OK so I REALLY slacked off there in the last part of my pregnancy!
To re-cap: I'm obviously not pregnant any more. I had a little bit of a hard time during that last month. The weekend of Aidan's birthday I landed myself in the hospital with contractions and they were afraid it was false labor. I dilated to 2, but they were able to stop them by pushing LOTS of IV fluids and just waiting to see what happened. Thank GOD because I was only 34 weeks. However, I did not have long to wait. At 37 weeks, 3 days I got the bright idea to take my son bowling. Not wanting to be the only one left out, I actually bowled an entire game (granny style of course). All that squatting must have signaled to Abby that her time was up because my water broke that night. In the chaos that ensued, I went to the local hospital instead of driving all the way to Shands, and ended up having another c-section. Not the birth that I had planned, but at 11:26 pm on April 22, my precious little girl arrived, healthy and perfect in every way.
Life right now is a little crazy. Going from one to two is hard in the sense that I'm so busy taking care of Aidan and Abby that I sometimes have to put my own needs on the back burner. Some days that means getting up at 7:30 am with Aidan when I've had zero sleep because Abby fussed all night, or not getting to eat lunch until 3pm, or not getting to shower until 5pm when Daddy is home to take over. However, I truly would not have it any other way.
Abby is amazing. She can be a little diva at times and isn't as laid back as Aidan is, but she's still a great baby. She started sleeping through the night at 6 weeks, and I was able to breast feed her for the first three months before my milk dried up. She resembles her big brother in a lot of ways, just with less hair. Go figure I would have a son born with a head full of hair, and a daughter who is semi-bald!
Aidan is also doing REALLY well. He wasn't so interested in Abby when she got here, but he warmed up to her quickly. He's a HUGE help around the house and you can tell he loves her. He'll go up to her and talk to her and she just gives him this big gummy smile....it makes my heart happy. It's crazy to see how much he's grown in what seems to me like a short amount of time. I mean I remember doing what I do now with Abby with him four years ago. I'll be reminiscing about him being a baby and then he'll come up to me and we will have this intelligent conversation about something random, like how it's rude for puppies to lick people because they don't ask first (his words, not mine!). And I will be blow away with how it all goes by too fast. It's a nice reminder to savor every baby minute with Abby.
So now that we are pretty much caught up, I will try to blog as often as I can, keeping everyone updated on Abby's milestones, Aidan's big kid milestones, and the fun (and the crazy) aspects of having two kids!
12 August 2012
22 March 2012
33 Weeks!
My doctor's appointment this time around was MUCH better than last time. My blood pressure was OK 133/82, and her HR was in the 140s. I'm still waiting on that consult from SHANDS, but everyone I've talked to (midwives and doctor) seems to think they'll allow me to do the VBAC even without the surgical report, which is a relief to me. I'm measuring right on track and have gained 14 lbs since the start, which isn't too bad.
Since my BP was OK, and the contractions haven't gotten any worse, they will let me come in every two weeks for the time being, which makes me happy. I feel a lot less stressed about the possibility of going into preterm labor, thankfully. I'm also thankful the midwife didn't check my cervix because I know I would have had a horrible day of contractions after that, and I think I have enough of them as it is! My next appointment is on April 4, and I also have an ultrasound this Monday to check and see how big Abigail is. If she gets to be too big, then they probably won't let me VBAC, so fingers crossed that she's not massive!
I also took some time to get her room together. I have pretty much everything taken out of her room that we were just storing in there. Everything was either tossed out or moved to a different location. I also sorted her clothes and washed everything. I packed her bag with most of the stuff we'll be taking with us to the hospital and I'm just waiting on her bedding to arrive so that can be washed, and the stuff my mom is shipping to me from the first shower. I'd say her room is about 85-90% done, which is also a huge relief. Diaper-wise, I have a pretty good stash going so far. I have 13 pockets/AIOs, 2 covers, and 26 prefolds in small and newborn sizes. I've got a diaper pail liner and special detergent on the way, so I'll be able to prep her diapers once that arrives.
So we're pretty much ready!! I'm still a little nervous because everyone keeps saying how hard it is to go from 1 child to 2. And I have no idea how Aidan is going to react despite all the talking about it with him we've been doing. But hopefully we'll all find our grooves quickly and it won't be too hard of an adjustment on any of us. I can hardly believe it, but we'll be facing that adjustment time within the next month or so. Time is flying by so quickly, and I'm trying to relish this last little bit of being pregnant with our last baby. At the same time I can't wait to meet her! Only 48 more days (or less!) and our family will be complete!!
Since my BP was OK, and the contractions haven't gotten any worse, they will let me come in every two weeks for the time being, which makes me happy. I feel a lot less stressed about the possibility of going into preterm labor, thankfully. I'm also thankful the midwife didn't check my cervix because I know I would have had a horrible day of contractions after that, and I think I have enough of them as it is! My next appointment is on April 4, and I also have an ultrasound this Monday to check and see how big Abigail is. If she gets to be too big, then they probably won't let me VBAC, so fingers crossed that she's not massive!
I also took some time to get her room together. I have pretty much everything taken out of her room that we were just storing in there. Everything was either tossed out or moved to a different location. I also sorted her clothes and washed everything. I packed her bag with most of the stuff we'll be taking with us to the hospital and I'm just waiting on her bedding to arrive so that can be washed, and the stuff my mom is shipping to me from the first shower. I'd say her room is about 85-90% done, which is also a huge relief. Diaper-wise, I have a pretty good stash going so far. I have 13 pockets/AIOs, 2 covers, and 26 prefolds in small and newborn sizes. I've got a diaper pail liner and special detergent on the way, so I'll be able to prep her diapers once that arrives.
So we're pretty much ready!! I'm still a little nervous because everyone keeps saying how hard it is to go from 1 child to 2. And I have no idea how Aidan is going to react despite all the talking about it with him we've been doing. But hopefully we'll all find our grooves quickly and it won't be too hard of an adjustment on any of us. I can hardly believe it, but we'll be facing that adjustment time within the next month or so. Time is flying by so quickly, and I'm trying to relish this last little bit of being pregnant with our last baby. At the same time I can't wait to meet her! Only 48 more days (or less!) and our family will be complete!!
14 March 2012
32 Week Check Up
Today completely threw me for a loop. I was expecting a normal, easy checkup, but my body had other plans. Despite a hectic morning, getting Aidan off to school, running home to fix him a lunch because he was staying at school until 2pm, and running back to the school to give him the lunch, I was able to make it to my doctor's appointment on time.
It was anything but the usual routine appointment. It started with a really bad dizzy spell at the doctor's office that had them concerned initially...they called it passing out, but I didn't fall or remember losing consciousness, I was just really out of it. After that was over, my BP started climbing instead of dropping, which then had them concerned about pre-eclampsia. Then they checked my blood sugar and saw it was higher than they would like it to be. I answered a bunch of questions from one of the midwives and my actual doctor and they had me lay down for a bit longer. My doctor came back to do the usual exam....Abby's HR was great, I'm measuring right on track, and everything else was looking good. Then I mentioned the contractions. It's not anything new, but the past few days they've been super painful and wrapping around to my back. So he decided to check my cervix. I'm starting to dilate already, so they swabbed me for a protein that might indicate preterm labor and brought in the ultrasound machine to check it. It's still 4cm long, which is good (anything under 3 is a concern he said), so now the only thing I can do is wait to hear the results of the protein test. He wants to see me weekly now to keep tabs on my contractions and my BP though, so no more 2 week appointments. And I've been instructed to rest more than normal...it's not bed rest, but he doesn't want me running errands all day like I've been doing recently.
UGH...so that's all I know for right now. They're also setting up a consult at SHANDS for my VBAC even though I haven't been able to locate the surgical report from Guam. So that was a bit of good news. He said they will probably allow me to try for the VBAC without it, but since we don't know if there is any underlying problem with my pelvis, my chances for a successful VBAC is only 50%. I think I'll take 50% over a scheduled c-section!
So, here's hoping the protein test comes back negative and I don't have to worry about Abby making her debut too early. And I'm praying I don't get put on full on bed rest...with Aidan's birthday party coming up, him being in school, and getting everything ready for Abby, it would just be a huge bummer. I'm not entirely sure what the plan of action is if the test comes back positive, but I guess we'll just have to cross that bridge when we get there.
UPDATE: The protein test (fetal fibronectin) came back negative which is awesome. It basically means that the chances of me delivering within the next two weeks are extremely small. However, it also means I just have to suck up these contractions and deal with them as best I can. But the negative result does make me worry less about how frequent and painful they are, so overall, it's great news.
It was anything but the usual routine appointment. It started with a really bad dizzy spell at the doctor's office that had them concerned initially...they called it passing out, but I didn't fall or remember losing consciousness, I was just really out of it. After that was over, my BP started climbing instead of dropping, which then had them concerned about pre-eclampsia. Then they checked my blood sugar and saw it was higher than they would like it to be. I answered a bunch of questions from one of the midwives and my actual doctor and they had me lay down for a bit longer. My doctor came back to do the usual exam....Abby's HR was great, I'm measuring right on track, and everything else was looking good. Then I mentioned the contractions. It's not anything new, but the past few days they've been super painful and wrapping around to my back. So he decided to check my cervix. I'm starting to dilate already, so they swabbed me for a protein that might indicate preterm labor and brought in the ultrasound machine to check it. It's still 4cm long, which is good (anything under 3 is a concern he said), so now the only thing I can do is wait to hear the results of the protein test. He wants to see me weekly now to keep tabs on my contractions and my BP though, so no more 2 week appointments. And I've been instructed to rest more than normal...it's not bed rest, but he doesn't want me running errands all day like I've been doing recently.
UGH...so that's all I know for right now. They're also setting up a consult at SHANDS for my VBAC even though I haven't been able to locate the surgical report from Guam. So that was a bit of good news. He said they will probably allow me to try for the VBAC without it, but since we don't know if there is any underlying problem with my pelvis, my chances for a successful VBAC is only 50%. I think I'll take 50% over a scheduled c-section!
So, here's hoping the protein test comes back negative and I don't have to worry about Abby making her debut too early. And I'm praying I don't get put on full on bed rest...with Aidan's birthday party coming up, him being in school, and getting everything ready for Abby, it would just be a huge bummer. I'm not entirely sure what the plan of action is if the test comes back positive, but I guess we'll just have to cross that bridge when we get there.
UPDATE: The protein test (fetal fibronectin) came back negative which is awesome. It basically means that the chances of me delivering within the next two weeks are extremely small. However, it also means I just have to suck up these contractions and deal with them as best I can. But the negative result does make me worry less about how frequent and painful they are, so overall, it's great news.
05 March 2012
66 days to go!
Can that be right, my ticker says only 66 days to go! I can hardly believe it!!
I also just noticed that I've been a slacker and a half on this blog too. But I've been horribly busy trying to get everything together for Abby's room and traveling to NY for the shower. I'm going to have to recap pretty much all of Feb, so bear with me.
First thing's first...I failed my glucose test (both of them) so I'm back on the diabetes diet. I pretty much knew it was coming so it wasn't the devastating news it was when I was pregnant with Aidan. I was well prepared to dive right back into it. So far it hasn't been bad. The only complaint I have is that my meter isn't giving me accurate readings. The doctor has checked my fasting twice, and compared to what I've been getting on my meter, they're definitely not the same. This makes it difficult to judge if I'm able to keep my fasting in check so I can avoid being put on insulin. The first time the doctor's office got 102 and my meter read 82, and the second time they got 96 while my meter read 89. So it's not even like it's consistently off. I still have to talk to the doctor to see what he wants to do about it, but most likely we're going to have to change out my meter.
At my 30 week check up, HR was excellent, in the upper 140s. I'm up 12 lbs total so far, which isn't bad at all. My TSH levels from the last visit came back great (1.32), and my bp was 122 over 86 (woo hoo!). As long as I can keep my fasting levels under control, I don't have to be seen every week, I can stay at every two weeks, but they're going to start doing an NST at each visit (non-stress test), which is no biggie.
As for the VBAC situation, I feel like we're still in limbo. For a while I had settled on just doing the c-section because I was so leery of going to a hospital I'd never been to. But then at my 30 week appointment, as I was explaining the reason behind my decision to the midwife, she told me there are ways to try and get around the local hospital's policy of no VBACs. It gave me some hope, but when I talked to Casey, he said it was like "cutting corners". I won't go into details about what she told me because she really wasn't supposed to be advising me on how to get around the system. But basically, after explaining it to him, Casey was not really comfortable with the idea. So I mulled it over in my mind, trying to decide just how much doing a VBAC meant to me. I reached out to a fellow Navy wife I trust who had given birth there and asked about her experience and what the hospital was like because I think a lack of knowledge about the other hospital was throwing me off. I finally decided I really do want to try. There are pros and cons to each side of the coin. Although the scheduled c-section would allow me to plan accordingly, be in a closer hospital with nicer accommodations, and ensure my doctor would deliver Abby, it just doesn't feel right to me. My gut is telling me to try for the VBAC. The hospital is further away, the rooms aren't as nice, and I have no idea who will be delivering Abby (a concern for me especially if my VBAC fails), but I just have the strong desire to try.
The only obstacle right now seems to be that Naval Hospital Guam has misplaced the surgical report from my c-section with Aidan, which means I can't have a consultation with a surgeon to prep me for the VBAC. I'm almost positive I have a transverse incision on my uterus rather than a vertical one, but without the report, there is no way of telling for sure, not to mention if there were any minor complications the doctor didn't mention to me. As far as I know, I had a c-section because Aidan's head was crooked in my pelvis and wouldn't come down past zero station, and everything during the surgery was routine. But who knows what's really in the report, so that's a concern for me. It's entirely possible that there's something in that report that would mean a VBAC is too risky, and in that case I would want to know. So I'm doing my best to track the report down before April so that I can make an informed (and wise) decision. Fingers crossed!!
Other than that February was very good us! I had a wonderful shower and saw a lot of people I haven't seen in a very long time. It was a short trip back home, but well worth it. We also had a 4D earlier in the month and got to see our little girl. First...she's definitely still a girl! I was very excited to hear that, given I've gotten so used to the idea of (not to mention excited about) having a girl. It was definitely an amazing 45 minutes. We saw her yawn, smile, open and close her eyes, and pout at something that made her mad. She also has a lot of hair, so I'm betting she comes out with dark hair like Aidan did (here's hoping she inherits his eyelashes from Casey as well!). She's got feet that are already 2.5 inches long (which by the tech's standards are apparently huge) and was over 2 lbs. The tech said if I give birth around my due date, she should be 7.5 lbs. I compared her 4D pictures and Aidan's, and I think they look a lot alike, just with different noses. The entire experience made me so incredibly excited to meet her!
March is looking to be just as busy as February. My little buddy turns 4 at the end of the month, and we're working on getting his party together. I have another baby shower on the 1st with my Georgia friends. And my doctor's appointments will be 2 weeks apart instead of 4. Aidan also has to be tested for allergies since none of the meds we've tried are working for him, so who knows how many doctor's visits that will add up to. We're also working on the nursery and trying to sell off all of Aidan's baby items (clothes, toys, travel system, etc). I feel like April will be here before I know it, and by the time my birthday rolls around, I could go into labor. It's crazy how fast this pregnancy has flown by, and I have loved all of it. This being my last baby, I've tried to savor every minute. I know a piece of me will be sad to not be pregnant anymore, but I am definitely looking forward to completing my family and meeting our Abigail.
I also just noticed that I've been a slacker and a half on this blog too. But I've been horribly busy trying to get everything together for Abby's room and traveling to NY for the shower. I'm going to have to recap pretty much all of Feb, so bear with me.
First thing's first...I failed my glucose test (both of them) so I'm back on the diabetes diet. I pretty much knew it was coming so it wasn't the devastating news it was when I was pregnant with Aidan. I was well prepared to dive right back into it. So far it hasn't been bad. The only complaint I have is that my meter isn't giving me accurate readings. The doctor has checked my fasting twice, and compared to what I've been getting on my meter, they're definitely not the same. This makes it difficult to judge if I'm able to keep my fasting in check so I can avoid being put on insulin. The first time the doctor's office got 102 and my meter read 82, and the second time they got 96 while my meter read 89. So it's not even like it's consistently off. I still have to talk to the doctor to see what he wants to do about it, but most likely we're going to have to change out my meter.
At my 30 week check up, HR was excellent, in the upper 140s. I'm up 12 lbs total so far, which isn't bad at all. My TSH levels from the last visit came back great (1.32), and my bp was 122 over 86 (woo hoo!). As long as I can keep my fasting levels under control, I don't have to be seen every week, I can stay at every two weeks, but they're going to start doing an NST at each visit (non-stress test), which is no biggie.
As for the VBAC situation, I feel like we're still in limbo. For a while I had settled on just doing the c-section because I was so leery of going to a hospital I'd never been to. But then at my 30 week appointment, as I was explaining the reason behind my decision to the midwife, she told me there are ways to try and get around the local hospital's policy of no VBACs. It gave me some hope, but when I talked to Casey, he said it was like "cutting corners". I won't go into details about what she told me because she really wasn't supposed to be advising me on how to get around the system. But basically, after explaining it to him, Casey was not really comfortable with the idea. So I mulled it over in my mind, trying to decide just how much doing a VBAC meant to me. I reached out to a fellow Navy wife I trust who had given birth there and asked about her experience and what the hospital was like because I think a lack of knowledge about the other hospital was throwing me off. I finally decided I really do want to try. There are pros and cons to each side of the coin. Although the scheduled c-section would allow me to plan accordingly, be in a closer hospital with nicer accommodations, and ensure my doctor would deliver Abby, it just doesn't feel right to me. My gut is telling me to try for the VBAC. The hospital is further away, the rooms aren't as nice, and I have no idea who will be delivering Abby (a concern for me especially if my VBAC fails), but I just have the strong desire to try.
The only obstacle right now seems to be that Naval Hospital Guam has misplaced the surgical report from my c-section with Aidan, which means I can't have a consultation with a surgeon to prep me for the VBAC. I'm almost positive I have a transverse incision on my uterus rather than a vertical one, but without the report, there is no way of telling for sure, not to mention if there were any minor complications the doctor didn't mention to me. As far as I know, I had a c-section because Aidan's head was crooked in my pelvis and wouldn't come down past zero station, and everything during the surgery was routine. But who knows what's really in the report, so that's a concern for me. It's entirely possible that there's something in that report that would mean a VBAC is too risky, and in that case I would want to know. So I'm doing my best to track the report down before April so that I can make an informed (and wise) decision. Fingers crossed!!
Other than that February was very good us! I had a wonderful shower and saw a lot of people I haven't seen in a very long time. It was a short trip back home, but well worth it. We also had a 4D earlier in the month and got to see our little girl. First...she's definitely still a girl! I was very excited to hear that, given I've gotten so used to the idea of (not to mention excited about) having a girl. It was definitely an amazing 45 minutes. We saw her yawn, smile, open and close her eyes, and pout at something that made her mad. She also has a lot of hair, so I'm betting she comes out with dark hair like Aidan did (here's hoping she inherits his eyelashes from Casey as well!). She's got feet that are already 2.5 inches long (which by the tech's standards are apparently huge) and was over 2 lbs. The tech said if I give birth around my due date, she should be 7.5 lbs. I compared her 4D pictures and Aidan's, and I think they look a lot alike, just with different noses. The entire experience made me so incredibly excited to meet her!
March is looking to be just as busy as February. My little buddy turns 4 at the end of the month, and we're working on getting his party together. I have another baby shower on the 1st with my Georgia friends. And my doctor's appointments will be 2 weeks apart instead of 4. Aidan also has to be tested for allergies since none of the meds we've tried are working for him, so who knows how many doctor's visits that will add up to. We're also working on the nursery and trying to sell off all of Aidan's baby items (clothes, toys, travel system, etc). I feel like April will be here before I know it, and by the time my birthday rolls around, I could go into labor. It's crazy how fast this pregnancy has flown by, and I have loved all of it. This being my last baby, I've tried to savor every minute. I know a piece of me will be sad to not be pregnant anymore, but I am definitely looking forward to completing my family and meeting our Abigail.
01 February 2012
26 week visit...
This was technically supposed to be my 24 week checkup, but I'm almost 2 weeks behind on my checkups because of the holidays. Anyway, I had the dreaded glucose test. I iced up the glucola drink that's been sitting in my fridge for the last four weeks, and drank it as fast as I could on the way to drop off Aidan at school. From there I went straight to my appointment. I was expecting the normal "everything's great" appointment, but I ended up leaving pretty unhappy.
Everything started out OK. I don't really have any complaints, other than the braxton hicks are getting strong and painful. My doctor asked how often I get them and I told him it's constant throughout the day...so many I can't keep track. Not that they're all painful, some of them are, but most of them are just pretty uncomfortable. So he decided to check my cervix just to make sure I'm not headed into preterm labor. Everything looked great, I'm still high and tight, which is fantastic.
Then he asked when I wanted to have my baby. I knew he meant to schedule a c-section, so I told him I really wanted a VBAC. Now, before I go on, let me just explain that I was under the impression I would have to have a consultation with a surgeon who could clear me for a VABC, and then I would have to wait until I went into labor, go to my local hospital and sign a crap ton of waivers and papers that would refuse a c-section. That's pretty much how it was explained to me by the midwife at an earlier appointment. Well, today I saw my doctor and it's the first time he and I discussed it. He said first I need to get the surgical report from my c-section (which took place at the Naval Hospital in GUAM), and then I can see a surgeon for a consult. Then, after that, I'd have to either travel to Savannah or down to Shands in Jacksonville. HUGE bummer because even with Shands being in Jacksonville, it's a much farther trek than going to the local hospital (which is literally 5 minutes from my house). Not to mention I've never set foot in Shands, so I'm clueless about the conditions within the hospital itself. And the kicker is, none of people from my doctor's office (him and two midwives) that have been taking care of me through this whole pregnancy would be there during delivery. I would have to rely on someone (likely a resident as explained by my doctor) I've never met to deliver my child. I think that's the biggest disappointment of all. I've spent so much time with my doctor and his midwives...they've been there through the ordeal of trying to conceive, through my miscarriage, and finally this pregnancy. I have a large amount of trust and faith in all of them...to know they wouldn't be there makes me so nervous.
So, even though I was dead set on a VBAC there's a huge possibility that I won't even get to try. I went to outpatient medical records on base today and they saw nothing in my records from Guam about the c-section, although they do have my OB chart. I filled out a request for the records to be transferred to Kings Bay from Guam, but it's the Navy and I bet any amount of money I'm going to have to be calling Guam myself before that surgical report is even located. And even if I do get my surgical report, I'm not as sure of this decision anymore because I won't be with my doctor or anyone on his staff. Given that there are certain risks during a VBAC, I would feel a lot more comfortable knowing my doctor would be on standby should something happen during labor. Now I feel like I'm right back at square one, unsure of what I want to do, and super frustrated that the decision might be made for me if I can't track down those surgical notes.
Other than that, I'm just waiting on the results of the glucose test. They also tested my blood count, TSH, and gave me an antibody screen so that I can get my rhogam shot on the 15th. All of those results should be in by Friday, so at least I won't be left hanging. Baby girl is looking good as well, her heartbeat was super strong when we listened today and my BP was great. So hopefully all those results come back normal and I won't have anything else to add to my list of worries.
We're also going to have a 4D ultrasound done in the next couple of weeks. I'd like 4D confirmation Abby is still a girl before we start getting rid of all our boy clothes! I'd also like to see how she looks, if she really has Aidan's nose or not and if she's got any hair. I'm really excited for the ultrasound...with Aidan I was only 23 weeks or so, and there wasn't much chub on him. Hopefully at 28 weeks she'll be a little chunky and her facial features will be really defined.
That's about it for the update. My next appointment is on Feb 29th, and after that I'll start going every 2 weeks. Crazy how the time is flying right by! Seems like she'll be here before I know it!
Everything started out OK. I don't really have any complaints, other than the braxton hicks are getting strong and painful. My doctor asked how often I get them and I told him it's constant throughout the day...so many I can't keep track. Not that they're all painful, some of them are, but most of them are just pretty uncomfortable. So he decided to check my cervix just to make sure I'm not headed into preterm labor. Everything looked great, I'm still high and tight, which is fantastic.
Then he asked when I wanted to have my baby. I knew he meant to schedule a c-section, so I told him I really wanted a VBAC. Now, before I go on, let me just explain that I was under the impression I would have to have a consultation with a surgeon who could clear me for a VABC, and then I would have to wait until I went into labor, go to my local hospital and sign a crap ton of waivers and papers that would refuse a c-section. That's pretty much how it was explained to me by the midwife at an earlier appointment. Well, today I saw my doctor and it's the first time he and I discussed it. He said first I need to get the surgical report from my c-section (which took place at the Naval Hospital in GUAM), and then I can see a surgeon for a consult. Then, after that, I'd have to either travel to Savannah or down to Shands in Jacksonville. HUGE bummer because even with Shands being in Jacksonville, it's a much farther trek than going to the local hospital (which is literally 5 minutes from my house). Not to mention I've never set foot in Shands, so I'm clueless about the conditions within the hospital itself. And the kicker is, none of people from my doctor's office (him and two midwives) that have been taking care of me through this whole pregnancy would be there during delivery. I would have to rely on someone (likely a resident as explained by my doctor) I've never met to deliver my child. I think that's the biggest disappointment of all. I've spent so much time with my doctor and his midwives...they've been there through the ordeal of trying to conceive, through my miscarriage, and finally this pregnancy. I have a large amount of trust and faith in all of them...to know they wouldn't be there makes me so nervous.
So, even though I was dead set on a VBAC there's a huge possibility that I won't even get to try. I went to outpatient medical records on base today and they saw nothing in my records from Guam about the c-section, although they do have my OB chart. I filled out a request for the records to be transferred to Kings Bay from Guam, but it's the Navy and I bet any amount of money I'm going to have to be calling Guam myself before that surgical report is even located. And even if I do get my surgical report, I'm not as sure of this decision anymore because I won't be with my doctor or anyone on his staff. Given that there are certain risks during a VBAC, I would feel a lot more comfortable knowing my doctor would be on standby should something happen during labor. Now I feel like I'm right back at square one, unsure of what I want to do, and super frustrated that the decision might be made for me if I can't track down those surgical notes.
Other than that, I'm just waiting on the results of the glucose test. They also tested my blood count, TSH, and gave me an antibody screen so that I can get my rhogam shot on the 15th. All of those results should be in by Friday, so at least I won't be left hanging. Baby girl is looking good as well, her heartbeat was super strong when we listened today and my BP was great. So hopefully all those results come back normal and I won't have anything else to add to my list of worries.
We're also going to have a 4D ultrasound done in the next couple of weeks. I'd like 4D confirmation Abby is still a girl before we start getting rid of all our boy clothes! I'd also like to see how she looks, if she really has Aidan's nose or not and if she's got any hair. I'm really excited for the ultrasound...with Aidan I was only 23 weeks or so, and there wasn't much chub on him. Hopefully at 28 weeks she'll be a little chunky and her facial features will be really defined.
That's about it for the update. My next appointment is on Feb 29th, and after that I'll start going every 2 weeks. Crazy how the time is flying right by! Seems like she'll be here before I know it!
12 January 2012
Different this time around...
I'm not quite sure if anyone can tell from my brief updates, but this pregnancy is so different than when I had Aidan. I'm not sure if it's because this is shore duty and I'm not stressing over my husband making it back in time. Or maybe it's the lack of testosterone I have in my body. Maybe it's because I know this is our last child. Or perhaps it's different because we've waited so long and tried so hard for this baby. Whatever the reason, I'm loving every minute of this pregnancy. At the risk of inducing some serious eye-rolling from anyone reading, I really am blissfully happy.
It's not that I wasn't happy when I was pregnant with Aidan, I know that I was looking forward to having him. But I think most of it was stress. Being pregnant and going to all the doctor's appointments and ultrasounds alone wasn't what I pictured my first pregnancy to be like. I knew my husband would be gone at some point, but when we decided to try for a baby, we really didn't think we would get pregnant so quick. Not to mention I didn't think he'd be gone for so much of my pregnancy. On top of that, I had pregnancy induced hypertension so I had to pay attention to my blood pressure while my doctors kept a close eye on Aidan's growth and development with frequent ultrasounds. I didn't mind too much because it meant I got to see him more often, even if it was on a black and white screen. I also spotted through most of my pregnancy. Every episode would induce gut wrenching panic, and the first few times it happened I rushed to the ER to make sure my baby was still OK. In the third trimester, that finally stopped, but I found out I had gestational diabetes. I was put on a strict diet and forced to check and record my blood sugar four times per day. And lastly, my husband went out on deployment at the start of my third trimester and wasn't due to come home until my 38 week point. When I started dilating at 36 weeks, there was no trying to relax...I was in a panic worrying I'd be giving birth to my first child half a world away from my family, with my husband MIA. Looking back, it was pretty much just one thing after another, after another.
Besides the stress, I think Aidan's pregnancy was also different because I had no idea what to expect. I knew I was having a baby, and I would love him. But I had no clue how much I would end up loving him. And granted, I was excited, but I didn't have anything specific to look forward to because I'd never been a mom before. Now, it's different. I already love Abby as much as I love Aidan, even though I haven't met her yet. I look forward to the little things that I enjoyed so much with Aidan. The first few days, when they're so tiny, you finally get to experience the things you wondered about for 9 months...the shape of their nose, whether or not they have hair, their tiny baby feet actually being small enough to fit into the socks you thought were impossibly small, and how their crying sounds more like a squeak than anything else. I miss the little yawns and the smiles you only catch when they're sleeping. And I look forward to experiencing the excitement of all the firsts...first smile, first giggle, first steps, and first word. I already know how it felt when we experienced it with Aidan, it makes me even more excited to know I get to do it all over again.
Not only do I already know all of the amazing things I have to look forward to, but this pregnancy has been so easy. Virtually no nausea, no reason to stress, only one episode of spotting that resolved on it's own, and everything with Abby is looking healthy. I have the usual discomforts, like braxton hicks and daily headaches. But even those minor pains can't bring me down, I'm still happy.....really happy and extremely thankful. I absolutely can't wait to meet our little Abigail :)
It's not that I wasn't happy when I was pregnant with Aidan, I know that I was looking forward to having him. But I think most of it was stress. Being pregnant and going to all the doctor's appointments and ultrasounds alone wasn't what I pictured my first pregnancy to be like. I knew my husband would be gone at some point, but when we decided to try for a baby, we really didn't think we would get pregnant so quick. Not to mention I didn't think he'd be gone for so much of my pregnancy. On top of that, I had pregnancy induced hypertension so I had to pay attention to my blood pressure while my doctors kept a close eye on Aidan's growth and development with frequent ultrasounds. I didn't mind too much because it meant I got to see him more often, even if it was on a black and white screen. I also spotted through most of my pregnancy. Every episode would induce gut wrenching panic, and the first few times it happened I rushed to the ER to make sure my baby was still OK. In the third trimester, that finally stopped, but I found out I had gestational diabetes. I was put on a strict diet and forced to check and record my blood sugar four times per day. And lastly, my husband went out on deployment at the start of my third trimester and wasn't due to come home until my 38 week point. When I started dilating at 36 weeks, there was no trying to relax...I was in a panic worrying I'd be giving birth to my first child half a world away from my family, with my husband MIA. Looking back, it was pretty much just one thing after another, after another.
Besides the stress, I think Aidan's pregnancy was also different because I had no idea what to expect. I knew I was having a baby, and I would love him. But I had no clue how much I would end up loving him. And granted, I was excited, but I didn't have anything specific to look forward to because I'd never been a mom before. Now, it's different. I already love Abby as much as I love Aidan, even though I haven't met her yet. I look forward to the little things that I enjoyed so much with Aidan. The first few days, when they're so tiny, you finally get to experience the things you wondered about for 9 months...the shape of their nose, whether or not they have hair, their tiny baby feet actually being small enough to fit into the socks you thought were impossibly small, and how their crying sounds more like a squeak than anything else. I miss the little yawns and the smiles you only catch when they're sleeping. And I look forward to experiencing the excitement of all the firsts...first smile, first giggle, first steps, and first word. I already know how it felt when we experienced it with Aidan, it makes me even more excited to know I get to do it all over again.
Not only do I already know all of the amazing things I have to look forward to, but this pregnancy has been so easy. Virtually no nausea, no reason to stress, only one episode of spotting that resolved on it's own, and everything with Abby is looking healthy. I have the usual discomforts, like braxton hicks and daily headaches. But even those minor pains can't bring me down, I'm still happy.....really happy and extremely thankful. I absolutely can't wait to meet our little Abigail :)
03 January 2012
20 Week Check Up!
I had my 20 week checkup today. First I'd better backtrack because I just realized I never made a blog announcement about the gender of the baby. Most of you (if not all) already know what baby #2 is. But not everyone knows what happened or how it went down, which is an interesting story in my opinion. So I'll share that with you first, and then get down to the appointment.
On December 2, I scheduled an elective ultrasound to find out the baby's gender. I wanted to have one done before Casey left for his two weeks in Virginia (which meant he'd be gone for the growth scan at 20 weeks). My mom flew in that morning, we ate lunch, and killed some time shopping before my appointment at 1:40. Or so I *thought* the appointment was at 1:40. We got to the ultrasound place at 1:40, only to find out that my appointment was scheduled for 1:15 and I was SUPER late. Totally my fault, I don't know why I wrote down 1:40. The problem was she was completely booked and had an appointment for 1:45, so I basically missed my chance. Anyway, she took pity on me (we were all obviously excited for the session) and since I was just getting a 2D gender confirmation scan, she agreed to squeeze me in before her next appointment arrived. So the session, was pretty much rushed.
At first glance, she said she was pretty sure it was a girl. I said no way, I was convinced it was a boy, I was going to need a clear shot to be proven wrong. But baby just kept giving us their backside, so it was difficult to say for sure. She measured the baby, and I was right on track, baby measuring 7 inches long and 5.5 ounces. I saw all the great things you look forward to seeing, like the profile and little hands and feet. We waited for the baby to turn, and sure enough, for a split second we saw two legs with nothing in between. The tech pointed out three lines (which took me FOREVER to see when I played the video my mom took over again) and confirmed we were having a girl! With her next appointment already waiting, we were whisked out of the room (in shock), paid the fee, and left.
It took a while to set in....I was really really really surprised. Casey was completely freaked at the prospect of having to spend money on girl things instead of passing everything down everything Aidan has outgrown. And my mom was over the moon happy. But I was nervous because the shot we had wasn't very clear at all, and I know it's possible for techs to be wrong. Even still, we went ahead and announced what we were having on Facebook, knowing we'd have confirmation at my 20 week growth scan.
Almost two weeks later, I went to my growth scan, completely pretending that I didn't know the gender. Casey, who was in school in VA, was still holding out hope that they'd say "You're having a boy!" and that the penis had just been hidden somewhere in the last ultrasound. Meanwhile, I started to become afraid that they WOULD tell me it was a boy and I'd be so disappointed because I'd become excited about having a little girl. Either way, one of us was going to have to make an adjustment!
So, the growth scan took much longer because she was measuring every little thing. I got to see the heart pumping away, the blood flowing through the cord and the kidneys, little tiny hands again (but that never gets old!)....and then the tech asked, "Do you want to know what you're having?" I said, "Yes please!!!" She froze a shot of the two legs, again void in the middle, and said, "It looks like a girl..." but the baby was yet again in an awkward position. We wanted a clear money shot, so we waited. All of the sudden we were being mooned on the screen and clear as day, you could see we were having a girl! It was official in my mind, there's no place for a little wee wee to be hiding in that picture!! Here's a picture of the shot that sealed the deal:
After seeing that shot, even Casey admitted there was no arguing that one, we were definitely going to have to paint the spare room pink! Needless to say everyone is excited for us. It's been easy to shift my thinking from "he" to "she", and we already call her Abby. She also seems to have her brother's profile (I think they'll look alike), with that cute button nose:
So there it is, we're expecting Abigail Maria-Jane. I'm hoping (and thinking it's possible) I go into labor in late April, so she can have the awesome birthstone of diamond, but we'll see. So far I've been wrong on every aspect when it comes to being pregnant, both times. I swore Aidan was a girl (he is most definitely all boy), I swore I was going to have to be induced after going past my due date (I went into early labor and finally had him at 39 weeks), I swore Abby was going to be a boy...I'm not doing so well on the mommy intuition front.
As far as my check up goes, everything looks great. Abby's HR was in the upper 140s, and my fundal height is right on track. No complaints, other than getting woozy when my braxton hicks come around. But the midwife said it's normal and to make sure I've eaten and keep hydrated. If they come frequently, do the opposite of what I'm already doing (rest if I'm up and moving, get up and move if I'm resting), and to call if I have more than 6 in an hour. My bp is awesome and I gained some weight! I weighed myself the night we got back from Louisiana and saw a 9 lb increase since I had left 2 weeks earlier. But because I lost a few pounds earlier in the pregnancy and again since I got home from Louisiana, I'm only officially up five pounds since the time I got pregnant. It's not much, but it's something! I'm just glad I'm gaining, makes me feel better about Abby's health.
So that is all for now. My next appointment is Feb. 1 and I'll be 26 weeks by then. I can't believe time is flying right by...she'll be here before we know it!!!
On December 2, I scheduled an elective ultrasound to find out the baby's gender. I wanted to have one done before Casey left for his two weeks in Virginia (which meant he'd be gone for the growth scan at 20 weeks). My mom flew in that morning, we ate lunch, and killed some time shopping before my appointment at 1:40. Or so I *thought* the appointment was at 1:40. We got to the ultrasound place at 1:40, only to find out that my appointment was scheduled for 1:15 and I was SUPER late. Totally my fault, I don't know why I wrote down 1:40. The problem was she was completely booked and had an appointment for 1:45, so I basically missed my chance. Anyway, she took pity on me (we were all obviously excited for the session) and since I was just getting a 2D gender confirmation scan, she agreed to squeeze me in before her next appointment arrived. So the session, was pretty much rushed.
At first glance, she said she was pretty sure it was a girl. I said no way, I was convinced it was a boy, I was going to need a clear shot to be proven wrong. But baby just kept giving us their backside, so it was difficult to say for sure. She measured the baby, and I was right on track, baby measuring 7 inches long and 5.5 ounces. I saw all the great things you look forward to seeing, like the profile and little hands and feet. We waited for the baby to turn, and sure enough, for a split second we saw two legs with nothing in between. The tech pointed out three lines (which took me FOREVER to see when I played the video my mom took over again) and confirmed we were having a girl! With her next appointment already waiting, we were whisked out of the room (in shock), paid the fee, and left.
It took a while to set in....I was really really really surprised. Casey was completely freaked at the prospect of having to spend money on girl things instead of passing everything down everything Aidan has outgrown. And my mom was over the moon happy. But I was nervous because the shot we had wasn't very clear at all, and I know it's possible for techs to be wrong. Even still, we went ahead and announced what we were having on Facebook, knowing we'd have confirmation at my 20 week growth scan.
Almost two weeks later, I went to my growth scan, completely pretending that I didn't know the gender. Casey, who was in school in VA, was still holding out hope that they'd say "You're having a boy!" and that the penis had just been hidden somewhere in the last ultrasound. Meanwhile, I started to become afraid that they WOULD tell me it was a boy and I'd be so disappointed because I'd become excited about having a little girl. Either way, one of us was going to have to make an adjustment!
So, the growth scan took much longer because she was measuring every little thing. I got to see the heart pumping away, the blood flowing through the cord and the kidneys, little tiny hands again (but that never gets old!)....and then the tech asked, "Do you want to know what you're having?" I said, "Yes please!!!" She froze a shot of the two legs, again void in the middle, and said, "It looks like a girl..." but the baby was yet again in an awkward position. We wanted a clear money shot, so we waited. All of the sudden we were being mooned on the screen and clear as day, you could see we were having a girl! It was official in my mind, there's no place for a little wee wee to be hiding in that picture!! Here's a picture of the shot that sealed the deal:
After seeing that shot, even Casey admitted there was no arguing that one, we were definitely going to have to paint the spare room pink! Needless to say everyone is excited for us. It's been easy to shift my thinking from "he" to "she", and we already call her Abby. She also seems to have her brother's profile (I think they'll look alike), with that cute button nose:
So there it is, we're expecting Abigail Maria-Jane. I'm hoping (and thinking it's possible) I go into labor in late April, so she can have the awesome birthstone of diamond, but we'll see. So far I've been wrong on every aspect when it comes to being pregnant, both times. I swore Aidan was a girl (he is most definitely all boy), I swore I was going to have to be induced after going past my due date (I went into early labor and finally had him at 39 weeks), I swore Abby was going to be a boy...I'm not doing so well on the mommy intuition front.
As far as my check up goes, everything looks great. Abby's HR was in the upper 140s, and my fundal height is right on track. No complaints, other than getting woozy when my braxton hicks come around. But the midwife said it's normal and to make sure I've eaten and keep hydrated. If they come frequently, do the opposite of what I'm already doing (rest if I'm up and moving, get up and move if I'm resting), and to call if I have more than 6 in an hour. My bp is awesome and I gained some weight! I weighed myself the night we got back from Louisiana and saw a 9 lb increase since I had left 2 weeks earlier. But because I lost a few pounds earlier in the pregnancy and again since I got home from Louisiana, I'm only officially up five pounds since the time I got pregnant. It's not much, but it's something! I'm just glad I'm gaining, makes me feel better about Abby's health.
So that is all for now. My next appointment is Feb. 1 and I'll be 26 weeks by then. I can't believe time is flying right by...she'll be here before we know it!!!
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