September 2008 babies

[CT_Michele]

Well ladies, I had more news for today...

We had our ob appt and confirmed through u/s that Ella is 100% breech. Therefore we decided to schedule our c-section for August 26, 12 days away! The dr said that she is estimating the baby is around 7lbs right now, and that there still is plenty of room in there for her, but at this point in a pregnancy it is pretty rare for a baby to flip on it's own. We will go for our 38 wk ob appt next thursday, then on Monday, aug 25 we will have a pre-op appt at the hosppital and then go in for the c-section on tuesday the 26th. Of course they said they check right before the c-section to make sure she didn't flip on her own. If she does, I will be sent home, but if she is still breech, then we have a birthday party!

We are excited and nervous all at once. !2 days to get everything done, and 12 days until we are parents. It is so weird to think we will be mommy and daddy, but we are also happy we get to plan everything out.

We met the pediatrician yesterday and we were really happy with him. He was nice and answered all our questions and eased our concerns. So everything is falling right into place.

How is everyone else doing? I know a couple other people are getting pretty close to their dates too. Keep us updated.

[LostGirl]

Wow Michele, well Ella has taken the guesswork out of things for you and your DH. IN 12 days, you'll meet her.

I'm doing fine. Lots of pressure down there, and lots of super low hiccups from the baby. Leg cramps are sort of under control.

We are getting a bunch of furniture delivered this weekend and continue to revamp the apartment. It's super fun. We are doing all the things we meant to do when my dh (then my fiance) moved in three years ago.

Now our gestational deadline is speeding things up...

I can't wait for my Tuesday ultrasound to see the baby, and get a guess of how big s/he is. My husband's family tends to crank out 10-pounder and even though I'm 6-footer I was a mere 7 pounds but 23 inches. So I'm a wee bit scared that we have a child on the way that's a nutty mix of big and tall.
Only time will tell!
Lostgirl

[CT_Michele]

Where is everybody?

Lostgirl- getting new furniture is always fun. I forgot to mention before too, about not having a car. I don't know how you new yorkers do it! I could never do it. Do you live close to the hospital? How will you get there is you go into labor? As much as I enjoy visiting nyc every now and then, since I am so close, I don't know if I could ever live there. I am a city girl, but not that big of a city!

Well, today I have my last scheduled obligation prior to giving birth. i have a wedding shower to go to, and after today my calendar is completely open for the arrival of Ella. Just 10 more days. The hospital called yesterday and gave me my pre-op appt for the day before and said we are tentatively scheduled on the 26th for c-section at 9:55. It is all getting so real now!

I hope to get updates from you all soon....have a good weekend!

[MLB]

Hi Ladies,

Sounds like we are all getting our houses ready anyway. Michelle - you are sure to be first and I can't wait to hear how it all goes. It is pretty cool to know *exactly* how much time you have left. Lostgirl - we are also doing many projects we could have (should have?) done years ago and it makes such a big difference! Have fun!!

My time in NJ went well. The car ride wasn't as much fun for me as it was for Lostgirl on her trip, but I couldn't just put on my favorite tunes and rock out because of the men in the car with me. Trips seem to take longer as a passenger than a driver to me! My injured sister-in-law came to the shower and she looked better than I anticipated. Mostly like she had really bad silicone lip implants. She had some more mouth surgery this week and it sounds like she is in for an 8 month ordeal before she is totally 'fixed'.

I am feeling pretty good. No internal exams or U/S's scheduled - just not part of my dr's normal protocols. My back feels better than it did....but I now have pretty bad pregnancy-induced carpal tunnel syndrome. On a good day I have ~80% of sensation in my finger tips. The midwives are not concerned unless my fingers turn blue or white - but I am really not too thrilled! Braces help a tiny bit.

I just can't believe that we will really have a baby in a few weeks. Anyone else worried that the baby won't be healthy? I'm not sure what I think will go wrong, but I just keep looking around at all this baby stuff and wondering how I would feel if it all went wrong and we don't come home with a little one after this whole ordeal...

Melissa

[CT_Michele]

Melissa- I think it is normal for all moms to have those thoughts close to delivery. We have all been through so much to get to this point, and I think no matter what, all of us will continue to worry about the health and safety of these children for the rest of our lives. Ya know, the whole way through this pregnancy, dh and I have had fun wondering who she will look like, who's nose she will have, etc, but we both know that during those first few seconds of her life, all we will want to hear is a cry and all we will ask is if she is healthy. I am starting to worry about the c-section. Obviously we are taking her out of my belly before she is naturally ready to come, so I hope everything will be ok too, but in my heart I know that I have done everything I can up to this point and it is out of my hands. So just know, yes, lots of moms-to-be have these thoughts, and almost all of them come home will healthy happy babies!

[elca]

MLB, CT_Michele,
I hear you. We are also worry about our baby and hope that everything will go well.
I have started my internal exams 2 wks ago. It isn't a very pleasant experience I'll tell you. Fortunately, I feel discomfort only for a few minutes after the exam. I am dilated about 1/2-1 cm. I spoke at the last visit with NP about my concerns that baby could be too big for a vaginal delivery. I have those thoughts because everyone who sees me asks if I am having twins. The next phrase after my response "No" is always "It must be a big baby!" So my NP decided to do a U/S to measure the size of the baby and see her position. NP added that they wouldn't do it until 39th wk. because they wouldn't induce me until that (Although, I hope very much I wouldn't be induced and deliver on my own!)
I am still waiting for furniture to arrive, hopefully, the next week. I am feeling I went into a nesting mood and started preparing for the arrival. I am almost done with my hospital bag. So, that's my update.
I hope everyone is doing fine.
Michele, I am exited for you and your DH - you know exactly when the baby will arrive and I think this knowledge will help you with the anticipating stress a little.
Good luck, everybody!

[CT_Michele]

Elca- I have heard that those internal exams are extremely uncomfortable. Luckily, I haven't had any. All I had was the strep b test and even just the swab was unpleasant, so I can only imagine fingers going up there. My dr's don't do any internals until 39 wks, and I probably won't have any if she is still breech b/c of course then I will have the c-section.

Although I am not looking forward to the c-section, dh and I are very happy about knowing exactly when and being able to prepare. We finished all of our last touches to the nursery today and we are starting to get diapers in place, final house cleaning, getting our bedroom all set for the co-sleeper on the side of our bed and planning for people to come and take care of our house and pets while we are in the hospital. I guess at this point, if we went for the c-section and they canceled it b/c she flipped head down, we would be a little disappointed. Dh is very excited about her arriving soon and knowing exactly when, he has really stepped up to make sure everything is falling into place.

I suspect I will be first to deliver on this thread, but I wonder who will be next. It is very exciting for all of us to finally be down to the last few weeks. Talk to you all soon...

[LostGirl]

Hi ladies,
Had our 36th week ultrasound to check for position and amnio fluid and growth. The baby looked great! But slept most of the time so it was impossible to get a length measurement, and only reluctantly, after much jostling did we get a head measurement. They estimate the baby weighs 6 pounds and 3 ounces at this point. Good heart beating. Good lung function. And a full head of hair... Plenty of amnio fluid. I made sure to hydrate before the appt, which apparently makes a difference in levels.

If the baby gains 1/2 pound weekly like s/he is supposed to.... I'm looking at a 8 1/2 pounder by week 40. Not bad! My husband's family cranks out 10 pounders so that's my fear. By comparison I may be carrying a "puny" runt. Ha!

The baby is head down as I suspected from the way-down-low hiccups I keep having, but hasn't dropped yet.

On Friday got an ob-gyn appt. So maybe they can tell me how effaced or dilated I am.

Hope everyone is well. I have sciatica now that just won't stop in my left butt cheek and all down my upper thigh on that side. It's making it hard to walk. Nothing makes it go away. I went to the gym this morning and cycled for 15 min and stretch for 15 min. Felt good after, but the sciatica remains... It's nerve pain for sure, not muscular pain... so I just have to live with it, alas..

Best, Lostgirl

[unexplained infertility]

SOrry to crash, just wanted to say hi to CT_Michelle-
good luck on your c-section! It is so soon! I bet you are excited!

I am preggo too, expecting in Feb, still a very long way to go. I cant imagine how it is to be few days away from birth. Well, I still have trouble imagining how it is with a big belly.

CT- good luck again! BTW, my name is Ella

[CT_Michele]

Unexplained- So good to hear from you! And I am so happy to hear you are pregnant. Are you on the feb thread with neffi? I will be checking in on you guys. It is surreal to be just a couple of days away, and except for the past few weeks, the 9 months seemed to fly by, so don't worry, it will be february before you know it! And I am glad to finally meet someone with the name Ella, especially someone as nice as you. Take care and check back anytime, hopefully I will be posting pics soon.

[LostGirl]

Michele, Less than a week to go till you meet your Ella!

I just found out my husband brother's having a girl (they just did their 5 month ultrasound) so are a mere 4 months or so behind us. This makes me want a girl (not that I've cared terribly either way till now) so that the cousins can be even closer. We shall soon see...

My sciatica got so bad last night I wept a bit. I got a jolt of pain in my butt and now my leg with every step. Went to bed at 9 and slept pretty well considering. Pain tires me out apparently.

It's been a humbling 36 hours or so, because I can't stop thinking if I'm weeping at sciatica, will I crumble during labor? I am determined to try to hold it together but I'm not feeling terribly confident I must say.. . My husband keeps telling me to just take this final stretch one day at a time.
Lostgirl

[CT_Michele]

Well, I had another wake up call trying to tell me to just take it easy these next few days.

I had my final ob appt yesterday and I tried really hard to stay call before it so my blood pressure wouldn't read too high, but of course it still read high. I had two different people take it multiple times on blood arms before I allowed them to send me over to the hospital. Of course it kept reading high, so we needed to go for another evaluation at the hospital. My blood pressure was down almost immediately and all of my blood work came back fine. They sent me home and said, relax until Tuesday.

The dr was able to tell me by feeling that Ella is still breech, so as of now, we are still scheduled for Tues. c-section. We will go to the hospital Monday afternoon for our pre-op visit and then just before surgery Tues. morning, they will check position one more time. If she is still breech, we will have a birthday party.

Even though I was afraid of the c-section, I kinda just hope it stays as planned, and we can get this over with. I haven't had many pregnancy complaints, but in the past couple of days I have had some pretty sever pubic bone pain. The dr. said it was pressure from the baby and was worse b/c she is breech. I thanked dh last night for really stepping up and helping me, since I know the next few days are going to be hard since this is the first time I truly feel incapacitated. If we went tuesday and got sent home, I don't know if I could make it another week or two like this, so we shall see what happens, but deep down, I truly think it is going to be Tuesday.

How is everyone else feeling? Any signs of labor yet? I know I am scheduled first, but you ladies are right around the corner too! Keep me updated. My hospital as wireless internet access, so we will be postiing pics from the hospital and I will be able to update everyone.

[LostGirl]

Michele,
Sorry to hear about your blood pressure fluctuations. I myself am mired in sciatica nerve pain. It's uncanny. As the day progresses, every step I take sending a shot of pain down my leg. It's enough to make me wince.

I saw my ob-gyn this morning and she recommended hot baths every night, getting massages, and taking Tylenol. I asked why take Tylenol when it's NERVE pain, and she said, it's mostly a nerve problem - baby or uterus pushing on that nerve, but there's also most likely inflammation around there that can be helped by Tylenol.

She also said to get a chair massager and sleep with a hot bladder.

I do hope these things help because I'm getting so rundown dealing with this chronic pain.

Also I am totally not effaced or dilated, so my ob-gyn predicts I'm in it for the long haul. 40+ weeks so best to find a way to cope with the sciatica... Lostgirl

[CT_Michele]

Lostgirl- so sorry to here about the sciatica and pain you are in. Hopefully you can do something to ease the pain. I looked back to see that your due date isn't until Sept 19, so you still have some weeks to go. Are you still working?

That is why I am kinda hoping everything stays as planned for tuesday and just deal with the c-section. I don't think I could make it another 2 weeks or more. I feel like my baby is so comfy in there that she would be staying until past the due date also. I hate feeling like I can't do anything around the house.

Guys, keep the posts coming. i would love to hear updates from everyone before I go to the hospital. And, as you all now, since I am just gliding through until tuesday now, I have plenty of time to be on the computer and keeping up with everyone!

[elca]

Hi Ladies!
Sorry to hear about your discomfort, LostGirl. I am feeling miserable at night for a few weeks already (a have difficulty sleeping on one side or another for a long time because my arms and legs are getting numb and tingly; so I have to wake up and turn self on a opposite side).
I had my appointment this morning. I am dilated 1 cm and 50% effaced. The dr said the baby could arrive any moment now. They scheduled U/S for the next week to check the size and position of the baby. So I am waiting impatiently until then.
Our baby's furniture has just arrived a several minutes ago. It means I can start getting ready this weekend I am getting very excited about everything.
Hope everybody have nice the last several weeks of pg.
Michelle, I am looking forward to hear news about your c-section the next week. Good luck to you! I believe everything will go smooth.