A little glimpse into the future?

Yesterday was not an easy day. For anyone who has never been pregnant, to get this story, you need to know that baby moves around a lot later in the second trimester. And decreased movement is on my list of reasons to call the doctor. But some degree of decreased movement is completely normal. So the question is what’s normal, and what’s worrisome?

It all started Sunday, really, when I started to notice that Lily wasn’t as active as she usually is. I know this is normal. I know she will have party days and lazy days. I get that. I also know what her lazy days feel like. Sunday was a lazy day, but it seemed like she was moving less and less as the day went on. Even when I laid down to go to sleep – usually her party time – she seemed to go to sleep as well. Hmm.

So Monday morning rolls around and I expected to feel her wiggling around when I sat down for work like I always do. Nothing. Later that morning, I had some sugar and caffeine. I felt a couple of very subtle, almost unnoticeable movements. And then a couple more hours of nothing. I had lunch, and after lunch she always moves a little. But nothing.

And that’s when I decided I should at least call the doctor. I had a painfully busy day at work and I needed to be able to concentrate to get my work done. So I called my doctor fully expecting her to tell me that was normal, possibly offer me a reason why I couldn’t feel her, and maybe a suggestion for something to try. The nurse asked me a few questions, when was the last time I felt her, did I try this, or did I try that. And then she had to talk to the doctor and call me back. And so I waited.

She called me back and told me the doctor wanted me to go to their hospital and go into triage. She started telling me where to go when I got there and I wasn’t even hearing her. I don’t know where I was for those seconds. I had to have her repeat that to me. And then I completely fell apart.

Fast forward a few hours which were a total fog to me anyway, and it turned out that everything was completely fine. She must’ve just been positioned in a way that I couldn’t feel her moving.

Lily was totally fine. Actually, she was doing really great. She weighs two pounds and four ounces, and I’m measuring a few days ahead. My placenta moved up to where it’s supposed to be, and basically, everything is perfect.

And as I type this, she’s giving me those very reassuring little kicks.