Last night they started around 9:30 and continued until about 3:30 am. They were happening about every 5 minutes give or take. I should have called in, but I tried to relax and drink lots of water, which seemed to work. I need to hold out for another 3 weeks at least for the little sprout's lungs. Let's hope we can do that and I don't have a surprise turkey delivered while I'm visiting my family a couple hundred miles away for the holiday!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
A little scare
I went to my regular OB appt today and learned that my blood pressure was elevated. You may remember a few things about my early screening test that revealed an extremely low PAPP-A level that scared us to death. We learned after many weeks that our baby was OK chromosomally-no Trisomy 18 or 21, as expected. What a relief. However, there are other things that low PAPP-A can indicate; pre-term labor, pre-eclampsia, placental abruption, still born, to name just a few. Lots of scary stuff. When we did do the amnio, they also found that I did not have enough amniotic fluid, so today when I went in there were some alarms that went off. Time to check amniotic fluid, time to do weekly non-stress testing (NST), time to do another ultrasound.
The stress test looked good. It revealed that I am having contractions, but the baby is responding well to them. There were a few dips that they will watch, but for the most part, things look healthy.
The ultrasound revealed lots of things, most importantly that there is adequate fluid, but on the low side and needs to be monitored. Besides that it showed me beautiful pics of my baby. The technician was dear and asked if I minded if she try something...a 3-D scan. She normally doesn't do that, and I wasn't supposed to tell anyone, but could we try? Are you kidding??? Absolutely!! Nest thing I knew I was looking at our little one with fat chubby cheeks and beautiful pouty lips. I can't tell you how impossible this feels. This little non-alien, but very human looking child, right inside me moving around, looking, well, like a baby! S/he was drinking in lots of amniotic fluid and doing some practice breathing I have heard others talk about. Stunning. Beautiful. Unbelievable. Miraculous.
I'll be going back weekly now for the NST testing, which is more than fine by me. I welcome the extra monitoring and can't wait to be reassured weekly.
The stress test looked good. It revealed that I am having contractions, but the baby is responding well to them. There were a few dips that they will watch, but for the most part, things look healthy.
The ultrasound revealed lots of things, most importantly that there is adequate fluid, but on the low side and needs to be monitored. Besides that it showed me beautiful pics of my baby. The technician was dear and asked if I minded if she try something...a 3-D scan. She normally doesn't do that, and I wasn't supposed to tell anyone, but could we try? Are you kidding??? Absolutely!! Nest thing I knew I was looking at our little one with fat chubby cheeks and beautiful pouty lips. I can't tell you how impossible this feels. This little non-alien, but very human looking child, right inside me moving around, looking, well, like a baby! S/he was drinking in lots of amniotic fluid and doing some practice breathing I have heard others talk about. Stunning. Beautiful. Unbelievable. Miraculous.
I'll be going back weekly now for the NST testing, which is more than fine by me. I welcome the extra monitoring and can't wait to be reassured weekly.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Grateful heart
We met with a doula last night and are trying to finalize the decision to hire her or not. I think I really want an extra guide on board. I mean, Sean hasn't done this before, I haven't done this before, why not have someone there that can give us suggestions and tell me whether I should or shouldn't worry about what is happening. I know myself well enough to know that if I get scared and I don't don't trust the reassurance, the fear will get the best of me.
I liked her, too. She was kind, yet firm and confident, and easy to talk to. She has already given me so much advice about exercises to help the baby be in the right position and referring me to the chiropractor that took my pain away. Truly, for that alone, she has already earned her fee.
My body continues to grow and I am finding I'm more uncomfortable. The fatigue has returned and surprises me at the end of the day when I want to get a bunch of tasks done and just do not have the energy. Last night my belly was tight and hard, and I couldn't find a position that was comfortable. I got scared about how my body will take the next 8 weeks. I even got a little weepy when no one was looking. Will I make it? Will the complications (pre-eclampsia, pre-term labor, still birth) I read early on about my extremely low PAPP-A levels finally come to a head in these final weeks? Should I push to be watched a little closer now? It's hard to imagine only 61 days until this new life I'm working hard to create joins us. Will I ever be pregnant again?
On my drive into work this morning I was overcome with gratitude. I felt bad I had any selfish feelings last night of wanting to hurry this process along. I felt a calm and a peace and an amount of joy and humility that I have never known before. I wanted to tell S how much I love him and our life together. I feel stronger today and feel like I can and will manage everything as it unfolds.
...
Sean's family was here all last week and it was a great time. My mom came over for a day of shopping with the girls while the boys went hunting for pheasant. She stayed for dinner and then overnight and when it was time to go in the morning, she decided to stay even longer. With S's family living in NY, it's rare that we get to merge our two families. I was appreciative that my mom took the time to make that happen.
We had nice dinners every night. His father was dear, rubbing my belly, talking to his grandchild, telling me how beautiful I am pregnant. His step-mother( and my mom while she was here) helped out so much with the house and laundry and the dogs. On their last night I made a really nice dinner and invited our former neighbor who has helped us out with all the remodel projects on our house. He's 62 and worked like a dog for us. We won't get the chance to spend Thanksgiving together so I decorated the table and put small individual vases at each place setting with a few burgundy and golden mums and wheat grasses along with a handmade card. It is the season for giving thanks. I love this time for year for that reason. The centerpiece had a pumpkin on top that said-give thanks. On the outside of each card I had written, "I am thankful for you" and inside I wrote a bunch or reasons, starting with silly trivial things like, "Thanks for loving me even though we disagree on politics. Thanks for thinking pregnant women are beautiful...and telling me so. Thanks for enjoying shopping at thrift stores as much as I do," and then I built to more and more important and heartfelt reasons why I appreciate them. I didn't think I was going to have enough time before dinner to get it all done, but I did, and it really made everyone feel special. I loved it.
That whole week was fabulous. My house was filled with conversation and commotion and love. It was so satisfying. I couldn't help but wonder if having a child in my home will fill the house, and my heart, with that same kind of warmth and love.
I liked her, too. She was kind, yet firm and confident, and easy to talk to. She has already given me so much advice about exercises to help the baby be in the right position and referring me to the chiropractor that took my pain away. Truly, for that alone, she has already earned her fee.
My body continues to grow and I am finding I'm more uncomfortable. The fatigue has returned and surprises me at the end of the day when I want to get a bunch of tasks done and just do not have the energy. Last night my belly was tight and hard, and I couldn't find a position that was comfortable. I got scared about how my body will take the next 8 weeks. I even got a little weepy when no one was looking. Will I make it? Will the complications (pre-eclampsia, pre-term labor, still birth) I read early on about my extremely low PAPP-A levels finally come to a head in these final weeks? Should I push to be watched a little closer now? It's hard to imagine only 61 days until this new life I'm working hard to create joins us. Will I ever be pregnant again?
On my drive into work this morning I was overcome with gratitude. I felt bad I had any selfish feelings last night of wanting to hurry this process along. I felt a calm and a peace and an amount of joy and humility that I have never known before. I wanted to tell S how much I love him and our life together. I feel stronger today and feel like I can and will manage everything as it unfolds.
...
Sean's family was here all last week and it was a great time. My mom came over for a day of shopping with the girls while the boys went hunting for pheasant. She stayed for dinner and then overnight and when it was time to go in the morning, she decided to stay even longer. With S's family living in NY, it's rare that we get to merge our two families. I was appreciative that my mom took the time to make that happen.
We had nice dinners every night. His father was dear, rubbing my belly, talking to his grandchild, telling me how beautiful I am pregnant. His step-mother( and my mom while she was here) helped out so much with the house and laundry and the dogs. On their last night I made a really nice dinner and invited our former neighbor who has helped us out with all the remodel projects on our house. He's 62 and worked like a dog for us. We won't get the chance to spend Thanksgiving together so I decorated the table and put small individual vases at each place setting with a few burgundy and golden mums and wheat grasses along with a handmade card. It is the season for giving thanks. I love this time for year for that reason. The centerpiece had a pumpkin on top that said-give thanks. On the outside of each card I had written, "I am thankful for you" and inside I wrote a bunch or reasons, starting with silly trivial things like, "Thanks for loving me even though we disagree on politics. Thanks for thinking pregnant women are beautiful...and telling me so. Thanks for enjoying shopping at thrift stores as much as I do," and then I built to more and more important and heartfelt reasons why I appreciate them. I didn't think I was going to have enough time before dinner to get it all done, but I did, and it really made everyone feel special. I loved it.
That whole week was fabulous. My house was filled with conversation and commotion and love. It was so satisfying. I couldn't help but wonder if having a child in my home will fill the house, and my heart, with that same kind of warmth and love.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Don't eat me-I'm spoiled rotten
My birthday turned out to be one of the best ones yet. Obama is the president-elect, still pregnant, and my dear husband spoiled me rotten. Good job, S!!! We didn't do much, OK, anything, for S's birthday as it was the first day back from our Italian adventure. I made him a carrot cake from scratch- his favorite, but that was all. We had jet lag that kept us from being ambitious in any way. Didn't even make a special dinner. Poor guy. We talked about the trip being our gift to each other this year, so I certainly didn't expect anything for my birthday just a few days later.
I was pleasantly surprised when we went out to this fabulous Italian restaurant- to reminisce our Italian trip a bit. That was great and way more than I had expected. So, when S grabbed my hands and held them in his and began to shower me with loving words about how this will be my last birthday before I'm a mom, forever changed, that he wanted to celebrate who I am as a person and to thank me for going through the infertility hell that now allows us to have such a miraculous opportunity, my eyes just spilled over with tears of love for him. He continued on for some time and completely blew me away with his words of support, amazement, and love. Then he lifted his hat from the table to reveal a small shiny beautifully wrapped package. Inside there was a beautiful mother of pearl and diamond necklace with matching earrings designed and created by one of the local artists. He pointed out 3 pearls total, one for each of us, with the largest, the pendant, representing our little one. The whole scenario really took my breath away. He is so dear. I am so lucky.
We finally completely finished the house. Thank heavens. My in-laws arrived yesterday for a week of visitation. After all the cleaning and the raking and the final touches of painting, my back was in dire straits. S nearly had to carry me to the bathroom in the middle of the night the pain was so bad. I couldn't lift either foot without excruciating pain. I didn't know what I was going to do or how I would manage the rest of this pregnancy. I spoke with my doula and she found this chiropractor that specializes in pre-natal care in the town where I work whom I saw yesterday. Let me tell you, I can not believe how much better I feel. Yes, I have discomfort and pressure and general mild pain, but I can walk. I can lift my legs without shooting burning pain down my legs. I can sit without feeling like I'm just going to start crying and never stop until the baby arrives. What a difference!!! I wish I would've gone long ago. I was beginning to think I was a wimp or something. My doc kept saying, "Oh, yea, that will happen." I'm thinking, "You have GOT to be kidding me, this can NOT be normal". So, I just kept trying to suck it up, and not draw much attention to myself as I limped along. So, if anyone else is experiencing that kind of pain, it is NOT normal, and there are things you can do about it.
The baby continues to grow and be very active. I love having conversations with him/her and this bonding experience.
I was pleasantly surprised when we went out to this fabulous Italian restaurant- to reminisce our Italian trip a bit. That was great and way more than I had expected. So, when S grabbed my hands and held them in his and began to shower me with loving words about how this will be my last birthday before I'm a mom, forever changed, that he wanted to celebrate who I am as a person and to thank me for going through the infertility hell that now allows us to have such a miraculous opportunity, my eyes just spilled over with tears of love for him. He continued on for some time and completely blew me away with his words of support, amazement, and love. Then he lifted his hat from the table to reveal a small shiny beautifully wrapped package. Inside there was a beautiful mother of pearl and diamond necklace with matching earrings designed and created by one of the local artists. He pointed out 3 pearls total, one for each of us, with the largest, the pendant, representing our little one. The whole scenario really took my breath away. He is so dear. I am so lucky.
We finally completely finished the house. Thank heavens. My in-laws arrived yesterday for a week of visitation. After all the cleaning and the raking and the final touches of painting, my back was in dire straits. S nearly had to carry me to the bathroom in the middle of the night the pain was so bad. I couldn't lift either foot without excruciating pain. I didn't know what I was going to do or how I would manage the rest of this pregnancy. I spoke with my doula and she found this chiropractor that specializes in pre-natal care in the town where I work whom I saw yesterday. Let me tell you, I can not believe how much better I feel. Yes, I have discomfort and pressure and general mild pain, but I can walk. I can lift my legs without shooting burning pain down my legs. I can sit without feeling like I'm just going to start crying and never stop until the baby arrives. What a difference!!! I wish I would've gone long ago. I was beginning to think I was a wimp or something. My doc kept saying, "Oh, yea, that will happen." I'm thinking, "You have GOT to be kidding me, this can NOT be normal". So, I just kept trying to suck it up, and not draw much attention to myself as I limped along. So, if anyone else is experiencing that kind of pain, it is NOT normal, and there are things you can do about it.
The baby continues to grow and be very active. I love having conversations with him/her and this bonding experience.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
All I want for my birthday is Obama!
Today is my birthday. What a difference a year makes. I already had one big wish come true-my longed for pregnancy. Now, on this monumental election day, I would love it if Barack Obama is elected our next president. You don't even have to wrap him up. Just a good acceptance speech.
Get out and vote, everyone!!!!
Get out and vote, everyone!!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)