Dear Baby
Dear Baby,
You are going to be here before we know it. The boys are excited to meet you, and both of them think you will be a brother. Your dad and I also think you are a boy. Even though my pregnancy has been quite different than it was with Luke and Benjamin, I still think you are a boy in there! My doctor wants to induce me a week early, on Tuesday, July 2nd. I have something called Strep B, a bacteria that many pregnant women have. It isn't harmful to me, but it can be harmful to YOU. The way to ensure you don't get the bacteria passed to you during labor and delivery is to get an antibiotic into me -via an IV- at least four hours prior to you being delivered. My labors/deliveries are fast, and with both Luke and Ben I didn't get the antibiotic in time. Thankfully they were okay and did not contract Strep B. Our doctor told us that 1 in 2000 babies who get Strep B will die, and another 10-15% can have severe neurological damage. Your dad and I have wrestled with the decision of going with the induction or not ever since our doctor mentioned it. You are probably thinking it is a no-brainer, since you don't want to be the 1 in 2000 that dies. The reason we question it is because we've never heard from any other doctors or moms that it is something to be overly alarmed about. We wonder if our doctor is trying to kill a mosquito with a shotgun. Another reason is that with induction, the doctor will break my water, and if I don't naturally start labor and deliver you within 24 hours, I will have to have a C-section. I would be devastated to have a C-section when I know I would have an easy and quick delivery if I went on your timing. We also want the excitement of going into labor naturally, letting you come into this world when you are ready, knowing what your 'true' birthday is and how much you really will weigh (so we can compare it to Luke and Ben of course). BUT, we realize the most important thing is YOU and getting you safely into this world. And we have no reason to NOT listen to our doctor. We have pushed back on him a few times, and he doesn't back down or say, "Sure you can go naturally if you want. It's your choice." He really sticks to his guns. So with all this said, we have been penciled into the "induction" book for 5am on Tuesday, July 2nd, 2013. Today my doctor said, "You will come in at 5am and the nurses will start your antibiotic and get you ready. I will come in at 7 or 7:30am to break your water, and you'll have a baby by noon." !!! :) Let's hope it goes that well and easily. When I asked at my appointment today, the doctor did say that 10% of the time when they induce by breaking the water, they will end up having to do a C-section.
I sure have spent a lot of time worrying and thinking about this all, rather than praying about it. Sometimes my default is to worry my way though something, or to try to control it, rather than to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18 says Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.)
How awesome! What a great reminder of all that I have to be thankful for in this situation/circumstance - a healthy baby based on all my genetic tests and ultrasounds, a doctor who knows what is best for me and the baby, the ability to plan ahead and make arrangements for Luke and Ben bc I know when I'm going to go into the hospital, not having to be pregnant longer than 39 weeks in the midst of the heat and humidity of July. I can definitely rejoice in all of those things.
People keep asking me when I am due. I tell them 3 weeks. Then they ask the next appropriate question, "Do you know what you're having." I say "no." Then, quite often lately, I get this question, "Are you going to find out?" Hmm. I guess if I was going to find out I would have found out at the 20 week ultrasound. But yes, we plan to find out - in 2-3 weeks when the baby arrives. :)
I just fell asleep in the midst of this post so I better sign off. But baby, I better tell you that your dad has been sleeping on the couch at night because I'm snoring so loudly from you! How embarrassing. But at the end of pregnancy the mucous membranes in the nose get swollen and it makes it difficult to breathe at night without snoring. I've also been waking up with numb hands and arms - also fairly common in pregnancy. My doctor said it is Carpal Tunnel - which is caused by the fluid retention and swelling that's so common in pregnancy. The fluid/swelling increases the pressure in the carpal tunnel and compresses the median nerve that runs through it. I didn't experience this with either Luke or Ben, so it's new to me. Nothing serious, but just something that makes this pregnancy different.
I haven't done my Insanity workouts for a few weeks now. I did rollerblade both Saturday and Sunday of this past weekend. I look funny and lots of people think I'm crazy, but I LOVE IT! I love the warm weather, the activity and exercise, and the way it makes me feel mentally and physically. On Saturday I pushed the boys in the double jogger (hard work!) and on Sunday I rollerbladed alongside daddy on the bike while he pulled the boys in the bike trailer. Much easier. Either way, I hope you are enjoying the rides, too!
I'm off to bed, little one. Meet you soon!
Mommy
You are going to be here before we know it. The boys are excited to meet you, and both of them think you will be a brother. Your dad and I also think you are a boy. Even though my pregnancy has been quite different than it was with Luke and Benjamin, I still think you are a boy in there! My doctor wants to induce me a week early, on Tuesday, July 2nd. I have something called Strep B, a bacteria that many pregnant women have. It isn't harmful to me, but it can be harmful to YOU. The way to ensure you don't get the bacteria passed to you during labor and delivery is to get an antibiotic into me -via an IV- at least four hours prior to you being delivered. My labors/deliveries are fast, and with both Luke and Ben I didn't get the antibiotic in time. Thankfully they were okay and did not contract Strep B. Our doctor told us that 1 in 2000 babies who get Strep B will die, and another 10-15% can have severe neurological damage. Your dad and I have wrestled with the decision of going with the induction or not ever since our doctor mentioned it. You are probably thinking it is a no-brainer, since you don't want to be the 1 in 2000 that dies. The reason we question it is because we've never heard from any other doctors or moms that it is something to be overly alarmed about. We wonder if our doctor is trying to kill a mosquito with a shotgun. Another reason is that with induction, the doctor will break my water, and if I don't naturally start labor and deliver you within 24 hours, I will have to have a C-section. I would be devastated to have a C-section when I know I would have an easy and quick delivery if I went on your timing. We also want the excitement of going into labor naturally, letting you come into this world when you are ready, knowing what your 'true' birthday is and how much you really will weigh (so we can compare it to Luke and Ben of course). BUT, we realize the most important thing is YOU and getting you safely into this world. And we have no reason to NOT listen to our doctor. We have pushed back on him a few times, and he doesn't back down or say, "Sure you can go naturally if you want. It's your choice." He really sticks to his guns. So with all this said, we have been penciled into the "induction" book for 5am on Tuesday, July 2nd, 2013. Today my doctor said, "You will come in at 5am and the nurses will start your antibiotic and get you ready. I will come in at 7 or 7:30am to break your water, and you'll have a baby by noon." !!! :) Let's hope it goes that well and easily. When I asked at my appointment today, the doctor did say that 10% of the time when they induce by breaking the water, they will end up having to do a C-section.
I sure have spent a lot of time worrying and thinking about this all, rather than praying about it. Sometimes my default is to worry my way though something, or to try to control it, rather than to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18 says Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.)
How awesome! What a great reminder of all that I have to be thankful for in this situation/circumstance - a healthy baby based on all my genetic tests and ultrasounds, a doctor who knows what is best for me and the baby, the ability to plan ahead and make arrangements for Luke and Ben bc I know when I'm going to go into the hospital, not having to be pregnant longer than 39 weeks in the midst of the heat and humidity of July. I can definitely rejoice in all of those things.
People keep asking me when I am due. I tell them 3 weeks. Then they ask the next appropriate question, "Do you know what you're having." I say "no." Then, quite often lately, I get this question, "Are you going to find out?" Hmm. I guess if I was going to find out I would have found out at the 20 week ultrasound. But yes, we plan to find out - in 2-3 weeks when the baby arrives. :)
I just fell asleep in the midst of this post so I better sign off. But baby, I better tell you that your dad has been sleeping on the couch at night because I'm snoring so loudly from you! How embarrassing. But at the end of pregnancy the mucous membranes in the nose get swollen and it makes it difficult to breathe at night without snoring. I've also been waking up with numb hands and arms - also fairly common in pregnancy. My doctor said it is Carpal Tunnel - which is caused by the fluid retention and swelling that's so common in pregnancy. The fluid/swelling increases the pressure in the carpal tunnel and compresses the median nerve that runs through it. I didn't experience this with either Luke or Ben, so it's new to me. Nothing serious, but just something that makes this pregnancy different.
I haven't done my Insanity workouts for a few weeks now. I did rollerblade both Saturday and Sunday of this past weekend. I look funny and lots of people think I'm crazy, but I LOVE IT! I love the warm weather, the activity and exercise, and the way it makes me feel mentally and physically. On Saturday I pushed the boys in the double jogger (hard work!) and on Sunday I rollerbladed alongside daddy on the bike while he pulled the boys in the bike trailer. Much easier. Either way, I hope you are enjoying the rides, too!
I'm off to bed, little one. Meet you soon!
Mommy
Nikki! I can't wait to hear about the newest arrival, though I think it's a girl. I pray that everything goes well with the birth despite the turmoil in the decision. God will protect you and we will we praying for you. Can't wait to hear the news!
ReplyDeleteThe kids are so cute...finally created a shortcut to this site...not working rocks...Jon
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