Baby Shower

My family threw me a baby shower for Phoenix today! We had a ton of great food and fun! It was great to see the people who could make it. We played a hilarious "powder" guessing game, and everyone hand painted a onesie for Phoenix. The shower was a luau theme as I didn't really care for the typical "blue" theme.

Not So Good

I ran into the office for a quick check with the nurse as I wasn’t feeling so well and my blood pressure has been up at home. The nurse gave me quite the look after she got done, my bp was 170/90. She had me lay on my left side for 15 minutes to see if it would come down. My OB was not in the office today, she had him come in to look at me as he passed through the office. After resting, another nurse took my bp and it was great at 124/74. The OB ordered lab work to see if things are starting to change. The nurse called in the afternoon with the results and things looked normal yet. I’m supposed to head into L&D if I get a headache or feel worse.

33 week BPP

I had my BPP ultrasound today and things look good. Baby & placenta scored great. They did some checking, as it appeared the cord was around baby's neck, but after looking it seems it is draped against it. The not so good news is this morning I think I lost a piece of my plug. I also was slightly crampy and achy, but it only lasted about an hour or two. So, we are keeping an eye on that. If contractions start up, I'm to head into L&D for a cervical check.

33 weeks

I made it another week, yay! I saw the OB on Monday and things are looking okay. My BP is hanging around 130's/80's this week, but I'm still showing anywhere from neg to +1 protein on any given day. My OB went over my labs with me and he was quite surprised that things were as normal as they were. The 24hr urine came back 118, so that was awesome. My blood work is all still within normal levels.

Phoenix has dropped into my pelvis and I'm feeling a lot of pressure. The Braxton Hicks contractions have kicked up quite a bit as well. The OB said that my body may be getting ready for early delivery, and that he wouldn't be surprised if I went preterm labor before any preeclampsia diagnosis possibly. His goal was 34 weeks, so he's happy to have made it this far. Depending on how things look next week, we may be looking at another 1-3 weeks yet.

Lab update

My 24hr urine came back and I guess things are okay. I spoke with the nurse yesterday and she said called the OB in surgery to go over my results and when she first looked at them she was concerned. I get the feeling he doesn't want to worry me as the nurse told me, "He says to let you know you are not preeclamptic." There was creatine showing when I asked if there was protein, and basically avoided my question. She asked how far along I was (32 weeks) and when I said I’m still optimistic that I can make it another 4-6 weeks, her reply was "I'm not so sure about that 6 weeks." My bp has been okay at home, and I'm showing trace on the morning dips. I am still having minor hand and facial swelling, but nothing huge at this point.

32 weeks

Things may be starting to go downhill. I had some worries last weekend with my bp labile and swelling of the hands & face. Never more than a trace on the dip. I ran in for a quick check with the nurse last week and of course the bp was good.

I turned 32 weeks today and had an OB appt. He walked and instantly commented on how I look. He said I'm looking "markedly" different with the swelling in my face and hands. I don't consider what I have to be moderate swelling yet, but maybe that's because I look at myself everyday. My bp was 134/78 and I'm showing protein again. I also gained 5 pounds in April, which is incredibly high for me this pg. He doesn't want to worry me, but he says we may be looking at the start of things to come. I was looking at Ariana's scrapbook over the weekend and saw my photos from my shower for her (3 yrs ago last week) and the swelling of my face shocked me. I really was starting to swell. 33/34 weeks started to be my sick time with her, so we are anticipating some possible action over the next two weeks.

I had blood work done today, and everything is still within normal levels thankfully. I start a 24hr urine tomorrow and will have the results Wed afternoon. He wants to administer steroids if things aren't looking so good. I see him weekly, and if need be twice a week. He also said that if we need to run labs every 2-3 days, we will. If the bp continues to creep up, he wants bedrest with a home nurse coming in to check my bp & urine. Will do in hospital bedrest if need be. He said that he's hoping I can hold out until 34 weeks.

I knew that I'd be having this baby in about 4 weeks, but today was a huge wake-up call. Two weeks just about did me in anxiety-wise. I know things could still go well and I could deliver in 6 weeks, but at this point I'm ready for anything. We started packing a bag for Ariana to stay with a grandparent in case something happens and I have to deliver. I've had my bag packed for weeks. So, any good thoughts you have, I'd greatly appreciate. I was hoping to make it to May 15 (36 weeks), but now am looking to get past Ariana's birthday on May 3. I'm trying to remain optimistic, but that is getting more difficult.

30 weeks

I can’t believe I’m 30 weeks already! Where has the time gone? My bp was super today-118/72. My OB was able to find Phoenix’s heartbeat immediately today. Fundal height has me measuring 32 weeks, so it looks like this baby is growing great. His head is down and the OB had Jason feel for the head. Doctor said that if I am still moving along well at 36 weeks and baby is looking good, he wouldn’t be against inducing me at that time. He’d rather have me deliver while healthy than to deliver because I’m sick. So, we could have a baby anytime in the next 6-8 weeks! I also had my BPP ultrasound today. There was confirmation that this baby is a BOY, parts were clearly seen again. Baby and my placenta scored a perfect score – 8 out of 8.

30 week baby factoids: Your baby now weighs around 3 pounds and is about 17 inches from head to toe. An ultrasound image may show your baby yawning or even sucking its thumb, he's also filling out a bit as he continues to gain weight, and these layers of fat help him to appear less wrinkled.
As practice for breathing after birth, your baby is mimicking breathing movements by repeatedly moving his diaphragm in a rhythmic way. This can trigger hiccups if he inadvertently inhales amniotic fluid. A pint and a half of amniotic fluid now surrounds your baby, but that volume decreases as he gets bigger and has less room in your uterus. Here's what else is happening this week:
• Baby's head continues to grow, and brain growth speeds up even more.
• Baby's hearing is improving; nearly all babies can react (by movement) to sound by this week