I'm going where I've never gone before!

Hi everyone! Yes, I'm still pregnant. Gestationally, Maggie was born TODAY at 27 3/7 weeks! I'm very excited to be passing this milestone and moving into the third trimester. It's all unknown from here! Bedrest is tough, and the easiest part about it is the physical limitation of laying/reclining all day long. You would never imagine it without having been there yourself. The hardest parts about complete bedrest (I get up only to use the bathroom) are giving up the control and the routines of my household to someone else (in this case my mother) and giving up the complete care of Maggie to my family and friends. All at once everything that I lived for (taking care of Maggie, playing with Maggie, rocking her to sleep, keeping my house clean and inviting, serving my husband, trying to cook, serving in my calling, getting together with family and friends, etc.) either stopped or was given up to the responsibility of someone else. Not to mention how difficult it is to face every day emotionally. I can't cuddle and find satisfaction in being Maggie's mommy and protector all day, I worry about the extra stresses put upon my husband, I get frustrated because I can't clean my house, and most of all I worry and concentrate every day on everything my body feels - pain, aching, soreness, contractions, the baby moving - and I worry that at any moment I could change my position or stand up for a bathroom trip and I will have a big contraction that will mark the onset of labor. I'm nervous about the changes and weakening of my body due to inactivity. All in all, the satisfaction I find in finally reading books I've wanted to for years, completing a few crocheted baby blankets, knitting some hats and scarves, writing letters, watching lots of movies, watching most of the Olympics, and keeping a detailed journal doesn't quite make this experience one I'd like to repeat :). However, being in such a great situation of need I believe has blessed our little family with added gratitude and submissiveness to the Lord's will and I think it has brought us closer together in some ways. We are not without appreciation that this could give us a stronger and healthier baby than we have yet had and we are more excited than ever that we have passed the mark of viability (abt 24 weeks) and no matter when this baby comes now Maggie should be able to look forward to having a little sister join our family. I have been on bedrest for 6 1/2 weeks - only 12 more weeks to go! :) Phew.

I was going to include pictures but blogger isn't letting me upload right now and I can't sit at the computer any longer, so you'll have to wait 'til next time. I'm getting way big, though, and Maggie is so adorable! See ya!

update

Well, bedrest is going well because I have stopped having all those minor contractions and mostly only feel braxton hicks contractions. Yeah! Best of all, my mom came home from her mission to come and live with me so that we don't have to send Maggie away to someone's house every day. What a wonderful sacrifice! (They actually got to leave on their original release date - they had planned to extend. They (mom & stepdad) were serving in the Nauvoo, IL mission.) It's so great having her here. She'll probably be living with us until after the baby comes, which will hopefully be no sooner than 4 months from now. Thanks for all of the book suggestions. I've been reading and knitting and crocheting and so far bedrest isn't all that bad. Two weeks down and 17 to go!

So soon... BEDREST!

Well, I'm still having cramps so I'm switching to complete bedrest. At this point we're doing everything we can so we hope I'll stay pregnant for a few more months! We're very grateful for the help we're already receiving from our wonderful families and we know big sacrifices are being made in our behalf. We just want to say THANK YOU to our family and friends for their love and support.

Here's what Maggie has to say about getting a new little sister!

And so it begins.....partial bedrest

Due to insurance complications, I was forced to move to another high-risk clinic and a different hospital. My first appointment was Wednesday and although it went okay my new doctor is not nearly as proactive or concerned as my last doctor was. I pretty much have to tell this doctor what I want to have happen and he is reluctantly consenting to certain procedures. Therefore, I am taking matters into my own hands as much as I can. I have been having cramps for the last two weeks off and on, and though my doctor does not think it is necessary, my older and wiser sister convinced me today that I must start at least a partial bedrest. I know she's right, but the hardest thing about deciding to do it is knowing what it will require of my husband and our families to keep our house running and Maggie occupied. For now, partial bedrest means that I will only get up on my feet when absolutely necessary and only for 10 minutes at a time. Also, no more lifting Maggie, shopping, or doing activities that keep me on my feet for more than 10 minutes. Thankfully I can still take care of myself and Maggie enough to not need live-in help. We'll see how it goes! I am 21 weeks today and am now facing the red zone between 21 and 27 weeks. Does anyone have any really great suggestions for books I should read? I would love to get lost in a big book that I can't put down. Wish me luck! I'll be going to complete bedrest if my cramps don't stop in the next few days. I would also love advice from anyone who has spent time on bedrest.