the 36th week

I had my NST (non-stress test) and doctor's appointment today. The NST went well. As long as I continue to have low amniotic fluid, I'll have to continue to have NSTs weekly. I had my internal exam today and the doctor says that my cervix is like a rock - no dilation, and no effacement. Ugh. She predicts that I will probably not go into labor on my own. At least, not soon enough for the baby to be a size that I can actually birth! I asked the doctor if she'll induce me by August 5th, and she said no. Most likely, if I haven't gone into labor on my own by August 12th, I'll be induced then. Not a bad birthday - Baby B will share Sadie's birthday! Of course, Sadie will have three years on her and show her who is boss around here. Lord knows it's not me or the hub!

So, I'm not really any closer to knowing when this baby is coming. And I have to be okay with that because I don't get to choose when she gets here. While I would love for my family to be present when she is born, that may not turn out how it happens, and I can't require my "perfect" birth to include them. Because if my family can't be here, it can't be a disappointment that affects how I feel about the birth in whole. So, I have decided that if they make it, if the stars (and airline schedules) align, and everyone shows up before Baby B does, then I will be relieved and happy, but it is no longer a requirement for me.

On Thursday we have another ultrasound to check on the low amniotic fluid. If the fluid is below 6 cm (it is at 8.5 now), then I will have an emergency induction. If the fluid is still at 8.5 cm, then I will continue with the NSTs. If the fluid is better than before, I no longer have to go for NSTs. We'll also get another check on her size.

Interestingly enough, after talking with my sister, it turns out her first pregnancy went this same way. So much in common here: she had her gestational diabetes under control, the baby's head was low and against the cervix, she had a rock-hard cervix the entire time, and she had to get induced. Our doctors even said the same thing: "Your body does not want to give up this baby." So my fear is that if I go too long, I, like my sister, will have a 9 pound, 7 ounce baby. Yikes!

the ultrasound, again

We went in for another ultrasound to check on Baby B's weight and size. Holy moly, the girl is big! Her head is measuring 37 weeks, 1 day and her weight is estimated at 6 pounds, 9 ounces. No 3-D ultrasound pictures this time, but here are some new profile pictures:




In the next two, you're looking at her nose and lips. The tech said she has full lips - didn't come from me!





At the end of the ultrasound, they went to measure my cervix. Now, I didn't need the tech to tell me that she is up against my cervix, but it was weird seeing how she's wearing my cervix like a yarmulke. The tech was a little "concerned" over the fact that I have a short cervix and called my doctor to see if she wanted them to explore that further. She also asked me questions about if I had felt fluid leaking? Was I contracting at all? She of course left me and the hub in the room to stare at each other and wonder what all of this meant. When she came back, she declared that since it was my first child, the doctor wanted her to go ahead with the detailed ultrasound of my cervix. Then, we were informed that not only is my cervix short, but my amniotic fluid is low too. After the ultrasound was complete, the tech said the doctor wanted to see me and to head over to her office now.

We headed over to Dr. Doeden's office to see what was happening, and Dr. Doeden was not concerned. I love that she tells it to you straight! My cervix is short because that is what cervixes do when they prepare for labor. Also, she isn't concerned about the fluid levels yet, but I get another ultrasound next Thursday to check on my levels. I asked her what all of this meant - the cervix, the amniotic fluid, the baby's size of 37 weeks when I'm only 35 weeks - and she said that the new due date of August 5th (2 weeks less than my previous date of August 19th) is probably a good guess. I don't have to do bedrest! But, she also said she doesn't expect me to stay pregnant past a couple of more weeks. Huh. Now I just need to wrap my mind around the fact that I have 2 less weeks to mentally prepare!

the 35th week

The belly does tricks! I had to get this quintessential photo for my baby book:





Now on to my 35th week. It is stupid hot here in Oklahoma this week - it was all of 105 degrees today! Therefore, the hub and Sadie had to leave me home for their nightly walk, since it is entirely possible I would have crumbled on the side of the road. Instead I prefer to ride my stationary bike in the air conditioning. Though, truth be told, we have it set at 70 degrees, and I still sweat if I so much as walk briskly or turn the tv channel.

My belly button still hasn't popped out, but it's really clinging on for dear life. It's now just classified as "neutral." We had our "Birth of Your Baby" class on Saturday all day, and I can happily report we survived. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be, either. The nurse who ran the class was very knowledgeable and sweet. It was great to finally get a tour of the hospital and a hospital birthing suite - private rooms only people! The hub spied out the "nutrition station" which consists of ice chips (for me) and all-you-can-drink Dr. Pepper and other sodas (for him).

We got stuck sitting next to the "weird couple." You know them - he had grey socks and white sneakers, carried a book with a doily bookmark, and she had this rash all over and some generic Birkenstocks and a distinct odor. We learned about the stages of labor and delivery, medication options, "what can go wrong," and breathing exercises. It was a little weird getting on the floor and practicing breathing techniques, but the best was the massage portion. Our nurse showed us this massage technique where the "coach/partner" puts his hands on either side of your hips/butt and pushes hard - it actually feels really awesome. I turned around to the hub and said, "That's quite a workout!" (referring to the massage) and the husband part of the weird couple goes, "Hmpf! So is labor!" Now, I'm a little testy in these last few weeks, and seriously it couldn't be hotter on the face of the sun, but I don't need weird guy's running commentary in birth class. First of all, he has no idea what labor feels like because he has no uterus. Second, I wasn't talking to him. Also, right before a break, he asked a stupid long-winded question that cut into break time. I thought the hub was going to lose it right then and there, as he was having flashbacks to law school of that moron who asks a question when there's two minutes left in class, and now the whole class has to suffer and be late because the suck-up wanted credit.

Now, the best part. No, it wasn't weird guy massaging his wife with his gross large hands, undoing her ponytail, running his hands through her straw-like hair, and continuing the breathing practice when no one else was. No, it wasn't weird guy adding "and now exhale" at the end of every breathing exercise when we were practicing them (which was never a part of the technique). It was the birth video. Three women giving birth, to be precise. Totally like sex-ed videos - maybe early 80s? Fantastic! After the videos the nurse asked, "So what do you guys think?" And someone yelled, "Scheduled c-section?" The birth part of the video didn't phase the hub (the stretching left me a little parched), but neither one of us could handle the placenta part. Gross. I just threw up a little in my mouth.

So, that's been my life this week. Tomorrow I have an eye doctor appointment because the hub pointed out that I may need to rely on glasses when feeding the kid every 2-3 hours during the night, and that my glasses are from high school. Point taken. Thursday morning is another ultrasound to check on the baby's size. I'll definitely be posting pictures, and hoping she keeps her hand out of her face this time.

the surprise

The hub surprised me this evening with my pushing gift. Admittedly, I didn't know that he even knew what a pushing gift is. I had never heard of one until a couple of months ago. I asked the hub if I should wait to open the gift until actually pushing, and he said to go for it now. Wrapped up in a girly gift bag, surrounded by pink tissue paper, was a new iPod nano! He pointed out that I can use it during labor, download relaxing songs and even videos, television shows, and movies. My old nano had no video capabilities, so this is awesome.

So sweet. I am so smitten with the hub right now.





And yes. It is pink and he had it inscribed. "Breathe. Push. Breathe. Push. I Love You. 2009."

my achy breaky bottom

Earlier this week I woke up with the worst pain in my hips. Mind you, I have been sleeping since the 4th month with a body pillow. So, I just assumed I had kicked the body pillow out of bed and my hips were out of whack because of it. Nope. It happened again the next night, except this time I was awoken every two hours with the hip I was sleeping on completely throbbing.

I did a little internet research, and found that this is a common complaint in pregnancy. Of course, no one had the answer of how to fix it other than "it goes away after you have the baby." Really? Because so does my gestational diabetes, and yet I still have to treat it while the baby is hanging out in utero. One woman suggested a half-blown up sleeping bag air mattress so your hips can "sink" into it without being pushed against the mattress. I mentioned this to the hub while complaining of my various aches and pains. Men like to listen to that stuff, right? Guess what. The hub owns a sleeping bag air mattress. I had no idea. We have been together almost six years, married almost three years, and I had no idea. Maybe had I ever gone camping with him I might be in on this little secret, but who knew a possible solution to my achy breaky bottom was stowed away in the garage?

So, the half-blown up air mattress now hangs out under the featherbed, and I sleep on top of it all with barely half a sheet (or else I'm just way too hot) and Sadie sucking my heat down near my feet, with my leg slung over the body pillow. And you know what? It works. Yes, I still get up every two hours to pee, but that's just my body acclimating me to getting up with Baby B once she makes her appearance. And while I used to be able to sleep through a hurricane, used to be able to sleep ten hours straight without the aid of alcohol, I no longer can. I am up every two hours and sometimes I am downright alert. It's weird. So no more achy breaky bottom.

My normal bed:

My bed altered with air mattress, featherbed, and body pillow:

the titty is nifty

I'm a little tired of the phrase "breast is best." I had my breastfeeding class tonight, and luckily for the hub, we have a friend in from out of town and the hub got to stay home and entertain instead of attending the two hour class with me. Turns out only about half of the class showed up anyways, and only half that showed up brought husbands. We were provided baby dolls and fake stitched boobs so we could learn latching techniques and what a clogged milk duct feels like. Of course, this was after we had to go around the room and introduce ourselves, give our due date, and tell baby's name "if it wasn't secret." When it got to my turn I lied and said my husband couldn't join me because he was at work because it felt weird not acknowledging in some way that I am married and not "in trouble." Plus, I can't wear my wedding rings, so there's no outward obvious sign I'm married.

Insecurities aside, the class went fast! We had a much-needed bathroom break at the half-way point. I spent a good ten minutes trying to figure out a way to get a picture of the fake stitched boob to share with you guys, but there was no way to do it without being obvious. I could have tried to steal one, but how embarrassing would that be if I got caught? "Ma'am, we saw you put that stuffed breast in your purse. Please hand it over. We're making a note in your chart so that when you come in for delivery, the nurses will know you were the perv who tried to steal a fake boob. They will then ignore your cries for an epidural and continuously call you the wrong name."

We were treated to a slideshow, then passed around breast shells, nipple shields, breast pads, breast pumps, bottles, etc. The question and answer session was quite painless, as few people had questions, or were just too shy to ask. I was impressed that my hospital has a policy of getting your baby to you for breastfeeding within one hour (two if you have c-section) of birth. They begin with "skin on skin contact" where they lay the baby on your chest so she can feel your breathing patterns. Then, they move onto breastfeeding instruction, and basically tell everyone besides dad to get out of the room. The nurse, Jill, even told us that they do not bathe the baby before this breastfeeding because it stimulates the baby too much and they aren't as alert for the feeding. She then said that some mothers do not want to handle their babies without the baby first being bathed, and to let the nursery know if we felt this way. Everyone, including me, was taken aback by this, as I can't imagine that they bring the baby to me to breastfeed and my first statement is, "Couldn't have run her through a dishwasher first? What am I paying for in that nursery?" Totally takes me back to "16 and Pregnant!"

the 34th week

I have been having fits of nesting all weekend. Last night, I took the tags off of all baby clothes sized 0-3 months, baby blankets, mittens, socks, washcloths, burping cloths, bibs, basically anything I could get my hands on made of cloth, and washed it all. During the wash cycle, while I was working out on the stationary bike, I had the hub look up if we could use dryer sheets or not. For some reason I had the thought that you can't, and we ended up not using any. As I was folding the swaddler later, I asked the hub if you can use a swaddler and a gown at the same time - wouldn't the baby get too hot? We didn't know, had no instinct one way or the other, so I checked with my sister today. I also remembered to ask her if you have a catheter with an epidural - all these random questions pop into my head, and my google search list must look ridiculous by now.

I had a doctor's appointment today. We scheduled another ultrasound for July 16th to check on the baby's size. My next appointment is July 20th, where we will discuss the results of the ultrasound, and I get an internal exam (oh, the fun!). I asked the doctor if we would be looking at induction if the baby continued to be big (she measured normally today), and the doctor told me she doesn't like to do inductions. Well, I don't like the idea of birthing a 10 pound baby, so perhaps we need to meet in the middle here. She did say a lot of what we decide to do will be based on the ultrasound results, so I'm still waiting to see.

Perhaps even more exciting (to me), my blood sugar is under control, so no need for insulin! I have lost another pound, for a total loss of 3 pounds since 32 weeks. No need to worry though because it is due to the gestational diabetes - my total gain this pregnancy is only 20 pounds. I also found out that the hub and I can have two more people in the delivery room. This won't be a problem if I'm not induced, because other than the hub's parents in Florida, and my sister and mom in Virginia, no one else is showing up. And without an induction date, it is unlikely anyone will be able to catch a plane quickly enough to make it here for delivery. But if I am induced, that leaves me and the hub with one guest each. Also, the hospital won't let my sister videotape the actual birth. As my doctor said, "No crotch shots." She can videotape the labor, then the baby proudly having entered the world, but no in-between because of some lawsuit out of Florida five years ago.

So, this week I have a dentist appointment on Thursday and on Friday I am touring two daycare centers and getting on the waiting lists. It's supposed to top 100 degrees here, so I'll be laying on the couch in the air conditioning as much as possible.