Giveaway Winner + Doctor Appointment Update

Thanks to everyone who participated in my first ever blog giveaway honoring my 29th 30th birthday - it was a huge success!  I loved reading all of your comments on my little blog and you gave me some great ideas for some new favorites (Wine, monogrammed items, diet coke, all things paper, sharpies, and socks?!  How could I ever have forgotten these things?!).  I randomly generated a winner today through rafflecopter and verified the winning entry, and the winner is (drumroll please)...

Congratulations, Shannon!  

I'll ship your box of goodies out tomorrow.  I hope you enjoy my current favorite things as much as I do!  I wish I could do giveaways every week.  So fun!  Perhaps someone shall sponsor me and pay for me to give things away someday.  I can dream, yes?

Thanks to all of you who checked in today to see how my appointment went at the doctor.  Other than the fact that I was almost 30 minutes late due to a seemingly nonexistent wreck on 440, things went really smoothly!

Since I was late (not my fault for once) I had to wait a few minutes for the doctor, but he came into the room and said, "You know, I saw you walking in today and I just wanted to tell you that you look beautiful.  The red of your jacket is perfect for your skin tone and you look absolutely radiant."  And then I seriously considered making out with him.  Okay, so I didn't really consider making out with him but I did consider hugging his neck, and it made my whole day.  ESPECIALLY since he didn't even bring up the fact that I have gained 7 lbs since my appointment 2 weeks ago.  That's right folks, 7 lbs in 2 weeks which brings me to a grand total of +28.  Oops.  In my defense, pretty much all I have done for three days straight is eat delicious food in NYC.  I've gained less than 30 lbs total, but not by much.  I think I'm actually okay with it, because I feel great and baby boy is healthy, and that's all that matters.

Everything else is smooth sailing.  My BP was still a perfect 120/72 as of this morning and there's no protein in my urine.  I saw the same doctor today that I saw the appointment before last (so a month ago) and he again mentioned no less than three times how pleased he is with how things are going and how perfect this pregnancy has been.  So blessed!  He said that he does not foresee any hurdles between now and the finish line (YAY!  Except the phrase "finish line" gave me anxiety.  I am so not ready for this baby yet.).  I mentioned my spotted vision to the doc, and he said to definitely keep an eye on it and call immediately if I start getting headaches, but since my blood pressure is perfect, I have no protein in my urine and I have had minimal swelling, he doesn't see anything to be concerned about right now.  Such a relief!

Finally, we discussed the large-ness of this child which is something I like to make a point of doing at every appointment with every doctor.  He said that baby is on the large side but not overly large and he's not concerned.  He asked me to remind him of Lilly's size, which I did, and he said he still was not too concerned.  I told him that Eaker women breed gigantic hybrid whale/elephant children and that my youngest sister weighed 10 lbs 9 oz and I think I actually saw him wince.  He recovered quickly and told me that in a few weeks we'd do an ultrasound to try to get a handle on how big baby boy really is and assured me that they wouldn't let him get anywhere close to 10 lbs.  That's all I have been wanting to hear, thankyouverymuch.

All in all, today's appointment was awesome.  L and I were on our own tonight because Dan had a work event and we had the best evening together.  We didn't do anything special, just played in her playroom until it was time for dinner, bath, books and bed, but she was in a fantastic mood (which lately has been hit or miss - we are for sure into the terrible twos/tantrums phase and I hate it) and we just had the best time.  I like to think it's because she's excited to have Mommy and Daddy back home.  :-)

Today was pajama day at school, and my child insists on wearing a tutu at all times, so this is the result.  She kills me.

She also (for maybe the first time ever since she started feeding herself?) ate an awesome dinner so she was rewarded with one of Mimi's chocolate chip cookies.  As you can see, she was pretty stoked about it.

Cheeeeeeeeeeese!!!

Hope your Wednesday was fantastic!  I feel like I need another vacation to recover from vacation, so I'm putting off Christmas present wrapping yet again so that I can go to bed.  :-)

Sarah

6 Months Old - Part Deux

We went to the doctor today for Lilly's 6-month check-up, and I am happy to report that all is well!  


LGB's official stats:  She is 26.5 inches long (90th percentile) and weighs 18 lbs (96th percentile, ha!).  My little chunker is nothing if not healthy!  The doctor does not appear to be worried about L's weight at all - she has already noticeably slimmed down since she's started moving around more, and as she gets more mobile she will thin out a lot.  


All of the ladies and nurses "oohed" and "ahhed" over Lilly and kept saying how beautiful she is and how much they liked her pretty blue dress and matching bow (we lost the bow and the good mood because unfortunately I didn't think to snap pictures until after shots, but you get the idea):

The rest of the visit went well.  When the doctor came in, the first thing she told me was that she tells everyone that comes in who is having problems nursing about how Lilly started nursing at three months.  She said that of course she abides by patient confidentiality and would never name names, and she said she disclaims by telling the mothers, "this situation should be in a glossy print ad with an asterisk that says, this is an anomaly," but she says she uses it to let them know that there is, indeed, hope.  She also said it's the craziest thing she's ever heard.  Ha!


One thing I learned was that we can now give L any food that she won't choke on (except for honey, due to the allergens) - even meat!  Steph told me today that her doctor said if you start babies on solids at 4 months (check) then you can move beyond stage 1 foods at 6 months.  So, now I'm excited for Lilly to start trying some new, fun foods!  Dr. V told Lilly that she should come give her other baby patients lessons on how to be an awesome baby. :-)  Lilly was in a pretty good mood and talked to and giggled at Dr. V the whole time - I was glad, considering her appointment was smack dab in the middle of her morning nap time.  I asked if we should be concerned that Lilly doesn't sit up for very long periods of time on her own yet, because I have several friends with babies around Lilly's age who sit up like pros.  She said that all babies are different and that Lilly has rockstar back muscles (direct quote) and that her tummy muscles are just trying to catch up.  She said this is probably partially due to the fact that L would only roll one way for the longest time, but it's nothing to worry about.  Lilly was rolling all around on the examination table and showing off pushing herself up and getting into her crawling position, to which Dr. V. said that she is going to be crawling SOON and she hopes we've started baby proofing (nope, oops).  She said that she won't be surprised one bit if L crawls before she sits.  Lord help us all!  I asked about her inconsistent poops and the doctor said it was normal, and also asked about giving Lilly water (thanks for the question, Steph!).  She said that at this point we can absolutely give L water if we want to, but it's definitely not required.  She said if we're out and about and it's hot and Lilly is sweating, definitely give her some to help keep her hydrated (2-4 oz. in a bottle), but other than that it wasn't something we have to do unless we want to.  The only other thing the doctor said that we need to be doing is making sure to get Lilly to eat either rice cereal or oatmeal every day - she said that it is important for L to get the iron.  Great, since she HATES both of those - even with fruit.  I'll keep trying, though!


The only other thing to note was a small incident that happened this morning which literally scared me to death.  Lilly woke up early today, around 6:15 (teething), but it ended up being okay because she got a super short morning nap in before I had to wake her up to head to the doctor.  Anyway, so I was nursing her before I put her down, and she wasn't asleep yet, and all of a sudden she started convulsing.  The only way I can think to describe it is that it reminded me of what a seizure would look like.  Dan asked if she just got a chill, but it wasn't that because it lasted somewhere between 20-25 seconds.  I looked down at my leg to make sure I wasn't inadvertently bouncing it up and down, and I wasn't.  I couldn't see her eyes - they were closed - so I couldn't tell whether they were rolled back in her head or anything crazy like that.  I pulled her off the breast and she was still laying on the nursing pillow convulsing, so I called her name several times, keeping my hand on her.  After probably 5-7 seconds of this and me calling her name a few times, she finally stopped convulsing and opened her eyes and looked at me and just looked really confused.  She then ate some more and went right to sleep.  She never did get upset or anything like that, but I am telling you it scared. me. to. DEATH.  I double checked with Carney to make sure she hadn't ever noticed this happening (she hadn't), but I was SO GLAD we were going to the doctor anyway so that I could ask about it.  Dr. V. said that since this was the first time we'd noticed it, she was hoping that it was just neurological development and that L was in that "in between" stage between awake and asleep - sort of like when you have a falling dream.  She told us to definitely keep an eye on it and if it happened two more times to bring her in immediately.  I watched her on the monitor tonight when she was falling asleep and didn't notice anything, but good gosh it scared me!  Dr. V. also told me how to tell whether it was a seizure.  I talked to my Mom about it tonight, because the doctor asked if there was any family history of anything like this, and come to find out, my Mom did this when she was a baby.  She said that it normally corresponded with running a high fever, but it's definitely something to note and tell the doctor if it happens again (which hopefully it won't).


Last but not least, there were the dreaded shots.  Lilly did fine - she took the oral medication no problem, which surprised me since she is normally funny about those things.  She doesn't even like the liquid vitamin D we give her - I have to sneak it into bottles - and that stuff tastes good.  She didn't cry at all for the first shot, but she cried for the second one.  Luckily, the crying only lasted for about 10 seconds and after some Mommy snuggles and kisses she was OK.  Carney said that L  literally slept from the time she left the doctor until she woke her up at 4, which is not unusual after shots.


All in all, a good report!  Of course we are biased and think Lilly is perfect, but it's always nice to have confirmation that we're doing okay.  Since this got long (shocker), I'll wrap it up with our 6-month photo shoot as promised - she was much more cooperative this morning when she woke up than she was last night.  I swear, the many expressions of Lilly get me every single time!!!

Happy Hump Day!


Sarah

Adventures in Hospital Land: Part Deux

We've had yet another adventurous day!  If you'd asked me this morning whether I thought I would be back at home right now, I would have said no way.  Here's how it went down:

We went to the doctor.  Since Wednesday's appointment, my headaches have come back in full force and I haven't been able to keep my swelling under control, so I figured my blood pressure would be way up.  In fact, I woke up at 1:00 am to go to the bathroom and had a headache so bad I could barely sleep, and had to come downstairs to take medicine.  It would have freaked me out enough to call this morning had I not had an appointment today anyway.  Also, I was up 2 pounds just since Wednesday due to swelling/retaining fluid.  My blood pressure was really high - 150/90 - and they found protein in my urine.  Awesome.  They put me on the FHM for the stress test and baby was fine and dandy, but doctor did not like the looks of me so she sent me to the hospital for monitoring and to have more tests run.  They were worried that the sudden increase in symptoms means that my preeclampsia is worsening, which they don't want.  In a nutshell, she told us that she was 99.9% sure that I would not still be pregnant at this time next week.  She said if I made it through the weekend, it would more than likely be next week.  So at least we have a time frame!  She said best case, I go in for monitoring and they release me today with instructions to take it easy and I come back Monday.  Option 2 was that I stay overnight for another 24-hour urine test (SIGH), and option number three was delivery.

We checked into the hospital for more tests:

Everything came back okay with the exception of my platelets, which have dropped even since my last bloodwork was done on Wednesday.  This is likely just as they thought - preeclampsia is worsening.  The only tricky thing about platelets is that if they get below 100,000 you can't get an epidural.  Mine are currently just above 100,000.  While I am still on the fence about an epidural and would like to see how it goes before making the call on whether to get one, I would like to have the option, so let's hope they stay there.  They also checked my cervix today for the first time - NOT comfortable, in case you're curious.  I am not dialated at all - maybe 1/2 centimeter they said.  They told me that this just means induction and getting labor to start will be a little trickier.  My blood pressure stabilized enough for them to feel okay about letting me come home, so here I sit!  I was discharged with the instructions that I am only allowed to leave the bed for three reasons: bathroom, food, and doctor.  Joy.  By the time I checked out of the hospital today, my OB had already closed for the weekend, but the doctor said I should come back Monday, so they told me just to call first thing Monday morning.

So, at this point, yet again it's a waiting game.  At least the doctor said she is 99.9% sure it will be this week - we just don't have a day yet.  I am hoping they will give us one on Monday.  Someone asked earlier if I am disappointed that it wasn't today.  My answer was no - but only because my OB shares "on call" days with another practice, and this weekend that other practice was on call.  I was not a fan of the doctor I had today from that practice, so I am happy to wait until next week and deliver with someone I know (and hopefully like).  :-)

I will try to get caught up with all of my shower posts over the weekend in case Monday is go time.  Hope everyone had a great day!

Sarah

Because I am vain...

...(and thanks to a birthday gift from my in-laws - thanks guys!), just in case today is d-day, I am prepared:


Side note: please try to overlook the fact that my feet (toes in particular) look like sausages.  I can't seem to get the swelling under control these past few days.  SIGH.

 It's true.  If I am going to be staring at my sausages while in the pushing position, you better believe they are going to be pretty.  So how did I prepare?  I got a pedi.  And I chose pink sparkly polish, which I'm fairly sure was only even in the nail salon for the 12-year-old girls, but whatever.  Baby B told me she likes it.  :-)  Also? Legs are shaved.  Chew on that, doctors and nurses who will be violating me in all kinds of various ways I'm sure!

Also, when I went upstairs to bed I remembered to take a picture of all of the books I was telling you about yesterday from my Raleigh shower: 



Layla the photobomber guarding her sister's books (slash waiting for Dan to throw her Christmas toy which chewed the head off that is laying at her feet)

 This picture really does not even do them justice, there are lots of little ones stacked on top of each other...we got a ton of books, and I am so excited about them.  When we get them put neatly into the (fabulous IKEA - thanks Mom & Dad!) book shelf we got for the office/play area perhaps I'll grace you with another photo.  :-)

Doctor in T-minus 1.5 hours.  Is today the day?  Guess we'll find out! 

Happy Friday, lovies!

Sarah

Another Doctor Update...

Are these getting old yet?  I know that going to the doctor sure is getting old for me, so I'm sure the updates are getting old for you all!  We went in for another stress test this morning and to check in.  I took my Mom with me to give Dan a break, because I know he is getting tired of going and sitting and watching me on the FHM for an hour plus.  I was down 1 lb from Monday, and there was no protein in my urine.  My BP, on the other hand, was elevated again - 148/95.  Oy.  They hooked me up to the FHM, and baby girl showed off today so we got to come off in about 30  minutes instead of the normal 45 - 1 hour.  She is still perfect.

The doctor came in to talk, and reaffirmed that my labs from Monday came back normally.  The results of my Strep B test are not yet in.  She told us that in cases where a patient has preeclampsia that is on the milder side and it looks like the patient's symptoms are getting better, they'll let the baby cook as long as they can and see how far they can make it.  She said that as a preface to the statement, "You are clearly not in this category, so I just don't want your expectations to be that you are going to make it to 39 or 40 weeks."  To which I said, cool, we weren't expecting that anyway, so can you give me an idea of how long you anticipate me making it?  I told her that last week, Dr. R. told me that she thought I'd make it to 37-37.5 weeks (U will be 37 weeks this coming Monday) and then I'd deliver.  Her response was, "That is exactly what I was about to say, that we could be talking about delivery as soon as next week."  She said that because of all of the symptoms that I already have in addition to the ones that have come up these past few weeks, they are trying to balance letting the baby cook as long as she can with making sure I am okay, too.  What they don't want is for the preeclampsia to get so bad that we are in an emergency situation.

With all of that said, she told me that right this second she wants to keep doing what we're doing (aka stay on bed rest and we'll continue to monitor), and she wants me to come in again on Friday (three times in one week has to be some kind of record, right?).  She said she didn't want me going through the whole weekend without being seen, but I am to call immediately if my blood pressure spikes (top number greater than or equal to 160, bottom number greater than or equal to 100 - which is not too far off from where I've been hovering).  So, we'll do it all again on Friday.  While I am slightly annoyed to have to go back yet again, I am grateful that they are being cautious.  Mom and I both got the impression from her today that we should expect to deliver next week.  BUT...we see a different doctor on Friday, which means there could be yet another different opinion.  The fact that she didn't give me an idea of when next week makes me wonder whether it will actually happen.  Still a waiting game for now!

Thanks for all of the continued prayers, thoughts, love, words of encouragement and support.  We couldn't have gotten through this without you all!  I will try to blog one of the showers from the weekend tonight - if not tonight, in the morning - because I'm sure these updates are getting more and more boring.  In other news, I'm pretty sure my Mom should move in.  She just made me the best milkshake in the history of the world.  I could get used to this...

Happy Hump Day!

Sarah

False Alarm

Today, we had the most epic of all false alarms.  Dan's work was giving us a baby shower this afternoon, and I was about to hop in the shower to get ready when I saw that I had a voicemail from the doctor's office.  I listened to the following message, which was left around 1:30 pm:

"Hey Sarah, this is Dr. R.  Could you call me back when you get this please?  The number is (XXX)XXX-XXXX.  Thanks."

So, of course, I enter into an absolute panic.  Why?  Because the doctor never calls.  Literally, never.  It's always the nurses.  ALWAYS.  Even bad test results have always been delivered by the nurse.  I did have some blood work done yesterday, so I immediately assumed that something came back weird with the blood work and they were calling to say, "let's have a baby." 

I called back, less than 5 minutes after I got the message, and they sent me to Dr. R's nurse line, where I left a message.  I decided to go ahead and get ready and go to the shower unless I heard otherwise.  Good thing I did, because at 3:00 when the shower started I still hadn't heard back.  The thing is, I know they listened to the message...they check that line approximately every 5 minutes.  I've heard it.  So the fact that they still didn't call back put me into even more of a panic, because I knew it meant they were waiting on the doctor to call back.

4:00 pm rolls around, the shower is over, and I still haven't heard a word.  Dan and I decided that on our way home I'd call again, because I was driving us both crazy.  Turns out I didn't have to, because right as he was loading the car with all of our lovely gifts, the phone rang - doctor's office.  It was the nurse, calling to tell me that my test results from yesterday are fine.  ARE. YOU. KIDDING.  ME.  Don't get me wrong, I am glad they are fine, and even more glad that nothing is wrong.  But seriously, they ought to know better than to do that to a 9-months-pregnant woman!  I said to the nurse, "Oh that's great news, and such a relief.  When the doctor called earlier, I got so nervous because she never calls herself."  To which she replied, "Oh, it wasn't the doctor, it was a nurse."  I am telling you that the woman on the voicemail said she was Dr. R.  I know this because I went back and listened to the voicemail again to make sure I'm not crazy.  Turns out I'm not.  She may have meant to say, "This is Dr. R.'s office," but that is decidedly NOT what she said.  SIGH.

So, everything is fine, and no they were not calling to tell me to bring my stuff to my appointment tomorrow because we're going to have a baby.  So yet again, I don't know whether to be relieved or disappointed.  All of this jerking me around is driving me crazy!

On a happier note, the shower that Dan's work gave us was absolutely lovely.  They were so generous with their gifts - we got several things that we really needed and are very excited about.  AND they had this delicious cake made:

 Hope everyone has had a wonderful Tuesday!

Sarah

36 Week (!!!) Update

Howdy, y'all!  I hope everyone had a wonderful MLK day.  Lots to cover in this post, including today's doctor visit, so I'll cut to the chase with the 36 week stats (can you believe I am already 36 weeks?!):

Size of Geronimina:  One e-mail is still saying honeydew, but another says a crenshaw melon (does anyone even know what that is?), so I'll go with it:

She is gaining about an ounce a day.  My e-mail says she weighs almost 6 pounds, but according to today's ultrasound she is already 7 lbs 11 ounces (EEK!).  BUT, her head is now in the 88th percentile (as opposed to last time when they said 96th).  My lady parts and I will not cry if that percentile continues to decrease.  :-)  One thing to remember about ultrasounds, though, is that they can be up to 20% off.  If so, let's hope they are 20% high on weight instead of low.  We do not need a 20-pounder - ouch!  As for this week's developments, her liver and kidneys are working, and her circulation and immune system are good to go.  Her lungs are the only organs that still need some extra development before maturity, but we saw today on the monitor that she's stretching them out a ton and practicing breathing, which the ultrasound tech said is excellent.

Weight Gain So Far:  Still holding strong at +28 as of the doctor's scale today.  AND it wasn't even this morning, it was right after lunch.  Woot!  Not the +25 total that I was hoping for, but at this point, as long as she's healthy I will be fine!  I am frankly surprised that after 3 weeks of bed rest and literally doing nothing it isn't up to +50.

Cravings:  Does "everything that isn't bed rest" count here?  I know, I know, I should stop complaining because it's good for baby and me, but LORD I am going nuts here.  Could still eat pizza every day of the week if allowed, and still have a sweet tooth, but that's about it!

Aversions:  Do I need to say bed rest?  Are you sensing a theme?  :-)

Symptoms:  Same old: exhaustion, headaches, heartburn, swelling, and urination is out of control frequent.  I read that it would get worse towards the end but I didn't believe it because I was already going so much.  Trust, it is possible.  One sip of water, have to pee.  Pretty sure she's camped out on my bladder.  I am getting to that stage where I am just pretty uncomfortable in general, which I'm sure is at least partially due to the fact that I do nothing all day.  Minor aches and pains, but no stretch marks to report (fingers crossed it stays this way!), which I'm happy about.  Also a new one this week, I have been getting this weird heartburn that isn't really heartburn because it's in my upper abdomen.  I didn't think it was anything important, but today when I told the doctor about it she scolded me for a good 10 minutes for not calling to report it.  She said that is definitely a sign that the preeclampsia could be progressing, and they want to know about it so that they can monitor even more closely (great), especially if it gets worse.

Movement:  Still tons.  Even the ultrasound tech today was surprised that she's still moving so much, because she said baby girl literally is taking up every inch of room in there and doesn't have any to spare for a ton of movement. 

What I Miss:  I never thought I would say the gym!  All in good time, as I feel sure immediately after baby I will begin to loathe it again.  Ha!

Things I Am Thankful For:  Probably repeats from here on out, sorry!  WONDERFUL friends and family, and a wonderful church family.  We had two baby showers over the weekend and were so overwhelmed at the outpouring of love and generosity.  My sweet, sweet husband, who brings me flowers and cooks me surprise lunches (Like today when he cooked me a surprise gourmet lunch on his day off, I asked him if he was trying to fatten me up before my weigh-in and he told me he just wanted to make sure I wasn't hungry in case they induced me today since you can't eat when in labor.  I die!).  My Mom, for coming to visit for a few days to keep me company, help me do laundry and continue to get the nursery organized, etc.  Books, my new kindle, and the DVR.

What I'm Looking Forward To:  Meeting Baby B!  And hopefully making a little more progress in the nursery this week.  Also we both have work showers this week, which I'm excited about.  We are so blessed, and this baby is so rotten already.

Signs of a Bump:  Oh yeah.  I can really tell she's started to "drop," and everyone who saw me over the weekend confirmed it.  The ultrasound tech today even said, "My gosh she is REALLY low in there."  Why yes, my nether regions feel her in the form of a LOT of pressure and random limbs in the birth canal, often.

Next Doctor Appointment:  Wednesday morning, 9:30 a.m.   I told Dan he is off the hook for the next one, because I am getting so bored with them so I know he is, too.  Today I got a good report, which I am thankful for, but also don't know whether to be excited or disappointed.  No protein in my urine, and my BP was more normal for once - 132/80.  Camped out on the FHM for a good hour and baby is absolutely fine.  Still contracting, but not consistently.  Fluid levels are fine, baby is measuring big but fine, and all of her organs appear to be functioning perfectly.  They also did the Strep B test, so we are just waiting on the results.  So everything seems to be a-ok in there for now.  Here are some ghetto photos of the ultrasound pictures we got that I took with my iPhone, because I can't figure out how our scanner works:

The above pictures are looking at her face straight on - sweet little chunky cheeks!  She was blinking at us the whole time and we could see it on the screen. It was pretty incredible.

Over the past few weeks, the doctors have been telling me that they were trying to get me to 37 weeks, but that they likely wouldn't let me go much longer, and to expect to be induced early, so I asked about that today.  She said that at this point, it's just a waiting game, and she couldn't really say (this is the part I'm not sure whether to be excited or disappointed about).  She said they want me to continue to come in twice/week, and was very concerned about the upper abdominal discomfort/heartburn feeling.  I am thankful that we will likely be able to make it to full-term, and that Geronimina is happy and healthy in there.  However, on the other hand, I had mentally prepared myself to have a baby soon and adjusted all of my expectations, because that's what they've been telling me, so when she didn't really give me a definitive answer today it was slightly disappointing.  I know they are doing what's best for us, but the not knowing is killing me - as is the bed rest!  Guess we'll see what happens on Wednesday!

I will leave you with a sneak peak of some shower goodies from the two that were given for us in Charlotte this weekend (because who doesn't like pictures?!):

All of the goodies we got.  Such overwhelming generosity!

Take 2/close-up.

CUTEST WREATH EVER, made by Aunt Niecey.  Waiting to be hung on our front door!

So, that's where we are, friends!  I will try to post about both showers this week, as well as other awesomely interesting topics which I'm sure you are waiting with baited breath to read about.  :-)

Love!

Sarah

Still Cooking...

Hey friends!  Thank you all SO much for your thoughts, prayers, and sweet words of encouragement this morning.  It must have really helped to calm my nerves, because the appointment went well...no baby today! 

I lost 1 pound, there was no protein in my urine, and baby girl cooperated enough on the FHM that they felt good enough to let her cook a little longer.  I am still contracting, but my swelling is way down.  Blood pressure is still elevated - it was 142/90 this morning - but it's better than it has been.

We are so blessed and grateful that she can hang out in there a little while longer!  We can't wait to meet her, but want her to be as developed as she possibly can be before she makes her debut.  Also, I have NO idea what I put in her hospital bag because I was so rushed, so secretly I'm happy I get to re-do it.  :-)

Thanks again!  I'll try to do a baby shower post today or tomorrow.

Love!

Sarah

Eventful Morning

Hey Friends!

You're going to get two posts today - watch out!  This first one is another "update" from the doctor this morning - I want to document it while it's fresh.  Then, because I have not followed through on my promises all week, I am going to post about my sweet Daddy and the gift he brought for Baby B!

So, this morning we had another doctor appointment to check in.  I was actually glad (for once) that we had to go in today, because my headaches have been getting steadily worse as the week has progressed.  They are still not as bad as a migraine, but to the point where I will sometimes have to lay in a dark, quiet room with my eyes closed for relief.  In fact, I have woken up with a headache for the past two mornings straight.  As I said before, two weeks ago, I would not really have thought anything about this, but because of all of the excitement over the past two weeks I'm sure I'm over analyzing every little thing.

We got to the doctor and I did my thing.  No protein in my urine - check.  Weight was down 1 lb from Tuesday, putting me at a total gain of +28 lbs (still don't want to talk about it).  My blood pressure was the highest it's been yet - 150/90.  This of course sent the nurse into a panic - Dan and I think I was probably just due to me worrying about it being high and that's why it was so escalated.  They took me immediately to the FHM, which I expected.  Baby girl cooperated well today - lots of movement.  The doctor came in and talked to us and asked again about all of my symptoms.  Blurry vision or seeing spots?  No.  Upper abdominal pain?  No.  Vaginal bleeding or water breakage?  No.  Nausea or vomiting?  No.  Contractions?  Yes but not consistent.  She explained that the headaches are probably related to spikes in blood pressure, which worries them - especially since I've had them for almost a week now.  She told me that I have a mild case of preeclampsia, and their concern is that they don't want it to get worse, which is why they've been monitoring me so closely.  She wanted to leave me on the FHM for another 30 minutes and have my blood pressure taken a few more times before discussing the next steps.

As I said above, baby girl was moving just fine, and doing exactly what she was supposed to.  Both doctor and nurse said that she is beautiful and perfectly healthy, and totally unaware of any problems with Mom - which is good.  I want her to be perfect and camp out in there for at least two more weeks, if not more!  The next time the nurse took my BP, it was down substantially - I think 130/76?  We stayed on FHM a while longer, and then she took it again.  It was a little higher - I want to say maybe 133/86 or somewhere around there (it was taken so many times by the time we left that I can't keep them straight anymore).  The doctor came back in and said she'd consulted with the on-call doctor, and they both agreed that it would be best to admit me to Labor and Delivery at the hospital (conveniently attached to the doctor's office) for monitoring.  Dr. R. said that they wanted to have all of my labs re-done, get another urine sample, monitor baby and contractions and also monitor my BP.  She said that they'd also give me something a little stronger than Tylenol for my headache, and that if the BP didn't get under control and the headache didn't go away we'd have to talk about delivering (excellent way to reduce my blood pressure, no?).  At this point I had a meltdown.  Thank God for Dan.

Dr. R. is actually not one of my favorite doctors in the practice, but the on-call doctor, Dr. G., is.  She happened to be in the office for something at that moment and stopped in to check on me - she knew I'd be upset.  She explained that I didn't need to worry, that it was totally precautionary and not an abnormal thing for them to do for patients.  She said her hope was that my labs would be fine, they'd monitor my BP for a little while and it would be under control, and if that were the case I could go home and continue resting.  It made me feel a lot better.

So, off to the hospital we went.  I guess the one good thing about all this is that we will be able to get through registration at the hospital in no time once the baby actually does come, because I had pre-registered so they already had most of my information, but they also went through the registration process.  They asked me questions about my delivery (Do I want an epidural?  Do I plan to breastfeed?  Questions about my medical history, etc.) and also asked if we had purchased and installed a carseat.  Um.  Is, "no, because we thought we had 6 more weeks," an appropriate answer?  Probably we should get on that stat. 

Anyway, long story short - my platelets are still low, but my labs came back normal.  No protein in the urine sample the hospital took.  BP evened out and was pretty normal while I was there, and the slightly stronger drugs they gave me made my headache feel better.  Dr. G. came to check on me and said she was pleased with my progress, and to head on home to rest and they want to see me first thing Monday morning.  She also wants another 24-hour urine sample to be started on Sunday so that I can bring it in with me Monday morning.  Fab.  I'm sure carrying around my own urine at my baby shower on Sunday will be REAL cute.  She also told me to call immediately if any changes or new symptoms occur.

Moral of the story?  I don't think there's any chance this baby is making it to 40 weeks.  If I had to guess, I'd say they will get me to 37 and then we need to be prepared to deliver at any time.  That is only 2 weeks away!  It is hard to believe that it could be happening so soon.  I am so excited to meet our little girl, but worried at the same time.  I want her to stay in there and marinate a little longer!  They did not get into whether I would have to have a c-section or whether they'd try induction, but I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

Whew, that was a long one!  Bottom line, we're still cooking for at least a little while longer.  More updates after Monday's appointment.

Happy Friday, and happy first baby shower weekend to us!  :-)

Sarah

I think bed rest is turning me into a hypochondriac.

Happy Tuesday, friends!  It has been yet another eventful day in the Baum household.  Before I begin my tale, might I preface you with some photos of my first day working from the couch?  Pictures make blog posts more fun, after all:

I think it is safe to say that Layla loves bed rest.  Can't you tell?  I took the top photo this morning, and the bottom photo this afternoon after I had to switch sides of the couch so that I'd be closer to an outlet - no dead battery here.  Anyway, she did not move from that position all day.  Even when I had to get up 123987298347 times to go to the restroom, she'd watch me, sigh heavily a few times, wait for me to get settled once I got back to the couch, and then snuggle into my leg for more naps.  This dog is rotten, I tell you.

Anyway, so you may remember from yesterday's post that I have been having these pesky headaches for 4-ish days that I can't get rid of.  Before last week I wouldn't have ever thought anything about them, but lately every little thing has me worried and I'm trying to balance being crazy vs. not when it comes to the doctor.  I don't want to be "that girl" who calls every five seconds about every little thing and has to be seen all of the time over nothing.  I also don't want to be "that girl" who has crazy complications because she refused to call the doctor.

With that said, at every one of my recent doctor visits, they've asked lots of questions about blurry vision and headaches.  I didn't have anything to report before, so they told me to make sure to call if there were any changes.  So, when I started getting these headaches, I kept putting off calling - again, I didn't want to freak everyone out over nothing.  Additionally, I couldn't figure out if the doctor only meant for me to call if I had headaches and blurry vision.  In the end, the headaches have been frequent - and strong - enough that we decided we'd rather be safe than sorry. 

I called the nurse this afternoon and told her what was going on.  I explained that the headaches have not been debilitating like a migraine, but they have been to the point where I had to close my eyes because the light hurt.  No blurry vision.  No upper abdominal pain (but tons of lower due to this child shoving some body part down what I'm pretty sure is the birth canal OFTEN).  Just headaches.  I reminded her that I have an appointment on Friday, that I'm sure it's nothing and can wait, but that I thought I'd rather be safe than sorry.  She told me that I was right to call, had every reason to be concerned, and that the doctor wanted me to come in as soon as I could get there.  enter into panic mode.  I'd been keeping Dan up to date on the day's events, and he'd asked me to let him know if they wanted me to come in so that he could come get me and take me.  Sweet, sweet man.  So he came home and we left around 3:15.

I went in and performed the usual drill.  No protein in my urine, which was good (speaking of, results of last week's urine test were normal - there was some protein in there, and it was on the "high" side of normal, but still considered normal). Four pounds gained since Friday, which means I am retaining some fluid (swelling is still there, but not as bad since I'm doing nothing but laying/sitting around).  And just like I predicted - blood pressure had skyrocketed since the last appointment: 150/86.  The doctor came in to talk to me, we talked about what was going on, and he again assured me that I was right to come in.  He said they couldn't tell over the phone if it was something that needed to be addressed, and what with all of the preeclampsia symptoms anyway, he felt better having me come in.  We talked about my symptoms and they took my blood pressure again.  Within a 30 minute period it had gone back down to normal - 110/76.  My headache was also fading.  He checked the baby out with the doppler and also put me on the FHM again just to be sure.  Baby girl was stubborn today and did not want to perform for the nice nurse and doctor, even after drinking juice, but she wiggled enough after he moved my stomach around some that he felt comfortable that she's fine.  They took my blood pressure again for good measure and it was still fine - 118/76.

So, the moral of the story is:  everything is fine.  I'm to keep monitoring the headaches, and they're going to keep monitoring me very closely.  He still wants me to come in on Friday so that they can keep an eye on me, and he said he will determine whether I need to come in twice/week based on the outcome of Friday's appointment.  He said that the headaches could possibly be related to the spiking of my blood pressure.  He also said that if I do, in fact, have preeclampsia, which is what they're worried about, the preeclampsia could be causing the headaches all on its own.  The bottom line is this: baby girl is fine.  I am fine for now, but they are going to continuously monitor me just to be safe.  I asked today what the chances are of me making it to 40 weeks.  He basically said that they are going to do everything in their power to make sure I make it to 37 weeks, when Geronimina will be full-term.  He said they'd love for me to make it to 39, but that after 37, given everything that is going on with me, it wouldn't take much for them to decide to go ahead and deliver me if my body is still acting up.  So, I guess that means that this baby could come in 3 weeks, unless my body calms down.  We seriously need a car seat.  And some diapers.  And probably I should wash the few clothes I've bought for her.  And get some nursing bras?  Lord, the list goes on and on.

I'm sure these "update" posts are getting old, but I am trying to make sure I get everything documented so I don't forget it.  Tomorrow, I shall tell you all about the breast feeding class.  :-)  In the meantime, Dan and I are going to watch The Happiest Baby On The Block in anticipation of a possibly early baby.  EEEK!

Hump day tomorrow already?  Yes please!

Sarah

Another Update

I know, there have been approximately 2983239847 updates this week.  You have all been so thoughtful and kind with your calls, texts, messages, thoughts and prayers and we are so grateful!  I can't wait for this baby to meet you all and know how loved she is.

We went back to the doctor today after my being on bed rest for several days to check in, and the appointment went really well - thank the Lord!  I have been so worried about it, and I didn't sleep much last night as a result.  When we arrived, I turned in my 6 lbs of pee (true story, I weighed it this morning - I spent the night worrying about what to do if I filled it up, but it [just barely] didn't turn out to be an issue after all) for them to analyze and then I had my blood drawn.  I peed in the cup as usual (protein free!) and weighed in.  Would you believe that I am down -5 lbs from Tuesday's appointment?  So that puts me at a total weight gain of +25.  It is crazy how much fluid I was/am retaining.  I wish I would have taken a picture of my hands and feet last week vs. this week for comparison purposes, but it was seriously gross.  Also, my blood pressure was back to normal - 122/76, which means my bed rest is doing the trick!  They hooked me up to the FHM and baby girl is still doing well.  She got the hiccups while I was hooked up, which was hilarious to hear.  Also, no contractions while I was hooked up today, which they were also pleased about.

The doctor came to check in, said baby looked great, and then sent us off to our ultrasound and told us that he'd see us after.  We haven't had an ultrasound since our gender determination at 16 weeks, and it is incredible to see all of the changes.  She still looks like an alien, but we could definitely see defined body parts.  It's hard to believe that the last time we saw her, her whole body fit on the screen.  Today, we had to examine her piece by piece.  My fluid levels are fine - above average, actually, which they said is good.   They confirmed that Geronimina is, in fact, a girl - no surprises there!  We got to see her little face - we can tell that she has Mommy's fat cheeks, and we also saw that she is definitely going to have hair!  We're not sure how much, but it's definitely there - we could see it moving back and forth (swaying almost) in the amniotic fluid.  She has fat little legs and feet, too.  Bad news for Mom's lady parts, though: I am 33 weeks 4 days today and she is measuring like I'm 35 weeks, weighing in at 5 lbs already.  They are supposed to gain about 1/2 lb per week until the end, so if I go full term we are looking at an 8+ pound baby.  On top of it, she took after her Daddy's side of the family and her head is in the 96th percentile in terms of huge-ness.  Makes me hurt to think about it.  Here are the two pictures they gave us - again, she still looks like an alien, and she was too big for a full body shot, but we're happy to have them nonetheless (sorry they're crooked, Dan is not as meticulous with his scanning as I am):

This is a pic of her labia, LOL.  Definitely a girl!

This is a straight-on shot of her face.  If you look closely, you can see how her nose is pressed up against my uterus.  AND you can see her chunky little cheeks!

After the ultrasound, we went to meet with the doctor.  He said that he's very pleased with my progress since Tuesday, and that I was a tough case to figure out.  I have all of the signs of preeclampsia - high blood pressure, lots of swelling, low platelets, etc. - but he said that I've also been like that for the entire pregnancy.  My blood pressure, for example, has always been on the "high" side of normal - not as high as it was this past week, but high.  My platelets have always been on the low side.  So, he took me off of full bed rest, but decided to keep me on modified bed rest.  He wrote a note saying that he prefers me to work from home - I'm allowed to go into the office if I need to, but not for long periods of time and I need to keep my feet up.  He said that I'm no longer chained to the bed - I can do things here and there around the house as needed for short periods of time - but I still need to be resting with my feet up the majority of the time.  The gym is a no go, unfortunately.  I am allowed to make quick trips to the store, but he said he didn't want me "taking 45 minute trips to Target (his words, not mine)."  All in all, this is good news.  I am lucky that I have a pretty flexible job, so I'm hoping my boss will be ok with all of this.  The doctor also cleared me to go to Charlotte for my baby showers as long as Dan drives and I promise to stay rested, so I'm excited about that as well.  In a normal pregnancy, I would be going to the doctor once every two weeks at this point in time.  With my symptoms, he said that normally he'd want to see me twice/week from here on out, but he was so pleased with my progress that we are going to go once/week and see how it goes.

So, there you have it - today's progress report was a good one, and Dan and I are very pleased and relieved.  My next appointment is next Friday, so let's hope the news remains good.  No word yet as to whether they'll let me go full-term due to large-ness of  baby buddha in there.  :-)

Thanks again for all of your love, support, thoughts and prayers!  We are more appreciative than we can ever tell you.

Sarah

Updates: 33 Weeks and Doctor

Hi friends!  I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and that Santa brought you everything you asked for!  I hit the 33 week mark yesterday and we had our follow-up doctor appointment today, so brace yourselves...this will be a long one.  First, the 33 week stats:

Size of Gerominima:  A pineapple!

She's 4 lbs and has surpassed the 17-inch mark.  Her skeleton is hardening and she's losing her wrinkled, alien-like look.  The bones in her skull aren't fused together - they move slightly and overlap a little, which will make it easier for her to fit through the birth canal when the time comes (yes please - every little bit helps!).  She's also started to open her eyes when she's awake.

Weight Gain So Far:  +24 lbs from Thursday, and another +4 today.  Not even kidding you. 4 lbs in 4 days.  +28 total.  SIGH.  Doctor and nurse said it is due to the fact that I am retaining so much fluid - I am so swollen that my feet and hands ache.  More on that later.

Cravings:  Salt and sweets, mainly because I've been trying to cut them out of my diet to reduce swelling and since I can't work out.  Le sigh.

Aversions:  Does high blood pressure count?  LOL.  Really nothing food-wise. 

Symptoms:  Swelling, swelling and more swelling - and achy body parts as a result.  Exhaustion - pretty sure I have taken 3 naps a day since my vacation started.  Still hip pain, which is terrible at times.  Charlie horses - and yes I've been eating bananas for potassium, but one still woke me up in the middle of the night the other night to the point where I cried out.  Dan was not amused at the false alarm.  Also, Braxton Hicks contractions have started for the first time this week.  Totally normal, per all of my readings and the doctor.

Movement:  Tons.  When they hooked me up to the fetal heart monitor again today, I was afraid she wouldn't cooperate because she'd been moving some in the car.  Boy, was I wrong.  She decided to show off - both the doctor and nurse were surprised and impressed.  Also she still gets the hiccups 2-3 times/day.

What I Miss:  Never thought I'd say it, but working out.  Most of the time I don't want to go to the gym because I'm tired, but I always feel so much better after I work out.

Things I am Thankful For:  My wonderful husband and our wonderful families.  And Baby Jesus being born.  Also for my doctors, all of whom are incredible.  AND I am VERY thankful that my bestie had a smooth birth and produced the sweetest baby ever (that's you, Hadley Jo!).

What I'm Looking Forward To:  All of my baby showers coming up, assuming we don't have to cancel any (Again, more on that in a minute, I promise). 

Signs of a Bump:  Yep, still there and still growing by the day it feels like:

I think my shirt is getting a little tight, and also my pants are doing something weird in the back.  Whatevs.

Next Doctor Appointment:  Friday, December 30 at 10:00 a.m.  This seems like a good place to update you on what happened today.  If you're still reading by the end of this one, I'll be shocked...it is a long story!

I arrived at the doctor and did the usual: peed, weighed, and had blood pressure (from here on out, referred to as "bp") checked.  My mother-in-law has a blood pressure machine at her house, so we took it this morning to see what it was and it was still high - 141/76 I think?  I can't remember what the bottom number was (too many numbers since then), but I know the top one is at least close.  As mentioned above, I was up another 4 lbs, but the nurse didn't seem worried - said I am retaining a TON of fluids.  Um, yes, I'd say.  I told the nurse we'd taken my bp this morning, and that it was still high.  We were both sad.  She took it and it was even higher - 148/86.  SIGH.  She hooked me immediately up to the Fetal Heart Monitor ("FHM") so that we could check in on baby girl.  As mentioned above, the nurse asked if I thought she'd cooperate and I wasn't sure because she'd been active on the car ride home.  She gave me some juice and just said that if she didn't cooperate, no biggie they'd just take me off.  She moved more in that 30 minutes than I think she has moved all day - she was definitely showing off, and they were pleased (normally, if I want her to move, she won't).  However, the doctor came in at one point and said, in a very surprised tone, "Oh wow, you're contracting quite a bit and pretty consistently.  Can you feel that?"  I told her yes, but they weren't painful, just uncomfortable.  It made me a little uneasy that she seemed surprised that they were consistent-ish - but she didn't say how consistent.

She left us for a few more minutes to finish up with the FHM, and then came back in to check me out and chat.  She asked if I'd truly stayed off my feet over the weekend, which honestly I really did, but I guess not enough.  She said that my labs came back normal, and that my platelets were actually up from the last time they checked in November, which was good news.  She also looked at the FHM printout and said that baby is absolutely wonderful, that it's me they're worried about.  I am okay with that, as long as she's ok I will do what I need to and be fine.  She put me on bed rest and told me that I need to come back in on Friday.  She asked when our last ultrasound was, and we told her 16 weeks, so she said that on Friday we'll get another one (Score!  We high fived after she left the room at that, no judgment zone.  We were both hoping we'd get to see her again, although she's so big at this point that who knows what we'll actually be able to see.), they'll hook me up to the FHM again, take my blood pressure, etc. and see what happens.  I also have to do a 24-hour urine sample, which basically means that starting when I wake up on Thursday morning, I have to pee in this little hat thing in the toilet (like what they use at the hospital) and collect it in this jug for 24 hours and refrigerate it and then bring it back in with me.  Dan was SO grossed out at the refrigeration part - literally mortified.  It was hilarious.  The last bomb she dropped was, "go ahead and start wrapping your mind around the fact that you may not be going back to work."  Great.  When Dan asked if we were allowed to travel (we had plans to spend the weekend in Charlotte with my family and visiting our friends for NYE), without a second's hesitation she said, "Absolutely not."  She said I'm not even allowed to walk the dog.  Sigh.  As she was walking out of the room, she told me, "I'm sure this will be hard on you, but I'd like for her to marinate in there a little longer.  I'm not quite ready for her to come out yet."  Um, me neither, sister.  Talk about a panic attack at the thought.

So, that's that.  I am a little bummed because I was hoping that last week's high bp was just a result of all of the excitement around Christmas and Hadley's birth.  I'm  also a little worried (not shocking, I know).  I'm also bummed that we can't go to Charlotte and that we won't get to see our friends for NYE.  Not to worry, I will still don the sequin skirt I bought for the occasion on the couch.  :-)  I am still holding out hope that if I can rest up this week and take it really easy, Friday will go really well and all will be fine.  Fingers crossed, and all prayers are welcome!

The good news out of all of this is, baby is fine.  I have all of the Harry Potter movies, and I got a Kindle for Christmas, so hopefully I can find plenty to do and won't be bored to death.  I'm sad for Dan that he'll have to do basically everything around here, but hopefully it will only be for the next few days.  I'm also thankful that he is so incredible and sweet.  He has been doing tons of research, and for anyone who is interested, he sent me this article on preeclampsia today, which is the most concise and informative that I've seen thus far.  I guess more good news is, I'll have plenty of time to blog?  ;-)

If you're still hanging in there, thanks for reading.  I'll keep you all posted!

Sarah

32 Week Doctor Appointment Update

Happy Christmas Eve Eve!  I cannot believe that Christmas is only 2 days away...it really snuck up on me this year.  And WHY is it 70 degrees outside?! 

So as I mentioned in yesterday's post, my 32-week doctor's appointment did not quite go as planned.  My appointment was at 1:40 - Dan was meeting me there, and we were anticipating being done by 2:00.  Typically these appointments are really quick - we were meeting a new doctor and I had a lot of questions, but normally it is the same drill: pee in a cup, weigh in (ugh), have blood pressure taken, let the doctor listen to baby's heart and measure your belly, ask any questions we have, and we're done.  I arrived probably 5 minutes early, which I will admit is highly unusual for me, and of course because we were slightly early they were running slightly behind.  I had just texted Stephanie to tell her that I was going to hate it for whoever I had to cuss out because yesterday was NOT the day for them to make me late, I had a baby to meet!

So, I went back and peed in the cup and weighed in (+24 lbs...I don't want to talk about it), and then went to have my blood pressure taken.  I figured they'd probably have to take it twice, because I was so excited and anxious about Steph being in labor.  She took it twice, and then asked me to take off my sweater so that she could hear it better.  I felt a little uneasy, because they've never taken it more than twice and it's always been normal, but then she took me on to the exam room.  The doctor's office was right next to my exam room, and I heard the nurse talking to the doctor.  I couldn't hear everything that was being said, but I heard my name and then "32 weeks," and then I heard the doctor say, "Okay, well let's just let her know what we're doing so she won't worry."  Has she met me?  So the doctor pokes her head in and says, don't be alarmed, your blood pressure is higher than we'd like for it to be, so we're going to let you relax for a few minutes and then the nurse is going to take it again.  They told me to lie on my left side and try to calm down, and she'd be back soon.  I need to preface the next 1.5 hours with: thank the Lord for my husband.  I am so glad that he has been so involved in this pregnancy and has wanted to come to every single appointment that he could (he's only missed 2 and it was because he was out of town), because right about now was the time I started freaking out.  I laid on my left side for probably around 10 minutes, and Dan read me jokes out of the Highlights magazine and acted his normal foolish self, which I was grateful for because it kept me calmer than I otherwise would have been.  The nurse came back in and took my blood pressure, which was still high. She said not to worry, she was sure it was fine, and the doctor would be in shortly.  Begin panic mode now.

Side note: you know how when you are at the doctor, you immediately can tell that something may be wrong because they're working so hard to act like it's totally normal?  That's exactly how I felt.  I know there is something wrong, you have never taken my blood pressure more than once or twice and it's always been normal, so tell me.  Also, several people have asked me what my blood pressure actually was - I really honestly can't remember.  I think they told us at one point, but I was not very clear-headed and I can't remember.  I just know that the bottom number was normal, and the top one was consistently too high.

Enter the doctor.  She comes in, measures me (measuring perfectly), listens to the baby (heartbeat sounds great, strong and steady), and then says she'd like to try taking my blood pressure herself, just in case.  Takes it, makes a frowny face.  I panic.  She asks if I've had any swelling (tons lately), any headaches or blurry vision (none), examines my hands, and asks to see my feet which up until this point have been hidden in my gorgeous birthday boots so I didn't realize I had cankles.  Again.  Sigh (Another side note: this made me realize how desperately I need a pedicure.  That is now on the list for next week for sure, as I was slightly mortified at the sight of my feet, which I typically cannot see these days.).  She then says, "I hope you weren't planning to travel anywhere for the weekend," which of course we were, and then tells me that we're going to have to reconsider, and that I have to go on modified bed rest.  She said, and this is a direct quote, "No errands, no housework, no strenuous activity.  You are not confined to the bed but you're basically confined to the couch.  Take it easy, relax, let you husband help you if you have things that you have to do."  Dan then looks at me and says, "That means no gym." 
    Doctor (Gives me the "Mom" look): That absolutely means no gym whatsoever.
    Me: But my weight gain!
    Doctor: Your weight gain is fine so far, and you'll just have to eat really healthy.
    Me (In agony): BUT ALL I WANT IS CAKE! 
Probably the cause of the +24 lbs which we are not talking about.  Sigh.  The doctor then tells me that the reason they're so concerned about my blood pressure is because not only is it bad for baby and I (high blood pressure may cause the placenta not to be able to deliver oxygen and nutrition to Geronimina), but they are looking for signs of preeclampsia.

Through the massive amount of googling I did as soon as I could, I discovered that preeclampsia can result in various outcomes, such as: baby being born weighing less than normal, baby being born with health problems or baby needing to be delivered early via c section.  For me, it could mean my kidneys have more trouble functioning, anemia, decreased platelets which could lead to increased (and uncontrollable) bleeding during delivery (or on its own), and seizures.  5-8% of pregnancies are affected by preeclampsia, and anyone can get it, but first pregnancies are at an increased risk.  Oy. 

So, doctor gives me the cliffs notes version of what's going on and says she doesn't like my blood pressure.  She is going to have blood drawn and sent off for testing, and then she's going to hook me up to the fetal heart monitor to make sure baby is ok.  I later admitted to Dan that when she said "monitor the baby" I was secretly hoping it would be via ultrasound so that we could see her again, but no such luck.  They took about  a million vials of blood - I didn't quite catch what they were testing for, but she said it would take 24 hours before they'd know anything. 

They then took me into another room and hooked me up to the fetal heart monitor.  It is basically this belt that you wear, and it monitors the baby's heart rate (hence the name).  They gave me a button to push when the baby moves - the doctor told us that what they want to see is her heart rate increasing when she moves - and they were hoping for 3-4 movements.  Anyway, it spits out this little report so they can read the results.  Here's what the machine looks like, minus the sweet 80s hair:

And then the printout looks something like this:

They definitely got their money's worth movement-wise - baby girl was very cooperative and moved the entire time.  Dan was watching the machine and told me that her heart was doing what it was supposed to, which made me feel relieved.  I was monitored for probably around 30 minutes, and then the nurse took the printout to the doctor.

When the doctor came back in she told us that the baby "did a great job and is absolutely beautiful" and that we have nothing to worry about.  She approved our travel to my in-laws this weekend, but said that she still wanted me on modified bed rest and that I needed to come back in on Tuesday (the first day the office is open after Christmas) so that they can check on my blood pressure again.

I know this was a long post, but it was a long appointment!  I cannot say enough how amazing Dan is and how glad I am that he was there with me - I know that it would have gone a lot differently had he not been there, due to my tendency to freak out (which I still did, just to a much lesser extent).  It is hard not to worry about what's going on - my sister-in-law had preeclampsia and had to deliver my nephew really early (although I will say that he is 5 now and perfect as can be!).  She has been telling me to make sure I listen to the doctor, and Dan has been lecturing me and forcing me to follow orders.  Our Christmas plans had to be cut a little short due to the appointment on Tuesday afternoon, but I'd rather them be cautious than not catch something. 

So, today I am camped out on the couch.  I've done a little work this morning but am signing off shortly.  I do have just a few errands that I need to run, but Dan's going to go with me to supervise, and we won't be out long.  He is currently changing the oil in his car and is planning to paint the nursery after, so that is extra exciting.

Hope you're all having a happy Friday!  T minus two days until present opening...yay!

Sarah