Bedrest Weeks #10 and #11

Finally, I have made it to the end of bedrest!!  I survived 77 days of laying down!  I'm really not sure how I did it, but I'm so glad it's over.  I was looking back at my calendar and in the last 36 weeks, I have spent 77 days on bed rest, taken 77 doses of Procardia, have had 11 sonograms, 13 NST's, 4 trips to L&D, 3 terbutaline shots to stop labor and 1 round of steroid shots!  I'd say that's more than anyone should have to deal with during a single pregnancy.  And although the end of bedrest has come, I still have 4 more weeks to my due date.  :(  My worst fear now is that after all of this, Evan decides to get comfortable and hang out until his due date.  I'm beyond uncomfortable now.  Even though my bedrest didn't officially end until today, I cheated a bit this weekend.  By the end of the day on Sunday though, my whole body was so sore!  Just sitting up in a chair kills my back.  I'm more ready than ever to get back to work tomorrow and live a "normal" life again, but the thought of possibly having to make it 4 more weeks is tough to think about.  I just don't ever remember being this uncomfortable with Em (either that or I just blocked it all out).  And I have noticed the contractions that I've had in the last week or so have been a bit more intense.  They aren't so much painful, but they are definitely more uncomfortable.  I stop the Procardia today too, so I'm just not sure what to expect as far as contractions from here on out.

I had my last NST appt. this morning.  I couldn't have been more excited about that.  NST's get old very quickly.  I had 2 big contractions that I felt, but other than that, all looked good.  I had to laugh this morning as I went in for my appt. though.  After going anywhere from 1-2 times a week for the last 11 weeks, they have gotten to know me really well in the office.  The receptionist greets me as soon as I walk in the door.  And today when the nurse called me back, she gave me a high five and said "36 weeks - yay!"  I think they all understand that this has been tough on me.  The dr. did an exam and I was still about the same as last week.  She said between 1-1.5cm dilated and still 75% effaced.  I won't lie, deep down I was hoping for a miracle and she would tell me I was much farther.  Oh well, I was only a 1 when my water broke with Em at 37 weeks, so we'll see.   I asked the dr. what she thought my odds were that I'd go into labor quickly and she said it's really too hard to judge.  She said she doubts I make it to my due date, but said that she could also see it being a couple of weeks away.  I go back next week for a sono.  She wants to check the fluid level around the baby.  I also want to ask her then about the option to induce at 39 weeks.  She gave me this option with Em.  I didn't have to take her up on that option with her, but I can confidently say that should I get the option this time, I will be taking it!

In the big scheme of things, bedrest has proven to work for me.  It has kept Evan safe and sound in my tummy for the last 11 weeks and I am unbelievably thankful for that.  While in no way was it easy, in the end it was worth it and for that reason, I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

So for now, it's back to reality tomorrow.  I'll let you know how it goes.