Oh, geez. I still have 36 weex pictures to upload and some miscellaneous pictures of different and odd things. But there are things that first need to be said about my 37 weex doctor appointment.
My appointment was last Thursday. I went in for an appointment and an ultrasound. The ultrasound revealed many good things and a few alarming things. The good things include a good amount of amniotic fluid, Jayna having all of her organs, she is definitely a girl, she is in a good position to be born and she's all-around healthy. The alarming things included the fact that my placenta is beginning to calcify from being used by Jayna, her head cirumference is 9.5 centimeters, she already weighs between 7 lbs. 14 oz. and 8 lbs. 4 oz., and the fact that she and my placenta say that I am 38 weex 5 days pregnant instead of 37 weex, 1 day pregnant. A couple of those are only alarming to me because, well, I have to push her out of there. To the doctor, they just mean she is healthy.
So, where do we go from here?? My blood pressure was still high. The swelling has decided to stick around. And my placenta isn't diffusing nutrients to Jayna as well as it should, and, according to ultrasound, I'm 38 weex 5 days pregnant. Can you, gentle readers, put the pieces together?
My induction is scheduled for Thursday, August 21 at 7:30am. I was given one week to try and induce myself...although she didn't technically say that. I was tested for preeclampsia Thursday through Saturday. That's a fun time. Collecting your pee for 24 hours when you're pregnant is certainly a chore. The doctor also stripped my membranes in the office at the appointment. And holy hell, was that ever uncomfortable.
And where does all of this induction talk leave me in regards to natural labor? Pretty much SOL. My appointment was last Thursday. I met with the doula that I already paid for that evening and she emailed me various ways to try and induce including sex and accupressure points. I've also tried eating spicy foods, hiking (yes, HIKING, not just walking), bouncing on the ball, relaxation techniques...this baby is just a procrastinator. I guess that comes from me. :)
If I do have to be induced, the doc said she'd try and start me out on a low enough dose of pitocin to see if I could handle it and it may help labor start. Since my blood pressure is high and pitocin raises blood pressure, I will have to have an epidural if my blood pressure dose rise. All of the work I've done learning about natural labor and hiring a doula, etc. is for nothing if I have to be induced.
Am I upset? A little. I'm not going to beat myself up. I'm not crying about it. I want Jayna to be healthy and I want to be okay, so I'll do what my doctor says. She has been wonderful throughout all of this and she really is trying to work with me so that I can atleast do a little of what I wanted to. She is the professional, not me.
I have an appointment tomorrow to check my blood pressure and such. If things go badly, I may have to be induced then. If they go smoothly, maybe she'll let me go for a couple of days to see if I'll go into labor on my own. Only time will tell. One thing is for sure...only 4 more days (or less) until little Jayna is here!!
37 weex...and again with the hat
When you're tested for preeclampsia, one thing you have to do is collect all of your urine for a full 24 hours. To make things easier, the doctor gives you this "hat" to pee in that goes under the toilet seat. You pee into the hat and then pour the urine into a jug they give you. Well, it really does look like a hat!! So, BEFORE I used it, I couldn't resist wearing it like a hat and having Chris take a picture. Fun stuff!!
