How I ended up living in the hospital....

The first half of my pregnancy went so smoothly, that we were completely surprised when I was classified as high-risk and referred to the Maternal Fetal Medicine specialists at the hospital after my 19-week ultrasound in December.

That ultrasound uncovered several issues, which led to rounds of appointments with high-risk pregnancy specialists and a lot of testing (and worrying) over the holidays. Fortunately, all of the tests came back negative, and some of the issues have resolved themselves. Overall, our baby is measuring very small, condition is called Intrauterine Growth Restriction or IUGR. IUGR refers to babies who are small for gestational age - usually below the 10th percentile. Other factors point to a risk of me going into preterm labor.

My doctors put me on bedrest on January 11 when I was 23 weeks along, because of the risk of preterm labor, so I cleared out my desk at work and settled in for some quality time on the couch with Ella. It took a little time, but Andy and I figured out how to keep everything running smoothly with me living on the sofa full time.

The doctors can measure the baby's growth every three weeks via ultrasound, so we returned to the hospital on February 2 for another appointment with the specialists. This ultrasound indicated that the baby's growth was slower than the doctors had hoped, and he/she was now in the 7th percentile for size. The specialist decided that monitoring me every 2-3 weeks was longer adequate, so they admitted me to INOVA Fairfax Hospital in order keep a close eye on both the baby and me. I arrived at the hospital on February 3 and I'll be here until the baby is born.

I have a Non-Stress Test every morning, where the nurses put monitors on me to track the baby's heart rate and see if I'm having any contractions. I also have ultrasounds twice a week to make sure that the baby is healthy, is moving enough, and that that the blood flow to the baby is good. In addition, they check my blood pressure, temperature, and the baby's pulse three times a day. By having all of these tests, the doctors can determine if the baby is having any problems and they can take any necessary actions right away.

We don't expect to make it to full term (40 weeks), but are hoping that this little one is able to hold off for at least a few more weeks. Please keep your fingers crossed for us!