Pregnancy Update - 30 Weeks and some Change

I'm sorry I haven't been very good about sending out email updates.
It is now official... we know how we will be spelling our little girls name. Abigail... Abby for short. (Steve says these are the only way to spell the two names... you can ask him about that later!)

Things have been pretty good before we hit about 30 weeks. Before then, I had been having some contractions everyday, but nothing serious. As long as I took it easy, there wouldn't be that many. A few weeks ago I had even asked for help in doing some of the heavier house chores so I wouldn't be overexerting. Abby has been growing and growing and moving around like crazy. Its been a lot of fun to see different parts of my belly moving around. She's been getting the hiccups regularly for several weeks now.

Last week we took a bit of a turn. Wednesday morning I had a regular appointment with my midwife. She had already known about the contractions, but I told her that in the past week or so I'd been feeling some pressure on my cervix. So, just to be safe, she performed a Fetal Fibronectin test (a positive result is an indicator that a woman may go into labor in the next 2 weeks), and checked my cervix. We discovered I had dilated to a 1 and was 80% effaced. So I got hooked up to a machine to monitor contractions and waited for the test results to come back. When the result came back positive, I was sent to the hospital for 24 hour observation and to get some steroid shots in order to help Abby's lungs develop a little faster in case I do go into labor in the next couple of weeks.

Thursday afternoon the on call Dr. came in with the nurse to let me know they were a little concerned because Abby's heart rate was dropping too much, so they decided to keep me overnight again to monitor her. They performed an ultrasound to ensure that she was growing properly and that her heart rate was normal. (I also had the technician double check her gender - definitely a girl!). Early Friday morning, my midwife came to check on me and said they were going to have the Perinatal Dr. take a look at Abby on the high tech ultrasound machine. So, that afternoon, the Perinatal came in and measured her head, heart, lungs, and body size... he said she was in great condition, growing the way she was supposed to be growing, but they wanted to keep me overnight again to continue to monitor her heart rate. At this point, I was having the contractions I'd been having previously, and they were hardly there at all.

Saturday morning I started having some regular contractions but after changing positions, they stopped. I saw the on call Dr and the Perinatal Dr. and they both told me that Abby's heart rate hadn't been dropping like it was before, but that they wanted to keep me overnight again to continue to monitor her and the contractions I had had. On Sunday morning I started having some contractions that were 5-10 min apart and ended up getting a shot of terbutaline in order to stop them. Around 1115, the Perinatal Dr came in to do another ultrasound on Abby... and gave her a clean bill of health. Told me that if the on call Dr. approved, I could go be on bed rest at home. The on call Dr. came in shortly after, gave me a prescription for terbutaline in order to stop contractions while at home and gave me some other instructions; I was home by 130 on Sunday.

So far things are pretty good. My Mom came in Friday afternoon to stay and take care of me. I've been getting more than enough help from my friends, Relief Society (more friends), and Priesthood (more friends). Everyone has gone above and beyond the call of service!

Since being home, the contractions have been off an on and I've had to take the medication to stop them a few times. Early this morning they wouldn't stop with the meds, so we went into Labor and Delivery. They had stopped by the time we got there, but they monitored me for a few hours then released me. So, I'm on bed rest for the next 4 weeks. Steve comes home in 5... hopefully we can wait till then!
I want to thank everyone for being more than generous in your support and help. Thanks to all those who have visited me in the hospital and at home. I feel a deep sense of gratitude for everything everyone had been doing for us; thank you for making me (and Abby) feel so loved! I love you all too! We are grateful for your thoughts and prayers.
Thank you, Thank You, Thank You!!
Love,
Christy Stephensen