Introducing...

Haven

Born Weds. May 25th at 3:43 pm

7 lbs 9 oz

21 inches

Birth story to follow...

At 41 Weeks

Yet another ultrasound

Everything continues to be just fine.  The placenta is good, the fluid level is good, and baby girl continues to grow.  The weight estimate is now 8 pounds 7 ounces, give or take a pound in either direction.  That's a big baby!

I received another CD of images (this particular company gives them to you for free), but they're not the best.  Her head is so low, it's not easy to get a good picture of her face.

After the long weekend I have another ultrasound and then a doctor's appointment right after.  Will I make it to Tuesday??

Well, hello there mucus plug.

Passed the plug this morning.  Lots of lovely mucus all day as well.  Surely this must mean things will happen soon??

"I'm REALLY good at stripping membranes."

Had another appointment today.  At my clinic, there are four doctors that see all the patients; you are not attached to any one doctor.

Sooooo, the doctor today did all the usual stuff (my blood pressure was NORMAL!!) and then asked if I wanted my membranes stripped.  I told her it was done on Monday by a different doctor and resulted in some mild menstrual cramps, but nothing more.

Her reply?

"Well, I'm REALLY good at stripping membranes."

HOLY SHIT!  What a difference!  For comparison sakes, let's say the doctor I saw on Monday gently swept one finger around for about 5 seconds, producing a mild discomfort.  Today, it felt like she shoved her entire hand up there, and swirled it around for 10 seconds and THEN said, "only 5 more seconds!" as I writhed in pain.  I do believe I was ONLY moaning in pain, not screaming, thankfully!!

If THIS doesn't get things moving, I don't know what will!!  I am still in pain, not contractions at all, just really sore.  About as sore as you think you might feel after a hand was shoved into your uterus.

No blood yet (she said I may have a few days of bleeding), and an ultrasound scheduled for Friday.

Tentative induction scheduled for May 26. :-(  But I really don't think it will come to that.

Deja Vu?

So my due date has come and gone...I wonder how to fix that on the countdown ticker?  But now that I think about it, that ticker is set to my original due date (16th).  Oh well, two different doctor's offices = two different due dates.

I went to the doctor today and once again my blood pressure was too high, after taking it three times.

She checked me and said I was 4 cm dilated and 70% effaced.  Then she 'stretched and swept' my membranes.  Uncomfortable?  Yes.  Painful?  No.

Then I was sent off to the hospital once again for monitoring.  The doctor seemed pretty confident that the on-call doctor at the hospital would want to induce.  She also mentioned that it wasn't too busy, so it was a 'good day to have a baby'.  This hospital gets VERY busy.

I did not go straight to the hospital this time, since my Mom and brother were waiting for me at home.  Once I got home, I grabbed my bags and off we went.

Just like last time, my blood pressure went down, but then it went up again, and remained up, but just 'borderline'.  My blood work was fine, and the baby was fine, so they let me go home.

WOOHOOOO for not being induced today!  I reallllly want this baby to come when she's ready.

While being monitored I did feel some light menstrual cramps, so I think the sweep and stretch worked.  But now, hours later, I feel nothing.

Back to the doctor on Weds. and then another ultrasound on Friday...if there's still no baby.

If my pressure is high on Weds. I really don't think they'll let me go home again.  Cross your fingers!!!

At 40 Weeks

A few shots of the nursery

These pictures really are not the greatest, since I had to use the flash, which I hate.  I'm still waiting for a plum blossom wall decal to arrive, so I'll take a more comprehensive photo once I get that up.

The following are in my room, where baby girl will be sleeping at first.  I imagine I'll be adding more to my 'night station'.

Monday's Appointment

My doctor's appointment on Monday was SO much better than last week!  My blood pressure was fine, even though my ankles decided to swell just in time for my appointment.  She wants me to wrap them with tensor bandages, but really, they're so much better now that I'm not working.  If only she had seen them on the really bad days...  I also managed to lose 2 pounds in three days!?  I've been really lucky with my weight gain.  I was only supposed to gain about 15 and I'm right on track for that.  Fingers crossed!

She 'checked' me for the first time.  It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  The mild crampy feeling only lasted the few seconds when her fingers were directly in my cervix.

Good news is I'm 3cm dilated and 50% effaced!

She warned me that I might have some spotting after being 'checked' but I haven't really noticed anything except for more discharge and a few strange small bits in the toilet.  TMI??  I figure if you're reading this blog, you really don't care about the gross stuff!!

Then today I went for a biophysical profile ultrasound.  It was at a company I've never been to before.  The tech was not able to tell me much, since she wasn't a radiologist.  At other companies, a radiologist is available right then and there to interpret results.  Oh well, I guess my doctor will call me if there's anything to report.  She was, however, able to give me a weight estimate, but warned me that it can be off by up to a pound in either direction...

The estimated weight is 7 pounds 14 ounces!!  Holy crap!  My vajayjay hurts just thinking about it!!

Since yesterday I have been feeling lots of pressure, with my belly growing very hard at times, but nothing I would describe as a contraction.

My due date is Sunday.  Will she be early or late?  My sister is convinced she'll arrive Friday the 13th.

Tomorrow I'll post some nursery pictures!!!  Fun stuff!

At 39 Weeks

Blubbering Idiot

So I went for my weekly doctor's appointment on Thursday.  My blood pressure was too high, even after taking it three times, so I was sent to the hospital for bloodwork and monitoring.

Not a big deal, it nearly happened a few weeks ago when I had protein in my urine.  At that time, I was able to pee again and showed less protein, so I avoided the trip.

This time, I was a blubbering mess!  I guess I was scared of being induced.  I had a little cry while at the doctor's office, then another one on the drive to the hospital, and then AGAIN while waiting to get my bloodwork.  Pretty much any time someone spoke to me, I would start crying!

Then when I got upstairs and into the monitoring room, I started crying again!  All I kept thinking is, "great, this is going to make my blood pressure even HIGHER!".

I got changed into the gown and hooked up to the cuff, baby's heart monitor, and the contraction monitor. Then I just lay there for about an hour.  I eventually calmed down and stopped crying.  My blood pressure went down and continued to go down.  Baby's heart rate was great, and I was having no contractions.  The on-call doctor from my doctor's group came to see me and wants me to go back to the doctor's office on Monday, instead of Thurs.  She also mentioned having another ultrasound.

So everything was fine, I was sent home.  But what a wake-up call!!  If I had been induced, I would have had the clothes on my back and my purse.  Needless to say, yesterday was spent running a million and one errands and getting my bags totally packed.

I really hope that wasn't an indicator of how I'm going to act during labor!  I guess I can blame it on hormones, right?

At 38 Weeks

No cramps, no spotting, no 'dropping', nothing except swollen ankles and heartburn. I'm off work now... woooohoooooo!!!!