Baby Nano...COME OUT! (39w3d pic- plus 39w2d appt update)

I had my hopefully last OB check-up yesterday and it was sorta intense. First, the stats:

*I gained 3 lbs (so basically made up the 2lbs I lost because I had the flu last week and didn't eat plus 1 more lb). That makes me at +17lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight.

*My blood pressure was "great" this week. I am so glad because I was worried it would slowly creep up at the end.

*The fundal height was 42, still 3 weeks ahead.

*I am now 3cm dilated, 60-70% effaced, and still have the low/soft cervix. This is good news because I more than doubled my dilation in a week and am thinning out. The baby is high though.

*The ultrasound to check growth indicated the baby weighs about 8lb 10/11oz. Obviously it could be +/- a lb like last time. This led to the "intense" part.

The doctor is concerned about the baby being too big if we wait much longer to deliver vaginally. He doesn't like to deliver more than a 10lb baby without a c-section. He wants to do this Thursday, but did give me the option to have a more detailed ultrasound done down in SD to verify weight, but I told him I wanted to talk to Nick about it first. We decided not to do the 2nd ultrasound because we are fairly convinced our kid is big. But, we did decide that we want to wait til after Saturday (my due date) to induce if possible.

I talked to the nurse last night to see if we could wait til Monday/Tuesday instead of Saturday (she is the one who returned my message). She said it could be possible because the doctor does do inductions those days and that she would ask the doc and let me know. I also asked her to ask him if he could strip my membranes Friday so there would be more chance I could go into labor on my own. She said he usually doesn't do that, but that she would ask him and get back to me yesterday or today. I am very bummed because I never got a call today like I was supposed to...hopefully early tomorrow morning I will know more.

Nick and I were both sorta bummed that the doctor is pushing the induction so much, as we really really wanted to do everything natural. But, since I could have an almost 10lber now, or almost 8lber now (I wish the measurements were more accurate) If i wait til next monday the baby will be at most 10lb3oz and at least 8lb3oz. That's why I'm not sure if he'll let me wait til then. Until I get a call, I'm waiting on pins and needles.

I guess regardless I know I will have a baby in a week or less...sorta scary but exciting at the same time! If everyone could please pray that that Nano decides to come on his/her time instead of me needing an induction that would be great. I'd love to not have to use induction meds and have to deal with more pain because of them. I am looking into various natural induction techniques to see if one of those will help kick start labor. Wish us luck!

~Heather

Feeling Icky + 38w2d check up appt

Hello to my few loyal readers:

I still am feeling very icky (I think I have a stomach bug), my lower back is constantly hurting, and all my stomach/upper thigh/knee muscles are very sore. I have a feeling going to Sea World on Saturday and walking around for 6 hours there followed by final baby shopping for another 2ish hours that night is what did me in soreness-wise. I am definitely feeling "pregnant" and can say that last night was the most uncomfortable night for me this entire pregnancy. I was up every 30 min to an hour and finally just woke up at 4:45am since I couldn't sleep. I'm looking forward to not being so sore from a big belly/pre-labor type pains. :o) Hopefully this explains the tired/gross expression on my face...

I went to my appt this morning even though I was feeling bad because I wanted to make sure baby was ok, get an update on my dilation progress, and make sure my blood pressure /weight was ok.

Quick facts since I'm not feeling good:

*I LOST 2 POUNDS- making me at +14 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight. The doctor told me that I would definitely lose that much if not more when I went to the hospital to give birth (average sized babies =mom losing about 17lbs on average, bigger babies like mine is looking to be= mom losing about 19-20lbs). I joked with the doctor and said I guess pregnancy was my version of a weight loss plan :P

*Blood pressure was normal

*Fundal height was 41 (should be 38- so same 3wks bigger as usual)

*I am now 1.5 cm dialated (I was 1cm 2 weeks ago), 50% effaced (same as 2 weeks ago), and cervix is still soft/low. The doc said for women giving birth for the first time the checks don't really tell them when baby will come (I already knew that) and that I could go into labor tomorrow for all anyone knows. :P

Now I'm just a ticking time bomb....waiting for Nano to make his/her appearance into the world. I guess my doctor usually lets women go 1 week past their due date before seriously considering/discussing induction. I figure we take that part as it comes- and at least we know that Nano will be here in 3 weeks or less regardless!

~Me

Belated 37w3d appt post (37w5d)

When I was about 7 minutes away (driving wise) from the OB's office for my appointment I got a call from the nurse there saying that the doctor had gone home sick for the day. She wanted to know if I wanted to reschedule the appointment. I responded with, "Um...I am literally 5 minutes away from the office and had to leave my house 25 minutes ago to get here on time." She then told me she could, if I preferred, still do all the "check-up" things for my appointment except the cervix check. I jumped on that choice, since I didn't want to make another trip down the hill when I was already scheduled for an appointment a week away.

I arrived at the office shortly after hanging up with her and was surprised when I opened the door. All the waiting room lights were off, no one was in the room, and only the light behind the counter where the receptionist sits was on. The nurse came out from another room and immediately took me back to get weighed/give a urine. I was stoked that I didn't have to wait at all to go back (usually I wait between 30 min and an hour to see him). The entire appointment start to finish took 10 minutes and I drove home happily! I thanked the nurse for waiting for me to get there and letting me get my check up done. She could have gone home and told me I had to reschedule, yet she waited for me and closed up shop as I left.

Here are the stats:

*I gained NO weight this week!!!!! :o) GOOOO ME! That makes me still at +16 pounds pre-pregnancy weight. Not bad for being almost done!

*My blood pressure was "really good"- whatever that means

*My fundal height was 39 (2 weeks ahead- still consistent with previous measurements)

*Nano's heartbeat was 145- perfect! It took a long time to get a good reading on the heart beat because my child is a stinker already! As soon as she put the doppler on my stomach Nano scooted away from it towards my left upper rib and continued to do so until trapped in the corner. I told the nurse that s/he was moving away from her and she replied, "Yes, it's very evident...your belly is totally shifting shape!" She finally got a good hit on it and the little galloping horse sound filled the room.

*She didn't have my Strep B test results when I went in for my appointment, and said that usually they just send them to the hospital without telling the patient so they can stick the antibiotics in the IV. I told her I was having the hep-lock instead and was interested in the result so I could know if I needed to be hooked to something AT ALL during labor. She said she would call me when the results got in. Well, the next afternoon I got a phone call saying I was NEGATIVE FOR STREP B!!!! WOOHOO!

That's all the appointment consisted of. I have also included my weekly belly shot that I took that evening. :o) Next week is an appointment with a cervical check and afterwards I have an appointment with the pediatrician's office to meet them and ask questions. We are SO close to meeting our baby!!!! Only 2 weeks 2 days left!

~Heather

Baby Clothes (37w2d)

I was blessed with a lot of 0-3 Month clothing at my shower yesterday. I washed a load of clothes, towels, and blankets today so Nano can have some clothes when s/he gets home from the hospital that are fresh and clean and I noticed something interesting.

Every brand of baby clothes in the 0-3 month at least is a different size. I got Gerber, Carter's, Disney, and Faded Glory brands at my shower and while folding them I was astounded. I lined up the 4 brands on top of each other smallest to biggest and there is a big difference.

***All four brands on top of each other Gerber, Carters, Disney, Faded Glory from top to bottom***

Observations:

Gerber is the TINIEST, more what I would think a small newborn would wear. I actually refrained from opening the 2nd 5 pack of onesies in the 0-3 month size from Gerber because I don't know if Nano will even fit in the ones I did open/wash.

***Gerber on left. Carter's on right***

Carters is the LONGEST, but seems sort of slim. I don't know if it is because it is so much longer or what?

Faded glory is the biggest, but still seems so itty bitty for a baby to be in (I guess I'm not used to baby clothes yet). :o)

***Gerber on left. Faded Glory on right.***

Disney brand is in between Carters and Faded Glory.

It's so surreal to wash and put away baby clothes! I also assembled my pack-in-play today and the stroller is in front of the love-seat. We are getting close!

~Heather

36w3d OB appointment (with ultrasound and facts!)

My OB appointment today was a busy one and my favorite one because Nick was able to take off work and go with me. :o) I feel sometimes like he is missing out on all the little updates and the growth of our baby (pictures aren't nearly the same as an ultrasound). It isn't his fault, he just can't take off work for every appointment and as a result has only been to 3 total. He went to meet the OB 3 days after we found out we were pregnant, he went to the crappy 20 week ultrasound to see the baby cause it was supposed to be great (and he was extremely disappointed), and he went to yesterday's.

<<<--- Me at 36w3d pregnant! GIANT BELLY!!! Yesterday we knew we got to see Nano on ultrasound (to check growth) and I had the strep B test on top of the regular check up stuff. It was a great appointment and I think Nick really enjoyed the ultrasound! Dr. Lasting is awesome with ultrasounds- he really is interested in seeing the baby, getting a good picture for us, and making sure everything is going well.


I gained 6lbs for 16lb total weight gain. I'm not happy with this weight gain AT ALL but everyone assured me I'm still doing great and I'm fine. I just don't see how I gained 6lbs in 10 days!

We got called into our appointment 50 minutes after our scheduled time (he is a very popular and therefore busy doctor) and got a briefing from the nurse about when to call/go to the hospital if we thought we were in labor. Then, I was instructed to strip from the waist down and wait for the Dr. to come in. Dr. Lasting came in shortly thereafter and took my fundal measurement (he didn't tell me what it was but I figure it's the same 3wk ahead as normal since that's what it always is). Then, I got the lovely Strep B swabs from him (which wasn't bad at all- I expected worse).

Then, I got my first cervical check which was not as bad as I expected, very little discomfort and it was really fast. I was pleasantly surprised at the results and know they are normal. I was:

1cm dialated; 50% effaced; soft cervix

Then we got to see Nano on the ultrasound! We have a cute (yet chubby looking) child! I asked the doctor to calculate the weight for us, and he said he would but would have to call us the next day with it. I was SHOCKED when I got the call this morning and found out that our baby WEIGHS ABOUT 8, YES EIGHT POUNDS right now!!!!!! Our kid is huge and is going to get bigger and bigger every week (by a 1/2 lb or more a week til birth)! Eeek! I guess I know my child is not going to be super fragile!


Lastly, I got my blood pressure taken. It was better than last time, and was good at 124/70.

That was the appointment! It is crazy that we are so close to meeting our baby and that our baby is so big already!

~Heather

Friend Baby shower post (Shower was when I was 34w pregnant)

On August 21st, my wonderful sis-in-law threw a co-ed shower for me, Nick, and all our friends. It was a great time filled with chatting, catching up, and getting blessed with baby items. Nick and I are very appreciative of our friends and family supporting us and helping us get ready for Nano's arrival! Here are a few pictures from the day-including one of the SIX- yes SIX- pregnant women who were there. We lined up in order from most to least preggo and snapped a shot. :o) What was even better was that there were 2 Heathers, 2 Jessicas, and 2 Emilys! How cool is that!!!!!????



My sister-in-law, mother-in-law, me, and my mommy




Me and Nick before the masses arrived :)





The six preggos! (from left to right)
Me, Heather W, Jessica W, Emily Q, Jessica F, and Emelie P.

God Bless,
~Me