Latest Baby Update

I keep getting questions from people, so time to make the update about how the pregnancy is going, I suppose.

I did have an appointment last week and at first glance, it seemed to go really well. I gained 3 pounds in the last 2 weeks, my fundal height measured right on track, I was rockin' the blood pressure at only 112/58. Baby was active, head down and had a heart rate of 140bpm. She's a strong one--she's bruised me inside from her kicks/stretches. I was 1cm dilated, but that's not super uncommon after having had 2 babies already, plus I was at least that dilated by this point with the girls too.

At the beginning of the appointment, we did a fetal fibronectin test. This is a test for the "glue" that holds the amniotic sac to the uterine lining. If the test is positive for fetal fibronectin, it can indicate the "glue" is disintegrating early and there is an increased risk of early labor/delivery. The real value of the the test is in the negative result--if the result is negative, there is an extremely low chance of delivering in the next 2 weeks, which means things like bedrest and medications aren't necessary. A positive is a lot less valuable...while the delivery rates are a lot higher, a positive doesn't mean delivery is imminent. It does mean you need to take contractions seriously though, and I have more than my fair share of those.

I am just over 30 weeks along now, which is a pretty good place to be. Full term is obviously the goal, but 30 weeks is infinitely safer than 24 or 25. As I learned with Sierra, anytime you show up at the hospital in labor and you're less than 36 weeks, they will try to stop the labor (which would most likely mean a round of mag sulfate for me). So, I need to make it almost 6 more weeks. My goal is Halloween and anything beyond that is pure bonus!