Another Prenatal Visit

Saw the doctor again yesterday. I am gaining weight like NOBODY's business, prompting the doctor to ask if I am swelling or retaining water. Some, I think, but NOT 4 pounds worth! Then it occurred to me - I was wearing a heavy, very large (pregnancy sized) wool sweater. "It's the sweater! It's the sweater!" I told her. The weather is turning cold now.... I'd come to other visits in tee-shirts and shorts... now pants, turtlenecks and wool sweaters! She bought it, at least this time:). Baby, on the other hand, is measuring small (go figure - I feel enormous), so she scheduled another ultrasound for next week. I told her fine by me! I love getting a glimpse of my little girl! Makes her seem more real. The contractions are persistent and annoying, I am on the cardiac med around the clock now to slow them down. Last night from 1-4 am I thought "This is IT! They are 2 minutes apart and strong! It's the real thing!" Then I fell asleep, and when I woke at 6 am this morning, there wasn't a baby lying in my bed, so I'm assuming it WASN'T the real thing. I am pretty much useless at this point. If I try ANYTHING active, my uterus goes into spasm. I had a great morning yesterday, so went in to work, just for an open house, where I was only sitting. Came home, rested, went to the boys' preschool parent meeting (where I also sat the entire time), and by about 7:30 or so.... bammo. 1-4 minutes apart. It makes me nervous for when Rob is out of town next week. We've had MANY loooooonnnnggg discussions about how I do NOT want to be alone (or with anyone besides HIM) for this baby's birth. He promises me, if I go into labor, he will do all that is humanly possible to get home. The preschool, by some miracle, offers free respite care for special circumstances, and the boys' teacher put in a request for someone to come play with the boys after school until bedtime every day next week until Rob comes home, just to make sure I rest and keep the baby internal! WOW. She said they'd even cook the boys dinner. That is amazing to me. And a big relief. I've cut waaaayyyy back at work, and am an extremely unreliable employee at the moment. I feel guilty about that, but, what to do? After next week, if the baby wants to come, then fine. But until then, she's got to stay put, and it seems like that's getting to be a more and more challenging task. The doctor seemed highly skeptical that we'd make it that long. She said "Monica, one of these times, one of us on call is just going to say 'enough already' and do the C-section.' Yes. Let's just hope that happens when Rob's around. Oh, and the doctor's other official guess.... 5 pounds 4 ounces. We'll see how close she is when we have the ultrasound next week.