The End

Man, I am behind on this blog!  Things have been so crazy and hectic, and, now, we're finally here at the end.  I wanted to update this blog so I wouldn't forget any details before we start the next chapter!  :)

36 Weeks, 3 Days at the Kenny Chesney/Tim McGraw Concert in Charlotte, NC

 So, at my 36 week appointment, the doctor informed me that they would take Bristol by c-section on my due date, July 19th, if she hadn't already come on her own.  If I went into labor before July 19th, then I could try the VBAC.  This was upsetting news because I didn't feel like we were giving baby girl enough time to come on her own.  I wanted to wait until at least 41 weeks before we did a c-section.  The doctors did not want to induce me, though, due to an increased chance of uterine rupture.  

37 Weeks

When I went to my 37 week appointment, I was all prepared to argue and fight with the doctors about taking Bristol by c-section on my due date.  I was ready to fight tooth and nail to wait until 41 weeks.  However, I got the bad news that stopped the debate before it could even  really start.  The doctors finally received my records from Alaska.  My previous c-section surgery was done with a single suture versus a double suture.  The hospital I will be delivering Bristol at will not let a patient with this type of suture have a VBAC due to an increased chance of uterine rupture.  In addition to this policy, there is not an anesthesiologist on duty at all times since this is a smaller hospital.  It would take about 30 minutes for this specialist to arrive at the hospital if he/she was needed.  Since there is an increased chance of uterine rupture with VBACs, the lack of an on-duty anesthesiologists is risky. 

 I was devastated when I heard this news.  All I wanted to do was cry.  I can't believe I went 37 weeks believing that I would be able to try a vaginal delivery.  When I went home and did my own Google research, it seemed that the chances of uterine rupture were only a slight bit higher with the single suture.  It seemed that the suture argument was just an excuse for some doctors and hospitals to use so they do not have to do a VBAC.  This research only made this news harder to take...probably why you shouldn't Google anything medical!  I also kept thinking about the anesthesiologist thing.  If I would have stayed in California to have this baby, I probably could have had my VBAC due to being in a much larger hospital.  However, I certainly would not have had the amount of help that I have here.  Ahhhh, trade-offs! 

I am still having a really hard time with this news, but it is what it is.  I was seriously pissed off about this and did not want to hear any of the good reasons why having a c-section wasn't so bad.  However, one of the good reasons that does make me (and Michael) smile is that I will have the prettiest and most pristine vagina in the world since no babies will have ever barreled out of it!!!  Hahaha!  This is something good since my husband will be home from a long deployment relatively shortly after having this baby.  I have a friend that I had to wait several months before she was good to go down there after her vaginal delivery. On this note, I will be discussing birth control with the doctor ASAP!  No Irish twins here, please!  

38 Weeks

At my last appointment, 38 weeks, I found out that I will definitely be having my baby on July 12th.  Since this will be a scheduled c-section, they do not want me to go into labor naturally.  This will cause stress on baby and me.  My doctors do planned surgeries on Thursdays, which, coincidentally falls exactly on the day I turn 39 weeks.  39 weeks is also an optimal time to take the baby out of the mother because the baby is supposedly fully developed, not too big, and ready to go.

For four days prior to my appointment, I had been having very severe menstrual-like cramps.  These were so bad that I almost called the doctor to find out if I needed to go to the hospital!  When the doctor checked my cervix, the baby's head was right there!!  My cervix had not opened or dilated at all, though.  The doctor said that we would still go with the c-section on the 12th, or if I went into labor before then and was really far along, like 8 or 9 cm dilated, we would proceed with a VBAC (if my uterus was going to rupture, it would have already ruptured by then).  If I was only 1 or 2 cm dilated, we would do a c-section.  The doc said that the reason I was cramping so badly was due to the baby getting settled into my pelvis. 

10 More Weeks

Well, we had our last appointment with our California doctor last week and I must say that it was a great appointment!

First off, I do not have gestational diabetes!!  This also means that I passed the one-hour glucose test, so I don't have to take the three-hour test!  Holla!  I was very, very happy with this news.  

Baby girl's heart beat was in the 150's.  Very good.

Since the doc has not measured my belly once during this pregnancy, I have been a little concerned on how this baby is growing.  The doc finally measured my belly and baby girl is growing right on track, 30 cm=30 weeks! Woo hoo!  (Still haven't gained a pound!  Whoop whoop!)

My blood pressure is good, but my heart rate has been a little faster here lately.  An increased heart beat is a pregnancy symptom, so I wasn't too nervous about this but the doctor still checked it out.  My heart rate was a bit increased, in the 80's, but the doc didn't seem too concerned by this.

I've had a bit of pelvic pressure this past month.  The doc told me just to keep an eye on it and make sure I'm drinking plenty of water.  This goes for our cross-country road trip.  Can you imagine how a very pregnant lady staying super hydrated is going to go with a five-day road trip?!!?  This should be wonderful.  

26 Weeks

Things are going well with baby girl!  I assume she's growing on schedule...the doc is not measuring my belly, so I guess baby's growing like she should be.  

She's moving around a lot!  I even saw my belly move the other day when she kicked/punched! 

She has moved from my sciatic nerve, thank God! 

 My heartburn has kicked it up a notch or ten!  I have heartburn almost every single night.  I have started to drink pickle juice to cure this.  I know, I know, to some of you, that sounds absolutely disgusting! I love pickles and the juice, so it doesn't bother me one bit.  My parents saw this thing on some doctor show about drinking a little bit of pickle juice to alleviate heartburn.  I forgot why this is supposed to work, but it has! 

I'm getting up 2-3 times a night to pee.  I've gotten a few leg cramps.  I'm having lots of vivid dreams and nightmares.  

I still have not gained any weight, but I'm expecting that to change here in the near future since my appetite is starting to increase!  However, I am still having to tell people that I am pregnant because they can't tell by looking at me.  

I have been having a few days of pelvic pressure, which I don't remember having with Joey.   I also think that baby girl is moving up towards my ribs because it is getting a little harder to breath.  I hope baby girl is not born with a third eye because I've had a few deli meat sandwiches. 

Belly Photo, Week 26!  Please do not tell me that the pointy part of my belly is Bristol.  It is not.  It is my muffin top that I have always had.  When I was not pregnant.  When I was at my heaviest.  When I was at my skinniest.  I've just always had that belly awning.  Bristol is just pushing that awning out further than it normally is, which is pretty annoying since no one knows I'm prego, meaning that they think that fat muffin is normally that large and in charge. This physical characteristic is what makes me not want to wear maternity shirts because maternity shirts are somewhat designed to show off the cute baby belly.  However, if you have a fat muffin hiding your baby belly, then those maternity shirts are just a big obnoxious sign to others that you have a fat muffin.

Oh, and you may have noticed I chopped all of my hair off.  I've been wanting to do this for years, but never had the guts.  However, Joey likes to pull my hair when he is mad and it would drive me bonkers!  Plus, I am hot here in So Cal, what the heck am I going to do in hot, humid NC while 9/10 months pregnant?!?!  I figured this was the time to chop it all off, especially since I'm taking prenatal vitamins.  My hair will grow like a weed! 

Deja Vu?

I have been so, so, so, so, so, so nauseous and tired this pregnancy!  I constantly complain but Michael assures me that it was this bad when I was pregnant with Joey as well.  I disagree.   However, I do remember that morning sickness is a good sign that baby is doing well, so I guess I kind of, sorta, somewhat, reluctantly welcome this preggo symptom.   I know I'm ready for the second trimester to get here!  We're at 10 weeks, 2 days today!  :)  Holla!

Oh, and I've had the most vivid and crazy dreams...every time I close my eyes!   My brain never gets a break these days.  Oh, and I haven't had any cramping this go around.  I guess all my insides are still stretched out from kid number one!