I had my glucose screening this morning. That meant I had to to fast (i.e. not eat or drink anything this morning before the appt). So of course I showed up at 6:45 am STARVING. Luckily, I was able to get the sugary drink quickly (did I mention I was really, really hungry??). I drank that sucker down and felt so much better with some "sugar energy." Unfortunately, my sugar high lasted only about 40 minutes. At 7:45 I started getting very light-headed..similar to this experience, and thought I'd either pass out or throw up. I went to the back of the lab to lie down, which made me feel better for the remaining 20 minutes. I was so determined to not throw up because I knew that would void the test! They were able to get the blood, and the nice lab tech sent me home with a few crackers so I didn't crash my car. Phew! Another bullet dodged.
Looking back at that experience, it doesn't surprise me much. I have always had issues with low blood sugar levels (M calls it the "Low Blood Sugar Monster"), and benefit from smaller, more frequent meals to keep my blood levels even. Even pre-pregnancy I needed to eat breakfast AS SOON AS I got up in the morning. The lab people told me it's not that uncommon for preggers to experience it. Has anyone else had this happen to them??
I will be surprised and dismayed if I flunk that test! I don't think I'd survive the 3-hour torture!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Hospital Stay
24w3d
Well.
We've had an eventful few days.
On Friday at school I took the class out for PE. They picked soccer that day, and really didn't think too much of it. About 10 minutes into the game, as I had turned my head to yell at the girls who thought PE was social time, I took a soccer ball to the uterus. Hard, fast, and painful.
Freaking out commenced.
I called my doctor and he told me to come to Labor and Delivery to be checked out. I was scared to begin with, but once I heard this, I was REALLY concerned. Most especially because I wasn't feeling Elfie move. My MIL met me halfway to the hospital and drove the rest of the way...I was so glad to have her with me!
We got there and checked in, and they set me up in a room, had me put a gown on, and strapped a heartbeat monitor and contraction monitor around my belly. It was such a relief to hear my little guy's strong little heart pounding away, I started crying!! My doctor (whom I saw briefly as he was between deliveries) told me they were going to monitor be and baby for a few hours. Soon after, they took me down to get an ultrasound. Apparently, the u/s tech was looking for any placental abruption or tears that could cause baby to lose blood. M showed up in time to see the ultrasound.
The ultrasound looked really good, with no abnormalities. Elfie was moving around a lot, and he was SO BIG! I couldn't believe how much he'd grown in 5 weeks! It was such an emotional sight for me, I was just mesmerized by my son's body and movement.
M and I thought that since things seemed to look good that we'd be heading home. I was STARVING, and wanted to get the heck out of there. My doctor came in and informed us that we just had one more thing to do before they could release us. They were going to take blood to check for any fetal cells in my blood. M and I were pretty confident everything would be okay, but this meant more waiting around...
..and then we got the results of the bloodwork. They found Elfie's cells in my blood. This, as it was explained to us, was most likely a result of the abdominal trauma, since it's not a common thing to see at this gestational age. They told us they were going to keep me overnight for monitoring, and that I would see a perinatologist in the morning for a detailed u/s of Elfie's brain and blood flow.
This is where I lost it.
First, imagine a hungry, tired, hormonal pregnant woman. Then, add on top of that the possibility that there's something wrong with the baby it took her almost two years and $10,000 to conceive. Next, take her husband away from her for a night. The result is almost always going to be less that beautiful. Downright ugly, in fact. I was SO NOT happy at this point.
I think pretty much the only thing that kept me sane was hearing and seeing Elfie's hb staying strong, not to mention the hard swift kicks he was giving me. It was a long, long night...(remember, I was in the LABOR and DELIVERY ward?)...as I was kept awake by nurses talking loudly outside my room and ladies LABORING (screaming, crying, grunting), and the resulting wail of newborns taking their first breaths. Under any other circumstances, I'm sure I would have been so excited to see and hear such thing staking place. However, I felt that it was way too close to home. I was NOT supposed to be there! I wanted to get myself and Elfie back home so he could bake another 3 months!!!!
Unfortunately, I slept a total of about 4 hours that night. I thought the perinatologist would be showing up in the morning and then we'd be outta there! Anyone who has ever stayed in a hospital knows that this is not how things work. EVERYTHING is longer and slower than you'd like. They definitely weren't operating on "Katie time." The doctor didn't show up until 1:30 p.m. Talk about a long, excruciating wait.
SO...the ultrasound with the new doc was simply fascinating. He was there, basically, to measure Elfie's bloodflow to determine if he was anemic (had a low blood count), which would indicate that he was losing blood. He did this by targeting very specific arteries and measuring the volume and directionality of blood. He spent a long time looking at each chamber of the heart and then he isolated an artery in Elfie's brain. M and I were just speechless watching him take his measurements.
After all was said and done, the perinatologist determined that everything looked good with Elfie. He wasn't able to detect any abnormalities in the placenta, no hematomas, or anything else that would concern him. We were so relieved, and I WAS SO READY TO GET HOME! He sent us home with orders to monitor Elfie's movement. He told us that if we pay close attention in the morning and at night that we should be able to get at least 5 kicks in an hour. Apparently, he doesn't know out little boy because I get 10 kicks in a 10 minute period! But of course, I will be more mindful of counting his movements.
So..I guess for now we have avoided disaster. I have a soccerball-sized bruise smack dab in the middle of my belly, but that's small potatoes knowing that it could have been so much worse. I am an extremely grateful lady right now, and will definitely be staying OFF of the soccer field!
Well.
We've had an eventful few days.
On Friday at school I took the class out for PE. They picked soccer that day, and really didn't think too much of it. About 10 minutes into the game, as I had turned my head to yell at the girls who thought PE was social time, I took a soccer ball to the uterus. Hard, fast, and painful.
Freaking out commenced.
I called my doctor and he told me to come to Labor and Delivery to be checked out. I was scared to begin with, but once I heard this, I was REALLY concerned. Most especially because I wasn't feeling Elfie move. My MIL met me halfway to the hospital and drove the rest of the way...I was so glad to have her with me!
We got there and checked in, and they set me up in a room, had me put a gown on, and strapped a heartbeat monitor and contraction monitor around my belly. It was such a relief to hear my little guy's strong little heart pounding away, I started crying!! My doctor (whom I saw briefly as he was between deliveries) told me they were going to monitor be and baby for a few hours. Soon after, they took me down to get an ultrasound. Apparently, the u/s tech was looking for any placental abruption or tears that could cause baby to lose blood. M showed up in time to see the ultrasound.
The ultrasound looked really good, with no abnormalities. Elfie was moving around a lot, and he was SO BIG! I couldn't believe how much he'd grown in 5 weeks! It was such an emotional sight for me, I was just mesmerized by my son's body and movement.
M and I thought that since things seemed to look good that we'd be heading home. I was STARVING, and wanted to get the heck out of there. My doctor came in and informed us that we just had one more thing to do before they could release us. They were going to take blood to check for any fetal cells in my blood. M and I were pretty confident everything would be okay, but this meant more waiting around...
..and then we got the results of the bloodwork. They found Elfie's cells in my blood. This, as it was explained to us, was most likely a result of the abdominal trauma, since it's not a common thing to see at this gestational age. They told us they were going to keep me overnight for monitoring, and that I would see a perinatologist in the morning for a detailed u/s of Elfie's brain and blood flow.
This is where I lost it.
First, imagine a hungry, tired, hormonal pregnant woman. Then, add on top of that the possibility that there's something wrong with the baby it took her almost two years and $10,000 to conceive. Next, take her husband away from her for a night. The result is almost always going to be less that beautiful. Downright ugly, in fact. I was SO NOT happy at this point.
I think pretty much the only thing that kept me sane was hearing and seeing Elfie's hb staying strong, not to mention the hard swift kicks he was giving me. It was a long, long night...(remember, I was in the LABOR and DELIVERY ward?)...as I was kept awake by nurses talking loudly outside my room and ladies LABORING (screaming, crying, grunting), and the resulting wail of newborns taking their first breaths. Under any other circumstances, I'm sure I would have been so excited to see and hear such thing staking place. However, I felt that it was way too close to home. I was NOT supposed to be there! I wanted to get myself and Elfie back home so he could bake another 3 months!!!!
Unfortunately, I slept a total of about 4 hours that night. I thought the perinatologist would be showing up in the morning and then we'd be outta there! Anyone who has ever stayed in a hospital knows that this is not how things work. EVERYTHING is longer and slower than you'd like. They definitely weren't operating on "Katie time." The doctor didn't show up until 1:30 p.m. Talk about a long, excruciating wait.
SO...the ultrasound with the new doc was simply fascinating. He was there, basically, to measure Elfie's bloodflow to determine if he was anemic (had a low blood count), which would indicate that he was losing blood. He did this by targeting very specific arteries and measuring the volume and directionality of blood. He spent a long time looking at each chamber of the heart and then he isolated an artery in Elfie's brain. M and I were just speechless watching him take his measurements.
After all was said and done, the perinatologist determined that everything looked good with Elfie. He wasn't able to detect any abnormalities in the placenta, no hematomas, or anything else that would concern him. We were so relieved, and I WAS SO READY TO GET HOME! He sent us home with orders to monitor Elfie's movement. He told us that if we pay close attention in the morning and at night that we should be able to get at least 5 kicks in an hour. Apparently, he doesn't know out little boy because I get 10 kicks in a 10 minute period! But of course, I will be more mindful of counting his movements.
So..I guess for now we have avoided disaster. I have a soccerball-sized bruise smack dab in the middle of my belly, but that's small potatoes knowing that it could have been so much worse. I am an extremely grateful lady right now, and will definitely be staying OFF of the soccer field!
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Cheer up, Charlie!
23 weeks!
Just checking in to report that Elfie and I are just plugging along, growing bigger every day and experiencing some of the not-so-joys of pregnancy! Lately, I have had quite a bit of pain and pressure in my lower abdomen, mainly triggered by walking long distances. Unfortunately, the longest distance my body seems to be okay with is to the park down the street from our house. In my book, this is just not nearly enough exercise. Oh yes, and the back pain and heartburn? They're still hanging around too! I don't worry about it too much since most of my pain is relieved the minute I sit down and relax, but will definitely be bringing it up to Dr. D at my appointment on Monday. I'm guessing it is just par for the course, and most likely ligament stretching...Has anyone else experienced this or something similar?
The nursery is coming along steadily. We are going to start our furniture shopping soon, and then it will really start to come together (!). Charlie (our canine "baby") has been moping around the house since I've become increasingly less mobile...but last Friday I found one way to cheer him up:
He loves to feel Elfie kicking away at my belly button! This is in the nursery..as you can see, I decided to get crafty with some canvasses, paint, and stencils. Funny that I have those done, but still need the majority of my furniture!!!
Just checking in to report that Elfie and I are just plugging along, growing bigger every day and experiencing some of the not-so-joys of pregnancy! Lately, I have had quite a bit of pain and pressure in my lower abdomen, mainly triggered by walking long distances. Unfortunately, the longest distance my body seems to be okay with is to the park down the street from our house. In my book, this is just not nearly enough exercise. Oh yes, and the back pain and heartburn? They're still hanging around too! I don't worry about it too much since most of my pain is relieved the minute I sit down and relax, but will definitely be bringing it up to Dr. D at my appointment on Monday. I'm guessing it is just par for the course, and most likely ligament stretching...Has anyone else experienced this or something similar?
The nursery is coming along steadily. We are going to start our furniture shopping soon, and then it will really start to come together (!). Charlie (our canine "baby") has been moping around the house since I've become increasingly less mobile...but last Friday I found one way to cheer him up:
He loves to feel Elfie kicking away at my belly button! This is in the nursery..as you can see, I decided to get crafty with some canvasses, paint, and stencils. Funny that I have those done, but still need the majority of my furniture!!!
Thursday, April 22, 2010
He's a kicker!
I've been a slacker blogger this week...my apologies! I just returned from a fabulous trip out of state to visit my Mom and Stepdad to see their new home. It was so much fun to relax and catch up with them. Mom and I did a little bit of baby planning and dreaming (and shopping!), and she was officially the first one to feel Elfie kicking from the outside.
My boy has gotten so much stronger in the past two weeks, and is now consistently kicking (or punching?) my belly button. The sensation of feeling my baby move inside of me is incredibly unreal. It's quite possibly the most moving, exciting experience in my life so far. I crave the movement, and when it happens I am fascinated and in awe. Today, sitting on the couch, it was so strong I could actually see my belly moving.
M and I painted Elfie's room last weekend, and I have plans to get the furniture soon. We inherited a white Jen.ny L.ind crib from M's SIL, which has been sitting disassembled in the room for two years! I put the bedding on to see how it looks, and I'm even more in love with it now than when I picked it out. So we are going with white furniture...and I'd like to make a trip to I.KEA to see some of our options. My friend is selling us her glider for $40...I lucked out on that one!
We registered at BRU on Sunday, it feels great to have checked that off the list. The actual experience of registering was overwhelming. Especially when you start in the breastfeeding and/or baby safety section. There are SO MANY different products to choose from! I think we did a good job of starting with the basics, and now we're having fun getting online and adding/deleting items as I do more research. I also started reading a few parenting books to get me prepared to be a mommy!
This morning I had an appointment with a cardiologist. Dr. D (my OB) referred me to him because I told him that I've had a few episodes of my heart racing and I also have heart palpitations quite frequently. He told me that it's completely normal for such things to happen in pregnancy since circulation changes so much, but I think after seeing that there's heart disease in my family, he wanted to take all necessary precautions. The appointment this morning went well. He did and EKG and took a pretty thorough history, only to tell me that he thinks I'm fine. I wasn't too worried, just glad to be more safe than sorry!
My boy has gotten so much stronger in the past two weeks, and is now consistently kicking (or punching?) my belly button. The sensation of feeling my baby move inside of me is incredibly unreal. It's quite possibly the most moving, exciting experience in my life so far. I crave the movement, and when it happens I am fascinated and in awe. Today, sitting on the couch, it was so strong I could actually see my belly moving.
M and I painted Elfie's room last weekend, and I have plans to get the furniture soon. We inherited a white Jen.ny L.ind crib from M's SIL, which has been sitting disassembled in the room for two years! I put the bedding on to see how it looks, and I'm even more in love with it now than when I picked it out. So we are going with white furniture...and I'd like to make a trip to I.KEA to see some of our options. My friend is selling us her glider for $40...I lucked out on that one!
We registered at BRU on Sunday, it feels great to have checked that off the list. The actual experience of registering was overwhelming. Especially when you start in the breastfeeding and/or baby safety section. There are SO MANY different products to choose from! I think we did a good job of starting with the basics, and now we're having fun getting online and adding/deleting items as I do more research. I also started reading a few parenting books to get me prepared to be a mommy!
This morning I had an appointment with a cardiologist. Dr. D (my OB) referred me to him because I told him that I've had a few episodes of my heart racing and I also have heart palpitations quite frequently. He told me that it's completely normal for such things to happen in pregnancy since circulation changes so much, but I think after seeing that there's heart disease in my family, he wanted to take all necessary precautions. The appointment this morning went well. He did and EKG and took a pretty thorough history, only to tell me that he thinks I'm fine. I wasn't too worried, just glad to be more safe than sorry!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Halfway There!
Boy, oh boy!
I mean that in every sense of the phrase! Since Monday's appointment I have been busy picking out bedding (it is SOOOO cute!!), creating my color scheme, and researching registry items. It is SO OVERWHELMING! Thankfully (and I never thought I'd find myself actually feeling gratitude for this..), I have a few friends who recently had babies, and they are turning out to be excellent sources of wisdom and advice on the subject of must-have baby items. Tomorrow I will go to the pick up the paint for Elfie's room, and hopefully can get the room taped and tarped...... Ohmygosh I can't believe this is really happening!...... I've waited a long, long time to decorate that empty room. I'll post pics as soon as I take 'em!
On the "how I'm feeling" front, the heartburn is a constant!!! Thank the Lord for Tums and their soothing qualities, although I'm having to load up on fiber to counteract the, ahem, "effects" of a lot of calcium! Luckily it hasn't been too bad yet.
I am in constant awe of my changing body. When I pass a mirror, I can't help but strike a pose to see my bump from different angles! As I feel Elfie moving around more and more everyday, I can relax some of the anxieties that something might go wrong. Of course, I know that nobody is completely safe from complications and tragedy, but for now I choose to enjoy and delight in this amazing miracle. I get teary-eyed just thinking about holding my newborn son!
So...I am officially at the halfway mark. It's the blink of an eye when I consider what it took to get here, and I thoroughly look forward to the next 4.5 months and beyond!
I mean that in every sense of the phrase! Since Monday's appointment I have been busy picking out bedding (it is SOOOO cute!!), creating my color scheme, and researching registry items. It is SO OVERWHELMING! Thankfully (and I never thought I'd find myself actually feeling gratitude for this..), I have a few friends who recently had babies, and they are turning out to be excellent sources of wisdom and advice on the subject of must-have baby items. Tomorrow I will go to the pick up the paint for Elfie's room, and hopefully can get the room taped and tarped...... Ohmygosh I can't believe this is really happening!...... I've waited a long, long time to decorate that empty room. I'll post pics as soon as I take 'em!
On the "how I'm feeling" front, the heartburn is a constant!!! Thank the Lord for Tums and their soothing qualities, although I'm having to load up on fiber to counteract the, ahem, "effects" of a lot of calcium! Luckily it hasn't been too bad yet.
I am in constant awe of my changing body. When I pass a mirror, I can't help but strike a pose to see my bump from different angles! As I feel Elfie moving around more and more everyday, I can relax some of the anxieties that something might go wrong. Of course, I know that nobody is completely safe from complications and tragedy, but for now I choose to enjoy and delight in this amazing miracle. I get teary-eyed just thinking about holding my newborn son!
So...I am officially at the halfway mark. It's the blink of an eye when I consider what it took to get here, and I thoroughly look forward to the next 4.5 months and beyond!
Monday, April 12, 2010
It's a.....
BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Our appointment went better than I could have ever dreamt! Not only did our little Elfie reveal the goods, but they were THE FIRST THING WE SAW when Dr. D turned on the monitor! M and I both had guessed that it was a boy (I had two very vivid dreams about boys and their "parts!"), so we were excited to both be correct! (heeheehee...I LOVE being right!!!).
I have gained 6 lbs. in the past 5 weeks, which is a little over a pound a week. Doc was pleased about that (as was I, though shocked that it wasn't more!). This puts my weight gain at 9 lbs since my 10 week appointment, which is when I started keeping track. Overall, not too shabby. Baby's weight is estimated to be about 3/4 of a pound. Way to pack it on, little man!
Elfie looked absolutely fantastic on the screen. He was moving around a lot and practicing his dance moves for us. We got a big kick out of seeing his wiggles and watching the doc measure everything. Our quad screen came back normal, so it was explained to us that our chances for genetic abnormality have now decreased to about 1.5%. I was completely emotional seeing my SON wave and move, especially knowing that he is healthy and growing appropriately. Overall, a very moving experience. Quite a momentous event.
After the appointment M and I stopped at Babies R Us and parked in the Expectant Mother's spot. Wow. What a feeling. For the first time in my life, I didn't feel like an impostor walking into that store! We picked out two adorable outfits for our little man..our first gifts to baby boy. I can't wait to see them on him!!! Here are some pics from our day....
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Tomorrow!
19w3d
Well, it's finally come! When I look back to my last OB appt, I thought 5 weeks was AN ETERNITY to wait! But then I compare it to the 2 years we've been waiting, longing for, crying about, and praying for this miracle of life, and it seems like such a blip on the radar. And it truly has gone by pretty fast.
I have been feeling my little elfin baby moving around quite a bit in there. It started about a week and a half ago, and since it is so subtle and not consistent, it took me a while to really identify it as the baby. Now I know for sure, and LOVE the feeling. He/she moves most when I am lying down or sitting still, so I try to do that as much as possible.
I have so much excited anticipation regarding tomorrow's appointment. I am just a tad bit nervous about the scan, and am hoping that Elfie is measuring appropriately, is healthy, and doesn't reveal any major problems. In the back of my mind I know it will be fine, but the worry thoughts do creep in from time to time, and I can't help but be anxious. Mostly though, I am excited to fall deeper in love with my baby tomorrow.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY....
I really hope our little Elfie is not stubborn like his/her momma and decides to show us the goods!!! If we are lucky and do get to see those beautiful genitals, M and I are planning to spend the day together telling friends and family. I will post here tomorrow night after we've let our IRL peeps know!!
And then....LET THE SHOPPING BEGIN!! I have not bought a single thing for this baby yet, and I am excited to pick out a really special outfit for him or her. I can't wait to get started on the nursery!!
Today's the last day to vote...let us know what you think!
Well, it's finally come! When I look back to my last OB appt, I thought 5 weeks was AN ETERNITY to wait! But then I compare it to the 2 years we've been waiting, longing for, crying about, and praying for this miracle of life, and it seems like such a blip on the radar. And it truly has gone by pretty fast.
I have been feeling my little elfin baby moving around quite a bit in there. It started about a week and a half ago, and since it is so subtle and not consistent, it took me a while to really identify it as the baby. Now I know for sure, and LOVE the feeling. He/she moves most when I am lying down or sitting still, so I try to do that as much as possible.
I have so much excited anticipation regarding tomorrow's appointment. I am just a tad bit nervous about the scan, and am hoping that Elfie is measuring appropriately, is healthy, and doesn't reveal any major problems. In the back of my mind I know it will be fine, but the worry thoughts do creep in from time to time, and I can't help but be anxious. Mostly though, I am excited to fall deeper in love with my baby tomorrow.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY....
I really hope our little Elfie is not stubborn like his/her momma and decides to show us the goods!!! If we are lucky and do get to see those beautiful genitals, M and I are planning to spend the day together telling friends and family. I will post here tomorrow night after we've let our IRL peeps know!!
And then....LET THE SHOPPING BEGIN!! I have not bought a single thing for this baby yet, and I am excited to pick out a really special outfit for him or her. I can't wait to get started on the nursery!!
Today's the last day to vote...let us know what you think!
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