Thursday, August 16, 2007

The third pregnancy!

Warning... this is me on my soap box about pregnancy.... It is not graphic but it is a bit of a ramble session...

Well... as most of you should know... I am still at home, bigger than ever. Today I am 38 weeks. Normal for most women to be home at this stage in pregnancy. For me, this is new territory. Both Haley and Hunter came at the beginning of my 37th week. This pregnancy has been the most different. I have heard that the 3rd pregnancy is different than the first two. Now I believe it. Here is a short list of things that I experienced that is DIFFERENT than with Haley and Hunter's pregnancy...
1. I have had labor contractions (more intense than the braxton hicks) for almost a month now. They are sometimes consistent, and sometimes they come once an hour. This makes it hard when deciding if you go into the hospital or not. I think those of you who have your water break have it good... you know when to go in to the hospital and when they are finally coming... with contractions... you could have them for a month and they mean nothing...
2. I had heart burn with both, but this one takes the cake!!! I have some really gross heart burn stories that I wont share and gross you all out with, but it was (I am not having it now) gross. My friend Carrie, tells me that heartburn during pregnancy has some link to if the baby has hair (she read it somewhere) if this is true, Jonah will need a hair cut when he gets out!!!
3. Breathing treatments... This pregnancy I have had to go receive a breathing treatment twice. I had a hard time with Asthma. Did you know you could get asthma as an adult?
4. NO STRETCH MARKS! Well, I still have the faded ones from Haley and Hunter... this time - no flames of glory! This is a nice change :)
5. I made it to 38 weeks.

You know.. there are more, but they aren't really for the world to see :) and I don't think they would be appropriate to put on a blog... :)

One more thing I would like to vent...
I think that nurses and Doctors shouldn't give false hope. I have been told by one of my doctors that I will most likely have this baby at 37 weeks... every week I go into the OB, the doctor or nurse I see gives me the false hope that it is any day now!!! (this has been two weeks now - starting at 36 weeks)

As you can see by my ticker thing, I have 14 more days til my due date... I am fine with that... the only concerns I have is that Haley starts kinder in 11 days and with that comes orientation and getting ready... I don't want to miss out on any of those memories.... Hunter TOO, starts his first year in preschool on the same day! I want to at least not be in labor on the days of orientation and the first day of school... after or before, fine... but on the day, please Lord no :)

Haley was early and weighed in at 8'4"
Hunter was 7'2" (early)
Will Jonah be bigger??? He is in there longer than the other kids were.... OUCH!

AND I would like to end with...
I am feeling good. I am not too uncomfortable ... would I like Jonah out? Sure, but being that this is our last baby, I am ok. As long as I don't have the false labor. I know he will be here shortly REGARDLESS... and once he comes I get sleepless nights, and all that jazz... I really want to enjoy this last pregnancy as much as possible savoring all his movements and all that...

Pregnancy poll for all you moms out there...
- Were you late or early (giving birth) with your children?
- Did your water break or did you have contractions that sent you into the hospital?

21 comments:

Aaron, Allison, Kaitlyn, Mackenzie and Owen said...

Hi Stef!
I love your venting!

1st time - contractions sent me to the hospital on the night of her due date.

2nd time - I was induced 3 days after her due date

Anonymous said...

Hey Stef,

That was really good for me to read. This kid wanted to come THIS week at 33 1/2 weeks. A little too early. That's cool to know that both your kiddos came at 37 weeks. I figure if I can hold him off for another 3 weeks it'll be all good. Good luck with this last one!!

Anonymous said...

Stef,

Son #1 -- 1 week early, contractions - 7 lbs. 15 ozs.

Son #2 -- 3 weeks late, contractions - 9 lbs. 9 ozs.

Son #3 -- 3 weeks early, contractions 7 lbs. 15 ozs.

No stretch marks. One for the record. :)

Luv,
Helen

Erin said...

Golly I really miss being pregnany after reading that post! J/k!!! But seriously, relish in a full nights sleep and not having to carry around an infant in 100 degree weather. (It just makes everyone so sweaty!)

Both my boys were very timely. Caden came right on his due date and Jacob came one day late. I got all that bogus false hope you're getting though! They shouldn't play with a pregnant lady's mind like that! I also went in for "dress rehearsals" with both. Good times. With both of them contractions finally sent me to the hospital, but it is hard to tell when it's time when you've been having pretty intense ones for weeks, you know. The second I laid down on the bed with Jacob my water broke. They had to break it with Caden.

Also, (I know this is longest comment in the world, but oh well) the heartburn and hair thing is TRUE! I had the WORST heartburn with Caden and he came out with such a head of hair... it was crazy!

psmith said...

Stef...you are so funny! We LOVE living this adverture with you!

Ist child...YOU- 11 days over due...7 lbs 1 oz /contractions

2nd child...5 days early...8lbs 7oz/contractions.

It's such a guessing game. No matter what, we can't wait to see Jonah...up close and personal!
Love, Mom

Matt, Becky, Eric, Ryan, and Kelly said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Matt, Becky, Eric, Ryan, and Kelly said...

sorry about that first one - i pressed the wrong button :) anyway . . . .

1st - contractions for 12 hours finally sent us to the hospital & my water didn't break till his head came out. eric was born the day after his due date although i started labor on his due date.

2nd - contractions for 12 hours again sent us to the hospital & my water didn't break until a few hours before he was born. ryan was born 4 days early.

3rd - had contractions (called prodromal labor by the way) for over a month and i was at 4 cm for 2 weeks -- this was because the baby was posterior and after tons of fetal positioning exercises she finally turned and i went into real labor. 2 weeks past my due date i had contractions for a few minutes and my water broke - then of course had her in the driveway :).

good luck - you're almost done!!!

Carrie said...

Wes - 10 days late - induced FINALLY!! 6lb 13oz
Wyatt - 3 days late - induced 7lb 3oz

Ryan, Jane, Nate and Zach said...

Nate: 1 week over, contractions 10 min apart all day, went in when I had the first 5 min apart set. Water broke on the way in. Had him w/in an hour of getting there. No epidural.
7lbs, 14oz

Zach: 1 week over, went in after strong contractions for an hour (and straightning my hair) Broke my water on the table, had him w/in the hour. No epidural.
8lbs, 1oz

It's fun seeing everyone's stats :)

aramigan said...

due date. water broke. did not go into labor. had to be induced because of water breaking. 23 hours of labor plus some minutes. 3 hours of pushing (yes, pushing). you do not want your water to break, trust me.
leah and gabe

Rachel said...

1st... Water broke as I was gettiing into bed, no contractions. After pitocin, 18 hours of lobor, 77 minutes of pushing, and a vaccuum, I met Aubrey. She gave me stretch marks and heart burn. The worst ones came in the last week.

2nd... I was sick of being pregnant and fearful that something would happen to her if she wasn't born soon (consequence of a miscarriage I guess, you become very protective of the little buggers in utero) I was induced the day after my due date, and was ready to push 6 hours later. I pushed through two contractions and she was out! Heart burn and stretch marks were staples of my pregnancies. AND, the same kid came out both times. We're four months in and still waiting for her to look different than her sister :)

Good luck, I can't wait to see pictures of Jonah!

Taylor said...

You are too funny Stef!
1st...1 week late (2 according to my calculations) Induced, amniotic fluid low. 8lbs 10oz!
2nd...2 weeks early?! Water broke. 7lbs 2.5oz.
3rd...can't wait to see!!

The Houghton's said...

Early with both kiddos (37 weeks). They broke my water both times.
Kaylee was 4 lbs 12 oz. no contractions (induced)
Nicholas 5 lbs. 14oz. Contractions...3 min apart the day before he was born.
Both were little... I'll be praying for normal for you. Of course what is normal??

Anonymous said...

Stef, I'm a friend of Carrie's from college and saw Baby Jonah on her blog. Congratulations! Here are my stats:

#1: induced three days late (low fetal movement)--total labor 4 1/2 hours.

#2: induced one week early (amniotic fluid issues)--total labor 2 hours, 40 minutes.

#3: induced four days late (had been at 4cm for two weeks! and he wasn't going anywhere)--total labor 41/2 hours.

Glad to hear you made it!

Anonymous said...

Congrats Stef!!! He's precious.

My water broke at 3:00 a.m. (isn't that always the way) after about an hour of contractions. I had stadal (pain killer, that I didn't ask for!!!!) stopped the contractions for 3 hours and got pitocin after that. Got my epidural and went from a 3 to a 10 in and hour!!!! 45 minutes of pushing and Stephen came at 11 a.m.!!! Not bad for the first time!!! LOL

Hope you are feeling good.

Anonymous said...

Leigh Ann

sorry, I'm a dork, forgot to put my name...anonymous, that's me!!!

Congrats Stef!!! He's precious.

My water broke at 3:00 a.m. (isn't that always the way) after about an hour of contractions. I had stadal (pain killer, that I didn't ask for!!!!) stopped the contractions for 3 hours and got pitocin after that. Got my epidural and went from a 3 to a 10 in and hour!!!! 45 minutes of pushing and Stephen came at 11 a.m.!!! Not bad for the first time!!! LOL

Hope you are feeling good.

2:36 PM

Anonymous said...

Stef,

1st son - 2 weeks + 3 days late, induced, 72 hour labour, ventouse delivery, 2 hours pushing.

2nd son - 4 days late, contractions, water birth, no pain relief, 12 hour labour, 20 mins pushing.

3rd - still waiting, am 37.5 wks pregnant, hoping to be early.

Anonymous said...

Hi,

1st girl. 5 days early, water broke. 8 lbs 9 oz
2nd girl. 1 week early, had it induced, so I could plan it. Came out within 2 hours. Was great. 9 lbs 8 oz
3 baby, still in the making.

Anonymous said...

Your family is beautiful - I too am going through a 3rd pregnancy. 1st baby came at 38 weeks, 8.9 and 20 inches. 2nd baby 37 weeks 9.8 and 22 inches. With all the discomfort this time around - heartburn to braxton hicks very early on - I suspect a huge one!

Marlini Ridlis Ismail said...

hi stef,
well i know its over a few months sinc eu blogged on this article but i just love it as i can relate on my 3rd pregnancy... tks!

Erika said...

Hello!! That was a fun read. I am currently waiting to find out if I'm pregnant for a 3rd time :)

My first pregnancy we went to the hospital since my contractions were close together(5 mins apart) and after an hour or two they sent us away. They said it would probably be a couple of days before anything really started happening. I went home and my husband told me to try and take a nap since I hadn't slept well for the last couple of nights. I took him up for that offer and crawled into bed. After about 15 minutes I felt like I was getting a fever and felt an urge to go to the bathroom. Go in sit down and lost my plug (graphic- sorry). I felt a little better so I went to bed again. A few minutes later I heard a "pop" noise and had another urge to go to the bathroom. Fluid leaking all the way there- water broke. I told my husband and he said, "are you sure this time?" I said yes and showed him what was up... Lol or down for that matter. :) we waited for about 15 minutes and my contractions were like 2 minutes apart... We left. Got to the hospital and I was almost screaming in pain- they said oh your back again to which I replied " I told you earlier we were having this baby today" needless to say they admitted us :) after 5 hours of labor and 18 minutes of pushing our Asher arrived! :)
Pregnancy #2 was significantly less eventful. I labored at home for a bit and called my husband when my contractions were consistently 4 minutes apart. He came home, took a shower while I ate a snack, then we grabbed our bags and went in. After 3 hours and 5 minutes of pushing Carter was here.
Hahaha I'd be curious to see how a 3rd labor and delivery go after the first two were so fast! Wishing everyone baby dust and smooth pregnancies as well as labor and deliveries :)