11 July 2014. 29 weeks 4 days. Getting there…about 10 drama-free weeks to go. How hard can it be?
A little hard according to my scumbag vagina/cervix. After 2 episodes of spottings in the past 7 months, I reckoned the worst was over but last night when I wiped after peeing, something that looked suspiciously like a pregnancy mucus plug landed on the tissue.
(Mucus plug keeps bacteria from entering the womb, and normally dislodges nearer to the labour date.)
You win lah, vagina.
Good timing though cause coincidentally it’s my routine checkup at the hospital the morning after, so we opted not to go to ER.
Anyway, next morning, doc took a look at the photo of the alleged mucus plug and promptly gave me a thorough examination.
Baby looked fine on the ultrasound, no dilation, but my cervix was a bit softer (a sign of body preparing for labour) than she liked. So she sent me for something called CTG (I think?), to monitor baby’s heartrate and my contractions.
That graph came out fairly normal too but because of the “mucus plug incident” she liked to err on the side of cautious and has banned me from all kinds of streneous activities including my daily walks. In essence, am kind of on bed rest.
Since I live near the hospital, doc said there’s no need for drugs to keep baby in until I have real reasons for, ie: labour contractions or water break, which am thankful for. She did prescribe two steroid jabs though for me, for strengthening of baby’s lungs just in case he decides to come out earlier.
The jab was not incapacitatingly painful but wasn’t pleasant either. Right after a jab on one buttcheek, that whole leg throbbed for about 1/2 hour. Am supposed to get a 2nd jab tonight around midnight.
At times like this I can’t stress enough the importance of having a good, informed doctor that you are comfortable with. When choosing a doctor, use word of mouth as reference but make sure meet the doctor and trust your instincts.
Read up so you will be able to ask the right questions and gauge your doctor’s knowledge – whether he or she has kept up with the latest updates in obstetrics or is just coasting along on a comfortable career.
Anyway, we think I am in good hands and we are staying positive and optimistic. Best thing now is hubs won’t nag me about walking or cooking or cleaning hahaha.