The Pregnancy Diaries – 36 weeks and counting

First off, I have to wish my daughter a very happy birthday! She joined us in this world on June 11th, 2006 at 8:58am.  From that moment on, our lives were forever changed.   Do you get a little sentimental on your child’s birthday each year?    It is always an emotional day for me as I remember the day she was born like it was yesterday.   It really was the best day of my entire life.  We have been through so much in the last 3 years. So many extreme ups and downs!   I have learned so much about life and about myself through this crazy job of motherhood.  The overwhelming love I feel for her and the joy she brings me is beyond words.  She has grown into this beautiful little girl right before my eyes.   From day one, she came into this world very much her own person with her own spirit.  It has been really intriguing to watch that little spirit grow and develop.  I can only imagine what the next 3 years are going to bring. Thanks for indulging me in my sentimental rambling for a moment, I just love June 11th.  🙂   

I am 36 weeks now, and Little Sister is going to be here before we know it!   Although I am still feeling great physically, I am really getting anxious to meet her (when the time is right!)   Having gestational diabetes (GD) has been hard, and honestly, I am really ready for that part to be over.    In the hospital I want my husband to go and get me a big bowl of fruit salad!  I swear I crave fruit more than an ice cream sundae!

I started on my GD medication a couple weeks ago and it is helping my glucose numbers, which is good, but finding the right dosage was really hard.  I didn’t feel great initially, but am much better now.    I am really lucky I got referred to the greatest high risk doctor that has been so supportive.  I have to email him my numbers and questions periodically, and he always emails me back the same day.  Even on the weekend!   He has made the process so much easier.   It is really refreshing to meet a medical professional like him who really cares!
 
The fetal monitoring has been interesting, time consuming and a tad stressful.  I go twice a week to the hospital and they hook me up to belts that monitor the baby’s heartbeat and my contractions.   There was one time when she wasn’t active enough (turns out she was just sleeping), and I got a little worried.   They had to put this thing on my belly and blast a sound in there to wake her up.  Isn’t that kind of sad?!  Hopefully she won’t remember and will forgive me from waking her from her peaceful little sleep!  It is hard sometimes, the nurses come in and out and look at the print outs often with a furrowed brow and you don’t fully understand what exactly they are looking for.   I know they are looking for fluctuations in the heartbeat, but it is hard to tell the exact fluctuations they need to give you the OK.  Thus far though, everything has been fine.  They also do weekly ultrasounds to check on my amniotic fluid, which has also been good.  

I got a full ultrasound to check her size last week.   She is measuring about a week big, and everything is looking healthy.  All along I was thinking of attempting a VBAC delivery (vaginal birth after cesarean), but just this past weekend, I changed my mind and  have decided to schedule a repeat c-section.   The last part of this pregnancy has been really stressful, and at this point, I don’t want to worry about her size and a safe vaginal delivery.   It was hard for me, but given the diabetes and my previous c-section, I feel like it was the right one for me.   I am lucky my regular OB/GYN was supportive either way. 

I am really hoping the c-section recovery will be easier this time.   My husband’s parents will come and stay at our house when we are in the hospital, which will be a huge help with Emma.  And, my parents are close and able to help, so I consider myself extremely lucky on that front.  From my first surgery, I had this freakish allergic reaction to the surgical tape they used on me, which caused my skin to blister and burn.    I had never had surgery before, so I had no idea I had this allergy!  Isn’t that crazy?  If they can find a solution to the whole surgical tape issue, I know I will be much better off this time!  

In any case, she will likely be here within the next month!  I will keep you posted on her arrival!  Bear with me as I will likely not have a new post for the time I am in the hospital.  However, I have lots of great posts lined up for when I get home, including many awesome guest bloggers that have been so nice to help me out during my recovery!   

If you want to make sure you get the news when she arrives, please subscribe to my blog to get the email!  You just enter your email address in the box at the top of the right column where it says “subscribe.”    

Thanks for everyone’s positive thoughts!  Wish me luck in this home stretch!  xo Jen  

{Graphic from Tiny Prints}