I am going a little off topic today to write about something I am passionate about: high risk pregnancies.
Whoa, total 180 right? I’ve been wanting to write about this topic for a while but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. With it being one year since I was admitted to the hospital for bed rest (how did that go so fast?!), I have no choice but to write.
If you are new to this blog, let me fill you in.
Having babies did NOT come naturally for me.
My healthy, beautiful, and spunky 5 year old Emory had a rough start. She was born at 24 weeks and 5 days via c-section, weighing 1 pound 9 ounces. She lived in the hospital for the first 96 days of her life, and remained on oxygen at home until she was 8 months old.
My busy, sweet, and feisty 7 month old Theo threatened to come at 24 weeks. I was immediately admitted to the hospital and remained there, on bed rest, for 10 weeks. He was born at 35 weeks and 5 days via c-section, weighing 5 pounds 12 ounces. He came home with us right away.
During my 10 weeks of bed rest I had LOTS of time to think. I would wonder what it would be like to have a normal pregnancy. I often asked myself questions like:
“What kind of maternity clothes would I wear?” “Would I get an epidural?” “Would I need to be induced?” “What does real labor feel like?”
To be honest, I always felt awful after letting my mind explore these questions. Silly really, but there is just something about being a woman that makes you feel like you should be able to have babies easily. I mean, isn’t it my right? How often do you hear someone talk about how natural it is? Or how a woman’s body just knows what to do? Apparently my body didn’t get the memo, it is naturally done with pregnancy at 24 weeks. On the dot.
I also can’t count the number of my friends who suffer from infertility. From not being able to get pregnant, to miscarriages, to endless complications…no matter what it is, this pregnancy stuff is hard.
My 10 weeks in the hospital opened my eyes to the reality of pregnancy for so many women. A sweet friend down the hall lost a twin girl to a cord prolapse, my neighbor’s water broke and she was carrying without fluid, the woman two doors down had her placenta attached to her uterus requiring a hysterectomy, a woman across the hall twin “baby A” was growing at a much faster rate than “baby B,” and in the corner room was an amazing mom struggling to carry her baby to full term during her final days fighting cancer.
I have never been so humbled.
Several of these women quickly became my good friends. We chatted for hours sitting in wheelchairs in the hospital lobby, playing board games, ordering in take-out together, and supporting each other.
There are so many amazing women stuck in hospital antepartum units around the world, counting each pregnant day a success. As a former graduate, I know what that is like.
On day 36 of my hospital stay I had a former bed rest graduate visit me. She gave me a bag full of goodies. She didn’t know me, but she cared enough to bring me something to cheer me up. I have never been so touched. That day I promised that I would give back to my antepartum unit, wherever it may be, once I delivered and recovered.
Now is that moment, and I can’t wait to get started! With the holiday season around the corner I am excited to create some amazing gift packages for women I have never met, but who are on bed rest. Although I can’t make their pregnancies normal or easier, hopefully I can help make their stay a little more tolerable, maybe even a tad bit enjoyable. I’m calling it Project Stay Happy: Pay it Forward.
This is where you come in.
I am accepting donations to make “Project Stay Happy” packages that will be to be delivered to pregnant woman in hospitals on bed rest.
If you have an ETSY shop, a creative skill, or just want to donate, please leave a comment or email me! I’m thinking baby leggings, mobiles, hats, homemade stuffed dolls/animals, prints for the nursery, art, pillow cases, jewelry for mom, hair bows, turbans, baby wraps, stationary, gift wrapping, etc. You know… the fun stuff!
Even if you can’t donate, please feel free to share Project Stay Happy!
Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, email your Grandma who knits (ok, maybe call her)… I’d love to make this project a success!
I am a big believer that helping these women keep positive attitudes will ultimately help them successfully complete their bed rest, a great cause in my opinion!
So who is ready to pay it forward?
Also, if you or someone you know has been lucky enough to be on bed rest, email me! I would love to hear your story. I’m hoping to share a few bed rest stories here on the blog as we work towards Project Stay Happy!
What an amazing idea. Cheers to you!!
What a great idea! I was admitted at 34 weeks with my first due to high blood pressure and swelling and I thought I was going to go out of my mind! Now I’m in my 3rd trimester for baby2 and am really hoping I avoid hospital bed rest!
I’m in Danielle! Not sure what I can donate, but this is truly inspiring. Would be happy to contribute some funds to this great cause if that’s all I can do 🙂
This post is fantastic Danielle, what a great idea! I love that you were/are so honest about it. After going into the hospital because something just didn’t feel right I found out that I was in preterm labor with my first at 31 weeks. I was put on medication to stop my contractions and strict bed rest at home. I gave birth to our first son (vaginally with an epidural-wish I would’ve tried it naturally!) four weeks early. He had trouble breathing and was in the NICU for 5 days. My second and third pregnancies (both boys) were similar although I knew what to expect and what my “contractions” felt like (not like normal ones which is why I didn’t know I was in preterm labor with my first). I had preeclampsia with both and ended up having C-sections with both. Our second son came home right away, our third spent 12 days in the NICU with a Pneumothorax, which is a collection of air between the lung and the chest wall that develops when air leaks out of the lung. My sister in law and I have been pregnant at the same time with all three of our kids. She has completely normal pregnancies and gives birth naturally at the birth center here. I too have often thought about normal pregnancies/labors/deliveries and no NICU time. It can be discouraging until I look at my perfect babies. I’m sure you feel the same way! Thank you again for sharing your journey with us!!
PS-I have a friend who was pregnant with twins and started dilating at 24 weeks. They put a stitch in her cervix and she was on strict bed rest at home until she delivered two very healthy babies at 36 weeks!
Thanks for sharing your story with us, Danielle. Love your idea!
Hi there. I went into labor at 33 weeks with my son and was in the hospital for a couple of days before they sent me home for bed rest. I stayed on bed rest and meds until he came at 37 weeks 5 days. I happen to have a children’s small clothing business. You can find my stuff on facebook. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stitches-and-Giggles/362528321449 Do you have any ideas of what you might want or need? I do burp clothes, onesies, bibs, day gowns, blankets, hats Etc. We are about to do our 4th IVF next week, so I am hopeful for a bed rest free pregnancy, but first just hoping for a pregnancy. I too feel like if I was a cave woman I would not have ever been able to have babies. We have one healthy 5 yr old, and have lost 3 other babies, and have struggled with infertility since 2007 to this very day. I am all about your project and may just have to do something great for the mommies in waiting here in TN. Smiles,Katie
This was a lovely post. I was never admitted to the hospital and only had to deal with 2 weeks bed rest, but getting pregnant on my own was new in the cards for me. After a successful in vitro implantation at 10 weeks we found out it was actually twins. All along the doctors were concerned because baby B was growing at such a slow rate. At 32 weeks I went on 2 weeks bed rest with daily ultra sounds and stress test. It was then decided that they needed to be delivered, for 4 consecutive days baby B had not grow at all. Within an hour my babies were born, baby A was 5 pounds 1 ounce & baby B was 2 pounds 11 ounces. They were both fine other that baby B being very very small. After 2 weeks in the hospital they came home, B was the smallest baby the NICU had ever remembered coming home weighting 3 pounds 1 ounce. I think the gift bag project you have is wonderful! {www.thepinkzipper.blogspot.ca}
Oh Danielle, you are so right. There are so many women with all kinds of problems and complications, and yet all the “normal” ones don’t know about this. It took me many years to get pregnant until the right doc realized what the problem was: very high prolactin which was easily brought under control with medication! I was very very lucky and had a normal pregnancy, delivered with a midwife, and my daughter was on time, to the day. No, I didn’t try it again!
But I feel for each and every woman who is struggling with pregnancy, no matter the problem. This was a wonderful post and I will contribute!
oxox
what a great idea!! ill see what i can do, or who i can get to help!
I’d love to send some fun stationery and wrapping stuff! What a great idea!
Kristin
kscibienski@hotmail.com
bundlesofbliss on IG
How touching. I love that you are doing this.
This is a beautiful idea.
love that even with your move and babies and everything that goes on with life you found the time to do this. Great idea!
This is so amazing! I would love to help and participate. I have just recently was on bedrest with baby #4 from April til June (7 weeks) and have had 3 babies in NICU for a short time. I will be emailing you!
I completely love this. I’ve just recently had my 4th and spent 7 weeks on bed rest. I get severe preeclampsia and have had my past 3 babies spend some time in the NICU as well. It can be a dark depressing state thinking my body is failing me. I would love to participate I will be emailing you!
I only lasted 4 weeks on hospital bedrest before delivering my daughter at 25weeks 0days. Life in the micropreemie/nicu world changed me forever but something about those pre-viable bedrest days simultaneously taught me resiliency and utter heartbreak. What you are doing will change these womens lives. We all know that every day, every nursing shift even makes a difference. Morale, calmness, and a little zen go a long way in making those days tick away. THANK YOU.
ugh i was on bedrest with my first and i’m holding my breath now that i’m pregnant with #2 that i don’t go on it again! so far i’m ok:)
I just emailed you! You are doing a beautiful thing to Pay It Forward. Thank you for making the world a kinder place!
XoNancy
This is just wonderful. I am an L&D nurse at the U and remember your stay here, as well as many of the women (your “neighbors”) that were here at the same time as you. I’ve only recently discovered your blog- what a happy accident! This is such a wonderful project. I will be sure to spread the word and see what sort of projects I can come up with. Your little Theo is just darling- it’s so cute to see how these tiny babes turn out. Pregnancy is rough and scary and so complicated sometimes. It seems like more have complications than don’t. Congrats on this project and good luck.
Amazing! I loved reading this. My water broke at 18 weeks, and had my daughter at 24 weeks. I admire your positive attitude after two rough pregnancies. I love the idea of this project. Thanks for sharing your story! It is such a wonderful inspiration!