Almost Done

Or almost started--it depends on your perspective, I suppose.

We had a dr's appointment today. The dr ordered an ultrasound, to see just how big Polliwog's gotten. He's estimated to be 7lbs, 13oz as of 3:30 pm today. For a GDM mother, that's pretty good. That makes his estimated anticipated size for delivery right close to 8lbs 4oz. . .which is how much Eric weighed at birth. 9 lbs is considered "large," so it looks like we're on track.

Delivery has been scheduled for Tuesday morning at 7am. Well, inducing labor has been scheduled, anyway. Actual delivery time may vary.

There's some mild concern about preeclampsia (used to be called "toxemia") because of protein in my urine. My feet are swelling, and have been for probably a month. This is also a symptom. My blood pressure readings are within normal limits for most people, but higher than they have been for me. Based on all this, I had to give blood (two tubes worth) and they'll run some test. I don't remember what it's called. I'm not worried. They like to run unnecessary tests. It keeps their skills sharp.

The dr also said I'm two centimeters dilated. Dan's eyes widened dramatically. "What does that mean?" he asked. "Nothing," the dr replied, "just that things are progressing." Well, that's good to know. . .but we sort of knew it already.

The hospital we'll be at has a webnursery. We're going to sign up for it, and it's password protected. Don't tell anyone, but the password is "polliwog." Should be easy enough to remember. (And, really, I'm kidding about the secrecy. Tell everyone you want to; it's just baby pictures.) The hospital's name is CMC-University. I tried three times to imbed links so you just had to click on a different coloured word and be taken there, but I couldn't make it go. So here's the long, literal, ugly link.

http://carolinashealthcare.org/facilities/hospitals/university/WebBabyNursery.cfm

and remember! the secret word is polliwog!

Almost done.

So-o-o. . .

We're in the home stretch. Yesterday's ob visit went--unsurprisingly enough--well. Everything's on track and. . .well, you know. Just read the last update and apply it again.

NEXT visit, 8-28, I'll be having a sonogram. The dr wants to take a peep and see just how big of a boy we're dealing with here. I'd like to know that, too, and of course any chance for more baby pictures is worthwhile.

We can also expect labor to be induced on September 4th, if everything looks great on the sonogram next week. There's really not much chance of delivery being delayed, but they could decide to speed it up a bit more. I *really* like having a plan, even one this tentative. I wrote it in my planner, so it's official.

Today at the Doctor's Office

Well, no real news, actually. Everything's perfectly fine, right on target and as expected.

Thought y'all might like to know, tho.

The dr did say that he would bet against the baby coming this week, but then, so would I.

Update 8-12-07

Everything's fine; progressing pretty much as expected.

We went to the dr last Tuesday, and everything's looking good. According to the dr, Polliwog is head-down now. . .not that that means birth is immient, but it's certainly what were moving towards.

I've felt a fair bit of contractions (Braxton-Hicks) this past week or so. We asked the dr what were our guidelines for "call the doctor/run to the hospital." We're not even close to that sort of regular, rhythmic sort of thing. It's more like random musle flexing.

Eric is getting more and more excited. A couple ladies at church gave us baby gifts today, and I let Eric open them. He was enthusing about dressing his little brother in the new socks (they look like rockets) and showing him off.

Tuesday evening, we'll be taking a Teddy Bear Tour of the hospital. This is intended for siblings, to let him see where it's all going to happen. Dan and I are looking forward to it, too, tho, because we don't know where it's all going to happen. . .

It's hard to believe we still have a full month to go to the due date. I feel like it is SO time for this baby to be born. . .except it's not.

I'm managing my diabetes well. Dan and I saw the endocrinologist Wednesday, and she was pleased with my management. I am, too, of course, but I'm not the doctor. Part of the credit for that sucess is Dan's. He does a really good job of computing just how much of what I can eat.

And that's all the news that is news.

Wow!

It's been two months since I last posted!! Sorry, everyone. Time just slipped away. . .

So, we have five weeks to the Official Due Date of September Tenth. I have no reason to think this date is going to be the actual date of birth, and actually several reasons to think it will not.

1. Past experience. When pregnant with Eric, labor was induced five days early.
2. Gestational Diabetes. Part of the reason for the induction was my diagnosis of GDM--which has been repeated for this pregnancy.
3. Braxton-Hicks. My uterus is practicing baby-expelling, just building up strength to get Polliwog out of there.

We have the nursery ready. Dan painted the walls green--under my supervision, of course--and I put up the alphabet. It was a Hobby Lobby find, a set of wall stickers that are childish without being just too-oo-oo-oo adorable. Eric's nursery walls were decorated with Winnie the Pooh stickers, but this time I wanted something that would last past the first year. Some of the letters don't show up so well against the green, but we'll get over that.

It's amazing how much different the room looks with Eric's stuff out of there and Polliwog's stuff in. Changing the wall color was an important step in changing the "ownership" of the room. No, the baby wouldn't know it used to be Eric's bedroom. By painting the walls, though, we've made a clean distinction in our minds. It's like a whole different space now.

This weekend, we're going to pack up the "Run To The Hospital" bag and stow it in the trunk. I've given my co-workers Dan's cell number, just in case one of them has to take me to the hospital during work hours. Our offices are about ten minutes apart, and each is ten minutes from our hospital, CHS University. Yes, Human Resources has Dan as my emergency contact, but who's to say the HR lady will be available when I need her to be? I feel better prepared if I know Dan will be called immediately. Oh, and yes, I have my cell phone with me all the time, but who's to say I will feel like calling him? I like to prepare for multiple possible outcomes.

This Wednesday, we meet with the endocrinologist, who has been involved with my care because of the diabetes. This week, we're working out a birth plan. I don't know what-all that covers. I remember being worried about hypoglycemia during labor with Eric. . .I wasn't allowed to eat anything except popsicles, and I never got a color other than orange. (I like green best) Apparently, though, there's enough sugar in popsicles that hypogylcemia wasn't a concern.

I also don't know how much of a birth one can plan. There are so many variables, and it's so easy to skew the whole thing. I'll let y'all know after I find out.

I'm starting to swell up. My feet are puffy, but not to the point I can't wear shoes. I have two pairs of Crocs--the Mary Jane style--that are very comfortable. I've started limiting my activity. It's hard for me to not be able to do what I need to do. This weekend is tax-free weekend here in NC, and it's a great chance for back-to-school shopping. I just can't do it.

I have some pretty intense hip pain in the mornings, but it usually fades in a couple of hours. The doctor said it's because Polliwog is (basically) sitting on a nerve. Well, great. Tell him to move.

I'm managing my diabetes well. The dr. wanted to put me on insulin injections, but that's just not something I would do. I might mean to do it, realise the necessity of it, plan to do it, try to do it. . .but I wouldn't actually pick up the syringe and jab it into my body. So, I'm on glyburide. This is an oral medication that works by telling my pancreas to make more insulin. It's not as precise as insulin would be. I have to pay close attention to what I eat, but I don't have to jab needles into my flesh. It's a fair compromise. The endocrinologist is happy with the results I've been getting, too.

And that is all the news that is news.