Checked in at hospital

Hello, I am david, Andrea's husband.  We have checked into the hospital and we will be updating the blog as things progress.  We will be updating things from a phone so spelling and spacing might be a little screwy. 

This morning andrea had a 930am appointment to check her bp, which was still high do the doc sent us to the hospital.  We have checked into the room and are going through all the admin and check in stuff. 

Andrea just had her bp checked and it was normal. 

T&R are here. 

David 126pm

38 week appt update

Not quite what I hoped for, but truckin' along.

Stats:
Weight: almost 11 pounds gained
Urine dip: trace protein
BP: 142/92 and 128/88-90 (more info about this below)
Uterus: 38 weeks
GB's HR: 140ish
Cervix: 1 cm dilated, 0% effaced
GB is still head down, feet to my left.

Looking at the stats, my BP has been creeping up for the past couple of months, so I wasn't too surprised when it hopped over the "high" mark today. Although, the Dr. says this is a normal progression for pregnancy, minus today's result. They want it to be 139/89 or lower, so I was just barely over that threshold. The OB was very happy that the top number came down when she did it, but she still wasn't happy with the bottom number. I only had trace protein in my urine which I have had several times during this pregnancy and is no biggie. The concern about the BP is that I may have or may be on my way to having pre-eclampsia, which the only cure for is delivery, which, at this point, is a totally viable option, since GB is just fattening up now. So, Dr. K sent me to the lab. They are checking my liver function, kidney function and platelet counts. If the labs indicate I have pre-eclampsia, I will be sent to L&D tonight to have a baby. If the labs are normal, I will go back to the OB Thu to have my BP checked again.

I feel fine and have none of the other symptoms of pre-e, but I have a feeling this little guy is coming out or being evicted within the week. 

Lab results just came in and everything is within the normal range, except my white blood cell count is a smidge high. I will update after I hear from the Dr. hopefully, soon.

Update: Just got the email from the doctor. Labs are normal, BP check on Thursday:o)

38 weeks

I have had lots of family and friends checking up on me:o) It is actually quite funny. I tell them all the same thing. I am still pregnant and I feel fine. There is nothing else to say. And I promise, I won't leave you hanging. DH and I both have the Blogger app on our phones and we plan to post updates about labor and delivery to this blog in live time. We did it with DD and it was a huge success! Could be any day now, could be two weeks from now; your guess is as good as mine:o)


How am I feeling physically? I am feeling pretty good, finally:o) I have had some very minor swelling in my hands and ankles (no more wedding ring for me). My hip is a bit sore, as the relaxin hormone does its job preparing my joints to relax for birth. I have had some round ligament pain and moments where it feels like GB is playing drums on my cervix. I have been having some cramps. It kinda feels like menstrual cramps. I guess they are contractions (some might call them Braxton-Hicks). They are very minor and very infrequent. A little annoying, at times, but no biggie. My boss said that he looks like he "dropped" between Tue and Thu last week. That would be good because it means his head might get "stuck" where it belongs:o)

Doctor's Appointment: My next appointment is tomorrow. I will let you know what Dr. K says.

Weight Gain:  10 pounds total!

Sleep: DH hasn't been sleeping well and it was been warm, so I have been sleeping OK, but definitely getting up more frequently.

Mood: I am feeling excited about what is in front of us. R and T seem to be getting excited and making preparations for this little one. The end is in sight!

Movement: I feel kicks and punches all over. Most of them are higher/in the middle-feet, knees, bottom. Occasionally, I feel punches to my cervix, which is a weird feeling. GB seems to have 3 main active periods, one an hour or so after each meal. He must be feeling a little squished in there because the movements are definitely less fast and less frequent.

Exciting Moment(s): PBO was signed by the judge last week. We got our digital copies on Thursday and I got my certified copy from FedEx today!!! R&T should get their certified copy tomorrow and we will be golden. Let me just say, big sigh of relief! This was pushed too close for my comfort, but it worked out:o) We are ready.

Milestones Achieved:GB has really plumped up. He weighs about 6.8 pounds and is over 19 1/2 inches long. He has a firm grasp and his organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.  (Source: thebump.com)

Next Milestones/What I am looking forward to: Stuff is ready for the hospital, but not quite in a bag, yet. My parents are lined up to watch DD at the drop of a hat and we have 50 (maybe only 4;-)) different phone numbers to get a hold of T or R. Looking forward to tomorrow's appointment and then the big day is eminent. I can't wait to find out what GB's top secret name is and see him put in the arms of his loving daddies:o)

38 weeks

Poll

I am too lazy/technology challenged to set up a fancy/official poll. I figure we can have a little fun guessing when GB is going to make his grand appearance. In a comment below please place your guess for as many details as you would like. My doctor has hospital duty on May 21st, so, unless my cervix is closed up tight, we will likely induce then, if we make it that far. Therefore, I highly recommend choosing a date between now and the 22nd.

Birthday
Time
Weight
Length

37 weeks

DH calls this, in the "drop zone." Basically, baby could come any time! 37 weeks is considered near-term. No longer pre-term, but not quite full-term. I still feel pretty good. I have had some slight swelling in my right ankle and my hands are a smidge swollen; no more rings for my fingers. It has been pretty warm here, so I am sure that is a contributing factor. And DH seems to think my belly has gotten huge. I tend to want to be offended, but as long as it is just the belly, I AM growing a tiny person, here, sheesh!

 

Hospital bag contents are in one location, though not in a bag quite yet. And I made a list of items that need to be added at the last minute. DD's bag is packed and plans for her care are lined up. We got out, organized and cleaned some infant stuff that T & R can borrow while they are here.

 

My next Dr. appt is May 7th, which will be 38w3d. That is the night I went into labor with DD. My Dr. has hospital duty on the 11th and 16th. With DD, it was Feb 11th that Dr. K had hospital duty and I went in and spent the day in labor, though she was born in the wee hours of the 12th. The guys are scheduled to fly in on the 15th, so I hope we make it til then, but my money would be on the 7th or 11th, if I was a betting woman;) It will be interesting to see what GB has planned:)

 

Instead of a regular bump pic, I have a rather funny bum shot I took on Saturday:o) No, not my bum, GB's bum;o) It is his favorite position!

See it?!:o)

You can kinda see the difference in my ankles

36 weeks

Happy Birthday R!!!!!!!

How am I feeling physically? I am feeling pretty good, finally:o) I have had some very minor swelling in my hands and ankles (no more wedding ring for me). My hip is a bit sore, as the relaxin hormone does its job preparing my joints to relax for birth. The weather has been really nice for the last couple of weeks and I think getting outside with DD has been good for all of us:o) 

Doctor's Appointment: I had my 36 week (35w6d) appointment Friday. Everything looks good. BP-a little higher, but still well within normal range, urine dip-fine, GB's HR-140s, uterus measurement-35 weeks. Cervix-1/2 cm dilated, 0% effaced. GB's head down. Dr. had to bring in the ultrasound to double check because his head was "floating" up away from the cervix. GB has been head down since the 20 wk u/s, so I am pretty confident he will stay that way, but please think head down thoughts for us, just in case he even thinks about turning. My next appointment will be May 7th.

Weight Gain:  10 pounds total!

Sleep: I seem to have settled into a sleep pattern of sort that is working out OK. I seem to wake up to empty my bladder between 12 and 1 and again between 3 and 4. I can live with twice, it isn't too bad.

Mood: I am feeling excited about what is in front of us. R and T seem to be getting excited and making preparations for this little one. The end is in sight!

Movement: I feel kicks and punches all over. Most of them are higher/in the middle-feet, knees, bottom. Occasionally, I feel punches to my cervix, which is a weird feeling. GB seems to have 3 main active periods, one an hour or so after each meal.

Exciting Moment(s): R & T have had 2 baby showers in the last 2 weeks. Not surrogacy related, but a major exciting moment for my family this past week was DH's completion of his licensing test. He has spent the last 4 months studying and studying and studying and we are soooooo glad that he is done and we have him back:o)

Milestones Achieved:
GB weighs in at about 6 pounds and measures about 18 inches long. He's getting closer and closer to being able to breathe on his own. His skin is getting smooth and soft and his gums are rigid. His liver and kidneys are in working order and circulation and immune systems are basically good to go, too.Source: thebump.com)

Next Milestones/What I am looking forward to: Hopefully, the Pre-birth Order will be finalized soon (yes, I know I keep saying this, but it seems to be taking forever). Some time in the next few days, maybe even today, I plan to start my hospital bag and make a list of last minute things to add.


I thought it would be fun to look at the progression of my bump:o)

16 weeks



26 weeks



36 weeks

34 weeks

This is going to be a quick one.

Nothing has changed. The extra Zantac has kept the dreadful acid reflux from rearing its ugly head again. Woohoo! Otherwise, I feel good.

Mr. Gummy Bear is busy putting on weight, mostly in the form of fat. The most exciting part about 34 weeks is that, although still considered pre-term, babies born between 34 and 37 weeks gestation have a great chance of no long-term problems (as long as there is not a genetic health issue):o) We are in the "drop zone," as DH would say (though I would say we have, at least, 4 weeks to go).

The guys had a baby shower this weekend, which looked like fun:o)

I have my 36 week OB appointment is on the 19th, so I should have more to update after that.

In exchange for the short post, you get an extra treat in this week's picture;o)