Our first baby is on the way, and we want to use the power of the web to share the experience with all of you!  The pregnancy has been an amazing journey.  It is so miraculous to know that a little life is growing within.  We can't wait to meet him or her, and will post updates here for all of you as they develop!!

 

Tuesday, February 24, 2004  34w6d: 

I continue to be on modified bed rest, but admittedly am pushing the envelope a little bit this week.  The nesting instinct has started up and I just want to get this place ready for our little one's arrival!  One more week and I'll be off all restrictions.  After 36 weeks they will no longer try to stop any contractions, and I will be off my meds entirely.  My appointment today went well.  No changes (which is good) and baby continues to grow as he or she should.  The midwife estimates the baby's current weight at 7 lbs, and believes that he or she will weigh in at about 8 lbs and some ounces on arrival.  We are really getting excited and anxious now!  Car seat bases are in the cars, bags are packed, and if that darned carpeting would just come in we could get the nursery in a reasonably ready state!  More news after next weeks appointment (3/2 at 11:20 a.m.).

 

Friday February 27, 2004  35w2d:

Good news!!  The carpeting for the nursery is arriving on Monday (3/1)!  We are so excited.  All of the baby gear and gifts we got at our shower is in what will now be used as the baby's playroom and in our dining room, and it's driving us NUTS!  They are coming first thing Monday morning...so by Monday evening or early Tuesday, the gear will be in the room where it belongs!! YAY!!

We'll post pictures of the nursery as soon as we take them, and get them developed!

 

 

Tuesday March 2, 2004  35w6d:

The carpeting has arrived!  The installer came to install it yesterday and it looks so fantastic.  Really finishes the room off nicely!  Shane brought all of the baby's things upstairs for me yesterday so most things finally got put away both in there and in what will now be the playroom (formerly the den on the first floor).  And with 36 weeks coming tomorrow, baby is now welcome to arrive whenever he or she so desires!

At the appointment this morning the midwife we saw said everything is looking perfect.  Some slight cervical changes, but nothing dramatic to say the least.  Because of some uterine irritability, the midwife was having a hard time figuring out baby's positioning, so she has ordered another ultrasound this afternoon just to be sure that he or she is in fact still head down. 

No, we're still not finding out the gender!! :)

 

Wednesday March 17, 2004   38 weeks:

HAPPY ST PATRICK'S DAY!!

 

We had our 38 week appointment today.  Not much to update you all on, to be honest!  Everything is still looking great, though.  And we are just waiting...and waiting...and waiting...  Baby should be here any time!!  We are very very excited, and very anxious too.  We just can't wait!

 

 

Thursday, March 25, 2004:  39w1d

 

Another appointment this morning.  The midwife offered to check me, and as much as I'd LOVE to know if anything is going on, I declined.  I've been feeling very anxious to meet this little child the past few days and was afraid that if she told me there hasn't been any change since I was checked three weeks ago I'd crumble into an emotional mess.  I told her, "I figure when something significant starts to happen, we'll all know!"  I have changed my philosophy on "checking" dramatically in the last few weeks. ;-)

 

I described to her some symptoms I was having last Friday night and she thought it was probably baby engaging in the pelvis.  When she felt for baby she said that was exactly right.  Baby is in perfect position and well engaged!  Baby sounded good today and I'm measuring 40 weeks.  She said in her experience babies become "engaged" a week to 10 days before labor begins... so tomorrow makes a week.  By that estimation it should be any day now!  :::Whew!!:::

 

She had me make an appointment for next week, but is hopeful that I won't need to keep it. 

 

All in all it was a great appointment.  I'm really hoping this particular MW is on call when I deliver.  We've only had the opportunity to meet with her twice, but she became a fast favorite for both of us.

 

So, stay tuned for further updates... Hopefully the next one you all get will be an announcement of baby's arrival!

 

 

Thursday April 1, 2004: 40 weeks...due TODAY!!

 

No April-foolery here.  Just another appointment update ;-)

 

It actually went better than I expected, given we saw our least favorite MW in the group.  She was actually REALLY good today, which is what I needed on my due date with nothing going on :)

 

I'm just about 2cm dilated and 80% effaced, cervix is forward, and again I was told what a fabulous pelvis I have for birthing (which is good news to me).  Today baby was NOT engaged (last week s/he was) and the most likely reason for this, the MW says, is that my pelvis is so adquate baby can float in and out without any troubles.  Baby was being bratty -- wouldn't sit still so she could get a good heartrate and kept "running away" from the doppler.

 

She said that our plan at this point will be, IF I'm still pg next Thursday, I will have a U/S to check fluid levels and ensure baby is not becoming stressed.  Then will have an appointment with an NST after the U/S.  If all is good, I will have another such appointment three to four days after that (if heaven forbid I still havent pushed this child out), and at that point they would schedule an induction.  She said if I *want* to I can try castor oil, but in her opinion that's more of a 41 week thing you do to try to avoid a pitocin induction.  I've not been interested in trying castor oil anyway...so I'm not going to do so unless it becomes clear an induction will occur if I don't.

 

So that's the scoop...  Thanks for checking up on us, and stay tuned!!

 

 

 

Thursday April 8, 2004,  41w1d (1w1d overdue!):

 

We went in today for our 41 week checkup.  I started off with an ultrasound to check amniotic fluid levels.  While I'm on the low side of normal, I am within the norms and at least one pocket measured more than 2 cms, which is good.  The U/S tech estimates baby's weight at 9lbs6oz, which I don't for a second believe is accurate...I'm just not big enough for that to be the case.  My guess is 8lbs3oz (Midwife estimated 8-8.5 lbs)

 

The ultrasound was followed up by an NST.  Baby did very well and had a nice reactive strip and a good deal of movement (it sounds so much different now than before...more swishing than banging... guess it's tight quarters!).  I actually was contracting quite a bit while on the monitor but in all honesty they were almost all braxton hicks, not labor-type contractions.  Still, the midwife was encouraged to see so much uterine activity, no matter what kind.

 

We met with the midwife afterward to discuss our options.  I think I could have opted for induction sooner rather than later, but in my heart of hearts, as much as I want this baby OUT, I know that a labor that starts on its own is the best kind of labor.  So, instead we will go back for another appointment on Monday at 2:20.  I did ask her about stripping my membranes (separating them from the uterine wall, which is known to be effective in starting labor when the body is truly ready), but when she checked me she determined I am not strippable at this time.  There was no cervical change from last week (still sitting at about 2cm and 80% effaced), and baby is still up rather high (though with my very adequate pelvis, she was not alarmed or surprised by this at all).  We also discussed use of castor oil, but again decided to hold off a few more days, at least til my Monday appointment. 

 

The midwife thinks I'll have the baby this weekend....I told her I'd believe that when the head is out .  The plan at this point is to have another NST and appointment on Monday afternoon.  If at that time I am strippable, we'll go ahead with that.  If not, I will try the castor oil in a last ditch effort to avoid a pitocin induction.  At any rate if I'm still pregnant on Monday, we will schedule induction for Thursday next week.

 

So, worst case scenario I end up with a Pitocin induction on Thursday next week and baby is born then.  In the mean time I am planning to beg and plead with the labor gods to let this child be born this weekend.  If you want to do the same I wouldn't mind a bit .

 

 

 

Monday, April 12, 2004,  41w5d:

 

Baby is coming!!!! ........ on Wednesday  (sorry... had to do it! LOL)

 

My appointment went well today.  NST was great, baby was bouncing around in there like crazy.  Not much change, except that I'm slightly more effaced than last week.  We discussed the castor oil, and because baby is still high up (what is with this kid?!) The midwife is concerned that it wouldn't work and I'd go through the hell it can be all for naught.  We decided to go ahead and schedule the induction for Wednesday...one of our two favorite midwives is on that day.  The midwife we saw today said I can still go ahead with the castor oil tomorrow a.m. if I'd like to, and just to call and let her know if I do (she's on call tomorrow).  But I really don't think I will...may as well just wait now!

 

Amazing to think that 48 hours or so from now our baby will be either here, or well on his or her way.  Thank GOD the end is in sight! 

Three months along!

Four months along!

Six months along!