A lesson on what NOT to say to a 1st time mom at 22 weeks

So this past week has been very eventful. Lets start with the beginning shall we?

Last weekend I was in Fayetteville visiting family, and for Amanda's baby shower. Well, I didn't know it would be the start of a fun little story. Saturday morning, around 1:00 a.m. I shot awake with an excruciating pain in my lower back, just on the right side. Those who know me, know I've got a really high pain tolerance. This pain had me crippled. I called my poor husband crying because I was in such pain. I got up and went to the restroom, chugged some water, and finally 45 minutes later, the pain subsided enough that I could go back to sleep. I was glad that was over.

Or was it?

Nope. 2 hours later, I woke up in the same pain, except it was twice as bad. Never knew a pain like that. I hobbled to the bathroom, tried to use the restroom again. It didn't relieve anything. I got my phone out and started trying to search the internet for what could be causing the pain. Anything I read, led me to either kidney stones, or kidney infection, or water on the kidneys. None of which sounded fun or safe for little Londyn. I read that lemon juice would help dissolve the kidney stones if that is in fact what the issue was. I was willing to try anything at this point. So I found a bottle in mom's fridge, and drank 3 oz of straight lemon juice. I thought it was helping a little. I went and sat on the couch in the living room, assuming my sleep for the night was over. I even managed to wake my poor dad up, and after convincing him I didn't need to go to the emergency room, he went back to bed. So then again, about 45 minutes later, the pain subsided enough to get back to sleep. Surely it was over now.

Guess again.

Around 6:30a.m. I had my 3rd episode. I could not believe the pain could possibly be worse than the first two times. By this point, I was scared to death, all that could go through my mind, was that if I am in this much pain, I can't imagine the stress I must be putting on Londyn. I cried and cried and cried and prayed and prayed and prayed that God would protect my sweet baby. I couldn't imagine anything happening to her, which is why to this point I still wouldn't take any medicine in fear of harming her. I told myself first thing Monday morning as soon as I was back in Tulsa, I would call my doctor.

Saturday and Sunday throughout the day, about every 2-3 hours like clockwork, I would have another episode. It seemed as if I was either getting used to the pain, or it was possibly getting better! I still decided to try and call my nurse to see if they had a 24-hour phone line. They did, but it was for emergencies only, and I was afraid my situation wouldn't be considered an emergency and they'd charge me an arm and a leg. So I just decided to grin and bear it, and stick to my lemon juice routine until Monday.

Finally Monday rolls around, and I called my doctor Monday morning before work to leave a message. I didn't receive a call back, so I called my doctor after work again, and spoke with one of her nurses. She had me explain my symptoms, and said she would talk to my doctor and then call me back. Before I could get out of the parking lot, within 2 minutes, she called me back, and said the words that inspired my title of tonight's blog. These are the words you don't say to a 1st time mom at 22 weeks pregnant, with no explanation....

"You need to go straight to labor and delivery"

My....heart....dropped. I couldn't even form the word "why?"....I just hung up, called Mike and told him, and then cried uncontrollably. He left work to meet me. I gathered myself enough to then call my dad (mom was in a plane in the air still). As soon as I heard his voice, I cried again. I've never been more scared in my life. I didn't know why I was going to labor and delivery at 22 weeks, I didn't know what she thought the pain was, I just knew I was scared. I could only imagine the worst, that my body was trying to deliver the baby too early....something was wrong.

I got to the hospital and they checked me into a room, ran a few tests on me and baby. Hearing her heartbeat was the sweetest sound I could hear in that moment. She told me everything with the baby was completely fine. Now they just needed to figure out what was wrong with me. 2 hours later, tests came back. No infection...no kidney stones. So at this point I was letting a huge sigh of relief! At the same time...I was wondering what in the HECK could cause such pain?

My doctor's diagnosis? Well, she wasn't quite sure, all she knew was I was clear of any infection. She concluded that I had probably severely pulled a muscle in my back, and it was cramping up. She also told me I was calcium-deficient. So I was told to get better pre-natals, and prescribed hot baths and cold ice therapy at home. She even told me that I could take aspirin for a couple days if need be, since I was in my second trimester, it was okay for just a couple days. I haven't felt comfortable enough to do that. I have however continued having these episodes of pain, which have resulted in daily (sometimes multiple times) hot baths. Simple sitting wrong, or taking an awkward step will drop me to my knees. (In fact, midway through this blog, I had to run a hot bath and take a break because I had another major episode)The difference now, is I know our sweet baby is okay, so I'm okay. I can manage pain as long as she is okay!

Our God is so GOOD! We had quite the scare...I was picturing and imagining the absolute worst case scenario, and fairly so in my opinion since that nurse didn't tell me the reason I was going to labor and delivery. Turns out it was because they could get immediate test results rather than wait 2-3 days if I had went to my normal doctor's office.

All in all, everyone is okay, I'm fine, Londyn is fine, and Mike is fine now that he knows how to help a raging preggo manage her pain lol.

WE LOVE YOU LONDYN! Absolutely cannot WAIT to meet you and kiss those little cheeks!!

142

142. Never knew I could have such an obsession with a number. That is the number of beats per minute little Londyn's heart beats at 20 weeks.

At the most recent ultrasound, for her anatomy scan, we got to not only HEAR the heart beat, but SEE the heart beat, all 4 chambers, and the blood flowing through the heart. It is mind-blowing to see such detail in such a small being. Every single minute of everyday, I have 142 things to be thankful for. Those precious beats are Mike and I's entire world.

Another fascinating thing we learned was exactly how Londyn "breathes" right now. See, its something I had never really thought about. I mean, I knew she didn't actually breath in and out while inside of me, because she is in fluid, and her lungs haven't expanded yet. Mike asked the doctor how that process worked. She explained that the baby is getting all of her nutrients through the umbilical cord while she is in me, including oxygen. Mike understood and made his realization aloud. He said "So, when she first enters the world, she immediately takes her first breath, using her own lungs that have expanded for the first time. That must be a lot of change for the body go through for such a tiny human. No wonder they cry." We kinda had a little laugh, but a thought hit me immediately.

In our walk with Christ, we go through a phase of growth and development; similar to the time the baby spends in the womb. God spends time forming our vital parts, training our hearts, and filling us with purpose that we will one day discover. All of our spiritual nutrients comes directly from Him through reading the word, spending time in prayer, and worship. Without him, we simply couldn't continue to grow and develop. Then, there comes a day where we must learn to take our first breath. God has already given us the lungs we need, we just have to do the work now. So as we are thrown into our calling, we take a big breath. Sometimes it's hard, sometimes God has to smack our back to get the gunk out. Sometimes he has to shake us up. Eventually though, we take our first breath. It's scary, and new, but we quickly find, each breath becomes more familiar, and a little easier. Suddenly we are doing what we were made to do, with no thought at all, it just happens. As a baby grows older, it continues to breath. Maybe she eats something a little too fast, and her breath stops until the obstruction that is choking her is dislodged. Maybe her breath is briefly taken away when she falls into the water, unable to swim. Remember though, she didn't forget how to breath, and as soon as Mommy or Daddy, or a by-standing family member  saves her from harm, she continues breathing. The same principal applies in our spirit walk. No one ever promised that we wouldn't have times that the breath gets knocked out of us, or that we wouldn't choke, but God always saves us, and we continue breathing, just we we always have.

Now, tonight's blog ventured off a little bit from what you're used to reading. This is how I know Londyn is meant for greatness; because I know you came to get the updated story of her little life, and while you did get a bit of that, I believe some of you were led here because God wanted to remind you of something. What he called you to do, he already formed in you a long time ago. You haven't forgotten how to breath, so just inhale his blessings, and exhale his praise as you walk in the anointing and calling placed on your life.

Londyn Brooke, Mommy and Daddy love you so much. I know we say it a lot, and Mommy writes it a lot. I know we overload Facebook at times with photos and statuses about you at times. Baby, its only because we haven't yet been able to SHOW you how much we love you. Sure, we can buy you things, and talk about you all we want, but nothing will compare to the first time we can hold you, kiss you, and raise you in the Love we have learned through Christ. We can't wait to meet you sweet love, you're beautiful, and meant for greatness.