Day 16 - 28 weeks and 3 days!

Just finished my bed exercises and am feeling pretty good! I can feel baby girl moving around in there, kicking the walls of my belly and letting her presence be known. I think she will be a fighter, an active, sassy little girl who has a strong will and determination to conquer the world.

I had some good visits today from Mom and co-workers, Menaka and Gretchen. After the visits, which were around lunch time, I was so drowsy I actually took a nap. Now, I have been trying to avoid doing this as I know it will make it just that much tougher to sleep through the night! But I have been waking up quite a bit at night the last few nights, every few hours, maybe in preparation for when I will have to be on this sort of schedule after little one comes??

The sun finally came out, late this afternoon, and is filtering in through my hospital window, lighting the leaves and petals of the lovely plants brought in by friends, and casting a warm glow through the room. I am so glad that I have a nice view from my hospital room. The lush green trees and expansive sky greet me peacefully every day. They remind me that someday, whether it be a few weeks or a few months, I will be able to go out and take a walk again. That sounds so good right now.

I met with the neonatal nurse practioner today, and she went over the different services at the NiCU and scenarios that may happen when baby comes. Hopefully, we can make it to 32-34 weeks, when she may not need much intervention. The last thing to come into place, other than respiratory independence, is feeding. The suck/swallow ability develops at around 34 weeks, when baby will be able to eat without a feeding tube. I really hope she is big enough and strong enough to come home with us shortly after arriving! Hang on baby girl, hang on!!

I feel a contraction coming on. A relatively mild one. As long as it stays below 5 or 6 an hour, the nurses aren't too concerned! I usually have between 0-4 per hour. Sounds like a lot doesn't it? Today has been pretty good though, I've been averaging about 0-2 per hour. I'd rather not have any at all, but my Dr. has told me that it is relatively normal at this stage of the pregnancy to have some contractions. They are mostly the "Braxton Hicks" kind, sort of like false contractions that don't really do anything. The strong or more frequent ones are much more concerning.

Well I think I'll read for awhile now. I'm reading this great book called "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen, about a traveling circus in the Great Depression. It's calling my name.

More later-

Andrea :)