Braxton Hicks contractions and my mucus has changed and become thicker. So I am not sure if that means much.. they do warn that these can start a month before you actually go into real labor. But I honestly feel I will not make it to my due date. I dont think I will make it 6 more weeks. I have a strong strong feeling it will be 2 weeks on Halloween. Now, if I am wrong and we go fullterm I will be overjoyed because I, afterall, only want a healthy son and good birth experience... but I really cant kick the feeling I will deliver at 36 weeks. Many of my friends and family have same feeling. Doc ran a FFN test on Tuesday to see if I will deliver within next two weeks, and it was negative meaning I have about 1% chance of doing so within 2 weeks from test date. But its not always right they said. lol. I have another appt today. Doctor was a little concerned last week because though the contractions on the NST were not bad and there is no dialation, Baby Boy Nicky has been less active and they actually needed to stimilate him a lot on Thursday to get him moving for the tests. I feel movement everyday but not as much as before. I try not to worry as long as I feel some movement each day. I might start seeing doc 2 times a week again though.

So yes I have dropped. I can breath again!!!! I went to bed last Monday looking HUGE and woke up on Tuesday thinking "where the hell did my belly go?". It is still there but looks smaller because its lower now. I also feel his movements lower so I knew he was lower now. Also I am in major nesting mode, which sucks because I am still on bedrest. So I can not do anything that needs to be done. I have done all the little things I could do like fold and put away his clothes and clean his toys and all that. The things I want done now are put up the curtains, hang the baby videa monitor, WASH the walls and tub and EVERYTHING...so I rely on hubby.And he is WONDERFUL. He works 45 hours or more at his job, then comes home and makes dinner, does laundry, daily clean up... he tries really hard. but lately I want to ask for more to get done but he needs to relax to or he will get too stressed. He is already stressed because he is unhappy at work and then feeling pressure about the whole supporting us thing. So things are a little AUGH right now. I am letting him do it all at his pace and trying not to go psycho.,,. I am trying to accept it as getting done, even if not at the pace I need it to be due to this nesting. And part of me wants to try to do it myself but when I try to even help out a little the contractions get worse and I end up at doctor office.

So my Short Term disability at work has been extended to November 18th. I am still getting partial pay. If I am still out after December 6th the claim turns from Short Term to Long Term and the % of pay goes down. But at least I still will get paid. How long I will be out and how it all is handled depends on if I deliver early or if I go fullterm or even late term. I should be approved now through end of pregnancy and then 6 weeks for vaginal delivery and 8 weeks for a c section. After doc releases me to work, I am supposed to then get another 2 weeks parental leave at 100% my payrate. Then at that time I was told that they will have to decide if there is still a position open for me. YES, this is legal. I have no more FMLA left and so this is all unprotected leave. They can not fire me while doctor is saying I should be off work, but as soon as I am released to work again, they legally can say that my position was filled while I was out due to work demands. I looked into it all already and it is legit. But I would be eligible for unemployment if that happens so in a way it is almost okay with me. Since I would love to be a stay at home mama, maybe that is a blessing in disguise.

Well I am gonna go try to find some naptime before I need to leave for the doctors....I hope everyone is doing well and I will keep you all updated. ;)