Welcome to Week 29: Bed Rest

   I started noticing Braxton Hicks contractions about a month ago and was monitoring them closely. I was only having 2-4 an hour, they were only a 2-3 in pain and didn't usually last longer than a minute. Then a week ago they started coming much more frequently; I was having between 5 and 10 an hour, depending on how active I was. They were a 3-4 in pain and usually lasted about a minute and a half. I spoke to my midwife when they peaked at 10/hour and she told me to stay off my feet as much as possible, take more magnesium and drink lots of fluids. If they peaked that high again I was to go into the nearest hospital for observation. I had my monthly appointment already scheduled with her for the 9th, so we didn't schedule one sooner. I thankfully had the week off after Tuesday, so I took it as easy as possible, spent almost all of Friday and Saturday in bed, and was only having contractions 3-4 times an hour as long as I was down, and 4-6 if I stood for more than fifteen minutes.
  At my appointment yesterday with my midwife, Kathleen, she wasn't concerned and told me I should be able to go back to work fully, no problems as long as the contractions didn't double in number or in pain, until she checked my cervix. She said I was at a -2 station (which is fine) and that my cervix was closed but  was 50% thinner than it should be. Instead of being 1/2-1" thick, it's only 1/4". 
  I'm scheduled for a sonogram tomorrow at 10am with her consulting physician to check my cervical length to see if maybe it's thicker on the inside than the outside. There's a possibility that this is normal for me, that my previous surgery for my Endometriosis may have caused this somehow, that my tilted uterus may be putting pressure on it - we don't know. I'm very hopeful that tomorrow will give us some answers. 


  For this week at least, I'm on complete bed rest, not even supposed to sit up for more than an hour. I'm taking a lot of calcium and magnesium and red raspberry leaf and nettle to try to calm my uterus. I am fervently praying that I don't have to take any medications (especially since I was told that the one I would most likely be prescribed would cause hot flashes and anxiety as a side effect). More than anything, of course, we just want out little boy to make it inside me to at least 36 weeks safe, healthy and strong. If my contractions peak at 5/hour again, I am supposed to go the hospital for observation. I really don't want to have to do that - more because I don't want any drugs or decisions that could harm my son than for any other reason. 
  We cannot tell you how much we appreciate those of you who are joining in with us in praying. Here are some specific requests we have right now:
For answers: What is causing this? Is it just Braxton Hicks or preterm labor? How long is bed rest necessary? How do we keep our Bean safest?
For peace: We may be losing my income much sooner than we planned and we're moving in the next month.
For discernment: Should we need medical intervention, as this is definitely not in our plans.
For Sam: That he would continue to grow strong and healthy inside Mommy until at least 36 weeks (7 weeks from now) so that we can have a safe and healthy delivery at home.
For our midwife, Kathleen: That God would give her the proper guidance in how best and safest to grow and deliver our little boy.


  Words cannot express how much we love and appreciate each one of our wonderful friends and family and how overwhelmed we are by the offers to help. We love you all so much and consider ourselves immeasurably blessed to have each one of you in our lives. (Great, not I'm crying..) Thank you.


Emily, David and Sam