Weekly Update - Almost There

36 Weeks, 6 Days

I had my weekly OB appointment this morning. I was anxious to find out whether or not my blood pressure had stabilized since my last visit, and of course, I wanted to know if I had made any "progress" in the past week. Here's a quick update of where things currently stand nearly 37 weeks into my pregnancy:

• I lost a pound since last week. I celebrated this fact by enjoying a big chocolate shake with my lunch.
• My blood pressure was normal (for me). It was in the high 120s/80s; I can't remember the exact reading.
• Dr. H. ordered more blood tests to monitor my platelets, which were abnormally low at my last visit. She just called to inform me that they had gone up from 94,000 to 109,000....it's still lower than normal, but it's improving! My liver enzymes were normal as well.
• I'm not dilated or effaced (damn it!), but the baby's head has dropped significantly. She said she could feel it under my pubic bone. That explains the discomfort I've been feeling lately (ie: a ton of pressure in my pelvis.) The doc said his positioning is normal and a good sign. She said for some women, the baby's head stays really high until the due date, and then the baby has a lot further to go when labor begins. Looks like Baby V has already got a "head start."
• My fundal height is measuring 36 cm, which is what it measured last week. Dr. H said this isn't because the baby is not growing, but is due to the fact that the baby's head has dropped pretty low into the birth canal.

Sorry if this is TMI for all your blog followers. I just like to record these things so I don't forget them later. Stay tuned for more news!

Huge Relief

36 Weeks, 4 Days

We had an ultrasound this morning to check on Baby V in these last few weeks of pregnancy. I'm happy to report that it's all good news! He's right on target for his size (in the 65 percentile) and my amniotic fluid levels are where they should be.  The radiologist estimates that he's around 6 lbs, 12 ounces. If he stays in there until 40 weeks, he'll likely pass the 8 lb. mark! Big boy!

Other than learning that our sweet bun is just about perfectly baked, this was the least climactic ultrasound we've had to date. We really couldn't see much in terms of anatomy or facial features because the baby is so large now.  He was also blocking his face with BOTH of his hands the entire time, so the radiologist wasn't able to give us a take home pic. We were able to see that all his vital organs are working properly, including his kidneys, bladder, stomach and heart. He has a nice healthy head of hair as well. We also got a glimpse of the family jewels, thus confirming for the third and final time that it is, in fact, a boy. :)

In other news: WE OFFICIALLY HAVE A NANNY! I was hesitant to post anything on the blog until we were finished with our search because I didn't want to jinx things. A little more than a month ago, I connected with a new mommy via a listserve comprised of families that live in Southeast Baltimore. She posted a message saying that she was looking for another family with a newborn to join her in a nanny share when she goes back to work in July. I emailed her letting her know our situation, and we decided to meet in person. We immediately hit it off and after talking over coffee, decided that our childcare needs aligned perfectly and we'd go into the nanny share together. From there, we threw together a job description and posted it on Care.com to begin soliciting applications/resumes. We interviewed four candidates in person, and more over the phone, before deciding on the final one today. We offered her the job today and she accepted (pending a background check.) We're working on finalizing the contract as we speak and hopefully things will be signed, sealed, and delivered by this weekend. What a relief!

Bit of a Scare

36 Weeks, 3 Days

Here I am! Just days away from being considered full term (which is 37 weeks)! Can you believe it? I certainly can't. I feel like I've been pregnant FOREVER, while at the same time, it seems as if it was just yesterday I got a positive pregnancy test.

Looking puffy in the hospital...

We had a bit of a scare last Thursday. It all started when I went in for my weekly baby appointment at 8:30 am. All was pretty normal. My doctor finally "checked" me for the first time. Not exactly comfortable, but I'm anxious to learn whether or not I'm showing signs of impending labor. She could feel the baby's head; I wasn't dilated or effaced yet. Baby V is sitting really low and his head is pressed right on my bladder, which is the reason for the pain I've been experiencing these past few weeks. We listened to his heartbeat and it was right on target in the 140s. They also tested me for Group B Strep, which is standard procedure for all pregnant women between 35-37 weeks. If you test positive, you have to be on IV antibiotics during labor to make sure you don't pass it on to the baby.* Dr. H estimated that he's around 6 to 6.5 lbs by now. Everything about my check-up was normal, except for my blood pressure. It was abnormally high at 140/90. It was enough for Dr. H to be concerned so she ordered some tests to rule out a dangerous pregnancy condition called preeclampsia.  She also wanted to see me for a follow up appointment on Monday, rather than wait another week to see me so that she could check my blood pressure. So, after scheduling another appointment, Vicente and I waddled down to the diagnostic center to get my blood drawn. After that, I decided it was best to take the rest of the day off from work. I was feeling very anxious from the doctor's warnings, and we both thought it would be a good day to get some rest and get me off my feet. I'm glad we did. Around 3 pm, Dr. H called me with the lab results. She said that while my liver enzymes were normal, my platelet count was low (94,000). When paired with high blood pressure, that could indicate preeclampsia, so she asked that I come into the hospital right away for further testing and monitoring of me and the baby.

Vicente and I packed up the remainder of our hospital bag and drove back up to GBMC for the second time that day. I was pretty overwhelmed. Mostly, I was worried for the baby's sake. It was scary to think that I could be induced that day if something had been wrong. Long story short, I turned out to be fine. I was at the hospital for a couple of hours, during which time the nurses took serial blood pressure readings and monitored the baby's heartbeat. Oddly enough, all my BP readings were normal, and thankfully Baby V's heart rate was fantastic. Dr. H. popped in to tell me she did not think I had preeclampsia, but she thinks I have thrombocytopenia (aka: low platelets), a fairly benign condition that many women develop in pregnancy. She ordered a fetal growth sonogram for the following Tuesday (which is tomorrow) just to make sure the baby is growing as he should, but she has no reason to believe he isn't. I'm just happy I get to see my sweet babe one more time before he's here!

*Update, I found out this morning that I tested positive for Strep B, so I'll have to get IV antibiotics to protect baby V during birth. It's very common...one in four pregnant women have it. Luckily, being on IV antibiotics greatly reduces the chance of passing it on to your little one during delivery, so God willing, everything should be OK. I guess this is one of those reasons why prenatal care is so important!

Saturday walk in Patterson Park

Trying to walk this baby right out!
Like how my jacket still  fits?

Antsy and Uncomfortable

35 Weeks, 3 Days

Who knew a 35-week baby bump made
such an awesome table?

I've been having a lot of new pregnancy symptoms in recent days. Maybe it's because I'm a month away from my due date and hyper aware of my body. Every single new sensation I feel, my brain shifts into high gear and I ask myself, is it time? IS IT TIME? Trust me, I'm in no rush to go into labor. I want Vince to stay in there as  long as he needs to in order to be fully baked.  But, I am really anxious to have him here and the anticipation is killin' me.

One thing that's new: I think the baby started to descend into my pelvis this weekend. On Saturday, I started having occasional stabbing pains in what feels like my bladder - a sensation similar to what a bladder infection can feel like. It's not constant, but it does come on suddenly and it's uncomfortable enough to stop me in my tracks. I'll bring it up with my doctor at my next appointment on Thursday, but based on everything I've read, this is likely a sign that the baby is beginning to "drop" into the pelvis in preparation for birth. It happens to first-time moms around 2-4 weeks prior to delivery. So, the timing would be just about right for me.

Also, my Braxton Hicks contractions are getting notably stronger. When I first started feeling these around three weeks ago, they were completely painless. All I felt was a tightening in my belly. While I still have similar BH contractions every day, occasionally I'll get a painful one. Like today, for example.

I'm sure these updates are super boring to anyone reading this, but I wanted to document these new feelings for myself (for future reference) while they were fresh in my head. It's nothing I'm particularly concerned about. I think it's mother nature's way of preparing me both physically and mentally for D Day.

If these are signs that labor is imminent, at least I know we're ready for it! Vicente and I packed our hospital bag last night and installed the car seat in my Honda. :)

Can I have some cheese with my whine?

35 Weeks

Photo taken at 34 Weeks, 3 Days

Well, I hit the 35 week mark today! Only 35 more days until I can hold my boy in my arms instead of lugging him around in my belly. Also, 35 more days until I can again drink the sweet nectar of life that is vodka soda with lime.

My mom is coming into town this weekend to help with last-minute baby stuff. She and Van are planning to come up to Baltimore one more time in early April before the baby gets here, but that's more to visit than to get things ready for baby. I'm only two weeks shy of being "full term" and I feel like this baby could technically come any day now. Not that Braxton Hicks contractions are necessarily a precursor for early labor, but it does have my baby radar on high alert these days. I'm just waiting for my water to break at my desk every time I feel a BH come on. This weekend, I want to get EVERYTHING else taken care of that I need to just in case baby V wants to make an early entrance. Mom's going to help me pack my hospital bag in addition to a few shopping excursions to Home Depot, Target, and Babies R Us to stock us up on everything we'll need. Sounds like a fun weekend, no? Haha.

As I look back and read my earlier blog posts, especially the one I wrote at 29 weeks, I can't help but laugh at my pregnancy journey thus far. Only now do I truly understand what it feels like to be REALLY pregnant. I waddle everywhere. I have the intense urge to pee at least once an hour...even when I don't really have to go at all. I have pinched nerves in my back that makes walking uncomfortable  not to mention some pelvic pain if I overexert myself. All I dream of doing after work is lying on the couch with my feet propped up watching HGTV or the Food Network with a Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich in hand. The highlight of my evenings is when I drape myself across Vicente's lap and he rubs me until I fall asleep around 8:30 pm. Have I become a totally frumpy cliche? Maybe. But I dare anyone who hasn't been 35 weeks pregnant to judge me for it!

Word Vomit

34 Weeks, 3 Days

There's something about late pregnancy that has reduced the effectiveness of my brain-to-mouth filter. I was on my way to the bathroom at work this afternoon when a male coworker came up behind me rather suddenly and asked how I was feeling. Honestly, all I was thinking about at that very moment was how baby V's head was pressing down on my bladder and I was doing everything in my power NOT to pee in my pants. I responded rather shortly, "Fine. Just trying to make it to the bathroom without incident."

He seemed a little confused and responded: "Um, OK." Poor guy.

Anyway...

Baby Update

33 Weeks, 6 Days

Wow, I've been doing a lot of blog posting this week. Go me!

I had yet another prenatal doctor's appointment this morning. Everything is perfectly normal. I only gained 3 lbs since my last visit. Yay! My doctor said the weight gain will taper off now that the end is near. I shouldn't gain more than 5 additional pounds. My blood pressure is perfect, and the baby is measuring exactly where he should at 34 weeks. The doc pressed around on my belly and said the baby's head is definitely down, and he's lying on his side so that his butt is pointed straight up toward the top of my uterus and his feet are firmly planted into the right side of my abdomen. His heart rate was in the 150s, but it spiked to the 160s as the nurse was monitoring it due to the baby stretching and squirming. She laughed because she could see his feet pushing out on my right side. Love that little guy (who is approximately 5 lbs now!)

I asked my doctor about the frequent Braxton Hicks contractions I've been having and she said they're perfectly normal. I also mentioned the pelvic pain and she recommended buying a belly band to help support my growing bump which is putting some strain on the ligaments in my pelvis. I'll check it out, but it sounds really uncomfortable. Like, worse than Spanx.

She also asked me if I planned on getting an epidural. I said TOTES! Apparently, my doc is very liberal about administering epidurals (music to my ears) so as soon as they determine I'm in active labor, I'm allowed to get one. She said it's ideal to wait until I'm at least 4 cm dilated to get one. I'll try to hold out as long as I can so that we don't unnecessarily slow down the labor process.

She'll see me again in two weeks, and then once a week until my due date. I'm getting so excited!

My sister Ashley had a prenatal visit today as well. What are the odds? She reports that baby Emma is doing great!