For those that want to follow along as Jaxon grows up, you can find him at: http://jaxonpaul.blogspot.com/
You can also find me at http://mickiemck.blogspot.com/Saturday, November 01, 2008
We've Moved
Now that baby Jaxon has arrived, I think that's the end of the infertility adventure for awhile. I'm leaving the blog up as is for those who are still struggling with infertility. Our whole journey is still documented here so anyone can see what we went through & know they are not alone.
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
For those of you following Jaxon's blog, this is a repeat post. I thought I'd include it here as well.
****
Jaxon & I went to two reunions this weekend which kept us pretty busy. I'd already planned to attend my mothers family reunion when I found out that the fertility clinic was holding the first baby reunion. Luckily, Mom & I were able to work it out to attend both.
Saturday morning we headed over to the fertility clinic and thought we were in the wrong place at first. It looked deserted as we rounded the corner to the clinic, but they had blocked off the whole parking lot for the event. I heard they had around 300 people show up! I've never seen so many strollers in one place. We were welcomed by staff and stopped by several vendor tables. Then we registered for the door prizes before going under the deck to chat & get food. I got a chance to quickly speak to both of the doctors that helped us and walk around looking at all the lovely little babies! There were mostly singleton babes like Jax but there were plenty of twins and pregnant women plus a couple sets of triplets! There were some fun things for the older kids like a moonbounce and a train. The event was catered so we had burgers and hotdogs. Best of all, I won one of the door prizes! A $100 Visa giftcard!! More pics here
Monday, April 28, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
37 wk checkup
Quick update today. We had our 37wk checkup yesterday. Normal vitals, everything looking good. No significant change in stats (dialation, etc). I did put on 2lbs this week but the doc seemed pleased since I'd not put on any weight in the last month. So I'm up to 19lbs gained in 37wks. He said my blood sugar levels have been 'almost too good' and is why I'd not gained any. I admitted to cheating this week & he said that was fine, that I apparently was being restricted a little too much. You should have seen the big fat grin I gave Jack - but don't worry he put me back in my place by pointing out that soda is probably still supposed to be offlimits. Doh, got me there. I was bad about that this week but it was so nice to have a big ole sugary Coke or Dr. Pepper a few times! That was pretty much it other than a few questrions we had about natural birth options, but more on my hopes & plans on the natural thing will have to come in a later post.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
GBS negative
My Group B Strep test came back negative. Thats good because I won't have to be treated with antibiotics during labor. One less thing to worry about.
Monday, April 14, 2008
36wk checkup
As always, my checkup was rather quick. Blood pressure still is hanging right at 100/60 which it has been at for weeks. My weight has also not changed since mid-March (still at 17lbs gained). Jaxon's heartrate is good (144) and uterus is measuring right on.
This week I was due for the GBS test to determine if I would need to be treated for Group B Strep during labor. We should hear back on that soon. In addition, I had my first pelvic exam and I was very curious to find out where we stand. (Btw- for those who've heard this is so terrible, it really isn't. It's odd, but not painful in the least. Certainly nothing like a PAP). Doc said that I'm 70-80% effaced, a 'fingertip' dialated (so about 1cm?), and that baby is at zero station.
For those of you that have no idea, these are a good start. He said this doesn't specifically mean baby is coming early. But it was good to know that the contractions I've been feeling are actually doing some work! Doc said the most important thing he got out of that exam is that the baby is well down in my pelvis (he went on to say something about my size & that it's good that baby was able to get that far). So I'd been waiting for the baby to 'drop' but he'd already done it!
This week I was due for the GBS test to determine if I would need to be treated for Group B Strep during labor. We should hear back on that soon. In addition, I had my first pelvic exam and I was very curious to find out where we stand. (Btw- for those who've heard this is so terrible, it really isn't. It's odd, but not painful in the least. Certainly nothing like a PAP). Doc said that I'm 70-80% effaced, a 'fingertip' dialated (so about 1cm?), and that baby is at zero station.
For those of you that have no idea, these are a good start. He said this doesn't specifically mean baby is coming early. But it was good to know that the contractions I've been feeling are actually doing some work! Doc said the most important thing he got out of that exam is that the baby is well down in my pelvis (he went on to say something about my size & that it's good that baby was able to get that far). So I'd been waiting for the baby to 'drop' but he'd already done it!
Hee, Hee, Hee, Hoo...
29 years of life and I had to take a class to learn how to breathe, lol.
Over the weekend, Jack & I had our labor & birth class. I really liked getting it done in one weekend rather than dragging it out for 6 weeks. The class was 9-4 Saturday including lunch at the hospital (we ate with my stepmom who is a nurse at this hospital) and then 1-5 on Sunday.
I think I was the class 'know-it-all' (I have a tendency to jump in & offer my opinion a lot, especially in a group that is being so quiet) and Jack was the class 'clown'. Every class needs some personality right? Ha!
Anyway, we did feel like we learned a lot. We had specifically wanted to learn the breathing & pain techniques plus hospital procedures. I think those were covered well. I am glad that we had practice time to try out the various positions & breathing. There were some that were great (even some that I originally thought were dumb or awkward) and others that just did not work for us (like one where Jack had to lean down to me & hold up my belly - we were just too mismatched in height). I was especially impressed with the birth ball (though I couldn't bounce on it like some of the ladies.. that just bothered my belly), I had to do a swaying motion instead. Jack was very helpful with the massage, the 'stroking' (you can see Jack had plenty of ammunition for being a clown), and the breathing. I was better at the slow breathing technique but needed his guidance to do the 'hee,hee,hee,hoo' type breathing on pace. He did make me laugh in the middle of our practice 'contractions' a few times. I warned him that I might not find him as funny during labor :)
Overall, if you are debating on whether to bother with the class or not, I'd say definitely take it. I've heard a few people tell me it was a waste of time & money, but I do not agree. I've only mentioned here a fraction of what was covered. There is plenty of information regardless of your plans for pain management. The only time I'd say you probably would not get much use out of it is if you are already going into labor knowing for sure you are going to have a c-section.
Over the weekend, Jack & I had our labor & birth class. I really liked getting it done in one weekend rather than dragging it out for 6 weeks. The class was 9-4 Saturday including lunch at the hospital (we ate with my stepmom who is a nurse at this hospital) and then 1-5 on Sunday.
I think I was the class 'know-it-all' (I have a tendency to jump in & offer my opinion a lot, especially in a group that is being so quiet) and Jack was the class 'clown'. Every class needs some personality right? Ha!
Anyway, we did feel like we learned a lot. We had specifically wanted to learn the breathing & pain techniques plus hospital procedures. I think those were covered well. I am glad that we had practice time to try out the various positions & breathing. There were some that were great (even some that I originally thought were dumb or awkward) and others that just did not work for us (like one where Jack had to lean down to me & hold up my belly - we were just too mismatched in height). I was especially impressed with the birth ball (though I couldn't bounce on it like some of the ladies.. that just bothered my belly), I had to do a swaying motion instead. Jack was very helpful with the massage, the 'stroking' (you can see Jack had plenty of ammunition for being a clown), and the breathing. I was better at the slow breathing technique but needed his guidance to do the 'hee,hee,hee,hoo' type breathing on pace. He did make me laugh in the middle of our practice 'contractions' a few times. I warned him that I might not find him as funny during labor :)
Overall, if you are debating on whether to bother with the class or not, I'd say definitely take it. I've heard a few people tell me it was a waste of time & money, but I do not agree. I've only mentioned here a fraction of what was covered. There is plenty of information regardless of your plans for pain management. The only time I'd say you probably would not get much use out of it is if you are already going into labor knowing for sure you are going to have a c-section.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Nursery
Jack & I finally have put most of the finishing touches on the nursery! I'm really happy with how it's turned out. There are a few other items hanging on the other walls plus a bookcase that you don't see here. I also have a lamp sitting on the floor next to my rocker that will eventually go on a side table, once I find a good one that's not too expensive. I also had plans for a matching valance with the puppies on it to go over the shade. That will depend on our funds. It's really not necessary, but would be cute.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Braxton Hicks
I forgot to mention earlier this week that I've also been having Braxton Hicks contractions. It's normal & no big deal, but man is it odd. My belly gets all tight & hard (I've read different descriptions from being as hard as your forehead to being able to bounce a coin off it, lol) but there really is no pain. My doc said that it can come with pain and that it still would be Braxton Hicks. So far, most of mine have been painless, but uncomfortable. Though I've had a couple with back pain (feels like baby is kicking me in the spine during them sometimes).
I've also been having some pain that I described to the doc as 'period-like'. He explained that it has to do with the muscles holding my uterus up. I was having random sharp pains on my left side and low dull pain in front of my belly. Both are related to the ligaments & muscles stretching. He said the reason my pain seems to come primarily to the left is that I'm carrying baby slightly off to my left side. Who knew I was crooked?
I've also been having some pain that I described to the doc as 'period-like'. He explained that it has to do with the muscles holding my uterus up. I was having random sharp pains on my left side and low dull pain in front of my belly. Both are related to the ligaments & muscles stretching. He said the reason my pain seems to come primarily to the left is that I'm carrying baby slightly off to my left side. Who knew I was crooked?
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
35wk checkup
I'm now going to the OB every week for a checkup. I can't believe how close we are getting, 5 weeks to go now!
Anyway, as usual all the vitals looked good. My weight was exactly the same as it was two weeks ago, no increase so I'm still at 17lbs gained thus far. Baby's heartbeat was 144. My belly is getting huge :) which is quite the amusement for my friends & family. Blood sugar is still looking good too thankfully (even though I've been cheating a bit).
I asked how big the baby is (they've never really told me that since early on) and he guessed about 5.5lbs. Doc said if I go to due date, he thinks we'll be looking at 7.5lb baby (though I know plenty of people who ended up with babies no where near the size the doc said, so take that with a grain of salt I guess). But I liked hearing that my gestational diabetes hasn't made him a huge baby.
Another item he mentioned while talking was that with gestational diabetes they won't let me go past my due date. This was first I'd heard of that, so I had him backup & talk more about that. He said they would normally induce at 41wks (1wk past due date) due to the deterioration of the placenta, but that with gestational diabetes they do that earlier to be sure there are no problems with the placenta or the size of the baby. If I don't deliver on my own by then, they will put me in the hospital the night before my due date (which would just happen to be Mothers Day) and start the process. Now this is lovely, so faint of heart should turn away now. That night, they would pass a catheter through my cervix and then blow up a balloon inside the uterus. The balloon would act as a baby's head, putting pressure on the cervix to trigger it to dialate (and efface too I would assume). He said by the time the balloon comes out, usually the cervix would be at 3cm dialation. (No idea how long it takes to accomplish this using this method, but I have read that it can take hours & hours to get to 3cm with natural contractions). The following morning, they would begin the pitocin. I knew pitocin was used for inducing labor, but had never heard of this balloon procedure (I looked it up & it's called a 'Foley Catheter'). Though we would prefer to skip this whole induction process I will say that I'm not scared of the catheter thanks to all my infertility treatments. I've had a catheter thru the cervix 7 times over the last 3 years. The first was for the HSG test, then for 5 IUIs, and a saline ultrasound before IVF. So I have a pretty good idea what to expect with the catheter itself. Now the balloon I'm not so sure. For each of the procedures I had, they were pushing something thru the catheter into my uterus but there was no pressure on the cervix & the procedures were all less than 30mins. So, here's hoping that Jaxon will choose to come before or by Mother's Day!!
Anyway, as usual all the vitals looked good. My weight was exactly the same as it was two weeks ago, no increase so I'm still at 17lbs gained thus far. Baby's heartbeat was 144. My belly is getting huge :) which is quite the amusement for my friends & family. Blood sugar is still looking good too thankfully (even though I've been cheating a bit).
I asked how big the baby is (they've never really told me that since early on) and he guessed about 5.5lbs. Doc said if I go to due date, he thinks we'll be looking at 7.5lb baby (though I know plenty of people who ended up with babies no where near the size the doc said, so take that with a grain of salt I guess). But I liked hearing that my gestational diabetes hasn't made him a huge baby.
Another item he mentioned while talking was that with gestational diabetes they won't let me go past my due date. This was first I'd heard of that, so I had him backup & talk more about that. He said they would normally induce at 41wks (1wk past due date) due to the deterioration of the placenta, but that with gestational diabetes they do that earlier to be sure there are no problems with the placenta or the size of the baby. If I don't deliver on my own by then, they will put me in the hospital the night before my due date (which would just happen to be Mothers Day) and start the process. Now this is lovely, so faint of heart should turn away now. That night, they would pass a catheter through my cervix and then blow up a balloon inside the uterus. The balloon would act as a baby's head, putting pressure on the cervix to trigger it to dialate (and efface too I would assume). He said by the time the balloon comes out, usually the cervix would be at 3cm dialation. (No idea how long it takes to accomplish this using this method, but I have read that it can take hours & hours to get to 3cm with natural contractions). The following morning, they would begin the pitocin. I knew pitocin was used for inducing labor, but had never heard of this balloon procedure (I looked it up & it's called a 'Foley Catheter'). Though we would prefer to skip this whole induction process I will say that I'm not scared of the catheter thanks to all my infertility treatments. I've had a catheter thru the cervix 7 times over the last 3 years. The first was for the HSG test, then for 5 IUIs, and a saline ultrasound before IVF. So I have a pretty good idea what to expect with the catheter itself. Now the balloon I'm not so sure. For each of the procedures I had, they were pushing something thru the catheter into my uterus but there was no pressure on the cervix & the procedures were all less than 30mins. So, here's hoping that Jaxon will choose to come before or by Mother's Day!!
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Monday, March 31, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
preparing fido
As many of my readers know, Jack & I have four big dogs. Dogs who have been the giant babies of the household for years. We also have a cat that runs the house. Even before we got pregnant, we started considering how we would all survive once baby arrived.
Soon after finding out it was a boy, we got 'Practice Jaxon' as he's called around here. Practice Jaxon is just a little kids doll that I bought (and replaced all the pink clothes with a blue onesie) that makes some baby noises. The sounds were a bit fake, but a good start. We haven't used it as often as we had planned, but have worked with the dogs so they understand what is or is not allowed while we are holding the baby. We even slathered a bunch of baby lotion on it so they could get used to the smells too.
We'd also read that you should play baby sounds, real baby sounds, to get your pets used to it. So we had ordered a CD with baby sounds. I'm not going to link to the site where I purchased it because we did have shipping issues. But if you need a CD like this, simply google 'dog baby sounds' and you'll have several to choose from. (Side note: We ordered 'preparing fido' and the CD itself is great. It arrived a month after we purchased it which is why I'm not directly recommending them. They also did not respond to my email request trying to find out where the CD was, but were very responsive once I had called to complain). Anyway, we choose a CD with various sounds. The majority are, of course, crying but it does include cooing, bathtime, laughing, etc. I'd make sure you can see the track listing including amount of time. I passed over a few selections because it was not clear what would be on the CD or it only had a few minutes worth of sounds.
Tonight we tried the CD for the first time & I have to say I was surprised at the results. With four dogs, we have a variety of personalities in the house. I expected one dog to become nervous, pace & maybe cry, another to become hyper & want my attention, one to run away & had no idea what to expect from the youngest. Instead, we got a whole lot of nothing, lol. Which is good I suppose. I played the CD on a reasonable volume (directions say to start off on a low volume for short periods and then work up to a 'true to life' volume) from my computer in the office. At the time, three dogs & the kitty were all in the office & close enough to clearly hear the sounds. The youngest (our biggest Great Dane) jumped up & ran over to my desk staring in the direction of the speakers with that cute head tilt dogs have. He sniffed around my desk for a few seconds then got bored & laid back down. Our Rottie perked up her ears & stared at my desk but within seconds she was over it. Our lab/pit mix, who I thought would be the one to be nervous & cry, didn't even move. I'm not sure how much the other Dane in the living room could hear, but no response there either. Kitty was sitting on his window perch which is pretty close to the speakers & he didn't even turn his head. Overall I was very surprised. I really thought it would take more work to get them to be that calm while the sounds played. I only played the sounds for about 10 minutes at the low volume. So I guess I'll play the sounds a little louder & a little longer tomorrow. I think I'll try it at different times of the day (since I'm WAH) and see if that makes a difference too. They might just be so tired from a long day & full tummies that they didn't respond as much as they might otherwise.
For my local ladies (StephE?) - if you want to borrow the CD, let me know. Also, here are a couple local resources that I've checked out. They also have good information for anyone not local. I had planned on attending one of the workshops but timing & money never seemed to work out. I found these folks through one of our dog trainers.
-Family Paws
-Dogs & Storks
Other tips we've read/heard but have not tried all yet:
- Setup baby items early such as the swing, bouncer, highchair, rocker, etc. early
- Let pets sniff baby items (clothes, blankets, crib, car seat, etc) & nursery
- Have Dad bring home one of the receiving blanket before baby comes home
- When home from hospital, Dad should bring in the baby (showing dogs that baby is higher in pack order) and Mom should greet dogs since she's likely been away for several days.
- Don't force dog to go near baby if he's not interested (this applies in most situations whether its a new dog, cat, baby or something else that upsets dog like the vacuum. Forcing them only scares them more).
- And of course, always supervise pets near baby!
Soon after finding out it was a boy, we got 'Practice Jaxon' as he's called around here. Practice Jaxon is just a little kids doll that I bought (and replaced all the pink clothes with a blue onesie) that makes some baby noises. The sounds were a bit fake, but a good start. We haven't used it as often as we had planned, but have worked with the dogs so they understand what is or is not allowed while we are holding the baby. We even slathered a bunch of baby lotion on it so they could get used to the smells too.
We'd also read that you should play baby sounds, real baby sounds, to get your pets used to it. So we had ordered a CD with baby sounds. I'm not going to link to the site where I purchased it because we did have shipping issues. But if you need a CD like this, simply google 'dog baby sounds' and you'll have several to choose from. (Side note: We ordered 'preparing fido' and the CD itself is great. It arrived a month after we purchased it which is why I'm not directly recommending them. They also did not respond to my email request trying to find out where the CD was, but were very responsive once I had called to complain). Anyway, we choose a CD with various sounds. The majority are, of course, crying but it does include cooing, bathtime, laughing, etc. I'd make sure you can see the track listing including amount of time. I passed over a few selections because it was not clear what would be on the CD or it only had a few minutes worth of sounds.
Tonight we tried the CD for the first time & I have to say I was surprised at the results. With four dogs, we have a variety of personalities in the house. I expected one dog to become nervous, pace & maybe cry, another to become hyper & want my attention, one to run away & had no idea what to expect from the youngest. Instead, we got a whole lot of nothing, lol. Which is good I suppose. I played the CD on a reasonable volume (directions say to start off on a low volume for short periods and then work up to a 'true to life' volume) from my computer in the office. At the time, three dogs & the kitty were all in the office & close enough to clearly hear the sounds. The youngest (our biggest Great Dane) jumped up & ran over to my desk staring in the direction of the speakers with that cute head tilt dogs have. He sniffed around my desk for a few seconds then got bored & laid back down. Our Rottie perked up her ears & stared at my desk but within seconds she was over it. Our lab/pit mix, who I thought would be the one to be nervous & cry, didn't even move. I'm not sure how much the other Dane in the living room could hear, but no response there either. Kitty was sitting on his window perch which is pretty close to the speakers & he didn't even turn his head. Overall I was very surprised. I really thought it would take more work to get them to be that calm while the sounds played. I only played the sounds for about 10 minutes at the low volume. So I guess I'll play the sounds a little louder & a little longer tomorrow. I think I'll try it at different times of the day (since I'm WAH) and see if that makes a difference too. They might just be so tired from a long day & full tummies that they didn't respond as much as they might otherwise.
For my local ladies (StephE?) - if you want to borrow the CD, let me know. Also, here are a couple local resources that I've checked out. They also have good information for anyone not local. I had planned on attending one of the workshops but timing & money never seemed to work out. I found these folks through one of our dog trainers.
-Family Paws
-Dogs & Storks
Other tips we've read/heard but have not tried all yet:
- Setup baby items early such as the swing, bouncer, highchair, rocker, etc. early
- Let pets sniff baby items (clothes, blankets, crib, car seat, etc) & nursery
- Have Dad bring home one of the receiving blanket before baby comes home
- When home from hospital, Dad should bring in the baby (showing dogs that baby is higher in pack order) and Mom should greet dogs since she's likely been away for several days.
- Don't force dog to go near baby if he's not interested (this applies in most situations whether its a new dog, cat, baby or something else that upsets dog like the vacuum. Forcing them only scares them more).
- And of course, always supervise pets near baby!
minor panic
For some reason this morning when I woke up, the first thing on my mind was that I have just under seven weeks to go before my due date. And I panicked a little!
When we were talking with the doc yesterday, he said something to the effect that we'd be plenty happy if we didn't have to wait all the way until our due date. He told Jack that by 39 weeks, he'll be praying for the baby to come so he can get his wife back (ha!). If Jaxon comes early, then I obviously have less than 7 weeks to be ready. Um.. am I ready? Is Jack ready? Ack...
Ok panic subsiding... logically we are about ready. We have a car seat so we can bring baby home. The nursery is pretty much done other than some aesthetics and some organization I hope to accomplish in the closet. But it's definitely functional & he has a place to sleep. We plan to try to breastfeed, so formula is not an issue. We have a good start on disposable diapers thanks to my early purchases while I had coupons plus all the diapers we got as gifts from friends.. so his tushie will be covered, literally.
But am I ready for L&D? No I don't think I am. We don't go to our labor class until the middle of April. (Since we opted for the weekend version instead of weeknights, the class had to be scheduled closer to our due date according to the hospital). Jack did have his daddy class this past weekend, so he got to talk to other dads. He came back with lots of info & some interesting things for us to consider. I do hope we at least make it to the labor class before JP decides to grace us with his presence!
When we were talking with the doc yesterday, he said something to the effect that we'd be plenty happy if we didn't have to wait all the way until our due date. He told Jack that by 39 weeks, he'll be praying for the baby to come so he can get his wife back (ha!). If Jaxon comes early, then I obviously have less than 7 weeks to be ready. Um.. am I ready? Is Jack ready? Ack...
Ok panic subsiding... logically we are about ready. We have a car seat so we can bring baby home. The nursery is pretty much done other than some aesthetics and some organization I hope to accomplish in the closet. But it's definitely functional & he has a place to sleep. We plan to try to breastfeed, so formula is not an issue. We have a good start on disposable diapers thanks to my early purchases while I had coupons plus all the diapers we got as gifts from friends.. so his tushie will be covered, literally.
But am I ready for L&D? No I don't think I am. We don't go to our labor class until the middle of April. (Since we opted for the weekend version instead of weeknights, the class had to be scheduled closer to our due date according to the hospital). Jack did have his daddy class this past weekend, so he got to talk to other dads. He came back with lots of info & some interesting things for us to consider. I do hope we at least make it to the labor class before JP decides to grace us with his presence!
Monday, March 24, 2008
33 week checkup
Our 33 week checkup passed rather uneventfully. Jack picked me up since my car broke down this weekend (yes the Mustang is out of commission right now... ugh). All the regular checks looked good, they were happy with my blood sugar levels, and my weight was ok (17lbs gained so far).
We saw one of the doctors I had not met yet & he checked my uterus & the baby's heartbeat. I did have one question for him about some pain I'd been having. Turns out it's normal & that there is not a lot I can do about it. I'd been having this odd pain that felt like a combo between a bruise & a sting or rash. It was right under my right breast near my ribs. I think I had mentioned this in my rant the other day when I was so uncomfortable. Turns out it's something to do with the way my uterus is expanding over my ribs and that it's common for it to be on the right side. Ice or a heating pad is about all I can do for it but he did say that as the uterus continues to grow, it actually should get better.
When we were done, Jack asked if that was it, said it seemed like a hassle to go just for that. We do spend more time driving than we spend there in the office. But it is what it is. I go back for my 35 week checkup and then it's every week til Jax shows up.
We saw one of the doctors I had not met yet & he checked my uterus & the baby's heartbeat. I did have one question for him about some pain I'd been having. Turns out it's normal & that there is not a lot I can do about it. I'd been having this odd pain that felt like a combo between a bruise & a sting or rash. It was right under my right breast near my ribs. I think I had mentioned this in my rant the other day when I was so uncomfortable. Turns out it's something to do with the way my uterus is expanding over my ribs and that it's common for it to be on the right side. Ice or a heating pad is about all I can do for it but he did say that as the uterus continues to grow, it actually should get better.
When we were done, Jack asked if that was it, said it seemed like a hassle to go just for that. We do spend more time driving than we spend there in the office. But it is what it is. I go back for my 35 week checkup and then it's every week til Jax shows up.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
uncomfy mama
One of the things I hated most while going through fertility treatment was a whiny pregnant lady. I mean, here I was going thru all this pain, discomfort, doc appts & procedures just trying to get to where they already were. I always wanted to yell at them & tell them to suck it up. Be grateful & you know that your pain is going to end & even know roughly when it will end. Mine just kept going on & on with no distinct end in sight.
Well I STILL feel that way. BUT I can say that I understand a little more. If you didn't have all the pre-pregnancy crap that IFers do, then maybe you would be a little more inclined to complain. Though I still flip at ANY woman that complains about being fat while pregnant - this is the time you are SUPPOSED to get bigger! That being said..
Today is one of those days! Really the last few days. I'm having trouble sleeping of course.. no news there. But along with that, today there was a lack of appetite (which is hard when I'm supposed to be eating 6 meals for the blood sugar control), lack of energy/motivation, discomfort no matter how I tried to sit in my office chair or even when I tried to take a break & lay down, diarrhea (hey if you've been with me on this journey you know I'm not holding back), constipation (yes you can have both), serious bloating/gas feeling after eating and some odd bruise-like feeling just near the top of my uterus. Plus I'm still sniffling & have a little itch in my throat from my nasty cold & cough last week. Surprisingly, I really don't have any backpain during the day still.. only sometimes at night. But thank goodness I work at home! I've been able to sit around in the most comfortable clothes I can find, wear a sports bra, put my feet up, lay down on my soft bed at breaks, and not worry about finding a deserted bathroom somewhere in the office bldg when I had to go!
Maybe if I was more interested in my job right now it would be easier to take care of at least the energy/motivation part. I'm bored out of my skull at work. I have things to do.. but I don't like any of them. I've gotten to where I'm counting down the days (54). Of course I'm excited about JP showing up.. but during the day I think more about how I will be off work for awhile. Hopefully I can come back to work a little more pumped up. My boss actually said that this week in a meeting I had with her. We were talking about what I'd be doing when I come back (pretty much up in the air because we have a lot of change coming) and she said hopefully I'll be 'rarin to go' or something to that effect.
Next checkup is Monday so I should be posting again soon. Plus I'm due for another belly shot any day now. Will try to get that up this week. I'm certainly NOT having my picture taken today.. there's no way I want today recorded on film!
Well I STILL feel that way. BUT I can say that I understand a little more. If you didn't have all the pre-pregnancy crap that IFers do, then maybe you would be a little more inclined to complain. Though I still flip at ANY woman that complains about being fat while pregnant - this is the time you are SUPPOSED to get bigger! That being said..
Today is one of those days! Really the last few days. I'm having trouble sleeping of course.. no news there. But along with that, today there was a lack of appetite (which is hard when I'm supposed to be eating 6 meals for the blood sugar control), lack of energy/motivation, discomfort no matter how I tried to sit in my office chair or even when I tried to take a break & lay down, diarrhea (hey if you've been with me on this journey you know I'm not holding back), constipation (yes you can have both), serious bloating/gas feeling after eating and some odd bruise-like feeling just near the top of my uterus. Plus I'm still sniffling & have a little itch in my throat from my nasty cold & cough last week. Surprisingly, I really don't have any backpain during the day still.. only sometimes at night. But thank goodness I work at home! I've been able to sit around in the most comfortable clothes I can find, wear a sports bra, put my feet up, lay down on my soft bed at breaks, and not worry about finding a deserted bathroom somewhere in the office bldg when I had to go!
Maybe if I was more interested in my job right now it would be easier to take care of at least the energy/motivation part. I'm bored out of my skull at work. I have things to do.. but I don't like any of them. I've gotten to where I'm counting down the days (54). Of course I'm excited about JP showing up.. but during the day I think more about how I will be off work for awhile. Hopefully I can come back to work a little more pumped up. My boss actually said that this week in a meeting I had with her. We were talking about what I'd be doing when I come back (pretty much up in the air because we have a lot of change coming) and she said hopefully I'll be 'rarin to go' or something to that effect.
Next checkup is Monday so I should be posting again soon. Plus I'm due for another belly shot any day now. Will try to get that up this week. I'm certainly NOT having my picture taken today.. there's no way I want today recorded on film!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
pregnant ballet
I love the web! You can find the craziest stuff. I hope someone puts this out on YouTube after the show.
A dozen pregnant women wanted - for ballet...
A dozen pregnant women wanted - for ballet...
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
31wk checkup
Thank goodness for that lovely Dr.White! He gave me a Rx on Monday to help me get over this nasty cough. I've been sick only a few days (started Saturday) but I'm feeling pretty yucky. The bad news is that he said I'm probably looking at a couple weeks to fully recover. I actually spent all day yesterday in bed. I think Jack was shocked when he came home to find that I'd not been out of bed all day. Well thats a little of an exagerration. I did get up to let the dogs out, pee, and get a little food though I didn't eat much. Though all told, I'd say I slept 35 of the last 48 hours. Hopefully the combo of a day of rest & the Rx has me well on my way to better. I couldn't take today off so I'm glad I had yesterday. Today & tomorrow I needed to be in a workshop on an important project at work. I guess I wasn't really 'in' it - I was supposed to be there in person, but I didn't think anyone wanted my germs so listened in via phone all day.
Doc also had some other good news for me. He thought my two weeks of checking my blood sugar levels looked really great. And he didn't think there was any reason for me to have to keep it up everyday. So now I've got his permission to only check it three days a week (but still 4x/day) and to 'cheat' on the weekends :) How lovely!
Doc also had some other good news for me. He thought my two weeks of checking my blood sugar levels looked really great. And he didn't think there was any reason for me to have to keep it up everyday. So now I've got his permission to only check it three days a week (but still 4x/day) and to 'cheat' on the weekends :) How lovely!
Friday, March 07, 2008
Thursday, March 06, 2008
update for this week
I've been meaning to post all week, but have been so busy. So this is either going to be a long post, or short versions of each update :)
Gestational Diabetes Update:
Monday I finally met with the dietician to get my meter & learn how I'm supposed to eat. I got a great little meter that takes a tiny amount of blood (packaging claims 'worlds smallest sample size') and they are letting me poke my arm instead of finger. I can barely even feel it. She told me I could use the lowest setting, but I ended up going up one to speed up the process. I do have to check my blood sugar 4x/day so faster is better. I have to keep a record of all the values to show my doc.
Then she taught me all about my new diet. It's really not as bad as I thought it would be, though it is still a bit restrictive on the carbs of course. No soda, no fruit juice, and no fruit in the mornings. I have a little chart that tells me each category I can eat at which meal & how much of it. For example, I'm supposed to eat 1 serving grain, 1oz protein, 1 serving dairy, and 1 serving healthy fat at breakfast. Then I have another chart that tells me a bunch of example foods for each category. So 1 cup of milk counts as a serving of dairy (it's been hard for me to limit myself to just a cup of milk - I usually would pour a big glass full). So I've been eating okay so far and haven't had any blood sugar values go too high. If they do hit certain values, I have to call the doc.
I'm also eating a lot of meals.. so I feel like my day revolves around food & testing right now. I start off with taking a 'fasting blood sugar' when I get up. Then I have breakfast & test 2 hrs later. Then snack, lunch, test 2hrs later. Then snack, dinner, test 2hrs later. Then final snack before bedtime... so total 6 meals, 4 tests. Thank goodness this is only for 67 more days :)
Shower/Nursery Update:
I already mentioned we had a nursery full of gifts to go through. My calendar has been full, so we knew we couldn't get to it Mon, Wed, or tonight. So we dug into it Tues night after work. I spent a couple hours in there myself just taking all the clothes & etc out of giftbags & boxes, throwing out the trash, & saving cards, etc. When I got to where I really didn't think I could do anymore, Jack came in to help. We put together the highchair (which was really easy, seems like a good chair to us, guess the real test will be when JP is old enough to use it), the swing, and put all the bedding on the crib. Jack hung one of the items on the wall (the only one I was 100% sure where I wanted it) and we put as much as we could into the closet. So far things have just been stored whereever they will fit, until I get the chance to start organizing & deciding how we'll use everything. I have a few storage items I need to get like baskets & shelves. There are still lots of gifts sitting out that I need to go through & put away like a lot of clothes & the bags & a few items that we didn't want to unbox yet because he won't use them for the first months. But it's really coming together. The bedding looks great! I'll get a pic of it & the rocker once I get all the other stuff out of the way.
Mama & Baby:
In between all this talk about showers & the nursery, some of you have asked how JP & I are doing. We are both good I think. For the most part I'm feeling good. I am starting to get a little tired again, and I know that's only going to get worse. I'm really sleeping pretty good I think. Of course I get up 3-4x/night for a potty break plus a few other times to adjust pillows but always fall right back asleep.
I've gotten the 'puppy' into a new habit that I'm not crazy about. He was having morning accidents by the door, so I started letting him out early in the morning. Usually it's the same time as my last 'potty break' of the morning, but if I don't wake up on my own, now he's waking me. So we're now on a pretty regular schedule with going out at 6am, it'll be interesting to see how this fits in with JP's schedule when he gets on one.
Other than that, I have a few aches & discomforts that come with all the extra weight, but doing pretty well still.
Gestational Diabetes Update:
Monday I finally met with the dietician to get my meter & learn how I'm supposed to eat. I got a great little meter that takes a tiny amount of blood (packaging claims 'worlds smallest sample size') and they are letting me poke my arm instead of finger. I can barely even feel it. She told me I could use the lowest setting, but I ended up going up one to speed up the process. I do have to check my blood sugar 4x/day so faster is better. I have to keep a record of all the values to show my doc.
Then she taught me all about my new diet. It's really not as bad as I thought it would be, though it is still a bit restrictive on the carbs of course. No soda, no fruit juice, and no fruit in the mornings. I have a little chart that tells me each category I can eat at which meal & how much of it. For example, I'm supposed to eat 1 serving grain, 1oz protein, 1 serving dairy, and 1 serving healthy fat at breakfast. Then I have another chart that tells me a bunch of example foods for each category. So 1 cup of milk counts as a serving of dairy (it's been hard for me to limit myself to just a cup of milk - I usually would pour a big glass full). So I've been eating okay so far and haven't had any blood sugar values go too high. If they do hit certain values, I have to call the doc.
I'm also eating a lot of meals.. so I feel like my day revolves around food & testing right now. I start off with taking a 'fasting blood sugar' when I get up. Then I have breakfast & test 2 hrs later. Then snack, lunch, test 2hrs later. Then snack, dinner, test 2hrs later. Then final snack before bedtime... so total 6 meals, 4 tests. Thank goodness this is only for 67 more days :)
Shower/Nursery Update:
I already mentioned we had a nursery full of gifts to go through. My calendar has been full, so we knew we couldn't get to it Mon, Wed, or tonight. So we dug into it Tues night after work. I spent a couple hours in there myself just taking all the clothes & etc out of giftbags & boxes, throwing out the trash, & saving cards, etc. When I got to where I really didn't think I could do anymore, Jack came in to help. We put together the highchair (which was really easy, seems like a good chair to us, guess the real test will be when JP is old enough to use it), the swing, and put all the bedding on the crib. Jack hung one of the items on the wall (the only one I was 100% sure where I wanted it) and we put as much as we could into the closet. So far things have just been stored whereever they will fit, until I get the chance to start organizing & deciding how we'll use everything. I have a few storage items I need to get like baskets & shelves. There are still lots of gifts sitting out that I need to go through & put away like a lot of clothes & the bags & a few items that we didn't want to unbox yet because he won't use them for the first months. But it's really coming together. The bedding looks great! I'll get a pic of it & the rocker once I get all the other stuff out of the way.
Mama & Baby:
In between all this talk about showers & the nursery, some of you have asked how JP & I are doing. We are both good I think. For the most part I'm feeling good. I am starting to get a little tired again, and I know that's only going to get worse. I'm really sleeping pretty good I think. Of course I get up 3-4x/night for a potty break plus a few other times to adjust pillows but always fall right back asleep.
I've gotten the 'puppy' into a new habit that I'm not crazy about. He was having morning accidents by the door, so I started letting him out early in the morning. Usually it's the same time as my last 'potty break' of the morning, but if I don't wake up on my own, now he's waking me. So we're now on a pretty regular schedule with going out at 6am, it'll be interesting to see how this fits in with JP's schedule when he gets on one.
Other than that, I have a few aches & discomforts that come with all the extra weight, but doing pretty well still.
Monday, March 03, 2008
Baby Showers!
Thanks to everyone who came to my showers or sent a gift! I really enjoyed both the work shower & family/friends shower!!
My work threw a shower at the office on Wed. (yea I actually went into the office for that). We had a pretty good turnout & it was co-ed. My friend AH planned a couple cute games and decorated a conference room. The group went in on a big gift - our stroller (the big travel system kind that has a car seat too) and a diaper bag! Jack put the stroller together yesterday & I was excited to see it should fit in the mustang trunk (was worried about that). We also got lots of cute outfits and handy items like lotions, wipes, bibs, etc. My stepmom & little sis joined me at the shower. My sis was so cute, she loves to help open the gifts. And she liked all the little plastic baby items on the cake. We had a good time! I forgot my camera, so I'll have to post some pics once I get them from my stepmom or AH.
Yesterday we had the family/friends shower at my aunts house. Everything was beautiful of course and lots of my sorority sisters, family, a few of Jack's co-workers & one of my high school friends came. There were so many great gifts! I was a little overwhelmed. We got a lightweight stroller, a travel swing, travel bed, highchair, bedding, tons of clothes, bibs, towels, etc, a few bags for either diapers or overnight, and a bunch of other wonderful things we needed. Before opening gifts, we dug into the food and played some games. Aunt J had some help hosting from two of my ChiO sisters, CW & LC, who had planned the games. They had 'guess the baby food' where jars were passed out & had to guess which kind, that was funny. (I got 3 of 4 right - the bananas did not look or smell like a banana at all). And then the funniest game was the 'guess the candy bar'. This one I didn't play because I saw them setting it up. They had a few diapers & melted various candy bars which then went into the diaper to look like a used diapee! It was funny to see everyone trying to smell it to guess, lol. I was nice & didn't take any pics of anyone with their nose buried completely in the diaper. I can't wait to see all the pics (I handed off my camera) and will post a few once I download them. My dad came at the end to load up everything and I took their SUV home. I ended up getting home late (spent the evening visiting with family) so Jack brought everything in today. It took up about 1/2 of the nursery! I've got a lot of work to do in there this week!
Thanks again to everyone!
My work threw a shower at the office on Wed. (yea I actually went into the office for that). We had a pretty good turnout & it was co-ed. My friend AH planned a couple cute games and decorated a conference room. The group went in on a big gift - our stroller (the big travel system kind that has a car seat too) and a diaper bag! Jack put the stroller together yesterday & I was excited to see it should fit in the mustang trunk (was worried about that). We also got lots of cute outfits and handy items like lotions, wipes, bibs, etc. My stepmom & little sis joined me at the shower. My sis was so cute, she loves to help open the gifts. And she liked all the little plastic baby items on the cake. We had a good time! I forgot my camera, so I'll have to post some pics once I get them from my stepmom or AH.
Yesterday we had the family/friends shower at my aunts house. Everything was beautiful of course and lots of my sorority sisters, family, a few of Jack's co-workers & one of my high school friends came. There were so many great gifts! I was a little overwhelmed. We got a lightweight stroller, a travel swing, travel bed, highchair, bedding, tons of clothes, bibs, towels, etc, a few bags for either diapers or overnight, and a bunch of other wonderful things we needed. Before opening gifts, we dug into the food and played some games. Aunt J had some help hosting from two of my ChiO sisters, CW & LC, who had planned the games. They had 'guess the baby food' where jars were passed out & had to guess which kind, that was funny. (I got 3 of 4 right - the bananas did not look or smell like a banana at all). And then the funniest game was the 'guess the candy bar'. This one I didn't play because I saw them setting it up. They had a few diapers & melted various candy bars which then went into the diaper to look like a used diapee! It was funny to see everyone trying to smell it to guess, lol. I was nice & didn't take any pics of anyone with their nose buried completely in the diaper. I can't wait to see all the pics (I handed off my camera) and will post a few once I download them. My dad came at the end to load up everything and I took their SUV home. I ended up getting home late (spent the evening visiting with family) so Jack brought everything in today. It took up about 1/2 of the nursery! I've got a lot of work to do in there this week!
Thanks again to everyone!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
3D, baby!
3d ultrasounds are so cool! I am glad we did it even though it's an optional thing (pay out of pocket). The ladies at Triangle Imaging were so nice & the whole place was cozy & comfortable. The scan room was huge & had a big screen tv along with a smaller one. There was enough room for a whole family to come watch. It was decorated nicely & just all around a pleasant experience.
Jaxon is head down & apparently by this point will stay that way. He had his little head tucked into a 'corner' of my uterus with his nose pressed against my side near my pelvis, so she had a little trouble. I had to lay propped up on my side which got a tiny bit uncomfy. She got lots of good shots anyway. We have tons of pictures (77 on a CD) plus a DVD so everyone will be able to see as much or little as they'd like of him. :)
Apparently he likes his hands & feet up near his face. He spent a lot of time trying to get one or the other into his mouth. This one he's about to suck on his toes.
We also got a couple smiles out of him. 
We were so excited to 'see' him and can't wait until he is really here. I'll be matching up photos of him once he's born to these to see how close they are :)
Jaxon is head down & apparently by this point will stay that way. He had his little head tucked into a 'corner' of my uterus with his nose pressed against my side near my pelvis, so she had a little trouble. I had to lay propped up on my side which got a tiny bit uncomfy. She got lots of good shots anyway. We have tons of pictures (77 on a CD) plus a DVD so everyone will be able to see as much or little as they'd like of him. :)
Apparently he likes his hands & feet up near his face. He spent a lot of time trying to get one or the other into his mouth. This one he's about to suck on his toes.
We also got a couple smiles out of him. 
Turns out he's a little bit on the roly-poly side. She guessed he's about 3.5lbs which I think she said would be about a half to a whole pound heavier than expected. Here you can see his chubby cheeks & in the next his thick chest & arms. This just confirms for me that I need to watch the gestational diabetes so he doesn't get too big. But it made for cute chubby pics!!
We were so excited to 'see' him and can't wait until he is really here. I'll be matching up photos of him once he's born to these to see how close they are :)
Monday, February 25, 2008
now what?
Turns out I do have gestational diabetes. The doc at my checkup wasn't too helpful though. He basically just said the dietician will explain it all. What I did manage to get out of him was that they expected it to be controlled by diet (so no drugs or insulin) and that I would need to monitor my blood. I don't see the dietician until next Monday, so I have a little time before I learn all the details.
I do know from common sense, research & watching my BIL, that I'll have to watch sugars & carbs. The question is to what extent. I've got a book, Every Woman's Guide to Eating during Pregnancy, that Jack & I have been pulling some recipes from for our dinners, and it had a little info on GD. It had a simple list of foods to avoid & some to avoid in the morning specifically. I also has a few sample menus (nothing that excited me) and some high level explanation of the condition itself. I won't try to quote the book as that would be boring to read, but did learn that hormones in the placenta cause the cells to not respond properly to the insulin. That results in the glucose to back up in the blood instead of being used in the cells for energy. Thus the high blood sugar levels.
So, for someone widely known as a 'picky' eater, this is going to be an issue for me. I know everyone tells me I'll get used to it and that it's really not that big of a deal. But, this is my blog, and I can say this sucks. I like what I like, and really don't like whatever I don't like. I don't want to change. But I will. For me & my baby. And all along, I'll be glad that I only have to do this for about 11 weeks.
I do know from common sense, research & watching my BIL, that I'll have to watch sugars & carbs. The question is to what extent. I've got a book, Every Woman's Guide to Eating during Pregnancy, that Jack & I have been pulling some recipes from for our dinners, and it had a little info on GD. It had a simple list of foods to avoid & some to avoid in the morning specifically. I also has a few sample menus (nothing that excited me) and some high level explanation of the condition itself. I won't try to quote the book as that would be boring to read, but did learn that hormones in the placenta cause the cells to not respond properly to the insulin. That results in the glucose to back up in the blood instead of being used in the cells for energy. Thus the high blood sugar levels.
So, for someone widely known as a 'picky' eater, this is going to be an issue for me. I know everyone tells me I'll get used to it and that it's really not that big of a deal. But, this is my blog, and I can say this sucks. I like what I like, and really don't like whatever I don't like. I don't want to change. But I will. For me & my baby. And all along, I'll be glad that I only have to do this for about 11 weeks.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008
fasting while pregnant.. fun stuff
It's really not that bad to have to do the 3 hour glucose test, just kind of a hassle.
I had a lot of different labs to choose from, and the easiest for me was the WakeMed in Clayton. Because of some initial confusion over my appt (my doc apparently didn't get my message indicating which location I was using & never sent my referral over), I got started a little late.
The initial blood test was a finger-prick & was tested using what looked like a simple home diabetes monitor. Then I had my choice of an orange drink or a cola drink. I picked the orange b/c I'd had it before plus she said the cola flavored one was like a flat sugary soda, didn't sound great. They poured it in a cup of ice with a straw which helped it go down easier. Once that was done, she setup blood draws at 10:03, 11:03, and 12:03. They didn't care if I stayed there or not but I did most of the time. It was kinda gray, wet & cold out today & Wal-Mart was about the only place to go. I listened to my iPod or read my book while I waited (though I did pick up a couple of cute pink items at WalMart for my girlfriends upcoming baby shower during one of the breaks).
The blood draws were the regular draw from my arms. I hadn't really thought ahead of time about the math of 4 blood draws and only 2 arms. But as I said the first turned out to be a finger-prick, so that left 3 draws from my arms. The tech was able to take the last 2 draws from my right arm without causing me any extra pain. She was really good at it compared to some I've had before, no bruising or soreness at all today. It turned out she was a Chi Omega alum from my chapter too. (Thanks again Aunt J for my purse, I've met several XOs or XO family members since I started carrying it).
The worst part was after the test was over. The tech asked me every hour how I was feeling (hungry, but fine, thanks) but I was really doing okay. Apparently some women have a rough time, even as bad as vomiting she told me (ugh, then you have to reschedule & start over!). But I felt okay as I left Clayton & headed for Fuquay to meet Jack & his paralegal for lunch. While waiting for them, I started to get a little hot, and the hunger was getting a little more urgent. I ordered an appetizer just as they walked in .. and told the waitress to hurry b/c I was 'pregnant & fasting'. LOL, poor girl. Before it came to the table, I started getting really hot & my limbs were starting to feel tingly. I didn't get dizzy or faint, but felt kinda like that was coming. It was pointed out to me that I also get a little grouchy when I'm hungry. I guess I wasn't quite the picture of politeness. Soon as I had a little food in me, I was back to normal. So any of you ladies that are about to take this same test - don't ignore the recommendation to bring a snack. Bring it, and eat it as soon as the test is over. I had one but didn't think it was necessary & might 'ruin' my lunch. But in that restaurant I was wishing I'd just eaten it before I came in.
So anyhow, I won't know my results today. But I do have my 2 week checkup on Monday, so assume the doc will tell me the news by then at the latest. *Fingers crossed*
I had a lot of different labs to choose from, and the easiest for me was the WakeMed in Clayton. Because of some initial confusion over my appt (my doc apparently didn't get my message indicating which location I was using & never sent my referral over), I got started a little late.
The initial blood test was a finger-prick & was tested using what looked like a simple home diabetes monitor. Then I had my choice of an orange drink or a cola drink. I picked the orange b/c I'd had it before plus she said the cola flavored one was like a flat sugary soda, didn't sound great. They poured it in a cup of ice with a straw which helped it go down easier. Once that was done, she setup blood draws at 10:03, 11:03, and 12:03. They didn't care if I stayed there or not but I did most of the time. It was kinda gray, wet & cold out today & Wal-Mart was about the only place to go. I listened to my iPod or read my book while I waited (though I did pick up a couple of cute pink items at WalMart for my girlfriends upcoming baby shower during one of the breaks).
The blood draws were the regular draw from my arms. I hadn't really thought ahead of time about the math of 4 blood draws and only 2 arms. But as I said the first turned out to be a finger-prick, so that left 3 draws from my arms. The tech was able to take the last 2 draws from my right arm without causing me any extra pain. She was really good at it compared to some I've had before, no bruising or soreness at all today. It turned out she was a Chi Omega alum from my chapter too. (Thanks again Aunt J for my purse, I've met several XOs or XO family members since I started carrying it).
The worst part was after the test was over. The tech asked me every hour how I was feeling (hungry, but fine, thanks) but I was really doing okay. Apparently some women have a rough time, even as bad as vomiting she told me (ugh, then you have to reschedule & start over!). But I felt okay as I left Clayton & headed for Fuquay to meet Jack & his paralegal for lunch. While waiting for them, I started to get a little hot, and the hunger was getting a little more urgent. I ordered an appetizer just as they walked in .. and told the waitress to hurry b/c I was 'pregnant & fasting'. LOL, poor girl. Before it came to the table, I started getting really hot & my limbs were starting to feel tingly. I didn't get dizzy or faint, but felt kinda like that was coming. It was pointed out to me that I also get a little grouchy when I'm hungry. I guess I wasn't quite the picture of politeness. Soon as I had a little food in me, I was back to normal. So any of you ladies that are about to take this same test - don't ignore the recommendation to bring a snack. Bring it, and eat it as soon as the test is over. I had one but didn't think it was necessary & might 'ruin' my lunch. But in that restaurant I was wishing I'd just eaten it before I came in.
So anyhow, I won't know my results today. But I do have my 2 week checkup on Monday, so assume the doc will tell me the news by then at the latest. *Fingers crossed*
Thursday, February 14, 2008
A year since IVF
Happy Valentines Day!
It suddenly occurred to me today that it's been a year ago today since my retrieval for IVF. I remember the anesthetologist making some comment about a Valentines baby. If that procedure would have worked, our baby would have come home around November. As much as we wanted each treatment to work & to be the last, I'm glad our baby will be born in the spring instead of right before the holidays!
It suddenly occurred to me today that it's been a year ago today since my retrieval for IVF. I remember the anesthetologist making some comment about a Valentines baby. If that procedure would have worked, our baby would have come home around November. As much as we wanted each treatment to work & to be the last, I'm glad our baby will be born in the spring instead of right before the holidays!
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
preggo at the beach
Here's me at the beach at almost 27 weeks. I went to Wrightsville for a scrapbooking retreat & though it was windy, it was very nice all weekend.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Slightly elevated glucose
A nurse called me today to let me know that my glucose was 'slightly elevated' at 166 (normal is 130 or less she said). So I do need to go for the full 3 hour glucose test.
They had a whole page of directions available to print right from their website (convenient). I scheduled for next Friday at the WakeMed in Clayton. And for the 3 days prior, I have to add an extra 150gs of carbs to my diet from their specific list of items. Then, I have to fast the evening before & morning of the test.
They start by taking a blood sample, then I'll drink the lovely glucose drink again. At 1, 2 & 3 hours following the drink, they will take more blood samples. My doc's instructions say to sit throughout the test, but the lab tech told me that was not necessary. She said a lot of women just go down to the WalMart in between the blood draws, lol.
They had a whole page of directions available to print right from their website (convenient). I scheduled for next Friday at the WakeMed in Clayton. And for the 3 days prior, I have to add an extra 150gs of carbs to my diet from their specific list of items. Then, I have to fast the evening before & morning of the test.
They start by taking a blood sample, then I'll drink the lovely glucose drink again. At 1, 2 & 3 hours following the drink, they will take more blood samples. My doc's instructions say to sit throughout the test, but the lab tech told me that was not necessary. She said a lot of women just go down to the WalMart in between the blood draws, lol.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Checkup
My checkup went quick & easy as usual. Weight looked good (12.5lbs gained overall), blood pressure was my normal range (90/60) and my iron is back up thanks to the supplements (11.5). Saw the doc for about 2 mins for a quick baby heartbeat check (160) and then was on my way.
I had also had my lovely O'Sullivan screening, where you drink a super sugary drink an hour before getting blood drawn. I should hear back in a few days on that. If it is high, then I have to take the full 3hr glucose test. *fingers crossed*
I'm also at the point now where I start going every 2 weeks for checkups. 27 weeks today!
I had also had my lovely O'Sullivan screening, where you drink a super sugary drink an hour before getting blood drawn. I should hear back in a few days on that. If it is high, then I have to take the full 3hr glucose test. *fingers crossed*
I'm also at the point now where I start going every 2 weeks for checkups. 27 weeks today!
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Monday, February 04, 2008
Blue, blue, and a little more blue
One of my friends posted all her cute photos of her nursery and it reminded me that I had not gotten around to doing so myself. Jack & I have not added anything to the nursery (well furniture or accesories-wise anyway, I've added a ton of stuff in the closet & dresser drawers!) since the holidays so it's still in the work-in-progress stage. Once we decide on a rocker & are sure of the placement of all the furniture, I'll get everything hung on the walls & get new pics.
First, here's the crib (hand-me down, thanks Dad & Kim for hanging on to it!!). Yes, that's a baby doll in the crib. We've been using that to train the dogs on how to behave around baby. You can also see in this pic our handiwork we are so proud of (we are not naturally skilled DIY home-improvement folks). We painted the top portion of the room a lighter blue and the bottom the dark blue, then installed the chair rail.
First, here's the crib (hand-me down, thanks Dad & Kim for hanging on to it!!). Yes, that's a baby doll in the crib. We've been using that to train the dogs on how to behave around baby. You can also see in this pic our handiwork we are so proud of (we are not naturally skilled DIY home-improvement folks). We painted the top portion of the room a lighter blue and the bottom the dark blue, then installed the chair rail.
I also painted a bookcase thats been passed around the family since I was little. I used a glossy version of the same colors. The backdrop to the books is the light blue & the rest is the dark blue. It came out very nice, if I do say so myself ;)
Here's the matching dresser, also a hand-me down. (I had some of our Christmas gifts & some stuffed animals piled on top. Those will eventually find a home).
Last, here are some of the items for the walls. The letters spelling Jaxon's name will go over his crib (here they are still in the packaging, but you get the idea). Since I just laid them on the floor for the picture, you get a nice shot of the rug too. The other pic is of some of the wall hangings that match the bedding set.
Still counting down! 26 weeks along now & only 98 days to go! WOW!
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Not going to Brazil, but at least my feet will be comfy
My doc veto'd the Brazil idea, so I guess I'll miss out this time. If you read my post from last week, you'd see that I had several questions for the doc including the one about a business trip to Brazil at the end of January. Of course I found out shortly afterward that the trip had been postponed nearly a month anyway. Which puts me in my 3rd trimester, so I'm better off not going anyway. But what a bummer! Would've been a cool trip.
My other question was about my lovely new foot massage thingy that said 'do not use if pregnant'. He told me that it was doubtful that it could set off the contractions like my preggers book suggested. He said there is some fact to the theory, but that it was unlikely that it would hit those pressure points enough to trigger anything. So I can finally use my Christmas present! Yippee!
Other than that, he just measured the baby (via measuring my uterus with a plain tape measure over my belly.. which I thought was rather lacking in the technical dept), made a few suggestions of things I should start working on (pick a pediatrician, sign up for labor & breastfeeding class, etc) and checked me for swelling (none so far). We also talked about doulas a little. Most of my friends have either not had one or not mentioned, but one of my friends at work did. And she swears by it. Unfortunately, her lady has since retired. It's one more expense, so I don't know how likely it is, but was curious. He didn't have much to say either way about it. Just that the nurses at the hospital are pretty good & that it's really a preference thing. I don't think hubby is all that interested either.
I go back in 4 weeks and get to do the lovely diabetes screening. After that we step it up to only 2 weeks between appointments.
My other question was about my lovely new foot massage thingy that said 'do not use if pregnant'. He told me that it was doubtful that it could set off the contractions like my preggers book suggested. He said there is some fact to the theory, but that it was unlikely that it would hit those pressure points enough to trigger anything. So I can finally use my Christmas present! Yippee!
Other than that, he just measured the baby (via measuring my uterus with a plain tape measure over my belly.. which I thought was rather lacking in the technical dept), made a few suggestions of things I should start working on (pick a pediatrician, sign up for labor & breastfeeding class, etc) and checked me for swelling (none so far). We also talked about doulas a little. Most of my friends have either not had one or not mentioned, but one of my friends at work did. And she swears by it. Unfortunately, her lady has since retired. It's one more expense, so I don't know how likely it is, but was curious. He didn't have much to say either way about it. Just that the nurses at the hospital are pretty good & that it's really a preference thing. I don't think hubby is all that interested either.
I go back in 4 weeks and get to do the lovely diabetes screening. After that we step it up to only 2 weeks between appointments.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
missing belly shot
I missed my 22 week belly photo, oops. So sorry I don't have one to post this week. I could take one now though I learned from last pic not to take one if I'm without makeup or tired. I looked a bit rough, lol. I'll just post one again at 24 weeks which will be the 6mos mark!
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
I was supposed to have a checkup yesterday, but I went out to start my car & it would not cooperate. Turns out it was my battery, but no one was close enough to come get me in time. So I rescheduled for next Monday. I had a couple of questions I wanted to ask, but otherwise no hurry for the appt toda (not an ultrasound this time).
My first question for the doctor (and I'm sure quite a few of you will have some input on this too) is about travel. From everything I've read, there is no reason why a pregnant woman cannot fly (though there are some precautions to take). In my job, I have travelled internationally many many times, but not since we started our infertility journey. With the uncertainity & the numerous doctor appointments during infertiltiy treatments, I had to turn down most trips. But, recently an opportunity to go to Brazil came up and that is somewhere I've never been. So I checked out the length of the flights (no leg more than 10 hours - piece of cake) and checked into airline regulations (can't go within 30 days of due date on international trips). So now I just want to hear my doc say it's not an issue, though my guess is that the locale will be more of a concern than the flight itself. Of course the fun part, as usual, is that the plans are still not final even though I'm supposed to leave 2 weeks from today. So I've not even applied for my visa yet, but that's a whole other story.
Another question I have is about heat & massage on pregnant ladies feet. That might sound odd.. but my brother-in-laws gave me what seemed like the perfect Christmas gift - a heated foot massager! However, we quickly found in the instructions that it advised pregnant women NOT to use it (who need a foot massage more than a preggo lady? esp. toward late in the pregnancy!). I figured this was a CYA for the company that made the thing, so I checked my preggo book. I was surprised when it had the same answer - no foot massages. Huh? Ok so the logic goes that there are certain points in the feet that can trigger contractions. I'm a little skeptical that a simple foot massager could do this, but I've held off using it just yet til I can check with the doc.
My first question for the doctor (and I'm sure quite a few of you will have some input on this too) is about travel. From everything I've read, there is no reason why a pregnant woman cannot fly (though there are some precautions to take). In my job, I have travelled internationally many many times, but not since we started our infertility journey. With the uncertainity & the numerous doctor appointments during infertiltiy treatments, I had to turn down most trips. But, recently an opportunity to go to Brazil came up and that is somewhere I've never been. So I checked out the length of the flights (no leg more than 10 hours - piece of cake) and checked into airline regulations (can't go within 30 days of due date on international trips). So now I just want to hear my doc say it's not an issue, though my guess is that the locale will be more of a concern than the flight itself. Of course the fun part, as usual, is that the plans are still not final even though I'm supposed to leave 2 weeks from today. So I've not even applied for my visa yet, but that's a whole other story.
Another question I have is about heat & massage on pregnant ladies feet. That might sound odd.. but my brother-in-laws gave me what seemed like the perfect Christmas gift - a heated foot massager! However, we quickly found in the instructions that it advised pregnant women NOT to use it (who need a foot massage more than a preggo lady? esp. toward late in the pregnancy!). I figured this was a CYA for the company that made the thing, so I checked my preggo book. I was surprised when it had the same answer - no foot massages. Huh? Ok so the logic goes that there are certain points in the feet that can trigger contractions. I'm a little skeptical that a simple foot massager could do this, but I've held off using it just yet til I can check with the doc.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Labor & Birth Education
Well we are all signed up for Labor & Birth education classes.
Because of our schedules, esp my DHs, we chose a weekend intensive class (who knew they even did that?! awesome) instead of going an hour a week for two months. The website said to signup in your third trimester, but then I got a call almost immediately from the hospital advising that I should change the date to closer to my due date. Apparently they should be more specific, as it should be completed within a couple weeks of your due date. I guess if you are taking the evening 6week long version, then the statement about signing up anytime in the 3rd trimester makes sense. So we got it switched around, and because they only offer the weekend intensive every so often, we actually will take it about 4 weeks before my due date. So we'll go April 12 & 13 for the whole day Saturday and half the day Sunday, then we'll be done. Jack is also going to a Daddy Boot Camp class in March. I can't wait to hear how this goes. He's never changed a diaper, or other basic baby care so we thought it might be good for him. Unlike me, he didn't have a lot of younger siblings or cousins around for practice. Actually I wish I could go too, I'm sure he'll learn some stuff that I don't know. They had some other classes we could sign up for that would give me the chance for similiar learning, but I didn't want to pay for more than 2 classes.
Because of our schedules, esp my DHs, we chose a weekend intensive class (who knew they even did that?! awesome) instead of going an hour a week for two months. The website said to signup in your third trimester, but then I got a call almost immediately from the hospital advising that I should change the date to closer to my due date. Apparently they should be more specific, as it should be completed within a couple weeks of your due date. I guess if you are taking the evening 6week long version, then the statement about signing up anytime in the 3rd trimester makes sense. So we got it switched around, and because they only offer the weekend intensive every so often, we actually will take it about 4 weeks before my due date. So we'll go April 12 & 13 for the whole day Saturday and half the day Sunday, then we'll be done. Jack is also going to a Daddy Boot Camp class in March. I can't wait to hear how this goes. He's never changed a diaper, or other basic baby care so we thought it might be good for him. Unlike me, he didn't have a lot of younger siblings or cousins around for practice. Actually I wish I could go too, I'm sure he'll learn some stuff that I don't know. They had some other classes we could sign up for that would give me the chance for similiar learning, but I didn't want to pay for more than 2 classes.
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