My Two Week Post Delivery Appointment

Yesterday I had my two week post delivery doctor appointment.

The results came back from the tests that were done on my super small placenta and super short umbilical cord. They were normal. My doctor told me that there was no indication of abnormality, they were just really small. I asked him how this would impact my next pregnancy and he told me that future pregnancies could be completely different. In the future I could have the longest cord he has ever seen. He also assured me that the small placenta and short cord had nothing to do with anything I did or didn't do during the pregnancy, that made me feel better.

I also found out that I will have to deliver any future babies via C-Section. I will never have a vaginal delivery because the risk of rupturing my uterus is too great. I'm not really sure how I feel about this. In one sense, it's kind of cool to know that I probably won't have to go through a long labor and delivery again, everything will be scheduled and planned out. And no more epidurals that don't work. In another sense, I will never know what it's like to deliver vaginally. I expressed my concern to my doctor about feeling that I had done something wrong during delivery. I couldn't understand why I pushed for two hours and the baby didn't budge. He told me that my pelvic area was too small and on top of that, the baby just wasn't budging. It had nothing to do with my lack of ability. I appreciate his assurance, but I still have a disappointed feeling--thinking that I should have been able to push Zoe through. However, I'm just glad she made it here safely. And I'll do what it takes with my next pregnancy to get that baby here safely also, my personal guilt will go on the back burner.

Zoe Pictures

Be sure to check out the "More pics at photobucket" link. We will be adding pictures periodically.

Things I Want To Remember About My Pregnancy

UPDATED June 4, 2007

As I mentioned in my previous post, I really miss being pregnant with Zoe. So, I thought I would take some time to journal some of the things I want to remember about the pregnancy.

I'll most likely be adding to this post periodically, as I remember things.

- The first time I felt Zoe kick. I was at work and I sneezed really loud. I think it woke her up and I felt a little kick just under and to the left of my belly button. I was about 5 months along.

- I gained 39.5 pounds. That's about 9.5 pounds more than I expected to gain.

- The heartburn was horrible and it got worse throughout the pregnancy. It would wake me up at night and towards the end of the pregnancy it was constantly there. But it went away the day I had Zoe.

- The sleepless nights. I could not sleep. I was uncomfortable sleeping on my side. Towards the end of the pregnancy I had to push myself up, turn while sitting up, then lower myself back down...when I wanted to switch to the other side.

- Zoe pushing on my ribs, especially the left side. It hurt so bad but at the same time was a very reassuring feeling because it meant Zoe was still with me.

- Dr. Herzog telling me that I needed to sleep on my left side. Me telling him that I couldn't sleep on that side because it hurt my ribs and hips so bad. Him telling me that I better get used to it (in other words...suck it up!). Mike and I looking at him waiting for the "just kidding". Dr. Herzog saying, "I'm serious" with a straight face.

- My many doctor visits. Cindy, Pan, and Susan. They were so great and made me feel so special.

- The only time I had caffeine during the pregnancy was when I went in for my NST visits. Every one at the doctor's office told me to drink a coke before I came so that Zoe would wake up and move around. I didn't mind because it tasted so good. The staff didn't mind because it made my NST's easier.

- Once my belly got really big I always slept with my hand on my stomach. I wanted to feel my baby kick as often as I could. Sometimes I would push in on my stomach to see if I could get her to move around. The best was when I would lay on my side and watch my stomach. I could see her moving - elbows, knees, bum!

- Mike taking care of me. He was so worried about me and the baby. From the very beginning of the pregnancy he wouldn't let me lift anything, bend down to pick something up, he made sure I ate a lot, he made sure I ate healthy (until I was told by the doctor to bulk up....and to eat milk shakes, chips, etc.). Mike cooked for me. He cleaned for me. He went shopping. He was so wonderful.

- Mike staying with me for two weeks at the hospital. It was kind of fun. We watched lots of movies and just hung out in the hospital room.

- The wheelchair rides that Mike took me on during my hospital stay. We explored the hospital, got lost, went in places we probably shouldn't have. It was so fun.

- Eating at Chic-fil-A for lunch before my doctor appointments. Every time I ate there Zoe would kick a lot and we would have a great NST.

- How hard it was for me at first to start eating a lot. But then I got used to it and now I still want to eat a lot!

- Ensure Plus. I had to drink two of them a day. Now I kind of crave them.

- Mike had to always put my shoes on and buckle/tie them for me. Once I hit about the 6th month, I just couldn't maneuver my body to reach my feet. Once I hit about the 8th month I couldn't even see my feet anymore.

- The first time I saw Zoe on the ultrasound. I was 10 weeks along. She was moving and squirming. It was so cool. I couldn't believe it! She was so tiny and it was amazing to think that she was moving that much but I couldn't feel it.

The Baby Blues

These past couple of weeks have been a whirlwind experience for me. It seems that I only remember about half of everything that has happened. It's weird. I blame it a little on the pain medication that I've been on, a little on all the crazy hormones, and a lot on lack of sleep.

I kind of remember a nurse handing me a piece of paper titled "Postpartum Depression" the day I left the hospital. I thanked her and stuck it in my folder with all the other papers I had received while in the hospital--never thinking I would need to refer to it.

Much to my surprise though, a few hours after Mike, Zoe and I got home from the hospital on the 14th I started to cry. What?! Where did this come from?! I was the happiest person in the world yet there I was bawling. I ran and got Mike who was just as surprised as I was. He quickly ran to our hospital folder and grabbed the "Postpartum Depression" paper, threw it in my face and said "Read this!". So as I had myself a good cry, with Mike rubbing my back with one hand and holding Zoe in his other arm, I read the paper.

I appears that I had a case of the Baby Blues. I was really not prepared for this.

I feel a lot better now and haven't cried in a few days, nor have I had to fight back the urge to cry - Yeah! It's interesting though the kind of things that have been going through my head. It was such an interesting experience that I thought I would share them with you.

First let me explain the difference between Baby Blues and Postpartum Depression:

Baby Blues: Weepiness, unhappiness, anxiety, mood swings - all during the first week or so after delivery. Goes away on its own. This is caused by a drop in estrogen and progesterone after having the baby.

Postpartum Depression: Same symptoms as the baby blues but lasts much longer and usually required medical attention.

So, here are some of the things that went through my mind during the past couple of weeks:

- Though I had a somewhat rough pregnancy, I thoroughly enjoyed being pregnant. Not being pregnant anymore is a really sad thing for me. It's kind of a sense of loss and emptiness and I miss Zoe being inside me and feeling her kick and move around all the time. I also miss my big, round belly (I also secretly miss having to eat a LOT).

- The big event that I looked forward to for nine months - childbirth - is over. It's a feeling of anticlimax.

- I have gone from center stage to back-stage. Everywhere I went while being pregnant I would have people inquiring about how I was feeling and giving me lots of attention. At my doctor's visits I wouldn't have to wait with all the other patients, as soon as Mike and I walked in the door we would get called in to start my NST test. For two months I had Mike taking care of my every need - he cooked for me, cleaned, ran errands, and worried about me. Now, all the focus has moved to Zoe. This is kind of a selfish one, I know. It was fun being the center of attention and I kind of miss it. However, Mike still does take care of me and still runs errands and stuff (I'm glad that hasn't changed).

- I miss being in the hospital and going to the doctor. This goes along with the previous thought. I spent two weeks in the hospital, then when I was released I went to see my doctor twice a week. Then when Zoe was born I was in the hospital again for four and a half days. I don't necessarily like hospitals or doctor's offices, but in my case, they were really great experiences. I have never met so many nice people who genuinely cared about me and my baby. They were all wonderful and I was really surprised to find that I miss it, a lot.

- I miss the old me & Mike. For almost six years it has been just the two of us. We could always do whatever we wanted, go on any vacation, go to dinner, see a movie, sleep in late on the weekend, stay up late watching movies, whatever. It was always the two of us. I miss that. I'm afraid that I'll miss Mike a lot. We'll have to find ways to get around this.

- For nine months I was fat and pregnant. That was a good thing. Now there is just a lot of loose skin, it's not so fun this way.

So there it is. My mom and Lisa each came for a few days to help out with Zoe. This helped me because it gave me a sense of normalcy. It also has helped having my dad, Jane, and AJ come to visit, and Mike has a lot of family here. I think having all the company has helped me and the fact that we live with Mike's sister, Krista, and her family has helped A LOT.

Reflections

Zzzzzzz

Why We Picked The Name Zoe

After funneling through thousands and thousands of girl names, Mike and I finally (at the hospital, the night Zoe was born) decided on a name. It was a difficult task and here are the reasons we chose the name Zoe:

Zoe means 'Everlasting Life'.

The name is of Greek origin (Mike is of Greek origin)

We wanted a name that would fit appropriately for a Mom, CEO, Judge, President, Doctor, Broadway Star, or whatever she decides to be when she grows up.

We didn't want something that could have a weird nickname, other kids would make fun of, is hard to spell, etc.

Mike REALLY wanted a name that had a 'Z' or an 'X' in it--not too girlie.

We went to the hospital with about six names in mind that we really liked. We decided that we would just have to meet the baby and then determine which name fit best. Zoe was the only name that worked.

Baby Guesses - AND THE WINNERS ARE....

What day will the baby be born?
Scott - May 8
Megan - May 9 (really early in the morning)
Blake - May 10 (Except Blake doesn't really count because he made his guess after I announced the planned inducement :) )
Grandpa Alan - May 10
Krista - May 10
Christina - May 11
Jenn - May 11
Nana Lynn - May 11
Jen - May 12
Jeanie - May 15
Joyce - May 15
AJ - May 16
Lisa T. - May 17
Lisa M. - May 20
Grandma Jean - May 24

How much will she weigh?
Jen was the closest. But 5lbs 9.7oz wasn't guessed!
Jen - 6lbs
Krista - 6.0lbs (perhaps her future perfect ice skating score)
Christina - 6lbs 1oz
Grandpa Alan - 6lbs 1oz
Megan - 6lbs 2oz
Lisa T. - 6lbs 3oz
Scott - 5lbs 21oz
Jenn - 6lbs 5oz
Blake - 6lbs 8oz
Nana Lynn - 6lbs 8oz
Grandma Jean - 7lbs
Jeanie - 7lbs 2oz
Lisa M. - 7lbs 4oz
AJ - 8lbs

How tall will she be?
Christina was the closest. Zoe was 16"!
Christina - 17.5"
AJ - 18"
Krista - 18"
Jeanie - 18 1/8"
Lisa T. - 18.5"
Megan - 18.5"
Grandma Jean - 18.5"
Blake - 18.7"
Jenn - 19"
Lisa M. - 19"
Nana Lynn - 19.5"
Grandpa Alan - Under 3ft.

Will Mike make it through delivery (without having to leave the room or passing out)?
Yes, Mike did make it through both labor and delivery. He was my hero that day. He simply did what the doctors and nurses asked him to do without question (though he did look a little green). But most importantly to me, he held my hand the whole way through. I know...cheesy...but it really helped. Also, Mike couldn't eat for a while (that goes along with the green tint on his face) and yes, he will need therapy.
AJ - Mike will make it through the delivery without passing out.
Blake - Mike's gonna need therapy after this! Bro, you're not a wuss, but I KNOW YOU and your about to go through a HECK of a ride buddy. Better strap on a helmet, but no worries, it's all good if you blackout. You're already at the hospital. =)*) Now... I don't know what's gonna happen, but I KNOW this one ain't gonna be easy for you. However, I also know that your gonna give it all you got and not only do your best, but you'll make the best of the situation for everybody. Don't worry about cutting the cord, tissue is actually kinda cool when you cut it! However... if you barf I'm gonna laugh.
Christina - I haven't met him, but I'm rooting for him. You can do it, Mike!
Grandma Jean - Mike will go into the delivery room with a smile of excitement on his face and make it through the entire delivery. After all, you and the baby are his favorite girls!
Grandpa Alan - Mike will not pass out.
Jeanie - Mike will heroically take over for the doctor when the doctor gets an eyelash in his eye and can't see straight.
Jen - I think Mike will definitely have to leave the delivery room.
Jenn - He can't leave and miss your little miracle!!
Krista - He'll make it, but he'll look a little green!
Lisa M. - Mike will have a panic attack, pass out in the car driving you to the hospital, you'll have to take over, and he won't come to until Mom wakes him up with her crying.
Lisa T. - Will Mike make it? Of course! The Dads kinda get into that "labor and delivery" frame of mind as well. I bet he will really surprise you. I know mine did! He will be your biggest cheerleader!
Megan - Mike will stay with a smile on his face and more than a few nervous laughs.
Nana Lynn - May not faint but will not be able to eat for 12 hours.
Scott - he won't leave the room (because he won't be able to move passed out on the floor)

Will Grandma (Jean) make it through the delivery day without crying?
You're not going to believe it. Mom did not cry! She was a little emotional...but no tears. Whoa. I guess there were enough tears in the operating room when Zoe was born to make up for the Lost Tears of Mom.
AJ - Mom will cry.
Blake - Yup. Better grab a tissue.
Christina - I'm going to vote yes...there will be tears.
Grandma Jean - There may be a slight tear or two.
Grandpa Alan - Your mother will cry the day before and the week after.
Jeanie - Momma Jean will be dry-eyed. The ever stoic matriarch seasoned with earthly entries.
Jen - There's no way your mom will make it through the day w/o crying :)
Jenn - I say everyone will be crying.
Krista - Lots and lots of happy tears!!
Lisa M. - Mom will definitely cry. She just can't help it.
Lisa T. - Will Mom cry? Absolutely! Your witnessing a miracle. How does someone NOT cry?!?!?!
Megan - Mom cry? Uh, yes.
Nana Lynn - Will bawl for 24 hours straight.
Scott - mom is crying now just reading the blog entry :) (hi mom!)

Video of Zoe at Hospital

I know most of you have seen this video, but I just wanted to post it here for anyone who missed it. Don't forget to check out the link to photobucket found under "Links" on the right hand side of this blog.

May 18th

On Sunday, September 10th I found out I was pregnant. As soon as I made the announcement to Mike we went straight to the computer and calculated my due date. It was May 18th. When I went to the doctor to confirm my pregnancy they agreed that yes, May 18th was in fact my due date.

So since September 10th, May 18th has been a very important date at the front of my mind. I new that the chances of having my baby precisely on May 18th were slim, but it was still the date that I looked forward to for eight months.

Mike even got me a nifty digital Baby Countdown Clock for Christmas. It told me exactly how many days, hours, minutes, and seconds I had until my due date. Well, last night at midnight I watched as it hit zero. I've been wondering what would happen after that mark, surprisingly it started counting up. So according to the Countdown Clock I have had my baby for 12 hours and 33 seconds. Kind of cool.

It's kind of a weird feeling. The date is here, but the package already came--so the date isn't that exciting any more. However, it is the one date that I have SO looked forward to since September 10th.

Now I have every day to look forward to. It's so fun to see what Zoe can do and it's amazing to see how Mike and Zoe interact with each other.

1 Week Anniversary

Wow, I can't believe Zoe is 1 week old! I think Mike and I have had a combined total of 10 hours of sleep since we brought her home from the hospital. But we're soooo happy! Just tired happy! Although, we somewhat miss the nice nurses who would help out by taking Zoe to the nursery in the middle of the night. Zoe the peanut/burrito is doing good. We're still trying to figure out the science of feeding her enough so that she's not hungry, but not too much so that she gets a tummy ache. We call the doctor's office daily because we have no clue what we're doing. Fortunately, the nurses there are very nice and tell us it's no problem to call with any question whatsoever. My mom has been here the past few days and she's been a big help. She is a warrior and will stay up all night to help us out. The link below will take you to some pictures.

Pictures at: http://s54.photobucket.com/albums/g117/magicralston/Zoe%20Burrito/ (I'll get some more pictures on my blog, but I like this site, because it does photos and videos at the same site...come on YouTube, get with the program!)

Zoe Makes Her Grand And Painful Entrance!

UPDATE: More pictures at "Zoe Pictures" link.

Hello all! Just wanted to make a entry in my blog. Things are crazy, of course, and I know I have a lot of phone calls to return. Mike, Zoe, and I are doing good. Here's a recap of what happened May 10th. I'll add more posts with more pictures after getting a couple of days rest. Thanks for all your support! Love Mel.

Timeline:

12:10 am – Water Breaks: I awake to a popping sensation and wonder what is going on. I make a slight movement and “gush!”, I realize my water broke as I turn our mattress into a water bed. I wake up Mike (after several attempts) and tell him the news. We scramble out of bed and call the doctor before heading for the hospital.

12:45 am – Arrive at Hospital: We pull up to the hospital and Mike quickly parks the car and we zoom up to Labor and Delivery on the 3rd floor.

2:00 am – Epidural is Administered: By coincidence, a doctor who was in our church ward while we lived here 2 years ago is our anesthesiologist. We look at each other with a “hey I know you” look. I am sooo nervous about the epidural. I shake like wind-up teeth. The doctor shows Mike his “tools of trade” and Mike almost collapses looking at the “drill” that was to go into my spine. (ewww, still gives me chills). I almost pass out while the doctor is doing his handy work. Mike breaks out his mp3 player and starts blaring Rocky’s “Eye of the Tiger” like the scene from the movie Say Anything. I make it through the ordeal.

3:00 am – I look like a home stereo with wires coming out of me from all ends. My contractions slow to standstill and Zoe’s heartbeat is not staying at a satisfactory base line. My blood pressure increases and my temperature swings wildly from 98 to 102.

3:15 am – I am rolled over to one side to try and increase movement from Zoe. Suddenly my blood pressure drops drastically and Zoe’s heartbeat goes near flat line. A “code blue” is called and several other nurses swarm into the room. They grab me and start tossing me side to side to get Zoe’s heartbeat back and to prevent me from passing out. After doing some flip-flopping we both get back on track and I’m given an oxygen mask for the rest of my labor.

4:00 am – My mom and sister Lisa arrive after driving over three hours from Cameron, TX. My contractions are very few and far in between. They do not follow a pattern, and I’m 4 cm dilated.

7:00 am – I’m 5-6 cm dilated. My contractions start happening more often and more regular. They become much more painful. Wait a minute, I’m not supposed to be feeling them with my epidural! Well, even though my body parts were numb, I felt every contraction in my back and abdomen. The pain gradually becomes excruciating. They ask me on a scale of 1 to 10 what is my pain level. I’m at 10.

9:50 am – I’m very close to start pushing. I’m 10 cm dilated, and my contractions have hit pain level 11. I’m shaking like crazy from the pain, and the side effects of the drugs in me. The anesthesiologist pumps me full of drugs to combat the pain of the contractions; however, after 10-15 minutes the drugs wear off and the pain comes back even stronger. I feel like I’m going to pass out. The pain was beyond tears, and like the Southwest Airlines commercial, I just wanted to get away. Mike is a good coach and tells me I can do it. I scream back “No I can’t!”. He says,“You’re doing great”. I scream back “No, I’m not!”. The nurses have moved me into all kinds of weird positions to try and get Zoe to turn and come down. My favorite is the swim team position. I look like I’m permanently sliding into home plate. The baby has to be positioned correctly to get through the birth canal, but she just isn’t turning!

10:00 am – I can finally start pushing. Mike is called into action by the nurse. He sucks it up and grabs my foot grunting, “Let’s do this.” Mike was my hero that day. He helped me prop my leg when it came time to push and didn’t let the bad breath I spewed into his face bother him—although, he did make sure not to look anywhere below the equator. He counted and gave shouts of encouragement.

11:00 am – An hour of hard core pushing and Zoe is not budging. Her head is wedged into my pubic bone and she won’t rotate. I try pushing from different angles. A high school student interested in a career in medicine has been watching my labor. It’s weird that I kick my mom and Lisa out of the room, yet I let this total stranger stay. Oh well, I’ll never see her again, and hopefully she’ll become a great doctor because of ME! But I wouldn’t be surprised if she changes her mind and never wants to have kids. Mike said she looked even more queasy than him.

12:00 pm – After two hours of straight pushing, my doctor and nurse come to the conclusion that Zoe is not going to turn and my pushing is not getting her down. Zoe’s head has become very swollen from banging against my bone. If you were to constantly bang your head against a wall for an hour, you’ll get a bump. Well, with such a soft melon, a baby’s head will get really swollen. So my doctor informs me that we’re doing a cesarean section. I completely trust him and tell him, “let’s do it.”

12:50 pm – I’m prepped for surgery in my room. I will then be wheeled to the OR and Mike will come in once I’m on the table. Mike gets dressed in hospital garb (he looked cool.) I get pumped full of drugs. Even though I’ll be awake, I’ll only feel pressure on guts.

1:15 pm – I’m wheeled into the OR and Mike follows. I’m on the table like a beached whale, and Mike sits by my head and talks to me. A room full of nurses and doctors go to work on me. There was so much pushing and pulling and pressure, that it made me nauseous. A sheet divided my head from the doctors and I’m glad I couldn’t see.

1:30 pm – As they get closer to getting to Zoe, the anticipation and anxiety is just overwhelming. A nurse comes to stand by my head and tells us it’s almost time.

1:33 pm – The nurse tells Mike to look over the sheet. Mike peers over and sees what he describes as the most disturbing and amazing image he had ever seen. He saw my guts..but out of me! Literally, he saw my intestines and guts that they had to pull out to get to Zoe! Luckily before he could react, he saw them pull Zoe out and a look of shock fell on his face. “Hooooooooly Crap!” he stammered. “She’s out! It’s an alien! There really was something in there!” They put Zoe on a table and started cleaning her off and immediately examining her. Mike and I just looked at each other and I started crying. I could hear Zoe crying and before I even saw her out of the corner of my eye, I felt a rush of emotions. Mike went over and took a couple of pictures. The doctors went to work on patching me up.

1:40 pm – Zoe is taken to the nursery to get her official weigh-in at 5 lbs 9 oz. Mike goes with her and the doctors finish up my surgery. I’m told that the umbilical chord and placenta are extremely short which help explain Zoe’s small size. They’re sent off for testing. My mom and Lisa see Zoe through the glass and start making a few phone calls to immediate family.

2:00 pm – I meet Mike back in the labor room that I was initially in. I’m shaking so bad from the hormones/emotions/drugs/pain that my jaw becomes too sore to even talk above a chattering mumble.

2:20 pm – Zoe is wheeled in and Mike and I spend some time alone with her. Even though I was in so much pain, it was a great moment!

2:30 pm – Family starts coming in to see us and Zoe.

More to come including more pictures.

CHECK OUT THE LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3Mzlx6AbKE

I'm going to be a mom!

Good news! I have dilated to almost 3cm and the baby has dropped (dropping into the pelvic area means that she is getting herself ready to be delivered). So, after discussing what our options are with the doctor we decided to go ahead and have the baby tomorrow. Yeah! We are SO excited and a little nervous too. I'm scheduled to be at the hospital at 7:30 in the morning. And then we'll go from there.

Our biggest concern has been the baby's growth. Since I was put in the hospital though, she has been looking great and my doctor feels comfortable that she has progressed enough. So Mike and I are just praying that she'll be healthy and strong.

Delivery Date Pending

I just got a phone call from my doctor. He asked me to come in this afternoon so he can see how much further (if any) I have progressed. He is going to be out of town this weekend - Friday through Monday. So if I seem to be progressing enough, he wants to consider delivering the baby tomorrow. Otherwise, he wants to schedule the delivery for next Tuesday. Whoa.

I'll let you know what I find out!

Quiet Day

Today was kind of a quiet, lazy day for me. I had a few contractions that weren't too painful. Actually, they were just uncomfortable. I was able to lay down and rest most of the day which is good because I've been feeling really tired lately.

Some things Mike and I discovered today:
Why is it that we talk to babies with 'ga-ga' high pitched voices instead of using complete sentences and correct grammar and in a more normal tone? Wouldn't it help the baby to learn a little quicker?

One of the names Mike and I have thought about naming our baby is Macy. However, we just figured out that people will probably call her Mace. Is that a bad thing?

For my entire pregnancy I've been telling people that my due date is May 18th. Today, I just realized that I now tell people that I'm due next Friday. Whoa.

There is a really loud and scary storm outside (I love Texas storms). Something just made the house alarm go off. It scared me. Mike's making me wrap this up so I can go to bed....so that I won't get too scared and go into labor.

Moving Forward

It appears that my pregnancy is progressing forward. I went in for my check-up today and I am dilated to 2 centimeters. It's exciting to think that I've started to dilate but I still have 8 centimeters to go...and that could happen within hours or weeks even. So now it's just a waiting game.

My doctor suggested that I stop taking the Terbutaline (the medicine to stop my contractions) since I'm starting to dilate. I took my last pill at 1:00 this afternoon and it lasts about 6 hours. So I'm kind of nervous to see what happens tonight after dinner. I wonder if I'll start to get contractions again, or if they have subsided for a while.

I also had a NST and the baby looked really good. She was moving around a lot, and her heart beat did everything it was supposed to when she moved. Yeah!

I have my next appointment on Thursday with the high risk doctor first (to measure the baby through an ultrasound) and then with my own doctor for a NST and a regular check up.

I'll keep you all posted!

Be sure to get your votes in (if you haven't already) for the baby's birthday, weight, etc!!!

Late Night Thursday

While I was in the hospital, and now each time I go in for a doctor appointment the nurses ask me "Have you had any bleeding? Spotting? Seen any bloody streaks?". After being asked this for about the 20th time I finally asked a nurse why they needed to know, and what would be the significance if I did see any blood. The response I got was that it would mean that my cervix is starting to change (causing me to have a little bit of bleeding).

My answer each time I have been asked this question so far has been "No".

Well, Thursday night as Mike and I were getting ready for bed I happened to notice some blood. Ahhh! Considering that earlier in the day I had been having contractions I suddenly got a really nervous feeling thinking "Oh my goodness, my cervix is changing!".

It was 10:30 at night but I decided this warranted a call to my doctor. After explaining the details to him he felt that it was probably nothing to be concerned about but suggested that I go into the Labor & Delivery part of the hospital so that a nurse could check things out.

After talking to my doctor I didn't feel that I was in labor so I didn't really expect to be at the hospital for very long. However, I had Mike bring our hospital bag just in case.

We got to the hospital at about 11:00 and as Mike went to check me in, I was set up in a labor & delivery room. I was put on a NST monitor so they could watch the baby's movements and heartbeat while I was getting poked and prodded. After checking me, the nurse explained that the outer part of my cervix was starting to open, but the inside hadn't changed yet. She called my doctor with this information and he said it sounded like I had lost my mucus plug.

So it's beginning!

With this information, I was sent home. There was no need to keep me in the hospital...I might have been there for quite a while. Mike and I finally made it back around 1:00am feeling a little anxious that things are certainly progressing toward labor.

38 Weeks Pictures

I added a couple pictures of me at my 38 Week mark in the "My Pictures" link.

Contractions

I had a doctor's appointment today. We did three things: NST (Non-Stress Test), BPP (Bio-Physical Profile), and OB exam. Here's the down-low on what happened:

First let me preface the visit by saying that last night before I went to bed I definitely had two contractions. No big deal, not too strong, nothing to get too excited about. Okay, so I went to bed. But I couldn't sleep. I tossed and turned the entire night. I was so uncomfortable, crampy (menstrual type), and achy. Then all morning my stomach was so tight. So I didn't really think much of it because I have been told my many of you that I will JUST KNOW when it's time to call the doctor or to head to the hospital.

So, I got hooked up to the NST and started watching the baby's movements and heartbeat. But then I noticed that as I was getting a menstrual type pain I was also showing a contraction on the monitor. Cool. That happened once before while I was in the hospital (except I hadn't felt anything that time). But then it happened again about four minutes later. Mike and I just looked at each other like "Whoa". So then Mike and I got chatting and every once in a while I would grimace a little because I was feeling crampy. But we tried not to pay too much attention to the contraction portion of the monitor (it was our way of avoiding the "it's happening" fear). But after being on the monitor for about 45 minutes I had had a total of 11 contractions.

The contractions weren't super strong. The machine that performs the NST prints out a continuous ticker-tape with two continuous lines printing on the paper--it reminds me of a polygraph test. One line measures the baby's heart rate and the other measures any contractions. Normally the contractions line is flat, except for when I have small "contraction" like movement and a small little spike or bell curve prints out. These bell curves never reached 20 on a scale of 1 to 100 and didn't last more than a couple of seconds--making extremely narrow bell curves. Today my contractions came close to the midpoint at 50 and made nice bell curves in a definite reoccurring pattern. However, the nurse told me that labor contractions will create much bigger bell curves topping the 100 mark. Great! I thought the ones from today hurt! Boy, am I nervous about what it will feel like to have the bell go all the way up. However, I was in fact having contractions that were very much coming in even intervals. So, my doctor checked my cervix to see what was happening there. Nothing. No changes. Still pretty hard and closed.

With this information, my doctor decided to put me on some medicine to stop the contractions until next Monday (my next visit). Hopefully then we'll see some movement with my cervix. Also, it'll be nice to give the baby a few more days to grow inside the oven. Also, my doctor is out of town tomorrow and I expressed my strongest desire that he be here to deliver my baby (he's one of the reasons we specifically moved back to Plano during my pregnancy).

So while I was in the office I got a shot of Terbutaline in my bum. Ouch. And I have it in a pill form to take over the weekend.

As soon as I got the shot while in the office the contractions stopped. It was pretty cool. I also immediately noticed the big side effect - nervousness and tremors. I couldn't stop shaking and I still haven't stopped shaking. Weird. I think the nervousness might have something to do with why this post is getting so long. It feels good to type and let my fingers exert some energy.

Back to the doctor's visit. I also had the ultrasound to assess the Bio-Physical Profile of the baby. They look at her umbilical cord, movement, amniotic fluid, and heart beat. Everything looked great.

All in all it was a great and exciting visit. This was definitely a moment that let us know that we're in the final quarter and that this is very real! Mike and I have our hospital bag packed now and we're excited to see what happens and when.

May Baby

I think it's safe to assume we're going to have a May baby. But when do you think she'll come? How much will she weigh?

I think it will be fun to have a contest to see who can guess the closest to the correct answer. So let me know through a comment or email what your answer is to the following (and any other fun specifics you can think of):

What day will the baby be born?
How much will she weigh?
How tall will she be?
Will Mike make it through delivery (without having to leave the room or passing out)?
Will Grandma (Jean) make it through the delivery day without crying?

Okay, so there are the questions. I'll keep you updated on what every body's answers are.

P.S. I'm pretty sure I've been having sporadic contractions (based on what I've been told they feel like...). They aren't coming in regular intervals and I know that I can have contractions for a long time before going into full out labor. However, I thought you would like to have this piece of information to help with your guesses.