The Crib Curse

I have been too exhausted to post lately. Having finally begun to think that I might actually really have a viable baby going on in there somewhere I realized that I should probably get all the baby stuff together. Not just a cute outfit and some burp cloths, but all the stuff that normal pregnant people have so much fun buying. So, I went on a spree.

We wanted to be sustainable reusers of whatever baby things we had left from eleven years ago. Really we did. But when we unpacked it all we saw how it hadn't fared so well through several lendings, so we decided to put what we had on Craig's List and start over. My friend L, due 5 weeks after I am, went on an all day research excursion with me to all kinds of shops, fancy and basic. We loaded both of our bags into countless strollers and car seats to find out how heavy they might be with 10 lbs of baby to schlep around in them. We debated zippers vs. snaps. We rocked and glided, with and without ottomans. We wondered why it is that crib bedding sets always seem to include one component that you really don't like.

The I did a lot of internet research for pricing and scheduling and reviews and even made a universal wish list on Amazon so that I could combine items from other vendors in one place. I figured that the discount some stores offer for registering barely covers tax in Los Angeles (9.25%), so getting a no-tax deal on low-cost internet shopping usually turns out to be better anyway. I bought a few items to have on hand and was really congratulating myself on catching up so quickly, and having over two months left to take care of whatever is left.

Then I woke up in a puddle of wetness.

I've been in L&D since last night, had lots of tests, seen my OB. We still don't know exactly what is going on. When I woke up with a soaked pajama seat I was too woozy to panic immediately. I went to the loo and saw pink and red. I thought, hmm, not so good. Then I felt a whoosh and a giant (maybe like the diameter of a soda can) dark clot came out. I vaguely realized that panic might be appropriate, but all I could do was start saying "oh, no!" over and over again until my husband woke up and took over.

Clearly I had a leak. But the nitrizine test was inconclusive by the time they did it, so the leak had stopped. The ferning test was also hard to read. There is still some fluid around the baby, but not as much as they like to see. It's rare but not unheard of that a partial leak will seal over and the fluid will be replenished. I was started on betamethasone injections to mature the baby's lungs, and antibiotics to ward off infection, which is what usually happens when the waters rupture.

But so far, no more leaks and only a very few minor contractions - just the BHs I've been having for a few weeks now. Yesterday we figured it was our son's birthday, but now I may actually be able to go home (on bedrest, of course). Perinatologist tomorrow - I saw her Friday and she got fluid measurements then, so we'll have something fairly recent to compare with.

The thing is, I never thought I'd have this kind of problem. I assumed that my troubles were at the front end - once I had made it this far I thought it was just a matter of waiting it out. I have low blood pressure, no GD, my asthma hasn't acted up, my cervix is like a vault, my placenta is in a good place, my blood flow and clotting times are perfect...

Nobody knows what happened. The little guy looks good on the monitors, so it's just a wait and see at this point. Either I'm glad I got most of that ordering and shopping done, or I am really terribly cursed with the infertility jinx.