Tuesday, April 28, 2009

21 Weeks Appointment Update

I had my monthly appointment this morning. This was the first time meeting my new Doctor. Good news first - the ultrasound report shows Baby Girl is totally healthy and normal. YAY! That is a big relief. My weight is up 3lbs from my last appointment 5 weeks ago, putting me 1lb below starting weight. I'm sure I will be above it by next time. Since I started out a little over weight and since the baby is measuring just fine they are fine with my weight. Actually they are kind of thrilled. She said most people gain way too much in pregnancy. Hopefully I can keep the slow weight gain going. Ironically (or not) my uterus is measuring higher then average. Dr. said she totally expected that with someone "shorter-waisted" like me! I almost laughed. That is an understatement! I'm only 5'2" and I wear 32 length pants! I am ALL legs!

I was a good patient and brought in my daily blood pressure readings from home. I asked about going on blood pressure medication and I was denied. The Dr. said my blood pressure isn't high enough for medication. It is in the pre-hypertension category. The bad news is this puts me in the "High Risk" category. I'm pissed about this. I got the pre-eclampsia speech. I have to have an ultrasound at a high risk doctor at 32 weeks to check the baby's growth. High blood pressure can sometimes cause a baby to be small. So far this is NOT the case, but it can be in later pregnancy.

The Dr. also gave me the "high chance of inducing you at 38 or 39 weeks talk". I was not happy about that and told her that. She said she was willing to work with me and if my blood pressure doesn't increase much in later pregnancy she will do blood work/ultrasounds at the end. If the baby is doing fine, she won't induce right away. I told her I really want a natural, hypnobirth and do not want to be induced. She seemed to understand and seems to want to work with me on this, so that gives me some hope. Don't misunderstand me - if it becomes MEDICALLY NECESSARY, then fine. I just don't want to be pushed into early induction without good, non-fear based reason. We are planning on having our hypnobirthing instructor (she's a midwife) be our doula and I sent her off an e-mail about the blood pressure issue for advice.

This all makes me even more glad that I switched doctors though. Even though I really think I would have been happiest with a Midwife, I know I am worlds better with the new doctor then the old one! Speaking of the old clinic, wonders never cease! I just got a refund check in the mail! I'm thrilled.

That's about it on the appointment front. Oh! They gave me my glucose sugar drink to take home. I'm supposed to drink it right before my next appointment. Fun stuff.

Can you believe I only have 19 (or possibly 17/18) weeks left?! I cannot wait! I am so in love with this little girl!


Miss X

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Enough with the torture!

It's a baby..............

GIRL!!!!

I was/am so surprised and so excited. We had every intention of waiting until delivery day to find out the gender. It was just the last couple of weeks that I wondered if I should find out. I've been (still!) having a hard time believing I was really having a baby. I think all my stupid infertility scars were not helping me bond properly with the baby. Not knowing the gender just distanced me that little bit more. Made the baby more abstract. I think it would be so cool to wait, but I think that I needed to find out. It was a great decision! It is so much more real and tangible. I'm not just having this hypothetical baby, but a little girl! WOW! I immediately went out and bought several pink and adorable outfits.

Most of you ladies guessed girl! You did good. :) I was so surprised. Basically every member of my family had been INSISTING that the baby was a boy since the day I got pregnant. They finally convinced me that it was probably a boy too. My hubby did insist in was a girl though. ;)

As far as the ultrasound everything appeared to be perfect and normal. I say "appeared" because our little girl is very naughty! She would not hold still for anything! It took the tech an hour to get any of her measurements. Finally the tech was able to get most of them but said it is possible that the doc will make me do more ultrasounds because I had "the most mischievous baby she has seen in a very long time!". Uh-oh! We are so in for it! :) We also did not get any great face shots. Baby Girl insisted on covering her face with her hands the whole time. She is already trying to hold off the paparazzi! She kept her head so low that she was pushing on my cervix. As my hubby said "She already has an attitude!". LOL We are thrilled. We feel so blessed to be having her.

I'll upload pics when my hubby scans them.


Miss X


P.S.
Oh! She currently weighs 11 ounces! :)

Monday, April 20, 2009

It's a .......

......
I caved at the 20 week ultrasound this morning and found out the gender!

For the sake of mild torture for my own amusement (hehe), anyone want to venture a guess?
My symptoms have been:
  • Morning sickness from about week 6 - 12. Only threw up 2 or 3 times though.
  • No weight gain
  • Quite a bit of heartburn
  • Hair and nails growing like weeds!
  • Seem to be carrying high
  • No blemishes and "glowing" skin
  • Baby's heart rate in the high 150's to low 160's.
  • Craving sweets and fruit
I'll update soon!


Miss X

Thursday, April 16, 2009

19 week 3 day Belly Shot



I've had the most change the last 2 weeks or so. Do I look pg yet?


Miss X

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Overdue Updates

Wow, I haven't posted anything in quite awhile! No good excuse, I just keep forgetting.

I have 12 days left until the half way point of this pregnancy. Can you believe it? It's going slowly and fast all at the same time. I feel like I'm on the verge of "popping" and I can't wait for that to happen. I have a little belly but I can still button my regular jeans. It's definitely at the point where it is not comfortable to wear them though. I need to post an updated belly shot. I haven't taken one since 12 weeks.

On the blood pressure front, I bought a home blood pressure cuff machine and am monitoring my bp every day. As I suspected my bp is not nearly as bad at home as at the doctors. I have a pretty mean case of White Coats Syndrome. BUT....I'm still thinking of asking to go on bp medicine for the duration of the pregnancy. The slightest stress really elevates my bp and I know that bp problems tend to get worse as pregnancy progresses. My mom ended up with pre-eclampsia with me and I really don't want that to happen. I need to get this baby out safely! I'm hopeful that since my bp is not normally bad that I will respond well to the drugs. I'll talk to the doctor about it at my next ob appointment.

Oh! Forgot to mention that we went to our birthing class seminar 2 weekends ago and we loved it! It is a hypnobirthing class taught by a midwife that usually attends home births. We signed up and our class starts in 2 weeks. I know that sounds so early, but with hypnobirthing you are supposed to start at about the half way mark. We really liked the midwife and we are probably going to hire her to be our doula. My hubby LOVED the classes and was/is so jazzed up about it. He wants to tell everyone. He is so cute.

In symptom news my morning sickness is long gone (thank God), still tired - mostly because sleeping at night is really tough, sore boobs, some heartburn and daily baby kicks (yay!). All in all not too bad. I can't wait for hubby to be able to feel the baby kick. He wants to so bad. I'm thinking we are just a couple of weeks away from that.

Well I think that is most of the catching up. Sorry for the disjointed post. Wishing you all a wonderful Easter!

P.S.
Hopefully I will have a belly pic up soon.


Miss X