34 Week Appointment

Pretty blah appointment actually. It was extremely fast. My ob looked like he had just been to the war and back and I really wanted to tell him to cancel the rest of the day and go home and sleep. Or hand him my latte and tell him he actually needed it a whole lot more than I do. Anyways, it was bad enough that I was glad he takes extensive notes because I am not sure he would remember seeing me, especially since at one point he called me by the wrong name. And we know each other – we run in similar social circles and when we see each other at the Court Club, he always remembers us by name.

Let’s see – baby is 50^th percentile. Great. Amniotic fluid is at a “normal” level – which he was skeptical about especially given that I am still measuring 2 weeks ahead. He thinks it was an artifact of not having a high res ultrasound. He explained how the measurements are taken in each of the four quadrants, but if you see cord in any of the three quadrants, you don’t use that quadrant’s measurement. Well you don’t have to be a statistician to see that can cause major problems in measurements. He suspects that my fluid is still high, but not crazy high. So for now we are just going to go forward calling everything normal.

Baby was head down, but not engaged, he is “floating”. I could have told him this. He swaps positions all the time. I usually wake up with him transverse and throughout the day he switches head down. The other night I swear he was doing somersaults while *I* was trying to sleep.

We talked about my crazy heartburn, but he felt that by the time we got me switched over to one of the other meds for that and it kicked in (since the drugs a step up are a more cumulative effect type of thing), I will have birthed. Talked about the contractions. I had one hefty one this morning that did the full on start in the back and radiate around my sides to my belly and lasted for 60 seconds while I gasped and tried not to make a huge deal out of it as I leaned on the counter in front of the kids. Only a few mild contractions after that and none but the usual Braxton Hicks on occasion since then.

I am under direct orders not to show my face at my next appointment until I have registered at the hospital. My day is open on Friday… maybe I will do lunch with my husband and run and do that then.

Heart rate was 130-140 bpm.

Weight gain – oh my. I am convinced it is a ton of water weight though. Suddenly my rings had to come off, my hands have swollen and my feet are swollen. But then again it may be indicative of my desire to actually eat again. Ok, the number. I am up a total of 16 lbs now. So I think that puts me at a weight gain of 5 lbs in TWO weeks!! ACK!

BP: 124/76

I think I am finally feeling like this IS going to happen soon. We talked to the kids about it the other night. Explaining that they will have to go and stay with our friends. If history holds true for me, it will be in the middle of the night. We will have a bag for the kids and their sleeping bags and drop them at one of our friends’ house. Leif’s big concern was what happens after 5am? Hans and I sat there and pondered what he was asking. Finally he explained that he was concerned about what happens if dad has already gone to work (at 5am) and mom goes into labor then. What is he supposed to do? I think we worked out that it won’t be a big deal, the baby doesn’t just come spraying out, there will be time for me to get them to a friend's house and dad to come get me or something. (I hope.)

I have some things to clear up at work. One report I need to get out the door. A few monthly and quarterly reports I need to write or at least outline for my replacements. Things should be pretty good there. I do have a delegate replacement and she cracked me up after one of our meetings yesterday. “You will be able to talk on the phone when we need, right?” she asked. “Of course!” I exclaimed. “Good,” she said, “because you might think everything is going to be easy and smooth, but he is going to flip out at least once without you here. You know he completely relies on you.”

Good to know I am needed.

I met with my HR department straight after my appointment today and all was as expected. No surprises there. I am hoping to be able to be out on leave through the end of the school year… though not sure that will actually happen for a few reasons (possibility of birthing well before due date, potential of husband on furlough – nice to have him there at home with us, not nice for both of us to not be receiving paycheck if I take unpaid FMLA to cover that time… ).