Reason For My 6 Week Absence

Joseph Edward Barber
Arrived May 8, 2009
8:12pm
6lbs, 12oz

It's been quite an eventful 6 weeks . So much to tell, including a short NICU stay and all. But of course, I have been a little occupied. We are enjoying loving on our Joey. He is the greatest baby... But maybe I'm a little biased.
More pictures and stories will follow, I promise!

Could This Be It??

So it appears that Baby B may be arriving earlier that we anticipated, though I think I am in denial. It looks like I could be in early labor. And yes I am stopping to take time to blog between contractions. (I must be crazy) I am having pretty regular contractions now so we are debating when to head to the hospital.

It started this morning when I thought I was starting to lose my mucus plug and feeling a little crampy just before my dr appointment. Went to my appointment, and on the monitors I was quite obviously having contractions. They weren't super regular or super uncomfortable but I definitely could feel them. Doctor R took one look a the strip and was like, "You are going to be having this baby within the next few days." WHAT!?!? How can this be? My mom is not here yet!

Called my mom after the appointment, to update her, and thankfully she moved her flight to tomorrow evening. Don't know if Baby B will wait that long before they decide to come out.

Now I suspect that I may be leaking water, and now the contractions are starting to hurt more. So a hospital visit looks to be in the very near future.

P.S. ContractioMaster.com is my friend

36 Week Pic

New Pic - 36 Weeks, 3 Days. Baby has to be giant.

Appointment Update

Had my appointment earlier today and of course, it takes 2+ hours out of my day... again.

BP- 122/70... perfect
Weight - only 5lbs gained this entire pregnancy
Non-stress test - Baby behaved great. It kicks at the monitors the whole time. This time it showed a few contractions though. But they were just a few little short ones that didn't hurt or anything. No big deal. I get BH contrax all the time.

Doctor R didn't do much to alleviate my fears of the baby being a giant. He checked my fundal height and said, "Well that baby is definitely not small"... Gee thanks. So um yeah, guess I'm measuring a little big. He said I'm measuring nearly full term, so I guess that means 1 or 2 weeks ahead? I'm supposed to get a growth ultrasound but can't get in until next Wednesday night. Argh!

So chances are that baby is big, but we won't have an idea of just how big until next week. And of course, those growth ultrasounds can be off by 1 or 2 lbs + or -. But if the baby is showing to be pretty big , then there is a chance that might go a little earlier than the due date. Possibly by the dreaded induction. Doctor R says that when he checks me at 39 weeks and the cervix looks really ready, effaced enough, and dialated, then he'll probably send me in to the hospital, "break your water and you should go into labor pretty easily". Sounds like some form of an induction. Not my favorite idea. And I also asked how far he would let me go before he would insist on inducing me, and he said that he certainly does not want me to go passed 40 weeks. So that is that.

Now of course I have all this worries going through my head about inductions, and interventions, and possible c-section. But a lot can happen between now and due date. And I'm probably thinking about all this too much. We'll know a little more next week. Then I'll know if I need to start "Opperation Ripen", and try and get this labor train started, even if it's a bit early.

Baby Shower Pics

Here are some pics from the awesome baby shower that was thrown for me at the very end of March. I was about 33 Weeks then.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

36 Weeks - I'm a Bad Blogger... Again

Ok, so I've been MIA again. It's just been really busy around here, so not much time to blog let alone breathe. I've been getting all my business wrapped up and getting ready to be ready for this baby. So what's been happening?

Well I'm now 36 weeks and a couple days. Holy crap! Less than 3 weeks until due date!! I can hardly believe it. I still have not been put in insulin for the gestational diabetes thus far. Yeah me! When I behave on the diet I still do fine according to my doctor. And most of my appointments have been uneventful. 2 weeks ago doctor started me on doing once weekly non-stress tests. Those have been fine so far. And I'm seeing the doc every week until due date.

I had my baby shower, thrown by my fabulous mother-in-law and sister-in-law. They really went above and beyond and it was so amazing. I'll have to share pics soon once I get them from my sister. But we and the baby got spoiled rotten. Now we have all the "stuff" so this baby could come any time and we at least have a place for baby to sleep and diapers for their behind. So we are ready... well almost.

I am now convinced that I am growing a giant baby. I spied myself in the mirror, and woah this belly is massive. I can only imagine how big this kid is inside me. Tomorrow I get scheduled for a growth ultrasound so hopefully soon I will see just how much of a giant this baby is. Chances are, if baby is really big right now, I may have to go early via induction. Though an induction is the LAST thing I want. I actually have my serious fears about inductions and the high rate of c-sections. One blog that has got me scared - http://nursingbirth.wordpress.com. Yeah, I know... I should not be reading any scary stuff.

But anyways, tomorrow might be an interesting appointment. I promise I'll be back soon

Evaded the Insulin Again

So had a doctor appointment again today, and I've managed to hold off the insulin for at least 2 more weeks. Doctor thinks I'm doing fine. No weight gain, and the numbers are still within his acceptable range and baby looks good. So I guess I'm in the clear??

I don't know. Every time I talk to my mother she tells me that my 2hr readings need to be under 120. Doctor says 140. She keeps talking to perinatologists in her practice and they all say 120 and I should be on insulin. But MY doctor thinks I'm fine and doesn't want to put me on anything yet. So I kind of feel torn. I am trying my best to keep the numbers down. Sometimes I can barely manage under 120 but I get close. So I will just keep doing what I'm doing, and keep the cheating down to a minimum.

Argh! I hate all the stress that this is causing me. I just want to curl up around a huge bowl of ice cream.