Yep, I've finally entered the 3rd trimester. Like clockwork, symptoms appeared --- or reappeared. I've noticed round ligament pain again whenever I turn over in bed, move suddenly, etc. Also, I'm having major urges to urinated anytime I change positions. Doesn't matter if I'm rolling over in bed, changing from sitting to standing, or standing to sitting, or repositioning while sitting. I immediately feel the urge to pee. I feel kicks, rolls, punches, etc right on top of my bladder several times a day. That doesn't help either. Then there's also the new inner thigh/hip pain I feel several times a day. The shortness of breath that comes a few times a week --- sometimes when I'm not even doing anything. The heart palpitations, though rare, are still coming, but they don't last very long and still aren't accompanied by other symptoms. The palpitations and shortness of breath have never occurred at the same time. Good thing since I canceled my appointment with the cardiologist. The left knee tendonitis has continued, but the little brace thingy a PT coworker suggested has really helped. Migraines seem to be diminishing (YAY!).
No matter what symptoms may come, I still LOVE LOVE LOVE being pregnant and wouldn't change it for anything in the world. Every time I feel our little girl kick, punch, roll, or wiggle, I still smile. I'm gonna miss carrying her inside me once she's born.
Panic is starting to set in. We're running out of time to get ready for Abigail's arrival. We still need to set up the nursery and have LOTS of stuff to get. We still have a lot of money to save up to allow me to stay home with Abigail for 8 weeks after she's born. Yeah, panic is a new symptom.
So, last Tuesday, I had my 1 hour Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT) to check for gestational diabetes. My sugar level was a little bit high --- not high enough to get a gestational diabetes diagnosis, but high enough to warrant an additional, longer GTT. Yippee.
I went to an office 40 mins away that was suggested by my primary OB's office yesterday to have this test done. My really awesome husband went with me on his day off. This test should take 3-3.5 hours. You can't eat or drink anything but water for 8-12 hours prior to the testing. When you arrive, you have fasting blood work done. Once the results come in, you drink the Glucola. 1 hour after you finish the Glucola, they draw your blood again. Then again 30 mins later, then 30 mins after that, then 1 hour after that for a total of 5 blood draws. Well, 2 hours after my FASTING blood work was drawn, I still hadn't been given clearance to drink the Glucola to begin the 3 hour process. Seriously??? I was starving and bored out of my mind. How does a multi-million dollar facility NOT have a TV or wifi in their waiting room or lobby? And you can't leave the facility during the almost 4 hours you're gonna be there. Umm, yeah. I rescheduled for today. And at a different location -- the hospital I work at that is 2 miles, 5 minutes from home. MUCH better day. I could leave between blood draws. I was able to get all my blood drawn on time and still have a productive day. I filled up my car with gas, made a quick grocery store run, washed and folded 2 loads of laundry, and started fixing a pot of soup. Yesterday was a total waste of a day off. Next pregnancy, I know where I'll be going to have the testing done (if necessary). I should get the results on Monday.
And that's pretty much it for this week. Next week: an ultrasound to see how BIG little Abigail is. YAY!
Friday, October 29, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
A Photo Post
Here's just a few photos that weren't included in another blog.
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| Registering for Abigail on 10/7/10 at 25w4d |
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| 10.9.10 |
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| 10.9.10 |
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| 10.9.10 at 25w6d |
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| 10.9.10 at 25w6d |
Last Week of the 2nd Trimester
Week 27. I can't believe it. Where has the time gone?
Since the last blog, I've outgrown my engagement and wedding rings. After 4 days of a naked ring finger, I headed to Wal-mart for an inexpensive temporary replacement. It just felt too weird to have a naked left ring finger for the first time in almost 11 years. Then the new ring took some getting used to also.
There's been many, many times I never thought I'd make it here. Now that I have, I can't believe how quickly this pregnancy is going. I still smile with every wiggle, punch and kick I feel. Although, now that baby Abigail has started finding little corners to get stuck in, I find myself asking her to move, and lightly pushing her or repositioning hoping it'll force her to move somewhere else. She seems to like my bladder. I think she dances on it. I swear, I spend more time in the bathroom trying to go when I really don't have to, all because of little Abigail.
We had an OB appt today -- 27 weeks and 2 days. My uterus measured in at 29 weeks, so she's still consistently measuring at least a week ahead. Her heart rate was in the 140's via doppler -- the nurse had to chase her around my uterus a bit to get a good reading though thanks to the sugar high from the Glucola I drank this morning. My urine was normal. My BP is still good. My total weight gain over my pre-pregnancy weight is 6.2 lbs (I'm oh so proud of this accomplishment since I'm already overweight). My hematocrit was normal at 38%, so I still don't need an iron supplement (YAY!). All in all, a good appt.
I had my glucose tolerance test (GTT) this morning to check for gestational diabetes. They look for your sugar to be less than 130 an hour after you finish drinking the Sunkist-flavored orange syrup. Mine was a little high at 147. *sigh* Great. So, that won me another test that will require me to have a fasting sugar level checked, followed by drinking the Glucola again. I'll then have my sugar checked 1 hour after completion, then again 2 hours after completion, and once again 3 hours after completion. In other words, I'm gonna be STARVING and irritated and poked at for an entire morning.
I don't mind blood draws. I HATE getting my finger pricked. Besides the increased risks to me and Abigail if I'm diagnosed with gestational diabetes, I really don't want more needles. I've learned to tolerate the nightly Lovenox shots and the weekly Progesterone shots, but I don't care to add multiple fingersticks to my daily schedule with the possibility of insulin injections to top it all off. I'll do it if I have to, because I'd do anything for this baby girl, but I really don't want to.
After our appt, but before my GTT results came in, we headed for a lunch date at Olive Garden. The Chicken Alfredo with Broccoli is my weakness. Add in the salad and breadsticks and my hubby, and it's a taste of Heaven.
Since the last blog, I've outgrown my engagement and wedding rings. After 4 days of a naked ring finger, I headed to Wal-mart for an inexpensive temporary replacement. It just felt too weird to have a naked left ring finger for the first time in almost 11 years. Then the new ring took some getting used to also.
There's been many, many times I never thought I'd make it here. Now that I have, I can't believe how quickly this pregnancy is going. I still smile with every wiggle, punch and kick I feel. Although, now that baby Abigail has started finding little corners to get stuck in, I find myself asking her to move, and lightly pushing her or repositioning hoping it'll force her to move somewhere else. She seems to like my bladder. I think she dances on it. I swear, I spend more time in the bathroom trying to go when I really don't have to, all because of little Abigail.
We had an OB appt today -- 27 weeks and 2 days. My uterus measured in at 29 weeks, so she's still consistently measuring at least a week ahead. Her heart rate was in the 140's via doppler -- the nurse had to chase her around my uterus a bit to get a good reading though thanks to the sugar high from the Glucola I drank this morning. My urine was normal. My BP is still good. My total weight gain over my pre-pregnancy weight is 6.2 lbs (I'm oh so proud of this accomplishment since I'm already overweight). My hematocrit was normal at 38%, so I still don't need an iron supplement (YAY!). All in all, a good appt.
I had my glucose tolerance test (GTT) this morning to check for gestational diabetes. They look for your sugar to be less than 130 an hour after you finish drinking the Sunkist-flavored orange syrup. Mine was a little high at 147. *sigh* Great. So, that won me another test that will require me to have a fasting sugar level checked, followed by drinking the Glucola again. I'll then have my sugar checked 1 hour after completion, then again 2 hours after completion, and once again 3 hours after completion. In other words, I'm gonna be STARVING and irritated and poked at for an entire morning.
I don't mind blood draws. I HATE getting my finger pricked. Besides the increased risks to me and Abigail if I'm diagnosed with gestational diabetes, I really don't want more needles. I've learned to tolerate the nightly Lovenox shots and the weekly Progesterone shots, but I don't care to add multiple fingersticks to my daily schedule with the possibility of insulin injections to top it all off. I'll do it if I have to, because I'd do anything for this baby girl, but I really don't want to.
After our appt, but before my GTT results came in, we headed for a lunch date at Olive Garden. The Chicken Alfredo with Broccoli is my weakness. Add in the salad and breadsticks and my hubby, and it's a taste of Heaven.
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| 27w2d outside of Olive Garden |
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Today's Appt
Today's appointment was a great one. We got to see some of our favorite people, and our ultrasound ladies even had a bag of "goodnight goodies" for Baby Abigail. We got an adorable sign for her nursery, a book of Disney stories, and her first baby doll. Pictures to come later.
Abigail's heartbeat was in the 150's by doppler. My uterus measures 27 weeks (I'm 25w3d). I've only gained 6 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight. My BP was a little high at first (I was more concerned than the Dr), but I did get a little stressed this morning before the appt. I had it rechecked before leaving, and it was back down to normal. We did discuss childbirth classes and breastfeeding classes as planned. She suggested we wait until around week 34 to start childbirth classes. That seems a little late to me. Is it?
Going to register for baby gifts tomorrow evening after my hubby gets off work. This both excites me and stresses me out. At least it's one more thing we can check off the to-do list :)
Abigail's heartbeat was in the 150's by doppler. My uterus measures 27 weeks (I'm 25w3d). I've only gained 6 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight. My BP was a little high at first (I was more concerned than the Dr), but I did get a little stressed this morning before the appt. I had it rechecked before leaving, and it was back down to normal. We did discuss childbirth classes and breastfeeding classes as planned. She suggested we wait until around week 34 to start childbirth classes. That seems a little late to me. Is it?
Going to register for baby gifts tomorrow evening after my hubby gets off work. This both excites me and stresses me out. At least it's one more thing we can check off the to-do list :)
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| 25w3d |
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
25 Weeks!
Wow. I can't believe we're 25 weeks along. Only 12 weeks until I'm full term. We could potentially have baby Abigail in our house in just 3 months! Oh. My. Gosh!!! Where has the time gone? There is SOOOO much to get done. We drug our feet quite a bit up until now thanks to our history, and afraid to make it so official in case something went wrong. But, now, Abigail is viable. If I went into labor, they would try everything to stop the labor, and if unsuccessful, they'd try everything to save her. Sounds like a "DUH!" situation, but just 3 short weeks ago, that wouldn't have been the case. She would NOT have been considered viable outside of the womb. So, each and every week I have a mini celebration in my heart and mind because I know she's that much more likely to live IF she were to come that week versus the previous one. I don't know if the average Mommy-to-be thinks like this, or if I am part of a small group that does due to being jaded in the past.
We have another OB appointment tomorrow. Questions for this appt include: "what childbirth classes are recommended and offered in this area? when do we sign up and begin classes" "are there any breastfeeding classes offered for pregnant women? or just post-partum ones?" "are there any parenting classes in the area that are recommended? how about books?"
Questions for you readers that are Mommies, "what pregnancy / breastfeeding / infant care books do you recommend?" "what items are a MUST for baby shower registries?" "what is something in the nursery you can't live without (other than the baby)?" Any other advice or recommendations?
This is becoming SO real! I mean, we've wanted, prayed for, tried for and mourned over having a baby of our own for so long. Each loss made it seem more impossible. So, several times a week, I have to remind myself that I'm not JUST pregnant this time -- we are ACTUALLY going to have a baby! It's time to get in gear!
Baby shower planning and baby registries already?!?!?! We don't even have a nursery yet! The guest room (aka storage room) will be the nursery, but you can't look at it and tell that right now. That is one of the biggest projects on the books for October. Also, registering for stuff for Abigail is on the agenda. Cramming as much money as possible into savings to help with bills while on leave is a big one over the next 3 months. PLUS finishing up Christmas shopping before Thanksgiving since the month of December will be dedicated to getting ahead on bills and final touches of getting the house ready for Abigail.
Did I just fast-forward through Christmas?!?! Time needs to slow down so we can catch up!
Meanwhile, I'm enjoying every moment of being pregnant. This is truly the most amazing gift. I've never felt more blessed and wish every woman who has the desire, will feel the same when they're expecting.
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| 24 weeks, 4 days |
We have another OB appointment tomorrow. Questions for this appt include: "what childbirth classes are recommended and offered in this area? when do we sign up and begin classes" "are there any breastfeeding classes offered for pregnant women? or just post-partum ones?" "are there any parenting classes in the area that are recommended? how about books?"
Questions for you readers that are Mommies, "what pregnancy / breastfeeding / infant care books do you recommend?" "what items are a MUST for baby shower registries?" "what is something in the nursery you can't live without (other than the baby)?" Any other advice or recommendations?
This is becoming SO real! I mean, we've wanted, prayed for, tried for and mourned over having a baby of our own for so long. Each loss made it seem more impossible. So, several times a week, I have to remind myself that I'm not JUST pregnant this time -- we are ACTUALLY going to have a baby! It's time to get in gear!
Baby shower planning and baby registries already?!?!?! We don't even have a nursery yet! The guest room (aka storage room) will be the nursery, but you can't look at it and tell that right now. That is one of the biggest projects on the books for October. Also, registering for stuff for Abigail is on the agenda. Cramming as much money as possible into savings to help with bills while on leave is a big one over the next 3 months. PLUS finishing up Christmas shopping before Thanksgiving since the month of December will be dedicated to getting ahead on bills and final touches of getting the house ready for Abigail.
Did I just fast-forward through Christmas?!?! Time needs to slow down so we can catch up!
Meanwhile, I'm enjoying every moment of being pregnant. This is truly the most amazing gift. I've never felt more blessed and wish every woman who has the desire, will feel the same when they're expecting.
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