After experiencing what felt like my water breaking in the 23rd week of my pregnancy, I went to the hospital. Sure enough, that is precisely what had happened. Little did I know when I walked into this little hospital room, that I would not be leaving for a long time. I am on complete hospital rest until the baby is born. The next few weeks are vitally important. The outcome for babies born before 28 weeks is not optimistic. The statistics improve dramatically by 28 weeks. So, the plan at this point is for me to stay here in hopes that we can keep the baby growing inside my belly for as long as possible. The keys are to maintain the current fluid levels, avoid infection, watch for indications of labor, and watch the baby for any other signs of distress.
What this means: I started with complete bed rest here at the hospital. I took antibiotics to prevent infection, steroids to assist the baby's pulmonary development, and blood thinner to prevent blood clots while I sit here all day long. I am hooked up to a monitor every few hours to track the baby's heart and any small contractions that I might not be able to feel. We are monitoring how much amniotic fluid I am losing each day with hopes that it is only a small amount, comparable to what my body regenerates only a daily basis. We will also be having regular ultrasounds to check the fluid levels and the baby's weight growth.
As long as we can maintain these stable conditions: no fever or other signs of infection, no contractions, no major loss of fluid, we are making progress. I am trying to focus less on getting to 28 weeks, and find encouragement from each day that passes.
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