Friday, July 22, 2011

TWENTY-FOUR WEEKS!

We've made it to week 24! I'm so happy. I can remember those long days in May when I thought this day would never come (although I forced myself to think positively). Week 24 is the milestone of viability for most fetuses. Of course, it's not good to deliver this early, and babies this premature often suffer long-term health issues. No one wants to deliver this early, but it's such a good feeling to know that I can. Even if I start bleeding or my water breaks, life will go on. BIG sigh of relief.

All my bleeding has been stopped for weeks, but I sometimes get that mysterious pain in that same spot (only about two inches higher) that I'd felt spasms resembling kicking back in weeks 12-14 before my bleed. I'm not sure, but I think they're related to when I work and bend over while holding Oliver.

I wrote that my next goal is to make it to week 30 (September 2) because my midwife told me that week 30 is when preemies start to do fairly well. My aunt, an RN who works in the maternity ward at a hospital in Chicago, told me that they always shoot for 28 weeks. She told me that if my water breaks to ask for a hormone (I can't remember the name) that, if injected into the mother, helps the fetus's lung development. Anyway, week 28 is August 19. I know I'll feel good on August 19, but you can be certain that I'll be thrilled when I make it to September second. Six weeks to go!

No comments: