Pour some sugar on me!

I got my three hour glucose test results back today.

For reference, here are the cut-offs:

Interval	Abnormal reading
Fasting	95 mg/dl or higher
One hour	180 mg/dl or higher
Two hours	155 mg/dl or higher
Three hours	140 mg/dl or higher

My numbers were:
Fasting: 76
One Hour: 155
Two Hour: 131
Three Hour: 107

I already had to give up salt for the remainder of the prgenancy. Let's face it, giving up sugar and most carbs in addition to the salt would not leave me with a whole lot of eating options that my tongue would be happy with.

So, I celebrated by eating a cadbury Easter egg tonight for dessert. And it was gooooood.

MFM appointment

We went for the bi-weekly MFM appointment today. The good news is, my labs came back great, the cord showed good blood flow, and baby girl is growing on track (weighing in at 2lbs, 6oz, which is a 12 oz weight gain from two weeks ago). Still a week behind on her measurements, but at this point in gestation, a week behind puts her in the 20th -30th percentile for growth. She must have flipped since last time, as she was head down (last time she was breech). However, she was folded up like a taco, so her feet were near her head, which explains the kicks I've been feeling down low. We saw her practicing her breathing (which the doctor was happy about). Blood pressure at the office was 132/68. I go back for the next appointment on 5/12.

Here's a picture of her smiling at the camera:

Can't tell? (Don't worry, I couldn't either.) Here (I gave her blue eyes like her daddy, and lots of hair, because her mommy is Italian and hairy):

My appointment was supposed to be at 3:30p today. However, I get a call from the office this morning asking me if I could come in earlier due to the bad storms that we "are going to have this afternoon". I checked yahoo weather, and there were not any 'bad storms" until 7p at the earliest. However, I said OK, and we went at 2p. I'm thinking that maybe the ladies at the office watch waaay too much Fox News, and do not realize that tornadoes in TN do not mean imminent tornadoes in GA. Around here (below picture taken at 8p) the weather looks like this. Nary a rain droplet in sight:

28 weeks & Happy Easter!

How Far Along: 28w0d

Size of baby: She measures 15 inches long and weighs about 2.2 pounds. (The feet are about 2 inches long.)

Other things baby is up to: Her eyes are partially open now and can blink. Branches of lungs are quite developed now, so there is a good chance that she would survive if born prematurely now. If she is born this week, the chances of survival is now at least 90 percent. But, let's stay in there for at least 10 more weeks, mmmK?
Total Weight Gain/Loss: +3 pound in the last week, total gain for the pregnancy: +18 (ummmmm.......really hoping it's water weight or something)
Sex: Girl...and let's hope she stays that way. Or else he'll have a very pink nursery.
Movement: Yep. Although today she seems more stealth than normal. Probably will break out the doppler tonight and tick her off a bit.

Sleep: The three day weekend was nice for getting caught up on sleep!
Symptoms:  Feeling the braxton hicks contractions (or at least something similar to what they feel like, as I've read online)
Maternity Clothes: Yep
Belly Button: Still an innie...but a WIDE innie
Milestones: Finished the nursery and went on the hospital tour. The labor suites have jacuzzi tubs to labor in. Oh yeeeeah. Looking forward to: Finalizing the registry. Baby shower is on June 4!
Next appointment: 4/27/11 at the MFM for a growth ultrasound. And then on 5/4/11 at the OBGYN for another ultrasound
Times I used the doppler in the last week: None, but I will tonight!
Other: I'm ready to start eating salt again. When salt is restricted, it's like 90% of the edible food out there is off limits :(



Two minutes later, it made a nice egg-salad sandwich. Yum!





Dyed some eggs for Easter. I like the way this one turned out.



Nursery Progress

The best part? We spent less than $120 for everything in the nursery (decor, furniture, etc). Many of the items were hand me downs from friends/craigslist or re-purposed from another room in the house. I painted the circles (Home Depot matched the paint colors to the bedding exactly), and the artwork is a DIY.

I really hope she stays a girl, or else I hope his favorite color is pink....Here's the nursery progress so far. Not too much to do (for the nursery) other than stock the changing table, fill the bookcase up with books, and of course, put a real, live baby in in the room.



Eventually, the chair in the corner will be replaced with the glider we just got (not included in the $120 price quoted above). The glider is in the family room for now, since the family room is right next to our bedroom, and we will be keeping her in our room for the first 2 months or so. Here's the new glider (uber comfy, with double sided tape strips to teach the cat that the chair is NOT a scratching post):

  My homemade artwork:

I am quite impressed with my organizational efforts. I have all the clothes for premie - newborn - 0-3m, all cleaned, sorted, and labeled:

Each drawer is labeled, so if "someone", ahem, does laundry, he will know exactly where each item should go.

Even the tubs are organized and labeled. The 0-3 are in the tubs.

And of course, the "take home" outfit, all ready to go, complete with big poofy headband:



13, 10, 4, 3, 2, 1

I had my three hour glucose tolerance test this morning. Here's the breakdown:

~13 hours of fasting/not drinking between 12a-1p besides the 50 grams of sugar drink (fruit punch flavored- yay!).
~10 pokes of needle in my arms and hands (apparently my veins kept rolling and hiding and didn't give up the goods).
~4 blood draws: (fasting, 1 hour after drinking the sugar, 2 hours, and 3 hours).
~3 hours of doing work and watching HGTV in the waiting room. 3 hours of my life I'm not going to get back.
~2 swollen and painful veins in my hands
~1 fainting spell. The last blood draw I was only able to fill up 1/5 of a vial, so they poked me again, and kept re-poking the same area to find the rolling vein. I watched, and it caused me to get light headed and feeling like I was going to toss my cookies. Thankfully, they got the vial full, gave me some peanut butter and juice, and had me lay down for 20 minutes before I was allowed to leave.

Results will be in next week. In looking online, here's what they are aiming for each of the four draws. If I fail two of them, then gestational diabetes for me:

Interval	Abnormal reading
Fasting	95 mg/dl or higher
One hour	180 mg/dl or higher
Two hours	155 mg/dl or higher
Three hours	140 mg/dl or higher

On a side note, afterwards, M and I went furniture shopping for a rocker/glider. We wanted something that could not only be used in the nursery, but also as a regular piece of furniture (after the time that rocking babies has drawn to a close). We'll put it in the family room while the baby sleeps in our room (since the master bedroom is right next to the family room), and then once the baby moves to the nursery, we'll put the glider in the nursery. Here's what it looks like:

I failed :(

The nurse just called with my glucose tolerance test numbers from Monday: 139. Now, this is where it gets weird.

I took the test before (at 16 weeks) and my numbers came back at 124 (the office said the cut off was 140). Today, after she gave me the number, I asked what the cut off was. The nurse said my number was high, and the cut off was 130, so I failed by 9 points. At this point, I'm scratching my head.

So, I have an appintment for the 3 hour test on Friday morning. I go in at 9a and they take a fasting number. Then, I drink the 50 grams of sugar (crossing my fingers for fruit punch this time), and they draw my blood after one hour and again 2 hours later. So, I get to sit in the office from 9a-12p this Friday on my day off. Sucky.

However, I did read that of those who failed the one hour with a number of 180 or less, only 3% of those people also failed the 3 hour. Failing the 3 hour means gestational diabetes. Crossing my fingers that I'm in the 97%.

27 weeks

How Far Along: 27w2d

Size of baby: She measures 14.5 inches long and weighs about 2 pounds.

Other things baby is up to: She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, her brain is very active now.
Total Weight Gain/Loss: +1 pound in the last week, total gain for the pregnancy: +15
Sex: Girl

Movement: Yep. She's most active around 3a, noon, 6p, and 11p
Sleep: I need more. Waking up 5-6 times a night is no bueno.
Symptoms:  Oh, the hunger. It really hit within the last week or so. I get done eating one meal, and I'm already thinking about the next meal. I've heard of "pregnancy hunger" before, and honestly thought it was just high-maintenance women who wanted an excuse to eat something besides a salad combined with "Look at meeee! I'm like, totally, preggers!" I thought it was a myth, and couldn't understand how just eating normally would still led to hunger. I don't know where this hunger came from, but it is here. An "all you can eat" buffet would probably lose money having me as a customer right now. Maybe I should enter an eating competition....give those skinny Asian girls a run for their money.
Maternity Clothes: Yep
Belly Button: Still an innie
Milestones: Depending on what trimester calendar one is looking at, I am officially in the third trimester!
Looking forward to: Finishing the nursery, and we're doing the hospital tour this weekend
Next appointment: 4/27/11 at the MFM for a growth ultrasound and they'll check the blood flow to the ute. And then on 5/4/11 at the OBGYN for another ultrasound
Times I used the doppler in the last week: None, but the OB used one on Monday, and after listening for a bit, said "Yep, you have a baby in there!"

Other: I lost my toenail in a nursery accident (picture of the carnage is below). This weekend, I organized all the baby clothes, put them away in the dresser, labeled all the drawers and tubs, cleaned the nursery, moved the crib to where I wanted it to be, and as M and I were carrying the changing table to it's new home, I stubbed my toe on it. Like, REALLY stubbed my toe on it. It ripped the entire nail off on the toe right next to big toe, and ripped off half of the nail on the toe next to that one. Few blood stains on the carpet won't hurt anyone, right? We'll just call the nursery "christened" at this point.


27w2d




The "toe".



Test results and appointment update

Tests from last week at the MFM:
~24 hours worth of pee: clean (no protein)
~Blood: clean, except for slightly elevated Creatinine, which, I was told by the nurse is "normal"

OB appointment this morning:
~Blood pressure is 122/82 (which they were quite happy with), and the Dr said this was the first time in my entire pregnancy that I didn't have any sign of infection in the bladder. Yay!

~I drank my 50 grams of sugar this morning within a 5 minute timeframe for the Glucose Tolerance Test. This time, I was given fruit punch-flavored instead of orange-flavored. I like the fruit punch muuuuuch better. It was actually quite pleasant. Now, granted, I would have much rather consumed 50g of sugar in 5 minutes via chocolate cake, washed down with an ice cold Mt Dew, but oddly enough, that wasn't an option. I'll get the results in a few days. The OB measured my belly (a first...I don't know what the measurement was though, and he didn't make any comment, so I figured it was normal-ish, and corresponding to the ultrasound measurements), pulled out a doppler for the heartbeat (normal), and sent me on my merry way.

Next appointments:
~4/27/11 at 3:30p at the MFM (my smoking-hot normal MFM doctor will be downtown that day, so the appointment is with another doctor in the practice)
~5/4/11 at 8:40a at the OBGYN

Ack! The cuteness!

I went to JCPenny yesterday to find a bonafide fake blingy wedding ring to wear, as the time has come for my wedding rings to be retired for the next few months, and I decided that the fakey I had before didn't look official enough for the bible belt south. Plus, M needed some pants for work, so I had 2 good reasons to go.

While there, I saw that they were having a sale on baby clothing (60% off until 1p on Saturday). I looked at my watch: 12:30p on Saturday. So, even though I wasn't INTENDING to buy any clothes for this little girl, I couldn't resist the following. The cuteness factor was a bit overwhelming. I think I found the "take home from the hospital outfit" as well:



Cuteness #1: The possible take-home outfit







Cuteness #2. We're headed to a wedding in August...I think this would be perfect for it!

 

Cuteness #3

I'm jaded.

A friend from high school announced her pregnancy on Facebook last week. She was 3 weeks, 6 days when she announced. Since then, there have been at least 5 posts about not being able to drink, not being able to smoke, not being able to do anything fun, the need to start looking at day cares, etc.

My thoughts in order that they occured when I read the pregnancy announcement:

1) Wow, is the pee even dry yet? She should really confirm with a blood test, and make sure the betas double so she can rule out a chemical pregnancy.
2) I wonder at what point she'll lose the pregnancy?
3) Man, it's going to suck when she loses the pregnancy and has to un-announce on Facebook. Then, some people won't see the un-announcement, and continue to her ask her how the pregnancy is for the next few months. I feel bad for her.

A normal person would think when they read the pregnancy announcement:

1) Wow, that's awesome!
2) Having a baby in month of (fill in the blank) will be so cool because (fill in the blank)!
3) I wonder if she's having a boy a girl?
4) Hopefully she doesn't get morning sickness too bad!

It's official. I'm a jaded, jaded person.

Labs are good!

The nurse just called. My:

24 hour

collected over the last 24 hours and the & one vial of

that was taken this morning came back within normal levels. My Cytokeratin was a bit higher than normal range, but the nurse said that during pregnancy it is high, so as of right now, it is in "normal" range for me.

I'm a Pee-Jug snob

I'm in my second round of 24 hour urine collection. Fun times. It pretty much entails collecting all the pee from a 24 hour period in a large jug (which needs to be kept cold at all times). Then, I turn it into the Dr's office.

When I did this about 5-6 weeks ago with the OB, I was given a jug similar to this:

It was a nice sturdy container with a large opening at the top. Very nice.

However, the container I got from the MFM looks like this:

It's flimsy, you have to "blow it up", and the opening at the top is quite small. Hard to pour pee into at 3a.

So, it's official. I have become a "Pee-Jug" snob. I have my favorites, and my standards. Can't say I'm proud of this fact. I'd much rather be a wine-snob or a luxury car-snob. But, it is what it is.

Just don't drink from the big orange bottle in the fridge, K?

Favorite New Band

OK...this has nothing to do about pregnancy, or trying to conceive, or loss, or infertility, but I am seriously loving Mumford and Sons right now.

1) Click Me

2) Click Me






They are coming to Atlanta on June 12....hmmmmmmm......I know I should be playing music to my belly. Wonder if this would count.

English people + folk music = awesomeness (who knew???)

MFM Appointment (the cute, the good, and the meh)

The Cute:
Let's start with the cute (she went back to breech position, and gave the tech and doctor a hard time because she wouldn't stay still, and she insisted on curling up into a ball, making it hard for them to get good measurements):

The good:
Her size is still behind, but only by about a week, which is the same as last time. So, her growth isn't slowing down since last time (2 weeks ago). The aminotic fluid level looks good, and the umblical cord flow looks good. They didn't measure the bloodflow to the ute, as the doctor explained that it's not really going to change. Instead, it's checked once as a soft market for other issues. They are estimating her weight to be at 1 pound, 10 ounces.

The Meh:
My 7 pound in two day weight gain concerned him. My blood pressure today was 145/75 (good low number, bad high number). So, I donated three vials of blood to the cause...it took 3 pricks to the arm (will check for elevated liver function, low platelets, both of which are signs of pre-e). Starting tomorrow morning, I'll also do a 24 hour urine collection. So, I'm going to work from home tomorrow, since I have to keep the pee cold. No way I'm carting a cooler with me each time I go to the bathroom tomorrow at work. Esp since the bathroom is on the complete other side of the building. The doctor also said to start talking to my boss about bed-rest. Depending on the day, I can easily spend 4-6 hours on my feet, which if the tests come back not so great, then 4-6 hours on my feet is a big no-no. Instead, more like lying down most the time is ideal.

Kitty Zen Picture of the Day

Anything better than warm laundry?

Weekend Trip to Labor and Delivery (not on a tour, as a patient)

The bedside fetal monitor in L&D.
Looks like baby's heart rate was 158, mine was 71,
and my blood pressure was 125/60.
No idea what the 21 is.

Between Friday (25w5d) and Sunday (26w0d) I gained 7 pounds. That's 7 pounds in two days. A new record, I'd say.

On Saturday, my hands and feet started swelling. I took my blood pressure on Sunday morning and it was 124/93. M and I went to the Outlet mall and walked around a bit. By the time we got back, my hands and feet were at circus proportions. The skin was so tight, it was hard to clench my fists, and my knuckles were pretty much hiding between my rolls of flesh.

I paged the nurse on call at my OB's office. She called me back a few minutes later and said to take my blood pressure again, and if the bottom number was 90 or higher, go to Labor and Delivery. I took it again and it was 134/91, so off we went.

We arrive at Labor and Delivery around 3:30p on Sunday 4/10/11. I put on the uber sexy hospital gown, they hook me up to the fetal monitors, and a blood pressure cuff. It takes my blood pressure every 15 mins over the next 2.5 hours (and can I just say "OW!" that thing squeezed my arm so tight, I thought it was going to fall off!)

Now this is where it gets weird: The lower blood pressure number was constantly in the 60s. The top number ranged anywhere from 140 to 110. So, either their thousand dollar blood pressure machine is wrong, or my $50 digital one at home is wrong (cue me feeling like an idiot).

The staff at Labor and Delivery also took a blood and urine sample. My blood was clean, urine was clean, baby sounded good (they had me drink apple juice and eat crackers to see if baby would respond to the sugar rush, and she did, textbook-style...so proud of her!), everything was great. No pre-eclampsia!

As I lay there in the nice air conditioning of the hospital, my swelling started to go down as well. It was abnormally hot and humid this weekend, so that may have been a reason for the epic swelling. But, who knows.

They discharged me around 6p that night with instructions to follow up with the MFM when I see him on Wednesday.

I lost 3 pounds between Sunday and Monday, so hopefully, I'll drop another pound or two in the next few days. I'm trying to drink water as much as possible to keep the system flushed and primed.

I took my blood pressure tonight (Monday evening) and it was 118/80. Thankfully, my hands are almost to their pre-swelling size (but not quite there yet; picture below).

In light of the quick swelling I experienced, I decided to retire the wedding rings. So, I scored myself a fakey fakey ring, which is ADJUSTABLE! (I do not want to be sporting a big baby belly with a naked left finger in the judgey religious area where we live.)

My adjustable-size fake wedding ring to keep the Judgey McJudgeys at bay.

We were going to go on the hospital tour in May, but in light of our recent trip, decided to schedule it for later on this month. That way, if we do have to go to the hospital again, it will go a bit smoother.

26 weeks

How Far Along: 26w1d

Size of baby: She measures 14 inches long and weighs about 1.7 pound.

Other things baby is up to: She makes breathing movements, but there is no air in the lungs yet. Hands are active and muscle coordination is such that they can get a thumb into the mouth. Thumb sucking calms her and strengthens the cheek and jaw muscles.
Total Weight Gain/Loss: +4 pound in the last week, total gain for the pregnancy: +14 (I gained 7 pounds between 25w5d and 26w0d, and then lost 3 pounds between 26w0d and 26w1d)

Sex: Girl

Movement: Yep. She likes to kick when I'm lying down or reclining. A lot. During a nice round of hiccups last week, I put M's hand on my belly and he felt her hiccup.
Sleep: I could use some more. 8-9 hour of attempted sleep isn't enough.
Symptoms: Hello Swelling!
Maternity Clothes: Oh yes
Belly Button: Innie still.

Milestones: A co-worker commented that my waddle was "cute"
Looking forward to: Staying out of Labor and Delivery until at least July 1.
Next appointment: 4/13/11 at the MFM for a growth ultrasound and they'll check the blood flow to the ute. And then on 4/18/11 at the OBGYN for a followup to the MFM appointment, and the glucose tolerance test (this time, I was given fruit punch...last time was orange).
Times I used the doppler in the last week: None.
Other: Had a stay in Labor and Delivery on Sunday!

26w1d



The greatest invention ever...stretchy maternity pants



April 7

I love you sweet Luke.

25 weeks

How Far Along: 25w2d

Size of baby: She is about 13.6 inches long and weighs 1.5 pounds
Other things baby is up to: Dexterity is improving. She can make a fist and would clasp objects placed in her palm. The structures of her spine begin to form: joints, ligaments and rings.
Total Weight Gain/Loss: +0 pound in the last week, total gain for the pregnancy: +10 (yesterday I was up +2 for the week, but somehow lost 2 pounds in a day)

Sex: Girl

Movement: Yep. I think I'm starting to feel hiccups now as well. There are more uncomfortable than kics, since they affect the whole belly and last for a few minutes at a time.
Sleep: While sleeping on my side (even proped up by pillows, my knees and hips are starting to ache. Symptoms: I don't know if they are Braxton Hicks or another badder infection, but when I'm walking around, I get a tight feeling that feels like my muscles have my bladder in a vice grip. Not pleasant. Maternity Clothes: Yeppers
Belly Button: Innie still.

Milestones: I "came out" to the Facebook world. 25 weeks is a good time to come out publically, no?
Looking forward to: July. Giving birth. Taking her home.
Next appointment: 4/13/11 at the MFM for a growth ultrasound and they'll check the blood flow to the ute. And then on 4/18/11 at the OBGYN for a followup to the MFM appointment, and the glucose tolerance test (this time, I was given fruit punch...last time was orange).
Times I used the doppler in the last week: None. I've felt movement a few times each day (and lots at night). I'll save the doppler for when she tries to go stealth on me again.

Other: I've been taking my blood pressure at home each night, and it's been fairly normal 120-125/75-84. However, at the OBGYN yesterday, they clocked it at 140/88. The good news is, it's not higher than it was a month ago.

taken at 25w2d

Nursery Progress

I have realized that armed with a level, a pencil and a power screwdriver (not the drink, but sometimes, yes, the drink), I could probably build the Taj Mahal. Seriously, I make wonders happen.

For example, I installed curtain rods (straight, I might add), and hung valances. Naked windows, no more!

I present to you....nursery progress:

Before

After

Even a crib skirt!

And because she was there as I was taking pictures....

Rainbow Baby

 

A Different Child

A different child, people notice

There's a special glow around you.

You grow surrounded by love

Never doubting you are wanted;

Only look at the pride and joy

In your mother and father's eyes.

And if sometimes between the smiles

There's a trace of tears,

One day you'll understand.

You'll understand there was once another child.

A different child.

Who was in their hopes and dreams.

That child will never outgrow the baby clothes.

That child will never keep them up at night.

In fact, that child will never be any trouble at all...

Except sometimes, in a silent moment,

When mother and father miss so much

That different child.

May hope and love wrap you warmly

And may you learn the lesson forever:

How infinitely precious,

How infinitely fragile is this life on earth.

One day, as a young man or woman

You may see another mother's tears

Another father's silent grief

Then you, and you alone will understand

And offer the greatest comfort.

When all hope seems lost

you will tell them with great compassion:

"I know how you feel.
I'm only here because my parents tried again."

Author Unknown

One year ago: April 1

With about 30 and half years behind me, I can confidently say that April 1, 2010 was the worse day of my life. I started the day like normal. I went to work, the weather was great, and it was the start of a 3 day weekend.

I started the day feeling fine, and ended the day with my heart shattering into a million pieces...many of which are still laying on the floor. I don't know if I'll pick most of them up and try to create a whole heart again. I don't know if I want to. I don't know if I can.

The ultrasound I went to that afternoon turned from another chance to see our precious baby on the screen into hearing words I never would have expected in a million years: your baby doesn't have a skull.

I never knew such pain existed. I never want to experience that level of pain again.

Even though we didn't end the pregnancy until April 7th, April 1st will forever rank up there as the worse day of my life. One year later, it still hurts...a lot. An awful lot. I miss him, I miss what he could have been, what we could have been as his parents. I miss everything that he didn't get to experience.

I'm so thankful for this new baby and know that this new baby wouldn't be here if he would have been our "take home baby" last year. But, it still hurts.

I wish April 1st was removed from the calendar. I want to go to sleep tonight and wake up Saturday morning, on April 2nd.