2am Tour of Labor and Delivery

That's how our day began!

If you've been reading along, you know I have a low-lying placenta, which basically means the placenta is attached low in my uterus and has the potential to block baby's exit during delivery. I have been on pelvic rest for the last 6 weeks in order to prevent bleeding because heavy bleeding could be dangerous for the baby and me.

At 1:30 this morning, I awoke for one of my regular potty breaks and learned I was spotting. I feel like the insomnia I have been dealing with all week prepared me to be clear-headed. For a normal pregnancy, spotting isn't a big deal, but with placenta previa, it's a reason to call your doctor. She advised me to check-in to labor and delivery so we could determine the cause of the bleeding.

That's where we found ourselves at about 2am! We found our way to labor and delivery so I guess we don't need to sign up for the tour anymore. I got hooked up to a blood pressure cuff and the fetal heart monitor and was prepped for a full spectrum of pelvic exams. We got to listen to baby's strong heart beat for a few hours. He was so active, he kept kicking the monitor! We could see my stomach lift as we heard the thud of his strong kicks and punches. The doctor and nurses were surprised at his activity level at only 26 weeks!

I had both types of sonograms which determined that the placenta was not the cause of the spotting- thank goodness! It does still appear to be low though, so that's something the doctors will continue to monitor in the coming weeks. The cause of the spotting was likely dilation of the most outer layer of my cervix which is nothing to be concerned about. The most important layer of the cervix is very long and sealed up tight and is so far up, the doctor could barely reach it. Baby J isn't going anywhere any time soon!

Unfortunately, I couldn't see much of the image during the sonograms, but Ryan could. Our little monkey would not keep still! Ryan said his little arms and legs kept moving and as he mimicked his movements, I imagined him climbing a ladder. Then I started to imagine him climbing out of his crib... Then I started to worry about how we are going to keep this active boy contained! Ahh!

By 5am, we were discharged with orders to continue to rest, monitor the spotting, and to enjoy our last few relaxing months before we have an active, attention-demanding, little boy on our hands. Thankfully, everything appears to be ok for now and I know going in to be checked was the right thing to do. I was also thankful to learn how comfortable I felt in our hospital. The room was private and cozy and the staff was very friendly. I think I'll be very happy delivering there.