Snow and Sitting...

February 17th, eleven days on bed rest and counting...

Up until a recent conversation with a fellow preemie parent and good friend, I have been a bit skeptical of this bed rest plan.  I have never doubted the doctor's decision, but I know now that I was resistant.  Even with everything that we went through with Jett's birth, I really thought that I was going to be the 'one' that was an exception...that this pregnancy was going to be as normal as anyone else's, and that I would be able to complain with the rest of the mom's that say they couldn't wait to get their 'big' babies out of there.  I go back and forth between realizing I was naive and also knowing that giving Jett a sibling will be the best gift we can ever give him.  

Let me back up to explain my relationship to the voice on the other end of the phone.  Our paths probably would've never crossed if it weren't for our tragic birth stories.  Her little boy, born at 29 weeks has had a rough road since the beginning.  She talked a lot about how she could never go through it again, and said the words, "If you went into labor right now at 20 weeks, he wouldn't survive." The memories of hospital information then flooded my brain.  The fact is, Wake Med and UNC will not attempt to save preemies born before they are 24 weeks gestational age.  Duke will take 23 'weekers', but that's anticipating a lifetime of problems.  By no means did she know that our conversation would weigh so heavily on my mind, but it did put me in check!  Thank you Brooke!

I need to stop fighting this bed rest order and do everything possible to keep Baby Rickards in the oven.  The alternative is just unacceptable.  As each cheek gets numb, and I rotate to the other side, my goal is to stay positive and remember that we do not want the word 'survive' anywhere near our birthing plan!