PPROM Update #4 - 25w5d

It's time for the weekly update!

We have officially made it 1 month with PPROM! Hooray! Grow baby, grow!

This morning got off to a rough start. I have felt like I've been leaking fluid since the moment I got up. It takes me, on average, at least an hour to get ready these days. And that's with James watching the kids while I do nothing but get myself ready. A quick shower and I feel like I need to sit down to keep some fluid in. Back up to do my hair and makeupand I need to lay down. Back up to brush my teeth and I feel like I need to sit down again. It's craziness!

Overall, the past week has been virtually uneventful (which is a fabulous thing when you are on bedrest and trying to avoid going into labor) other than Tuesday. (My weeks now go from Thursday to Thursday so this was 2 days ago.) I was getting a weird pulling sensation on the right side of my scar. Not really painful and it would come and go but I thought, better to make sure this isn't something I should be freaking out about and paged the doctor. He called right back. Asked if I'm still taking my temperature (honestly, it had been several hours, but it hasn't been elevated and I was feeling fine). Any contractions? Any bleeding? Nope. So he said it didn't really sound like something to be concerned about, but said if it really started to worry me I should just go into the hospital. It magically disappeared overnight and I haven't felt it since. But the nicest thing was when I got a random call on my cell phone yesterday. Normally I don't answer numbers I don't know, but I took this one and it was my doctor calling to see how I was doing and if I was still feeling the twinges! Who does that?! I was so amazed. I told him it also felt like baby might have been kicking lower, but he was kicking higher today. I'm still just floored that he would take the time to call.

Anyway, back to today's visit. I honestly wasn't sure I was going to get through the waiting period without soaking my chair. I just had this "leaking" sensation that wouldn't go away. Fortunately, no problems and we were taken back right at 10:30 so I didn't end up waiting very long at all (maybe 10 minutes because we were early).

I had told Dr. Maciulla that I had been feeling baby digging his little feet into the lower right side of my pelvis early in the week - not a lot of fun - but it felt more like halfway up my side yesterday. And then this morning I felt good bumps above my belly button. So I was hopeful, but really not sure what position he was in. So we got the ultrasound started and...drum roll please...I am absolutely beyond thrilled to report that baby is VERTEX!!! I know that's the least of my worries, but I'm hoping that his little head will start working as a cork again and keep in a little more fluid. But his flipping around would be a good reason for all the sudden fluid loss if, in fact, he flipped this morning. What a good boy!

Still lots of fluid in the stomach and bladder. Virtually nothing surrounding baby still, but there was at least one good pocket that measured 2.3cm. (My first AFI!) A normal AFI is between 8-20cm, just to put things in perspective. But he said they want to see at least 2cm, so that's a very good sign. His abdomen is small and femur is still measuring short, but brain, heart and kidneys look perfect!

I did also remember to ask what baby's estimated size is today. Our little cookie monster is at a massive 1 lb. 7 oz. Although the doctor did throw in that you can only get so much from the ultrasound, "there IS a margin of error". So I said, "So baby's probably more like 3 pounds then. Perfect!" Both he and James said, "Where do you get 3 pounds?" "Margin of error!" Okay, I'm not crazy. I know the margin of error wouldn't even come close to doubling baby's weight, but if you can't laugh a little...

We will start daily NSTs on Monday morning. James is a little concerned about all the traveling causing me more fluid loss and stressing the baby. For some reason, it really doesn't bother me at all. I think it's partly because anytime I get to see the baby or just hear his heartbeat just brings me such relief.

As I've been curious and we are currently planning on having the baby induced at 34 weeks, I asked how big the average 34-weeker - 4 lbs. 7 oz. - and if we were pretty much guaranteed a NICU stay, regardless of when he comes. And the great answer - not necessarily. Although he said that girls generally fair better and since we're having a boy...

I also asked, purely hypothetically speaking, if I were to go into labor at, say, 27 weeks, would we try to stop the labor. Also good news there - we would discuss it. I guess, on average, magnesium (which would be the labor-stalling pharmaceutical of choice) and other tocolytics are only shown to delay labor about 3 days. I know I have read that some women are able to go longer, but maybe that's more the exception than the rule. Overall, the benefit of the magnesium is delaying labor long enough to give the baby the steroids, which we have already had.

Overall, we are doing very well. Still can't believe it was 4 weeks ago today that my membranes ruptured. Please keep the prayers coming! I know this little boy is a fighter and we're going to make it!

Our love and appreciation to all!