Yesterday was my official due date for bebe. Bebe obviously has other plans because she/he has not yet arrived. Mom came up to take me to my appointment which was nice. It's no fun going alone. Sharon, my midwife, saw me in the hallway and said "are you in labor yet?". I said "No, unfortunately" and she made a sad face. Once she got to the room with me we chatted about what had been going on with me. It seems my water has still not broken, but I'm already at 3 cm dilated. I lost 3 lbs of water weight which is nice and my feet are not so swollen. My blood pressure was up again, but only to 132/60. She gave me another "good exam" I guess trying to get things moving along. Not the most comfortable, but since this was my third "good exam" in two weeks, I was starting to get used to it and it didn't hurt as much. She then told me I was going to be put on a non-stress monitor and after that I could go and she'd see me on Friday when I'm scheduled for induction at 5:30 AM. It's totally elective, but I can't see waiting any longer for bebe...I'm just too damn uncomfortable and starting to worry that things are progressing so slowly.
The nurse, Cara, came in and put on the monitor for the bebe's heart beat and one to see if I was having contractions. She angled it so I could read the chart as it blipped along. I laid there and relaxed and enjoyed the sounds of bebe's heart beat. It was almost like meditating. The line that detected contractions stayed flat the whole time. I figured I wasn't having any. I don't really know what they're going to feel like, but you see things on tv and you assume. So far this has been nothing like tv. I started to panic a little because I was starting to get that "I need to eat NOW" feeling (I think it's some sort of hypoglycemia issue...which I have not had diagnosed.) I need to eat every couple of hours or I get clammy and weak. Just then Sharon comes in to check on me and while she's looking at the print out she says "Hmm, I think you need a soda". I thought she was kidding and she went out of the room. A minute later she comes in with a Pepsi and a pack of nabs. "This woman is an angel" was my first thought. She poured me some Pepsi, opened the nabs and said "this is a new thing, if you stay here long with us you get a complementary snack". She said she'd be back in 10 minutes and then I could go home. I laid there enjoying my snack, the soothing sound of bebe's heart beat and the view of the Elizabeth River and odd shaped clouds floating by. I felt like I was in a spa! It was such a happy moment and I started to think about meeting bebe that I felt a tear streak down my cheek. These hormones are some powerful things! I have been so stressed this last month or so, it was nice to have some time to just sit and relax and think about bebe. I don't usually drink Pepsi, but that was the best damn Pepsi and pack of nabs I've ever eaten!
Mom and I went to lunch in Ghent after my appointment and had a delicious Stromboli. Then we headed back to Portsmouth so I could put my feet up, Dr.'s orders. I have been drinking water like it's going out of style this past week. My feet have been so swollen and this was the first day I had seen my ankles in a while. I'm just glad the blood work they took on my Monday to check my liver came back alright. I was worried I'd have some sort of complication. As long as I rest and keep my feet up and drink my water, I think I'll be just fine. I am concerned that they won't let me eat once I get into the hospital. I don't want to get all clammy and weak just when I need to pull together all the strength I've got to deliver this baby. I'll have to eat plenty today and be sure to eat something with protein in the morning. I'm not happy about having to get up so early, but I'm really ready to have this bebe.
I just hope I can get through the birth process without the need for medication. Fingers crossed!
I probably won't be able to update for a little while anyway because we'll be off having a bebe and then bringing bebe home and getting settled. However, I want to keep everyone updated so I'll try my best. Wish me luck!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
Put you feet up!
So, today I go to the doctor for a check up, hoping to get the good news that I'm 5 cm or something crazy like that. I took Momma with me since she's back in town and I don't like to go alone now that I'm so close. I told Bill he was off the hook for these checkups because I want him to save his leave time for after bebe arrives. Mom sat in the waiting area and knitted and tried to chat people up, but no one was really in a talking mood. Gotta love her for trying though LOL :-)
Sharon (my midwife) saw my feet and just kind of gave me a look like "you poor thing". My feet have been swelling up really good for the past two weeks or so, but they were especially puffy this morning. My blood pressure was also up a little bit and I have gained 4 pounds of water weight since last Wednesday. That's less than a week! So, she told me I was done with work and to stay home and put my feet up, drink lots of water and avoid salt. She also had them do more blood work. (Yes, Eric, more blood work!) She wanted to check my liver to make sure everything there is ok. She was optimistic that it's fine, but has to check as a precaution.
So, I sit in the little chair and grabbed the little pill shaped stress ball. Cara tried first. She checked my left arm and hand and then my right arm and hand. She was not optimistic but she stuck me once in the arm and once in the hand and was not able to get it. I saw one of the nurses that was able to get a good vein before so I suggested she try. She used to work at a diabetes clinic so she was known for getting a good stick. Well, she looked and looked and stuck me once but it rolled. Then she called in the Nurse Practitioner who is super woman at drawing blood evidently. She used to work in labor and delivery. Well, she put two tourniquets on my damn arm! I thought it was going to fall off! She stuck me once and it rolled. She said, "Ok, I'm going to try one more time in this other arm and if I can't get it then I'm sending you to Lab Corp." I guess that's what I subconsciously needed to hear because she got a good stick that time. Whew! I hadn't drunk much water because I wasn't expecting any more blood work after the 4 hour blood test about a month ago. So, she gave me two cups of water that I gulped down quickly as I felt myself get hot and cold and hot and cold. No spots though!
I go back on Wednesday for another check up. If an induction comes open on the schedule she's going to call me and get me in, otherwise I'm scheduled for Friday at 5:30 AM for induction. I'm hoping this baby comes today or tomorrow! Until then, I am waiting (not so patiently). Bebe's room is ready, my bag is backed, and the car seat is in the car. I am READY!
Sharon (my midwife) saw my feet and just kind of gave me a look like "you poor thing". My feet have been swelling up really good for the past two weeks or so, but they were especially puffy this morning. My blood pressure was also up a little bit and I have gained 4 pounds of water weight since last Wednesday. That's less than a week! So, she told me I was done with work and to stay home and put my feet up, drink lots of water and avoid salt. She also had them do more blood work. (Yes, Eric, more blood work!) She wanted to check my liver to make sure everything there is ok. She was optimistic that it's fine, but has to check as a precaution.
So, I sit in the little chair and grabbed the little pill shaped stress ball. Cara tried first. She checked my left arm and hand and then my right arm and hand. She was not optimistic but she stuck me once in the arm and once in the hand and was not able to get it. I saw one of the nurses that was able to get a good vein before so I suggested she try. She used to work at a diabetes clinic so she was known for getting a good stick. Well, she looked and looked and stuck me once but it rolled. Then she called in the Nurse Practitioner who is super woman at drawing blood evidently. She used to work in labor and delivery. Well, she put two tourniquets on my damn arm! I thought it was going to fall off! She stuck me once and it rolled. She said, "Ok, I'm going to try one more time in this other arm and if I can't get it then I'm sending you to Lab Corp." I guess that's what I subconsciously needed to hear because she got a good stick that time. Whew! I hadn't drunk much water because I wasn't expecting any more blood work after the 4 hour blood test about a month ago. So, she gave me two cups of water that I gulped down quickly as I felt myself get hot and cold and hot and cold. No spots though!
I go back on Wednesday for another check up. If an induction comes open on the schedule she's going to call me and get me in, otherwise I'm scheduled for Friday at 5:30 AM for induction. I'm hoping this baby comes today or tomorrow! Until then, I am waiting (not so patiently). Bebe's room is ready, my bag is backed, and the car seat is in the car. I am READY!
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Happy Mother's Day
Baby is due to arrive this Wednesday, but I'm hoping he/she will grace us with her/his presence before then. My feet have been swollen for the past two weeks and I think I might have done some damage to my left one from walking around so much in my flip flops. Since my feet are swollen those are the only shoes that fit me and I have been trying to walk as much as possible to help the labor process along. At last Wednesday's check up I was 2 cm dilated already. I go in again tomorrow and I feel like I've got to be a few more cm. We shall see. At least at this point if I go into labor it will be my midwife that delivers me. If I had gone earlier this weekend it would have been a different doctor on call.
The Mommas are coming up this afternoon for a cookout. Since I can't go too far from the hospital in case I go into labor, they are coming to me. The weather is perfect (not rainy or too hot) so we will cookout on the grill and eat out on our deck. I was up and moving around this morning doing stuff and have had to take a break already. I am hugely pregnant!
This morning, Bill went out to get coffee and came back with the sweetest Mother's Day card and an orange lily plant and my first red rose bush! This has been a great Mother's Day already and it's only 12:30pm!
If I make it past my due date they will induce me this Friday morning. I'm hoping bebe decides to join us before then though. I am not thinking about the process as much as I am excited about the end result. Finding out who's been flipping around in my belly these past nine months and what sort of personality they will have is the fun part. I just hope labor is easy and I can do it without medication. Fingers crossed!
Happy Mother's Day to all you wonderful mothers!
The Mommas are coming up this afternoon for a cookout. Since I can't go too far from the hospital in case I go into labor, they are coming to me. The weather is perfect (not rainy or too hot) so we will cookout on the grill and eat out on our deck. I was up and moving around this morning doing stuff and have had to take a break already. I am hugely pregnant!
This morning, Bill went out to get coffee and came back with the sweetest Mother's Day card and an orange lily plant and my first red rose bush! This has been a great Mother's Day already and it's only 12:30pm!
If I make it past my due date they will induce me this Friday morning. I'm hoping bebe decides to join us before then though. I am not thinking about the process as much as I am excited about the end result. Finding out who's been flipping around in my belly these past nine months and what sort of personality they will have is the fun part. I just hope labor is easy and I can do it without medication. Fingers crossed!
Happy Mother's Day to all you wonderful mothers!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
