Adventures of the First Week in the Hospital

I can't believe it's been one week since I got hospitalized!  I am really happy that my condition has been stable and that things did not move too fast…  The first 24 hours in the hospital were terrifying.  I was hooked up to the IV immediately that infused me a lovely cocktail of saline (to keep me hydrated), magnesium sulfate (to protect baby’s neurons and stop premature labor), and penicillin (to prevent infection).  I also got a few oral doses of nifedipine to stop contractions and a shot of steroids in the bum to help baby’s lungs mature.  To top things off, I could only consume clear liquids and was extremely hungry.  Those of you that have known me for a while know that hungry Kat = very grumpy Kat.  I was also a wreck emotionally: the possibility of having a premature baby 1 day short of 30 weeks gestational age by C-section (the little guy got stuck in a breech position when the water broke and the vaginal delivery would be too risky) was not something I anticipated or was prepared for.  Razvan was a major calming force during this time, I’m so happy he was there for me and the baby.

That was a week ago, and I’m glad that premature labor has been prevented, and that I’ve had all this time to process the situation and to get my emotions under control.  I’ve upgraded to no IV, an unrestricted diet of solid foods, and “bed rest with bathroom privileges” (apparently the use of bathroom is a true privilege around here)!  The nurses check on me and the baby every 4 hours.  The best part about this is that I get to hear the baby’s heart rate on the monitor every 4 hours.  I think it’s the best sound in the world!  I’m still praying for the little guy to do a flip turn so I can avoid a C-section, but I have come to terms with the fact that it is not something I can control.

Today is a big milestone because the baby is 31 weeks!  With each passing week (and even each passing day) the risks of prematurity decrease, and the baby is getting bigger, stronger, and more prepared to face the outside world :-)  I really hope I can hang out like this for a few more weeks. 

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers!  Knowing that you are there for us really helps :-)

First day in the hospital.  Liquids-only diet.  "I'm hungry, can I have some solid food please?"