Ultrasound Update

They called me yesterday to schedule an appointment!! What a relief! I was about to go insane thinking I would have to wait 48-72 hours just to schedule my appointment, which is what they initially told me. Ok Kaiser you have redeemed yourself. And even better: they were able to fit me in yesterday evening! Double points Kaiser. The only bad part: The ultrasound was with a technician, not a doctor, so I still don't really know anything. The technician said if there was something to worry about I would get a phone call in the next couple days, otherwise I would discuss the results with my doctor at my next appt. Which is in two weeks - boo. Patience is not one of my finer qualities. After tomorrow it will have been a "couple days" so I'm still kind of waiting in anticipation. I'm hoping that if something were really wrong, like something that could be causing the baby distress, they would have called me by now. That seems like a fair assumption, right? The fun part: I got to see her and actually got a picture this time around! I will have to scan it in so I can post it. She's really low - like I thought - and her head is down, which is good. He did say she had a strong heart beat! She is still moving quite a bit and that is usually a good sign.

In other baby news: I think I had some braxton hicks contractions today. It seemed like every time I stood up everything would harden up, but I don't know if that was my uterus or just the baby pushing against my stomach. I don't remember ever having any with Tyler so it's hard for me to tell. I've been taking it easy tonight just to make sure though.

I also have almost no pelvic bone pain today! YIPEE!! I can move!! I don't know why it has gotten so much better, if she moved, or it moved or what, but I won't question it. I'm just happy I can move without wincing in pain. Let's hope this sticks around.

Anyway, I will update more as soon as I know anything, which will hopefully be soon.

Ultrasound - - - Again

This baby is destined to give me premature gray hair. First, and far less important, my literal pain in the bum became almost incapacitating yesterday. Everything was fine in the morning, but at some point in the afternoon I did something that did something to my pelvic bone that made every single movement nearly unbearable. I spent the evening in tears as I tried to do things that only amounted to more pain. The tears continued as I was unable to do something as simple as lift my baby onto the couch to cuddle with me. Mark had to take over and do all the night time routines and put Tyler to bed. It's amazing what all of a sudden becomes important when you can't do it anymore. There were definitely nights previous to this that I wished Mark would take over so I could relax. Last night I realized how much it meant to me that I could be the one to brush Tyler's teeth, read him a story, sing him a song, rock him, and put him to bed with a kiss. I just cried and cried as I listened to Mark do it. So some of it was probably the hormones, but I started imagining what the next 8 weeks would be like if I couldn't do all the things that I was used to doing. That, obviously, brought on more tears. I finally went to bed to mope in my misery. It was some point after this that a streak of stubborness finally kicked in. I have 8 more weeks of this pregnancy, give or take, and I will not live like this. So I started practicing how to move, how to support my pelvic bone and tail bone so that the pain wasn't as severe. I also asked Mark for a blessing and prayed my own little heart out that I would be able to persevere through this and be blessed to know how to manage so I could still be my baby's mommy. This morning, though still in pain, things are better. I have learned a few new techniques that allow me to move more freely. I am so grateful that so far I am still able to get around and, for the most part, do things. I've even been able to pick up Tyler and play with him - albeit in a slightly modified manner. I hope that I will continue to learn and be able to work through this.

Now for the other news. I had a regular prenatal appt today and I had planned on focusing the majority of my appt on my pelvic pain and what to do about that. Well, she had other plans. The second the doctor started measuring and doing the outside palpations I could tell he was concerned. My heart sank - what now? He asked me how big Tyler had been at birth, how tall Mark and I were, how her movements were. He then told me that from his guess and measurements she was measuring small for her gestational age. He wanted me to go in for another ultrasound to check her growth and the amniotic fluid level. The water works were about to start up again. ANOTHER ultrasound? My little heart can't handle anymore scares with her! My immediate thought went back to my level II ultrasound that I had had earlier. Isn't measuring small a marker for all the defects they had been looking for then? Had they missed something? Was something actually wrong with her? As my mind swam, the doctor continued to tell me that it was a small suspicion since she was still moving well, but he wanted to make sure. ANd even if she did measure small, chances were she was just a small baby. So he left and I gathered my things all of a sudden horrifically aware of how menial my stupid pelvic pain was. Who cares about me! UGH! Life has a way of showing you what's most important when you start whining about something that's not. Anyway, pretty much what they are looking for is a problem called IUGR - intrauterine growth restriction. It could mean so many things it makes me want to scream. It could be nothing more than a small baby or on the other hand it could be a chromosomal defect (like the ones they were looking for earlier) or a problem with the placenta. It could also be something related to my health, but I don't smoke or drink and I don't have any of the pregnancy induced health risks such as hypertension, diabetes, etc etc - so most likely its one of the other three options. Now I just wait - - again. They said they'd call me within the next 72 hours to schedule my ultrasound, so I have no idea when it's going to be. Hopefully soon. And hopefully, like last time, it's with a doctor rather than a technician so I can find out DURING the ultrasound what's going on rather than having to wait longer for someone to call me and tell me. I am so ready to have her and have all this drama over with! I know there are different things to worry about once she's here and believe me if there is something to worry about, I'll find it. But I just want her here! Not early of course, but I just want the next 8 weeks or so to go by fast. I pray that she's just small and that everything is fine!

Aches and Pains

May I whine for a minute? I am having the worst pain in my bum - literally! It starts in the middle of my bum and radiates toward my right side. Its the worst when I stand up or sit down or when I straighten up after leaning over. Lately its started to hurt too when I roll over or lift something (aka Tyler) or just when I've been walking for a while. Ok lately, its been hurting almost always. Luckily I can still pretty much function, I just work through the mild constant pain and let out a good solid OUCH when a certain movement sends a stabbing pain through my bum. I think this may just be par for the course when it comes to this pregnancy. Only 8 more weeks to go (approximately).

Did I also ever mention how strong she is? Some of her jabs, kicks, and rolls are downright gasp worthy. Especially if I'm crouched over. Boy, she lets me know it then! I sit up straight or I don't sit at all apparently. Apparently she doesn't think she has enough room and is trying to stretch her home farther than it's bounds! Again, par for the course this time 'round.

All the aches and pains aside - I'm so grateful she moves a lot! And I'm grateful that these are the things I have to whine about. There are so many worse things that can happen in pregnancy. I'm so glad I can still do everything I need to as a mom and wife and homemaker. Bring on the next 8 weeks!

30 Weeks!

I am officially on the countdown. Yesterday this baby turned 30 weeks - giving me 10 weeks left (give or take). Everything is going well. I had my 30 week check-up today and received my rhogam shot. My doctor said my uterus is as high as it can go and now I'll only grow out, rather than the up and out that I've been doing for the past seven months apparently. I am carrying a little differently with her (at least I think, as far as I can remember). I remember carrying Tyler a bit higher and more out. So far she feels lower and more in, but maybe that will all change in the next 10 weeks. AH! 10 weeks! In some ways that seems so short, in others - soooo very long. I need to start getting all the newborn stuff out and washing them. Time to break out the good ol' carseat, pack and play, swing, boppy, and bouncer. I'm pulling the same denial I had with Tyler. I finally bought her a couple outfits so she won't lay around naked when she arrives. Tyler has definitely helped me stay a bit more spry this pregnancy. I can still squat down with ease. Ok maybe not ease, but I can handle it ok. It is getting harder to get up and down and put on my socks. Good thing its warming up and I can wear slip ons and sandals. She is still moving a lot, but hasn't quite found a pattern that suits her. Sometimes its more in the morning, sometimes more at night. I hope she settles for the morning so that when she comes she is already used to sleeping at night. That would be awesome. And that's about all. Let the count down begin!

3 Hour Test

Today I went in to take the 3 hour glucose tolerance test. I was kind of nervous. Everything I read online made it sound like the test from H- E - double hockey sticks. Aside from being long I didn't think it was too bad. I didn't even get dizzy or anything. Thank goodness!! I brought my labtop and head phones and watched movies, so even the wait wasn't too bad. I have been kind of out of it the rest of the day and a little nauseaus, but I assume its just my body working all that sugar out of my system. For the 3 hour test you drink a drink with twice as much sugar. My drink had 100 g of sugar in it! That's probably more than I generally eat in a whole day. I hope that's more than I eat in a whole day - that's A LOT!

The good news: I passed! And I passed by a lot too. I was never even close to the cut off numbers. Woohoo!! My hour mark result was even lower than yesterday's one hour test result. ANd I had twice as much sugar....hmmm.... not sure how that works, but I'm glad I don't have gestational diabetes!

I Failed :(

I had my gestational diabetes screening today and failed :( I kind of had a feeling that I would, but I hoped that I was just being weird. I did everything I could to try and avoid a positive on the test. All day yesterday I only ate whole grains and proteins - no fruit, no sugar, nothing. Then for breakfast this morning all I had was eggs and cheese. I looked back at my test with Tyler and barely passed. I got a 127 and the cut off is 130. And I did have a bit of a sugar problem towards the end of my pregnancy with Tyler. Not a big one, just a "watch your sugars" kind of a thing. So I should have known. Today I got a 134 - which technically is not bad.... some doctors only care if it's over 140, but whatever. So tomorrow (or Saturday, I haven't decided which yet) I get to take the lovely 3 hour fasting glucose tolerance test. I'm not looking forward to it. Who makes a pregnant woman fast and then guzzle straight sugar? I am a bit worried as to how my body will react. The 1 hour test has never affected me in any way, so hopefully this won't either. Oh the joys of pregnancy! Hopefully everything will turn out normal this time around.

I was also diagnosed with anemia during this check up. Good news all around today :) That's not that big of deal. Just have to take some iron supplements. In fact, I'm thinking that it may make me feel even better and more energetic! That would be awesome! I have been feeling a bit rundown lately. The only not so lovely side effect is constipation. Guess I'll just have to up the fiber intake.

Aside from that the baby looks good and healthy. I'm measuring right on track at 27.5 weeks. She is moving tons and its quite powerful! Sometimes it even hurts. I do remember it sometimes hurting with Tyler, but not quite this early. I'm glad that she is such a mover though. Gives me reassurance. Aside from being a little bit more tired than usual I've been feeling pretty good. I still get nauseaus occasionally, but not too bad and usually eating helps. I wonder if that is related to the anemia as well. hmm? And that's about all. A few more days and I'm officially in my third trimester! Yay!!

Success!

I slept last night!!! I guess it was just indigestion. I took ALL the advice the nurse gave me from switching to Maalox to waiting 3 hours before I laid down to eating only bland, boring food to taking small, teeny bites and chewing til it's basically nothing to propping myself up with pillows at night. Today I'm a little gaggy feeling, but I think that its part of this whole indigestion thing. I will be taking some maalox soon. I guess this is just something different about this pregnancy and I will just learn how to deal with it. I'm just SO SO SO SO thankful that I was able to sleep last night!!