Packing A Bag

Yesterday we had a routine doctor appointment at 10:00. The doctor was running a little behind because another lady was going into preterm labor and he had to help her so we waited about 15-20 minutes to go back into the room. The nurse checked all my vitals (I actually lost weight this time) and got the baby's heartbeat (120, yes it's getting lower each visit). The doctor came in and we talked and everything was going normal... we thought. He asked me what the hard bump near my ribs was, I said "her bum?" He said that he wanted to check and make sure that her head was still down because from what he could feel it was up.

We wandered into the ultrasound room at the office and I crawled up on the table. He got the gooey stuff on my belly and started looking at the baby on the monitor. I could tell by his face there was something not OK. He said "OK, it looks like the baby has turned." Right then I thought oh great here we go. He said that we needed to get her turned now before she got so big he couldn't turn her. He then proceeded to go over the risks and asked how we felt about it...

He said there was a possibility that she wouldn't turn, I could go into labor, or they would have to do a c-section if the baby went into distress, etc. I kept thinking about how I should have packed my bag last week when I had some extra time and how I wasn't sure I was ready for a baby yet. I was also wondering if this was why I have had such bad heartburn. I was kind of scared to think something might go wrong but we decided that we need to get her turned.

So we went to the hospital where they hooked me up to the baby monitors. They watched me for about 45 minutes before the doctor got there then I was wheeled into the ultrasound room. The doctor and the ultrasound tech were talking about what was what (there isn't any room in there so it's all pushed together) and the doctor kept saying "he" so I was getting even more panicked (but don't worry we checked and it's definitely still a little girl...sorry Dad).

So the nurse, doctor, and ultrasound tech were all hovering over me and talking about what they were about to do. And then before I knew it the doctor was pushing on my tummy! He just pushed her around like it was no huge deal and the nurse kept asking when to give me the medicine (to stop contractions) but I didn't even start contracting until after he already pushed her around. The procedure was a success.

So they monitored me for a little while longer and I had two contractions but nothing like going into labor and the baby was fine so they discharged me home, reminding me that I should pay close attention to contractions, any spotting, or gushes of water.

So, the moral of the story is... When you think you should pack your bags, DO IT, because you never know when you might get your baby!