Progress update

I'll submit my usual weekly update tomorrow, but here's the latest from my doc appt yesterday:

BP is holding its own
Baby failed NST (again) but passed BPP with flying colors
Dilated 1-2 cm
50% effaced
Baby is at -2 station

Yay for progress! Next appt is on Friday :)

36.5 week (long) update

I was such a slacker this past week, but I promise it was for good reasons.

How far along? 36w4d
Total weight gain/loss: +46lbs
Maternity clothes? Yes
Stretch marks? No
Sleep: Some nights yes, some not really
Best moment this week: My birthday :)
Movement: Yes
Food cravings: nothing in particular
Labor Signs: I'm starting to notice more "real" contractions with menstrual like pain and back pain. I might have one or 2 a day
Belly Button in or out? In
What I miss: Not having chest pain from severe reflux
What I am looking forward to: Baby girl's b-day!
Milestones: None really

So, from last Friday (the 22nd) till yesterday was a crazy week. Last Friday I ended up going to L&D b/c of high BP and trace protein in my urine. All ended up being fine, but I have apparently been diagnosed with gestational hyperternsion. I find this funny b/c the only time my BP is high is when I go to the doc's office--white coat syndrome much? As of last Friday I was told I needed to come in for bi-weekly appts with NSTs each time. Tuesday's appt went just as well as Friday's. I was hooked up on the NST for about 1.5 hours and they just couldn't get baby girl to do what they needed her to do...plus my BP was high again...shocking. Especially considering that I now have anxiety about getting my BP taken at the doc's office since my new diagnosis. So, off to the hospital I went again. This time for b/w for the high BP (no protein in urine this time) and for a bio-physical profile on the baby.

Between the doc's office and the hospital visit, it was 8 hours. Thank God I had an afternoon appt and had left work for the day already. On the bright side, I got to see baby girl, who at 36 weeks was measuring 6lbs 7oz...but all her measurements were "on time" for 6/23--if I make it till then, she's estimated to be around 8lbs. I found out she does indeed have hair on her head and that she has long legs! Baby girl is also VERY low in my pelvis which explains all the pain and pressure I've been feeling. She has definitely dropped. She passed the BPP with flying colors, as I did my b/w as well. I was released from the hospital at 10pm that night and I was exhausted!

Yesterday was my 2nd weekly appt and I decided to bring Chris for moral support. Baby girl passed the NST this time, just barely. The problem was that she was moving around so much in the beginning they couldn't establish a "baseline" heartrate....and then she fell asleep. After being buzzed, oh about 5 times, she finally pulled through in the last 5-10 minutes and showed the doc what he needed to see. And....drumroll please, my BP was ok yesterday. My doctor asked that I now take it 3-4 times a day, just to be sure. Everytime I have taken my BP at home in the past week it has been normal every.single.time. I'm pretty sure I just have white coat syndrome now....especially since they are being so overly cautious about it-->this of course, I understand. They certainly don't want me to develop preeclampsia.

In any case, I left my appt in smug bliss that I did not in fact have to go to the hospital for another BPP...when it happened. My tire blew out on the highway on my way back to work. After about 1.5 hours I was on my way back to work.....but man....what a week!!! Hopefully next week is much better. If anything, I am so excited to be 37 weeks on Tuesday--Yay for full term! I haven't had any internals yet, but I bet they'll start next week.

35 weeks--one month to go!

How far along? 35w2d
Total weight gain/loss: +45lbs--holy smokes, I'm getting so big!
Maternity clothes? Yes
Stretch marks? No
Sleep: Yes, I've been sleeping pretty well actually. The secret is to fall asleep before Chris...either on the couch or go to bed earlier--> certainly not hard to do anymore!
Best moment this week: Work baby shower!
Movement: Yes--she's doing a lot of rolling
Food cravings: nothing in particular
Labor Signs: Starting to notice some more BH and occasionally menstrual like cramps when I get up from sitting or laying down. Not sure if those are "labor signs" but they are there.
Belly Button in or out? In
What I miss: Aside from my family, nothing really
What I am looking forward to: definitely the 3 day weekend, my doc appt tomorrow, getting my hair done on Saturday, working more on my to-do list, my birthday, June ;)
Milestones: Started packing hospital bag, picked out coming home outfits for baby, started labor playlists

I'm just trucking right along with my apparently ginormous belly. People think I'm going to go into labor at any minute...you should see the look of horror on their faces when I say that I'm due June 23rd. It's like they are afraid of how much bigger I'm going to get. So super annoying.

In one of my daily chats with my mom, she told me that my aunt (her sister) had found pictures of when my mom was pregnant with me. My mom has barely any pictures of this time period b/c she really didn't like the way she looked. Thankfully though, she sent a bunch of pictures to her family in Croatia. After seeing my shower pictures they said that I look and am carrying exactly like my mom was when she was pregnant with me. I love that.

34 weeks--6 weeks to go!

How far along? 34w2d
Total weight gain/loss: +42lbs--she must be getting pretty big in there b/c I know I haven't been eating any different!
Maternity clothes? Yes
Stretch marks? No
Sleep: Again, this depends on the level of snoring
Best moment this week: Organizing all her clothes in the dresser and closet, picking out her coming home outfits (in a few different size and shapes), finding out I have a growth u/s at 38 weeks :)
Movement: Yes. It seems that the bigger she gets, the more I feel her move even though she is running out of room!
Food cravings: Chocolate
Labor Signs: Nope
Belly Button in or out? In
What I miss: Being tan--random, I know
What I am looking forward to: the weekend, June
Weekly Wisdom: I've got nothing
Milestones: Made my list for my hospital bag and plan to start packing that this weekend!

In other news, I think the baby is dropping. I am feeling so much pressure at certain times of the day...it sometimes feels like she's going to fall out! It is the absolute WORST when I get out of bed in the middle of the night to pee. Its a straight up waddle all the way to the bathroom and back!

Week 34:

33 weeks

How far along? 33w2d
Total weight gain/loss: +38-39ish...I have to weigh myself later today and see
Maternity clothes? Yes
Stretch marks? No
Sleep: Well, when Chris and I sleep in separate bedrooms, then Yes
Best moment this week: Putting together new baby stuff and starting to organize all her clothes!
Movement: Yes. This past week she's been practicing jabs on my cervix....OUCH!
Food cravings: Anything with cheese on it
Labor Signs: Nope
Belly Button in or out? In
What I miss: My family--but they will be here again soon!
What I am looking forward to: the weekend, doc appt on Monday, June
Weekly Wisdom: Don't ever hesitate to call the doc if something does not seem right to you
Milestones: Found our pediatrician!

Shower pics!

I know I said I'd put these up last night, but I suck. Nevertheless, here they are. Not too many where I didn't look enormous, so these are the best ones...

My gorgeous mother and I

My gorgeous BFF and I

Mom, me, sister

Diaper cake!

Baby Shower and the ER

I had my baby shower this past Saturday and it was absolutely wonderful. Baby girl is already so spoiled. We pretty much got everything off of our registry and so much more. Everyone was so generous and I am so thankful for our family and friends.

My mom, sister, and best friend came in on Friday evening and then left on Sunday. It was so great to see them. Everytime we're together I forget how much I miss seeing them. Don't get me wrong, I miss them everyday, but once they are around, that feeling is elevated.

After the shower my mom, BF and I put away and put together some of the baby's things. Thus far we have set up the stroller, bouncer, swing, and playard. We organized the nursery closet and put some more stuff up in the nursery. My mom brought the drapes that she made which are simply perfect. All that's left to do is hang up 3 canvas paintings, 2 of which my sister has yet to paint and she'll do that when they are back again for baby girl's arrival. I'll be sure to post pics of both the updated nursery and baby shower when I get home this evening. As a note, I really look like a chunky monkey in a lot of shots. I know I didn't look too bad when I looked at myself in the mirror, but then the camera added about 10 more lbs....ugh!

Now, onto the ER visit. Sunday afternoon I started having some light chest pains. It wasn't heartburn, it just felt like a achiness right in the center of my sternum. I didn't think much of it and went about my Sunday as usual. When I went to bed that night it got worse, so I took some tylenol, prayed that it would subside, and ended up falling asleep once it did calm down. Yesterday morning I felt it again, but not as strong as the night before. After talking to my doc, he had me come in to get checked out. After the usual doppler and BP check, he told me that I should go to the ER for a possible cardiac consult. I was like WHAT?! Certainly not the way I thought I was going to be spending my Monday!

So, I walked into the ER and they pretty much took me in right away. The hospital pretty much rocked and I am so glad that I will be delivering there. They did an EKG, blood work for a blood clot, and chest x-rays. Everything came back totally normal and the ER doc and my OB (who the ER doc was constantly in touch with) thought that I had severe reflux that was manifesting itself as this chest pain. Sometimes you can have bad reflux and not have the associated heart burn, but rather the chest pain. I was sent home with some prevacid and fingers crossed that it would work.

Thus far, it seems that the problem has been solved. The chest pain is gone. YAY! But it was definitely scary. Oh and Baby girl is A-OK. She was having a party in my stomach the whole time at the hospital and even kicked the ER doc when she was checking me :)