35 Weeks!

I've been waiting to update until I knew when my cerclage would be removed, and then so many things kept happening between getting a confirmed date.


I'm still working through the gestational diabetes.  I'm on 2 pills a day-one before dinner and one before bed.  That seems to work most of the time.  I'm also doing a lot better with my water intake.  I haven't made it to a gallon yet but I am usually over 80 ounces everyday.  Next appointment with the Nurse practitioner is on Friday.

Baby and I have still been having our weekly tests.  He is passing his biophysical profiles every Tuesday with flying colors!  He is also doing well with his non-stress tests.  I've said it before, he is such the overachiever. We also ended up having a stress test and he did well with that.  At last Fridays appointment, I was having a lot of big contractions and his heart rate did exactly what he was supposed to do.

This led to my busy weekend!  Not knowing whether or not I was actually about to go into labor, we had some last minute shopping to do Saturday morning.  I  made another payment on his crib, bought his bassinet and car seat cover (since it's apparently still winter) and also got my breast pump.  At home,  we made sure my hospital bag was ready to go with things for me, Terry and the kids.

From Friday's appointment to Saturday, I had contractions for over 24 hours and then they slowed down…..That is until Sunday afternoon!  While grocery shopping, the contractions and back pain came back with a vengeance.  Those required another call to the doctor and lasted over 5 hours.

This weekend's activities lead to me going on maternity leave a week early.  I left at lunch time and really didn't expect to become an emotional mess when I left.  These crazy contractions also led to me having my cerclage removed today in the office instead of in 2 weeks at the hospital.  That was quite an ordeal.  It took 2 doctors.  Dr Saikie tried and gave up without hurting me too badly.  His partner on the other is one tough cookie.  Dr Berg delivered my twin and at that time, I felt that she had big hands for a woman.  Well, she is also very determined!  She got the cerclage out!  It hurt and caused me to nearly break out in a sweat!  I may have even stopped breathing for a second.

Good news is that now we now longer have to worry about going into labor early.  I'm free to have strong contractions without worrying about tearing my cervix or doing any type of damage.

Baby's growth has also slowed down.  He's gone from being about 2 weeks ahead to measuring right on schedule.  At the last growth scan, about 2 weeks ago, he was weighing about 4 pounds 10 ounces. So if he comes soon, he may just be close to 6 pounds.

That's A Lot of Water!

I had quite a bit of activity in just the last couple of days.  First, my dinner number were kind of haywire, so my Nurse adjusted my meds again, up to 2 pills before dinner.  Well, I would be so hungry and tired the last two days that I forgot to take the pills.  Some how, my numbers for 2 days were perfect, except for the first fasting one.  So, until they change again, I get to stay with my one pill in the evening right before bed.  The nurse cautioned us that she typically has only seen numbers correct themselves about a week or so before the person goes into labor.   Being  that I am  now  33 weeks, she   said that baby's chance of survival is really good, but we'd expect that he would have breathing problems, because the lungs are quite fully developed. Fingers crossed that I'm just eating better or not that stressed any more and nothing else.

After that appointment, I had my fist NST.  I'll have this test every Friday.  I get hooked up to monitors, one to watch baby's heart rate and make sure it increases when it should and the other monitor is to check for any contractions. Well…. to my surprise, during our half hour test, I had at least 4 contractions.  Funny that I didn't feel any of them like I had for 2 hours last week Friday.

The tech took my printout to the MFM Doctor.  Thankfully he said since I couldn't feel them, I was allowed to go home and drink tons( a gallon a day to be exact) of water, like Kaylen said above, instead of being checked in to the hospital.  Hopefully, I can get this water issue under control before next Friday.

A couple of weeks ago, the family and I took pictures.  They are finally online.  They turned out really nice.  Now we just must decide which ones we want to purchase!

Highs and Lows

I guess all journeys have there high and low points.  I have them both going on this week.  My highlight for the week has been going to my first biophysical profile appointment.  This is the ultrasound/test I'll have every Tuesday. Baby passed with flying colors.  He scored an 8/8.  It fairly easy-it's a regular ultrasound and they look for 4 things: breathing (they can see his diaphragm and lungs move), movement (he moved his arms and he had hiccups), good heart rate and right amount of amniotic fluid.  It's scored all or nothing, 2 points each area.  Baby is still head down, and fingers crossed that he doesn't find a way to turn.  He was a little more cooperative this time, so we were able to get a few pictures.  His cheeks do show that well on the pictures, but the area so chubby already!

(My pictures won't transfer from  my phone, so I'll have to put it in later.)

My low is that I've really been struggle with the diabetes.  I was put on medication, about 2 weeks ago, because my fasting numbers were consistently borderline high.  Just one pill at bedtime with a lite snack.  After see this tiny little pill that fits in the tip on my fingernail, I was ok.  Now, I'm having trouble with  my numbers after dinner.  They are high more often than not.  The nurse practitioner then added another half a pill and moved it up to before dinner instead of at bed time.  Well, it didn't help this past week.  I really thought she was going to put me on insulin today, but she let me go with 2 whole pills for now.

The part of having to keep track and report my numbers every 5-7 days and then worrying if they are going to be high or not, is completely making me crazy.  I've had a few days or episodes to where I am just miserable and I cry.  Those are the days when I'm ready for the pregnancy to be over.  I had a little talk with myself today and figured that I can make it, because I should only have close to 30 days left.

Mommy/Baby Stats

Weight:  After all the work I did to gain weight, with this new diet plan, I've now lost about 5 pounds.

Sleep:  Sometimes more than others.  I can't get comfortable at night. It's recommended to sleep on your left side for blood flow, but then my arm falls asleep.  If I lay on either side too long, my hips hurt.  His movement, if he is even awake, doesn't bother me at all.

Cravings:  Ice cream, cake, cookies…just the things I'm not supposed to have.

Movement:  He is still pretty active but much stronger.  Some kicks/punches are really darn strong!  He likes to stretch, so then I have to make sure I"m sitting up straight.  He also gets himself into a little ball and then my stomach will stick out.  I think when he balls up he pokes out his butt!

Next Appointment:  Non-stress Test will be on Friday, along with another appointment with the nurse for a diabetes check-in.

Looking forward to:  Seeing my maternity pictures.  We took them a little over 2 weeks ago, so I should be able to see them any day.