We had a yummy breakfast with all of the Jensen side Sunday morning and then we headed back to Idaho since I was feeling really crummy. This pregnancy has definitely been different then with Brynlee. Not this past Friday, but the one before I had an appointment with my midwife and my blood pressure has been rising considerably over the past few weeks. She was concerned with some pain that I was having in the upper right of my belly as well as my swelling and some vision problems. They were concerned with was preclampsia since they found protein in my urine and bad headaches. They monitored the baby, took some blood work, took my blood pressure 5 or 6 times and I was there for like 4 hours with Brynlee. It was a long day! They finally said I could leave but I was on bed rest for the weekend and I had to do a 24 hour urine sample for them and come back in first thing Monday morning. At my appointment on Monday there was no good news. They found even more protein in my urine and my blood pressure was actually at its highest. I also was feeling a decrease of movement from the baby. They monitored me there for a couple of hours and then my blood pressure spiked and they sent me over to the hospital ERMC. My midwife said that if I was 36 or 37 weeks they would have to induce me because of the blood pressure, but since I was only barely 34 weeks at the time that really wanted that to be the last option so the baby had some more time to develop. It was actually pretty terrifying, because me being the worrier that I am immediately thought that the worst possible thing was going to happen. I also had Brynlee with me to so I went and picked up Ben from work and we headed on over to the hospital. I was having some small contractions while I was there, but I wasn't feeling any pain or discomfort and literally anything. I never felt any Braxton hicks contractions with Brynlee so I don't even know what they feel like anyways haha. Thankfully at the hospital my blood pressure went down and they got the blood work back so my kidneys and liver were working fine and hadn't been affected yet. So they are just monitoring my blood pressure, blood work, and urine really closely at every appointment. And told me to take it easy and take more baths haha. I'm actually feeling quite a bit better then before so I hope we are out of the woods. My midwife and I both don't think I'll go 40 weeks, but I don't want to get my hopes up or anything so I try not to think about it.
I plan on going naturally just like with Brynlee, with laboring at home as much as possible and then heading to the hospital. I'm not one of those die hard natural birth ladies though. If the pain got completely unbearable, I'm not completely opposed to an epidural. It's my choice. I'd rather not get one, but if I am induced and the contractions are too much for me to handle then I might possibly consider it. My muscles aren't as strong this time around. I keep telling Ben that I feel like this baby is going to just fall out of me. I can't move well and my entire pelvic region is constantly in pain. My midwife said it's because my ligaments are stretching out and because it's my second birth my pelvic floor isn't as strong as it was the first time around. It's horrible pain, but other than a hot pad, baths, and taking it easy there isn't much more I can do just have to wait it out. Thankfully it should go away after the baby is born. I'd really really like to go natural because the recovery time was nothing. I felt wonderful physically, mentally, and emotionally. I'm frankly more nervous of the side effects of an epidural, not being in control of my own body, and any potential side effects to the baby then I am of giving birth unmedicated again. The first time was great (and fast) so I'm crossing my fingers that it will be somewhat similar.
