Pre-Eclampsia: I have it

Where to start? My mom says that I should define pre-eclampsia.

Pre-eclampsia or preeclampsia is a medical condition in which hypertension (i.e. high blood pressure) arises in pregnancy (pregnancy-induced hypertension) in association with significant amounts of protein in the urine.

We went for an ultrasound on Wednesday at my OB where they were going to check the growth, and Gracie had dropped from the 24th percentile to the 13th percentile. She had gained about a pound, but obviously the drop in percentile was concerning. My doctor was out of town (ugh) so I saw one of her partners, who reminded me of Billy Bob Thornton. They took my blood pressure (normal) and my weight (which said I had gained 5 pounds in the last week). I was surprised by the amount I had gained but figured it was because I was weighed on a different scale than I normally weigh there. Due to some mixed messages, they didn't actually take a urine sample that day.

The doctor I saw said it was a concern, but we weren't in dire straights until she dropped under the 10th percentile. He sent me to the perinatologist that day--I wasn't able to get into the same one I've seen twice before, so I saw another one (that I didn't like as much). He also agreed that it wasn't a concern until she dropped under the 10th percentile. My frustration was 1) why do you wait until you hit rock bottom to do something and 2) why can't anyone tell me what's causing this? I was very upset by everything that day. All that they told me was to come back in 2 weeks for a growth scan.

Apparently you can't do growth scans more frequently than that (which is super frustrating).

I already had an appointment scheduled with my OB for Friday, so I went in with three pages of notes and the intent that we were going to leave with a plan. They took my urine sample and my blood pressure before I saw the doctor. My blood pressure was higher than average--my blood pressure normally runs on the low side, so I noticed and made Corey right it down.

Then Dr. O came in and said there was protein in my urine (+2) for the first time ever with them testing it. She did a Blood Pressure check as well and it was even higher than it had been with the medical assistant. All my questions, some of which I had already started into, were no longer the focus of the appointment. She told me that she thought I might have pre-eclampsia and that we needed to do some further testing. She wanted to do another biophysical profile (with the ultrasound) and then send me over to the hospital (which is next door to her office) to monitor my blood pressure for awhile and do a non-stress test. She said that she would likely put me on bed rest through the weekend and have me come back to her office on Monday for further testing.

She said that this could definitely be the cause of all of the issues we've been dealing with in the last 4 weeks. She said that sometimes, the blood vessels will be affected internally and cause problems with the placenta. The placenta can then cause low amniotic fluid and the baby's growth before it shows up with the classic external signs--i.e., high blood pressure and protein in the urine.

Corey and I both looked at each other after she left the room and talked about how relieved we were--finally, an explanation for what might be the root cause of the issues. I had heard of pre-eclampsia and I know people who survived to tell the tale and have very healthy happy children, so I knew that it can often be managed with bed-rest.

We went for our biophysical profile ultrasound, and the baby looked great. Then we went over to the hospital and they started monitoring my blood pressure. The also did a blood test. Once the blood test results came back, Dr. O came to visit us and told us she wanted me to stay overnight to do a 24-hour urine collection (gross) to get a better idea of how things look and see where we should go from there. I was a little bit disappointed that I didn't get to go home, but prepared to stay and do whatever we needed to find out what we needed to do.

The next day, which was Saturday, was covered by the on-call doctor--who happens to be my doctor's husband. This was my first time meeting him, and I liked him a lot. He's very focused and detailed which appeals to my need for data and information. He also gets the opportunity to talk to my doctor at home about what is going on, which I like. After we got the urine collection done, he made the decision to keep me in the hospital another day for observation. My numbers definitely made it clear that I had pre-eclampsia, my blood pressures were still fairly unpredictable, and they didn't feel comfortable sending me home. They still don't, and I'm 99.9% certain I will be in here until Baby Gracie is here.

Since Saturday, I've done 2 more 24-hour urine collections. They've taken my blood 3 times now (and will again tomorrow). They test my blood pressure every 4 hours and they do Non-Stress Tests twice a day. The baby is still looking fantastic. My blood pressure is really good sometimes, and other times it's totally crazy, but never at the levels that they send you straight to delivery for. And every day it seems there is another concern with something that comes back from my labs. My creatinin clearance is higher than normal, definitely in the pre-eclampsia range, but it isn't at the point that they have to deliver. My platelets are low, but not low enough to where they would deliver. Some of my other numbers are a bit wonky. I've got the swelling associated with pre-eclampsia. I haven't been dealing with any headaches which is good and I'm not seeing spots. So far, so good.

So basically, we are in a holding pattern. I'm getting to know the nurses. The baby is still breech, so I will likely be having a c-section. The latest I will go is 37 weeks (February 28th) but if enough things are a concern or one of my numbers gets too low or high (depending on what it is supposed to be) than it's show time for me. I am absolutely thrilled that we got to the 35 week point. I'm nervous we won't get to 36 weeks, and in some ways, I'm also nervous that we will go all the way to 37 weeks with me still in here--I want to do everything I can for the health of my baby, but 2 weeks more in here might send me to the looney bin (I say that, but honestly, if I could get to 37 weeks, it would be a very good thing and I'm willing to do it if I'm able to based on labs and my symptoms).

So now, here I sit in my hospital bed. 35 weeks and 1 day pregnant. Thrilled that I didn't have a Valentine's Day baby. While this isn't what I envisioned I would be doing in my last few weeks of pregnancy, there is only so much you can control. I am trying to look on the bright side of things as much as I can and trying not to let myself go to some of the scary places my brain can go. I'm trying not to think about what eclampsia means (seizures). I'm trying not to worry about my baby possibly having to spend weeks in NICU if she is born with problems related to prematurity. I'm trying not to cry my eyes out about how much I miss my cats. I'm trying not to worry about using too much of my FMLA leave before my baby is born. I'm just trying to let go and realize that nothing I can do at this point other than following doctor's instructions is going to change things.

Bed rest is really much more difficult than I thought it would be. I'm not allowed to get up on my feet except to go to the bathroom and I can take a 5 minute shower once a day. Today I finally got permission to go on wheelchair rides twice a day around the hospital, which is thrilling, as I hadn't left my room since Saturday (when I moved to a bigger room). It's fun getting to see the babies all swaddled up. They look like little burritos. I'm getting a little bit stir crazy. I'm starting up deep conversations with my nurses and talking a little bit too much to the cleaning staff. I feel sick at the idea that I'm not getting to put the finishing touches on my baby girls room--instead, Corey is having to do those things on his own or with the help of my family. It's hard to give up control of something like that for me. And I can't think of a time in my life when I've felt such an urge to do so many things--definitely that nesting instinct kicking in. It's hard handing it over to others, and I really appreciate all that they are doing to help. 

I'm overwhelmed by the amount of support I've received from friends, family members and coworkers. My room is beginning to look like a floral shop. I rarely spend anytime alone without my family around. My husband has been a rock star throughout this whole experience. Overall, the staff here is incredible and so warm and caring. I feel very lucky that me and Gracie are where we are.

My mom has been amazing--she has done all of the laundry for the Newborn and 0-3 month clothing, and all of the sheets and blankets. She has also been helping us with our laundry and so many other things. She spends the night when Corey needs a break (starting a new job in the midst of all of this has been an interesting challenge-lucky he really likes it and the people there are great). My sister has been so great--she gets my mind off of things, she brought me a computer charger because mine currently doesn't work, she brought me great magazines to read and Designing Women DVDs. My dad comes over to the hospital and spends a lot of time with me--he tells me stories and makes me laugh and helps get me centered. My husband has been so sweet and amazingly supportive. I have never loved him more than I do right now. He got me roses for Valentine's Day. We had a romantic Italian dinner last night to celebrate Valentine's Day and the fact that we haven't had a baby yet (woohoo!). We had our favorite dessert and talked about how someday, we would tell Corey about how special this Valentine's Day before her birth was. Last night Corey climbed into my hospital bed and spooned me and Gracie for quite a few hours--eventually he had to go to the cot because the bed can be pretty small, especially when shared with a 8 1/2 month pregnant lady. My blood pressure is consistently lower when he is here.

A couple of nights ago, Corey and I met with the NICU Nurse Practitioner for about an hour. She went over a ton of information and was very helpful--a few things she said stood out, though. One funny thing--she said for a baby to either avoid or be discharged from NICU, they have to act like a "grown up baby." Then she had a whole list of things that defined a grown up baby for them. For some reason, that made me giggle. She also said that if our baby had been born at 34 weeks and 6 days, it's hospital policy that they have to go to NICU. At 35 weeks, it then becomes more about how the baby does and not about their age. Finally, she said that baby girls are much stronger than baby boys. They tend to do better than their male counterparts if they are born early.

I think Grace is a fighter. I think she is a very strong, smart girl. And I know that I love her more than I have ever loved anyone. I can't wait (but I really can wait so don't get any ideas) to meet her.  

--Elizabeth

34 Weeks!

Well, I'm behind on things--it's been a busy couple of weeks. All in all, it has been a really great time. I plan to do a post soon about the baby shower (which was awesome!) and I'm also planning to add some of the pictures of my bump which we've been taking all too infrequently. I also want to do a post with updated pictures of the nursery. These should all be coming before too long. The end of pregnancy is exhausting and crazy busy.
Total Weight Loss/Gain: At my appointment last week, I had gained 23 pounds.
Size of Baby: The baby is size of a durian! I have no idea what that is, but it is in the picture above.The average baby at 34 weeks can weigh anywhere from 4.2 pounds to 5.8 pounds and measures about 17.2 to 18.7 inches. So there is lots of variation at this point, but I would venture a guess that Gracie is somewhere around 4 pounds (I'm hoping for 4.2!) and may be that long. We do a growth ultrasound tomorrow, so I will have a better idea then.
 Maternity Clothes: Yes. And I still don't feel like I own enough of them, but I don't want to waste anymore money on these clothes. I'm sick of everything I've been wearing. I'm also getting really close to the point where I don't care what people think and I'm going to start wearing yoga pants to work. I'm already lucky enough to work in a place where I can wear jeans everyday, but somehow that seems like too much effort lately.

Sleep: I slept a lot this weekend, which was great. I haven't been sleeping through the night very often but I did on both Saturday and Sunday night (and Saturday was after sleeping through a good part of the day). I went into the week feeling better than I have in a long time, but returned to my old habits and came home exhausted and was up from 3-6 this morning.
Movement: The whole getting up at 3 AM? Has a lot to do with the cha-cha that Gracie was doing on my bladder. She was a dancing machine last night.
Cravings: Mexican Food.
What I miss: Being able to breathe easy. Breathing has become a difficult task lately. And I'm going to be totally honest, another thing that is becoming more and more difficult--getting myself up off of the toilet after one of my millions of trips to the bathroom to pee. So yeah, not feeling like I've exerted a herculean effort by getting myself off of the toilet would be good.
Gender:  Still a girl, hopefully. People keep telling me stories about people who found out that they were having a boy after thinking the whole time they had a girl on the way. Which is a lovely thing to tell a pregnant woman with about 300 dresses and piles of pink girly things in the nursery.
Mood: Much better. I feel very relieved that we've got a lot of sources of stress figured out.
Milestones: Um, I can't think of any that I haven't already talked about--we had our shower on the 28th, which was wonderful. Also, with hitting 34 weeks, there is an added feeling of relief that unless something else is wrong, in most cases there are no long-term issues with babies born at this point (beyond staying in the hospital for a little bit longer).
Another really cool thing I read today--babies at this point can recognize and react to simple songs if their mamas are singing them. They have found that if you sing them the same song after they are born, they may find it soothing. Sounds like Gracie will be getting some awesomely inappropriate lullabies-every baby loves Radiohead, Ryan Adams and Rihanna, right?
Medical concerns: I'm still going every week for my amniotic fluid check, and this week they will also be checking growth. I'm praying that everything will look okay.
I'm fairly annoyed with my OB's office--they have a habit of making clerical errors and then giving me inaccurate information. Having to spend lot of time there makes it more difficult to overlook the things that have been a little bit annoying up until this point--now they are just downright frustrating and I don't have a very good filter these days. About 3 weeks ago, my doctor said we would be lucky to get to 34 weeks  (check!). A couple of weeks ago she said she would feel really good if we got to 36 or 37 weeks in spite of the fact that the perinatologist said there wasn't anything wrong with the amniotic fluid. Last week, they scheduled me for the crappy ultrasound machine, so the numbers weren't that accurate and I don't feel confident about the fact that they keep having the same tech do the ultrasounds over and over again. I'm just feeling a little bit powerless and unsure of what to do.
Last week, my doctor scheduled a c-section for me at 39 weeks. Gracie is still breech, and my doctor acts as if it is not a possibility that she could change positions. We will see about that--Gracie is fairly stubborn and doesn't like being told what to do (this is my impression of her so far anyway). Dr. O said she just wanted to make sure to schedule it to avoid running into issues with not being able to get me on the schedule if we need to do it then. She pointed out that 39 weeks would put us at March 13th and my wonderful husband immediately said that we couldn't do the 13th. We could do March 14th or the 12th but the 13th wasn't an option. He knows I'm crazy and superstitious and a 13 just wouldn't do--I appreciate him saying it so I didn't have to. She got me on the schedule for 3/14. Nothing is certain at this point, but it's kind of crazy to know that it could happen then.
Symptoms: I'm definitely feeling the nesting instinct--it's not necessarily effecting my urge to clean--that sounds too hard and exhausting--LOL. I just want to get everything in order. I want to have enough time and energy to wash all of her clothes and sheets. I want to get the hospital bag together and feel terribly behind that I haven't done so already. I want to buy everything left on her registry that we really need, and get the birth announcement address list together and start addressing envelopes. It's hard to do these things when there are monetary concerns.  I want to get our taxes done so we can get our refund. Despite getting a ton of things done last week, the list keeps on growing and it's hard to accomplish all of it when I feel so exhausted by work alone. A phone call after work can honestly wipe me out. The stress of the last couple of weeks has probably added to that feeling.
All I can say is that it is definitely understandable if a woman doesn't want to work up until her due date. If it wouldn't get in the way of my spending lots of time with Gracie once she is here, I'd be totally ready to check out of work right now and just focus on getting everything else done.

What I look forward to: I'm looking forward to our appointment tomorrow. I'm also feeling a little nervous about it. I'm looking forward to checking off some more things on my long list of things to do. On Saturday, I go to get the car seat inspected to make sure we got it installed right.

Anything else you would like to share/vent about:
Our baby girl has a room full of wonderful gifts from amazing people who already love her. We have everything that we absolutely need for her to come home--diapers, diaper genie, diaper bag, an unbelievable amount of cute clothes, tons of sheets and toys and books and stuffed animals, car seat, etc. She is one lucky, loved little girl and we feel like a very lucky family.
My wonderful husband got two job offers last week. He accepted the second one, which was his first choice out of many that he was looking at--he will be a restaurant manager at one of my favorite places to eat! He will be starting tomorrow. I'm so proud of my hardworking husband and I am so grateful that he has this wonderful opportunity!

Elizabeth

Short Update on Amniotic Fluid Levels, etc.

On Wednesday, Corey and I went to our appointment with Dr. O. First we had an ultrasound--it's with the same lady who has done the ultrasounds the last two times at their office, and got the levels around 7 cm both times (before we went to the perinatologist). She measured and got 8 this time. So I guess the conclusion I draw as far as the reason in the difference in measurement is that it is either because they have better equipment at the perinatologist's office or it is related to human error/the fact that it isn't an exact science. My doctor wants me to continue to come in once a week for ultrasounds and visits with her, but said that as long as the number doesn't drop, things should be fine.

From what I've read, it's pretty normal for the amount of amniotic fluid to get lower the further along you get in pregnancy, so I think it is good that my doctor wants to keep a close eye on it. I'm trying to be diligent about drinking lots of water, getting enough rest and paying attention to movement. Luckily, Gracie has been moving around a LOT over the past week, so I'm not having to worry too much.

Our main goal is to get to 36 weeks-they say that is when most babies have lungs that are developed enough to go home at the same time as Mom. That is only 25 days away, which is a little scary, but at the same time, very reassuring.

Corey has 4 interviews in the next week for jobs that he is really interested in, all of which I think would be great opportunities for him. Please pray that the right job comes along for him! I'm so proud of him and I know he will be an awesome addition to whatever company he goes to work for.

I'm looking forward to my shower tomorrow!

Have a good weekend!

Elizabeth

32 Weeks

Total Weight Loss/Gain: I'm pretty sure I've gained around 17 pounds. I will know for sure tomorrow.

Size of Baby: On average, babies weigh as much as a jicama at 32 weeks.  

Maternity Clothes: Yes

Sleep: Not great. Between lots of stress and allergies and hip/back pain, I'm not getting a lot of sleep.  

Movement: It feels much lower down now. She gets the hiccups ALL the time. In general, I typically am feeling less hard kicks--most of the time I'm mainly feeling like she is tumbling-several smaller movements in a row; or it feels like a fluttering.  I think she just has less room to move around.

Cravings: Girl Scout cookies. I'm eating a lot of them. They are delicious.  

What I miss: I'm not a big drinker, but after the last couple of weeks, I could really use a margarita. Not much longer to wait!

Gender:  Baby Girl Gracie :)

Mood: All things considered, I would say that my mood is pretty good. I have good days and bad days.  

Milestones: We've now had our childbirth/infant care class, a breastfeeding class, and our first freak out/unnecessary trip to Labor and Delivery. It's been busy.

Medical concerns: See my last post. I'm still concerned about the amniotic fluid being low/our baby possibly being on the small side, but overall, I'm feeling much more calm about everything.

Symptoms: It's crazy how much the 3rd trimester is reminding me of the first trimester. I'm SO tired. I'm pretty weepy sometimes. I have actually been dealing with a little bit of nausea. I just feel really sloshy most of the time, and like there is not enough room in my stomach for any food even though I'm really hungry. I keep eating, though. My heartburn and my constant peeing have gotten better, though--I'm hoping this means that baby may have changed positions!

What I look forward to: I'm looking forward/nervous about my ultrasound/dr's appt tomorrow. I'm also really excited for my shower this weekend! I feel very grateful for my wonderful sister and friends.

Elizabeth

Two Weeks From Hell: Good Riddance, Year of the Rabbit; Welcome, Year of the Dragon!

It has been a crazy couple of weeks. I'm not sure I will be able to cover it all in one blog entry, but I'm going to do my best (so expect this to be a long, text-heavy, no pictures post)  Honestly, in spite of buying numerous pregnancy journals/calendars, I always find myself checking my blog to see how much Gracie weighed at a certain point or what my doctor told me about something, so I feel the need to keep this as up to date and complete as possible.

A couple of weeks ago, my mom, Corey and I went for what was supposed to be a fun 3-D ultrasound at one of those non-medical places. A big part of wanting to go do this is that they have it available for people to view on the internet, so Corey's parents could see it and feel involved. When we went, the lady who was doing the ultrasound went on and on about how my bump was too small and I obviously wasn't drinking enough water. Considering the fact that I have been drinking 80-100 ounces of water a day the entire time I've been pregnant, I was pretty offended/annoyed because she was flat out wrong. She told me that the reason I didn't have a big healthy looking bump was because I'm not drinking enough water. She looked at the baby for 3 minutes, said she was breech and there was no way she would get good pictures, put the wand away and said it would be better for me to come back in a few weeks. I was pretty upset to say the least. I felt like she hadn't even tried. I also felt totally insecure and worried about the size of my bump/uterus, my baby, etc.

We had an appointment at our doctor's office the next week, and I talked with my doctor about what had happened. She said she didn't think there was anything to worry about, but said that she could go ahead and set up an ultrasound to ease my mind.

I came in for an ultrasound at my doctor's office the next day (which happened to my doctor's day off). The ultrasound tech seemed a little bit concerned - baby was still breech (frank breech); but she seemed a little bit more concerned with the size of the baby (measuring in the 24th percentile) and the amniotic fluid levels. It was at 7 cm-- they want it to be between 5-25 cm and 7 cm is fairly low for this early in the pregnancy--I was at 30 weeks, 2 days. They had me do a non-stress test, which showed an active baby with a good healthy heart rate and no contractions. Another doctor in my doctor's practice came in and told me that everything was measuring within normal range and that I shouldn't worry, but they would bring me in the following week for another ultrasound to measure the amniotic fluid again. I worried all day after that happened. I felt like my mother's intution was telling me something wasn't right. I was desperate to hear what my doctor thought. I felt like she would be more concerned. I was right. I got a call the next morning from the nurse saying they wanted me to come in that day for another ultrasound to measure the amniotic fluid. I came in and went for the ultrasound with the same tech, was told it was at the same level (7 cm) and that baby was still breech. I went in to see my doctor and she was pretty concerned about the level being so low. She said that she wanted me to see a perinatologist to get their take on things. I was scheduled to go in for an ultrasound on the following Monday.

My doctor said a lot of things that really scared me at that meeting. She said that she thought that I may have to deliver early and that we would feel really good if we got to 34 weeks. She made sure I knew the signs to look for and to notice if the baby wasn't moving as much as usual. She said that if I didn't feel as much movement as usual, I should eat/drink something sugary and wait 30 minutes--if I'm still not feeling movement, I need to come into their office/go to the hospital.  She also said that, depending on how things went, I might need to go on bed rest. She said that since the baby was breech, we would probably have a c-section. I've never been set against having a c-section, but I was just shocked that my totally average normal pregnancy had suddenly turned into a crisis.

Then, I spent the weekend reading online and torturing myself for everything that could be wrong with my baby. Here are the possible causes listed for low amniotic fluid on americanpregnancy.org:

Birth defects – Problems with the development of the kidneys or urinary tract which could cause little urine production, leading to low levels of amniotic fluid.

Placental problems – If the placenta is not providing enough blood and nutrients to the baby, then the baby may stop recycling fluid.

Leaking or rupture of membranes –This may be a gush of fluid or a slow constant trickle of fluid. This is due to a tear in the membrane. Premature rupture of membranes (PROM) can also result in low amniotic fluid levels.

Post Date Pregnancy- A post date pregnancy (one that goes over 42 weeks) can have low levels of amniotic fluid, which could be a result of declining placental function.

Maternal Complications- Factors such as maternal dehydration, hypertension, preeclampsia, diabetes, and chronic hypoxia can have an effect on amniotic fluid levels.

Obviously post date pregnancy wasn't the issue, and I don't have hypertension, preeclampsia, diabetes, chronic hypoxia (that I know of). So basically that leaves the possible causes (in my mind) as:

1) Birth defects. Something is wrong with my baby. In spite of all the testing and being incredibly conscious of things from before I was even pregnant, something is wrong with my baby.

2) Placental problems. I'm not getting enough nutrients to my baby.

3) Leaking or rupture of membranes. Is it possible that somehow on one of my 15 trips to the bathroom every night, I had missed the fact that my water broke? Or have I been leaking amniotic fluid all along and didn't realize it?

4) Am I somehow, in spite of the fact that I drink so much water, pee 10 times a day at work and 15 times once I get home, still not drinking enough water?

As you can imagine, I was just a peach to be around all weekend.

Even though my doctor said she wasn't sure I needed to attend, we decided to go the all day childbirth and infant care class that I had signed us up for over 2 months ago that was scheduled for the next day after my appointment with her. It was actually very informative and a great distraction. While we were there, I noticed that none of the other pregnant ladies were drinking anywhere near as much water as I was or having to pee as much as I was. I didn't know what to make of that. Maybe my baby just needs a lot of water?

After lunch, there were a few kicks from Gracie, but not as many as I'm used to. I got super paranoid. I was also very glad that we were at the hospital for the class. We got to the hospital tour part at the end of the day (which Corey and I have already done before, but decided, what the heck, we will go again) and I couldn't feel the baby move. I poked her over and over again, still no movement. I ate an entire orange, and we still weren't feeling anything. We were walking around in labor and delivery on the tour and after 20 minutes of not feeling anything post-orange, I told Corey I just wanted to sit down and see if I could feel something. Corey asked one of the orderlies about where would be the best place to sit down and we split off from our group.

Before I knew it, the nurses at the hospital were saying they wanted me to come back and check how things looked. As soon as I got into the hospital gown, Gracie started hiccuping and kicking me hard. My immediate reaction was relief, frustration (that little stinker) and "we've got to get out of here before they charge us!" (Hey, maybe I'm cheap, but whatever). Corey went to check with them to see if they would let me leave and they wouldn't. They wanted to do a non-stress test to make sure everything looked okay.

Of course, she moved around and had a great heartbeat. The nurse was great, and she took down a lot of my medical information for their records, which is good for when I actually do go in for delivery-less to go over. They did say that the NST showed a few contractions--most likely just Braxton Hicks. Corey and I have decided that it may be that the tightening in my stomach from the Braxton Hicks while I was standing may have been why we couldn't feel her move as well. Once I sat down/laid down, she was bouncing around consistently. They discharged me within an hour and said everything looked fine but I was right to be concerned and they wanted me to come in if anything like that came up again.

That was a long day.

Then, on Monday, I went to the perinatologist. The ultrasound technology at that place is better and the tech is more used to dealing with high-risk issues. The doctor then comes in and does some measuring/looking himself. Both came back with higher amniotic fluid levels -- they both measured it to be around 12 cm. When I watched them measure, I realized how easy it would be to measure it differently--it's not an exact science. But the doctor thought things looked fine, said baby is in the 36th percentile based on their measurements and didn't see any reason why I would need to deliver early.

I've tried to determine the reason for the difference in measurement from my OB's office to the perinatologist and I'm still not sure--but I think it's either related to better ultrasound technology or possibly the baby moving and revealing some fluid she was hiding.
Little. Stinker.
But overall, what a relief! I felt totally de-stressed! It felt like all of a sudden, I was free from worry again. I also was sure that my doctor would feel better about things. Once she got the report, she cancelled the other appointments I was scheduled for that week (Wednesday and Friday). She is having me come in tomorrow for my appointment and another ultrasound, but said that the perinatologist's report is exactly what we wanted to hear.

Later that same Monday (a little over a week ago), we got some other not-so-great news. Corey got laid off from his job. No warning, and honestly, the company has been pretty terrible about the whole thing. It makes me so mad-Corey has worked there for 3 1/2 years. He has transformed their inventory processes, he has done so much for that company and been very dedicated. It came down to money--they didn't care that his wife was having a baby in 2 months, all they cared about was getting someone to do his job (not as well) who would be fine with getting paid less.

It stinks. It is the worst timing. Neither one of us has ever been laid off before, and it's kind of a shock to have it happen now. But I'm so proud of Corey. He is so hardworking. In spite of our worries and fears related to money and the future, he has forged ahead. He has several interviews and has been so organized and calm throughout the whole process. I know, in the long run, he is going to end up in a better job with more opportunity for growth.

I'm doing my best to be supportive and not stress too much about everything--there have definitely been some moments of questioning why we are having to go through all of this, but there isn't really anything to gain from that. The weekend we were so worried about Gracie's health, I said to Corey--I just want one weekend without something stressful happening. This past weekend, despite Corey lost his job, we honestly were happy and less stressed. Because we have each other and my baby is healthy in my tummy. And that makes me realized that we are going to be okay--because our priorities have always been each other and family. We know that jobs aren't that important, they just pay the bills.

All I can do is ask for prayers that this issue will get resolved soon.

I'm not big on astrology or the Chinese zodiac, but I have to say, I've been reading a lot about it lately. Apparently, the Year of The Dragon is supposed to be a lucky one. Baby Dragons are said to be very fortunate and Chinese couples make plans in advance to try and have their baby in "the year of the dragon." We were lucky enough to have a dragon baby without even realizing it. So, despite the Year of the Rabbit being great overall to "The Bunny Family" I have to say, I am thrilled that it is over. The last few weeks of it have stunk. And I'm looking forward to what's to come in the future. It's a scary but very exciting time for our family.

Elizabeth

30 weeks down, 10 more to go!

Total Weight Loss/Gain: I honestly have no idea. I think maybe I'm still sitting around 15 pounds gained.
Size of Baby: Baby is now the size of a head of cabbage. Babies on average are about 15.7 inches long and weigh almost 3 pounds.

Maternity Clothes: Yes
Sleep: Lots of weird dreams. I have really bad allergies right now, so I've taken benadryl for a few nights, which my OB says is fine, and helps with sleeping better. It does tend to make me a little bit loopy/out of it, so it's probably pretty funny to watch me get up to go the bathroom during the night, but I haven't fallen over or anything.
Movement: She moves a lot. She also gets the hiccups quite a bit.
Cravings: Pickles. Yes, I am officially a cliche. I also was thinking about how I'm a cliche, and thought about pickles and ice cream, and I can say that it honestly doesn't sound like the grossest thing I could eat. Apparently, I've entered the delusional part of pregnancy.
What I miss: I wish people wouldn't feel so comfortable commenting on the size of my bump. It's amazing--you go your whole life and no one feels the need to comment on your size--at least to your face. Now, it's everyone's business.
Apparently, according to some people I've got a small bump for this point in pregnancy. I'm not surprised, considering I've gained less than average for 30 weeks. But I think I just carry differently than a lot of women do--I have a fairly long torso. Anyway, I would be lying if I said the comments from people don't hurt my feelings. The number of people who have said things like "Are you sure you have a baby in there?" And strangers who have said "I didn't even know you were pregnant!" are grating my nerves. I'm doing my best, and it just hurts to have people constantly question you on your abilities to "grow a good healthy baby." I know that I would probably be getting the opposite comments if I was bigger and that would probably upset me, too, but I honestly don't know why people can't just keep their opinions to themselves.
My doctor, who is awesome, apparently knows her stuff on this whole pregnant lady thing, because when I came in at about 10 weeks pregnant, she called it-she told me I would be like her and probably wouldn't show a lot until the very end of pregnancy. She has also measured my fundal height along the way, and everything is measuring normal. My baby is growing in there.
I'm honestly dreading our class that we have this weekend on childbirth and infant care because I'm afraid of what people will say about my size and what my reaction will be.
Gender: Grace

Mood: In the interest of being honest, I will admit that I'm not in the greatest mood lately. I'm excited for Gracie to get here, but I just wish life and random people would be a little bit nicer to me in the meantime. I'm hoping to cheer up.
Milestones: It's pretty crazy to think that after our long journey, we only have 10 weeks to go. 70 days.
Medical concerns: None that I know of.
Symptoms: I've been feeling much more fatigued lately.
Anything else you would like to share/vent about: We got our beautiful glider chair and ottoman! The room is really coming together, which is exciting. I hope to post pictures of that and some new bump pictures, soon!

What I look forward to: I'm looking forward to my baby shower on January 28th! My sister and my two best friends are throwing it for me, and I'm really excited to get to see everyone who can come and celebrate Gracie with them!

 

Elizabeth

29 weeks!

Total Weight Loss/Gain: This morning, I weighed myself for the first time in a week. I believe I've now gained about 15 pounds!

Size of Baby: Baby is now the size of a squash! At 29 weeks, she should be around 2 1/2 pounds and 15 inches long.

Maternity Clothes: Yes. I got some new ones for Christmas. They are very comfy!

Sleep: Not good lately. Lots of getting up at night to pee and normal pains associated with pregnancy getting in the way of uninterrupted sleep. I can assure you that I'm very sleepy, though--slowly but surely, that fatigued feeling from the 1st Trimester is returning and I'm pretty sure I will be taking a nap when I get home today.

Movement: A lot of movement. I think baby has been completely changing positions at times. Corey saw her move this weekend, which was pretty cool. He also felt some really big kicks from her! I've noticed more discomfort related to her kicking my various organs. She is getting strong!

Cravings/Aversions: Cravings: Just in general, I crave sweets much more than I normally do while pregnant. And since I officially got the word that I passed my glucose test, I've been allowing myself to enjoy it.  But I'm doing my best to balance it out with healthier stuff and with some less sugary foods.

I had my first real craving for a drink over the last week-I love champagne and I missed it at New Year's. It's nothing I can't live without, though!

Aversions: None that I can think of.

What I miss: Sleeping well.
Gender: Gracie Girl!
Mood: All in all, pretty good.

Milestones: I hit the third trimester last week! I was taking a break from blogging last week, though, so I'm mentioning it now. Pretty amazing to think that we only have 11 weeks to her due date. We are 77 days away. I have 11 weeks of work left. (Can you tell I'm counting them down? I might have the countdown on my desk calendar).

Medical concerns: Nothing that I know of.

Symptoms: Heartburn. Hip and pelvic pain. Fatigue.  

Anything else you would like to share/vent about:
What I look forward to: As I mentioned earlier, I'm looking forward to maternity leave. As of the end of the work day today, I will have 52 working days before I'm off. It's always hard coming back after a vacation, especially after such a nice long one, so at this point, I'm also looking forward to a 3 day weekend for MLK day in a couple of weeks.

Happy 2012 everyone!

Elizabeth