36 weeks

Well stuff can go wrong and if I thought the previous weekend/week had been wild then I was in for another shock. April had a happy ending but boy was it crazy! Thank goodness I am not the plan maker and God had everything under control.

My 36 week appointment was first thing Monday morning, so I could get to work right after. My husband and son tagged along to see the ultrasound portion. The tech was cheery as usual but seemed concerned as she checked my amniotic fluid level. Side note: the techs can't really tell you anything but I try my darndest to pump them for info. She said it had gone down since I was in the hospital and the doc would want to discuss this with me. I casually asked what my levels were. It was a 7 at the hospital and now it was a 3. No idea what that meant until I was back in the waiting room googling my brains out. Oh snap! That's low--below 5 is not good and most docs take action.

My OB swiftly came in, told me the fancy word for the condition--oligohydramnios--and said I was going to the hospital and staying there overnight. They'd check my level again tomorrow. I love my OB but that was about all the explanation I received. I asked her what the ramifications were if we delayed and she bluntly said without enough fluid it could cause fetal death. OMG my worst fear. Get me to the hospital! As much as I didn't want to go and was not at all prepared, I knew it was the best place to be.

Sitting in a hospital bed for the next 36 hours was mentally challenging because physically I felt strong and healthy. I had so many questions and I wondered how/why this had happened. I didn't show any leaks or tears. I felt responsible but I had been drinking around 150oz of water per day. I wasn't ready for the baby to come. Was the baby healthy enough if they decided she needed to come? Would I have to stay hooked up in the hospital longer? Would I be released? Will I now be obsessed with the term fetal death and lose my mind? Talk about a long and lonely day and night.

Tuesday afternoon I had another ultrasound and met with my OB. My level went from a 3 to a 4.5. This was a little disappointing given that I had been drinking tons of water and hooked up to an IV around the clock. My doctor didn't have an explanation as to why this had happened but said it could be a sign of placenta insufficiency. Sounds about right when it comes to my body, every lady part was tired and failing. Then we discussed options. Basically the two options were to induce now or wait until 37 weeks. I was 36 weeks, 4 days so if we chose to wait I would go home and monitor via kick count (apparently you can only get two ultrasounds per week and I was maxed out). There were arguments for both sides. On the one hand, I wanted to go home and make some preparations. It would also give the baby more time inside to grow since there is increased risk of certain organs like the lungs not being fully developed. On the flip side, what difference would three days make? Was it worth the stress and risk of going home and having something happen? I am so glad my MIL was with me during this meeting (my husband was juggling work and kid care at the time). It was confusing and scary, but we all agreed to go ahead and induce now.

After the decision was made, the rest of Tuesday was a blur. It felt like I talked on the phone all afternoon, informing everyone of the plan for the next 24 hours. I don't think I could fully process how quickly everything was happening. I was nervous for the induction process and for her health, but at the same time excited the baby would be here soon.