34 Weeks - Lord Give Me Strength

******Baby Shower Pictures are in the previous post below!*****
Whooohoooo, we made it to 34 weeks! This is a huge week for Brody’s lung development. He is now producing enough surfactant on his own to be able to properly breathe if he were born. Now we are just waiting for him to put on a little more weight so that he wouldn’t run out of energy to do everything he would need to do outside the womb.

Lord give me strength: I really try not to complain a lot on my blog, I think it’s a downer when you go to read updates and all they do is complain and whine but I’m really having a hard time these past couple of days and could use some prayers. It all started on Friday night when we were going to meet my parents for dinner. (Yes I know I’m on bed rest but the thing I’ve learned the past couple of weeks is that it doesn’t matter if I’m at home in bed or out-I’m going to contract. So I’ve given myself permission to go and enjoy good grub when the opportunity arises) On the way to dinner I was having excruciating pains in my lower abdomen. To me they felt like severe gas pains and so I thought that’s what they were. It was to the point that I was in tears at the dinner table. At the same time I was having these “gas” pains I was also feeling my regular contractions that I was having. Long story short after trying to walk around and drink something to relieve the pain I ended up at the hospital. My “gas” pains weren’t gas at all they were strong contractions. So they started an IV to get me good and hydrated and gave me two rounds of turb to stop them. My cervix hasn’t changed…still closed tight.

They sent me home and I’m still having the contractions and cramping. I feel like my body just can’t take anymore and is giving out on me, it literally feels like I’ve done a million plus sit-ups. I’m so frustrated because they won’t induce this early but at the same time my cervix isn’t changing so they are left with sending me home. They give me the turb to calm my contractions so that I’m not completely miserable but until I start dilating I’m stuck.
I’m trying to do what is best for Brody. I know the longer he is in there the better and I’m trying to suck it up and deal with this but I’m just so tired. My back is killing me, my stomach is so tired and still contracting, I have all this pressure from Brody’s head being so low and at times my stomach muscles are so tired I can barely get out of bed to go get a drink or go to the ladies room…I’m just at the end of my rope and need it to be extended just a little longer.

I feel like if I’m having to go through all these contractions we should go ahead and take me off the bed rest and Procardia and see if they will get stronger and actually change my cervix!
On top of all this I have a cold with a major scratchy throat…anyone know how to get rid of that?

Here’s Brody’s Development this week:
Besides looking like a newborn at 34 weeks of pregnancy, your baby is acting like a newborn as well. His eyes open when he’s awake and close when he is sleeping. His sleeping cycles are the same now as they will be when he is born. He has learned to blink and can see better when a bright light is shined on your stomach. He recognizes voice and sound patterns from the outside world and is most comforted by the sound of your voice.
He weighs about 5 pounds now and is about 18 inches long. His fingernails have reached the end of his fingertips at week 34 of pregnancy and he may even scratch his face before he is born. His fat layers are growing every week to fill up that wrinkly skin and he may have already turned into the head down position for labor. Your baby’s central nervous system is still maturing, and his lungs are almost fully ready to breathe air. If your baby is born this week, he has a 99% chance of survival outside of the womb, pretty darn good odds.

4 more weeks at the most! I can do it!!!
34weeks:


Til next time,
LeAnn