belly shot

38 wks

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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?

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!!

belly shot

34wks