Wait a second... didn't everyone bet against this? I was supposed to go early! One professional bet was even for labor around 32 weeks. Why then, was I still hanging out after my due date?
As normal for my body (if two data points can show a trend), I should have expected this. I was 41 weeks with Leif, 40 weeks 3 days with Skadi. Never dilated with either of them. Carried high until the end when the spontaneously dropped.
Why should this one be different?
On Monday, April 8th I went and saw Dr. M. He checked me, noted no increase in dilation, expressed concern and we scheduled the induction to start at 10pm.
AB and I went out to lunch at Bookwalter, he contemplated going back to work but for some reason decided to hang out with me at home and we went back to the house. I tried to sleep on the couch, but couldn't get comfortable while he watched TV. Watching the minutes tick down to the 10 pm induction was painful.
We had arranged "just in case" to have the kids ride a different bus home where they would be met by a number of families we are close to. We called them and said that AB would come down and retrieve kids, we would have dinner, then the kids would go back to a friend's house at about 8pm, where we would put them to bed there and then head to the hospital.
I tossed and turned on the couch and finally announced that I was going to go lay down in the bed upstairs. I swung my feet around and felt warmth.
My water broke. Or did it. Did I just totally wet my pants, I mean there wasn't a "pop" like with Skadi - and didn't they say I had like a gallon of amniotic fluid in there. Dang it. I got up and over to the kitchen tile.
Gush.
My water broke.
Friday, April 19, 2013
Friday, April 5, 2013
Staring down 40 weeks
This week has been a hard one. Fielding two active kids on Spring Break at 39 weeks pregnant - not so much fun! At least they are at the point in life where their expectations of Spring Break are relatively low. And honestly, Leif would rather spend the week at home (playing anything electronic, or lately, reading). Skadi on the other hand - STIR CRAZY. AB stayed home Thursday to help me - which really was wonderful, even if it means he will have less time home with me and the baby after he arrives. (I say this now...)
I had originally had an appointment scheduled for Tuesday morning, but Dr. M had to cancel as he was in a complicated delivery. I was rescheduled to today, April 5th, 39 weeks 6 days. I was starting to get a little nervous going so long between appointments at such a late point in the pregnancy.
It was a nice, relaxed appointment today though as AB was there and Dr. M had few patients scheduled since he only normally works Tuesday and Wednesdays. So we took the time to sit and talk about options.
I went in expecting to be sent in for an induction. But he really left it up to me. How do I feel - am I going absolutely stir crazy, how is my frame of mind, how is the baby doing? We decided to take into consideration a number of factors and tests to decide the path forward (not surprising for me as a scientist - I need data).
First step - bp and weight. BP was 102/68 (shockingly low at this late point) and no weight gain since last week.
Second step - Office exam, measuring right at 40 weeks (again), head down, and cervix check. My cervix is still very high (ouchie mama that exam was not fun). 1 cm dilated (still), but effaced and cervix is soft. Contractions are doing something if at least slowly. I have never dilated easily, so this is an accomplishment for me.
Third step - Mental. Yes, I am tired. But it is only a few days to try and give him more time to come on his own. I can do that. I am strong. I don't feel like a number of those women I have heard crying and begging for an induction. When it comes down to it, I am happy, a little weepy (stupid emotional commercials), a little hot headed when people constantly barage me with "how are you doing" or stupid questions that don't help the situation or offer their advice. I don't want a c-section. AB doesn't have the time off to help me recover from a c-section and I know I can deliver vaginally. An induction comes with an increased risk of c-section and since my cervix is just barely ready if it really is (I actually am not completely sure, but Dr. M has concerns about inducing and I trust him), this concerns me.
Fourth step - Family Birthing Center. Non-stress test showed (not surprising to AB and I) one extremely active baby. No significant contractions going on, regular heart rate with typical accelerations. Ultrasound was aimed to assess fluid levels (my fluids have been high to this point, but we don't want low fluids), and fetal size. They also do a sort of non-stress ultrasound for the baby where they count inhalations, back arching and hand flexing. Hand flexing passed with flying colors as we watched him play with the umbilical cord. Inhalations passed well as did the back arching. Fluid levels were normal and fetal size was determined to be "average". The measurement comes with a +/- 1.5 lbs error, but he was assessed at 8.5 lbs +/- 1.5 lbs.
Given all this combined the baby is not at risk, my mental state is sound, fluids are good, no concerns for size (I suppose...), we decided not to induce today and I was released from the hospital. We opted to try to give it over the weekend to go into labor. If that doesn't happen then we reassess Monday morning.
As AB and I left the birthing center he said, "I have such good memories of this place and am excited to be back." We have had nothing but fabulous, caring nurses, a great ob that prefers low intervention routes.
So there, that is the news. Don't feel slighted if I don't respond to incessant inquiries about how I am doing, respond to questions that call into question my doctor's and our decisions, or pay attention to everyone's suggestions about what I can do to trigger labor. I am frankly tired of ongoing contractions and worn out and sore from waking up in the morning after a long night with hour long sets of contractions that fizzle out. I prefer to give the baby every opportunity to come naturally and thus increase my chances of a third successful vaginal birth. (Yes, really, I have been here before, I am not a newbie!)
I had originally had an appointment scheduled for Tuesday morning, but Dr. M had to cancel as he was in a complicated delivery. I was rescheduled to today, April 5th, 39 weeks 6 days. I was starting to get a little nervous going so long between appointments at such a late point in the pregnancy.
It was a nice, relaxed appointment today though as AB was there and Dr. M had few patients scheduled since he only normally works Tuesday and Wednesdays. So we took the time to sit and talk about options.
I went in expecting to be sent in for an induction. But he really left it up to me. How do I feel - am I going absolutely stir crazy, how is my frame of mind, how is the baby doing? We decided to take into consideration a number of factors and tests to decide the path forward (not surprising for me as a scientist - I need data).
First step - bp and weight. BP was 102/68 (shockingly low at this late point) and no weight gain since last week.
Second step - Office exam, measuring right at 40 weeks (again), head down, and cervix check. My cervix is still very high (ouchie mama that exam was not fun). 1 cm dilated (still), but effaced and cervix is soft. Contractions are doing something if at least slowly. I have never dilated easily, so this is an accomplishment for me.
Third step - Mental. Yes, I am tired. But it is only a few days to try and give him more time to come on his own. I can do that. I am strong. I don't feel like a number of those women I have heard crying and begging for an induction. When it comes down to it, I am happy, a little weepy (stupid emotional commercials), a little hot headed when people constantly barage me with "how are you doing" or stupid questions that don't help the situation or offer their advice. I don't want a c-section. AB doesn't have the time off to help me recover from a c-section and I know I can deliver vaginally. An induction comes with an increased risk of c-section and since my cervix is just barely ready if it really is (I actually am not completely sure, but Dr. M has concerns about inducing and I trust him), this concerns me.
Fourth step - Family Birthing Center. Non-stress test showed (not surprising to AB and I) one extremely active baby. No significant contractions going on, regular heart rate with typical accelerations. Ultrasound was aimed to assess fluid levels (my fluids have been high to this point, but we don't want low fluids), and fetal size. They also do a sort of non-stress ultrasound for the baby where they count inhalations, back arching and hand flexing. Hand flexing passed with flying colors as we watched him play with the umbilical cord. Inhalations passed well as did the back arching. Fluid levels were normal and fetal size was determined to be "average". The measurement comes with a +/- 1.5 lbs error, but he was assessed at 8.5 lbs +/- 1.5 lbs.
Given all this combined the baby is not at risk, my mental state is sound, fluids are good, no concerns for size (I suppose...), we decided not to induce today and I was released from the hospital. We opted to try to give it over the weekend to go into labor. If that doesn't happen then we reassess Monday morning.
As AB and I left the birthing center he said, "I have such good memories of this place and am excited to be back." We have had nothing but fabulous, caring nurses, a great ob that prefers low intervention routes.
So there, that is the news. Don't feel slighted if I don't respond to incessant inquiries about how I am doing, respond to questions that call into question my doctor's and our decisions, or pay attention to everyone's suggestions about what I can do to trigger labor. I am frankly tired of ongoing contractions and worn out and sore from waking up in the morning after a long night with hour long sets of contractions that fizzle out. I prefer to give the baby every opportunity to come naturally and thus increase my chances of a third successful vaginal birth. (Yes, really, I have been here before, I am not a newbie!)
Monday, April 1, 2013
The last week
Tired. Exhausted. Thankful. Somewhat relaxing...
I actually didn't think I would see 39 weeks. The high risk doc thought I would be in labor around week 32, my ob was betting on week 38. And here I am week 39, day 2.
I am doing ok. I don't mind so much these last few days. But I didn't realize how hard Spring Break was going to be with two kids home going stir crazy.
What is really getting me is the on and off again contractions. Sometimes I can just feel them and they are annoying. Other times (most often) they are a bit stronger and make me pause what I am doing while I wait for that 45-60 seconds to pass, then move on about my business until another one strikes. More rarely they are actually painful painful and make me wonder if this is it. But those ones usually aren't the ones that are regular. The mild to moderate ones are regular.
I guess if the harder ones were regular, I wouldn't be here.
I told my ob that he would flip from being transverse to head down - I was right. I told him I would go into labor despite the baby being so high - I did with Leif after all. But as AB pointed out I was also 41 weeks exactly and there was no fluid left. This baby is different. (As they all are.)
What I hadn't expected, which I have heard people say before, is how exahausting the off/on contractions are. I hate leaving the house because I don't know where I am going to get stuck having moderate contractions. And well, I hate leaving the house because I kind of just want to hibernate in even though it is spring. So I have spent much of my time the last two weeks in the house - which is amazingly getting somewhat picked up and organized.
Everyone has wonderful advice - I have heard from a few people to eat pineapple. And I would. I would chow down on pineapple and grapefruit if my heartburn weren't wrecking such havoc. This child has to have uber-long hair. I am on both a prescription medication as well as Tums 2-3 times a day in some effort to reign in the heartburn. So no pineapple for me.
Red raspberry leaf tea. Umm hmm.
Walking - well if I weren't having such horrible sciatica/PGP that makes it near impossible for me to even walk to my kitchen on a regular basis and occasionally requiring me to get my husband's help to even go to the restroom, then yes, I would be walking (as I did with the other two).
I guess I don't have a whole lot of faith in all the home options to get labor going since I did these with my other two and they were both "overdue".
Tomorrow I go into my ob's office - an appointment I thought I wouldn't see! And I expect to get the dreaded induction appointment. I am fine with that. I had to be induced with Skadi as my water broke, my contractions were going nowhere, she was shoulder presentation and it was a last ditch effort before succumbing to c-section. It worked and I had a good labor and delivery. I am not a granola birther... give me the drugs, I want a pleasant awake experience witnessing my children coming into the world.
I actually didn't think I would see 39 weeks. The high risk doc thought I would be in labor around week 32, my ob was betting on week 38. And here I am week 39, day 2.
I am doing ok. I don't mind so much these last few days. But I didn't realize how hard Spring Break was going to be with two kids home going stir crazy.
What is really getting me is the on and off again contractions. Sometimes I can just feel them and they are annoying. Other times (most often) they are a bit stronger and make me pause what I am doing while I wait for that 45-60 seconds to pass, then move on about my business until another one strikes. More rarely they are actually painful painful and make me wonder if this is it. But those ones usually aren't the ones that are regular. The mild to moderate ones are regular.
I guess if the harder ones were regular, I wouldn't be here.
I told my ob that he would flip from being transverse to head down - I was right. I told him I would go into labor despite the baby being so high - I did with Leif after all. But as AB pointed out I was also 41 weeks exactly and there was no fluid left. This baby is different. (As they all are.)
What I hadn't expected, which I have heard people say before, is how exahausting the off/on contractions are. I hate leaving the house because I don't know where I am going to get stuck having moderate contractions. And well, I hate leaving the house because I kind of just want to hibernate in even though it is spring. So I have spent much of my time the last two weeks in the house - which is amazingly getting somewhat picked up and organized.
Everyone has wonderful advice - I have heard from a few people to eat pineapple. And I would. I would chow down on pineapple and grapefruit if my heartburn weren't wrecking such havoc. This child has to have uber-long hair. I am on both a prescription medication as well as Tums 2-3 times a day in some effort to reign in the heartburn. So no pineapple for me.
Red raspberry leaf tea. Umm hmm.
Walking - well if I weren't having such horrible sciatica/PGP that makes it near impossible for me to even walk to my kitchen on a regular basis and occasionally requiring me to get my husband's help to even go to the restroom, then yes, I would be walking (as I did with the other two).
I guess I don't have a whole lot of faith in all the home options to get labor going since I did these with my other two and they were both "overdue".
Tomorrow I go into my ob's office - an appointment I thought I wouldn't see! And I expect to get the dreaded induction appointment. I am fine with that. I had to be induced with Skadi as my water broke, my contractions were going nowhere, she was shoulder presentation and it was a last ditch effort before succumbing to c-section. It worked and I had a good labor and delivery. I am not a granola birther... give me the drugs, I want a pleasant awake experience witnessing my children coming into the world.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
March 26, 38 weeks 3 days
Well I made it past my milestones! This baby will NOT share a birthday with his sister!
Skadi kept saying it would be the best present ever, but AB and I were pretty sure that would not be the case. Phew.
My days seem to be sinusoidal. One day will be fabulous and I will have a ton of energy. The next full of aches, pains, contractions and not feeling great. Certain that labor is just around the corner. Then the contractions peter off and I have a comfortable day following.
Sunday my tailbone started aching and sitting became uncomfortable. Within about an hour I was unable to walk by myself and had to rely on AB to get me anywhere in the house. Right off the bat - paranoia - was the baby ok? What if the kids needed me? What if I could not get to them? Should I let AB go to work in the morning?
AB's concerns were similar - was the baby ok? Should I go to work? Are you sure they aren't contractions?
Appears this isn't completely unheard of and is simply termed "Pelvic Girdle Pain" by some. It can happen when the baby drops (and I think he has dropped - my heartburn is pretty well gone) in combination with nerve pain/overuse (i.e., being too active). I tried Tylenol to no avail. Had a good night's sleep and the extreme pain had pretty well gone away Monday morning. At least I was able to move myself around unassisted.
I didn't dare walk the kids down to the bus stop (but watched them at the stop from the window). I also didn't dare drive as I was worried my legs wouldn't respond appropriately. I am feeling more confident on my feet this morning - 36 hrs later. But I doubt I will be walking the halls during labor like I did with Skadi.
We are still struggling with names believe it or not. I told AB last night that I wish a new name would pop up that would really trump the other three. The three we have selected are good names, I would be happy with any of the three, but none really blows me away. I have my favorite of the three (and for the record, Leif sides with me). AB has his favorite of the three. Mine is the non-Scandinavian name, though it appears on the Norwegian popularity chart and sounds as though it goes with my kids' names. The other two are typical Scandinavian boy names. A few that had been on the list of 10 maybe popped back up last night. But none of the names are really popping for AB and me.
Emotions. Oh my goodness out of control. The other week at Leif's parent teacher conference his teacher told us about how Leif had really latched onto a book about a boy writing poetry (we knew something had triggered this as he has been writing poetry, and it is surprisingly good). But the muse for writing poetry in the book was the boy's dog being hit by a car.
Oh my goodness tears. Uncontrollable. His teacher felt so bad!
But stupid sentimental commercials get me. Thinking about my mom gets me. Thinking about my grandma gets me. I seem to be just an emotional mess lately!
So back to my ob tomorrow for my 38 week appointment.
Skadi kept saying it would be the best present ever, but AB and I were pretty sure that would not be the case. Phew.
My days seem to be sinusoidal. One day will be fabulous and I will have a ton of energy. The next full of aches, pains, contractions and not feeling great. Certain that labor is just around the corner. Then the contractions peter off and I have a comfortable day following.
Sunday my tailbone started aching and sitting became uncomfortable. Within about an hour I was unable to walk by myself and had to rely on AB to get me anywhere in the house. Right off the bat - paranoia - was the baby ok? What if the kids needed me? What if I could not get to them? Should I let AB go to work in the morning?
AB's concerns were similar - was the baby ok? Should I go to work? Are you sure they aren't contractions?
Appears this isn't completely unheard of and is simply termed "Pelvic Girdle Pain" by some. It can happen when the baby drops (and I think he has dropped - my heartburn is pretty well gone) in combination with nerve pain/overuse (i.e., being too active). I tried Tylenol to no avail. Had a good night's sleep and the extreme pain had pretty well gone away Monday morning. At least I was able to move myself around unassisted.
I didn't dare walk the kids down to the bus stop (but watched them at the stop from the window). I also didn't dare drive as I was worried my legs wouldn't respond appropriately. I am feeling more confident on my feet this morning - 36 hrs later. But I doubt I will be walking the halls during labor like I did with Skadi.
We are still struggling with names believe it or not. I told AB last night that I wish a new name would pop up that would really trump the other three. The three we have selected are good names, I would be happy with any of the three, but none really blows me away. I have my favorite of the three (and for the record, Leif sides with me). AB has his favorite of the three. Mine is the non-Scandinavian name, though it appears on the Norwegian popularity chart and sounds as though it goes with my kids' names. The other two are typical Scandinavian boy names. A few that had been on the list of 10 maybe popped back up last night. But none of the names are really popping for AB and me.
Emotions. Oh my goodness out of control. The other week at Leif's parent teacher conference his teacher told us about how Leif had really latched onto a book about a boy writing poetry (we knew something had triggered this as he has been writing poetry, and it is surprisingly good). But the muse for writing poetry in the book was the boy's dog being hit by a car.
Oh my goodness tears. Uncontrollable. His teacher felt so bad!
But stupid sentimental commercials get me. Thinking about my mom gets me. Thinking about my grandma gets me. I seem to be just an emotional mess lately!
So back to my ob tomorrow for my 38 week appointment.
Friday, March 22, 2013
37 Week Appt
Well I officially know now what a mucus plug looks like. Nasty stuff. But mine? Gone.
The 37 week appointment was a good one for the most part. The baby is still head down. I was given the choice whether I wanted Dr. M to check me or not and I decided maybe I was curious if those contractions have been doing anything at all. Baby is high - as usual, neither of my other two dropped until I was in active labor - but lo and behold I was dilated about a centimeter.
I wasn't "green as a gourd"! Those contractions ARE working!
Dr. M thinks I will probably make it to the next appointment, but maybe not. He thinks labor will happen in the next week or two - maybe week to 10 days. Prediction is an averaged size baby, about the same as Leif and Skadi (7 lbs 8 oz and 7 lbs 15 oz respectively).
A few mild concerns. 6 lbs of weight gain in a week, well that is obviously water weight as apparent by my feet and calves and the fact that no one gains 6 lbs in a week. But also my blood pressure was "borderline". My systolic was 140!! I have never in my entire life had high or even borderline blood pressure. That is high, but my diastolic was 70, so I was called borderline.
I have been having a lot of soreness and random contractions, so I bravely asked him to write me out of work. But give me two more days to finish wrapping things up. So as of the day I write this - 37 weeks 6 days, Friday the 22nd, I am officially off of work.
And THAT is what is freaking me out.
I can birth a baby. I can care for a newborn. No problem.
Not work for the next 8-10 weeks? Freaking the crap out of me. I have a few control issues.
And I have such varying responses from the people I work with it honestly doesn't help. One guy I have worked on the Navy project with for 5 years told me a few weeks ago:
KR: "seriously you are going to go out on leave and come back and we are all going to think 'you're back already'?"
His tune was only slightly changed yesterday.
KR: "I can call you, right? Cause I guarantee I am going to be calling you."
Then he made me promise to spend at least 15 minutes just sitting on my couch doing nothing for him. He has twin 2 year olds and an 8 week old at home and said he would pay money to just sit.
Then there is the other guy I work with a lot lately in multiple capacities, PM and co-PI. GE has been in denial about the pregnancy. Completely.
Yesterday I entertained multiple e-mail communications from him of a panicked sort. Him? Not so happy about my absence, but finally sent a note saying they would "muddle through".
I truly do trust everyone I work with and they are some incredibly intelligent people. I am lucky. I love my job right now, I have confidence in what I do, others have confidence in me and I see my career on a good trajectory. It is probably that the baby isn't here yet, but not flipping on my e-mail and responding is taking everything I have within me right now.
The 37 week appointment was a good one for the most part. The baby is still head down. I was given the choice whether I wanted Dr. M to check me or not and I decided maybe I was curious if those contractions have been doing anything at all. Baby is high - as usual, neither of my other two dropped until I was in active labor - but lo and behold I was dilated about a centimeter.
I wasn't "green as a gourd"! Those contractions ARE working!
Dr. M thinks I will probably make it to the next appointment, but maybe not. He thinks labor will happen in the next week or two - maybe week to 10 days. Prediction is an averaged size baby, about the same as Leif and Skadi (7 lbs 8 oz and 7 lbs 15 oz respectively).
A few mild concerns. 6 lbs of weight gain in a week, well that is obviously water weight as apparent by my feet and calves and the fact that no one gains 6 lbs in a week. But also my blood pressure was "borderline". My systolic was 140!! I have never in my entire life had high or even borderline blood pressure. That is high, but my diastolic was 70, so I was called borderline.
I have been having a lot of soreness and random contractions, so I bravely asked him to write me out of work. But give me two more days to finish wrapping things up. So as of the day I write this - 37 weeks 6 days, Friday the 22nd, I am officially off of work.
And THAT is what is freaking me out.
I can birth a baby. I can care for a newborn. No problem.
Not work for the next 8-10 weeks? Freaking the crap out of me. I have a few control issues.
And I have such varying responses from the people I work with it honestly doesn't help. One guy I have worked on the Navy project with for 5 years told me a few weeks ago:
KR: "seriously you are going to go out on leave and come back and we are all going to think 'you're back already'?"
His tune was only slightly changed yesterday.
KR: "I can call you, right? Cause I guarantee I am going to be calling you."
Then he made me promise to spend at least 15 minutes just sitting on my couch doing nothing for him. He has twin 2 year olds and an 8 week old at home and said he would pay money to just sit.
Then there is the other guy I work with a lot lately in multiple capacities, PM and co-PI. GE has been in denial about the pregnancy. Completely.
Yesterday I entertained multiple e-mail communications from him of a panicked sort. Him? Not so happy about my absence, but finally sent a note saying they would "muddle through".
I truly do trust everyone I work with and they are some incredibly intelligent people. I am lucky. I love my job right now, I have confidence in what I do, others have confidence in me and I see my career on a good trajectory. It is probably that the baby isn't here yet, but not flipping on my e-mail and responding is taking everything I have within me right now.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
36 week appointment 3/12
Another not terribly interesting appointment. I can't believe how soon the due date is sneaking up!
BP = 120/60
Weight Gain = +1 lb for a total of 17 lbs. (And proving that that last spurt of weight gain was all water.)
Baby is head down, but not dropped.
I seem to have random contractions. Yesterday, I was positive that the 6-8 min apart contractions were going to tighten up and we were going to head to the hospital. But nope. They ended up petering out in the early evening after plaguing me all day. And today, nothing. Like Sunday and Monday, nothing.
My doctor is estimating 2 more weeks. We will see. I am still measuring ahead.
I am worn out though, but I suspect that this largely has to do with work running me into the ground and not the pregnancy. The stress of work is starting to get to me and I am starting to get this attitude of "I really do not care anymore". Which is bad. I was given the lead (for my lab) on a large, multi-lab (6 total) venture proposal. It is very political external to our lab and I feel as though I am watching every single step I make. I am thrilled about this position and in a way, feel as though I am letting everything else suffer in the name of nurturing this proposal along. Thankfully on nearly everything else I have people willing to pick up after me.
If I can just get this draft proposal out the door and hopefully have a second telecon with the team at large... that is the goal. Make it through Wednesday of next week.
We went and registered at the hospital last Friday and took the kids on a tour of the birthing center. The poor nurse who gave us the tour though - my kids had loads of questions. What is this for? What is that for? Why is the baby holder there in this room and it was out in the other room? Can you roll out the couch so we can see the bed? I think they enjoyed it.
Skadi keeps asking if I have scheduled the day the baby is coming yet. I keep telling her that there isn't any scheduling, the baby comes when he wants to come. I don't think she believes me.
Skadi is very engaged with the whole baby thing and loves to hug and love on my belly. Leif is seeming more indifferent.
I loved this picture Skadi drew:
BP = 120/60
Weight Gain = +1 lb for a total of 17 lbs. (And proving that that last spurt of weight gain was all water.)
Baby is head down, but not dropped.
I seem to have random contractions. Yesterday, I was positive that the 6-8 min apart contractions were going to tighten up and we were going to head to the hospital. But nope. They ended up petering out in the early evening after plaguing me all day. And today, nothing. Like Sunday and Monday, nothing.
My doctor is estimating 2 more weeks. We will see. I am still measuring ahead.
I am worn out though, but I suspect that this largely has to do with work running me into the ground and not the pregnancy. The stress of work is starting to get to me and I am starting to get this attitude of "I really do not care anymore". Which is bad. I was given the lead (for my lab) on a large, multi-lab (6 total) venture proposal. It is very political external to our lab and I feel as though I am watching every single step I make. I am thrilled about this position and in a way, feel as though I am letting everything else suffer in the name of nurturing this proposal along. Thankfully on nearly everything else I have people willing to pick up after me.
If I can just get this draft proposal out the door and hopefully have a second telecon with the team at large... that is the goal. Make it through Wednesday of next week.
We went and registered at the hospital last Friday and took the kids on a tour of the birthing center. The poor nurse who gave us the tour though - my kids had loads of questions. What is this for? What is that for? Why is the baby holder there in this room and it was out in the other room? Can you roll out the couch so we can see the bed? I think they enjoyed it.
Skadi keeps asking if I have scheduled the day the baby is coming yet. I keep telling her that there isn't any scheduling, the baby comes when he wants to come. I don't think she believes me.
Skadi is very engaged with the whole baby thing and loves to hug and love on my belly. Leif is seeming more indifferent.
I loved this picture Skadi drew:
Thursday, February 28, 2013
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 50th 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… ).
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