So yesterday I hit the 38 week mark. Tot has been considered full term for a whole week now and his due date is only 2 weeks away. Everyone and thier grandma has felt the need to roll their eyes and or shake thier head at me and say "welllllllllllllllllllll don't count on him coming then" after they ask me how much longer I have and if it's my first. I'm not stupid or naive, people. I am WELL aware that 50% of first time pregnancies extend past the due date. I am also aware that most people can't pinpoint the exact date of conception and so may be off a few days or weeks in calculation alone. I can, though. I know exactly what day Sam and I conceived due to the circumstances surrounding it. I also have had 2 ultrasounds that have confirmed Andrew's growth rate to be exactly on track with what day I am in pregnancy. My uterine measurements are also exactly to the day of how pregnant I am. So those 3 factors are on my side. Also, according to WTEWYE, only about 1/2 of those babies that are past the due date are truly postmature (meaning only about 25% of first timers carry past the true 40 week mark). So since my estimated due date is truly 40 weeks after we conevied, I have about a 25% chance of carrying over. Yes, it may very well happen that way if left to nature, but leaving it to nature may not be an option. Here's why:
I went to the Doc for my 38 week appt (which was really at 37.5 weeks) on Monday. The aide took my weight, which was about 2lbs higher than last time - which was only a 1.5lb gain for that month. So we already knew my weight gain had slowed. When I went back in this morning (4 days later) my weight had actually
dropped 2 lbs. There are 3 possible explanations for this -
A) We used a different scale than the one I was weighed with on Monday
B) I could have dropped some water weight although this one is 99.9999% NOT the reason since I woke up with sausage fingers and The Stay Puffed Marshmallow Man's feet/ankles this morning.
C) Tot's coming very very soon
Guess which one I'm hoping for? ;)
So after that, she took my blood pressure. The first reading was 198/94!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She had me lay on my side for a minute then tried again. The top number lowered quite a bit but the bottome was still in the 90s. That pretty much ended the appointment right there bc my Midwife was too concerned with that to care about anything else I may have wanted to ask her about. She sent me to the fetal monitoring room where they drew blood and strapped on devices to measure contractions (did not have a single one til they unhooked me, of course) and Andrew's heart rate (which was perfect and healthy as it has been this whole pregnancy! Remember, his little heart was so strong at 7.5 weeks that the Doc was able to pick it up on the doplar - that doesn't usually happen til 10 weeks). They also gave me a clicker to press every time I felt him move, so of course my little riverdancer had arrows all over that printout. lol After about 45 minutes my bp had dropped to a normal rate so they sent me home with a 2 liter jug and a funnel. You can guess what that was for. I took the jug back to the hospital on Wednesday and they ran labs on the contents.
So this morning I went back in for my follow up. After they weighed me they took my bp - 117/9osomething. Top number was fine, bottom number is way too high for pregnancy. 10 minutes later she retook it and it was worse! (135/90something). Doctor Shoved-Her-Arm-In-Up-To-Her-Elbow from the day I went to L&D with kidney pain a few months ago came in and told me my 2 liter jug was protein free (so that means no preeclampsia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!YAAAAAAAY!
http://www.preeclampsia.org/about.Asp ) but my blood pressure was still too high. Dr. S.H.A.I.U.T.E. then went to listen to his heartbeat and globbed the gel on the center of my stomach. We could barely hear anything so I kind of laughed and said, "yeaaaaaaaaah....he's a lot lower than that". She moved the wand down, then down again before she got a loud thumping. She seemed impressed that he was so low - that's another sign that he's coming soon. She said she was only comfortable letting me go about another week with it this high and that if Andrew didn't make an appearance on his own by then, that we should plan to induce. That would put me at 39 weeks then a few more for scheduling issues....so he ought to be here by his due date. :)
That is a huge relief in a couple of ways. One is that I am starting to believe that I am never giving birth. After that kidney stone a few weeks ago, everything mellowed out and I don't feel like I'm about to pop anymore. Another is that Mister will be away during what would be my 42nd week -induction week for overdue mamas - so I was afraid he'd miss the birth. Third - I really would like to not go over just bc so many people have told me I will. I would like to be able to sing the "SO THERE!" song in my head. And fourth - I am SO DONE being pregnant! BLAAAAAAAAAARG.
I'd much rather go into labor on my own than be induced, so I'd appreciate your prayers for a healthy delivery with a healthy baby afterwards!
First time with Mommy
with Grandma
In the recovery room with Dad
with cousin Jenny, then Uncle Don, then Aunt Donna
First family photo at home
In Mommy's IV fluid filled arms
His scalp is red, not his hair! His hair is dark brown.
with Aunt Christie
meeting Grandpa
meeting G-Maw
