The Combs Krewe

When I was pregnant with Jathan, I had this whole plan which included a natural, hypnobirth and exclusive breastfeeding afterwards. Yes, I was just getting into my hippy dippy crunchy mama phase! However, my natural, hypnobirth went out the window when I was induced at 33 weeks for preeclampsia. His birth and the days after were perhaps the worst experience I've ever had. Not only was I in extreme physical pain and stressed to the max, I was also emotionally distraught over the fact that suddenly my birth experience  had been pretty much the exact opposite of everything I'd hoped and planned for. I think it was because of that that I clung to breastfeeding. All my other plans had fallen apart but I could still do this and, by God, I would. Over the next few days I would pump milk for my boy sometimes struggling to even sit upright because of my blood-pressure induced headaches. Jackie or my mom would transport the milk from the Ronald McDonald house where we were staying to t...

My entire fourth pregnancy had been different than any other. I didn't have one bit of morning sickness and my baby bump didn't "pop" for months and months. At each of my first and second trimester doctor appointments my blood pressure was absolutely perfect. While I knew that whatever would happen would happen, I held out hope that the uniqueness of this pregnancy would extend into the third trimester and birth--that I would not have pre-eclampsia for the first time and that I would have the experience of going into labor on my own. At my doctor's appointment, one day before the 37 week mark, the nurse frowned as she took my pressure. It was 140/100. She took it again and the doctor took it and then they sent me to the hospital for an evaluation which included serial blood pressure readings and various tests. All the tests came back "stone-cold normal" as my doctor put it. I did not have pre-eclampsia. But the doctor did suggest I take it easy and try ...

Jathan was born at 33 weeks. Ryland was born at 35 weeks. And Keeleigh was born at 37 weeks (and one day). Soooooo....this is officially the longest I've been pregnant! I'm 37 weeks and 2 days today. Up until my appointment this past Wednesday things have been absolutely perfect. Bizarrely perfect. Then Wednesday the nurse got a high blood pressure reading which the doctor confirmed: 140/100. Ugh. So they sent me to the hospital to be evaluated. They did serial blood pressure readings, blood work, and began a 24-hour urine test all of which would tell us if I had developed pre-eclampsia. Well, the blood pressures they got fell into the normal range (one was even 119/78), the blood work was spot-on normal, and at that point there was no protein showing up in my urine. (Pre-eclampsia is defined as high blood pressure + protein in urine.) The doctor sent me home telling me to take it easy and see her next week but to call if I got consecutive high pressure readings at home. Thursd...

Today I am 35 weeks pregnant. I have been taking pictures every 5 weeks during this pregnancy so I'm due to snap one today. The day that I snapped this one I was wondering if I would have a 35 week one. I've suffered from pre-eclampsia in each of my previous pregnancies. It came on suddenly (due to, I believe, tremendous emotional stress) when I was 37 weeks pregnant with Keeleigh and the doctor induced me immediately. Looking back I can't say that enjoyed one minute of her birth. I had a headache due to my high blood pressure, felt like I was on fire due to the magnesium sulfate that was supposed to lower my blood pressure, and hated the way the epidural made my legs feel. Eventually all of these feelings gave way to nausea and the next thing I remember is looking at my screaming, bloody baby trying not to cry. When I became pregnant with Jathan I believed what everyone including the doctor said, that I wasn't likely to experience pre-eclampsia again. So at around 30 w...

We were blessed with the opportunity to see our baby via ultrasound today! I will be 28 weeks pregnant tomorrow and because I've experienced pre-eclampsia in each of my previous pregnancies resulting in premature, induced births they are monitoring the baby for signs of growth restriction. Everything looked good today, though. The baby weighed 2 pounds, 13 ounces ( slightly more than the 2 1/4 pounds Baby Center says most babies weigh at this stage--a good thing!). Unfortunately she was facing my back laying on her tummy so we didn't get to see her face but the ultrasound technician did point out her kidneys and her small, round stomach which is just amazing to me because I feel like we kind of think about "fetuses" as abstract little creatures. But that was a reminder that God doesn't think of us that way...He knows us even before we're born and that His Hand is involved in the formation of not only the sweet, soft, cuddly parts but also the microscopic and u...