NST & AFI & Growth Scan oh my! 38 Weeks

Update from Meg. Lots of appointments and tests, all good news.

Non-Stress Test: Very good, Baby D. was active & reactive as usual. She's looking good. Cute little heartbeat!

AFI (Fluid Check Ultrasound): Again, she's looking good. The ultrasound technician joked that around 38 weeks women start bringing in extra cash to bribe her to say that their fluid is low, so they can be induced...darn, you can do that? Baby D.'s fluid measured very well, and she's still head-down and getting ever-lower. (Didn't need an ultrasound to know that, though, lemme tell ya.)

Growth Scan: Good good good. Baby is measuring in the 49 percentile for growth, which is excellent. The doctor was very happy with both of us, actually. She said with all diabetic patients, gestational or otherwise, the babies are usually significantly bigger by this point. She said that means we've been taking care of this diabetic business and controlling my blood sugar very well. So that was a happy little pat on the back. Of course, I'd preferred those congratulations came with a large stack of pancakes, but whatever...

We also visited Baby D.'s future pediatrician this week for an 'expectant parents' visit. That was very imformative, and we really liked the practice. They're right nearby in Laurel Springs, and they have night hours (very important!)

Meg is happily on maternity leave now, since last Monday, and trying to strike a nice balance between getting necessary stuff done, and getting some R&R. And not falling down.

We finished up our pre-baby classes on Saturday with the Breastfeeding class, so now we're all educated (ha ha) and ready for baby.
Whether she's ready for us is another story. But unfortunately, impatience doesn't do much to start labor. So now we're just playing the waiting game...

This week's sarcasm, I mean, ticker! 38 Weeks! (Gross!)

Ok, this one is a bit gross, and pretty much false. Except for the legal action part. But whatever.

...actually, we were going to promise her a Power Wheels Jeep if she'd come out this week. Hmmm...

Have a nice trip, see you next fall...

Hello, Meg here, with a little update:

Ok, we've learned in the past 24 hours to start the story with this phrase:

"Everything's ok, we just wanted you to know..."

Yesterday I was enjoying my first official day of maternity leave. I did some shopping, puttered around the kitchen, etc. Well I apparently puttered a bit to quickly around the slippery kitchen floor in my socks, because I turned the corner into the wood-floor hallway, slipped, and fell forward. You know how, mid-fall, you always have a very vivid thought? Like, "This is going to hurt!", that kind of thing? I thought, "Thank God I'll fall forward and land on my hands & knees!" Well, sort of. My knees hit and just kept right on slipping backward, and I landed flat as a pancake on my face - and my tummy. OW.

Bob was on his way home. I waited a while to see if I felt the baby moving, to make sure everything was ok. And wouldn't you know it, our over-active, wiggly-jiggly kid was completely still. And to make matters more worrysome, she was all bunched up way up high in my tummy (ribs, whatever, she doesn't care) and wasn't responding to anything that usually gets her moving.

I called the doctor's office, to find out what they wanted me to do - I figured I'd have to do a special kick-count or drink a lot of water or something. Nope. The doctor wanted me to go to the hospital and be monitored. They told me to wait until Bob got home because I shouldn't drive myself, and then go right to Virtua.

We went, pretty darn scared, and baby still wasn't moving. We got checked in and we were put in what we found out later was a high-risk labor & delivery room. The doctor explained that they had to do bloodwork to make sure her placenta was still intact, and then monitor baby's heartrate and my contractions for 4 hours and make sure we both were having normal patterns. If we were, we'd be discharged. If not, we'd be induced! ACK!

They hooked me up to the monitors and after a few tense minutes of trying, we found Baby D.'s heartbeat, and she sounded good. Her activity level picked up a little while later, and from then on she looked great on the monitor. She was very responsive, and looked neurologically very good. I was having mild contractions, some I didn't feel at all, and some which were, uh, quite "noticeable". We're getting close now, so that's totally normal. The bloodwork came back fine from the lab, and we were cleared to go home after the 4 hours were up.

We were discharged around 9PM with instructions and an 'everybody's ok'. And strict orders to stay off slippery floors in socks.

So Bob and I got a nice little dress rehearsal for the real deal. Once we knew we were fine, it was actually nice to hear her heartbeat, see all the equipment, and get comfortable with the whole hospital environment.

And that was our eventful evening. All's well, just wanted to update. Today I plan to take it easy and couch it a good bit - still pretty sore.

Name Game Clue 9 - Week 37

"I'd like to buy a..."

Her first name either begins or ends with a vowel.

This week's sarcasm, I mean, ticker! 37 Weeks!

Week 36 NST, AFI, Dr. Appointment, and Bob's Shower!

Long title, lots done lately.

We're just hours away from officially have a full-term baby on our hands (and stomach) here!

We had our usual round of tests today, and everything's looking good. Baby was actually a little sleepy, and had to be 'buzzed' twice, to wake her up during the non-stress test. She reacted well, though. And we're definitely having some 'false labor' contractions - they showed up really well this week on the monitor. So that's a good sign.

Fluid looks good. Baby is lower still, and head-down. ("Smart baby!" says the doctor.)

We were a little concerned about the fact that Meg's blood sugar numbers have been a little higher these last few weeks. The doctor actually said that was totally expected, and pretty much a sign of a healthy pregnancy - so that's kind of a relief.

...and then the doctor said, "See you next week, if you don't go into labor before then!"

EEP! That was a bit strange to hear!

****

Bob's faculty gave him a shower today! How cool is it that they give showers for men now? We got a toddler carseat, a Jumperoo, an activity gym, and some really cute clothes. Bob was totally surprised, and we're very grateful! (Good cake, too!)

****

Tomorrow is Meg's last day working for QUITE a while. And yes, they did finally find a long-term substitute music teacher. Of course, they found her the last possible week, but hey, at least there's somebody there to teach next week! Meg is very relieved, and despite the fact that tomorrow is looking quite busy, she's thrilled. (And even happier to be getting a break!) Her goals for any time off before baby-time include (but are not limited to):

1. Decompressing after a stressful last few weeks at school
2. Hopefully getting the Christmas cards started
3. Having time to go to the bathroom whenever she feels like it for a change