Peyton News

This past Tuesday I had a routine Ultrasound and things didn't go quite as planned. Peyton is healthy and doing well but for some reason I am not producing enough amniotic fluid. On a scale of 1-10, I am at a 5. I need to be at an 8 or above. The first thing we had to rule out was whether or not my water had already broken. Thankfully, it has not! Next, they thought I might be dehydrated. They kept me over night and pumped me full of a lot of fluid for the following 24 hours. Three scenarios could have happened. 1) my fluid decreased and I would have to be induced to get Peyton out. 2) it would stay the same and I would have to be monitored and on moderate bed rest in the attempt to keep Peyton in until 36 weeks. 3) my fluid would go up, I would be monitored but as long as my fluid stayed up I would be able to go to term. The worry is that as Peyton gets bigger and heavier, he will squish his umbilical cord and not get the oxygen/nutrients he needs. The more fluid, the better he floats.

Well, we didn't get the worst case scenario...thank goodness but, we didn't get the best case either. My fluid stayed the exact same. I am on moderate bed rest. Meaning, I can do a few things but will be spending a lot of time on the couch. I have gotten a steroid shot to help Peyton's lungs develope and I will go to the hospital twice a week to be monitored. If my fluid stays the same I will be induced at 36 weeks (3 1/2 weeks from now). If it goes down, I will be induced immediately. If it goes up, they will keep observing me but let my pregnancy keep going. Basically, the goal is to get as close to my due date as possible.

We know that everything will be ok. This just isn't exactly what we had in mind for this pregnancy. Please pray for my fluid :)