...Back Dated...

Lets see...I left off with the fact that I wasnt gaining any weight...

At my February 3rd appointment I had gone up 5 lbs in that month! Very good news =) Everything else was rather uneventful. My two week schedule started for appointments and I was given all of my birth plan information to fill out. They were being cautious since I had a lot of preterm labor issues with Kadence and they just wanted to have all of my stuff prepared. At this point I felt we had nothing to worry about!

The next two weeks I focused a lot on the kids. I took them to the park almost every nice day we had and I took them to the Hands On Museum. All of which I did by myself =) I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it with two kids on my own because somehow that made me feel better about having three kids. haha The week before my appointment though I started cramping quite a bit.

February 20th's appointment was much more interesting. I ended up getting a messload of tests run on me. I had a stress test done, which he passed. They wanted two heartrate jumps in 20 minutes and he did nine! I had explained to her when I went in that I had cramping issues and after she heard what I was saying she instantly wanted to run a preterm labor test called a Fetal Fibronectin and check me. I was 2 cm already and failed the test =( She suspected that my plug had falled out, but Leighton was at a -2 station so that is good! My midwife put me on bedrest, but there was no craziiness other than that.

February 23rd was a really bad night. While giving Kadence a bath I was taking to Jimmy when I had a sudden rush to change. I had definitely lost my plug then! Jimmy's instant reaction was "you're not going to have this baby now are you?" and I told him no...I'd be fine. A few minutes later though I started to wonder myself! I began contracting and cramping quite badly. I tried to do all the things they recommend to stop preterm labor, but nothing worked. I went all night long like this, with absolutely no sleep, because Ethan had woken suddenly in the middle of a night with a high fever. I needed to take care of him and I was not going to leave him!

At around 10am the contractions lessened up, but the cramping stayed consistent (and painful). At around noon Ethans fever broke so I called my Midwife. When she finally reached me at 3pm my contractions had started back up and she insisted I just go to the birthing center. So off I went...I was 2cm dialated, 50% effaced, and he was so low that she could feel his little head. My contractions were hitting quite heavily and steadily so I was given three pills at different intervals. They finally calmed my contractions and I was sent home with more strict instructions and extended release tablets that control my contractions. The nurse in the hospital INSISTED that I quit breastfeeding. If only she knew that we had been trying and was unsuccessful with it for the past 8 months! heh She said my Midwife insisted I quit because it was making my contractions worse (even though Kadence had been nowhere around the entire time?) and that the meds she put me on were unsafe to breastfeed with. That night I went home and started to wean cold turkey. I hated doing this because I have heard horror stories about how this causes abandonment issues, and if I expect that from anyone I expect it from Kadence!

A few days later I had to go in for another Midwife appointment to be checked. At that point I was 'half a finger' (she didnt give me a number) but Leighton had moved back up to a -3 station. Whoop! Geat news. Also, my Midwife told me she did NOT insist at all that I quit breastfeeding. She told me the meds she put me on are compatible with breastfeeding and that she only wants me to quit if I feel it is affecting me. I was happy to hear this, but I just went through three days of hell to hear I didnt have to stop. haha We have decided to stick to a 'only naps and bedtime' schedule now until we can completely wean in a better manner.

That is it for now. I have another appointment this Thursday and I'll update then!