another week down! life is turning into a blur of waiting around for this baby, in spite of my best efforts to keep busy. which i am! but still... distracted. it doesn't help that a good portion of my busyness is going to various doctor appointments. i am on an every-week basis with both the regular OB and the high risk OB now, and i can't keep my schedule straight at all (i can't keep most things straight right now). i mostly feel like every time i turn around i'm going to another appointment.
monday i went to the regular OB. my doula and the hubby came with me, just to chat about our birth preferences and labor and whatnot. she took some cultures to test me for the Strep Group B virus (about 1/3 of women carry it and have to have antibiotics during labor to keep from passing it to the baby) and some other stuff. she also did a vaginal exam to check my cervix, which she said is "nice and soft," but not really dilated yet. she said 1cm, if that. which can change fairly quickly, or not. as of today i'm off the anti-contraction medication; if the meds have been doing their job, i shouldn't have been able to have the type of contractions that actually cause you to dilate. so we shall see!
yesterday i went to the high risk OB, and everything is still great with the baby. the doctor said, "this baby is about ready!" i think he's a bit lower than he was before, based on where i feel him kicking and moving (and butting his head against my cervix), though i'm not sure if he's officially "dropped" into birth position. some people say you can tell when that happens, but who knows. they're switching me to a different blood thinner medication, since the one i've been on (Lovenox) isn't safe for labor. you can't have any other kind of medication if the Lovenox is still in your system, and even though i don't *plan* to have any during labor, we all know that can change. so i'll start on Heparin instead, beginning next week. it's a two-times per day injection and one that i have to draw out of the vial myself like my old fertility meds. ugh.
otherwise everything is the same. i need to get a flu shot, since they say that's a smart thing to do to protect the baby since it's super dangerous for them to get the flu when they're so little. we have some other little odds and ends to take care of but mostly we're ready. i feel pretty good. still tired, but trying to be more active now that i'm okay with the onset of labor happening in a reasonable time. still trying to be productive at work, though the more time passes the more silly it feels because time is just dwindling before my leave.
it's gotten to the point now when i hear hopeful expectation in the voice of everyone i call on the phone, as if any call could be the "i'm in labor call." which makes me chuckle. i have to keep reminding people that we could still have another month! in theory. i really don't know what to expect. i know it could happen at any time... or not. which is hard for me to deal with. it's one thing for something less monumental to be unpredictable, but really... more warning for this kind of major life change would be appreciated. ah, well. nothing i can do but wait.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Friday, September 14, 2012
35 weeks, 5 days... one month til EDD!
i realized this morning that one month from today is my due date, which felt both impossibly weird and really exciting at the same time. i promptly texted my acupuncturist to set up some sessions in weeks 37/38... i am going to try everything i can to get labor going on its own and not take after my mother in delivering her first baby (me) ten days late. and 9 1/2 lbs. bring on the eggplant, celery, long walks, and (gods willing) sex. i can't wait.
but i'm going to wait one more week. my doctor told me i could stop taking the anti-labor meds at 36 1/2 weeks, so i'm going to take them until next friday (just over 36 1/2 weeks) just to make sure i get through next week at work. i know there's no guarantee of anything, but the ultrasound tech told me at my last visit that she was on the same meds as i am and she went into labor the day after she stopped taking them at 37 1/2 weeks. i have had a super productive (and exhausting) week at work and need one more of those to feel like i've gotten all my proverbial ducks in a row before there's a chance of this baby making an appearance.
but by monday the 24th, all bets are off. i'll be 37 weeks, chances are this baby will weigh 7 pounds already (if he doesn't now... i'll find out at my appointment later today) (and yes, i know those estimates are often way off), and as far as i'm concerned he can show up whenever he wants. though, in truth, i'd prefer he wait until after my birthday on the 26th so i can enjoy a cupcake in peace.
here in the end of pregnancy things are going okay. i feel mostly fine, other than being tired. my feet are still hopelessly swollen when the weather is humid. they're mildly swollen on other days. but they don't bother me when it's not humid out (other than looking disgusting), so that's a bonus with the fall weather coming on. i'm still sleeping well, waking up a couple of times to pee but falling right back to sleep. i've started having some contractions on and off, which are mostly just uncomfortable. i am no longer constipated (not surprisingly, being off bedrest and actually being able to move around did wonders for that problem) but i will say i still have days when i'm... poo-challenged. still taking metamucil and colace every day; not quite ready to take the risk of giving that up. my lower back hurts occasionally, especially if i make the mistake of carrying a bag on one shoulder. it's nothing like the sciatica, and i've switched to a mini-backpack straight out of the 90s, which has basically eliminated the issue while also demolishing any fashion sense i might have tried to pretend i still have.
oh, and did i mention that i'm gigantic? i feel more baby than person now. i've outgrown a lot of my maternity clothes, which doesn't seem right. aren't they made for this specifically??? my belly just keeps getting bigger and bigger. the rest of me is still mostly the same. i can see a little added roundness in my face, arms, and legs, but i'm not sure how noticeable it is to anyone else. i'm pretty much just an enormous expanding belly. it's all people see when they look at me... i am starting to feel like i don't even have a face anymore. it is a very bizarre way to walk through the world. i actually can't imagine how i could get any bigger, but i know it's pretty much inevitable.
the hubby and i are trying to maximize these last few weeks and do things that we know we won't be able to do for awhile, like going out to eat outside of our neighborhood and seeing movies in the theatre. we have friends visiting this weekend and will do some fun stuff with them, and we've made more social plans for next week. sometimes it's hard to motivate myself because i'm so tired, but i know i will be glad that i got out and enjoyed post-bedrest, pre-baby life a bit. it's totally surreal to think about how much life is going to change -- suddenly -- so soon. but the excitement is outweighing the anxiety. we're almost there!
but i'm going to wait one more week. my doctor told me i could stop taking the anti-labor meds at 36 1/2 weeks, so i'm going to take them until next friday (just over 36 1/2 weeks) just to make sure i get through next week at work. i know there's no guarantee of anything, but the ultrasound tech told me at my last visit that she was on the same meds as i am and she went into labor the day after she stopped taking them at 37 1/2 weeks. i have had a super productive (and exhausting) week at work and need one more of those to feel like i've gotten all my proverbial ducks in a row before there's a chance of this baby making an appearance.
but by monday the 24th, all bets are off. i'll be 37 weeks, chances are this baby will weigh 7 pounds already (if he doesn't now... i'll find out at my appointment later today) (and yes, i know those estimates are often way off), and as far as i'm concerned he can show up whenever he wants. though, in truth, i'd prefer he wait until after my birthday on the 26th so i can enjoy a cupcake in peace.
here in the end of pregnancy things are going okay. i feel mostly fine, other than being tired. my feet are still hopelessly swollen when the weather is humid. they're mildly swollen on other days. but they don't bother me when it's not humid out (other than looking disgusting), so that's a bonus with the fall weather coming on. i'm still sleeping well, waking up a couple of times to pee but falling right back to sleep. i've started having some contractions on and off, which are mostly just uncomfortable. i am no longer constipated (not surprisingly, being off bedrest and actually being able to move around did wonders for that problem) but i will say i still have days when i'm... poo-challenged. still taking metamucil and colace every day; not quite ready to take the risk of giving that up. my lower back hurts occasionally, especially if i make the mistake of carrying a bag on one shoulder. it's nothing like the sciatica, and i've switched to a mini-backpack straight out of the 90s, which has basically eliminated the issue while also demolishing any fashion sense i might have tried to pretend i still have.
oh, and did i mention that i'm gigantic? i feel more baby than person now. i've outgrown a lot of my maternity clothes, which doesn't seem right. aren't they made for this specifically??? my belly just keeps getting bigger and bigger. the rest of me is still mostly the same. i can see a little added roundness in my face, arms, and legs, but i'm not sure how noticeable it is to anyone else. i'm pretty much just an enormous expanding belly. it's all people see when they look at me... i am starting to feel like i don't even have a face anymore. it is a very bizarre way to walk through the world. i actually can't imagine how i could get any bigger, but i know it's pretty much inevitable.
the hubby and i are trying to maximize these last few weeks and do things that we know we won't be able to do for awhile, like going out to eat outside of our neighborhood and seeing movies in the theatre. we have friends visiting this weekend and will do some fun stuff with them, and we've made more social plans for next week. sometimes it's hard to motivate myself because i'm so tired, but i know i will be glad that i got out and enjoyed post-bedrest, pre-baby life a bit. it's totally surreal to think about how much life is going to change -- suddenly -- so soon. but the excitement is outweighing the anxiety. we're almost there!
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
34 Weeks
that's the little guy who's causing all of this chaos in our life... hard to believe! we got some more 3D ultrasound pics at my 32 week appointment, which made him look much less mushy and alien-like than the previous ones. he's doing well, and growing fast. last week, at 33 weeks, he was measuring almost 36 weeks... 79th percentile in size and they estimate 5 1/2 pounds already. i was a huge baby when i was born (9 1/2 pounds) and the doctor told me that most women carry babies similar in size to the way their mothers did. seems weird, but appears to be true in my case. if we make it to 40 weeks, he could weigh almost 9 pounds! and if he happens to be late like i was... well, there you have it.
it's been awhile since i've written a post, which you can attribute to the fact that i am no longer on bed rest! the doc let me go back to work last week because my cervix was still relatively stable in measurement and at 33 weeks he really wasn't concerned about it anymore. i went back at the end of the week, after slaving away for four days (EXHAUSTING after weeks of doing nothing), and my cervix actually measured a bit longer: back up to 2.5! so he said i can pretty much go about my business. this week and next i'll continue to take it as easy as i can, but by the time i hit 36 weeks there are really no more concerns. though i'm not sure how much i will change my activity level then. i am already so, so tired and seemingly getting more and more enormous by the day. two weeks from now i will likely resemble a beached whale on my couch any free second i get.
other than the fatigue and overall body soreness, i am mostly feeling fine. my feet are still problematic in terms of swelling. obviously i don't have them elevated as much now that i'm up and around, and when they blow up they get quite uncomfortable. i'm hoping the weather will cool down a bit, as that seems to be an aggravating factor. but otherwise, honestly, i feel okay. i'm slow-moving and forgetful, but learning to cope. it's been great to be back at work... the time is moving much more quickly! i feel like the little guy will be here any minute.
but i hope it's not any minute. i desperately want to make it until the end of september. but at that point, i'm planning to put into action all the little tips and likely wives' tales i've ever heard about natural ways to induce labor. walking as much as i can, sex (hallelujah!), eating tons of celery and eggplant and whatever else crazy people think induces labor... 'cause i really don't want to be sitting around mid-october still waiting for him to get here.
the hubby and i feel ready... at least as ready as you can be. we know we're not totally prepared for the huge change in our life, but in terms of knowledge and gear and general preparation we've done all we can. now it's time to sit back and try to enjoy our last few weeks together as a twosome, which will be way more fun now that i'm not couch-bound. that said, i am very excited for the baby to arrive. i can't wait to meet him and to embark on this next stage of life. it's been a long time coming!
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
31 weeks & a 3D ultrasound!
ok, ok, i know it's not super easy to make out, but this is the baby's face! i had my first 3D ultrasound today and it was so cool. on the screen i could see him in color and so much more clearly than the regular ultrasound. the still shots never look as good as the view on the screen, and i realize out of context it's tough to even figure out what you're looking at... but this is a close-up of his face, mostly looking straight at the camera. the side of his head (his left side) is mushed up against me, so that's hard to see, but you can catch a glimpse of his right eye, nose, and mouth. it was so cool to see what he actually sort of looks like, even though he wasn't super cooperative with the ultrasound tech... as always. i hope i'll get to have another one of those. technology is the bomb.
we also got a decent shot of all of him, profile view with his head on the right:
he's measuring at the 71st percentile now and weighs 4 lbs, which puts him probably around 17 inches long! a big boy! everything looks great, though. he's head down and everything seems to be just fine. his heart is nice and strong, showing no effects of the medicine i was taking. the umbilical cord has been sort of draped near his neck for awhile so they were monitoring that, but as of today it was totally out of the way. one less thing to worry about.
as for my maternity issues, things are the same... which is good. about the best we can hope for, anyway. my cervical measurement was between 2.4 and 2.6 cm today, which is essentially the same as it's been for weeks now. the doctor said he's not all that concerned about it at this point... the further along i get the more "normal" this measurement is. he said i still need to stay on bed rest, mostly because of the size of the baby, but he doesn't see any reason to be concerned at this point. chances are we'll make it past any danger zone. i go back next week and we'll see how it looks in terms of me going back to work.
by friday evening, for reasons unknown, my back pain went completely away. i was expecting it to abate when i took the super medicine over the weekend, but instead it happened before i even took my first dose. i took my last dose on sunday at midnight and now, three days later, it still hasn't started up again. fingers crossed that this terrible side effect has passed at least for awhile, because a new one has cropped up in its place: insomnia. man alive, it's awful. last night i finally got a whopping 8 hours, which was blissful, because the three nights prior i was averaging about 3 hours. it's especially frustrating because i can't find any reason for my sleeplessness, other than being pregnant, which i guess is enough. i read that almost 80% of pregnant women experience sleep issues in the third trimester. it's so unfair. but i'm holding out hope that i can at least pull a repeat of last night tonight and get back on normal footing. for now. i'm just thankful for the ability to nap right now... going back to work will be pretty challenging if this keeps up.
my parents were here for a few days to help out and it was such a blessing. my dad did all kinds of odd jobs around the house that have needed to get done for months/years, and my mom helped me completely finish the baby's room. all of the gifts we've gotten are organized and put away, all the new clothing and accessories are washed and in the dresser, and the room is decorated and totally ready for baby, whenever he arrives. that puts my mind at ease. now i can focus on the projects that i am able to do from a reclined position: school prep, pediatrician and daycare research, and hopefully getting some good rest and relaxation in before the craziness of this fall is upon us. i am getting really excited.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
quick update from my cervix...
went to the doctor today and things are looking good! my cervical measurement was between 2.6 and 2.7 today, which basically means it's holding steady but i like that the numbers are a little higher than last week's 2.4. they checked out all the baby's vitals, especially his heart since that's the danger with the one medication (indomethacin), but everything looks great. so the doc said i should stick to the same regimen for another week. this weekend is the last time i will take the indomethacin, as it's really not safe for baby after 32 weeks. i go back next wednesday and we'll see how things are going then. he also said i can go to physical therapy for my back if i feel like i need to, so i'm going to give the place my OB recommended a call and see what their hours are like. all good news here, and even more so that i'm now sitting in a cafe drinking a decaf latte while i wait for an early dinner with the hubby before our childbirth class. it made more sense than going home and having to get back to this part of the neighborhood later today, AND it's a super big treat for me. yippee. :)
Monday, August 6, 2012
30 Weeks! (1wk, 5 days of bed rest)
30 weeks feels like a huge milestone. Even though October still feels far away, 10 more weeks of pregnancy (give or take) certainly doesn't. I feel the baby swimming around in there all day long -- what once felt like a little fish is now most definitely a sea monster -- and I realize that soon he'll be here. Though hopefully not TOO soon.
Going on two weeks of bed rest and I'm still not miserable. Being allowed to move around a little bit really helps... I just hope we don't go back to the doctor on Wednesday to find out there's been a drastic change and get converted back to strict bed rest. I haven't been taking advantage of my modified status, i don't think. I try only to leave the house every other day, and I haven't gone far other than my doctor appointments, for which I've been supplementing bus travel with a car service at least one way (uphill. My neighborhood is one big, well, slope). I have plenty to keep me busy, and I've thankfully had a lot of friends visiting. It also seems that the hubby's crazed work load is dropping, as is typical for august, and it's a whole lot nicer being home with him than sitting here by myself.
My back pain has been the biggest complaint. I have learned through two controlled studies that it's the superdrug, Indomethacin, that I take in small doses as an anti-labor precaution that nearly eliminates the pain. It happened when I first started the meds, but then the back pain came back with a vengeance when i cycled off of that one. Now I'm taking it just on weekends, and man, did my back feel awesome this weekend! But I took my last dose at midnight so I'm expecting that reprieve will end soon. Moving around a bit does help, so if I keep that up as much as I can, along with periodic use of a heating pad, hopefully I can ward off the excruciating times. I am pretty sure it's sciatic nerve pain, which happens with pregnant women and will likely go away as soon as the baby comes. My regular OB gave me a referral for physical therapy that i'm going to run by the high risk doc. It's fairly close to home (four blocks away) so it should be doable.
All in all, if we're looking at three - MAYBE four - more weeks of this and then everything is a-ok (other than being 8/9 months pregnant and huge and uncomfortable) I think I will make it through unscathed. I know it will all be worth it. Holding steady.
Going on two weeks of bed rest and I'm still not miserable. Being allowed to move around a little bit really helps... I just hope we don't go back to the doctor on Wednesday to find out there's been a drastic change and get converted back to strict bed rest. I haven't been taking advantage of my modified status, i don't think. I try only to leave the house every other day, and I haven't gone far other than my doctor appointments, for which I've been supplementing bus travel with a car service at least one way (uphill. My neighborhood is one big, well, slope). I have plenty to keep me busy, and I've thankfully had a lot of friends visiting. It also seems that the hubby's crazed work load is dropping, as is typical for august, and it's a whole lot nicer being home with him than sitting here by myself.
My back pain has been the biggest complaint. I have learned through two controlled studies that it's the superdrug, Indomethacin, that I take in small doses as an anti-labor precaution that nearly eliminates the pain. It happened when I first started the meds, but then the back pain came back with a vengeance when i cycled off of that one. Now I'm taking it just on weekends, and man, did my back feel awesome this weekend! But I took my last dose at midnight so I'm expecting that reprieve will end soon. Moving around a bit does help, so if I keep that up as much as I can, along with periodic use of a heating pad, hopefully I can ward off the excruciating times. I am pretty sure it's sciatic nerve pain, which happens with pregnant women and will likely go away as soon as the baby comes. My regular OB gave me a referral for physical therapy that i'm going to run by the high risk doc. It's fairly close to home (four blocks away) so it should be doable.
All in all, if we're looking at three - MAYBE four - more weeks of this and then everything is a-ok (other than being 8/9 months pregnant and huge and uncomfortable) I think I will make it through unscathed. I know it will all be worth it. Holding steady.
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
bed rest, continued
after a week of strict bed rest, i went back to the doctor today and my cervix length is stable. she measured it three times and got a range of 2.4 - 2.6, which is considered the same as the 2.5 they got last week. not the best news we could have hoped for (that the one medication, indomethacin, was able to rebuild it), but definitely good news that it's not continuing to shorten.
the other good news, in my opinion, was the the doctor was pretty relaxed and confident about things moving forward, and that he gave me a long-term plan. even though i know if something changes drastically that this "plan" will be scrapped, i feel SO much better being able to think more long-term. the week-by-week "see what happens" scenario is not comfortable for me at all. but the doctor said we are really only concerned about the next 4-5 weeks. after i'm 33 or 34 weeks along he's comfortable letting me resume my normal activity and if the baby comes early, so be it. he said there's a possibility that i'll still carry to full-term, but at least by 34 weeks if the baby shows up there won't be any major concerns. especially since the baby is currently measuring at the 67th percentile (3lb, 5oz), and any increased size/development is helpful if he does decide to arrive prematurely.
so until that time, i need to stay on the procardia twice a day as i have been, and build in small doses of the indomethacin (just on weekends, for now) since there are possible dangers to the baby if you take that medication for more than small amounts of time. i also need to stay on a somewhat modified model of bed rest. he said i should still lay down as much as possible, for most of the day. but i can get up and do some small things around the house, and i can even go out to eat or something close to home as long as i don't do a lot of walking. i'll go back every week to make sure things are holding stable.
the week that i'm supposed to go back to work will be week 33 for me. he said there's a chance i'll be able to work that week, or at least part of the week. worst case is i miss that first week and then i can go back when i'm at 34 weeks. again, not ideal, but not a bad situation at all when i was imagining not being able to go back at all until the spring.
this is really ok with me. obviously i'd rather be doing fun summer things and accomplishing all of the things around the house that need to be done before the baby arrives. but at least now i know that's just not going to happen. no more waiting to see and feeling like i'm twiddling my thumbs. now i can plan for what needs to be done, get help where needed, and get over the disappointment that i won't be able to really live it up in these last weeks before parenthood begins. i'm thankful that i did have some fun this summer while i could! i traveled, i went to a concert, i saw some movies, went to some cookouts. now i have this baby to look forward to, and i really am very excited for that part of life to begin.
in less good news, my back pain has returned. i think the indomethacin helped it to feel better, but i can't take it all the time so i guess i may just have to deal with it. i described it to the doctor and he agreed with my internet-researched assumption that it's sciatic nerve pain, which isn't a concern in terms of being a labor symptom. it's almost definitely related to the pregnancy; often in the third trimester the baby's weight can cause this nerve in your lower back to become pinched or squeezed. but it's not a danger... just an annoyance. sometimes it's just awful, other times it's manageable. there doesn't seem to be any pattern or anything i can do about it. i'm hoping being able to move around a little bit more will help me be able to stretch it out a bit. but if that's the worst i have to worry about right now, i'll take it.
my parents are coming down in a week or so to lend a hand with the baby prep and also to bring some gifts that they've collected since my postponed baby shower and just keep me company. it is going to be such a huge help. and i have so many wonderful friends that have already started (and i know will continue) to visit, call, offer help, and cheer me up in general. it's not the way i imagined my pregnancy, but so far the only sure thing about this entire process is that nothing at all has happened the way that i imagined it would. but it's almost over, and even my crazy paranoid high risk doctor says there's nothing to worry about. it's all going to be fine.
the other good news, in my opinion, was the the doctor was pretty relaxed and confident about things moving forward, and that he gave me a long-term plan. even though i know if something changes drastically that this "plan" will be scrapped, i feel SO much better being able to think more long-term. the week-by-week "see what happens" scenario is not comfortable for me at all. but the doctor said we are really only concerned about the next 4-5 weeks. after i'm 33 or 34 weeks along he's comfortable letting me resume my normal activity and if the baby comes early, so be it. he said there's a possibility that i'll still carry to full-term, but at least by 34 weeks if the baby shows up there won't be any major concerns. especially since the baby is currently measuring at the 67th percentile (3lb, 5oz), and any increased size/development is helpful if he does decide to arrive prematurely.
so until that time, i need to stay on the procardia twice a day as i have been, and build in small doses of the indomethacin (just on weekends, for now) since there are possible dangers to the baby if you take that medication for more than small amounts of time. i also need to stay on a somewhat modified model of bed rest. he said i should still lay down as much as possible, for most of the day. but i can get up and do some small things around the house, and i can even go out to eat or something close to home as long as i don't do a lot of walking. i'll go back every week to make sure things are holding stable.
the week that i'm supposed to go back to work will be week 33 for me. he said there's a chance i'll be able to work that week, or at least part of the week. worst case is i miss that first week and then i can go back when i'm at 34 weeks. again, not ideal, but not a bad situation at all when i was imagining not being able to go back at all until the spring.
this is really ok with me. obviously i'd rather be doing fun summer things and accomplishing all of the things around the house that need to be done before the baby arrives. but at least now i know that's just not going to happen. no more waiting to see and feeling like i'm twiddling my thumbs. now i can plan for what needs to be done, get help where needed, and get over the disappointment that i won't be able to really live it up in these last weeks before parenthood begins. i'm thankful that i did have some fun this summer while i could! i traveled, i went to a concert, i saw some movies, went to some cookouts. now i have this baby to look forward to, and i really am very excited for that part of life to begin.
in less good news, my back pain has returned. i think the indomethacin helped it to feel better, but i can't take it all the time so i guess i may just have to deal with it. i described it to the doctor and he agreed with my internet-researched assumption that it's sciatic nerve pain, which isn't a concern in terms of being a labor symptom. it's almost definitely related to the pregnancy; often in the third trimester the baby's weight can cause this nerve in your lower back to become pinched or squeezed. but it's not a danger... just an annoyance. sometimes it's just awful, other times it's manageable. there doesn't seem to be any pattern or anything i can do about it. i'm hoping being able to move around a little bit more will help me be able to stretch it out a bit. but if that's the worst i have to worry about right now, i'll take it.
my parents are coming down in a week or so to lend a hand with the baby prep and also to bring some gifts that they've collected since my postponed baby shower and just keep me company. it is going to be such a huge help. and i have so many wonderful friends that have already started (and i know will continue) to visit, call, offer help, and cheer me up in general. it's not the way i imagined my pregnancy, but so far the only sure thing about this entire process is that nothing at all has happened the way that i imagined it would. but it's almost over, and even my crazy paranoid high risk doctor says there's nothing to worry about. it's all going to be fine.
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