Induction day - she's here!

Julie Josephine (mn after my mom) was born 12/11/13 at 10:12pm. 6 lbs 7 oz and 20" long. After meeting with the HR dr that morning I was sent down the hospital for induction. I was 2cm and 60% effaced upon emission at 3:15pm so they rubbed some cream on my cervix to increase contractions and help my cervix soften. Within about 10 minutes my contractions were at 5 mins a part but manageable. 

So I walked around and played cards with R until 9pm when my contractions got to 1 1/2 mins a part. The dr came in to check me and I was 3cm 80% effaced. The cervix check hurt like a bitch and my water ended up breaking. The pain quickly kicked in and I was asking for something at 9:15pm. It was too early for the epi but I didn't want anything that would make me loopy so I declined. Five minutes later I was ringing the nurses asking for "all the drugs, whatever you have" lol. The nurse took forever to get me two shots of whatever and I was in incredible pain. She finally gave it to me at 9:30pm and it did nothing to cut the pain but rather made the room spin and cause me to zone in and out between contractions (it felt awful). The nurse checked me and I was almost 4cm. At this point I was yelling for the epi but was told the anesthesiologist was going into an emergency C section next door so I had to wait. 

At 9:45pm I was literally screaming, crying and begging (and according to R swearing) for the epi and the stupid nurse kept saying "she's barely at 4cm" to whoever came in the room. At 10:05pm the dr was heading into the OR next to me to deliver the c section when she stopped for a minute to see me screaming. I suddenly felt the urge to push and she told me not to. She checked me and baby was crowning. She told me to push and I told her no that I wasn't doing it without the epi. She said there was no time for the epi and I told her I would hold the baby in while she went to get it lol. By then my body was taking over and I started vomiting (lucky R got to hold the cup) and I pushed three or four times and Julie was out. I had a first degree tear and needed only two stitches. 

The whole thing still seems so surreal. I had no intentions of a med free birth and now having one of each I can honestly say I would not wish one on my worst enemy. Get the drugs! It was the worst pain of my life. It was nice being able to get up and walk around shortly after but that is not worth skipping the epi. JMO

Nothing was set up in the room because they were not expecting her to come so quickly. She was extremely gross and sticky feeling (to be honest) when they put her on my chest but we did skin to skin and she bf right away. Julie is in the 13% percentile at 39w4d and was having issues regulating her body temp. They tried the heat lamps but after an hour I wanted to do more skin to skin to try and increase her temp. It worked and she toasted right up. She woke up at 5am squeaking so I fed her and she went right back to sleep. She is such a little piggy! This morning her temp dipped slightly again so we did more sts and she was nice and toasty since.

38 - 39 weeks

What a crazy few weeks it has been! So at 38 weeks I had my bpp ultrasound recheck and baby was looking good. They couldn't do another growth ultrasound since a full week hasn't passed yet since the last one (insurance won't pay) but they were estimating her just under 6 lbs. I was 2 cm dilated, 60% effaced and +1 station. 

The dr "pushed back" my membranes and I immediately lost my baby plug. The baby had been very restless in there and I felt very off all day. The dr thought I'd go within the next 48 hrs and told me to call when contractions were 10 mins a part for at least an hour. I was kind of surprised because with DS she told me to call when they were 3 mins a part but she's nervous since Bruce came so fast. 

So at 39w2d I had a bpp ultrasound and non stress test. Baby looked good on ultrasound but did terrible on the monitor, low heart rate/movement. They gave me some juice and she perked up enough to pass. The dr was a complete ass and basically didn't give me any info. He was completely on a different page for a plan of action then the other doctors in the practice and I left very upset. That evening I had called the on call dr for decreased fetal movement (which had been happening all weekend along with contraction every 15 mins a part but then fizzling out to nothing). I was told to go down to the hospital for monitoring and everything checked out fine. The dr told me to come to the office the next day for another ultrasound.

I went in the next day and again she did great on ultrasound but terrible on the monitor. The gave me some juice again and she perked up enough to pass the non stress test. The Dr was concerned though because she should have been bopping around considering I had just eaten lunch with a big glass of iced tea and had hot chocolate and two glasses of OJ earlier. She checked me again and I was still 2cm dilated and 60% effaced. 

The dr believes while little girl was healthy she was stressed.  She wants me to be induced  but the problem is baby is considered "boarder line" on paper for the insurance company (talk about infuriating). AND since I was initially going for the growth ultrasounds at the high risk dr they need their ok for the induction. So the following day I went for a growth ultrasound with them and the HR dr said while baby looked healthy she is small and likely stressed. He was concerned if we waited any longer it could start to effect her and recommended I go in that day for an induction. 

37 weeks

So after making me sit in the waiting room for an hour I finally had my follow up growth ultrasound yesterday. Two weeks ago lo was measuring 5 lbs 1 oz. and we needed to see descent weight gain otherwise the dr wants to induce. So the tech takes the measurements and gets 5 lbs 6 oz, not good enough. Then she says she wants to measure again and "stretched it" to 5 lbs 8 oz. So then the dr comes in (not my regular dr) and he says he's not too happy with the weight gain and wants to remeasure. He measures three times and says he "was able to get me to 6lbs". So I asked him if she is actually 6lbs or is that stretched to show more growth and he said that the measurements are just estimates anyways. Well WTF is that supposed to mean? 

While I was on the table I had three contractions in 40 mins. On the last contraction he asked me if I realized that I was having a contraction, which I said yes (gee thanks asshat, is that what that intense cramping was?) Then he asked me if I had planned to stay close to home for Thanksgiving because lo may decide to come this weekend. I asked him what his thoughts on induction were and he stuttered, told me to ask my regular OB at my appt today and then said he thought no because he thought I'd likely go on my own. 

 So I left basically feeling like the 6lb measurement was bullshit and the first measurement was most accurate since they weren't "trying" to get me anywhere. I was having pretty consistent contractions all yesterday afternoon but wasn't timing them. I started timing them last night and they were about 15 mins apart but then stopped.

So I met with my regular OB today and I explained how they "stretched" the measurements. She guessed that maybe that dr felt I was going to go on my own before we scheduled an induction so maybe he was trying to give me a higher weight to try and make me feel better, who knows. But regardless she said we were going to approach this with the initial measurement of 5 lbs 6oz. So because there was some growth (which was not the greatest) she doesn't want to induce immediately especially since the BPP ultrasound and stress test I had last week were excellent (lungs, heart rate, etc). I was 1 cm dilated 50% effaced last week and today I was 2cm still 50% effaced so she thinks I will go on my own probably within the next week or so since I've been having regular contractions. She wants to do a bpp and growth ultrasound first thing Monday and go from there. If she still hasn't shown significant growth then we'll induce at 39 weeks (if I'm still pregnant by then). So I feel better after talking to her and that we have a plan. 

35 weeks

So I went for the follow up ultrasound and it went ok. Little girl was actually squished up against the cyst so it was hard to get a good measurement. It appears though that it hasn't changed and there is still excellent blood flow throughout the cord. 

So that is the good news BUT little girl is measuring even smaller. She dropped to the 12th percentile and is estimated at 5 lbs 1 oz. The doctors are concerned she is not gaining as she should be and want me to come back for another ultrasound in two weeks. They do believe she is small because she is just a small baby and not because the cyst is effecting the function of the placenta. Her head, abdomen, and leg bone measurements are all proportionate to each other, which is a great sign. They were having trouble getting a good head measurement because she is already in position with her facing towards my back and her head way down. We also watched her lung function for a while and could see her breathing in and out. This is another great sign because it indicates that the lungs are maturing and she is getting plenty of oxygen to the brain. If when I go back in two weeks there is little to no growth though then we will have to talk induction because at that point she would be better off on the outside then in.

I had my regular check up with my OB today and she was not very concerned. She said small does not mean unhealthy. Just because she is little does not mean she will have breathing/lung issues (which I was concerned with since my hospital doesn't have a NICU). Sometimes when they are little they can have issues regulating her body temp so if that happens then she may have to spend a little time in the incubator. 

She also did another ultrasound today to check fluid levels since I've been having a lot of contractions lately and a little fluid appearing. Everything looked perfect though and we got to see that little girl has a good 1/2" of hair already! She also did the strep B test and an internal. I am not dilated at all but she is still in position. 

I continue to have joint pain and swelling and can't really bend my ankles or knees without pain. My hands and fingers go numb during the night and I'm up to pee constantly. The heartburn is killer and is triggered by anything and everything I eat. 

The nursery is done and I just have to finish packing my hospital bag. I'm so ready for her to be here already! Now if we could only figure out a name.

32 weeks

Well a lot has happened over the past month. We did a growth ultrasound at 29 weeks because my bump was measuring a little small (which is not unusual for me as I measured consistently small with Bruce). Little girl was in the 39th percentile at 2 lbs 6 oz. She also finally flipped and is head down.

I had my recheck ultrasound yesterday and the cyst is back :( Well it was probably never really gone but we probably couldn't see it last time. It is slightly larger as it went from 1.7 cm to 2.7 cm. Luckily it is not restricting blood flow to the cord but they want to recheck it in 3 weeks. They measured the baby and she is still petite in the 23rd percentile but is now weighing in at 4 lbs 3 oz. My dr is happy with her growth and thinks she will be slightly smaller then Bruce. My total weight gain is 35 lbs bringing me to 133 lbs.

I overall feel pretty good but I'm super uncomfortable now. I have horrible swelling in my feet and heartburn pretty much through out the day. I feel like a giant whale and can't wait for little girl to be here already. The nursery is almost completely switched over and Bruce is loving his new big boy bed.

27 Weeks

Well we are moving right a long at 27 weeks. Things are going great! We had a recheck ultrasound of the cyst and it's gone!!!! The doctor thinks we are in the clear but they are going to do another check in 8 weeks just to be sure.

Little girl is so active! She kicks and does somersaults like crazy! So far she's been staying below my belly button with only the occasional kick to the rib. Also heartburn has kicked in during the evening and I've had some slight swelling in my fingers and feet. I get up to pee twice a night and feel like a whale trying to roll around bed to get comfortable. The pain in my tailbone and lower back is excruciating! The doctor said it's because all the ligaments are stretched and inflamed from giving birth to Bruce. She said it won't go away until after I have little girl.

My bump (and ass) are huge and I really don't know how I'm going to get any bigger at this point. It's getting really hard to pick up and bathe Bruce. At my 25 weeks appointment my total weight gain was 21 lbs brining my weight to 118 lbs.

So needless to say I have been pretty uncomfortable but over all healthy. My glucose test came back perfect and my belly is measuring right on schedule.

We are getting ready to move Bruce into his big boy bed. His room is going to be de orated with dinosaurs. I also pretty much have everything for the nursery except for the area rug. Can't wait to get everything decorated!

Anatomy scan

So we had our anatomy scan on Tuesday and I am ecstatic to report that baby is absolutely perfect. And we received 100% confirmation that she is in fact a little girl! She was very wiggley during the scan and would only give us one profile pic. Other then that she kept showing us her feet lol. She was opening and closing her mouth a lot so it looks like she's going to be a talker just like her mamma lol.

They also measured the cyst again but their equipment isn't as good as the other place. Even so it appears the cyst hasn't changed and now looks super tiny next to the baby. The doctor still wants me to continue to go for ultrasounds to monitor it so I have to go back in 4 weeks.

Other then that everything is great. I'm starting to get some swelling in my hands but no too bad yet. But other then that I am one happy mamma :)