Folks, it's been a rough week here at Polka Dot headquarters. When I wrote about Saturday about how tired and pregnant I was feeling and mentioned I might be slowing down the blogging soon, I didn't mean RIGHT AWAY.
On Sunday I was fully intending to do a fabulous photo shoot of my completed mini-wardrobe plan and wear said completed items to my BurdaStyle Sewing Club meetup. I was sitting at my serger by 7 a.m. (awoken by Cartoonist Baby and her famous kicks). My chartreuse cardigan was almost fully assembled by 9 a.m. ...
But just three hours later, Masheka and I found ourselves in the hospital Labor & Delivery triage unit very worried that our little girl was going to make an advance appearance (spoiler: I'm still pregnant and Cartoonist Baby is 100% A-OK!).
I had been having what I thought were unusual stomach cramps and feeling quite dehydrated since Saturday morning, and it was getting to a point where my reluctance to bother our midwives over the weekend was outweighed by my discomfort. Lesson of the week: apparently I have no ability to tell the difference between stomach cramps and regular (if mildish) contractions coming 2-5 minutes apart. Seriously. When the nurse pointed at the monitor and actually used the word "contraction", I nearly fainted--this is not something a 33-week pregnant woman wants to be hearing.
But it all turned out well in the end. They got me on IV fluids to rehydrate me and did some tests, and five hours later we went home, relieved and exhausted and still totally pregnant. I've been taking it as easy as possible ever since, drinking GALLONS upon GALLONS of water and electrolyte-packed beverages and taking every opportunity I can to sleep and lie around with my feet up on pillows being doted on by Cartoonist Husband.
Unfortunately we found ourselves BACK in triage again last night--not as bad this time, but once again I was totally dehydrated. Still, Cartoonist Baby is doing great and totally healthy, so the title of this post is a bit misleading--it's not HER fault at all we're having all these scares. This stuff just happens sometimes.
Anyway, I've missed the blog and I've missed sewing. I'm going to continue to be completely lazy and try to stay positive--after all, this weekend is my first official Mother's Day!
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So glad to hear all is well. When is this cartoonist baby due again?
ReplyDeleteShe's due June 9 based on the calendar, but June 18 is my official due date established by early ultrasound measurements. I find the whole system quite confusing. Just to be safe I want her to wait at least another 3 or 4 weeks!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you're doing OK. What a dreadful scare it must have been.
ReplyDeleteComing out of lurkdom to say, a whole lot of "annoying advice" that your doc/midwife has probably already told you and I deleted, and instead Ill just say, I'm really glad you and baby are ok, and have a very happy first Mother's Day from all the way down under :)
ReplyDeleteI'm happy to hear you and Cartoonist Baby are doing well. Have a great first Mother's Day. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad everything is going better now. Dehydration is never fun, and when it brings on contractions, yikes!
ReplyDeleteLOL about the due date! My midwifes suggest having a "due month" and never telling anybody your actual due date. Bystanders can be...irksome...in the matter. And then I never seem to bake my babies on time, one being three weeks late and the other two weeks, two days. They were both born in the month AFTER they were due.
So glad to hear you're both healthy and doing well! Hope it didn't scare you guys too much. Sounds like you've got great caretakers :)
ReplyDeleteI don't understand the due date calculation either: shouldn't it start at conception? lol
Take care of yourself, girlfriend! Keep up the fluids, rest when you need to. Everything else can wait.
ReplyDeleteStay put Cartoonist Baby!
ReplyDeleteGlad that you guys are doing well! Happy Mother's Day!
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear that you and baby are well! Take care this weekend and let your family take care of you!
ReplyDeleteHang in there! I spent the whole 8th month of my pregnancy on the couch because of early contractions and 1-cm cervix. DD came two weeks after planned D-day, induced and healthy. Take it easy, drink a lot, listen to her and to your body. All will be fine :)
ReplyDeleteOh my midwife told me at the time I'd be feeling "training contractions". They shouldn't be painful and go away in a hot bath (real contractions get worse he he).
ReplyDeleteGood luck and best wishes! I've never commented but I love your blog and can't wait to meet Cartoonist Baby. Look after yourself xxx
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of us are looking forward to meeting Cartoonist baby -- with all your wonderful posts. But we'll wait with you! Rest, take care.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how you feel about this, but when I was having early uncomfortable contractions I would take a tincture of crampbark and they would go away. My friend also uses this to calm pre-term labor (it happened with both her pregnancies). HTH!
ReplyDeleteLove your blog! Coming out of Lurksville to say that, and also, being SUPER PREGNANT is hard work in itself - don't take on too much!!
ReplyDeleteMy baby threatened to come out four weeks early too, I had irregular contractions and was pretty effaced. So I quit work early to take it easy. Then I was home and bored miserable for four weeks, and he came right on his due date! Punctual to the flippin' day! So you just never know! Hang in there!
Wander over to my blog for the one year retrospective if you feel like it!
Oh, and responding to Krista's post, Ina May Gaskin famously recommends drinking a couple shots of vodka for early contractions. Oh how I wished I would get more early contractions so that I could have a martini, but it never quite got bad enough ... ;-)
ReplyDeleteHappy you and Baby are doing much better:)
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry, I went through that with my second baby. Dehydration, even the mildest, brings on unproductive contractions. Not the kind that dilate or efface, but the kind that make you think you're dilating and effacing!
ReplyDeleteDrink lots, rest a lot and get ready. She's going to be here sooner than you know.
Thanks so much everyone for all your kind comments and wishes! I'm still feeling awful and dehydrated, but baby continues to be just fine and hopefully I'll be able to do a little blogging (and maybe sewing) before she arrives!
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking about you M. and hoping you are well. Sorry to hear about the scares but I'm sure this little baby will hang in there for a few more weeks.
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