Almost Go Time

Well, well, where to begin? I feel as if I have been under an information overload the past few weeks, mainly trying to make the final call between scheduling a c-section or trying to birth our child vaginally first. Due to our history, it has been a lot of back and forth with OBs, REs, MFMs, orthopedics, & anesthesists on which situation would be best.  

Final call-we will attempt birthing vaginally.  If I havent gone into labor by the 18th, Ill be admitted for cervical ripening and induction that day. Yes, thats right… we have a date folks! And its so close that I cant even believe it. We are super excited! If during a vaginal birth, he shows any signs of distress my OB will immediately do a section. I will be under continous monitoring once induced. 

It would be nice if he decides to come on his own before I need induced, but are also okay with it if he does not. At this point, we trust our vast medical team very much and will follow what is deemed safest for mom & baby. 

Recap of his health-We had our weekly NST and BPP yesterday, and baby boy did well. The week before he was being difficult during the stress test (his heart rate was not accelerating enough with his movements) and I was getting so upset. I was on the damn machine for probably an hour, when you can be on & off it in 15 minutes if baby performs. 

The nurse gave me juice, let me go pee, and even zapped me with a tazer like device on my stomach at one point. Lets just say he did NOT enjoy that at all, and he finally passed right after it. Maybe he remembered it from the week before and got to work yesterday because we passed the first 15 minute go around. Thank God. He then scored 8/8 on his biophysical profile ultrasound. Another sigh of relief. 

My fundal height is measuring a little smaller the past 2 weeks, probably since I havent gained any weight. But he is still in the 40 something percentile and measuring close to 7 lbs, so the doctors are not worried. I feel so bad knowing there are many ladies out there struggling with uterine growth restriction-I cannot imagine how upsetting and frustrating this is. I know I eat A LOT and still cant gain. Totally out of our own hands.

Something important to note-my OB wasnt too happy with my blood pressure yesterday and doesnt want me waiting a whole week to get it checked again. So, I go in Monday for a quick blood pressure check. If its still high, we might be seeing Miracle sooner than later. 

Other news-I feel like there is no more time! I have been doing all my last minute nesting each day. I make a list, and somehow another one pops up. Lol. Thankfully they are all little things, all the big things are done, and we would totally be fine if nothing else got done at this point. Part of me just feels like I have to stay busy for some reason! Then the other half of me feels like I have to rest, so I do. Its a good balance. 

We have arrangements made for the dogs during our hospital stay, got the baby a health insurance plan of his own, hooked up baby monitors, called my cleaning ladies and scheduled them around our possible induction date so the house is nice & clean for baby to come home to! Ive wrapped all our Christmas presents and put them under the tree. I have an appointment to get my nails done next week, pretty close to delivery so they look pretty for our professional newborn photo session. I even treated myself to a few postpartum outfits…2 pairs of Blanqi leggings and 4 tunic tops. Super excited to live in these for awhile. 

Symptoms-Oh my. Tons. Constipation, which has never been an issue, now is. I am eating prunes and hoping to see some improvement. Stay away hemorrhoids!! Heartburn. Shortness of breath. Snoring. Talking (or even yelling) in my sleep. Peeing all the time. Fatigue. Pregnancy brain…I think thats all???

9 Months & a Tour of the Nursery!

Officially full term this week at 37 weeks. Our hopital bags are packed (we did 3 of them, one for each of us) and baby boy’s carseat has been installed & inspected. Our birth plan (wasnt sure if we would do one) is also complete. I had a few friends ask what a “birth plan” is before, so here’s a snap shot of ours-

Our son’s room is ready, as is most of the rest of the house. Since I am home everyday, the nesting has been well underway for some time now. Here is his room…all finished! 






Went to the MFM this week for another growth scan. I was a little concerned going into it bc I have noticed that over the course of the past month or so I havent gained any weight. I have still been eating well, but my appetite has dwindled off a bit perhaps due to my brian believing there is so little room left in there for food or the simple fact that the more I eat, the less I can breath! 

Anywhoo, my weight loss of 1 pound has not had any effect on Miracles growth. He is still around the 50th percentile, measuring about 6 lbs. The doctor puts him at about 7 1/2 lbs. if we go another 2 1/2 wks. or so. Perfect, healthy weight! 

Everything else checked out well-he is head down, good Amnio levels, heartrate, movement, etc. This was his 3rd biophysical profile that he had and earned 100% on. It sounds as if I am already bragging about my unborn son, but I cant help it. Getting weekly BPP’s (combined with NSTs) with high scores shows the chance of a stillbirth is very, very low. 

We will not be going back to the MFM anymore, I will just see my OB everyweek from here out. In fact, I see her tomorrow for my first cervix check! I am secretly (not anymore lol) hoping I am dilated some. I am feeling SO ready to meet this guy even though he has some time left. Several of my IG friends have been having their babies now and it makes it much more real, especially when someone delivers before me who was due after me and baby is OK. 

We arent doing much Christmas shopping this year as we usually would, but I have made a point to get a few things bought now so we wont worry once baby is here. I also made hubby something special off Pinterest that serves as a new daddy gift/Christmas gift.  Id tell you more but I know he reads this, so it will have to wait 😉

We decided to do just one real Christmas tree this year, instead of the 3 or 4 artificial ones I have in the past. I must say I LOVE having the real tree for a change! It might be our new thing. Overall, we are keeping Christmas quite minimal; neither of us wants to worry about taking decorations down with a newborn. 

Until next time, sending love! 

Diary of a Pregnant Woman, Vol. 5

I passed my 1 hour glucose test! One less thing to worry about! My iron levels are also in the appropriate range, along with the rest of my blood levels from my 28 week CBC. So happy to hear all of this! 

Other happenings-

• I have gained a total of 30 lbs. at just over 30 weeks, but not much in the last month. Talked with my OB and MFM about this and they assure me it is okay as long as baby boy is still growing as he should. Most of the 30 lbs. I packed on were on by week 20! Anyways, looks like Im on track to gain about 40 lbs. total. 
• I am snoring soooo bad at night. Oink, oink. Hubby actually had to leave the room for the first time as he could not get any rest last night. Not only am I snoring, but Im like choking on my snores and waking up panicked because Im having trouble breathing. It is scary! I brought it up at my appt today because I thought I might have some weird pregnancy sleep apnea (if that even exists?). The midwife seemed to brush it off though, told me to elevate myself more, & use nasal spray before bed. I will give the elevating a try in bed, if that doesnt work, looks like Ill be headed to the recliner to sleep soon. 
• Hubby & I have been keeping busy putting together all the stuff we were blessed with at the shower. We couldnt wait any longer to do it, we have been waiting for almost a decade now for all of this to happen! So, each day we assemble something different. Its so fun. So far we have configured the Baby Trend pack and play, Baby Trend bouncer, Fisher Price rock and play, Chicco stroller/carseat, & mamaRoo swing. We also filled the bookshelf with all the books we got at our shower. Everything fits perfectly in it. Next up is setting up the monitor we got! 

• Our maternity photos are this weekend at the beach! Im excited to get them done but also nervous. I hope I look okay in them, hubby told me to embrace it so I am going to try and do so…Belly out & all! My mom is coming along for the pics too. I will post some of them next week! 
• We only have 3 classes left at the hospital (2 more labor & delivery, and one CPR)…which means the homestretch of the pregnacy is upon us. In just 2 months, our rainbow will be here with us! 
• Can I tell you how much Cobra insurance sucks?? We had to dish out 2 months worth of it until I go on hubbys insurance in January. Please tell me how one can justify paying $600 a month for an individual just to maintain their current coverage?!? Joke. Like its not bad enough already that we get NO infertility coverage here in Florida. I guess the silver lining would be I have long ago met all out of pocket deductibles for the year so no more cash upfront other than the Cobra has to be dished out. 
• Hubby took off 2 weeks for baby’s arrival. Im looking forward to this time we will have together as a family of 3 (well, 5 if u count the furbabies) We hope to keep the amount of home visitors during this special time to a minimum. This isnt to say we dont want any visitors, we do, but we want the majority of our time at home to be spent learning the ropes and in all honesty, just taking it all in… If that makes sense.  Who knows if we will change our minds, but this is where we are right now with it. 
• We are already planning our first family trip! Sounds sort of crazy considering baby isnt even here yet, right?! When he is about 5 months old (early June 2017), we plan to head north for our nephews high school graduation. We are so excited to see all of our family & friends & show off our little Miracle to them! As of now, we think we will be driving and staying about 2 weeks, but Im sure that could easily change due to numerous factors. 
• I am proud of myself for getting all of our handwritten shower thank you notes done already! I just dropped them in the mail today. Can we say awesome for not even a 2 week turn around time?!? 

A Hurricane, Baby Shower, Growth Scan, & Day of Remembrance

Despite our fears of Hurricane Matthew ruining our baby shower, all turned out perfectly! We were so blessed to have just been missed (literally by about 30 miles) from the storm making landfall here in South Florida. Compared to Haiti, Northern Florida, & the Carolinas, we were spared majorly.  I think everyone here woke up feeling a sense of gratitude the day after the storm. 

This isnt to say Matthew didnt bring plenty of stress last week leading up to his arrival…we ended up having to board up our house with hurricane shutters, family and friends had to reschedule their flights in for the shower, gifts being delivered were delayed, doctor appointments, along with beauty ones all cancelled. I was quite emotional to say the least. I was most worried about keeping the baby safe, as I have never been in the direct path of a category 4 storm, only a 2 and a 3. Those were bad enough! Needless to say, lots of tears were shed. 

Hubby, the dogs, & I decided to ride out the storm at my moms house who was also all shuttered up. I wanted to be around as much family as possible God forbid something happen. I ended up staying up all night as the winds were just way too loud for any rest. Its a hard noise to describe if you havent been through a storm of magnitude before. Its definitely no ordinary thunderstorm! We were able to maintain power all night (thank God!) and had no damage to our area when we went out in the morning to assess the damage. Nothing like the storms that hit us back in 2004 that left so much damage and power outages for weeks. 

The location of our baby shower also kept power and thus, the shower was still on! And what a beautiful day it turned out to be, thanks to my mom, aunt, and cousin and all their hard work setting up. The cake was to die for (so hard to cut such an adorable dessert into pieces!) and the flowers just as I imagined. The food was delicious too! Guests had a choice between 3 entrees, all which we sampled prior. We ended up just shy of 30 people and were so spoiled by all the gifts! We got everything we wanted, even more importantly that we needed. Carseat, stroller, bathtub, changing pad, MamaRoo swing, pack and play, rock and play, Bumbo seat, play mat, monitor, diaper bag, Ergo 360 carrier, clothes, diapers, bottles, blankets, toys, books…need I go on?!? Im still in awe of how generous everyone was to us. Seriously. 

We also had our 30 week growth scan at the MFM this week and Miracle is almost 3 1/2 pounds! So exciting to hear. If he continues to grow at this rate, they say he will likely be about 7 lbs at birth. Perfect! My cervix is long (over 3.75) and closed. I was really (happily) surprised by this…I figured it would have shortened some by now but it hasnt. Baby boy is currently butt down, but has time to move into proper position still. I head back to my OB next week for routine stuff, but not back to the MFM for another ultrasound until Im 34 weeks. 

I dreamed of the day where our pregnancy would enter in the “30” week range. It brings a sense of comfort to me although there are still obstacles ahead. So far, we have made all of our goals since we found out we were pregnant-

1. Increasing betas
2. Heartbeat on ultrasound
3. Get past the furthest we ever made it in a previous pregnancy (10 wks)
4. Get through the first trimester
5. Feel the baby kick 
6. Have a good anatomy scan at 20 wks
7. Make it to first viability milestone at 24 wks
8. Make it to second viability milestone at 28 wks 

Focusing on these things helps me stay positive. We are about to approach one of our last goals of viability, 32 weeks. I thank God everyday for this blessing. I also pray everyday for everyone still struggling, especially this month as pregnancy and infant loss awareness is remembered and honored. 

Last year on October 15th, we lit 7 candles for all the babies we lost over the years. This year on October 15th, we will light 8 candles, one added for Isaac’s twin that we lost with my tube back in May. Will have to post more then…in the meantime sending love to all. 

Hello 3rd Trimester

Its hard to believe both October & the 3rd trimester are upon us! Less than 12 weeks to go now.

I had my 1 hour glucose test this morning. I actually did a 2 hr test back when we were trying to figure out the cause of my recurrent pregnancy loss, so I was prepared for how yucky it is. This time I didnt get a flavor choice (boo!) and got stuck with orange. I did lemon lime the first time and it was much better! The orange burned as I was chugging it down and gave me a slight headache accompained by minor nausea. 

The nurse drew my blood for this and also did a CBC, my results should be in within the week. The midwife measured my fundal height which was between 28-29 weeks, and I am 28 weeks + 3 days so that was all good. She also did the doppler and his heartbeat was as usual. We chatted about movement, which I have noticed just in the past week has picked up a lot. I dont find myself needing to count like I was because its pretty consistent throughout the days now. I am happy about this bc counting sort of drives me mad! 

We also discussed vaginal v. c-section birth. I explained my fears both ways, and told her I just want to do whatever is safest for my baby. She listened and offered some personal stories in regards to my concerns. Long story short, she told me to prep for a vaginal birth as long as he isnt breech, or too large.  Our first labor class starts tomorrow and I am anxious for it. They told us to bring a yoga mat and 2 pillows…hopefully we will gain some valuable knowledge from these sessions! 

In other news…all good things must come to an end. Let me explain. We had our fresh IVF cycle back in March 2014, in which 7 out of our 8 embryos were frozen at that time. Since that time, we have had 4 total transfers (1 fresh + 3 frozen). Thankfully all of our embies have been kept free of charge at our RE’s office. We havent paid storage on any of our frosties, which has been wonderful as storage fees can get pretty pricey. Well, as I said, all good things must come to an end! We got a call this week from the storage company informing us that we need to update our forms on file as they will be picking up our one & only embryo at our RE’s office. I must say I was a bit sad, I loved our embryo being right where I know it is, safe & sound. However, I realize this is protocol and we got away with it for over 2 years now. Time to cough up more cash…nothing new in the world of IVF. 

As Im sure many of you know, the embryo storage forms make you think of morbid things like death of one partner, death of both partners, divorce, etc. In the middle of filling out the forms, I burst into tears. Thanks pregnancy hormones! I told hubby in the case I should die, I want him to have ownership of our embryo. I suggested that should he ever marry again, he could (have the option to) transfer our embryo into his new wife. He looked at me in disbelief, and thats when I lost it. This may sound odd to some, but its how I feel. We also agreed on the same should he pass before we transfer again. And if we both die, we elected to donate our child. Sounds really weird typing that. We couldnt come to terms with disposal, and we didnt want to transfer ownership to anyone and have that on their shoulders either. We will pay storage quarterly, and then revisit transferring Uno December of next year. 

My OB appts are now every 2 weeks, not sure of the MFM frequency as of yet. I see them this week for a growth scan, and I want to bring up a few things like NSTs and biophysical profiles. I dont want to fall to the wayside because things have continued to look good. I want to make sure we stay on top of things, especially monitoring later on as this can help prevent stillbirth. 

My baby shower is this weekend!!! How insane. I am super excited about it, but also anxious at the same time. I cried yesterday to hubby about it, and he reassured me that I deserve this shower. My aunt is flying in today, and then others follow throughout the week. I feel like I have so much to do still (thank God for cleaning ladies) before the shower…stop by the flower shop, finalize games, get my wedding ring cleaned, eyebrows waxed, nails done, etc. Im sure it will all come together though. Will post an update of it all soon! 

Diary of a Pregnant Woman, Vol. 3

We completed session 2 of the Parenting & Infant Care Class this week. Let me tell you, session 2 was MUCH better than session 1! If you recall, session 1 was basically all the ways you can kill your baby. Session 2 not at all. Instead we learned-

• How to properly burp baby 
• How to change baby’s diaper
• How to swaddle baby right (I think this was our favorite)
• How to put a shirt on baby correctly 
• How to bath baby
• How to care for the circumcised weenie
• How to take care of the umbilical cord site 
• Some normal infant conditions not to worry about (cradle cap, swollen scrotum, rash, etc.) 
• Different brands and types of products for baby (bum creams, bottles, nipples, detergents, diaper brands, etc.) 

Overall, it was an enjoyable class! Unfortunately, the instructor must have scared away quite a bit of the group from session 1, as only a few people showed up for session 2. Next week, we have our breastfeeding class at the hospital together. Hubby will attend as they go over dad’s role, and we both want him to be involved even though I plan to breastfeed. 

We are 26 weeks today!! Can you believe it? I can’t! Last week, Miracle had his first growth scan at the MFM. He was in the 65% percentile and close to 2 lbs. My cervix measured over 3 again, heartbeat in the 140’s as usual, and the report was great. As hubby & I sat in the doctors office and she said “I got nothing, all looks as it should,” we just looked at each other in awe. Hearing nothing is wrong never gets old after you have heard something is wrong so much. Since all has continued to go well, they dont want to see me back until I enter the 3rd trimester in a few weeks. This is the longest I will have gone without an appointment! But I believe I can do it! 

Symptoms? 

Other than the 30 lb weight gain total, headaches this week. Braxton Hicks still happening. Carpal tunnel continues at night and at times like this when Im typing! Food not sounding as good as Id like it to. Peeing A LOT. In fact, the other night baby boy must have been right on top of my bladder. It felt as if his foot was pushing on it and pressure was going to my cervix. It was like a pinching feeling and Id jump when Id feel it. I did not like it bc I thought he might be on his way out! I kept peeing and finally he moved away. Phew! 

The best symptom? He is still kicking away, and even though its early, I do a kick count everyday and he passes. Thank God. 

Exciting news?

Someone bought the carseat off our registry for us! Really happy because obviously this is a neccessity. After the shower in a few weeks, we will install it and have a car seat inspector check it out. The hospital gave us the info of the offices who do this in the area & I thought what a great service! I guess so many people install them wrong & have no clue until its too late. 

My bff from Ohio is coming to my shower! Along with 2 of my cousins and two of my aunts from up north. I feel so honored, and cant wait to see them.

A couple bump pics of me lately…

Thinking of you all…

The Diary of a Pregnant Woman, Vol. 2

So this week has been full of appointments as usual. 

• Appointment with OB-routine visit, checked urine, blood pressure, weight, Isaac’s heartbeat, and (new this visit) fundal height. She said my fundal height was measuring a little large for how many weeks I am. I didnt bother asking for a number. My mentality is Id rather it be larger than smaller. I got my glucola drink and scheduled that appointment. Praying I pass! 
• We talked about baby’s movement at the appt. Ive been somewhat worried because I hear so much about all these women feeling strong movement pretty early on. Even though I felt flutters at 15 weeks and the intensity has definitely picked up, the movement is still quite sporadic. Like for instance, I might feel him in the early morning, but then not again until nighttime. So she told me that even though its early, try to count the kicks and I would probably be pleasantly surprised. I followed her instructions the past few days (drank something cold and sweet, waited 20 minutes, laid down) and realized he is doing just fine. I feel at least 10 movements pretty quickly actually. Thank God! I guess I just needed to focus in on it more to see. 
• We interviewed a third (and final) pediatrician. 3 is enough, dont want to overwhelm ourselves with options. The places have consisted of 1.) a small, one doctor practice, 2.) a large, 6 doctor practice, and 3.) an in-between practice with 3 doctors. There are so many factors to consider when choosing a pedi (cleanliness, experience, on-site services, after hours, vaccines, wait times, hospital privileges, etc.) But honestly, for us, it really boiled down to a gut feeling. This is the same way we were with choosing our RE. We figure we can always change should we need to, but we are starting out at the smallest practice of the 3 practices. Glad thats taken care of!!

• We attended session 1 of 2 at the hospital for “parenting & infant care.” Can I just tell you how awful session 1 was? It should be called “all the ways you can kill your baby.” I understand that it’s reality and important to point out all the things that can happen in order to be preventive, but it was really tough for me to sit through the class. From drowning, to SIDS, to choking, to shaking baby, to poisons, fires, my gosh. And we were showed videos of actual situations where children died. Was that necessary? Ugh. Anyways, session 2 is supposed to be much better (according to both one of my friends who took it and the instructor herself), we will have fake dolls and change baby, burp baby, swaddle baby, etc.

• Tomorrow we go to the MFM for a 25 week growth scan. Praying all is on track. Will update soon on that. 

Aside from appointments, other news-

• All shower invites went out and people are starting to RSVP! Exciting, but hard to believe it is here in just a month. We have already started to receive some gifts from out of state family (over half of our list is out of state), and for any big items they send, we are keeping the boxes and plan to take those to the shower wrapped without the items inside (hubby’s idea and I love it!). The smaller ones we get wont be an issue to take with the contents inside of them. This way even the people out of state who cant make it will be celebrating with us that day! 
• I decorated for fall already. I love fall. I usually wait until it technically begins in a few weeks, but being home not working, I figured why not. Now if only the heat would go away. So over it. 
• I have been thinking pretty seriously about cloth diapering. I joined a few Facebook groups and started my own research. I should have prefaced this by saying my stomach has been weaker than it normally is not pregnant. Anyways, in a few of the posts I came across, several ladies were having trouble with bugs. In the dirty diapers. Like maggots or eggs, or whatever. That was it for me. I told hubby about it and he pointed out how we live in South Florida and its a possibility. No thanks. As a new mom, I cant say how often I would be washing these diapers yet or blame them for it. Ive had all kinds of freaking bugs around my house & I keep it clean. So the plan is to start with disposables, I registered for a few different kinds, and go from there. Maybe one day. End of story. 
• The closet in miracle’s room is pretty much done! I love it! 

Until next time!! 

Viability

Not only are the best months of the year finally here (the ‘ber months), but so is viability. We made it. 6 months pregnant. God is good! 

Our 24 week ultrasound today showed that baby is growing on track, now just over 1 and 1/2 lbs., my fluid level is good, and my cervix is still closed & long, measuring over 4. We are so thankful. 

I know I have said it before, but this is truly a day we did not think was possible after years of trying to conceive on our own, 2 failed IUIs, several major surgeries, 4 IVF cycles, & 4 consecutive losses. But here we are, one day closer to bringing our miracle baby boy home. I promised myself I would relax more once we got to this point, so I am really going to *try* my best to do so. 

Our goal is to make it to 28 weeks now. I have a feeling it will come rather quickly, as we have a growth scan at the MFM and my glucose test during the few weeks until then. Also coming up in a month is our baby shower for which the invites got mailed this week. I really cant believe all these things are so close! 

Today I got my hair cut and I scheduled an appointment for both my make-up and my hair to be done for our maternity photo session. It takes some pressure off of me, as I am lousy at doing both of these. In addition, I made a mani/pedi appt for the shower and the shoot. I think I am all set in this department!

Symptoms? 

Still having some BH contractions here & there but have found drinking water totally helps. That said, my new routine is to get up and drink 64 ounces before noon each day. I make sure I get the suggested amount out of the way and then I just sip the rest of the day. Thank God I am off work, or I wouldnt be doing this because basically I am in the bathroom peeing all morning long! Seriously. Ive never been a big drinker either so sticking to a schedule is really helping out.

In the middle of the night, my hands and arms have been going numb here & there. I guess this could be a sign of carpal tunnel? At least thats what my Ovia pregnancy app had pop up as a common thing this week. Im not too worried about it, I just shake them out and it goes away.

Im getting picky about food again. Things arent sounding as great as Id like them to. Ugh. Eating as healthy as possible though, trying to incorporate in each of the food groups everyday. Thankfully I havent wanted sweets much at all, hoping this will help me pass my sugar test! 

Other news? 

We got everything we need to create the closet system in miracle’s room. Now that we have the materials, we plan to work on it over the long weekend. Im excited because I have lots of clothes and items to organize in there! Hubby pointed out how we are going to be jealous of the baby’s closet…how is it that he has a better one than us already? Lol. I might as well get used to it, part of being a parent I know!  

Excitement v. Anxiety

We have some upcoming things in the next few weeks that I am super excited about! 

• Hospital tour!!! 
• Prenatal consultations with a few pediatricians 
• 24 week OB appointment (viability!!)
• Cloth diapering class 

After we accomplish the above items, we will start looking into childbirth/CPR classes to attend. 

While I am super excited, I am also anxious. But I am really *trying* to keep my anxiety at bay. I spoke with the midwife today about some of my current fears, like stillbirth. Knowing that my recurrent miscarriage history plays no role in this happening helps me some. Also, how uncommon it is. She did tell me it can of course happen, but to try and enjoy my pregnancy. So, I have started coloring again, and listening to my Circle + Bloom healthy pregnancy CD. I hadnt listened in about a month and it seems to help.

My anxiety has been up in other areas too, non-pregnancy related, like my safety. Just recently we got a gun, just in case God forbid someone breaks in or something.  Someone actually broke into our home that we still live in many years ago and we never found out who did it. I dont know what has caused my fears to resurface about this, maybe its my motherly instinct to protect my unborn child, who knows. Either way I feel better now knowing that I/we can protect ourselves if needed. 

Other news? 

I have gained about 20 lbs. total. My midwife seems to think I am right on track, but my MFM told me to “slow down.” LOL.  I mostly eat well, so there isnt too much more I can do. I gained majority of it during the first trimester. The cleaning ladies came today and commented about how much my bump had grown in the past 2 weeks. I hope so, I worry sometimes that he isnt growing as he should even though there is no reason for me to think this way. 

Here are a few bump pics since I havent shared on here in awhile!

Until next time friends! 

Still Cooking

I feel like it has been forever since I updated, when in all reality it has only been a few weeks. Since there is so much to update on, I will do it in segments.

Pregnancy

Today we are 20 weeks pregnant! Officially halfway there. A day I honestly thought I would NEVER see. We are so grateful to say the least. 

Yesterday I had a scare. I was leaking some sort of fluid and after it continued for a full day, I broke down and called my OB. This was of course, after googling like a mad woman, and freaking myself out completely. I had convinced myself that I was leaking amniotic fluid and had ruptured. I was beyond petrified.  

My hopes were that the nurse would just tell me to come into the office to be checked out, not go to the hospital. Nope, not the case. They sent me to labor & delivery so I could have a test called the Amnisure done there. Basically, a q-tip is inserted vaginally for 1 minute and then it is tested for amniotic fluid. The results take anout an hour to come back.

So, my mom drove me to the hospital. They rushed me upstairs in a wheelchair to the labor floor. Keep in mind, I had changed my undies (sorry if TMI) 3 times already before noon due to the fluid. Upon arrival to the floor, they wheeled me into one of the delivery rooms and this is when I lost it. I looked around and saw the baby incubator, the baby board where mom and baby’s name go, etc. All these things that I did not want to see at just 20 weeks pregnant. My name was even on the board. I started crying out of fear. I was here way too soon. 

I got undressed into a gown and they started monitoring for contractions. No contractions. The nurse informed me that my OB would be coming to do the test herself. She arrived soon after, and talk was taking place about if I had ruptured. The steroids, the antiobiotics, the hospital admittance, the bedrest….the chances of baby making it. I could only pray at this point. My OB did the Amnisure swab test, tested my urine, and listened to baby boy on the doppler. She also checked my cervix and I was not dilated at all. Thank God. 

The hour wait seemed like a lot longer. Finally, my OB and the nurse came in right after I heard cheers from out in the hall. The test came back negative for amniotic fluid. I had not ruptured. Such a huge sigh of relief. It also came back negative for an infection of any kind. The fluid was either normal pregnancy discharge or pee. Yep, pee. And Im going with the latter, although it is quite embarassing, simply because I know how small my bladder is. A urologist diagnosed it years ago as 3x smaller than average. Looks like I will be investing in some Depends soon! 

After I was discharged and got home, I was so tired I pretty much collapsed and slept for hours. I hadnt slept much the night before because I was worried about the fluid and I was dealing with a barking dog. Amongst all the madness of the day, it was also our 9 year wedding anniversary. Hubby was on call and didnt get home until late, but we were able to spend some time together once he did. 

Today was our appointment at the MFM for our fetal echocardiogram where they take an in depth look at the heart, even more than at the anatomy scan. Again, I was worried something would be wrong. I feel like its almost their job to find something wrong at the high risk doc. But I was wrong. His heart looked perfect. The midwife who met with us after reassured me by saying, “we have seen it all here, we are looking very closely, and he looks normal in all areas, no concerns.” I thanked God out loud over and over. My cervix is also still measuring long, close to 4cm and my placenta previa is completely resolved. We honestly couldnt have asked for a better report. 

I will head back to my regular OB in 2 weeks to check my cervix length again. I will be 22 weeks then, and they will only do one more cervix check after that at 24 weeks. Its hard to believe we are so close to our goal of 24 weeks, or viability. Only 1 more month!! 

I am starting to feel miracle move more & more now. It is still sporadic, but I know it is him. The ultrasound tech today felt him kick and it was pretty cool. Hubby hasnt felt him move yet, Im hoping within the next few weeks. Overall, I am feeling well and I cant complain. All I want is for him to keep cooking as long as possible. 

Nursery 

The carpet is in, along with the crown molding and baseboards. Hubby has assembled the crib, bookshelf, and changing table.  Today my mom and I went shopping and she bought us a rocker/recliner for the nursery! It will be delivered in a few days. We are so incredibly thankful for what her & my stepdad have done for their future grandson already. 

We have not hung anything up yet on the walls, but we have been ordering items. Our desire is to keep it classy and simple. So far decor wise we have a mirror, a clock, a shelf, a growth chart, and a soft whale to hang. I am totally obsessed with Pottery Barn Baby and have pretty much gotten everything from there. I will post pics once it is all done but here is one of the adorable whale…

Baby Shower 

I am all done registering for our shower. This was so fun and something I dreamed of for so so long. I am hoping to get some of what we picked! My amazing cousins, aunt, & friend all pitched in and surprised us with an early shower gift already…a mamaRoo!!! I cant even tell you how excited we are…hubby put it together straight away so we could play with it. 

My mom and I also just ordered the shower invitations and menus. The invites will go out towards the end of month.  They are just so cute! We decided on the centerpieces, games, favors, etc. I wont say too much because I dont want to spoil it for those coming. Speaking of those coming, several of our out of state relatives plan to come it sounds like. I feel so honored and never expected this! 

I feel like there is more, but I have been going on for some time now. Sending love to all of you who took the time out of your busy day to read this…thank you!