The Stay

 The Stay I was pretty pissed like the entire time about the stay at the hospital-

I didn't want to get in the wheelchair to go upstairs but they said it was hospital procedure which was a load of crap. So me and baby in the wheelchair and Matt and the nurse went upstairs to our tiny suite OH and DON'T forget the PLACENTA!! (Matt was grossed out but later figured out how amazing the pills were!) We went up to the 8th floor it had a fold out chair for my 6 foot husband who had also been working his butt off and was exhausted. Don't they know the insurance pays for everything they could at least get a futon or something! I was amazed at the menu it was pretty good and restaurant quality. I didn't like my stay there for the most part or the triage. They kept telling me to sleep yet they kept interrupting me and waking me up for vitals. I find vitals unnecessary if you were perfectly healthy the last 50x they checked you. And everytime I tried to nurse the baby they wanted to check his vitals and make him scream. It's like they really didn't get the part about the only things babies need is breastmilk and establishing that is kind of difficult. They didn't even ask they just barge in and say how are you doing while sneaking in a vitals check on the baby. You would also think they would know that babies shouldn't scream it stresses them out and they don't eat alot! Yah know since it's there SPECIALTY. I also did not appreciate them changing diapers magically I don't think I changed one diaper until right before we checked out. They would do it while I was going pee because they won't let you go pee alone like an old person. I hate how they treat you like your handicapped. Also they tried 3x to do the hearing test on him and they said it wasn't going to hurt him or stress him out yet they couldn't do it because he kepts waking up screaming so then they would put him back to sleep by swaddling him and letting him suck on there gloved finger INSTEAD of yes BREASTFEEDING. It's like seriously are you retarded. I was sitting on my ass in my room waiting to feed the baby! I went with them the first time and then the second time my lunch came and so I let them take him with them. I went looking for him and he was in the nursery "they had just finished" like they always say and guess what there is like 20 babies in the nursery with the white lights above there heads blinding them and they are all magically asleep yet with the blinding lights on. I really don't think these people observe what is wrong with this situation. The baby just came out of a nice comfy warm dark cave. Oh those are heat lamps the nurse said um no they are not those are fluorescent the heat lamp is the one that baby is under. DUH. So in the morning I had to get ahold of someone to come get the placenta before they tossed it out and it become bad. So I bribed everyone with you can get to come see the baby before visiting hours! But no such luck my Grandparents came and did it though than god they god to see there precious great grandbaby boy and they were the first to come and bring flowers! No matter what they love me even though I'm weird. It was so nice to have someone come visit in Korea we only had one visitors and that was nice but it was so much nicer having all the family come and see the baby the more the better! We hung out in the room and chatted and it was fun and not stressful like the first time in Korea. The day I checked out was the day I had the best nurse she asked if we would like to bath him and Matt really wanted to I really didn't want him bathed in formaldehyde but whatever the other babies survived, by formaldehyde I mean Johnson & Johnson, a good almost 24 hours was better than nothing anyway. I knew he was a preemie and wanted to keep that white coating on my fur baby to protect him like god intended but nobody seemed to understand that but me. I was disappointed we didn't know you could like decorate there stupid bassinet things with there names and colors some parents had them decked out. I was unaware since I hardly put him in that stupid thing and he was on my with no clothes doing kangaroo loves the whole time we were there! My mom came to introduce Desmund to the new brother he had and see how he reacted. I just wanted her to come right away to help with my engorged boobs! Instead of pumping to relieve pressure a toddler works just as well if not better. He came and I got him up there and nursed him good thing he still knew who I was and he gave me hugs and was quite interested in the thing I was holding but then just wanted to play with the bassinet and bang it into the door repetitively. My cousin and her daughter came, my mom, my friend Natasha and her daughter Alexis, my Aunt Shelly and my cousin Mia and my brother and our friend Wesley.  I was sad my brother didn't even ask to hold him and he wanted to the stinker. He didn't get a chance to before we left either. My dad didn't get to either because he was in the hospital himself after his accident. I stayed the next night since he was born at 4 am it was until the next day at 4am and they wanted a special doctor to see him about his clubbed foot or so they called it. Albreigh came out kind of bent to the left shall we say because I was on bed rest for 5 months only allowed to lay on my left side. He turned out perfectly though and his foot was going back to normal instead of going down like it should it was bent all the way up towards his leg but babies bones aren't solid yet so as long as we stretched it down and got it used to that he would be fine the doctor said. I spoke to the LC about Albreigh and he was getting my milk too fast and she said you already have your milk in. I told her well yes I'm tandem nursing. She was super cool and said well then nurse the toddler first so the newborn isn't choking it up but he will get used to it. What I had learned was you always nurse the newborn first to get the colostrum so they don't get jaundice but his levels were a 3 so she said it was fine. The Pediatrician had to clear us to go and Matt was there and she was so concerned that he didn't get his Vitamin K shot. Which I was thinking why the heck would he need one anyway he had like a ton of blood pumped into him unlike all the other babies so he's super fine. She was thinking he was getting circ'd which wasn't til a week later anyway. But she was pretty persistent and carrying and she just didn't understand why we wouldn't want our precious new baby shot up with all kinds of chemicals and stuff. URG. I was starting to experience some cramping like almost 24 hours later finally and asked when they were going to get me off the pitocin and she said the doc should be in soon. Then he broke the news about how much I had lost and let me in on a little clue on why I should take it easy and not fly TOMORROW. My husband yes wanted to fly us out the next day. There is a huge hole where the 6lb baby used to be and in order to go back to normal that hole needs to fill with blood and then it will close and go back to normal slowly so right now you have an empty cavity in your body. Creepy I had never thought of it like that before. They did there last check on Albreigh and me and we were good to go. He hadn't lost any weight the doctor said and was amazed, well duh we didn't clamp the cord! We got to leave finally around 11am and headed to my mom's house. All four of us finally took up the whole car. The kids were even asleep in the backseat. It was nice feeling of us being together, all of us in one location finally!

Albreigh's Birthday

On our way to the hospital the skies were dark and stormy there was lightning and a bit of rain. It was a calm cool breezy night. Perfect for the perfect storm. We got to the hospital and Matt decided to make me walk as much as possible the crazy loon. I have been on bedrest for 5 months not permitted to walk anywhere! He parked at the lowest parking spot in the garage and then proceeded to tell me to get on up the stairs 3 flights. I made it just fine. My contractions had been silent again but the storm was coming. We got into the hospital and checked in and they wanted to wheel me up to the L&D. I had my first baby in Korea and was ambulanced into the L&D there so we didn't expect such nonsense from a hospital. Walking the baby out ever heard of it! SITTING are you crazy! No thanks we are going to walk my husband says. He was like uh ok like we were weird or something. So we get up there and they check me into a triage room and make me do the stupid contractions machine to PROVE to them I was having a god damn baby. Like are you freakin serious just give me the damn room! There were all these loud obnoxious woman moaning and groaning like they were having sex or pushing a turd out like a fat man. Wimps I do believe we called them I was about to go in the room next to me and show the lady how it's done! She was so loud! I was having contractions the same times and for the same amount of time she was yet I was silent and just irritated they made me lay on my back because the contractions weren't showing up so I laid on my side anyway to make them go away. I didn't want to go backwards of course. So 1 hour 30 minutes later she came in they were swamped she checked me I let her because we knew I was like a 5 and she said I was like a 4 stupid bitch she said she was gonna get ahold of my doctor and to go walking to see if we could get those contractions going steady since the whole time we were waiting it couldn't pick the contractions up because the machine was being retarded. It also was giving a low heart rate on the baby well duh he's in my pelvic bone!! We told the lady my situation she didn't really seem to give two shits. So we went a walking! It was like 2 by now. We were told to come back in about 45 minutes. We got downstairs I needed some fresh air and we got out and the skies were nice and glowing blue from the thunder and lightning and it had just rained so the air was clean. The streets were empty and it was nice and quiet outside. Me and Matt walked around the circle in the downstairs of St. Luke's boise one time and then he wanted to go back in! So not happening we walked and walked and walked and walked. Nothing really happened until about 30 minutes later. I was feeling the contractions then but still not consistent just random and they weren't full on contractions they were more like a pinched nerve feeling. I was thinking it was going more towards back labor now, very uncomfortable feelings. I started to walk with my legs wider like a penguin, and dancing sort of rotating my hips like a hula hoops would as we walked up and down the hill having a nice conversation with my not so anxiety ridden husband was nice. It was comforting knowing he was there by my side and the timing was right and we were together at last and no pressure. As we were walking I saw another pregnant lady full term you could tell, she was with her husband and she had to stop to throw up in the parking lot. We were like oh there goes another woman that doesn't know what to do. She of course took the wheelchair upstairs. So 15 minutes later we headed upstairs of course we came in early and Matt went pee and I went pee then we headed up the elevator to get the party started. I was finally feeling them regularly it was about 3:05 when went upstairs. She put me back on the damn machine and guess what I did I got up instead and did my thing. She came in and said the nurse will be in to take you upstairs. Again we turned down the wheelchair I do believe...at this point it was about 3:20 and I was really having contractions and they were heavy. I was quiet and Matt was rubbing my lower hip bones in circular motions as I leaned over the bed. It really is the best thing for me during labor. You just relax and as long as he's rubbing my body is doing what it's suppose to do and there isn't really any pain. We went up to our room and all I wanted was to be in the damn jacuzzi tub they had promised me from the beginning. So the nurse was super nice and Matt was ready to get the show on the road. The nurse was filling up the tub and she said it was going to take about 30 minutes.  I was pissed I knew I didn't have 30 minutes to waste. The doctor came in and we were surprised to see him. He was wearing his bronco shirt and jeans and was happy and ready to go. He said well lets get this show on the road tooand checked me to see why my water hadn't broken yet. Hmmm he said I was a 7 and didn't know why my water hadn't broken yet but we were ok with him breaking my water because I was going into back labor which was bad meaning something was going wrong along with the babies heart beat was dropping. Even though the damn machine was inaccurate as hell I wasn't trusting that for an excuse. But back labor is a sure sign. So now we are about 3:45 I should say. He reached in and BAM my water broke he quickly reached in and moved something around. He said well I didn't really have to break your water but the cord was in the way so good thing we did that now the baby can come out just fine. AMAZING. That is like a 1 in a million chance of the cord coming out first. So he leaves to go get his scrubs on in a hurry and said no joke you do move fast! Matt was about to call his mom to tell her we ere having the baby so far we hadn't told anybody except my mom. I didn't want to jinx it. So now I'm squatting through the contractions and husband is rubbing my lower back still as I lean over the bed. and we are well aware of what is going on and what we should do it was routine now. They gave me a a hep lock and administered the antibiotics for the gb strep or whatever I'm still trying to figure that one out. I had missed my appointment to see if I was or not so they only gave me one dose and we didn't need anymore after than. The Koreans gave me a ton of antibiotics same with after the birth due to infection and I wanted to avoid that for sure seeing it gave me thrush for 10 months! So I had thrown up my dominos after she gave me the hep lock. Then I was squatting and I do mean like up and down squats and the nurse was super awesome we were fine with the baby monitor being on as long as I could do my own thing and move around freely. She would come adjust as needed and tell me I'm a champ. So now we are at about 4AM I was ready to push still squatting and blood was coming out now and I just kept squatting Matt was behind me supporting me I was so groggy from the whole experience everything was a haze I was in dreamland on a mission. The doctor came in and said well lets get her on the bed. We stopped in amazement like UM HELL NO. We don't do that my husband said. He said we need to be able to squat. I said "squatting bar" then went back to doing my thing. The nurses knew what we were talking about the doctor had no idea. Of course typical OBGYN. So they got the never been used squatting bar on and I was still squatting on the side of the bed and I had to stop and get on the bed in position I did this at super speed. I was standing and squatting on the bed and the doctor was in front of me in his uncomfortable rolley chair. I must say the room was huge. They had stuff set up for anything to happen on a table behind him which was creepy but it was alot better there was just me, my husband and the nurse and the doctor. In Korea at this time they were rolling in all kinds contraptions and there was like 10 people in the room. It took me about 4 minutes of pushing and Albreigh was here! I felt like a balloon right before it was getting ready to pop. That is what labor feels like to me and then when it pops the baby just falls right out! When his head and body is finally emerging through your pelvic area there is that last feeling full and tightness before everything just falls out. Good thing he came out all at once too just like my first! The doctor didn't assist either we told him we wanted as little intervention as possible so his hands were down by the bed not up there and he gently caught our baby boy.   The doctor was going to not clamp the cord until the placenta was delivered. But he had never done this before and I was 37 weeks so he wanted to observe the baby while this was going on to see what happened INSTEAD of put him on my chest. He didn't tell us about this and both me and my husband were asking for the baby on my chest. So with both babies they weren't on my chest for the first minute of there life. He came out screaming he wanted his mama. I don't believe they suctioned him we wanted all that delayed including bathing for at least an hour and they had agreed on that was good they said. YET they didn't put him immediately to the chest. So as soon as the placenta was about to come out he let Matt cut the cord...I think! The doctor was so amazed at the delaying the cord clamping because there was no blood left in it and the baby got it all. He got all those great stem cells and everything! Good thing, he didn't lose any weigh the first 24 hours either. Me and Matt both looked at him like he was an idiot since this was the first time in his 20+ years delaying. He told me he was going to change his practice especially because he works with preemies! Amazing. Baby Boy came right to me and crawled to my chest and started nursing it was the best thing in the world!! He could actually latch right on and of course was guzzling milk like a mad man they had pissed him off. I was really feeling drowzy and wanted to take a nap at this point and the doctor said I was losing a ton of blood so they needed to give me pitocin. Which breastfeeding is suppose to help contract your uterus he did about 20 minutes each side I was flooding him with milk since I was still nursing. But no such luck I had to get pitocin. The doctor told me I was super close to having a transfusion and had lost 3x the normal amount. This happened with my first son as well. Oh and by the way I'd like to keep my placenta....Hmm we've never had anyone ask to keep there's before...(In my head thinking-Well your just going to throw it out anyway or sell my stem cells to someone else for extreme prices)....So I'd like to keep my placenta please....Ok well we have to mark it as hazardous waste and you need to sign a release form...(a release form for my on organ)..Just so the hospital is not liable for anything that happens to it after you take it out of the hospital and it has to be gone within 6 hours. Hmm OK.


The Newborn Hospital Procedures
                   About an hour later they weighed baby boy and he was 6lbs 2 oz the biggest baby ever(to us anyway)! He was 20 inches long I believe. He had dirty blonde hair and we knew he was going to have blue eyes. He had a blue line around the black in his eyes. We didn't want the vitamin K shot or the hep b shot I find very unnecessary. There really is no need for these unless the boy is getting circ'd (vit k)and they don't even do that til a week later at the doctors. We also didn't want those stupid eye drops because with our first son he wouldn't open his eyes for 3 days and I had no infection this time so we didn't need them anyway. They made Matt sign a waiver and I'm glad I didn't have to tell them anything Matt told them all by himself he is so smart! I didn't like when they were measuring Albreigh or doing the APGAR test to see if he was alert and functioning. He was screaming and a crying baby is a baby that needs fed. I've never seen a nurse give a baby her finger of course with a glove on to calm the BRAND NEW BABY down, just stop the not important test and run the baby to the breastfeeding mother. Really pissed me off and Matt didn't like it either but he put a glove on and gave baby boy his finger so the nurse could hurry up she seemed like she was taking her time. You would think as a hospital the most important thing would be feeding the baby but nope. They also has super bright lights on the poor baby as if he hadn't just crawled out of a dark cave. Also with tunnel vision which babies are suppose have with the blinding white lights I would be crying too. Baby ate and then was asleep on my chest as we were waiting to go upstairs to our overnight room they only wanted to keep us for 24 hours.Big improvement compared to Korea and all there random testing they do on preemies. They didn't even test Albreigh for anything and he as only 37 weeks. Weren't too sure about that.

I'm getting a massage and then having a baby...

October 4th. 11AM I posted on Facebook I was going to get a massage and then have a baby. No I wasn't getting induced I just felt the past week of hell was finally closing in on me and we were going to finally let it do it's thing. By it I mean my body. Every contraction I couldn't count they were random for a week and not really feeling them I was wondering if everything was ok. My body was exhausted to death I couldn't move or anything I could barely take a shower and my husband was driving me nuts and so was everyone else asking when the baby was going to come. Well since he was already falling out anyway it wasn't that hard to really feel like he was making his debut on a good time. The night before I had my husband give me the number to his Captain to bitch him out because 4 days was not enough and we needed more especially if there was any chance the baby could be in the NICU and I needed my husband to stop freaking out. So I had called and bitched him out and he claimed he didn't know anything of our circumstances and if he would have known he would have given my husband leave like he APPLIED FOR HELLO!! So he spoke to my husband and said something smart ass like you had your wife call for you. You would think they would know Wives call husbands hide. Good thing he was 2,000 miles away from doing push ups. We got him 15 more days and then he had to go straight to the field when he got home. So the pressure was finally off Friday night and that is when I knew everything was looking up. So anyway back to the story. I kept calling Stephanie my awesome amazing friend who was going to come give me a massage at my house to further the feeling of the contractions like I said I was having them but I couldn't feel them. So then I could feel them and count them regularly and it felt so good I really needed one after being on bed rest for freakin 5months!! We waited until I could get a rythm going with me I go really fast so it goes from nothing to immediate and then BAM baby. So Matt was rolling his fingers staying away from me and we were just chillin on the couch I took a bath to maybe intensify it and we ordered some domino's since I was craving it. I ate a pizza, some hot spicy wings and some cheesy bread. Which sounds amazing right now....even though I saw it come up still sounds amazing. I was so excited I could finally eat spicy food I was staying away from it because I didn't want to start labor early but now that I could have it I craved it and could taste the mouthwatering spiciness! So after I filled myself or more like indulged I took another bath seemed to be doing something...I got out of the bath. Not really feeling contractions still but totally feeling pelvic pressure like no other, like you want to jump it just feels so uncomfortable you need to do something to make it feel better which is usually work the baby out so I knew we had to get to the hospital and get the good doctor there before anything happened. So I went to put Desmund to bed and my mom came and snuggled next to him all night long he stayed asleep! I checked myself I was about a 5 and I was feeling the contractions about 6 minutes apart now but then they would go away and disappear! I was still breastfeeding Desmund so breastfeeding makes you feel your contractions. I could barely make it all the way through nursing him to sleep which at the time usually only took 3 minutes. But lately he was getting colostrum and was taking about 10 he thought it tasted like candy I'm sure. I kept  looking at my watch antsy to run away from him I didn't like all the sudden feeling the regular contractions I was having that were before silent. I knew I was at least a 5 so they had to take us in so I could labor at the hospital in the nice suites they promised me with the jacuzzi tub....So we loaded the truck and off we went.

On a Jet Plane

September 26th I was 36 weeks, Matt was on his way to Boise to be with me and the Army was on our back to have the baby. ARE YOU CRAZY! 36 weeks is still a preemie. Now I know why so many woman get inductions the pressure is crazy how they drill into your brains. My husband only had 4 days to spend with me due to the fact that he's in the Army and they weren't allowing him to come be with me even though our son could possibly end up in the NICU. I really didn't think they understood the circumstances. Anywho on this day I booked the wrong flight for the wrong day. I booked it on accident for the default day instead of the day I wanted. So when Matt arrived at the Fayetteville tiny dinky airport to fly out at 4AM his flight didn't exist. He only had 4 days of leave and I managed to screw up a whole day. Luckily they rebooked it and he flew out at 7pm would arrive in Boise at 11pm. I was having regular contractions so I thought maybe this would be the day even though I didn't want it to be and I wanted my husband with me. He was like life support during labor with my first and I didn't think I could do it without him. At around 7 I told my mom I think we need to go in just to see what's going on. I have appointments with my doctor every Tuesday but I felt like something weird was going on and consistent kidney pain and I even took a bath to see if they would calm down. I didn't think they were contractions at all in fact I didn't even think I was in labor just felt pressure but no biggy, I was feeling that everyday and I was getting further along to be expected.  My kidney's were killing me though and I just wanted them checked out. We went and stopped by to pick my brother up on the way to St. Luke's in Boise. I told Matt I was going in to see what they had to say and I would keep in touch. I went in and got all checked out. They got me all checked in and didn't even have me in the system yet. Apparently my records hadn't been forwarded.  I got checked into the triage of the Labor and Delivery Department and my mom and brother and Desmund had fun in the waiting room. I got my gown on and laid on my back the worst position ever to be in if you are having contractions. It closes the pelvic back up so being on bedrest this was the worst possible position anyway. They hooked me up to the contractions monitor and I had to do a UA.  The pain increased of course and the nurse came in and checked and asked where it was hurting I said just my kidney's are killing me and she told me watch the screen and said well those are contractions honey! They called my doctor and understood my situation and didn't want to break my water or anything they did a light pelvic exam which was alright because my water hadn't broken yet and the baby was like right there so she didn't have to do much. I was only a 2 with 80% effaced and at a Station +2 for sure now and staying there. The doctor said I had two choices I could have this baby within 24 hours or so or I could take the pill he gave me to stop the contractions and wait some more. I said take the pill my husband isn't going to be here for another hour! Seeing that I have babies really fast and hour may seem like a short amount of time for you 30+hour laborer but with my first I had him in 2 hours flat! So an hour was not enough time for husband to come. So the doctor said go eat lots of food get some rest and take the pill and don't touch your husband! Haha! He knew I hadn't seen him in about 2 months at this point and had been on bedrest for 5 months now. So me, mom and my brother Josh went to the pink drive in, the famous West Side. I had never eaten there except at the fair which I missed so we were going to eat lots of food like the doctor said and go to bed! I ordered everything I could think of. They have a pretty fancy menu for being a drive in. I finally got my Idaho Potato Ice Cream Spud, a scotch and soda extra large a spicy burger since I had a back up pill I could finally eat spicy food! And some Potato wedges with blue cheese and buffalo sauce! By the time we got home Matt was on a plane to come see me. I told him everything was fine and I'd see him soon and could possibly have the baby anytime so to chill out and don't worry about the Army! But we were going to try to keep him in until Saturday! Once the baby was born we could always get a Doctor's note to stay longer. 37 weeks was OUR goal!!

The Goose that laid the golden egg.

I can't imagine carrying around an egg in your hoohah for a while. Well ok so I know what that feels like because that's pretty much the image that is describing my current position of the baby and has been for quite some time now. He is less than .77 centimeters from escaping. That is more than a Zero station on the bishops score. Which is why I'm not suppose to walk, sit or stand in case he would like to escape it's not that hard. The doctor is monitoring me closely because in the position he is in if he gets too big he won't be able to survive that long so we just have to make sure he comes out when he's ready and not when my failing body thinks so rather than be sooner or later. He just keeps saying I'm surprised you made it this long. Since my original measurements put me at delivering before 28 weeks for sure! No doubts about it. But I followed what the Koreans said on the whole bed rest/hospitalization recommendation and have been getting my progesterone shots every week since 21 weeks. I'm 34 now so the baby is healthier and able to survive which is a miracle from the man upstairs. Carrying an egg like that since probably conception because I can't carry and now the weight of the baby and dropping makes it even lower. How LOW can you go well a +2 means he's escaped so hopefully that won't happen but that's what we are waiting on. He said I only have about an hour of labor if that since Desmund came in 2 hours record timing. Plus he's already um THERE. So contractions are scaring me right now. They come and go and aren't regular just sporadic usually when I'm hungry. Anything can set me off like a bump in the road literally. So now we just wait and hopefully the husband will get here sooner than later and everything will be fine!! So TWO MORE weeks. But I really wish I could go into hibernation for those two weeks.

One in a million.

So my doctor was so surprised at how neglected I was in Korea. I thought my first pregnancy was bad but this one. I seriously only was seen once by a doctor for a prenatal when I first found out I was pregnant. So one thing of blood work. I peed in a cup to get a positive pregnancy test and that's it. I pee in a cup everytime now and the good thing is they can catch an infection right away. So with my first they never did that and I had an infection for 3 weeks or maybe longer but that led to preterm eventually. So this time we caught it right away and he said I have a bladder infection definately but possibly a kidney stone and began to tell me the treatment for kidney stones during pregnancy. Then I said I already passed two with this pregnancy. He says Im glad I make your appointments an hour long. I continue to amaze him. Lol. He ask how I was treated I told him I wasn't I passed them with some help from my favorite barley tea lol. And then I say I had two with my son as well and they gave me an IV and sent me home and didn't tell me I had an infection until 3 weeks later tested me again and I was fine. He says and these were army doctors?! Lol. I told him I wish I could have gone to the korean doctors and he said they have amazing medicine treatments for stuff like that. WHO would have known that! So I have to take antibiotics which I'm not fond of since we combatted thrush for 10 months. So I'll do everything I can so I don't get it this time and we should be fine :) I'm glad I have a doctor that prevents things! Of course that is his job as a high risk doctor with a fancy name. So I'm 32 weeks and haven't had any contractions this week. Doing good so far! Thank god Im in America!

I made it to America!

Well after getting to the states I started having cramps so we went to urgent care then they told me to go to another urgent care and then I got transfered in an ambulance to the main hospital. Korean ambulance rides are crazy compared to american. They both make you sign a waiver but at least the american one speeds! Well after going there they did a FFT test to tell if I was going to have the baby they are about 98% accurate. They hooked me up to a contaction monitor and man it had more lines that Ive ever seen. The ones at our army hospital and the korean hospital were pretty old fashioned compared to this one. They even put a pillow behind my back because laying on your back is bad amazing! I even got a meal while I was there! The doctor fought with us on a cervical exam even though we were totally against it she would't give it up and did an intravaginal ultrasound and I measured 2.9. We thought well we are in the ER she should know what she's doing and she wanted to see if I had dialated any. Well today at my doctors appt. he said that is a no no like we thought for sure. But was haopy no one had done one but the ER here and surprised about that one even. He said she should have known. She told us I didnt need to be in bed rest anymore and I didn't need the shot but needed to be seen asap.

Dr. Awesome
So I got into a specialist the best in Idaho. He kept me waiting but of course he had a good reason someone went into labor, so I waited a half an hour. The nurse brang in a care package the ones Ive heard about but since I gave birth in a korean hospital I never got one. They give you a formula sample and then for breastfeeding moms they give you those vitamins. So I was left with my ptsd about hospitals and formula in a room with four walls staring at everything I was pushed on the first time I had a kid, I was freaking out at this point sitting waiting for the doctor ready to put my clothes on and run! So as I got up after about an hour of waiting ready to put my clothes on a run to the waiting room since I couldn't handle the magazine adds of everything we don't use or formula ads I hear a male doctor. So I jumped back on the table good thing because he opened the door and said knock knock instead of knocking! Not like he wouldn't have seen it or anything later but still. Anyway we got down to business he asked me anything about everything, and then concludes with I can't believe you haven't gone into labor yet! Haha. I measured at a 3.4 this time which is great but if I start contracting it can go to half of that so that's scary.

So weekly visits include FFT tests, progesterone shots, ultrasound and bed rest. He gave me a pill in case I have 4 contractions in an hour and he said he would take care of me until 36 weeks and then I'm free! Problem is I'm stuck in Idaho and husband is across the country in our new house. He may deploy in October after he gets done with school in 4 weeks from now. So we will see these next weeks are crucial. Travelling can throw me off and send me into labor but so can breastfeeding and I'm still doing that! The korean and my new doc said it was fine people have been doing it for years he said. Good ending to a visit! So should I stay or should I go? I won't have anyone to take care of me in N.C or on the plane or for my son while at the hospital and no guarantees husband will be allowed time off or leave to come see me in Idaho what a sticky situation. But yay we made it to 30 weeks!!

And thank you to my doula influence Tonya! I don't think I could have made it at all.