My due date is two months from today--can you believe it?!
I had my prenatal appointment today (31.5 weeks) and met yet another doctor at my practice. There are six doctors altogether, and as only three of them rotate going down to Indianola, I've had to go up to their West Des Moines office to meet the others. I have one still to meet, their new doctor who does come down to Indianola. Of course, not for my next visit in two weeks. Hopefully I'll meet her before D-day.
Today's stats: I gained 2.6 pounds in the past 2 weeks (very important .6, as it means NOT 3 lbs, which would bring me into a new set of digits...) For those interested, I've gained 24.6 (not 25 yet!) lbs. so far this pregnancy.
Baby's heartrate was 140--nice and strong. I'm measuring right on schedule at just under 32 weeks. What's with some people saying I look ready to go any day?? How rude. Others (many more, might I add) have said I look fantastic and "wow, you only have 8 weeks to go?! You look great!" I choose to listen to those people. Drs. say I'm looking good, my blood pressure is great, and the baby is healthy. He's head-down now, but that can always change in the next couple of months. I found out that no doctor in this practice will deliver a breech baby. Automatic C-section if they can't successfully turn the baby. Hmmm. I'm not too happy about that, but hopefully my little guy will just stay put.
One little surprise today is that I was told that another doctor had put in my chart for me to have another ultrasound at around 30-32 weeks because my placenta looked low in my other ultrasound. Well, that's nice of them to tell me that...12 weeks later! That could be the reason for the problem I'd had which made me go to the hospital. I guess they weren't overly concerned about it at the time. So I'm scheduled for another ultrasound next week. I really hope our insurance will cover it. We were out several hundred dollars last time. At least we found out it was a boy. This time, we'd better not find out we're having a girl. (!!) Wouldn't THAT be a surprise?! (and a head scratcher...and a reason for a third opinion...) So, I have mixed feelings about another ultrasound. I'm excited to see the baby again, but I'd rather save the money. And there are some people who think that there hasn't been enough research done on ultrasounds and the long-term effects on babies. (Not that I'm paranoid about it, I've just read some stuff.)
I also went to the Stork Wearhouse in Des Moines today. What an awesome place. I got some great advice about cloth diapering from some moms. I admitted to being completely clueless, which I think is best in a situation like that. You get the most sympathy and some true help. I didn't want to spend hundreds of dollars on things I had no idea would work for me and my baby, so I got a few different things to try--a great place to start. What a valuable resource for women, and well, parents in general. It's run out of the owner's home, and I felt like I'd stepped back into Eugene, Oregon. They also have monthly get-togethers/classes for cloth diapering and carrying (sounds strange, right? just a get-together for moms and dads to try various baby carriers). I'll definitely be taking advantage of this new (to me) resource.
Nauburn update: Baby let me sleep last night--yeah! I'm extremely nauburny right now though. Ugh. Just brutal!
2 days until Rachel's shower! I can't wait to write about that--for now, I'm keeping everything a surprise! (Except for the fact that I'm throwing her a shower...wouldn't be much of a surprise as she reads this blog...)
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5 comments:
Cloth diapers! Brave woman! Heidi and I both attempted cloth, with mixed results. It was a love/hate relationship lol.
I wouldn't worry about the effects of the ultrasound... I remember doing a whole shabang of research on it with Lili (she had some umbilical issues requiring multiple u/s) and the evidence was quite clear. But I hope your insurance does cover it, because then you can just enjoy :)
Ahhh the whole c-section thing drives me crazy. I hate the 'no choice' rules. I typically get into heated arguements with nurses (poor nurses) about this stuff.
You should also find out if it is standard practice to give you a shot of pitocin immediately following birth in order to speed up the deliver of the placenta... there are multiple studies that show that there are negative side effects to this. I refused with Lili, and delivered the placenta naturally 40 minutes later thanks to natural contractions brought on by nursing. I was appalled to discover that I'd had the shot after Cohen without anyone asking or even informing me.
Just something to consider.
How did the recital go??
They didn't give me any extra pitocin after the delivery. . . I don't think they do that routinely.
Lucky you! I didn't even know that they did it with my first, until another mom mentioned it to me. Then I asked my Doc to check my chart, and sure enough, they had. I didn't even know until a year later, pregnant with my second. I was not a happy momma!
As a nurse I feel I should comment :)
First of all, the reason that breech babies are not routinely delivered vaginally is because the largest diameter is the head, and it is a medical emergency (equivalent to that of a heart attack etc.) if the body is delivered and the head will not fit, which can happen. In that case I've seen a pelvis of a woman have to be smashed in order to get the head out, and the baby had spinal damage. The woman can not walk for a very long time either. It can happen to even the most skilled doctors, and there is never definite proof that a woman will not have cephalopelvic disproprtion (CPD, the head to big for pelvis) until you are in labour. Small percentage, but definitely worth having a cesarean birth than risks of vaginal with breech presentation. Sorry for being graphic, but it's true.
Second, the hormone Oxytocin that is given is not necessary, and you can opt out of having it, but it is routine so it will be given unless you say you'd like to opt out. Its not to bring the placenta faster as believed, it is to prevent having a hemorrhage after delivery (especially since our babies are getting bigger and bigger) and with that your uterus will return to prepregnancy shape faster. Honestly, here in Canada I don't think it would matter to get it, but in the US I'd look at insurance and cost difference between getting the hormone vs. "potential" prolonged hospital stay. Key word "potential"..a lot of women especially with their first, won't have a hemorrhage.
I'm sorry this is so long Jillian, maybe you shouldn't have opened your comments up to other people!! :) Love reading your blogs!
Haha--no worries, Adrienne! Thanks for your expertise! I didn't know that about breech births.
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