Adventures of my Mummy Tummy: Baby no.3

I got back from the USA at the end of Feb and had a positive Pregnancy test by the end of March. My first ultrasound was on my birthday and baby was 7 weeks. Due date was set for 12/12/12

This was by far the toughest Pregnancy!

I just want to say that these posts are by no means me complaining about 'how bad" my pregnancy was, or boasting, or a way of me looking for sympathy.

Its the facts of what happened and how it made me feel. More of a record so i don't forget.

I truly believe that no matter what you are going through, someone always has it harder then you! Sure people can handle things differently, but if one person can handle it, why not you/me? I have always strived to be a better person a strengthen myself. instead of having a big sooki la pity party about how I'm feeling or my own pain, i would find others who inspire me and learn to suck it up! Pregnancy and birth seems to be the best opportunity to do that.

DON'T GRUMBLE,

DON'T BLUSTER,

DON'T SLEEP and DON'T SHIRK.

Don't think of your Worries,

Just think of your work.

Then your Worries will Vanish,

The Work will be Done.

For no man sees his Shadow,

Who Faces the SUN.

I love this poem! If you focus on your problems, that is all you will see. So find someone with bigger problems then your own and HELP THEM! I grantee that you will forget all about yourself!!

So here we go.

I swear the moment i conceived i gain 5kg! If you ever want to know if i am pregnant just look at my face. if its puffier then usual, i prob am!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to me! 7 weeks pregnant and feeling like I'm gonna spew

From about 6weeks pregnant i became tired (usual fall asleep on the couch at 10 and 3 tired) and also the nausea. Now for those who don't know me, i have a fear of feeling nauseous and vomiting. I actually get panic attacks. So not so great for me. Thank goodness i never vomited. altho sometimes i like to think that if i vomited i may feel better.

I felt nauseous so i dint feel like eating anything, but if i didn't eat constantly then i would feel sicker and light headed and have a panic attack and faint. so i had to eat.

I remember i was at my best friends wedding and i swear if i didn't eat i was going to die. Unfortunately it meant telling a few people about my baby on the wedding day and you know who gossip spreads. by the end of the day many people knew. The last thing i wanted was to steal the Bride and Grooms thunder. Thankfully it didn't work out that way. They were far too amazingly adorable anyways :)

that extra 5kg i was talking about

In desperate need of food!

I slept the while way home from Melbourne. Good thing too because as soon as we got home, and every day for 3 months i had the worst migraine! i was diagnosed with Severe Basilar Migraine.

Basilar Migraine. Considered a subtype of migraine with aura (funny coloured spots and dancing lines), this migraine starts in the basilar artery, which forms at the base of the skull. It occurs mainly in young people. Symptoms may include vertigo (the room spins), ringing in the ears, slurred speech, unsteadiness, possibly loss of consciousness, and severe headaches.

I had all of the above symptoms. I felt like i wanted to chop off my ears and cut the tendons at the back of my neck to relieve the pain. Every time i stood or got up to pee or bent to pick something up i would lose spatial awareness and get dizzy. i would faint more the once a day and had to tell Joshua when i had to get up for the bathroom so he could catch me when i fainted.

The days were spent lying on the couch with the boys watching movies all day.

Nothing much you can do it that situation but Survive.

Joshua was amazing with going to work, taking time off when needed and them coming home to clean and cook dinner and put the boys to bed.

One morning it vanished!

When i was 21 weeks i got a call that my grandpa had died. on the way to the funeral i started to get painful contractions. Defiantly stress related i thought, even though i was at peace with his passing. As the day went on they got stronger. they continued for another 2 days. i began to get worried. i ended up in hospital and was given medication to stop the contractions. they didn't work. they gave me as much as could in 24 hrs. Eventually we were given 'the talk'. As i was only 21 weeks, the chances of baby surviving was next to none. They would not medically try to save his life. I was in tears and kept telling myself to hold that baby in. They could only give me one more terbutaline injection before letting nature take its course. Thankfully this one worked.

Hello bed rest.

A few weeks after coming home, my sisters sister-in-law went into Premature labour at 22 weeks and lost her baby. I was so grateful that mine was still safely inside.

I was getting bigger. My skin was stretched so much i could see my veins through the translucent skin. ( really wish i had a photo of this. Its actually quite gross!) I dint know how much longer i could hang on, but i was determined to make it to at least 27 weeks.

I was taken off bed rest and told to walk as much as possible, with tubigrip to strengthen my muscles in my hips as much as possible.

i did make 27 weeks, and then at 28 weeks, found myself back in hospital. I was outside and due to my big belly didn't see the dog by my feet. I tripped over her, catching myself with my hands but in a weird position. I felt an Almighty tear. Crap! I had been feeling burning in my scar and informed the midwives. they said if i feel a tear to call the ambulance as i could bleed to death is a short amount of time.

With my 3yr old help i make it inside and called the hubby at work. No answer. I called as many people as i could to contact him. Eventually i got through and the ambulance was called. I was rushed to hospital (that little green flute thingy is amazing!) Once again my body began to contract.

No tear and 2 shots later, all was well once again. I truly can see now how blessed i was in those situations.

Back to bed rest

I had a blessing while in preterm labour at 21 weeks that said the baby would come out as soon as he was ready.

This was very true.

At 34 weeks i couldn't get out of bed due to sciatica pain. The nerve was being pinched by my spine. We got a Pregnancy Remedial Masseuse to come asap to try and help me find some relief and movement again.

He was amazing! Sure i was still in pain but at least i could move again.

34weeks and contractions began again. They became regular and strong and i knew this was it! We went to Lyell Mac and began the observation process. I was confident.

'We will admit you but you are not dilating so we have to wait' So wait we did... For 3 days!!! As explained before my body has issues with dilation. Baby 1 = 4cms, Baby 2 = not even 1.

3 days of labour with nothing! i was given all kinds of drugs to stop it and also pethidine for pain. nothing helped. Contractions continued every 3, then 2, then 1 min for 2mins at a time. I was exhausted! Finally a decision was made to give the baby steroids for the lungs and to book the OR for the next morning. The next morning came. They prepped me and even put a catheter in. (anyone who has had one know it is not a nice experience) the nurse went to tell them i was ready to go. She never came back! 8am came and went. around 9 a group of Dr's (not the previous ones) came in and told me that they changed their minds about the c-section. I was now 35 weeks.

I totally understand where they are coming from. They want what is best for the baby, and i did too. But at what point do you consider the heath and sanity of the mother? I was so angry i couldn't speak. i had tears running down my face. Their minds could not be changed.

I was still having contractions and being monitored. I cried all that day. I didn't know what to do.

I called my dad. He suggested that instead of Praying for the baby to come out, that i should pray for Relief. So i did.

The relief i needed came. I was still having the same contractions but without the intense pain.

We went home the next morning. That night around 7pm Joshua and i dropped the boys at the in laws and drove to Women's and Children's. Once again no dilation. We told them about the last few days and they were horrified.

After a few hrs of monitoring i began to feel the tearing pain again. They did another internal and thought they could see some fluid. It was tested and came back as amniotic fluid. That, combined with the pain from the scar gave them the green light.

I had a smile from ear to ear. They kept asking if i was still having contractions because i was so happy. The monitor confirmed that yes indeed they were still there and as strong as ever!

at 7am on 10/11/12 my last baby was born. He was born at 35 weeks, and weighed 7lbs 1oz. He was put in the incubator for 1hr as a precaution, but was in my room the whole time after.

He truly came when he was ready.

12 weeks

16 weeks - looks smaller but it is bigger.

16 weeks

17 weeks

At my brothers wedding

21 weeks

The preferred side - Head down feet up

24 weeks

27 weeks

Not the dog that i tripped over

Exercises

30 weeks

The dog i tripped over

33 weeks

35 weeks - Just before going to W&C

The head Obstetrician at women's and Children's said that my muscles were split so far apart, that when i was contracting it came to a point. The Surgeon who preformed my C-Section was to head also. He said my uterus was against my skin.