My Second Pregnancy is Definitely... Different {or What Landed Me in the Hospital Last Week}

When I'm on my game, I'm a multitasking machine. And since I'm solo-parenting again, I decided to map out a plan during the drive home last night. I wanted to be as productive as possible. Especially since I knew it would be game over if I allowed myself time to think about how exhausted I was.

I stuck to our menu plan, and, while I cooked dinner, I unpacked our lunch boxes and loaded the dishwasher. While I put away the dinner leftovers, I packed our lunches for the next day. Before going upstairs to execute Caroline's bedtime routine, I turned the dishwasher on. And while drawing her bath, I laid out her outfit.

You'd think that would be enough to earn a quiet evening after I tucked her in. But I didn't stop there. I went straight back into the kitchen and prepped this slow-cooker meal for tonight. I also unloaded most of the dishwasher and answered some emails. When I finally sat down on the couch, the only item left on my to-do list was to write a new blog post.

Last week, I mentioned that I recently endured a scare related to my pregnancy. But I was so shaken up by it that I didn't feel ready to share any details until now. Some of you may remember that I started getting weekly Makena injections at the 20-week mark. The injections help prevent preterm labor and delivery before reaching 37 weeks.

But I left out a major detail in that pregnancy update. Early in my second trimester, my doctor diagnosed me with placenta previa. (The placenta is covering my cervix, making a cesarean delivery a likely possibility.)

My condition was nothing to worry about at that point... but it was something my doctor wanted to keep an eye on as my pregnancy progressed. He told me that the condition often corrected itself as the placenta shifted and the baby grew. If it did, then I wouldn't need a C-section. So, besides the weekly injections, I also have to go in for an ultrasound every two weeks.

(I'm getting to know the entire staff very, very well.)

Needless to say... I hold my breath at every ultrasound, hoping that the placenta previa has resolved. Unfortunately... no such luck. Instead of hearing reassuring news, I receive reminders to be wary of any instances of spotting or bleeding, especially if accompanied by any pain or contractions.

So guess what happened halfway through my 28th week...

It was a Monday and a couple of hours after we put Caroline down for the night. I was sitting on the couch doing absolutely nothing when I got the feeling that something was wrong. After going upstairs to the bathroom, I discovered that I was bleeding. It was more than spotting and had passed a small blood clot. I thought it was enough to warrant an after-hours call to my doctor's office.

Was I experiencing pain? No.

Was I having contractions? No.

Did I want to come to the hospital to get checked out? Yes... Especially given my placenta previa diagnosis. I knew there'd be no way I'd be able to sleep after that, so I changed out of my pajamas and drove over to the hospital.

Thankfully, I didn't have to wait very long to see a doctor, and he ruled out preterm labor right away. An ultrasound confirmed that the bleeding had started a few hours before I even noticed. He wanted to do a follow-up ultrasound to see if the bleeding would stop on its own and instructed me to "hang" out for a bit.

A "bit" turned into two hours. The bleeding did stop, but now we had to deal with the silver dollar-sized blood clot that had formed. After the doctor removed the clot, he discharged me. If the bleeding started again or if I started experiencing any pain, then I had to come right back to the hospital.

In the end, everything turned out fine. While there hasn't been any more bleeding, my placenta still hasn't budged. Now my focus has shifted to worrying about possibly needing a C-section. I know there's no reason to worry so much about that... A C-section is a pretty routine procedure. But that's not how I envisioned bringing our baby boy into this world... So, yes, I'm nervous and, yes, I'm praying even harder than I was before that it won't come down to that.

I have another ultrasound in one week, and my doctor will check the position of my placenta again. If you have a moment or two to spare... would you mind sending some positive vibes my way? Maybe they'll help and I'll get to hear the news I want to hear.

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One year ago: 13 Iced Coffee Recipes That Will Keep You Cool this Summer 
Two years ago: Menu Plan: June 7 - June 13
Three years ago: Roasted Broccoli and White Cheddar Quiche 
Four years ago: George's Oasis Restaurant - Allentown, PA 
Five years ago: Quality Meats - New York, NY 
Six years ago: Don't Mess Around 
Seven years ago: Just a Tad, Thanks to Honest Beverages 
Eight years ago: Pan-Fried Chorizo with Caramelized Onions over Mashed Potatoes 

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