Midwives are driving me NUTS

I've had an issue with glucose in my urine this entire pregnancy it seems. This past week however, the midwives said enough is enough and wanted me to take a blood test to see whether or not I am diabetic. This really upset me since I did just fine on my Gestational Diabetes Screening, and also because the baby is a normal size.

I argued with the midwife a little over it, and then agreed to have an additional test done. They told me it was just a blood draw, and I consented, already knowing that everything would come back fine. Well, I get a call the next day, and am told that my results were "normal high" and due to that they want me to test my blood sugar daily. This sent me into tears. I'd have to prick myself 4x a day, everyday, for two weeks. Not what I wanted to hear. I asked what "normal high" meant, and was told it meant that I was of increased risk of possibly developing GD...Reeeeeally? I "might" "possibly" get GD "maybe"? This is why you're forcing me to do this? Needless to say, I was pretty upset.

SB reminded me that in the world of OB's there is a lot of CYA (cover your ...) that has to take place, and he also said that because I'm seeing midwives, they may have to be EXTRA careful. Well, that's great and all, but they're not the ones sticking their fingers 4x a day, and worrying about their bodies betraying them and their unborn babies. SHEESH.

So I complied. I kicked and screamed and cried, but I complied.  The midwife who showed me how to use the monitor was confused as to why I was so upset. I found that upsetting...lol. She pricked my finger, showed me how to use the monitor, and gave me my first reading, a perfectly normal reading. When she asked what I had to eat that day? Carrot Cake. I responded that I  had Carrot cake. Carrot cake that left me with a perfectly normal blood sugar level after the prescribed amount of time. I left the office with my new focus for the next 7 days, forcing myself to prick my finger tips, watching my intake of sweets (meaning, not having any), and keeping a log of what my levels were at each test. It was hard at first, I mean who wants to inflict pain on themselves? It would take me 15 loooong, palm sweating minutes to press the button that would cause the needle to prick me. About a day and a half into it, I began to only take 10 minutes, and by the time I took it for the last time it was able to press that darn button in about a minute. While, it got easier, it never got easy.

And so what were the results? I have normal, healthy, beautiful blood sugar levels. Normal numbers are defined as below 95 for fasting, and below 120 for two hours after a meal. I freaked me freak the first morning I took it because I got 135, higher than BOTH numbers. It made me second guess myself. I lost confidence and thought "Well, maybe there is something wrong with me". I felt down trodden and like a bad mom. It was pretty sad I tell ya!

After that though, every single other test showed a number WELL below acceptable levels; confidence made a full recovery, and I no longer felt like I was mangaging to abuse my child en utero. We have our follow up appointment today (09/16) where I plan on throwing this stupid log in their face and telling them that the added stress from this whole process is FAR worse than any minor amount of GD they may think I could possibly maybe have.

35/35!!!!

Well, I made it! 35/35, the date that for which I've had a ton of anticipation. Of course now that I'm here, I'm too shocked to truely appreciate it, but I'm working on it. Oh, and 35/35 means that I'm 35weeks with only 35 days left to go. Pretty cool how that works out huh?


How far along: 35 wks

Total weight change: Up 20 from pre-preg...still


Maternity clothes: I still have a couple of stretchy cotton shirts, but I'm starting to show out of the bottom of them I think. Actually, I'm starting to show out of the bottom of my materinity shirts too. Hmmm.

Stretch Marks: Si! Still got plenty of em.

Movement: Kind of slower now, I think its starting to get pretty cramped in there.

Sleep: Same ol' same ol'. Some nights are better than others. While my trips to the potty are never limited, they're not the culprit. Its the falling back asleep after that's been getting me. Also, the past two days I've had REM sleep right at 7, which means I have trouble waking up on time, despite how ever many times the alarm goes off.

Best Moment This Week: Not having to stick myself any more! (See my Midwives are driving me nuts post.) Also, allowing my self to get a *little* excited about the baby actually being on the way. I'm slowly starting to pack up and move off of my home on Denial Island.

Belly Button In or Out: Out. Flat. Pudgy. Stretched.

Cravings/Aversions: Ice water, ice

Symptoms: I'm better. Not as tired as I was, I guess I've gotten my second wind. I think I may have begun nesting since mess is really bothering me now. It couldn't have come at a better time considering we've moved so I need to get organized anyway.

What I'm Looking Forward To: Staying pregnant! Lol. I'm not ready for this to be over yet.

Things I Wish I Would Have Known: That people could actually be NICE to pregnant ladies. It's like at first everyone is all preachy, and then as you get bigger, they get less douchie.

Weeks ??? - 32

Blog fail. I can't keep up with how fast everything is going. Everytime I look around, I'm another week up, this is crazy cakes!

How far along: 32 wks

Total weight change: Up 20 from pre-preg
Maternity clothes: All the time. I've bought/worn a few things that weren't
but they are the exception to the rule.

Stretch Marks: Um, heck yes! It started with one, and blossomed into a whole patch of them on either side of my belly underneath my now protruding belly button. The other day I noticed a small line above it too. Weird.

Movement: These past two days especially have been active ones. I'm now at a size where ribs are fair game. My belly has these spasms of rolls and jabbs that send me into uncontrollable laughter. I get pokes in the side now too which is kinda like getting hit in the funny bone, it hurts, but it makes you laugh too. Weird.
Sleep: Got better, then worse. I've started to have some mild insomnia. I think it is because we have so much going on right now, and necessarily the pregnancy.  I did read a few things that said that getting to sleep/staying asleep can be an issue as the third tri rolls along.

Best Moment This Week: Getting to feel so much movement has been wonderful. I am seriously going to miss this. I've also enjoyed everything going so well so far, and that I passed my Glucose Screening Test. No gestational diabetes for me thanks!

Belly Button In or Out: Out. It looks weird too...


Cravings/Aversions: Sweets, ice, carbs

Symptoms: TIRED. Lol. I'm starting to wear out a little. Every morning is a fight to get out of bed, and I'm really starting to run out of steam. I can't stay standing as long as I used to either. Oh and back pain, YOUCH! I have to have proper support or I will be in agony. This body is giving my baby all it's got, and its finally starting to take its toll. Oh, and my dreams have gotten crazy again.
What I'm Looking Forward To: Time giving me a second to catch my breath. I can't believe in roughly 8 weeks, as little as 5, I will be holding my outside baby. Its nuts!

Things I Wish I Would Have Known: As usual, that time would be flying so much. Also, that my body would change this much. I knew I was going to feel and look different, but wow, the amount that has gone on has been eye openning.

23-27 weeks...Whoops!

I didn't realize that I hadn't done an update in a month. I told you time was flying, but I mean, WOW, things are really sneaking up on me! At any rate, here is a wrap up of what the end of the second tri was like for me.


How far along: 23-27 wks

Total weight change: Up 14 from pre-preg

Maternity clothes: Pretty much exclusively. I think I've worn a non maternity shirt maybe 4 or 5 times in the last month? Non mat pants are NOT an option!

Stretch Marks: Sad face. I was laying in bed, and SB says "Hey, when did you scratch yourself?". I knew as soon as he said it that these supposed "scratches" were stretch marks. I had to pull my belly up to see the underside, and lo and behold, two parallel pink lines (reminds me of a + pregnancy test know that I think about it!), running about an inch or two up my belly. I was surpisingly saddened by this. I love my belly, I think that it is beautiful so I guess the stretch marks kinda ruined what I thought was a "perfect" looking belly. I got over that reeeeel fast, and came to the conclusion that my belly is still beautiful, and that it really isn't a big deal. When I got the ones on my thighs, I could have cared less, but the belly ones did kinda throw me for a loop!

Movement: What a difference a month makes. This baby has got their Dance Dance Revolution game hooked up, and plays it all day! This past month this baby has shown itself to be a mover and shaker. I praise God for it, and can't help but already mourn the loss of it once baby is born . I get rolls, kicks, swipes, punches, and stuff I can't describe. Feeling my little one enjoy playing in its space has been life changing. Out of all of the pregnant body does, having the ability to feel your baby move en utero is simply the most amazing. Its so neat having this quiet bond that only the two of us share. It is super humbling too. Baby is moving right now as a matter of fact, and it is wonderful.

Sleep: This past month has had the same set up sleep stealers as previous weeks. I had rhinitis again, then I heartburn. Lately I've just been SUPER hot at night (the 3 days we had no A/C didn't help), and I can't sleep when I'm hot, so that has been a struggle. I still get my rest though, and I've made it in to work everyday (gotta keep that month and a half PTO saved up) so I guess it's not going too bad.

Best Moment This Week: This MONTH has had a lot of best moments. Regular movement is one. Seeing that eveything is in place and perfect with baby is another.  We went to see a specialist last Friday since after two scans the tech at the midwives still struck out on the measurements we need to be cleared for our anatomy scan. The Dr was SUPER nice, and he also had a friendly nurse, and a student shadowing him. I had to go in with a full bladder, which was a little miserable, but once I got to lay down, it took the pressure off and I was a-ok. They got a good look at the cord, the heart, the right femur, right kidney, and the cerebellum. The dr remarked that the baby had a "beautiful cerebellum" when he walked in the room and saw it on the screen (the nurse took a peek while we were waiting), lol. The ultrasound confirmed my suspision from a week ago when I mentioned to a few people that I thought baby had turn head down. The first thing we saw on the screen was their head...directly on top of my bladder..lol! The baby set about kicking at the scanner, so I knew that the legs were in a good position now to get a nice look at thier bits.  After two attempts wtith no luck, they were finally able to see what the baby is working with. The dr printed the sex on a a picture, and gave it to Damon. He wrote "secret" on my chart, so only Sugarbeet, God, and the Dr know what the baby is, and we will never see that Dr again, so I think it is a nice secret that Sugarbeet gets to have all to himself.  He says that things feel more real now, and has started to hound me about registering, so I guess the desired affect of him feeling closer to baby has worked.

Belly Button In or Out: It is giving up the ghost. It used to just stick out after I ate, but now a days it seems to be permanatly pudgy. It's not all the way out yet, be we are getting there.

Cravings/Aversions: Sweets, and ice

Symptoms: I've started nesting a little. I wash the dishes every night now, and anyone who knows me has fallen out of their chair and needs a moment to regroup after reading that.  My back feels better, but I think maybe I'm just getting used to the pain being around. I am getting more tired, and spending more time on the couch. I need to get moving again, and have been walking on my lunch break at least.  The only issue is that walking for long periods gives me some pretty bad round ligament pain, and actually really tires me out! I've decided that I'm too small and it is too soon for me to be this lethargic, so I'm regrouping efforts to keep moving.

What I'm Looking Forward To: Getting my Gestational Diabetes test over with...oh and passing!
Things I Wish I Would Have Known: That I would have missed a month of writing my symptoms, nearly two months of taking pictures, and that I would be so okay with staying home. I say it every week, and these past 4 that I've missed should make it evident, but I really think this is all happening too fast. I've only got 90 days left till my due date, and I wish I could cling to each moment as tight as the last.

Double Digits

For the second time this pregnancy, I have reached Double Digits! Here is a screen shot of my ticker for today:

 I've only got 99 days left!  Not since 10 weeks has double digits been so exciting! It feels like this milestone came very quickly. Let the countdown to the countdown to the countdown begin! Lol. After here, I think my next milestone isn't until 31 weeks when I'll have the less than double digit coundown (Holy Moley!), 35/35, and then after that it is 38 weeks, which is full term. Once there, all I have left is, well, Birth Day!
I am hanging on for dear life right now, everything is going so fast, and I can't believe how much closer I am to meeting this little guy or doll. I am so excited!

Viability

This was a looooong time coming...and yet got here so fast! I am 24w, which besides meaning I've got 6 months under my belt, also means that if I were to go into pre-term labor, this would be the first time there would be measurable odds in favor of the baby surviving. Take a looksie:

COMPLETED WEEKS OF GESTATION AT BIRTH

(using last menstrual period)

CHANCE OF SURVIVAL

21 weeks and less          0%

    22 weeks                      0-10%

     23 weeks                     10-35%

      24 weeks                    40-70%

     25 weeks                      50-80%

     26 weeks                      80-90%

 27 weeks                     >90%

30 weeks                     >95%

34 weeks                     >98%

As you can see, 24 weeks, while not ideal, is a good place to be for the survival of your baby! I still can't believe that I am here, it has been a very short time, and I feel like I'm constantly having to adjust to the fact that this pregnancy is going so quickly.  I sent SB a message about how we we're at v-day earlier this week, and he replied with the baby is "here to stay". Don't ask me why, but it really struck a cord with me. Everything about our lives has followed this natural progression that never felt pushed or hurried along. Even in getting pregnant, it just felt like what we should do, like it was the next step that we were ready for.
Now it begins to sink in that in just a few, few, very few, short months, we will be parents. Holy Cats.

Weekend Plans

This was a LOOOOOOONG week. I feel like it went on and on and on, and I am so glad that it is finally Friday! That being said, here are the plans for the weekend (think)

Friday:

Head out to Elaine's with-

• my completed crochet project (to show off)
• my fabrics so we can measure, cut, sew, and therefore complete my quilt top
• my dress that I ordered online for Mason's wedding in case we need to make any alterations
• my cloth diapers so that I can demonstrate how easy they are
• my fabric for the cloth wipes I'm making. I need help pinning the two different fabrics together and I really need help cutting
• Possibly my sewing machine

Saturday:

• Go to Micheal's and Hobby Lobby to find some new yarn for another blanket for my baby
• POSSIBLY go to Quilters' Emporium to possibly buy some fabric to possibly make a blanket. I'm been trying to limit myself to one project of a type at a time, so technically I can't start a blanket until this quilt is finished. BOOO
• Hang out with the Sugarbeet and go to a birthday party for a friend from college
• Be baller

Sunday:

• Get smart and get to church
• Go to Santos' birthday party
• Go to family night
• Dread going to work the next day, but look forward to another week!