No Work; A Lot Of Labor

Yesterday the doctor put Kristina on bed rest. “Modified bed rest” she likes to remind me. And in all fairness, the doctor gave a generally vague guideline for what should could and couldn’t do. I pushed for a weight limit (lifting, that is) but no specific number came from that conversation. But – at the end of it all – she was no longer permitted to stay at work. So, early maternity leave has begun.
 

The trigger of all of this, besides the 7½ pounds of babies inside her uterus, is that she started having contractions quite frequently. These are not just the little Braxton-Hicks ones. We’re talking full-on labor-type contractions, sometimes as frequent as three minutes apart. On Wednesday, by the evening, she had experienced over 60 the whole day. Not working has slowed them down, but they still fire off at a pretty good pace.
 

The ironic part about the medical field is all the double-speak. The staff will say things like, “If you have more than six in an hour, then you should call us or come in to the triage center.” Of course, when calling you hear, “Well, that’s not all that uncommon; go home and put your feet up. There’s not much that can be done if you come in.” …Really?
 

Don’t get me wrong. I appreciate everything her medical team does, and they are looking out for the best interest of the boys – but there is a flip-flop about urgency and what can be done. If I had a dime for every time I’ve heard the phrase, “Well, this might just be something you have to suffer through for this pregnancy. Each one is different, you know.”
 

The good news is what it always is: the boys are healthy. Grayson, still breech though, is 3 pounds 5 ounces, and Bennett is 3 pounds 14 ounces. They are tracking slightly ahead on the growth chart, which is good. By next week, all organ functions, specifically including the lungs, will be fully developed. This means the risks significantly decrease in the event Kristina’s uterus goes on strike. Keep in mind, the boys are scheduled to double in weight over the next 8 weeks.
 

Below is the description from BabyCenter.com and then we’ve included a nice 3D image of Bennett’s face. Grayson has been camera-shy for a few weeks now.
 

This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. He weighs about 3 1/3 pounds (about the size of a coconut) and is heading into a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

Bennett, 31 weeks in the womb