32 weeks

Last week was a busy week for Baby and me!  On Monday, I met with a general surgeon at Langley to make a plan in case I have to have a c-section.  I was a little apprehensive, as surgeons can sometimes be a different breed, but she was SO NICE.  Because I have a pretty sizable vertical incision from having my large intestine removed, I am not a good candidate for the traditional bikini, or horizontal incision.  She agreed with what Dr. W told me many months ago, that in case of a c-section they would follow my vertical incision.  She gave me her card with her cell phone number on it and told me to call her any time, even if I just have a question.  If it looks like I will end up needing a c-section, which we are hoping to avoid, she will be there to do the outer incision.  The OB would make the incision into the uterus, get the baby out and close up the uterus.  She would then close up the outer incision.  I feel so much better now that I've met her and we have a plan in place.

On Tuesday and again on Friday I was back at Langley for non-stress testing.  Advanced maternal age, Crohn's disease and gestational diabetes all make me high risk so I will be monitored twice a week until I deliver, just to make sure everything is ok.  Basically I sit in a chair for 20 minutes or so with monitors on my belly.  One looks at my uterus, in case of contractions and the other is on Baby's heartbeat.  As we have learned in the past, Baby W does not like to be messed with and did not appreciate this heart monitor.  They look for Baby's heart rate to increase with movement.  After some initial adjustment, Baby cooperated both times.  The heart rate went as low as 130 and as high as 170, so I don't think that's a good indicator of gender.  If it is, we're morphing between a boy and a girl.  Ha! 

On Thursday, I made the trip to Portsmouth for an ultrasound and a visit with the high risk OB.  Baby is weighing in around 4 pounds, which is in the 20th percentile.  Basically, as long as we stay above the 10th percentile and below the 90th, we're ok.  Baby's head is WAY down in my pelvis, so much that they had a hard time getting a good look at the brain.  I'm glad to hear that the head is still down and I'm hoping this means there isn't room to flip back up to a breech position.  I saw a high risk OB that I hadn't met before and she was very pleasant, which always makes me feel better.  I told her about my initial concerns about the baby being low birth weight because of my Crohn's disease, and now my concerns about the baby being too big because of my gestational diabetes.  She said it looks like they are cancelling each other out and we are on track for an average sized baby.  I made another ultrasound appointment for 36 weeks and hopefully that will be the last time we have to go to Portsmouth.  I think as long as nothing really drastic happens, we'll be able to deliver at Langley as planned.

I started taking a medication for my gestational diabetes and it seems to be helping.  When I saw Dr. G, he was pleased with my numbers.  I continue to test 4 times a day, first thing in the morning and an hour after each meal.  I've also figured out what kinds of things I can eat and drink that will not make my sugars go too high. 

Spring has sprung and with the warmer temperatures comes swollen hands and feet.  I've had to give up wearing my engagement and wedding rings.  My hands are so dry, I'd been taking them off each night and slathering up with lotion before bed.  I was starting to have a hard time getting them off and I didn't want to have them cut off so I just gave up wearing them.  I bought myself a cz at Kohl's to wear on my left hand instead.  I don't want people to think, as my grandmother would say, that we're "shacking up."  I got a pedicure and have been wearing my flip flops, which makes life a little easier.  But, boy, can I tell the difference when I've been on my feet most of the day.  My ankles swell up and I look like I have fat Flinstone feet.  When I'm home, I try to make a point of sitting and putting my feet up throughout the day.  But on the days when I have appointments and I'm in the car, that obviously doesn't work.  The warmer it is, the puffier I get.  I'm glad this baby is due in May and not August!

Baby's furniture arrived so Kyle put the crib and dresser/changing table together last weekend.  We took the mattress out of the plastic so it has a chance to air out.  Today he moved the last of his stuff out of Baby's room and got the furniture placed where we want it.  I feel much better knowing that those things are taken care of.  My mom will be here the day after Easter for a little visit and I have a list of projects for her to help me with.  I still have a few things I want to get for the baby's room and there is LOTS of tiny laundry to do.  It will be nice to have her around to help me and keep me on task, since I get distracted pretty easily these days.

I continue to feel pretty well most of the time.  I'm getting up several times a night to use the bathroom and usually end up having a snack one of those times.  I have felt Braxton Hicks contractions a few times, but nothing serious.  It usually happens early in the morning and seems to go away once I get up and start moving around.  Baby continues to be most active in the evening, after we've had dinner and we're relaxing on the couch.  Heartburn has been better than it was during the second trimester and I'm not sure if that's a fluke or if it's related to the changes I've made in my diet.  My biggest complaint is this pregnancy-related carpal tunnel in my right wrist.  Of course I'm right-handed, so it makes it more difficult to get things done during the day.  But overall, things are going well and I can't believe we will be meeting this little person in less than 2 months!