29 Weeks & A Three Hour Tour

My three hour tour is the glucose test, of course. And it wasn't exactly a tour. It was TERRIBLE!! Everyone told me it would be the same orange drink. Wrong! It was a twice as sugary COLA flavored drink. Ewwww. They have forever ruined Coca cola for me!

So I did manage to get the cola drink down in the allowed 5 minutes. It didn't taste that bad actually, it was just hurrying up to get it down in 5 minutes. Like chugging soda and I had to do it Fear Factor style. As soon as I finished it, I didn't feel good but I thought it was because of my nerves and anticipation of the test.

Sure enough, less than 30 minutes into it, I got that same feeling. Hot, my heart started racing and I got lightheaded. Between fasting and the drink and the nerves, I really thought I was going to pass out. I didn't and about 10 minutes later, I thought I was going to throw up. At one point, the lab tech asked me if I was okay. I said I thought so but I didn't feel good and she said that was pretty common. She said if I got sick, I had to do the test again and there was NO way I would do that if I could help it! So I kept it down and I didn't pass out. After the first hour, I started feeling better and after my needle pricks, I got to leave. Whew. I ate on the home and felt okay!

Until the sugar high was over! I crashed hard and I felt terrible for the rest of the day. Ugh. Let's hope there are no more sugar tests in my future. I haven't heard back yet but I'm going to call on Monday to check on the results.

And, someone at work told me today that the drinks made them sick and they got to do the 3-hour test with jelly beans!! If I had only known last week.

I am 29 weeks pregnant today. I feel pretty good! I'm still freaking myself out over her movement. I am getting kicks and jabs a few a times throughout the day but still not the round-the-clock I'm hoping for. I thought the first part of my pregnancy would be the hardest but I think the end has been even harder.

My baby shower is all a surprise to me but I'm suspecting it to be coming up soon! I am so excited, it's something I can't stop thinking about. Getting everyone together to celebrate the baby (and have fun opening gifts!) is just so exciting to me. Granted, I love showers anyway - I've been a bridesmaids 8 times and planned many showers - there's something about it that I just love. My baby shower is going to be quite an event as there were 60-something people invited! I just can't wait. There were so many days when I never thought I'd get to have a baby shower and now I am. It makes it all even more real!

Speaking of real, we have two weeks to get our office empty for the painters to come. Even with all the planning we've done, actually emptying the room out and getting it really ready for baby is such a huge part of the "real" process. The crib has been in the box in the basement for months but as soon as we bring it upstairs, I might have a panic attack! I can't believe that if all goes well, in 11 weeks or so, our baby will be here.

Glucose Test Equals Failed

My doctor's office just called. I failed the glucose test.

UGH. It's not *that* bad, I know but I had such a yucky reaction to the test yesterday. The nurse said my levels were "highly elevated". Oh well, if I'm going to fail, I minus well go big.

So a week from today I will take the dreaded 3-hour test. No food after midnight the night before. I have to eat every two hours and I wake up starving so I'm going to plan on being grouchy, eating and then coming home to take a nap after the test. Hopefully I'll pass that one.

I just can't cut a break!

Sigh of Relief

WHEW. Everything is okay!

Actually better than okay - today went "perfect". The doctor kept saying that. First, I had the glucose test. The drink actually wasn't bad but the hour of waiting was tough. I got to drink it at home and then head over. As soon as I finished it, I thought I was either going to throw up or pass out. And about 15 minutes into it, I really thought passing out was more likely. We made it to the lab and I didn't pass out but what a yucky feeling.

Then we went to the doctor's appt. Because my appt were all in a row, which is nice in theory but makes for a long afternoon, I went at the busiest time of the day. There were people everywhere! I went in and saw yet another doctor, Dr. H. He was nice but not my favorite. The first thing I tell him is that I fell on Sunday. He said "Oh, you're the one that fell on your butt". GREAT. Whatever, as long as baby and I are okay, I'll be known as fell-on-your-butt girl. That's fine.

My blood pressure was higher too, 130/78 so we're going to keep an eye on it. Otherwise, the normal checkup things were fine. I've gained another 5 pounds and I'm right on track with that. My belly's measuring 27.5 cm, which is "perfect". I asked about baby's movements - busy one day, slow for a few in a row. He said that was normal.

Then - aaaaahhhh, the heartbeat. It was beating away, 143 bpm. It's such a wonderful sound.

So I wait for my turn in the ultrasound room. All gooped up, I finally got to see the baby! It was so amazing to see how big she is now and that, the BEST part, she is FINE. She has all her parts and they're growing and perfectly okay. She weighs 2 pounds, 5 ounces!! And measuring on track to be born in mid-April.

After all this, I met with Dr. High Risk. He is such a great guy! He came in after the ultrasound and gave me great news. My MTHFR mutation is a "none issue, period". 1/3 of the general population of this country has the exact same thing. He couldn't believe I met with the genetic counselor, and he felt she "dropped the ball" by making me think that it was at all a concern. He's going to speak with her about it. He's also going to talk with Dr. K, my former obgyn, to tell her that she never should have sent me to see the genetic counselor either. He said I don't even need to ever mention again that I have the mutation because it is not a cause of any health issues, pregnancy related or not.

Dr. High Risk also said it is 100% NOT a cause/issue/reason as to why we lost our first baby.
Whew. It only took a year to get some kind of a yes or no answer.

He gave me a really neat report card, as he called it, of our baby's growth from today's ultrasound and the one back in November. He said I get 2 more ultrasounds - yeah! 32 weeks and 36 weeks. He said they're scheduled just to measure the growth and that it's fine. I'm psyched that I get to see the baby two more times before she's here.

After my afternoon at the doctor's office, dh and I went to our first baby class. "Comfort Strategies". All in all it was interesting. Of course, I almost have a panic attack when they start asking the typical "first baby, first pregnancy?" questions. Then they explain what a labor/delivery room looks like and how the fetal monitors work and what a contraction is. I think I was the only person the room who knew all the answers.

But after the anxiety and the shock of "holy crap - I'm a pregnant woman in room full of other pregnant women!", it was good. The instructor was very nice. She briefly mentioned 'medication' during labor, as she called it, but I got the feeling she was steering us away from it. She said only half of laboring women get epidurals. I thought that was very low. Hmmmm. I'm curious to see what the childbirth classes spin on it is. Interesting.

So today was a big day and I am SO relieved. This roller coaster ride through pregnancy is something. Hopefully only another 10 or so weeks until I can end this ride and start the motherhood one.

On My Last Nerve

Sunday night I fell down. I slipped on the ice in front of my house and I never saw it coming. One second I'm standing, the next on on my butt in snow. (I did not land on my belly, whew).

Am I being tested in some really screwed up way?

Thankfully, I didn't have any problems from the fall (knock on wood). When I told dh, he wanted to take me right to the ER. Which, if anything hadn't seemed right, I would have gone. But I didn't have any pain, any contractions, any bleeding, ect. My butt and my wrist hurt but the baby and all seemed fine.

I cannot go to the ER if it can be helped. I almost had a panic attack just thinking about going.

Sunday night I rested and I called the doctor first thing Monday morning. First off, the nurse made me feel like a complete and total jerk. She said, "You fell? What happened? What were you doing??" I happen to know of several other pregnant women who fell also. I can't be the first person ever to fall while pregnant in that office. I was worried sick, I was convinced I hurt the baby and I was sure I was going into labor at any moment. I didn't need her attitude.

Baby was very active Sunday night and Monday so they didn't need to see me. I have my crappy "heart listener" and I could hear and feel her moving around so I knew she was okay. But yesterday I really was a mess - I waited all day for something bad to happen and thank GOD, it never did.

Today I'm still a wreck but I'm feeling a bit better. I have the appt and ultrasound tomorrow (again, thank GOD!) so I just have to make it through today to get to the baby tomorrow. I'm trying to push all of the bad thoughts out of my head that I hurt (or worse) the baby or the placenta. It's scary but I really feel okay. Just stupid beyond belief.

Of course, my fall also brought on all kinds of thoughts like What was I thinking? Did I really think I'd get to have a baby afterall? I just don't know how much more my nerves can take.

So for now, I think I'm fine. Baby's not as active today but I've gotten a few kicks here and there. Her pattern seems to be two busy days followed by several slower days.

I just want everything to be okay tomorrow.

Nesting and Freaking Out at the Same Time

I cannot stop nesting. We have started on our "Baby Move In" project - my way of putting it nicely that we have to move and get rid of a lot of our crap. It's going very well. We're moving our office, which is our second bedroom, downstairs into our basement so that second bedroom can be the nursery.

Holy crap do we have a lot of stuff!

It's a lot of work but it's good. I like to finish something and have it be nice and clean. I have a very long to-do list, which is funny. I hate cleaning. Alas, I am nesting. I like it.

I am also having my typical week-before-ultrasound freak out. I am worried about not feeling too much movement from the baby. They told me to expect this with my "anterior" placenta. Stupid placenta! I do get a few kicks a few times a day, which is very much a relief. But I want big kicks all the time.

Sigh.

So next Wednesday is the big day! Glucose test, then meeting with Dr. High Risk, then ultrasound. And, assuming all goes well, first baby prep class after. It's called Comfort Strategies. At this point, I'll take any comfort I can get.

So let's see - baby recap.
Ordered and picked up crib - check.
Ordered rest of baby furniture - check.
Finished up gift registries, since shower is next month - check.
Freaking out at least once a day - check.

Ah. Life is good.

March of the Penguins

Tonight dh and I watched the March of the Penguins. I knew it was a documentary about their "march" but I didn't realize it was about thier quest to find a mate and have a chick. The movie is amazing! Of course, the story of the penguin's offspring surviving from the egg into a chick touched my heart.

Happy 2006 everyone. I hope this is the best year for all of us YET.