We saw our doctor again today for a routine follow up. Everything looks good, babies heart rate was in the mid 130’s right where it’s been and where it’s expected to be. He is measuring right at 34 weeks, my blood sugars are mostly in range and I’m still very slowly losing a tiny bit of weight which is good for us both. I eat healthy (for the most part) and walk on the treadmill most days, sometimes 2-3 times depending on what I’ve eaten. I do have a very restricted diet which tends to make me cranky and hungry from time to time but I’m getting the nutrients we both need to stay healthy and for him to grow. I have increased my dose of nightly Metformin (blood sugar reducing medication) since our last visit 2 weeks ago because my fasting blood sugars in the morning are still often above the limit (limit is 90 and my average is 96). I realized the other day, it could be due to the tums I eat throughout the night. There are sugar/carbs in tums so I will be quitting those and switching to a safer alternative that he prescribed for me to try at night so I won’t need tums anymore. During the day, I use essential oils to help with the heartburn but at night, it wakes me up, I just pop a tum and go back to sleep but that could be 2-3 times per night which is a lot of sugar/carbs to be consuming during fasting periods. I’m really hoping this switch will help reduce my fasting blood sugars. I also should be more consistent with being on the treadmill later at night, that’s always helped and I’ve switched from 10/11pm to 8/9pm because I’ve been going to bed a bit earlier but I may have to switch that back to the later time.
(playing backgammon in the waiting room at the doctors office)
We did discuss transport options and alternative birth options due to the lengthy drive of where we need to get to in labor. He reminded me yet again, that I need to have a “very low threshold” for considering going in to check for signs of labor and to plan to make a few practice trips to the hospital if I’m feeling any contraction type cramps at all. They really don’t want me to deliver in the car on the way to the hospital so he wants to be sure that at the very first sign of even potential labor, we head to the hospital right away. When I was in labor with Solomon, I laid on the couch believing that I had a stomach ache (that came and went in a rhythmic, timed manner) for about 4 hours before I realized that maybe it was just labor. By the time we made it the 15 minute drive to the hospital after that, it was time to deliver, I had gone through transition and everything in the car and Solomon was born quickly after arriving at the hospital. We don’t have the luxury of a 15 minute drive this time so I can’t labor at home at all or afford to have a stomach ache that I don’t go in and get checked out in case I’m in denial that it actually may be labor again like it was last time. He also mentioned the possibility of hospitalizing me at 39 weeks to break my water and try to induce me that way to ensure we don’t miss delivering at the hospital depending on the status of my cervix. If I’m dilated at my 37-38-39 week appointments, we may consider it. I’ve pretty much gone from dilated 0 to 10 in less than 6 hours with the first baby (induced), and 4 hours with the last 2 so they aren’t expecting me to have a very long labor with baby boy 4. Some women tend to hang out at a 1-2-3-4 for a days or even weeks, I never have. I’ve gone from 0 to done very quickly every time. The doctor is relieved that I have absolutely no problem calling 911 and having an ambulance transport me if labor hits hard and fast and it’s a horrible traffic time or something as well.
Baby is growing well, moves well when I eat and sleep and seems comfy and happy. I haven’t had any swelling like I normally do with 3rd trimester pregnancy, horrible arm/back/joint pain like I had previously, haven’t been sick at all, my blood pressure has been awesome, I do have to say, this has been my healthiest pregnancy. I assume eating healthy, daily exercise and losing weight all play a role in that. So, no real new information, status quo, we are doing well. We ordered a car seat and the leg extensions we need to raise the co sleeper up to the height of our bed for him to be in our room with us for who knows how long and we are ready as soon as he is ready! We check back in with the doctor in 2 weeks and probably contact the cardiologist after that to see what she thinks about a 39 week natural induction depending on how I am presenting at the time and wait for him to decide he’s done cooking and wants to come meet his brothers who ask multiple times every day when baby will be coming out of my tummy. The love those 3 have for this guy is amazing, it’s so sweet, they snuggle him constantly and always want to kiss him and say hi, it’s priceless really.
Still praying for complete for this little man of ours, also praying we make it to the hospital in a timely manner and our doctor makes it to the hospital to be with us since he doesn’t normally deliver there. I know God has it all worked out just as it should be though so I’m not stressed, worried or anxious. I think what gives me the most anxiety is thinking about how stressed Bo would be driving me to the hospital fearing I would deliver in the car on the way there being stuck in traffic or something. :)
Thank you for your continued prayers, we appreciate it so much and feel all the love, otherwise I probably would be a stressed out, anxious mess but I know God’s got it under control! We will have what we need when we need it. We will update again when we have more to update!
Have a BLESSED, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!