The rollercoaster part two

Firstly all is fine. The Kernel is ok and we are both home now.

Since the last post there were one or two more scary moments - mostly due to nurses lacking tact, but never mind.

At the specialist EVERYTHING was checked and everything is fine. That being said, with the chance of repeated placental abruption the Specialist basically said that the closer I can stick to the hospital, the better. Scary to hear, but that's the nature of this particular little nasty: it can be so random and sudden and out the blue.

Well with that, I have pretty much decided not to leave Somerset West for the next (less than) 4 weeks.

On my 3rd (and last) morning in hospital one of the nurses got me quite shook up. For starters she asked if this was my first baby. I briefly explained. Her response was "ok, so second pregnancy, but first baby". "no," I said "second baby". How can someone not realise how hurtful that is - to reduce my child to a "pregnancy". It really hurt.

The other thing was that she said that if my baby was born now I wouldnt be able to hold her and I'd barely be able to touch her.

I think there is, however, a big bright side to the whole hospital story. Before this week I'd only ever been in hospital once - and it's not exactly the most happy memory. I've been bracing myself for The Kernel's birth... trying to prepare myself for reliving things, for facing the CTG machine for one (my recurring nightmare) and so on. But now, after being there days and having CTGs every couple of hours I think that some of the edge has been taken off and some of the association of hospital is at least not tragic. I think that having had a positive (or at least a fairly neutral) time in hospital now will hugely help on 9 July when I go in to deliver.

Also, I got chatting to the nurses/sisters and most of them were saying that The Kernel is very likely to go on oxygen and probably to have to spend some time in ICU. I would NEVER have expected that... my thought was that sure 36 weeks is early, but plenty of kids are born then and they're fine. Plus she'll be getting steroids for her lungs. But the nurses reckon that coz she's petite she may have to be in the NICU a bit.

How is the above a positive?

Well if I wasn't expecting that (which I totally wasn't before) then it would have been a hell of a shock and fright on the day. Now at least if it does have to happen I am prepared for it, and if it doesn't it's a bonus.

In other news...
I am now 32 weeks and it's as if the hospital stay suddenly woke my body up to the fact that I am in fact pregnant. I really hadn't had any of the pregnancy symptoms, but after a day or two in hospital I'm having Braxton Hicks contractions for the first time, I have the whole breathlessness thing going, my hips are all dodgy and out of joint and the infernal heartburn has begun... last time it started at 12 weeks so I can't complain too much but MAN it is as bad as I remember - like swallowing a ball of tin foil.

Workwise: After basically saying I'm likely to resign, the CEO has now said that I can in fact work from home for 6 months (which is what I originally requested). After that I will likely resign and work as a consultant for them and others.

Anyway, a bit of a factual post, but wanted to update you on the news.