I always wanted to have a big family. I had plans for 3-5 kids, while Lawrence always said 3-5 boys and however many girls it took to get there. After the accident I struggled with the decision to have more children. I was terrified of losing another baby. After talking it over with Lawrence and lots of prayer we decided to move ahead and get pregnant with J. Then there were complications with J. We were so happy to have him, and he has been a great (strong-willed and often frustrating, but sweet and fun) addition to our family. I was really content. My two boys were active and kept me on my toes, and I love them very much. I felt like I could be done and be really happy, and I probably could have. We had been discussing having another baby, but I was just unsure. My pregnancy with J wasn't the easiest and I was concerned about having another HD baby, plus I was really happy with just my two boys. Lawrence told me that it was my decision, that he would support me in whatever I decided, but he wanted me to be really sure. He encouraged me to fast and pray about it. So I did. Soon I had my answer, there was a little girl waiting to join our family (more another time). Soon thereafter we found out I was expecting again.
I've never really struggled with the morning sickness that plagues so many women while pregnant, and I count myself very lucky, but I have had other pregnancy issues. When I was pregnant with Baby J I struggled physically with some very unpleasant pelvic/hip pain. When I asked my doctor about it he said it was a normal pregnancy symptom and gave me a pain killer for the days it got bad. After J's complications I was concerned with taking pain medication again, so I was pretty determined to find an alternative, should I face this problem again. It showed up pretty early this time around, and there were days when I couldn't walk or move much because it hurt so bad and over-the-counter medicines didn't come close to helping. I researched possible causes and methods to help relieve the pain and asked for help from some friends. My doctor offered me pain killers, but I was pretty determined not to use them. So I started physical therapy just as I was entering my third trimester. As much as I'd like to say it made the pain go completely away, it didn't, but it did improve some. The therapist knew me from after the accident and I think it helped that he was familiar with my previous injuries. I still had some pain, but the pt helped strengthen my muscles and ligaments enough that it was more bearable, it also helped keep my pelvic bones properly aligned (which was part of the problem).
Emotionally I was more prepared for the struggles I might face and they really weren't as bad as they were with Baby J. I did have a few minor breakdowns, that mostly revolved around feeling overwhelmed by housework. It also helped that Lawrence had a new job and was home more through this pregnancy than he was with J's. He loves this new job and it only has him working 40-45 hours/week rather than the 50-60+ he was working most weeks before. Having that support at home was really crucial to my emotional well-being.
I tried harder this pregnancy than I have before to keep my weight under control and I managed to only gain about 35-40 pounds. I didn't have a big problem with swelling, until the last month or so. Then in the last month and a half I started to notice my blood pressure gradually increasing. About three weeks before my due date it crossed into the danger zone. This was also the time that my doctor informed me that he was leaving for a two week vacation. He offered to schedule an induction for me for his first day back. I discussed it with Lawrence and decided that it was a good plan. At my next appointment my blood pressure was even higher and I was showing other symptoms of pre-eclampsia, the NP (that I saw in my doctor's absence) told me to watch for swelling, drink more water, and rest as much as possible. The induction was scheduled for the following Friday.
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