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.

Happy Anniversary

Duane and I celebrated our 6th anniversary! This year Duane did all of the cooking with a little instruction. We had our traditional dinner of pork, sauerkraut, and mashed potatoes. Duane did a great job and it tasted wonderful. It has been a really exciting year for us with the pregnancy. This year will be the last for a long time that it will just be the two of us. We both look forward to the changes the next year will bring.

Finally a changing table...

We finally found a changing table for the baby! I didn't think we were ever going to find one. We haven't seen too many for sale. What ones we have seen, were too expensive for us. This changing table is much nicer than I had expected to find in our price range. This type of changing table usually sells for around $75.00 + used. To buy them new they cost over $200.00. Baby and wedding stuff is always so overpriced for some reason.

Duane pointed out all the flaws and talked the owner down to $20.00. The drawers had been taped shut from being moved and there was some tape and sticky adhesive left over. I knew that with a little bit of rubbing and Windex that it would come right off. One of the legs was lose which made it wobbly. The bolt fastening the leg on underneath just needed tightening. That only took Duane about a minute to fix. It was dusty and dirty from being in storage somewhere. Once wiped down it looked great. There is only one little scuff on the bottom drawer and a couple tiny marks. It really is in excellent condition. Very solid too.

Sometimes I wonder why people don't take the time to clean things up to sell. With a about 10-20 minutes of effort this changing table could have been sold for three times what we paid for it. I am not complaining after all, their loss is my gain.

32 Weeks

Everything is going well here. I am at 32 weeks and 1 day today. We went for an ultrasound on Monday. They were checking to see if the placenta moved up at all. It is still partially covering the cervix. So I will go back in 4 weeks for another ultrasound. If it hasn't moved up, then I will have the c-section. The vaginal birth is safer, so I guess it is my preference. However, for the most part I don't really care either way.

The baby was weighing approximately 4lbs. 9oz. She is still ahead of schedule based on her size. She is head down now and still has her feet and hands right up around her head. It looked like she had her toe in her mouth. We went in for the ultrasound right after breakfast and she was moving around a lot. For the most part I still couldn't feel it. I learned this week that women with a tilted uterus generally feel the baby move less. I think that is the case with me.

This week the doctors started me on stress tests. I will have those twice a week until the baby is born. Nothing is wrong, it is standard procedure for women with lupus and the placenta previa. It monitors the baby's heart beat and checks for any contractions. My test on Monday looked great.

I went in today for a special injection that helps the baby's lungs develop. I will go tomorrow for another one. They are doing that just in case I have to have the baby early because of the placenta. If the placenta would tear or I start to dilate, then they would have to take the baby. I am getting further, so the baby is much more developed. Usually the lungs are the last thing the doctors are concerned about. I am not too worried about it. I did have some spotting after all my appointments on Monday, but it was really minor. In the future, I won't schedule more than one-two things on the same day. I haven't had any major problems and the placenta is only partially touching, so I think that I will make it to at the least 36-38 weeks.

This past month I gained 1 lb. again, which is good. Next month the baby will start gaining more weight, so I probably gain more. She really grew a lot the last two weeks. I can feel her move more now, but it isn't uncomfortable. Since she keeps her hands and feet down near her head. I see her bottom shift around and it sticks out. It is neat to see and feel. I have really been enjoying this connection with her.

I had to go for a second diabetes screening two weeks ago. The nurses at the doctors office didn't give me good information about preparing for the first exam. I found out when I was getting instructions for the second test, that I didn't fast long enough. With the low acid count in my stomach, I have to usually fast longer than a normal person. The test required a 12 hour fast. From past experience with stomach scopes, I know it takes longer than 12 hours for my stomach to completely empty. If I fast 14 hours, then that is enough. The second test was a long one - 3 hours long. I had to drink a ton of water to keep hydrated. By the time we got done and got something to eat it was 19 hours since I ate. I actually wasn't too hungry, but was starting to feel weak as we were sitting down to eat. It wasn't fun, but than again it wasn't that bad either. The second test came back normal, so that was good. My blood pressure has been great, around 100-110 on the top and normal levels on the bottom.

I can't really complain. I don't have a lot of the problems/aches/pains that most women have with their pregnancies. The tendinitis in my right wrist has been acting up. So I haven't been on the computer very much lately. I guess it is acting up from doing more with my hands from being on bed rest. I am starting to feel warmer than usual. I feel most comfortable around 68 degrees. Once it gets around 78+ than I start to get warm. However, as long as there is air flow, then I am usually okay. Overall, I really don't feel much different than normal. I am really fortunate.

Duane and I still don't have a name picked out yet... We have a list of names we like, but nothing really jumps out to us. Chances are we will end up naming her after she is born.

I finally got my pickled eggs that I have been craving. Duane used the beets from his parents garden to make them. They were a little bitter since we used regular vinegar instead of the apple cider vinegar. We also didn't add enough sugar. Now that we have made them once, we have a better idea of what to do next time.

Today all I could think about was raw sauerkraut. Our anniversary is on Sunday, so we are planning to make our traditional pork and sauerkraut dinner. I am looking forward to it!

I am glad to be home and not going anywhere for a long time! We spent most of our summer either packing, unpacking or living out of a suitcase.

28 Weeks

Tuesday I went for another ultra-sound to measure the baby and check the placenta at 28 weeks and 2 days. The placenta is still low (8mm is covering the cervix). I had the same ultra-sound tech (Deb) as last month and she was great. She took more videos of the baby and pointed out some cool things.

We could see the baby doing phantom breathing or practice breathing. Babies don't breathe in the womb, but they do practice to strengthen their lungs before birth. We could also see the baby's pupil and iris move. I am not sure how that is possible, but it was cool. She also has some little tuffs of hair too. Surprisingly, the baby's feet and arms where both up by her forehead.

Peanut is still measuring large for her age. I am measuring around 30 weeks. The estimated date of delivery based on measurements was Sept. 30th. She weighed approximately 3 lbs. and 4oz.

Here are some videos/pictures:

Practice Breathing and Heartbeat

Hair

Eye Moving

Face


Cramped Space


Feet and Hands up near the forehead

Thursday I had my appointment with Dr. Minudri. It was the first time that I saw this doctor in the practice. We have to see all three of the doctors in the practice because you don't know who might deliver the baby. So far I have liked all of the doctors.

Since I do have lupus there are some additional precautions/testing that has to take place. Next month I will have to start getting stress tests every two weeks. They have been measuring the baby every month with ultra-sound to make sure she is growing approriately. Next week, I will go for the normal gestational diabetes test and for some lupus screening. Most likely I will have the baby early before there are any complications. The doctor meantioned anytime after 36 weeks. Most likely at or before 38 weeks.

My chances of the placenta moving are still good. Between now and delivery the baby will double in size. If it does not move up, then I will have the C-section. I have heard that C-sections are a lot better for people with lupus anyway. Since the placenta is low I will be on bed rest for at least another month. The doctor said chances are that I might be on the bed rest for the duration or late into the pregnancy.

We were excited to get things set up since we now have furniture for the baby's room. Duane found a cheap dresser and glider rocker at yard sales. The dresser is older, but still in good shape. The nice thing about older furniture is that it usually made a lot nicer. For $10.00 we couldn't pass it up. I think it has character and I love the layout/design of the dresser. It has a long drawer at the top and smaller drawers down the left side. They are just the right size for baby clothes and easy for me to open. I wanted something tall with at least 5 drawers and a armoire for storing items. Most dressers with armoires are short and wide. I don't like that design because it seems like such a waste of space.

The glider is like brand new and the owner said, she didn't use it much. The padding is so plush and soft. I was surprised at how comfortable it was when I sat in it. Plus it was too cheap $20.00 to pass up too.

This week Duane finished setting up the nursery. Here are some pictures:

Buterflies and Stars (my friend Julie gave us these) - really cute as
they move around with a breeze

Crib and Bedding - We picked the crib up for free at a yard sale.
Duane sanded, primered and repainted it.
We also have some winnie the pooh pieces that match the set too
including crib sheets and a comforter. They are all really cute too.

The Dresser

Glider

26-27 Weeks

Duane and I managed to get all moved into our new apartment. It was a lot of work in a short period of time! We had 17 people show up to help move things and it took about 2-3 hours. I am pretty sure the free pizza had something to with the high turnout for the move.

The worst part was prepping the apartment after the move. It made for a really long day (9 am until after midnight). We didn't get any help with the cleaning (should have offered more Pizza :)). I had to help Duane because it was too much for him to do alone. I just focused on doing the tasks that could be done sitting down. We never did finish everything on the checklist, but we did the best we could.

Duane has been pretty fast at unpacking things. We only have about a dozen boxes left to go through and some pictures to hang. Then we will get the nursery all set up!

We really like the new place. Having the extra room has made a huge difference. Not having an office for our desks and office furniture made the rest of the old place so cramped. I am so glad we decided to make the move. I will be able to put the baby down on the floor to play and have room for a swing in the living room.

We are in one of the highest apartments in the complex. Off of our deck we have a beautiful view of Moscow and the rolling hills beyond. At nighttime I like to look out at all the lights. It sorta reminds me of when I lived in Pennsylvania Place a high rise building. The nice thing about the set up is the ground is flat where we are. We exit out the back of the complex, so we don't have to worry about hills in the winter. It also seems to stay cooler. We haven't had to use any airconditioning.

As far as the baby goes....I am starting to feel her move. It is still pretty sporadic. I think what I am feeling is when she rolls over or makes a large movement. I don't feel anything inside, rather just movement against the outter wall and my skin moving on the outside.

Next week we go back for another ultra-sound of the placenta and basic measurements. We are hoping things have moved up. I haven't had any bleeding since the end of May, which is good.