Monday, January 26, 2009

31 weeks and one day! :)

Time is flying!

I had to post again because today I am wearing a tight shirt. I was desperate and there was so little available at target that was NOT winter! HELLO! It is Texas and we have had some WARM weather off and on with the "chillier" temperatures. I only have winter maternity clothes!

Here I am today:

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I went to the chiropractor this weekend and it seems to have helped ever so slightly. I notice that the pain isn't as bad early in the morning. I left feeling fine but in about 30 minutes I was back to where I was before the appointment. So its taken the edge off, but this is really still difficult to deal with. I am doing okay otherwise!

This week my big girl has her birthday festivities! I'm excited that she's bigger and stronger and happy and almost FOUR YEARS OLD! It should be an exciting week if I can manage to keep my house clean! :) That is a serious struggle since I'm moving much slower and NOT bending over anymore! ;) LOL

Thank God for my little helper! She's closer to the ground and really has been a big help during the pregnancy, especially now as I'm getting slower and bigger. Thank goodness for my munchkin!

Thursday, January 22, 2009

OB Consult and 30 week appt.

I am 30 weeks as of this past weekend. This means I am actually closer to 31 weeks today than I was yesterday! :) Things are chugging along nicely! Here is a picture taken yesterday.

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Today we went in to meet the OB who would be performing my Csection, should the need for one arise. He was VERY optimistic about me VBAC'ing which made my day!!!

He said that he doesn't go by u/s weight like my previous group did. He uses head size to determine whether they recommend a Csection. He said even with 98 percentile, other factors play into things and that overall, I looked like a strong candidate!

He was the OB I was planning on using if I didn't go with the midwives, and it turns out he is the OB they use for their c-sections. He was a little creepy looking online in the photo I saw, but in person he was a really sweet man! He talked to us forever and was funny and nice and I enjoyed him very much! I felt comfortable and that really made me happy because I'd like to know whoever gives me a Csection should I need to have one. Last time I met the doctor AT the operation and that was NO FUN!

The doctor was able to feel the baby in my uterus because she was pressing up against the front and he heard the heartbeat immediately which he said sounded strong and healthy.

He also said that they don't use stirrups and are open to different birthing positions which is helpful given the SPD I have developed.

I'm really getting excited about meeting this little girl. The pregnancy has been so different, it just makes me curious to meet her and see what she is really like--physically and otherwise!!!

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

On keeping my legs together...

There has been an interesting development in my pregnancy. I have had some "normal" pains here and there and I didn't think TOO much of it until they got to be worse. I had some days where I wanted to cry. This is all in the last week or so that things have escalated.

It isn't too bad really. The worse part is that sitting hurts, standing hurts and walking hurts. Pretty much all daily movements like putting pants on, getting in and out of the car, going up stairs, etc HURT--sometimes quite badly. No biggie, right?

Obviously, I am trying to make light of my suffering. This really is a pain in the ass and quite upsetting. I have been researching and learned that the pain has a name and can be long lasting, even into post partum. It is called SPD or SYMPHYSIS PUBIS DYSFUNCTION.

It is caused by pregnancy and the hormones which are released at too large of a quantity, too soon, in some moms. Having multiple pregnancies increases your chances of having it. But it seems quite random as a lot of first time moms seem to be stricken with it. Some people don't have it set in until delivery and then it lasts a few weeks or months. Some people get it early in pregnancy and it gets worse as things progress. For some lucky few, it starts late in pregnancy and disappears after birth. I hope I am one of those individuals!!!

There are a number of interesting articles and explanations (and forums) online discussing the issue. Most say there are therapies available for treatment but I don't know what I'll be covered to have just yet or what my midwives will recommend. I did call my chiro (which i pay out of pocket for) only to find out that she isn't certified or trained to treat in what I need. I am going to see her this weekend for a referral to someone else. I just don't now how much I can afford to pay out of pocket for treatment!

It gets worse as the baby gains weight, so there is some fun in store for me yet! Sometimes it can make delivery more difficult since your range of motion in your hips is compromised quite a bit. For now, I get in and out of my car with my legs together and move in bed the same way. I sit to get dressed and do not ever balance on one leg (as you would while standing and putting pants on). I go slowly up and down stairs and have lots of clicking sounds in my hips. I think its these bones/ligaments moving around in my pelvis.

Last night, while falling asleep, I coughed and heard 3 distinct popping sounds out of my hip/pelvic area. VERY WEIRD.

I am going to call the midwives in a bit to see what they recommend. I would talk to them at my next appointment Thursday, but Thursday I see an OB for my consult in case I have a C-section. I will hopefully get in to see the midwives the same day just for a quick discussion of this latest exciting development! :)

Friday, January 16, 2009

Can I get a WHOOP WHOOOP!!!????

FIREWORKS Pictures, Images and Photos

Just got the call. I do NOT have gestational diabetes. My blood results were in normal ranges. I just have a macrosomic child (i.e. large baby). My mom had larger than normal (8-9+ pound range) babies, and I guess so do I! Doesn't help that my husband is a TALL dude and we have TALL babies. We already know this one is a tall one too based on the last ultrasound.

We wont take a peek at the baby again until week 37 or 38, but it is safe to say she'll stay on the large side. I'm going to be on my best behavior foodwise just because at this point, the baby is sucking nutrients out of my body at fast/massive rates because of the growth she is undergoing. To avoid low blood sugar spells (dizziness) and other issues, I want to be sure I'm eating healthily.

Right now her bones are hardening and she's working on building her lungs and other vital organs for birth. This is an exciting time in the womb!

It is exciting outside too since we have a lot to prepare for!

Only ten weeks left as of this weekend! :)

Thursday, January 15, 2009

FAILURE!! :(

So-- I failed the one hour gestational diabetes test I took last week :( I found out on Monday. It was already past five thirty so I thought I was safe. But then the phone rang. The nurse apologized and told me I failed and needed to come in soon (this week) for the three hour test.

Today, I went in for that test. First, I tried to get out of it, but they were pretty adamant that if for whatever reason I was NOT diabetic, they need it in my paperwork. This makes a difference when it comes to my trying to VBAC. So I went ahead and went through with it.

I had to be there at 8:45 a.m. to get my orders and head to the lab at the hospital (where my midwives are). Before nine, I had my blood drawn and by nine I was drinking my gross sweet orange drink and by 9:05 I was done. I was there getting my blood drawn for the next three hours. I read some, wrote some, and slept some. Unfortunately, I had a headache the whole time, so it wasn't the best time ever.

When it was all done, I was ready to drink, because I was unable to drink even water since last night! :( That is a long time for a preggie to go without water! Being without water caused some problems with my veins, but it all ended well.

That is...until tomorrow. I get the results then and I can only hope its good news! If I do have GD it will mean quite a lot to the remainder of my pregnancy. I won't go into it now, but I will if the need arise. I'm hoping to not have to worry about it at all. HOPEFULLY by tomorrow I will get my results either way! For the one hour test, they only call if you fail. I am not sure how it works for the GD test as no one mentioned it and I didn't think to ask! I may call them myself to find out in the morning so I know what to expect!

Saturday, January 10, 2009

28 week appointment

It was a big one. had a u/s, glucose test and regular appointment.

From now on I will be returning every two weeks. In two I go back for my c-section consult with the ob they work with (I see midwives) and he'll do my regular appointment.

As of right now, I'm officially:

Third Trimester Pictures, Images and Photos

So when I got there I went, peed in a cup then drank my delicious orange glucose drink that burns my throat and then left to another floor for my ultrasound. I went back for my regular appointment time, but they were running late due to a delivery so I went back up and had my blood drawn, then I returned to the regular appointment.

THE BEST NEWS EVER is that I only gained ONE POUND!!!!! Happy happy day!

The baby IS running big. She's 3lbs and 7oz...apparently, on the larger size for her age. She is running in the 90th percentile and measuring in 30 week range. So there you go. Another biggun coming!!

The midwife was sweet and said she really thinks that it is fine and that she isn't so huge that we should start thinking about NOT having a vbac. So we'll see. She also said that the baby looks LONG (probably why I feel every movement) and has really long legs (not unlike her sister)!

Thankfully, the baby looked good. We got one profile shot and she looks the same as it did two months ago. She has the same profile as my daughter so we have another daddy clone on the way.

It was a nice appointment overall and I'm really pleased with things. I FORGOT TO ASK my questions, however, even though I had them written on a piece of paper in my purse. BABYBRAIN strikes again! I forgot LAST MONTH too and the question I have that is the biggest one is about hospital tours! I have been unable to find the info online thus far. I'm gonna call the docs next week to see if they can give me more info so I can find out when we can do it. It is getting too close to put it off another few weeks since I don't know how easy/hard they are to book or how often they do them. Since this is a new state, new hospital, etc, I realy want to scope things out.

They said I will hear about the glucose test by Monday/Tuesday IF I failed. If I don't hear, that means all is well. So here we go!!! I am hoping not to have my phone ringing come Monday! :)

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Some C-Section Talk

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As delivery of this child grows nearer, I am starting to wonder about what my fate will end up being. Will I be able to VBAC as I am hoping, or will I be facing a repeat C-section?

We are proceeding in hopes of a vaginal delivery since I'm not sure that this will be my last child and I would hate to undergo major abdominal surgery two or three times if it can be helped.

Two months after my c-section, almost four years ago (in three weeks), I had to undergo a (traditional incision) gall bladder removal. That was two major surgeries in weeks of each other in one year. I was not happy about so much recovery time and I hope that I won't have to go through it all again after this pregnancy ends.

I was reading a few things online and ran across some interesting articles. This one is about the c-section rates in Canada, which are lower than they are here in the U.S. According to the article, first time moms are having C-sections for convenience or because they are fearful of delivery. Don't most people know that our bodies were MADE to do this?

The rates are even higher if you have had a C-section before. Apparently, most moms who have C-sections opt to have repeat Cs or are required to since fewer and fewer doctors are willing to take on the "risks" involved in VBACs. This article discusses how lightly the surgery is taken by doctors and moms. It seems that many are eager to see their children earlier rather than later and avoid the last week or two of pregnancy, which are infamously long, uncomfortable and sometimes painful. Doctors are often willing to accommodate these requests, or would like earlier surgeries to keep their own schedules balanced.

I just don't know how something so major and dangerous has become so common and misunderstood. Many first-time-moms are unaware of the risks of a C-section.

Here is a final great blog entry that does a good job examining the issue from several different angles. I found it interesting and enjoyed how it connected to so many other informative pieces!

ENJOY!

Thursday, January 1, 2009

New Year update!

Time is FLYING!

I don't even believe the last post I made was after my last apppointment!? And I have another one in just one short week? It is my 28 week appointment, so I am just about 7 months along!

Looks a bit like this inside now: 28 WEEKS Pictures, Images and Photos

The baby is supposedly 2.25lbs and about 14.5 inches long. This one feels really big and really strong! :) In only one week we get another peek at her and we'll get a better idea of her size.

This is what they call the home stretch I believe. It is really going quickly and we are closer to the end that I would have imagined. I just keep thinking we have all the time in the world, but we don't! I have quite a lot to get done before too much more time passes. The crib is in storage and there are lots of boxes to go through of old baby things. Hopefully lots of it is usable and it needs to be sorted and washed and put away.

I also have a few things I need to purchase before this next little one joins us. Our old intercom system crapped out, so a new one is needed. And I'd like to get a two-seater stroller. Not the regular kind where it holds two kids and its huge, but the kind where the big kid sits on the back part in this little pull down area. That way its not a huge bulky stroller, and we don't have to use if if Elena isn't up to it. I have a feeling with a baby getting a free ride, she'll want one too. Just in case, I think buying one of these would be wise.

Not sure if I'll be having a baby shower. I don't really know enough PEOPLE! :) LOL MY girlfriend wants to throw me one, but a party might be better than an actual proper baby shower (traditional one) since I don't have enough girls to invite really! :) I only know a few people I'd want there and that wouldn't make for very exciting festivities I think.

Happy New Year! Only three more months til I meet my new edition to the familia! :)