37 Week OB Appt

Today was a big day for Kyle and me. He took the afternoon off of work so that he could come to the doctor with me, and I'm so glad he was able to come. First, I had to go to a prenatal testing appt to do a non-stress test on the baby and to have a quick ultrasound to check Evie's position and amniotic fluid levels. The non-stress test was uneventful, which is good. Evie's heartrate stayed on a good pattern, and I showed two very small contractions during the 20 minute time frame. Yay! Next, the nurse confirmed what Kyle and I had been hoping for all week. Our little bambino turned head down! Next, she checked the fluid levels, and said that I measured at 8.6 cm, which is just slightly lower than what they'd like. Doctors prefer that you stay within the 10-20 cm. range. The nurse assured me that I don't need to worry because doctors don't really get concerned until you drop under 5 cms. Plus, since I'm full term, an induction wouldn't be dangerous anyway.

Next, I had to meet with pre-op, despite that fact that I now know that I won't be having a scheduled c-section. It's hospital policy that all women meet with pre-op so that they can prepare for epidurals or spinals. After all, birth can be so unpredictable.

Lastly, I met with Dr. Hamilton, my OB. She checked me and told me that my cervix was still high, tight, and closed. UGH! She halfway joked that Evie just isn't getting the memo that it's time to come out. Because my c-section is off the table now, we had a discussion about how long we were comfortable letting me go until she had to intervene anyway, and we settled on Wednesday 9/28 at 10 am. If I have showed no progress at that point, it will be a c-section anyway. If I have showed some progress, she will be able to give me pitocin to try to get my contractions moving well enough to progress labor.

Honestly, I have mixed feeling about today. Obviously, I'm thrilled about the possibility of having the unmedicated vaginal birth that I've always wanted. However, I'm slightly concerned about complications arising from my low fluid levels. I'm also more and more scared of stillbirth risks as I get further along in my pregnancy. I think I'm just feeling the anxiety about having come so far down this healing road. I'm scared that the rug is going to be pulled out from under me at any moment. On the car ride home, I tried to remind myself of something that I need to hold closely to my heart. The pregnancy has been absolutely filled with challlenges of all sorts - and God has beat every single one! I have to stop limiting Him in my mind.

Be in prayer for my family and me as we take this journey together. We are so close to holding Evie in our arms! God willing, sooner rather than later...

36 Week Baby Checkup

Last Tuesday, I had what I thought would be a routine 36 week baby appt. I was also told that I would have one last ultrasound to confirm that Evie was still breech. The appointment itself was fairly uneventful. The OB checked me and said that I still had no cervical dilation or effacement. She also told me that I had tested positive for group beta strep, which is very common in pregnancies. GBS is something that all women have, although it only manifests in a cyclical way throughout life. I remember that I was negative for Nile.

After my appt, I went in for the ultrasound, and I got the shock of my life. The little bump that I was SURE was Evie's head turned out to be her precious little bottom. She was in the process of trying to do the impossible - turn head down. Yay! Because of this change, my OB told me that I needed to have another ultrasound in a week to check for any change. If she is able to turn head down, everything that we thought we knew would change.

I was in absolute shock! Of course, I was thrilled at the possibility that I would have a shot at the vaginal birth that I had always wanted. Still, I was very worried that I would get my hopes up too high, only to hear that she couldn't complete the turn. The waiting game begins...

Evie's Diaper Shower

Because Evie is our second baby (and because we're reusing a lot of Nile's old things), I thought it might be neat to have a diaper and wipe shower. My awesome friend Daphne helped plan everything, and my equally awesome friend Traci made the cake.

We had a great time. I had been worried that people would ignore my wishes about primarily receiving diapers and wipes, but I had nothing to worry about. We got soooooo many diapers! Evie is set! I can't wait to actually diaper that cute little baby butt :)

35 Weeks, From the Inside

I realize that I've gotten behind on my blogging again, so I have a pretty big update to give. I'll be 35 weeks tomorrow, which I feel so excited about. I can truly start saying, "any day now" when I wake up in the morning. I've been so in-tune with my body lately that the slightest little twinge has me on high alert. So far, no real progress. My next OB check with be on Thursday, and that's when I'll start being seen weekly. I will also be getting cervical checks and a group B strep test at that time.

I mentioned in a previous post that my MFM told me that my placenta did move up, but that it has aligned along my c-section scar. It turns out that this could cause some problems for me down the road. As you know, Evie has to be born by c-section anyway, due to her breech position. I spoke to the doctor about my concerns, and it seems that this surgery will be complicated. Her goal is to cut along the same c-section scar, but to work under my placenta once she gets inside. Ideally, she'll be able to pull the baby out, then encourage my uterus to clamp down, causing the placenta to detach naturally. The greatest immediate concern is blood loss - first, it's dangerous to cut so near the placenta. If that goes well, I have to hope that my uterus will have enough clamping power to force a low-lying, anterior placenta out. My OB spoke to me about the possibility of placenta accreda, which could be a very real problem for me. It happens when the placenta actually fuses with scar tissue. Unfortunately, the OB won't know if I have placenta accreda until she's already in surgery. To plan for the worst, she has ordered that I will have 2 units of blood on standby in the room.

The news made me very emotional at first, but I'm feeling better now. For one, I'm putting my faith in God that He will watch over me, Evie, and my OB during this surgery. For another, I trust that my doctor is very prepared for every outcome. I trust that she knows what she's doing and that she'll be able to handle whatever comes to her. I'm sure the emotional rollercoaster is far from over, but I'll keep you posted as things develop.

Nursery Prep

My mom and I have been working hard at cleaning out the storage unit and getting Evie's nursery ready. It's been a big challenge, mostly because I feel like I haven't had any "nesting" instinct so far. We've made a lot of progress recently, as you can see. The only big things left to do are to hang curtains and make Evie's painting, just like I did for Nile.

34 Weeks

Here's a belly shot from this past Sunday, at 34 weeks. I'm definitely feeling HUGE!

Bowling Fun

Because I was feeling energized, I decided to meet up at the bowling alley with Kyle and Tyler, and I had a blast. I'm sure I was quite a sight to all the other bowlers, since it looked like I also had a bowling ball under my shirt! Good times...

33 Weeks

33 week belly shot :)

32 Weeks

Here's a belly shot of me at 32 weeks.

Lisa Huynh Photography

Here's a great picture that I recently found from Lisa Huynh Photography (the fabulous young lady who shot both my wedding and Sarah and Brian's.) Enjoy!