30 weeks

Well the baby is a growing machine (or maybe I am the growing machine for the baby).  He is 4 lbs 1 oz, by ultrasound measurement (which is a notoriously bad estimator) but since it compares to other bad estimates, it can help us determine approximately how he compares to other kids.  He is in the 91^st percentile, so he is gigantic!  Everything is looking really good.  They measure resistance and blood flow in the placenta and umbilical cord and the placenta is still going very strong.  Baby is also still head down, although that doesn’t stop him from kicking me in the cervix and bladder (and punching at the same time).  He apparently likes to have everything hanging down with his butt up against the lower right of my rib cage.  He is already feeling pretty tight in there.  Hard to imagine him getting more than twice as big!

Speaking of size, of course the issue with him being a healthy big boy is that it may make delivery more complicated or more exacerbate any problems with a failing placenta.  If my placenta stops growing later in pregnancy (as has been found with some active auto-immune patients, although not all), then it may really struggle to keep up with the really big baby’s nutritional and oxygen needs.  My doctor is still tempted to induce me by 40 weeks at the latest because of this concern, but nothing set in stone yet.  We also talked about if he continues to grow faster and faster, we could end up needing a c-section.  Apparently the standard is that babies who are over 4000 g (8 lb 13 oz) are more likely to have should distocyia problems (head comes out, shoulders won’t = very bad for baby and mommy).  Since ultrasound is not an exact science, doctors raise this to 4500 g estimated weight (9 lb 14 oz).  At that point, they would induce if your cervix is super super ripe or if not, they would do a c-section.  They lean toward c-section as a safer option.  Apparently the best solution for dystocia problems is having the woman throw her legs up high over her head, which may be difficult for my body, which may make approaching this situation even more difficult. 

So, we’ll see.  I’d still love to have this kid naturally, so I am hoping that sometime around 38-39 weeks, he just decides to come out.  It might make the holidays more difficult but it sure beats an induction or c-section.  On why he is so big, it is hard to say.  My blood sugars have been really good, so probably not that, but possible that in the same way prednisone makes me gain more weight than I would normally, it might do the same for the baby.  Unfortunately, prednisone is also keeping me glued together and able to eat at all, so I guess if that means a healthy baby by c-section, then so be it.

As to my health, I am doing great.  No signs of pre-eclampsia and blood sugars have been super easy to control (thank god for peanut butter, why did I resist so long?).  I have gained about 30 lbs so far, which is more than I would like, but given the prednisone, it isn’t something I have a lot of control over.  I don’t feel like I am eating in excess, but I’ll continue to watch what I eat.  I have been having a little bit more arthritis and stomach discomfort the last week, even though I have held stable on my prednisone, so it may be that the hormones or just weight of pregnancy is causing stuff to get slightly worse.  I’d like to not increase my prednisone if I can, but 8 or 9 mg vs 7 won’t really matter if I am getting really sick, so we’ll see. 

The baby’s weight is definitely pushing down on my stomach and causing some discomfort, so the doctor suggested investing in a belly band for support.  I bought one today and so far I hate it, but I hate anything tight or squishy, I am going to wear it all night tonight and see if I am more comfy otherwise.  If not, I may set it aside and repeat again in a week until the discomfort of wearing it is outweighed by discomfort of baby pushing down.  Also, the doctor wants me to wear support hose as much as possible during the day because I am getting some broken blood vessels in my legs which aren’t ideal and I will probably end up with varicose veins. I bought a pair today, after driving around the fricking planet to find them at a place that would bill my insurance (they are $55 per pair) and so far they are pretty awful (they are squeezing all my tender joints, and resist movement) but my legs aren’t hurting as bad as they have been the last few days.  I guess I hadn’t really noticed how throbby they have been (although this morning it was killing me).  The good news is, the belly band is practically the most comfortable thing ever compared to the stockings, just not sure yet if it is having as much of a positive effect.   

I also need to invest in larger bras (I think mostly women read this blog, but sorry to the boys).  Apparently my breasts are growing exponentially, but finding them is getting trickier as no one sells my size.  I have ordered one new bra (that is also a nursing bra), so I am looking forward to testing that out when it comes and probably ordering some more.  It will be my first foyer into non-underwire since I was in 5^th grade or so, so it will be interesting. I hate buying bras online, especially in new sizes because you really don’t know how it will fit.  A lot of them are on back order online, and since my breasts might get bigger after my milk comes in, there may be a few weeks where I am making due.  Wish on top of everything else, that this wasn’t such a headache. 

Speaking of simple things like big boobs being an annoyance, it sometimes feels like the little uncomfy/annoying things with this pregnancy add up (peeing all the time, testing my blood sugar constantly, acid reflux, breast swelling and pain, pants not fitting, giant baby pushing down discomfort, varicose veins, difficulty bending over).  However, most of these are all normal things.  They are more annoying to me than my arthritis because I am less used to dealing with them, but they are all things normal people get.  They aren’t high risk issues, they aren’t hurting the baby, and they aren’t really hurting me.  It is good to step back from the momentary discomfort and realize it is all small potatoes and what I care about, and have always cared about is becoming and mom and having a healthy baby.  So far my body is growing a great baby!  It is amazing to look around at all the women who have chosen to have babies and realize the personal sacrifices they have made, not just for 9 months, but for their whole life (as a result of pregnancy)!  It is an amazing thing to have a baby and to give life to someone, but I don’t think society gives women enough credit for being will to do it!

In prepping-for-baby news, we go our new couch today, woot!  We are so excited.  It looks amazing.  We also flipped the direction of our living room, which I think is a good change.  Charles has been a really good sport taking everything apart (so we could clean the carpets and flip everything) and now putting it all back together.  It hasn’t been easy and he has spent a lot of time crouching on the floor.  Thanks honey!  Next we need to pick and order coffee and end tables and then we’ll be mostly done.  This weekend, we also hope to paint the baby room, but that somewhat depends on how long it takes to put the living room back together.

 

We also had a fun week of being social: Mo’s birthday parties and Carlo and Julie’s going away party along with dinner with my dad, and tomorrow dinner with one of my best friends from high school, Ryan Simpson.  Also this week, since all of our furniture was moved, Charles and I have been sort of camping (eating where we can find a surface and playing cards rather than watching tv or talking on the phone).  We probably played a good 30 games of Set, which we don’t do often enough and was very fun.  We also played some wordament on the cell so Charles could have his redemption (he wins 99.9% of the time in wordament and I win 99.9% of the time in Set).  Overall it has been a busy but productive and fun week.  I think we both need some vegging time though!