Friday, July 1, 2011

Baby Kick Counts

I went to my doctor this week for a regular appointment. I am now 28 weeks along in this wonderful pregnancy! Everything is good--the baby's heartbeat is strong and they measured my belly and said I am right on target for where I should be at this time in the pregnancy. The Lil Sweet Pea has been way active and all was good!

That is until my doctor told me I now need to do Baby Kick Counts twice a day. If you are unaware of what this is in simple terms I am to lay or sit still twice a day (once in the morning and once in the evening) and count how many times the baby moves or kicks up to 10 in an hour.If I am not getting ten kicks in an hour or activity seems to slow or be non-existent I am to call the office and let them know. Well, at the doctor's office I thought "No problem! The Lil Sweet Pea is like a kick boxer right now!"

That is until I got home and tried to do my first "official" Kick Count. I ate dinner and laid down on the couch because I figured this is usually when the Lil Sweet Pea likes to move. And I waited to start counting. And I waited. And I waited some more. I poked my belly. I jiggled my belly and nothing...not a peep from the Sweet Pea. I started to get nervous. From 5:30 pm to almost 7:00 pm...I slowly spiraled into a nervous panic. All horrible thoughts raced through my mind. Every night for the last couple of weeks right after dinner was the active time...now I got nothing.

Now I tend to be a "Nervous Nellie" at times anyway--especially with medical and/or things I have never done or experienced before such as PREGNANCY!!! So needless to say, I was quickly heading into a complete panic zone! Then all of a sudden at 7:30 pm...BAM!! Ten kicks quick and furious.  WTF??? I thought I was going to lose my mind. But I quickly logged the time and the kicks.

The next day at 6:19 to 6:25 am Ten quick kicks recorded and much movement afterward, I begin to breathe a sigh of relief. Until the nighttime count where yet AGAIN I get nothing for the longest time. Then with much prodding and eating of the sugar free ice cream I get my kick count in. This continues for the rest of the week.  My nerves are shot and the Hubby has told me in no uncertain terms to just stop counting as it appears I am beginning to lose my mind over it. I call my Aunt and ask her but she can't recall having to do this Kick Count. I ask my friends who have been pregnant recently...they tell me to lay on my left side and drink something sweet. Ummm didn't work by the way. I keep checking the book and the pregnancy websites for tips.  My hair gets progressively grayer.

It has been a long week until I hit upon the genius (I thought so anyways) idea last night to just do the count when the Lil Sweet Pea is actually awake and moving!! Duh! So last night I eat dinner and turn on my show and don't even think about the counting. About halfway thought the show the Lil Sweet Pea is on the move and I get my ten kicks in and a whole crap load more after! This morning I get up to go the bathroom at 4:30 am. Come back to bed and lay down and before I can fall asleep the Sweet Pea is up and kicking and I get my morning count in. BIG SIGH OF RELIEF.



I don't know what I was thinking this week!!I mean I think I am a smart girl. I have common sense (most of the time) I am educated.I have a dual certification BA in teaching and hold an MBA for crying out loud but this stuff makes me lose my mind! I am now a firm, firm, firm believer in pregnancy brain!!!! That and it is definitely making my neurotic tendencies come out in full force. I have to work on keeping them in check otherwise it will just spiral into worrywart hell!!

Anyone else have moments like these throughout their pregnancy???? Please tell me I am not alone!! LOL

Much luv!
Laura

1 comment:

  1. I've never heard of such a thing, either! Of course my baby is now almost 14 and I dealt with Navy-contracted doctors.

    I did panic one weekend - it was 4th of July weeknd and the now-ex was riding in a rodeo and when it started to storm (lightning + metal bleachers = not good) so a bunch of us went running thru the downpour to the cars. I was about 6 1/2 montsh along & she didn't move the rest of the night. Scared the crap out of me!! But then she made up for it. I swear she was trying to crawl.

    One of my favorite things to do was sit back, smooth my shirt over my belly & watch her roll around. All those moving lumps & bulges were pretty entertaining.

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