29w4d MFM Appointment

Today we went for our MFM appointment.  Cameron was super bouncy and would not sit still and it was so funny!  Our u/s tech was really nice (which they all have been nice, but some are just more "to the point" than others) but was a little rough with the ultrasound wand at times.  She gave us lots of pictures and then even burned them onto a CD for us!

Cameron is still measuring ahead (they didn't tell us how much this time, but I think it's still close to 2 weeks based on what I was gathering when I was watching them take measurements) and she is weighing in at 3 lbs 15 oz! 

She tried to hide behind the placenta again when they were doing 4D pictures (like she always does), but they still got a couple of good ones!

I got tickled at times because the u/s tech would move the wand and dig into my belly and as soon as she would move it away, Cameron would kick back.  It was almost like "you poke me, I'll poke you!".  It was amusing. 

Dr. M. thinks everything looks great and he is very pleased with how everything is going.  I see him again in 3 weeks for another cervical check (which was about 3cm today, no shortening or anything) and then one more time after that for a final growth check, and then we are released from his care!  His parting words as he finished up his part of checking was "You better get to decorating, because she's sticking around!".  I really hope he's right. 

I picked up my LAST vial of P17 shots today (5 shots left to go!).  I reflected on the fact that we are 7w2d (plus a few hours) away from meeting this little girl.  I am so excited and so nervous at the same time!  This weekend is my first baby shower and I just marvel at the fact that we have actually gotten far enough to have a baby shower this time!  At times I am afraid someone is going to pinch me and wake me up and tell me it is all just a dream.

I leave you with a few photos from our u/s today...

A nice profile shot

Feet crossed and relaxing...

And my favorite from today - the 4D of her face...it looks like she was smiling at us!

29 weeks and first NST

Had our regular weekly Dr.'s appointment yesterday afternoon, and they asked about Cameron and movement.  Honestly, there are some days that my little girl is just rather lazy.  I think she takes after her daddy (hence my last post about our trip to L&D last week). 

My Dr. recommended we start bi-weekly NSTs (non-stress tests) until we can get in to start doing weekly BPPs (biophysical profiles).  The BPPs we can do in her office, but the NSTs we have to do at L&D.  So, we went yesterday after my appointment for my first one. 

We got there and got checked in, and the nurse came to get us and she asked what we were there for and I told her jokingly "because I have a lazy child".  Apparently she wasn't a joker.  She goes "So, what?  Decreased fetal movement?".  I explained to her we had that last week, and since she isn't a big mover some days my Dr. wants to start these.  Why does she care?  Do it because my Dr.'s office sent over the freaking orders lady!

The nurse was not very friendly (mind you, I've been at that hospital MANY times over the course of the last 2 pregnancies (more times this time than last time) and everyone is normally really nice, so this kind of perturbed me.  She got me hooked up, made me turn in a funny position in the chair because Cameron was not cooperating (shocker!) and then started asking me 20 questions.  See conversation below...Nurses questions/comments are in bold.  My answers are not.

How many pregnancies have you had?  4
How many living children do you have?  None
What medications are you on?  Prenatal, extra folic acid, colace...oh and I just had my weekly progesterone shot!
Do you drink?  No
Do you smoke?  No
Do you do recreational drugs?  No
Wait a minute.....it says here that you had a previous c-section?  Yes, at 23 weeks.
But you said you have no living children?  Right
So?.....She didn't survive.
Oh my...I'm so sorry.

And magically, she was nicer to me!  What's sad is that it took her finding out I have a baby who died for her to be nicer to me.  What about the people who come in who have surviving children?  Do they still get the harsh, meanie treatment?

Adam said I was too hard on her.  I explained to him that I don't expect everyone to be nice to me all the time.  And I understand that not everyone on this planet knows my story.  BUT, she is a freaking nurse in LABOR & DELIVERY and needs to have a little bit nicer bed-side manner.  I expect that kind of treatment in the ER...not in L&D.  Pregnancy is scary even if you haven't been through everything we have, but it should NOT take someone finding out about a dead baby for them to be nice to their patient?

Am I over-reacting?

On another note, TODAY marks 29 weeks!  I'm pretty excited about that, because that means this is our last week in the 20's and we are only 8 weeks away from meeting Cameron!  So, you hear that little girl?  You only have 8 more weeks, and I don't expect to see you until then!  We are a week and a couple of days out from our family and non-work friends baby-shower and 2 weeks and 1 day out from my work baby-shower.  And I am actually starting to get excited about them both!  I never imagined us getting to this point, but we are really here now!

Lazy, Stubborn, or Just Her Daddy's Little Girl?

I know some of you who are out in blog land and who actually read this, are wondering after my last post if Cameron woke up and started jigging, or did we end up going to L&D?

Well, we went ahead and went.  I get off of the elevators to walk into 2nd floor Triage, and a woman I work with was there waiting for her niece to have her baby.  Her immediate question was "WHAT are you doing here?".  I told her Cameron hadn't been very active so we were going to get hooked up to the monitors. 

As we waited on the Triage nurse to come and get us, I felt a singular thump.  Now, keep in mind, I was not worried about her being gone, I was just worried that she was stressed.  There is a difference.

The nurse came and got us and hooked me up to the monitors...that did the trick...Cameron is NOT a fan of being hooked up, and within minutes was kicking around.  We were monitored for about 30 minutes and they never saw that she was under duress, and her heartrate stayed consistently in the 130-140's, so we were released to go home.

She nudged a few more time last night before I headed off to bed.  She woke me up in the middle of the night with a couple of nudges (I was also in the process of waking up to go pee and to let Desmond out to go pee because he was whining), and she has already nudged me a couple of times this morning.

So, after our trip to L&D yesterday, I was trying to figure out if she was just being lazy, being stubborn, or just being her Daddy's girl and being laid back and not giving a rat's behind about whether she was making mommy nervous!

I am glad she is well and still hanging out firmly inside me.  We have 8w6d or even 2 months from today (September 15th is the goal date) til we meet this sweet girl...I am so excited and nervous all at the same time, and I can't wait!  It seems like just yesterday I was at 8w6d and was thinking that September/October was REALLY far way!

Third Trimester! 28 weeks!

We are here!  28 weeks!  FINALLY!  I am thrilled to be in the 3rd trimester.  But as I sit here writing this post, I worry because Cameron has not been very active today.  If she doesn't start moving in the next 15 minutes or so, I think we are going to make a little trip to L&D so she can be monitored for a little while.  I just want to make sure she isn't under duress.  If we go, that will be another post later.

We went for our appointment with the MFM on Monday, and they estimate our little girl to be almost 2 weeks ahead of schedule measurement wise, and she is weighing in at just a little over 3 pounds!  Dr. M would rather her be big than small. 

I probably have more to say, but I'm having problems thinking right now.  So, I just leave you with a picture of me and little girl at 28 weeks!  It's not a great picture because Adam is awful with the camera...or at least I'm just going to blame it on him.  :)

My Theory

I got my results today for my 3 hour glucose test that I took yesterday, and based on my results, it goes with a theory I have.  Today, I told someone that I had no doubt that I passed my 3 hour test, because they were able to draw my blood each time on the first shot.

I know you are probably wondering what I mean by that, and I will explain.

My theory is that if they don't get my blood on the first attempt, then I usually have bad results.  Here's why:

Pregnancy #1:  January 2008 - After getting a +HPT, I went in for my blood draw.  It took them multiple attempts.  I went in for my 2nd blood draw and again it took them multiple attempts.  The person who took my blood the first day remembered me the 2nd day based on the fact that I am a hard draw.  After draw #2, I started spotting, and miscarried the next day.

Pregnancy #2:  June 2008 - After waiting a week to call my Dr.'s office after getting a +HPT, I went in for my first blood draw.  Again, 2 sticks.  Went back for my 2nd blood draw and the person taking my blood actually came out to get me and said "I drew the short straw".  She said it as a joke, because everyone in the office remembered how hard it was to get blood out of me.  My results from the 2nd draw?  My levels were not increasing appropriately.  Ultimately, again, just like the first, I miscarried.

Pregnancy #3:  December 2009 - Every time I got my blood drawn, they got me first try.  Based on that, I felt better about the pregnancy from the get go.  And everything progressed exactly as it should.  Things went great until at 23 weeks, my cervix gave out, and into this world came Bailey...17 weeks too soon.

Pregnancy #4:  January 2011 - All blood draws for HCG levels were gotten on the first try.  Again, I felt good.  All routine blood draws so far this pregnancy have been gotten on the first try...EXCEPT for the glucose test...and it took 2 tries and resulted in 2 bruises that I still have over a week later.  And what happened on the 2 stick occurrence?  I failed my glucose test!  I should have known that result was coming!

But, going into the Dr. today, I felt good about the result she would give me, because I knew it was going to be good results...because the woman drawing my blood yesterday was able to stick me 4 times in the same vein and she got blood from me all 4 times.  And at my Dr.'s appointment today, my Dr. told me my glucose levels are in the normal range!  Hooray!

Everything else is cruising along at status quo.  Cameron's heartrate was 145 today, just where it normally is.  She's been active and bouncing around tonight.  My cervix is high, thick, and closed, and hopefully my fetal fibronectin comes back negative from today.

Tomorrow marks 27 weeks!  One month longer than we made it with Bailey, and 10 weeks away from meeting Cameron.  My baby showers are in the process of being planned and dates have been set.  I feel good and I am hopeful that we will make it to our 37 week delivery date on September 15th!

Fail!

So, I failed my 1 hour glucose test...by 3 measley points.  The cutoff high is 140...my score was 143.  So, Tuesday morning, like a trooper, I am going to go and take my 3 hour test, and pray that I pass.  I have to fast for 8-14 hours before the test.  I normally eat dinner around 6 p.m. and hit the ground at 5 a.m. and am already hungry.  My test starts at 7, which means I won't be done til 10!  By 10 a.m., I have typically eaten breakfast AND a snack...I'm going to be so grumpy because I'll be hungry....but, it's okay!

I have to say that when I found out I failed my glucose test on Thursday, I really struggled with it.  I even told Adam that night that I haven't ever failed a test.  I was always the person that did great on tests and I passed my driving test the first time...but this is one of those tests that I can't control the outcome, and it is what it is.

I still struggle with not being able to control the outcome...even after going through everything I have in the last 14 months.

I just need to learn to let go of that wanting to control things...but, it is so much easier said than done!

Note:  I have changed how comments pop up - I don't require the word verification and it will pop up a new window.  I know I am having some problems commenting on some people's blogs right now (if I am on my computer), and I have been notified that others are having problems commenting on mine also.  I hope this fixes it for the time-being.