My first trip to labor & delivery

May 19th 2013

29 weeks 2 days

The day was a busy one and I was up early and out all day and night for a friend's birthday party. I hadn't felt the baby move much during the day but I didn't think anything of it because he is sometimes quiet during the day. 

At night, when I lay down to go to bed, the baby usually moves around like crazy, but when I lay down finally at 12:45, he wouldn't move at all. I tried laying on my left side on the couch and on my bed. I tried drinking cold water and poking and prodding my stomach but he still wouldn't move!!!

Since I'm past 28 weeks, I am supposed to call the midwife if the baby doesn't move at least six times in two hours. So I called in around 2 am and she decided I should go to the local hospital for fetal monitoring. 

So at 2:15 am I arrived at the hospital with my husband and I went up to the labor and delivery floor. I had to put on a gown and lay down on the hospital bed. Then the nurse came in and placed two fetal monitors on my belly-which were connected to a heart rate machine. As soon as the monitors started working, they picked up the baby's heart rate immediately. I had to lay there for 45 minutes but I got to watch the baby's heart rate going up and down on the monitor just as it should. And of course when I got there, he started moving around. I cannot believe how stubborn this little boy is already!

The nurse also measured me and as usual, I was measuring over two weeks ahead. Before I left, I was assured that his heart rate was going up and down and was measuring perfectly! 

Thankfully, I got to leave the hospital after only being there for a couple hours and hopefully I won't need to go back until I'm in labor!