28 weeks!!

Day 23 of bedrest

84 days left until my EDD

Today I turned 28 weeks and am starting the third trimester. This is a milestone in preparing for a premature birth. Even though it's incredibly early, and most DEFINITELY not when you want baby born, the chances of survival are 90-95%. Plus, MN has some world renown hospitals, including the level III NICU at at Children's Hospital in Minneapolis, which is where Ella would be if she were born before 32 weeks. This is what the March of Dimes has to say on babies born between 28-31 weeks: 

"These babies look quite similar to babies born earlier, although they are larger (usually between 2 and 4 pounds) and even more likely to survive (about 96 percent) (13). Many require treatment with oxygen, surfactant and assistance to help them breathe. Some of these babies can be fed breastmilk or formula through a tube placed through their nose or mouth into the stomach, although others need to be fed intravenously.

Some of these babies can cry. They can move, although their movements may be jerky. A baby born at this time can grasp a person’s finger. These babies can open their eyes, and they begin to stay awake and alert for short periods.

Babies born at 28 to 31 weeks are at risk for the complications discussed above. When complications occur, however, they may not be as severe as in babies born earlier. Babies born with very low birthweight (less than 3 pounds, 4 ounces) remain at risk for serious disabilities."

Because we're facing the possibility of Ella being born soon, on Monday at my doctors appointment I'm going to discuss when we would consider doing steroid shots to help develop Ella's lungs. If I remember with Olivia, it takes 2 days for them to be effective so we would want to do them at least a few days prior to delivery. We had them a week before Olivia was born and she was born with 100% lung capacity. I'm praying that Ella will be just as lucky. 

Keep praying for 32 (OR MORE!!) weeks! But we're preparing for the possibility that it could happen much sooner. Every day, even HOUR counts at this point. Weeks are golden!! 

3 weeks to the day

Day 22 of bedrest

85 days left until my EDD

3 weeks ago today, I went into the doctors office with a high blood pressure reading of 149/92. When I got to the doctors, it was 162/102. I had +1 protein in my urine and was put on immediate bed rest with orders to follow up with my primary OB the following Friday after being given a diagnosis of PIH (pregnancy induced hypertension). 

Exactly 3 weeks later, on the day before I turned 28 weeks, I find out that it is no longer PIH but now it is mild preeclampsia. I knew this day was going to come, and after all the symptoms from this weekend as well as my 24 hour urine, I wasn't surprised. That doesn't make me any less happy about it. I know, I should be thrilled that I am still pregnant but I knew at 24 weeks, when I wasn't put on bed rest that I wasn't going to be induced. PIH isn't something that they induce for as far as I'm aware. Or at least not at 24 weeks they don't. It's been a waiting game up until now for it to turn into preeclampsia. With the hypertension, there was a hope, even a good chance that the BP meds and the bed rest would get me to full term. Of course, there is a chance that I could get to full term with preeclampsia but with my history of severe preeclampsia, the chances of that happening are pretty slim. I would say at this point, I'm praying to make it an extra 4 weeks to get to 32 weeks. 

I know that people are going to read this and think I'm just being pessimistic. That is not the case. I'm simply preparing myself for the likelihood of what could happen. And if I'm wrong, I will completely allow everyone to laugh at me and say "I told you so!" (but, so you know, you can fully expect a snotty remark and me to stick my tongue out at you because I'm super mature like that!). If you mix in the fact that the protein in my urine has literally tripled in the last two weeks, the fact that my ankles and hands swell if I'm upright for longer then about 10 minutes (sometimes shorter) and the fact that I've had daily headaches since Saturday, things aren't looking the brightest. Right now, I'm working on trying to emotionally and physically prepare myself for a preemie who could potentially spend a very long time in the NICU and spending each day thanking God that Ella is still in my belly.