Week 37

It is hard to believe we have made it to 37 weeks already! Yikes when I was looking at the blog the baby ticker said 18 days to go. That doesn't seem possible. Where did the time go?

I had my doctors appointment on Wednesday. The doctor checked the cervix and it is still unchanged. No dilation yet. I wasn't surprised as I haven't had contractions. So I will go back again on October 2nd to get checked again. In the meantime, I will continue with stress tests twice a week. So we will see. Looks like we are going to have an October baby after all.

Overall I still feel about the same as usual. I am thankful for all that I can still do like reach my feet and sleep through the night. Though I have noticed rolling over at night is getting more challenging.

I am 1/3 through the school semester already. I was doing my school work while sitting in a recliner with a laptop. However, as the belly gets bigger the laptop is getting further away. I am starting to have a hard time seeing the screen. Also peanut for some reason slips up under my right rib cage when I am reclining. It wasn't bad before, but she is just getting too big for it now. So I will need to start sitting up at a desk. Luckily the placenta situation has cleared up enough to allow it.

I went for a couple small walks the past week, which felt good. Unfortunately, walking has aggravated that old problem I have had with my hip since 2004. It quieted down quite nicely with being on the bed rest. I had forgotten how much it bothered me, as it aches awfully. I will have to take things slow to keep that manageable. I went to PT on Tuesday and that helped considerably. At least for a couple days anyway.

Weeks 35-36

Monday I had my last ultrasound. As the baby gets bigger it has been harder to see her face. She is weighing about 6.7 oz. and measuring right on schedule. She is still head down with her little hands around her face. This time her feet were up under my ribs. When the tech was doing the ultrasound I noticed that she was taking pictures of the placenta much higher on my right side than usual.

Today we met with the doctor to get the results on the placenta. Duane and I were quite surprised by the results. The placenta moved up above the cervix 2.2 cm. The placenta needed to be 2 cm above the cervix for vaginal birth to be an option. The other good news is that I am off bed rest. I still won't be going too many places because of the swine flu and other colds going around. Duane is starting to get a sore throat and I am hoping not to get it too!

Since I have lupus, I will continue to have stress tests twice a week. I will also have the baby early too. The doctor checked my cervix and it still has a long way to go yet. I will go back in another week and they will check it again. They will induce me sometime before 39 weeks to avoid any possible complications that could arise because of the Lupus.

At my stress test on Monday the nurse told me I had a contraction. I didn't feel the contraction, so it must have been a small one. I guess as time goes on, that I will start having more of that occurring. I am just glad I don't have to worry about the placenta anymore.

34 Weeks

We went and saw doctor Trinh on Monday. The placenta is still covering the cervix about 8mm. The doctor told us that the placenta needed to be 2cm above the cervix. At this point we are pretty doubtful that placenta will move that much in two weeks. We go back to the hospital on the 14th for out last ultrasound. On the 16th we will meet with the doctor again. We will find out then if I am having the c-section and when. It will be sometime late this month.

Friday Duane and I met with the doctor who is going to be the baby's doctor. Dr. Lawrence is very nice and we think that she will be a good doctor. If I have the c-section she will be come and be present for the procedure. While we were visiting with Dr. Lawrence she told us the swine flu is going around pretty bad here among the students. She recommended that Duane and I both avoid public places as much as possible. As well as using anti-bacterial hand sanitizer and washing our hands if we do have to go out. Over the weekend I read an article on the national news that stated that over 2,000 students in Pullman (7 miles west) have had swine flu. Hopefully, I can make it a couple more weeks without getting sick.

I have been going for stress tests twice a week and everything is going well with those. Baby's heart rate is good and no signs of any contractions.

I noticed this week that either the baby is lower or she grew a lot. When I sit down I can my belly resting on my lap. Duane thinks my belly still looks the same so who knows.