10 Weeks

I had an appointment with Dr. L. today.  It was fairly uneventful but I did have a quick ultrasound in order to check the heartbeat.  With being only 10 weeks along it can be a bit iffy to find the heartbeat with the Doppler but it's pretty easy to see it in the ultrasound.

Needless to say I appreciated being able to see our little one again, even if only briefly.  The image at 10 weeks is so much more clear than it is as 6 weeks. While looking for the heartbeat I was able to see lots of movement going on, already this baby is active!  One thing that came to mind as I watched the monitor today was how strongly I feel it is a boy. My instincts and every part of me is utterly convinced that we're having a boy this time around.  So much so that in 10 weeks when we go for the "Big Reveal" I will literally be floored if it's not a boy!

15 Months

Note:  This post has been dated for the actual date of Q's 15 month well baby but as I'm writing this she is actually 17 months, because of my delay this will likely be a brief post and will include information concerning the 2 appointments with the specialists she was referred to.  My apologies, I'm behind!

At 15 month's Q weighs 21½ pounds and is 31 inches long and she is still not walking.  Because of this her pediatrician wanted us to take her to see a pediatric neurologist.  During the course of her checkup he (the pediatrician) heard a heart murmur that he wanted to have checked out further so he also referred her to a pediatric cardiologist.  Other than these 2 things, she checked out perfectly.

We were able to get her in to see the Neurologist the following day, he said everything seemed normal but he wanted to have some blood work done just to double check and make sure there were no neurological defects going on...all turned out fine but she goes back for another checkup in January.

In early December she went in to see the Cardiologist and while she does have what is referred to as an Innocent Murmur, it's not something that we should be concerned about.  If it remains at the age of 5 she would like us to return and have her checked again but for now, we were told not to worry, it will not have any affect on her day-to-day activities.

Not Out of the Woods Yet & Q's 9 Month Stats

You may remember a few months ago our pediatrician heard a "clicking" in Q's hips when he was giving her an exam and sent us to the children's hospital to have an ultrasound done of the hip.  A few weeks later we received a call and were notified that the ultrasound had come back negative, showing no signs of hip dysplasia.  As you can probably imagine we were very happy to hear that.  Even though it can be corrected through the wearing of a brace, every parent's biggest desire is to have their child completely healthy and strong 100% of the time.

Today was Q's 9 month well-baby visit and when Dr. B was rotating her hips he was hearing a very noticeable "clunk" (which we know is much worse than a "click").  After coming home B mentioned that he could hear the sound that the doctor was referring to as Q was on his lap during that part of the exam.  If I'm honest I must admit that while I watched Dr. B take so much time and focus so much attention on rotating her hips my heart began to sink.  To make a long story short, he heard a clunk and even though the ultrasound came back negative he wants to have her evaluated by an orthopedic surgeon to find out once and for all if there is something going on with her hips.

This evening before putting the girls to bed I called a friend of ours who attends our ward and is an orthopedic resident here at one of the locals hospitals.  I asked him if he would mind rotating Q's hips himself to see if he heard or felt anything.  He said he'd be glad to do it but did give a warning that he hasn't had a lot of experience with that sort of thing so he may not be the best source but if it was a definite "clunk" he would know, it's the slight "clicking" that he may not be the best at identifying.  That was more than acceptable to me, I'd just like to have another opinion on the matter if possible and preferably without shelling out several hundred dollars if not necessary. 

As for other stats from the appointment she weighs 17 lbs. 14 oz. (approx 38th percentile) and is 29¾ inches long (95th percentile).  For comparison's sake Y was 19 lbs. 5 oz. (approx. 55th percentile) and was 28¾ inches long (75th percentile).  Y has always been tall for her age but it's looking like Q might be even taller, but at this age things change quite often so you never know.  As far as all the health stuff is concerned she's doing great and honestly that's what matters the most.

But, with that said, we have been referred to the MISD (Macomb Intermediary School District) to have a developmental evaluation performed on her.  For a 9 month old Dr. B did not feel as if her gross motor skills were nearly where they should be.  She is sitting on her own but only the tripod seating, she's not pulling herself up or even acting interested in doing so.  I'm not completely surprised that he's sending us to have her evaluated, last week Y spent much of the week watching videos of herself when she was Q's age and even though Q was "late" doing many things she was still farther along than Q is.  So taking her in to make sure that all is well will actually be a relief.  What I later realized that I should have asked the doctor (and I may call tomorrow to ask) is if the "clicking or clunking" in her hip may have any affect on the delay of her gross motor skills?  It may be a shot in the dark or it may not be, but it seems like a good question to me!

Second Trip to the Ophthalmologist

Y had an appointment to meet with the ophthalmologist again on Friday.  It seems as if it'll be pretty routine for her to go in every 6 months and they will check her vision and monitor the intermittent exotropia.  It was a pretty quick and fairly routine visit.  An assistant came in first and she handed Y a card with 4 letters on it, H, O, V and T.  She instructed Y to match the letters on the card with the ones that would pop up on a television monitor which they had on the opposite side of the room.  Well I assume that most of the patients that come in and are Y's age do not know their full alphabet by recognition because when Y started just calling out the letters that she saw the assistant looked back at me in surprise and asked, "She recognizes all of her letters?"  To which I simply responded, "yep!"  That assistant was truly amazed by not only that but by Y in general, I keep telling people she's one smart little girl (maybe even too smart).

When the doctor came in he just did a few other tests, mostly trying to have her follow a light.  I assume it is in following this light that he is able to recognize if there is a "pulling" of the eye.  After the tests he said that indeed there is a pull but that it seems to be in both eyes but only slightly and she manages to control it very well.  He said that for now there's nothing that they can do to treat it because it is such a mild case but if, in the future, it worsens then we will talk treatment.  So for now we will just be monitoring it and taking her in every 6 months for a checkup.  We're just relieved that it doesn't appear to be getting any worse, and we're hopeful that it'll remain that way.  The doctor seems to think that IF it ever happens to get worse then it will be several years down the road or maybe even never!  That's music to a parent's ears!

A Visit With My PCP

On Friday afternoon I had a visit with my primary care physician (PCP) regarding the results of my 75 gram glucose tolerance test.  Since the hospital where I had the tests done, my OB-GYN, and my PCP are all in the same health system it was as simple as pulling up my records on the computer, which makes it super convenient for me.

After quite a long wait Dr. S came in and we had a pretty long discussion about where things stand.  My blood glucose was 164mg/dL after two hours.  He says that while this does show a slight glucose intolerance it's not something that they would really treat with medication - that typically is for those with a blood glucose of 180mg/dL or higher with anything over 200mg/dL being considered diabetic.

So as of now, he wants me to check my blood sugars once per day - either before breakfast, before dinner or before bed - alternating the time each day when I check it.  I'll go back in six weeks and show him the results.  It's interesting that he wants me to check it BEFORE I eat as typically the test is done after eating.  But he really wants to know what they are before I have eaten to know what my blood sugars are like then.  He also had blood drawn in order to have a Hemoglobin A1c done and try to get a baseline number.  If you remember from this post, I had one preformed before I got pregnant with Q and the results weren't so great.  I'm interested to see what it will be this time around.

UPDATE:  Heard from the doctor's office.  My A1c came back as 6.1, before getting pregnant it was at 7.2.  6.1 is definitely an improvement but not yet target range (4.0-5.9) but at least it's not too far off.  He wants me to come in again in 3-4 weeks to have the test run again and see where we are at that point.

Q's First Appointment

Today we had Q's first well baby visit and when the pediatrician walked in the first thing he said to me was that he had heard about Q's delivery and knew it was sans epidural. Although he was under the impression it was by choice, so of course I had to correct that impression. But apparently the story of my labor has made it's way around among the doctors and nurses.

As for Q, she's doing great! She has lost another 2 oz since birth which puts her at 7lbs 8oz currently. Before leaving the hospital they told us she was slightly jaundiced and today she was still so but Dr. B didn't think either the low level of jaundice or the weight lose were anything to be concerned about. He thinks that both will correct themselves once my milk comes in - which as of today has happened.

Just as an added update: things at home are going well. Wednesday night and yesterday (Thursday) were pretty tough for all of us I think. But then again I tend to think that the first night home from the hospital is always the toughest. Now that my milk has come in things seem to be going so much more smoothly with Q, Y is an entirely different story. She's struggling but she will adjust as well.

Ironical

A few days ago I came across the term Placenta Accreta when doing a little more research concerning C-Sections and so I did a little reading up on the term and well, let's just say it freaked me out.  Mostly what disturbed me about it was the idea that most often it can't even be detected until the baby is born, and if you know me then you know I don't like surprises!  I like to know exactly what to expect.

Fast forward to today's doctor appointment which was at 1pm.  Everything was great, I was taken back, gave my urine sample, was hooked up to the machine and then just sat there waiting for Baby Q to move and Dr. L to come in and check on me.  Well, I waited...and waited...and waited.  I could hear the nurses talking outside the door and was able to gather that he had a C-Section scheduled for 12pm but hadn't made it back yet.  2pm rolls around and I'm still hooked up to the machine with no doctor in sight.  Finally at 2:15pm I hear them say that he is on his way back (FYI my doctor's office is right next to the hospital, the two buildings are literally connected) and they explained that the delay was because after the schedule C-Section was complete another patient was ready to deliver so he had to stay and deliver that baby too.  Well at 2:35pm he finally arrives and comes in to check on, me the nurse is also in the room and he begins to talk about the C-Section and how the patient had Placenta Accreta.  Well he probably didn't expect me to know what that was because quite honestly had I not come across the term 2 days earlier I would have had no clue what he was referring to.  And so I mention to him that I had literally just read about that 2 days prior and how ironic it is that he's standing in front of me talking about it now.  I mean it's a pretty stinking rare occurrence, much less to happen right after I finish reading up on it.

Now there are 3 degrees of Placenta Accreta depending on how deep the placenta attaches itself inside the uterine wall.  The worst case scenario is Placenta Percreta (click on the link provided above for more info) but it's also the rarest of the 3 and it just so happens that whoever this lady is, had just that and the only solution was an emergency hysterectomy.  Apparently she wanted a tubal ligation anyway so I guess, hopefully, that made it a little easier for her.  So if reading about it a couple days ago didn't make me nervous enough hearing about this today made me even moreso nervous.  I guess the scariest thing is that regardless of whether someone chooses to have a VBAC or C-section, if they end up with Placenta Accreta the decision they make won't change the fact that they have it.  I guess it just makes you think...

By the way, all was well at the appointment!  Six more weeks to go...

The Debate Continues...

I've been meaning to write this post for over 24 hours but I was pretty down-in-the-dumps after my appointment yesterday so I really just avoided writing it. I've finally pulled myself up by my boot straps and pushing ahead, so here I am, writing this post.

After my ultrasound on Monday I was so very hopeful about getting the VBAC that I so badly want and then at my appointment yesterday when I finally got to meet with Dr. L and discuss the ultrasound with him all of my hopes kinda came crumbling down.  I figured it was time for another candid discussion regarding my desire to have a VBAC and so I raised a few questions regarding the risks involved.  Well he kind of dropped a bomb on me.  You see, I've done a little reading up on VBACs because I want to know what I'm getting myself into and based on these readings I had pretty much made up my mind that I was going to attempt a VBAC.  The bomb that was dropped on me though, is that I am a high risk patient so the risks I was reading about in these other stories and books aren't really applicable to me.  Well, I guess it's more like those risks are applicable to me...but having Gestational Diabetes and Chronic Hypertension open up an entire new world of risks that I had no clue about.  Just talking about those risks intimidate me.  In the end I just want to make the decision that is healthiest for me and Baby Q and hearing about the possibilities really makes me question what the best decision is for us.

I guess before I was focused on VBAC vs. C-Section.  I knew the risks of a VBAC as well as the risks of a C-Section and in weighing them VBAC always came out on top.  What I never fully accounted for in my previous analysis was what happens if I choose VBAC and I'm unsuccessful in that attempt.  That was the discussion I had with Dr. L yesterday and ultimately that is the discussion that really has me wondering what path is the right one for us.  He also gave me a copy of the consent form that I'll have to sign regardless of which choice I make.  When he handed it to me to read over he forewarned me that it was going to be a shock to the system, and he was right.  It put me even more in a funk even though it was written to be unbiased and gave risks of both. I'll type it up below so you can all read how delightful it is for yourselves!

In reading and talking to other people on message boards and such I always get such a negative vibe when they refer to Obstetricians and everyone seems to scream that I should just switch to a midwife.  Well, being a high risk patient makes that decision for me, I pretty much have to see an OB and to be quite honest, I don't think I'd change even if I could.  I like my doctor and I can always rely on him to give it to me straight.  And so, with all the OB bashing that I hear and read about I have to hand it to Dr. L he hasn't tried to coerce me into making a decision either way and I know that regardless of what decision I make he'll go with it and do his best to make sure that both I and Baby Q come out of it healthy.

Here's the lovely consent form I mentioned above:

Statement of Informed Consent

For Patients with a Prior Cesarean Birth

1. I understand that I have had one or more prior cesarean(s).
2. I understand that I have the option of undergoing an elective repeat cesarean or attempting a vaginal birth after a cesarean (VBAC)
3. I understand that approximately 70% of women who undergo a VBAC will successfully deliver vaginally and that the remaining 30% must have a cesarean.
4. I understand that VBAC carries a higher risk of harm to my baby than a cesarean and these risks have been thoroughly explained to me.
5. I understand that the risk of a uterine rupture during a VBAC in someone such as myself, who has had a prior incision in the noncontracting part of my uterus is around 1%.  I understand that if my uterus ruptures during my VBAC, there may not be sufficient time to operate and to prevent the death of, or permanent brain injury to my baby.
6. I understand that if i deliver vaginally, it is likely that I will have fewer problems after delivery and a shorter hospital stay than if I have a cesarean section
7. I understand that VBAC carries a lower risk to me than does a cesarean delivery and the risks of each procedure have been thoroughly explained to me.
8. I understand that during my VBAC, the use of oxytocin (Pitocin) hormone to make my uterus contract may be necessary to assist me in my vaginal delivery and the potential effects of this drug have been thoroughly explained to me.
9. I understand that if I choose a VBAC and end up having a cesarean during labor, I have a greater risk of problems than if I had had an elective repeat cesarean and these risks and potential problems have been thoroughly explained to me.
10. I understand that in having a vaginal delivery I am exposing myself to the future risk of symptoms of pelvic relaxation including urinary and fecal incontinence and these symptoms have been fully explained to me.
11. I understand that the decision to have a VBAC is entirely my own, and the option of an elective repeat cesarean has been discussed with me
12. I have read or had had read to me the above information and I understand it.
13. I have had an opportunity to ask any questions I would like to ask regarding all of the matters described in 1 through 12 above.

I have received all the information I want.  After discussing the matter with my doctor:

It then has 2 spaces for signature, one above "I want to attempt a VBAC" and another above "I want a repeat cesarean."

On behalf of myself and my baby, i agree to accept the risks associated with the procedure I have chosen and release my physician, nurse, hospital and other health care providers from any and all damages related to any injury, illness and/or death resulting from the risks associated with the procedure I have selected.

There is another space for signature and date as well as a space to print my name.

Doesn't all that sound depressing to you too???

Intermittent Exotropia, Part II

You may remember this post written back in March regarding Y's 30 month well check-up.  I wrote about Intermittent Exotropia and how we had scheduled an appointment for Y to meet with an ophthalmologist and have her eyes checked regarding it.  Well that appointment was this past Tuesday, May 24th. 

Long story short, she does in fact have Intermittent Exotropia in her left eye but it happens very infrequently and even when it does occur she is very good at controlling it.  The doctor we met with explained to us that in cases like Y's they do not treat it, rather they just keep an eye on it.  She will go back in November for a quick check-up just to make sure it hasn't worsened but we're confident that it's nothing to be concerned about.  Should it get much, much worse we would then discuss having her wear a patch over one eye or possible surgery in order to correct it.

We're just glad to know that she has an extremely mild case of it as of right now and that it requires no treatment.  We'll remain optimistic that it will stay that way in the future!

26 Week Appointment

Today we had another doctor appointment and everything went pretty well.  My blood pressure was 121/83 which is great, actually the best it's been in my past few visits.  My blood sugar levels were good as well, though he is contemplating having me take a small evening dosage of Glyburide in order to bring my after dinner numbers down to where they should be.

If you remember, during our last pregnancy he also had me take Glyburide but I only lasted for four days because it was lowering my blood sugar levels far too much, to levels that were making me sick.  But I am confident that this time around if I'm only taking it in the evening after dinner when my blood sugar levels are at their highest then it should be okay. 

The most important blood sugar reading is the fasting blood sugar and in that arena I am doing amazingly.  For that reason, and a few others, he now leans more towards me having an insulin resistance than diabetes.  I don't know a whole bunch about insulin resistance but I'll be doing some research to try to learn and figure out more about it. 

Other than that I have to do another 24 hour urinalysis, which I'm not excited about at all.  I wish there were an easier way to test for protein in the urine, I'd honestly just prefer they give me a catheter for 24 hours.  My fundal height is measuring 3 weeks ahead, so around 29 weeks.  In 2 weeks at my next appointment I will also have an ultrasound to figure out the approximate size of Baby Q.  Based on the fact that I'm measuring 3 weeks ahead, I don't hold out much hope that she will be a "small" baby by any means.

Fetal Echo & 22 Week Appointment

Today was the Fetal Echo where we went to Children's Hospital to have a specialist look at Baby Q's heart!  I am very pleased and relieved to say that her heart is absolutely perfect!!!  They found no abnormalities and were able to reassure me that since the heart is fully formed at this point of gestation, no abnormalities will develop between now and birth!  Knowing that is both comforting and reassuring to me. 

They perform the test via ultrasound and it took almost a full hour for them to get all the views of the heart which they needed but I didn't mind at all, I loved it actually.  I was able to lay there and watch her move around for that entire time and I honestly feel that maybe I got a little peek into what her personality may be like.  I saw, very clearly, that she loves to suck her thumbs and is very active with her hands in general.  She is apparently very shy (and aware) because when the technician first placed transducer on my belly she was stretched out.  But then, as if she knew what was going on, she quickly moved to the right side of my uterus and balled herself into a ball - she was in that same ball 2 weeks ago when we had the anatomy ultrasound.  Each time that the doctor and/or technician would zoom in close and found the perfect position to get a picture of the angle of the heart that they needed, she would flip her body around and make them search for it all over again.  Now you see why it took almost an hour!  Babies do not breathe while in the uterus but they eventually begin to imitate breathing and you will see their chest moving up and down.  Well apparently they don't normally do this at 22 weeks so the technician was very surprised to see that she was already doing that.  She said that it was, "good for her but bad for us."  Basically meaning that it's good for Q because she should have some really strong lungs by the time she is born but bad for them because the movement often made it hard for them to get some of the pictures which they needed.  We also saw moments when she was clearly opening and closing her mouth as if she were yelling at us to leave her alone so she could rest, but the absolute BEST part of it was that at one point she stretched and yawned!!!  I didn't know babies yawned while in there but if you think of the actions that you do when you yawn, stretch the body, open the mouth, etc.  that is exactly she she did!!!  I was amazed.  Oh yeah, and did I mention that she's perfect?!?!  And that I am completely in love with this child already?!?!  I guess that's no surprise to me because I remember feeling the exact same way towards Y...and it only gets better from here!

I also had an appointment with my OBGYN today and that too went really well!  I actually lost 2 pounds since our last visit.  And since I had gained no weight prior to that, I guess I'm in the negatives already!!!  Pretty good considering the couch and I have become really great friends the last few weeks.  But hopefully it will get warm out soon (and stay that way) so that we can get out more often.

Another Awesome Appointment

Today was our 16 week appointment and it was awesome. My blood pressure was great, 126/81! My blood sugar levels were pretty decent. So much so that it is kinda leaving him unsure of whether he should order certain tests.

When we went in for our initial visit with him we discussed it and agreed that we'd treat me as a diabetic since one of the tests he ran before we were pregnant gave him cause for concern. One risk of being a type 2 diabetic and being pregnant is the increased risk of the baby having a heart condition and so a test called Fetal ECHO is typically ordered. That way if there is a heart problem the necessary plans can be made quickly after the child's birth to correct it if possible.  This is what has him a bit undecided on treatment; whether to order the test or not.  In the end it was decided that I should go and have the procedure which will be scheduled for sometime between 20 and 24 weeks.

So yeah that was pretty much the appointment in a nutshell.  And on March 23rd we'll have our ultrasound to find out what exactly I'm carrying in this belly of mine!!!!

An Awesome Visit!

Yesterday I had my second visit with my OBGYN and I left that doctor's office feeling better than I've ever left it!  If there is any such thing as a perfect visit, this would have been it!  Oddly, I wasn't nervous or anxious at all before my appointment and boy did it show when they took my blood pressure, 119/79!!!  He also thought that my blood sugar levels looked great, with the exception of some which were taken after dinner, but overall he was extremely happy with what he was seeing.  Our little one had a strong heartbeat and Dr. L. didn't even have to search for it.  He placed the monitor on my lower abdomen and BAM there was the heartbeat!

He was so impressed by my blood sugar levels and blood pressure that he said he doesn't need to see me for another 4 weeks.  I know this is typical for most pregnant women at this stage of pregnancy but you have to remember, I was diagnosed a gestational diabetic and chronic hypertensive with Y by the time I was 12 weeks.  At which time I began having 2 week visits and my weekly visits began at 30 weeks.  So it's a big deal to me to hear that I am good for another 4 weeks. 

Obviously we'll take it one visit at a time but for now I feel like I'm floating on a cloud!  Now if only all the visits could be just like this one!

Introducing Baby #2!

To say today was stressful and tense for me would be a huge understatement.  I dunno why I put myself through this, though I assure you it is not intentional.  The day started off great but the closer we got to 3:30pm (the time of my appointment) the more nervous and anxious I became.  And my entire digestive system goes insane whenever I get like that.

But the time finally arrived and when they took my blood pressure initially it was 147/100.  Fortunately she gave me some time to relax and calm myself down and then she took it again, this time it was much better, 121/80 which is much more normal.  We then went on to have an ultrasound and so my due date is officially August 9th and according to the doctor everything looks great.

As far as I go, he gave me some news that I was partially excited about.  I don't have to suffer through all the tests to diagnose me as a Gestational Diabetic.  We agreed to just have him treat me as if I am a diabetic, partly because he believes I'm pre-diabetic.  So yeah, I'm only partially excited about not needing all those tests.  I could tell it was really a decision that he really struggled with because he really isn't sure what I should be "labeled" as.  I'm not yet diabetic but at the same time he would rather err on the side of caution.  My next appointment is Jan. 25th, I'll be 12 weeks.

He also asked about my desire to have a VBAC or C-Section, even before I was able to ask him the same question.  We had a fairly candid conversation about it and I honestly left with more to consider than when I sent in.  I asked his opinion on the statistics concerning induction and C-Sections and he explained to me that those stats really didn't apply in my case because I did actually labor.  Apparently those stats are in relation to women who are induced but never actually go into active labor and then end up having a C-Section.  He explained that my issue was more that I was in labor but likely because of a "narrow pelvis" I was unable to deliver an almost 9lb. baby.  So now I have started doing more research on this whole narrow pelvis concept and from what I've found so far, most women don't really buy that.  Now I have only just started researching it so I won't claim to have read  all that is out there on the subject but so far what I have read the recommendation is to go through labor without an epidural in order to allow more movement and the opportunity to try several birthing positions.  I'm not sure how I feel about the all natural labor, one thing I've always known is that I want the drugs!  So I guess if that truly is the case then I'll have to do some real soul searching in order to figure out which is more important to me.

On a different note I think that Y is more aware of the baby now that she was able to actually see it on the screen.  Now whenever we look at the ultrasound pictures she says, "baby in Mommy's belly."

Appointment with the Nurse

On Wednesday,  Dec. 15th, I went in to see the nurse at my OBGYN's office.  I did the same when pregnant with Y and basically the purpose of this visit is to go over all my medical history and immediate family medical history.  Since we had done the bulk of that during my initial visit when I was pregnant before this time was just updating any changes that have occurred since then, including adding all sorts of information regarding the pregnancy and birth of Y.  Fortunately that didn't take too long and we were able to move along to the other aspects of the visit.  I had to give a urine sample as well as a few vials of blood which, among other things, they will use to do a early random blood glucose test. 

While having my blood drawn my Dr. stopped and asked me how my blood pressures and blood glucose readings have been and well, the truth is that whereas I have been testing my sugar levels an average of twice a day, it's not really good enough since I'm supposed to do it 4 times a day and I haven't been doing blood pressure checks at all.  So I definitely need to get on the ball and be more consistent with that.

Other than giving me a bunch of stuff to read over regarding genetics testing (which we have no plans of doing) and a bunch of other information which I still have from my nurse's visit while pregnant with Y, there wasn't a whole lot to tell about that visit.  We go for our first appointment with the OBGYN on Jan. 4th and I am super excited because we'll get to see him/her for the first time via ultrasound.  And as a heads up:  You'll likely here me refer to this baby as Q throughout this pregnancy.  I have decided that I like the name Quinn for a boy or for a girl so to me gender doesn't matter and I figure that if I just keep referring to him/her as Quinn then it will start to grow on B too.  Hope my plan works ;)

15 Month Well Baby

On Monday we carried Y to the doctor for her 15 month well baby check up. She's doing really well, she is now 22lbs 12oz. and 31¾ inches long. She remains in the 50th percentile for weight and head circumferance while being in the 90th percentile for height. He was a bit surprised that she was not yet walking but isn't overly concerned about it but if she's not walking in a month he wants us to give him a call and he'll likely refer her to someone who can just check to make sure everything's okay. Neither he nor us really think that anything is physically wrong with her but he feels it'd be better to find out sooner rather than later, just in case. We really just feel it is a matter of her being ready, she is a very precautious little girl, not really into taking any risks. We also went ahead and let her get her first H1N1 vaccination, she'll go back in January to get the second and final shot.

Updates

So I figured that an update is far overdue. The last time I posted I was telling you all about being able to breastfeed again because she gained the 6oz in 2 days and that we would go back in a week to reassess things. Well that week was up on Friday and she gained 14oz in a week when eating mostly breast milk. That brings her to 11 lbs even! As for me, I'm doing really well. I had my 6 week checkup on Wednesday and seem to be in great shape. I just have to go to see my PCP (primary care physician) to have a hypertension screening and wait for the results from my diabetes test (they always do that for gestational diabetics to make sure it's not still hanging around after the pregnancy). I still find that I really miss being pregnant. I told my mom that I wish I could be pregnant all the time, but I don't want to have a newborn at the end every time. I guess the perfect solution would be to become a surrogate mom, the only problem with that would be that I would be wwwwwaaaaayyyyy too attached to the baby to every give him/her away. I just really miss feeling the movement in there and all that stuff, but I guess it'll just make me appreciate it all the more next time. (And don't think I'm in any rush to get to next time...that's not the message I'm trying to convey! It'll definitely be a couple of years between Y and her next sibling, unless of course there is some "accident"). Anyway, it's late and sleep is very valuable these days, so I'll just leave you with some pictures!

Week One

We've officially been home from the hospital for one week and boy has it been a long one! We've had a couple of never ending nights, as well as some very cranky periods but all in all everything is going well. Y had her Dr. appointment on Wednesday and she was up to 8lbs 12oz so she only had 2 more ounces to go until she reaches her birth weight (which I'm sure she's gained by now). So everything went great at her appointment. I also has an appointment on Wednesday but mine was to have my staples taken out. I was horrified at the thought, all I could imagine was someone taking a staple remover to my flesh. However, I must say that I was pleasantly surprised, I didn't feel a thing! So that was the good news from the appointment. The bad news is that my blood pressure was really high. We speculate that it could have been from me being nervous about having the staples out. The doctor said that usually blood pressure drops as the swelling in the legs and feet go down and mine are still pretty huge. Until it drops though he has me on blood pressure medication. I've been monitoring my BP at home for the last several days and whereas my systolic numbers are great, my diastolic numbers have been pretty high. Hopefully they begin to drop though, I go back on Wednesday to have my BP checked again.

As for us at home, my mom arrived on Tuesday and that's been a huge relief. We've started experiencing some nipple confusion so we're going to try to meet with the lactation consultant about that as well as a couple other concerns in the coming days. She's a relatively happy baby though. My goal is to get her back to the point where she can fall asleep in her crib all on her own. She did it great while in the hospital but once we got home she kinda stopped. So if any of you moms out there have any suggestions, they'd be highly appreciated. I guess I don't wanna always nurse her to sleep or rock her to sleep, although I enjoy it, it would be nice if I didn't always have to do it. But maybe I'm just asking for too much too fast...I dunno, you tell me. I know for a fact that there are some great moms reading this blog, so by all means give me your advice!

Coming Soon...

Where should I even begin?!?! Should I start at the end or at the beginning? Honestly, I'm feeling so many things right now that I'm not even sure where to begin. I'm anxious, happy, scared, apprehensive, excited all rolled up into a ball really.

Ok, I guess I'll start with the small news first...I'm 2cm dilated. I know, big whoop, right?!?! That's what I said, and my doctor's reply was, "well it's better than you were last time." To which I had no reply because in all honesty he's right! The other news...I told the sonographer at my doctor's office today that it felt like I was carrying around a cinder block in my belly. The sad part is that she probably isn't that far from being a cinder block! So I'll start from the beginning: When we first start the ultrasound the sonographer's first comment was on how big of a head she has. This didn't surprise me because, well, we Lovett's are notorious for having HUGE heads, I mean, you've seen my head, it's no cantaloupe or honey dew melon...it's a full on watermelon! (And not the cute personal seedless kind either). My second thought was about how I had to push that watermelon sized head out! My third thought was that her head is probably more than half her body weight. All jokes aside, she then went on to tell me that she's a little over 4000 grams (which is close to 9lbs). Now being that I still have 2 weeks to go, that's not a good thing!!! Needless to say I was rendered speechless at that point. She then tries to comfort me by telling me that that estimate is +/- a pound so she may only be 8lbs. This lady must seriously take me for an idiot! So I look at her and say, "or she could be 10lbs." She then points out that she was hoping I would miss that point...well guess what lady, I didn't!!! Anyway, she then says that she's gonna take a closer look and do another analysis and then says that she is actually somewhere between 8 & 8.5 lbs. I'm still not comforted, I guess i shouldn't have laughed when my doctor told that other lady her baby was monstrous! But it was awesome to see her on the ultrasound again, we were able to see her hair and everything! So at least she won't be a bald-headed baby with a big head. hahaha, sorry I really couldn't resist.

Then it was time to meet with my doctor. He said the main concern with gestational diabetics is the baby's shoulders. These babies tend to have broader shoulders, thus making it more difficult to push out vaginally, but the problem is that they can't tell until they attempt to deliver the baby. For this reason, some doctors just decide to do a c-section and skip the attempt at a vaginal birth all together. Lucky for me, my doctor wants to try the vaginal birth! I do not want a c-section unless it is absolutely necessary. As for when he wants to try this vaginal birth...how about Wednesday, September 3rd. That's right, if she's not here by then of her own free will and choice then she will be forced her through induction. This is the cause of all of my different emotions. I really, really, really do not want to be induced! I want her to come when she's ready, I dunno, I guess I'm just a lot more comfortable with that. But I guess if I do have to be induced then at least it's only 4 days before her due date. But I am praying (as all of you should do with me) that it will be vaginal delivery and before the scheduled induction.

So, yes, today has been a bit emotional for me, but I have been assured by both the sonographer and the doctor that she is really healthy despite her size and all of my pregnancy complications. And in the grand scheme of things, that's all that matters anyway! So as for where we stand now, I have a doctor appointment scheduled for Tuesday and an induction scheduled for Wednesday, but my bag is all packed and I'm ready to go in at anytime before then if she's ready. So I guess you should all prepare yourselves to meet Y because she's coming, one way or another! Keeps us in your prayers!! Love 2 all.

P.S. I may have left out some minor details, if I have then forgive me and I'll add them later. I guess my mind is slightly overwhelmed at this point. Not sure why, but it is! ttyl

Progress. (If That's What You Want To Call It)

So yesterday was another lovely appointment with the doctor. No major news except to say that I am a ½cm dilated. That also explains the name of this post, because some will think of it as progress. As for me, I like to think of 3cm as progress. (This is my impatient self speaking). He also took the culture so that they can test for the Group B Strep. Other than that it was a typical appointment - normal blood pressure, still no weight gain, blood sugars are still looking good, she decided to cooperate with the NST so I only had to stay hooked up to the machine for about half an hour and my amniotic fluid levels are still great.

On another note, life is generally good. Last week I had a really tough time with Braxton-Hicks contractions but have been doing pretty good since. Most days are pretty good but my energy levels are way down lately especially on Sundays when I have to get up early and go to church. Now that I think of it, I have no idea how I have managed to gain no weight at all because aside from watching TV on the couch and playing on the computer, I really don't want to do much else. Fortunately I have plenty of people giving me pep talks, telling me that it's within reach. But honestly to me it seems like an eternity away, again, my impatient self speaking.

Well that's all for now, I'll keep you guys updated if there is ever anything to update. Until next time...