One of their favorite things to do: watch children's videos on YouTube with Grandaddy.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
I Get to Meet My Little Boy!
We had another ultrasound this morning, and they did a weight measurement again. They measured him at 10 lb, 14 oz. !!! The fluid level had gone down a bit, and his thigh bone measured at about 39 weeks, but he's still measuring pretty large. Whether he actually comes out weighing that much or not, I guess we'll see.
The OB/GYN who consulted with us at our ultrasound said that when babies get this big, they normally offer (note: not suggest, just offer) a c-section if the parents want it. She said that there is a 10% chance in babies this size of shoulder dystocia (the head is born but the shoulders get stuck). Of babies whose shoulders get stuck, 10% of those (so about 2% of babies this size) have permanent nerve damage. We aren't really worried about being in this 2%, especially since we've heard so many stories of babies who didn't end up as large as their ultrasounds said they'd be. I appreciate their caution, though.
After that appointment, we headed to the birth center where we met with one of the midwives. She was very helpful in talking through our options with us while at the same time allowing us to make most of these decisions. We were all in agreement that, at this point, it's time to get things moving, so we opted to try to get labor started by the end of the week (i.e. inducing labor). There are lots of different options for doing this: out-of-hospital things like acupuncture and herbs, or in-hospital procedures like breaking my water, stripping the membranes, or using Pitocin. She did an internal exam to try to figure out how ready my body might be for labor, and I was already dilated 4 cm - i.e. my cervix is "very ripe." Long story short, with as much fluid as I have, my uterus might actually be less capable of contracting effectively enough to really get labor going, so we want to try to let some of it out. There is, however, a heightened risk of the umbilical cord slipping out below the baby's head if my water was to break (very bad), so we're going with a modified version called "needling the membranes." They will poke needle-sized holes in my water bag to let some of the fluid out slowly, thus allowing the baby's head to drop down into place without the cord slipping out first. This will be a very controlled process with lots of close observation, which we felt was the safest and best option for our situation. After this is done, we will play the waiting game for a few hours and hope that my labor will start in earnest now that the uterus has a bit more room to work. If nothing happens, then we will talk about using Pitocin to move things along.
Inducing labor. Going into this pregnancy, this was probably one of the last things that I wanted to do (or even talk about), but I can honestly say I am glad, relieved, and even excited for this decision. Inducing labor with these midwives will look significantly different than it did with Kayligrace. They have told me that even if they have to put me on Pitocin, I will still be able to be up and moving around, and there is a good chance that they'd take me back off of it once labor got going. They are also much more willing to wait longer for labor to progress if my body needs more time. Pretty much, as long as I'm making progress, they don't mind waiting. Yay! What a relief! If my body needs a kick-start to get going, I'm fine with that, especially if I know that I can labor at my own pace once I've started.
So, the end result of the day. Thursday at 8 am I will be at UNC hospital beginning the process that will end in me meeting my precious little boy, and I CANNOT WAIT! What a gift. What a privilege. What a blessing. Thank you, Lord, for this amazing opportunity of joining You in bringing another life into this world, and thank you for the tremendous gift of caring for your child. May he grow to know, love, and serve You as his Savior and King, and may we bless and honor You in how we parent him.
The OB/GYN who consulted with us at our ultrasound said that when babies get this big, they normally offer (note: not suggest, just offer) a c-section if the parents want it. She said that there is a 10% chance in babies this size of shoulder dystocia (the head is born but the shoulders get stuck). Of babies whose shoulders get stuck, 10% of those (so about 2% of babies this size) have permanent nerve damage. We aren't really worried about being in this 2%, especially since we've heard so many stories of babies who didn't end up as large as their ultrasounds said they'd be. I appreciate their caution, though.
After that appointment, we headed to the birth center where we met with one of the midwives. She was very helpful in talking through our options with us while at the same time allowing us to make most of these decisions. We were all in agreement that, at this point, it's time to get things moving, so we opted to try to get labor started by the end of the week (i.e. inducing labor). There are lots of different options for doing this: out-of-hospital things like acupuncture and herbs, or in-hospital procedures like breaking my water, stripping the membranes, or using Pitocin. She did an internal exam to try to figure out how ready my body might be for labor, and I was already dilated 4 cm - i.e. my cervix is "very ripe." Long story short, with as much fluid as I have, my uterus might actually be less capable of contracting effectively enough to really get labor going, so we want to try to let some of it out. There is, however, a heightened risk of the umbilical cord slipping out below the baby's head if my water was to break (very bad), so we're going with a modified version called "needling the membranes." They will poke needle-sized holes in my water bag to let some of the fluid out slowly, thus allowing the baby's head to drop down into place without the cord slipping out first. This will be a very controlled process with lots of close observation, which we felt was the safest and best option for our situation. After this is done, we will play the waiting game for a few hours and hope that my labor will start in earnest now that the uterus has a bit more room to work. If nothing happens, then we will talk about using Pitocin to move things along.
Inducing labor. Going into this pregnancy, this was probably one of the last things that I wanted to do (or even talk about), but I can honestly say I am glad, relieved, and even excited for this decision. Inducing labor with these midwives will look significantly different than it did with Kayligrace. They have told me that even if they have to put me on Pitocin, I will still be able to be up and moving around, and there is a good chance that they'd take me back off of it once labor got going. They are also much more willing to wait longer for labor to progress if my body needs more time. Pretty much, as long as I'm making progress, they don't mind waiting. Yay! What a relief! If my body needs a kick-start to get going, I'm fine with that, especially if I know that I can labor at my own pace once I've started.
So, the end result of the day. Thursday at 8 am I will be at UNC hospital beginning the process that will end in me meeting my precious little boy, and I CANNOT WAIT! What a gift. What a privilege. What a blessing. Thank you, Lord, for this amazing opportunity of joining You in bringing another life into this world, and thank you for the tremendous gift of caring for your child. May he grow to know, love, and serve You as his Savior and King, and may we bless and honor You in how we parent him.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
A Good Week
We've had a fairly good week this week in terms of ultrasounds and our visit with the midwives. We even made it to UNC on Tuesday and got to do a private hospital tour to see where we'll be delivering. It's a pretty typical hosptial (other than the fact that it's located right on UNC's campus, boo), but it was good to get somewhat familiar with it and not feel like we were overwhelmed by the immensity of it (like we did the first time we were there).
We had our ultrasound on Monday, and other than waiting an hour before being seen, they said baby boy still looks good. We saw proof that, yes, he is still a boy, and all his vitals looked good too. They even gave us some pictures on a cd this time, which is nice. They said he is still swimming in a pretty big swimming pool, and his pool has actually gotten a little larger since last week. Nothing to necessarily be concerned about, it just means my belly is STILL getting bigger.
We saw the midwives on Tuesday, and that was a good visit too. Little Man's heartbeat was great, my uterus actually measured an inch or two smaller than last week (which doesn't mean too much since each midwife measures slightly differently anyway), and I might have actually lost a pound of weight. Not really sure, because they said the scale was measuring off, but I'm not really worried about it because I haven't even gained 30 pounds yet this pregnancy.
Good news in the blood sugar department this week. My numbers were reading so good that the midwife told me I only need to take measurements twice a day now! Yay! I've had a small handful of high readings (maybe four or five?), but all my fasting readings have been great. They said that the fasting ones are the ones that are really important, so they are very happy with my numbers. Yay for only pricking my finger twice a day now!
The other potentially good news is that there is a procedure that we could look into doing in which they actually remove some amniotic fluid from my belly. This would not only make me more comfortable, but it could also help trigger labor. The midwife said that sometimes, if a woman has too much fluid, it can actually prevent her stomach from having effective contractions. (I think maybe this is what happened with Kayligrace - hence having extra fluid, going two weeks overdue, and still having to be induced.) So we are hoping to talk to the OB/GYN who does our next ultrasound about possibly having this done. I've been having fairly regular Braxton-Hicks contractions (fake or practice contractions) for quite a while now, and lately they've felt stronger but have still never amounted to anything. I'm hoping we can have this done and then go into labor soon thereafter! Wouldn't that be exciting?! If you're praying for us, please pray for wisdom in making this decision and that I would go into labor without having to be induced this go round.
Well, that's all I've got for this week, but I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and that you know that we are thankful for you! Thank you for your continued prayers!
We had our ultrasound on Monday, and other than waiting an hour before being seen, they said baby boy still looks good. We saw proof that, yes, he is still a boy, and all his vitals looked good too. They even gave us some pictures on a cd this time, which is nice. They said he is still swimming in a pretty big swimming pool, and his pool has actually gotten a little larger since last week. Nothing to necessarily be concerned about, it just means my belly is STILL getting bigger.
We saw the midwives on Tuesday, and that was a good visit too. Little Man's heartbeat was great, my uterus actually measured an inch or two smaller than last week (which doesn't mean too much since each midwife measures slightly differently anyway), and I might have actually lost a pound of weight. Not really sure, because they said the scale was measuring off, but I'm not really worried about it because I haven't even gained 30 pounds yet this pregnancy.
Good news in the blood sugar department this week. My numbers were reading so good that the midwife told me I only need to take measurements twice a day now! Yay! I've had a small handful of high readings (maybe four or five?), but all my fasting readings have been great. They said that the fasting ones are the ones that are really important, so they are very happy with my numbers. Yay for only pricking my finger twice a day now!
The other potentially good news is that there is a procedure that we could look into doing in which they actually remove some amniotic fluid from my belly. This would not only make me more comfortable, but it could also help trigger labor. The midwife said that sometimes, if a woman has too much fluid, it can actually prevent her stomach from having effective contractions. (I think maybe this is what happened with Kayligrace - hence having extra fluid, going two weeks overdue, and still having to be induced.) So we are hoping to talk to the OB/GYN who does our next ultrasound about possibly having this done. I've been having fairly regular Braxton-Hicks contractions (fake or practice contractions) for quite a while now, and lately they've felt stronger but have still never amounted to anything. I'm hoping we can have this done and then go into labor soon thereafter! Wouldn't that be exciting?! If you're praying for us, please pray for wisdom in making this decision and that I would go into labor without having to be induced this go round.
Well, that's all I've got for this week, but I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and that you know that we are thankful for you! Thank you for your continued prayers!
Profile shot
3D: Look at that adorable nose!
And those huge cheeks - already!
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Still Looking Good
We had another ultrasound yesterday morning. The baby's movements and heartbeat all looked great. They watched to see if he was doing his "practice breathing" in there, and he was doing it quite a bit. Pretty much, it's just his little abdomen expanding and contracting, but it was sweet to see. They said that this is a good indicator of overall well-being, so things still look good. They only measure his weight every three weeks, so hopefully we don't make it to the next one of those. :)
After our ultrasound, I went to our weekly prenatal appointment. Everything looked good there too. We listened to his heartbeat again, and it sounded great. I got to talk to the midwife a lot about what the details of our hospital birth would look like, and in a lot of ways it was reassuring. Their job is to be prepared for the unexpected, and it became even more clear to me that this is why they feel that a hospital birth is best. If problems were to arise, it would be best to have doctors nearby and/or the NICU team if necessary. I am still praying that we will have a problem-free delivery, but I appreciate their preparedness.
My only lingering concern is that my "risk factors" would play into how my midwife handles the progression of my labor. Every woman labors differently, and one thing I was excited about with the birth center is that I knew I would feel less rushed or like I was having to give birth on someone else's schedule. I think each of the midwives at the birth center (there are about 8) would probably handle this issue differently, so we are earnestly praying for a midwife who can find a good balance between our safety and my body's natural laboring process. We would love it if you would pray with us.
On another note, things are really starting to come together on the home front. Our kids' room decorations are about halfway done, we have all our nursing and diapering gear back out and mostly organized, there are a couple of meals in our freezer, our birth bags are mostly packed, and we've got car seats and places for everybody to sleep. There is definitely more to do, but it is so nice to feel like we've actually got a good handle on our to-do list for bringing baby home. Thank you to everyone who has prayed and helped - you guys have been awesome. We can't wait to meet our precious baby boy, and we can't wait for him to meet all of you too!
After our ultrasound, I went to our weekly prenatal appointment. Everything looked good there too. We listened to his heartbeat again, and it sounded great. I got to talk to the midwife a lot about what the details of our hospital birth would look like, and in a lot of ways it was reassuring. Their job is to be prepared for the unexpected, and it became even more clear to me that this is why they feel that a hospital birth is best. If problems were to arise, it would be best to have doctors nearby and/or the NICU team if necessary. I am still praying that we will have a problem-free delivery, but I appreciate their preparedness.
My only lingering concern is that my "risk factors" would play into how my midwife handles the progression of my labor. Every woman labors differently, and one thing I was excited about with the birth center is that I knew I would feel less rushed or like I was having to give birth on someone else's schedule. I think each of the midwives at the birth center (there are about 8) would probably handle this issue differently, so we are earnestly praying for a midwife who can find a good balance between our safety and my body's natural laboring process. We would love it if you would pray with us.
On another note, things are really starting to come together on the home front. Our kids' room decorations are about halfway done, we have all our nursing and diapering gear back out and mostly organized, there are a couple of meals in our freezer, our birth bags are mostly packed, and we've got car seats and places for everybody to sleep. There is definitely more to do, but it is so nice to feel like we've actually got a good handle on our to-do list for bringing baby home. Thank you to everyone who has prayed and helped - you guys have been awesome. We can't wait to meet our precious baby boy, and we can't wait for him to meet all of you too!
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Another Update
On Friday, I went to the birth center to get trained in how to use my glucose meter and test my blood sugar. The finger prick didn't hurt as much as I had expected, but it definitely surprises me every time. They told me to start recording my blood sugar readings on Saturday. I do a fasting blood sugar first thing when I wake up, and then another reading 1 hour after breakfast, lunch, and dinner. On Saturday, all my readings were well below the troublesome range, but today I've had two high readings. We'll see what the next couple of days show.
After the birth center appointment, I had an appointment with a registered dietician. She gave me some pointers on what my diet should look like at this point, and I was pleasantly surprised with how little she actually wanted me to change. Most of her suggestions incorporated eating different types of foods together rather than cutting things out altogether. (She said that this helps with keeping your blood sugar from jumping too high too quickly because it helps you digest the simpler sugars more slowly.) Now, unfortunately, that doesn't apply to sweets and desserts, but I can live without those for a couple of weeks.
I also started taking evening primrose oil yesterday. Supposedly, this can help prep the cervix so that maybe my body will go into labor a little earlier. I'm not opposed to it, but it's really up to the Lord. We'll just have to wait and see.
As far as how we are doing overall, I'd say we are doing really well. We have adjusted to the change and have realized that there is really nothing for us to worry about. Whether we deliver on the 19th or not, I don't really care anymore. (Of course, I'd love to meet this little man whenever the Lord decides to give him to us!) Even if I go to the full 40 weeks (or more), I fully believe that my body is designed for this and that I can birth a big baby. Period. I'm beginning to wonder why everyone at the birth center got so worked up about him being big, but all this fuss will only last a few more weeks at most, and then I just get to love on my baby boy.
Won't that be a glorious day?
After the birth center appointment, I had an appointment with a registered dietician. She gave me some pointers on what my diet should look like at this point, and I was pleasantly surprised with how little she actually wanted me to change. Most of her suggestions incorporated eating different types of foods together rather than cutting things out altogether. (She said that this helps with keeping your blood sugar from jumping too high too quickly because it helps you digest the simpler sugars more slowly.) Now, unfortunately, that doesn't apply to sweets and desserts, but I can live without those for a couple of weeks.
I also started taking evening primrose oil yesterday. Supposedly, this can help prep the cervix so that maybe my body will go into labor a little earlier. I'm not opposed to it, but it's really up to the Lord. We'll just have to wait and see.
As far as how we are doing overall, I'd say we are doing really well. We have adjusted to the change and have realized that there is really nothing for us to worry about. Whether we deliver on the 19th or not, I don't really care anymore. (Of course, I'd love to meet this little man whenever the Lord decides to give him to us!) Even if I go to the full 40 weeks (or more), I fully believe that my body is designed for this and that I can birth a big baby. Period. I'm beginning to wonder why everyone at the birth center got so worked up about him being big, but all this fuss will only last a few more weeks at most, and then I just get to love on my baby boy.
Won't that be a glorious day?
37 weeks, 1 day
My precious baby girl.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
A Good Day
I got a call back from my midwives today saying that my glucose tests were perfect. Yay! I still officially don't have gestational diabetes, which is a relief to me because I was feeling a little bit like this was all my fault. I'm going to pick up my glucometer and other equipment today and will go in tomorrow morning to get trained in how to use it. The bad news: I found out I'll have to do at least a week of pricking my finger FOUR times a day! Oh well, whatever it takes for this little man to be healthy. I'm also scheduled to visit the nutritionist tomorrow and map out a game plan for my eating. I'm kind of glad for that appointment because I'm hoping it will help me be a little more creative with my high protein, low carb meal planning.
I also feel like I'm really adjusting to our new situation for giving birth. For a few days, everything felt like it was happening in a story but not really to me. Not necessarily because it was so bad, but more because it all seemed to happen so fast. But I've had a ton of people encourage me with prayer, stories, and offers to help (THANK YOU!), and I feel like we're already seeing the good that is coming out of all this. (Maybe I can share some of that later.) This new game plan is beginning to feel a lot more "normal," rather than an idea I'm getting used to, and I feel like I'm already beginning to walk forward on this new path God is leading us down, rather than still sitting at the crossroads wondering what happened.
Again, thank you to everyone who is praying, encouraging, and helping out. It has been amazing to feel so supported and loved through all of this, and I feel like you guys are the ones who helped give us the boost to begin moving forward again. We love you guys!
I also feel like I'm really adjusting to our new situation for giving birth. For a few days, everything felt like it was happening in a story but not really to me. Not necessarily because it was so bad, but more because it all seemed to happen so fast. But I've had a ton of people encourage me with prayer, stories, and offers to help (THANK YOU!), and I feel like we're already seeing the good that is coming out of all this. (Maybe I can share some of that later.) This new game plan is beginning to feel a lot more "normal," rather than an idea I'm getting used to, and I feel like I'm already beginning to walk forward on this new path God is leading us down, rather than still sitting at the crossroads wondering what happened.
Again, thank you to everyone who is praying, encouraging, and helping out. It has been amazing to feel so supported and loved through all of this, and I feel like you guys are the ones who helped give us the boost to begin moving forward again. We love you guys!
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Adventures with Baby Boy Moody
Normally, this is a picture blog. But, I needed an outlet to share the latest news and developments from the land of pregnancy. So, get ready for the ride - it's a bumpy one...
Friday, November 4
We went in for our regular prenatal appointment at the Birth Center with our midwives. At each appointment, they externally measure the uterus to see how much the baby is growing. And the goal is for the measurement to come out about the same as the number of weeks pregnant you are. At this appointment, I was almost 36 weeks, so I should have measured around 36 cm. Now, I've been measuring a little bit big (just like I did with Kayligrace), but it was never enough for anyone to be concerned. Until now. Instead of 36 cm, I measured somewhere between 41-43 cm, depending on who was measuring. And that was large enough to get some people concerned.
No one was super-worried, but they decided to go ahead and schedule an ultrasound so that they could just get a better idea of what was going on and make sure there was nothing problematic. So we went about business as usual, except that now we were slightly proud of what looked to be another bigger baby.
Tuesday, November 8
We had our ultrasound this morning, and that's when the fun truly began. Baby Boy Moody weighed in at a whopping 9 lbs 12 oz, plus I have a highly elevated level of amniotic fluid! And remember, I'm was only 36 weeks, 3 days pregnant at the time. Okay, maybe we are now slightly less proud of our big baby and now slightly more worried about getting this little guy out - especially if he keeps growing. The doctor at the hospital where we had our ultrasound done urged us to call our midwives and talk about our plan of action from here. We readily agreed.
I talked to one of the midwives this afternoon, and got some news that was really, really disappointing for us. We can no longer have our baby at the Birth Center like we had deeply hoped, but instead we will have to deliver at a hospital (UNC to be exact). The midwives will still be with us throughout labor, and they will still deliver this baby (as long as everything goes well), but the setting will be different. We had gotten really, really excited about all the different aspects of delivering outside of a hospital, so this made for a really tough afternoon, but we know that this decision was made for the safety of baby and me. So, after quite a few tears, talking, praying and grieving, we are learning to adjust to this new plan.
Wednesday, November 9
We had another prenatal visit with our midwives today. It was helpful because they gave us a lot more information, but it was also slightly overwhelming too. We did a non-stress test to ensure that baby was still doing well. (He played slightly hard to get, but eventually we found him.) We listened to his heartbeat. They drew a fasting blood sample to measure my sugar, we went and had some breakfast, and then we came back for them to draw another blood sample. This tells them how my body responds to the sugars I eat. We didn't get the results from the blood tests today, but everything with baby looked great.
The information they gave us about our hospital-midwife experience was encouraging after the disappointment of the night before. We were reassured that the midwives who accompany us to the hospital will do everything the same as if we had been at the birth center, and they will also help run interference for us so that we won't have to worry about some of the "routine" hospital procedures. We are still very hopeful for a natural, drug-free birth, and that's what we ask you guys to continue to pray with us for.
They also gave us the reality side of this story today, too. This little man has a propensity to be big, and it is now my job to do everything I can to minimize his growth. This involves a very purposeful diet (high protein, low carbs) and increased exercise. If the baby's weight exceeds 5000 g (just over 11 lbs), I will have to be delivered by a doctor. There are multiple concerns with a baby this big, including an increased chance of postpartum hemorrhage and shoulder dystocia (the baby's shoulders getting stuck while pushing). Hence, the decision to deliver at a hospital instead of a birth center. But, if the baby exceeds the 5000 g mark and a doctor delivers, there is a much, much higher chance that I'd have to have a c-section, partly because to a doctor, that would seem the safest avenue. The national average for c-sections in hospitals is about 1 in 3, which means that midwives actually deliver a higher percentage of babies vaginally than do doctors. It is our #2 goal (after delivering a healthy baby) to deliver this baby vaginally, even if it means that I'm just going to have to get stubborn about making sure that happens. And I can get very stubborn. :)
So, the day-to-day side to all this. I'm already seeing my midwives once a week, but I will also start having ultrasounds once a week as well. This will continue to monitor his size and the amount of amniotic fluid, and it will also check for his continued health (heartbeat, movement, etc). I will also have to see a registered dietician sometime before next week to talk more specifically about my diet. Additionally, I will be getting a glucometer and doing daily finger pricks to measure my sugar levels. (I do NOT like that part.) This will help monitor how well I'm sticking to that diet (and helping to slow down his growth).
We are also now HOPING for a delivery at 38 weeks, instead of the usual 40 weeks. 37 weeks would probably be fine, but 38 weeks would ensure his full development while still limiting his growth. So our new goal due date: November 19. I know it sounds funny to pray for a baby to be delivered early, but please be praying for this with us. That only gives me a week and a half to finish getting ready to bring him home, but I am eager for it anyway. There are a couple of things we can be doing to help encourage my body to go into labor, including taking evening primrose oil, walking regularly, and other things. We will be doing these things, but it is the Lord who is the beginning and the end, and it will all happen in His timing.
Please pray with and for us - for peace to reign, for us to trust the Lord and His timing, for health for baby and myself, for success with my new diet and exercise regimen, for Little Man to not exceed 5000 g, for Baby Boy to be born Nov 19, for a natural and drug-free delivery by my midwives, and for me to do okay with all these finger pricks (I do not like needles). Please pray for Steven as he is who I am heavily leaning on during this time of disappointment and adjustment, and pray for Kayligrace as her parents deal with the craziness of this adventure. I don't want us to end up taking our stress out on her, and I would also like to make the most of these last couple weeks with her. May we make the time, and may it be extra special.
I typed up this whole post with all these details, disappointments, and hopes, but the good news at the end of it all is that, no matter what happens, we will get to bring home our baby boy. C-section, hospital delivery, a huge baby - I know these things are important to me, but they are all simply my hopes and desires. I have and will gladly and rejoicingly welcome this baby into my heart however the Lord chooses to give him to us.
Friday, November 4
We went in for our regular prenatal appointment at the Birth Center with our midwives. At each appointment, they externally measure the uterus to see how much the baby is growing. And the goal is for the measurement to come out about the same as the number of weeks pregnant you are. At this appointment, I was almost 36 weeks, so I should have measured around 36 cm. Now, I've been measuring a little bit big (just like I did with Kayligrace), but it was never enough for anyone to be concerned. Until now. Instead of 36 cm, I measured somewhere between 41-43 cm, depending on who was measuring. And that was large enough to get some people concerned.
No one was super-worried, but they decided to go ahead and schedule an ultrasound so that they could just get a better idea of what was going on and make sure there was nothing problematic. So we went about business as usual, except that now we were slightly proud of what looked to be another bigger baby.
Tuesday, November 8
We had our ultrasound this morning, and that's when the fun truly began. Baby Boy Moody weighed in at a whopping 9 lbs 12 oz, plus I have a highly elevated level of amniotic fluid! And remember, I'm was only 36 weeks, 3 days pregnant at the time. Okay, maybe we are now slightly less proud of our big baby and now slightly more worried about getting this little guy out - especially if he keeps growing. The doctor at the hospital where we had our ultrasound done urged us to call our midwives and talk about our plan of action from here. We readily agreed.
I talked to one of the midwives this afternoon, and got some news that was really, really disappointing for us. We can no longer have our baby at the Birth Center like we had deeply hoped, but instead we will have to deliver at a hospital (UNC to be exact). The midwives will still be with us throughout labor, and they will still deliver this baby (as long as everything goes well), but the setting will be different. We had gotten really, really excited about all the different aspects of delivering outside of a hospital, so this made for a really tough afternoon, but we know that this decision was made for the safety of baby and me. So, after quite a few tears, talking, praying and grieving, we are learning to adjust to this new plan.
Wednesday, November 9
We had another prenatal visit with our midwives today. It was helpful because they gave us a lot more information, but it was also slightly overwhelming too. We did a non-stress test to ensure that baby was still doing well. (He played slightly hard to get, but eventually we found him.) We listened to his heartbeat. They drew a fasting blood sample to measure my sugar, we went and had some breakfast, and then we came back for them to draw another blood sample. This tells them how my body responds to the sugars I eat. We didn't get the results from the blood tests today, but everything with baby looked great.
The information they gave us about our hospital-midwife experience was encouraging after the disappointment of the night before. We were reassured that the midwives who accompany us to the hospital will do everything the same as if we had been at the birth center, and they will also help run interference for us so that we won't have to worry about some of the "routine" hospital procedures. We are still very hopeful for a natural, drug-free birth, and that's what we ask you guys to continue to pray with us for.
They also gave us the reality side of this story today, too. This little man has a propensity to be big, and it is now my job to do everything I can to minimize his growth. This involves a very purposeful diet (high protein, low carbs) and increased exercise. If the baby's weight exceeds 5000 g (just over 11 lbs), I will have to be delivered by a doctor. There are multiple concerns with a baby this big, including an increased chance of postpartum hemorrhage and shoulder dystocia (the baby's shoulders getting stuck while pushing). Hence, the decision to deliver at a hospital instead of a birth center. But, if the baby exceeds the 5000 g mark and a doctor delivers, there is a much, much higher chance that I'd have to have a c-section, partly because to a doctor, that would seem the safest avenue. The national average for c-sections in hospitals is about 1 in 3, which means that midwives actually deliver a higher percentage of babies vaginally than do doctors. It is our #2 goal (after delivering a healthy baby) to deliver this baby vaginally, even if it means that I'm just going to have to get stubborn about making sure that happens. And I can get very stubborn. :)
So, the day-to-day side to all this. I'm already seeing my midwives once a week, but I will also start having ultrasounds once a week as well. This will continue to monitor his size and the amount of amniotic fluid, and it will also check for his continued health (heartbeat, movement, etc). I will also have to see a registered dietician sometime before next week to talk more specifically about my diet. Additionally, I will be getting a glucometer and doing daily finger pricks to measure my sugar levels. (I do NOT like that part.) This will help monitor how well I'm sticking to that diet (and helping to slow down his growth).
We are also now HOPING for a delivery at 38 weeks, instead of the usual 40 weeks. 37 weeks would probably be fine, but 38 weeks would ensure his full development while still limiting his growth. So our new goal due date: November 19. I know it sounds funny to pray for a baby to be delivered early, but please be praying for this with us. That only gives me a week and a half to finish getting ready to bring him home, but I am eager for it anyway. There are a couple of things we can be doing to help encourage my body to go into labor, including taking evening primrose oil, walking regularly, and other things. We will be doing these things, but it is the Lord who is the beginning and the end, and it will all happen in His timing.
Please pray with and for us - for peace to reign, for us to trust the Lord and His timing, for health for baby and myself, for success with my new diet and exercise regimen, for Little Man to not exceed 5000 g, for Baby Boy to be born Nov 19, for a natural and drug-free delivery by my midwives, and for me to do okay with all these finger pricks (I do not like needles). Please pray for Steven as he is who I am heavily leaning on during this time of disappointment and adjustment, and pray for Kayligrace as her parents deal with the craziness of this adventure. I don't want us to end up taking our stress out on her, and I would also like to make the most of these last couple weeks with her. May we make the time, and may it be extra special.
I typed up this whole post with all these details, disappointments, and hopes, but the good news at the end of it all is that, no matter what happens, we will get to bring home our baby boy. C-section, hospital delivery, a huge baby - I know these things are important to me, but they are all simply my hopes and desires. I have and will gladly and rejoicingly welcome this baby into my heart however the Lord chooses to give him to us.
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