Hey Baby!

Yesterday, I saw my perinatologist, for the last time, hopefully.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the guy (he's one of my favorite doctors), but if I don't have to see him again it's because the rest of this pregnancy will have gone relatively smooth.

I went in yesterday for my routine visit.  Which means an external and internal ultrasound, assessment of the baby, the amniotic fluid and the condition of my cervix (whether it has thinned out anymore or if I was now dilating).  It also could have meant a culture being sent off to find out the odds of me going into preterm labor within two weeks.  But, as luck would have it, my cervix hadn't changed at all over the last three weeks, so the test wasn't warranted.

I was elated to find out that 3.0 had turned sometime over the past few weeks.  I knew something had changed, but I wasn't sure what the changes were.  I am feeling movement on the right AND left side of my tummy.  Well, he is now head down so apparently I am feeling his legs moving around a little more freely than they had been. His head is really, really, really low.  Which explains my overactive bladder  (there was a night last week where I slept for seven hours and got up six times, that's how bad it is).

Anyhow, my perinatologist said the baby looks fantastic, the amniotic fluid looks great and my cervix looks absolutely normal for being 31-weeks pregnant and since we're taking care of the 17p injections at home, there is no reason to come back to see him unless I do go into labor over the next three weeks.  I'm still at risk to have a preterm baby (50/50 chance), but there is nothing more he can do and now it's just up to me to pay attention to how I feel & call my OB whenever I think there might be changes going on.

My lower legs and ankles and feet continue to swell (some days are better than others) and he said to keep a watch on them and maybe mention it to my OB the next time I see them (I go to a practice and see five different docs), which is on Friday.

I got this 4D image of 3.0 yesterday.  Unfortunately, his hand is covering part of his face, but it gives us a glimpse of what he looks like...he looks like Thomas & Toby.  I particularly think he looks like Toby.

Until later,

Emily

Thirty Weeks and Counting!

30 weeks, 1 day (June 12, 2011)

On Saturday, I reached my 30-week mark of this pregnancy.  This the longest pregnancy, ever, I swear! The baby is oblique, which is slightly better than his transverse position that he had been in over the past couple of months.  Basically he is sitting diagonally in my uterus.  His bottom is wedged down toward my pelvis and his head and feet are in the lower quadrant of my uterus.  It is very uncomfortable at times. My high-risk OB tried to take a picture of his face a while ago using a 4D ultrasound machine and his feet were covering his face, so he's kind of in the half-way, backwards somersault position. I am told he "still has plenty of time to turn", but, each week I get less and less hopeful because it seems like to me he is stuck.  But maybe he's just not uncomfortable enough yet to try to move! At 37 weeks, if he hasn't turned, I will go to the hospital and see if my OB can turn him.  It is done at the hospital in case my water breaks or the baby goes into distress and then they can hurry and do an emergency c-section to get him out.  If my OB is able to turn him, then he'll be left in until I go into labor on my own or I reach 39 weeks, in which case, it has been agreed upon that I can be induced, because I had my other two kids extremely fast!  If he isn't able to be turned then a scheduled c-section will be performed, not necessarily that very day but the next day or two.

And then there is the prematurity risk.  I am approaching the time where I went into preterm labor with Toby.  The first time was at 31 weeks and the second time was at 33 weeks.  They were able to stop him both of those times.  Then, at 33 weeks, 6 days, I went into labor again and they didn't try to stop him, because I was close enough to that magical "34 week" mark and he had had the steroids to develop his lungs.  My docs are keeping a close watch on me.  Things ARE starting to progress ever so slightly but not enough to do anything differently or take any kind of medication.  There is a test that I am doing now that detects when your body is getting ready to go into labor within the next two weeks.  I've taken it once and it came back negative and the next time I do it will be next week.  If it comes back positive then it is time to start on the steroids to develop the baby's lungs.  At that point, I will just watch for signs of labor and if I do go into labor then I will be hospitalized to stop the labor and try to keep him in until at least 34 weeks, like Toby. I really hope I can make it to 36 or 37 weeks and I'd be thrilled to have to be induced at 39 weeks and be able to take the baby home with me when I left the hospital. I continue to take the 17p weekly injections, and take my last one at 36 weeks.  Time will tell if this medication is helping me, my doc says that once I take the last injection at 36 weeks, if I WAS one of the women that it helped, I should go into labor at between 37 and 37 1/2 weeks along, because the medication typically stays in the system for 7-10 days.

Other than that, the heartburn is getting really bad and pretty much everything is getting smashed inside of me.  I am uncomfortable and not sleeping well.  My skin is acting up. And my feet are swelling from the heat.  Pretty much the only thing I have going for me is that my hair is thicker (it always is when I'm pregnant) and I haven't gained very much weight--only 11 pounds so far.

Until later,

Emily

NKOTBSB Concert

My friend Leah and I bought NKOTBSB concert tickets way back in December, before I even knew I was pregnant. I was able to see New Kids on the Block in concert when I was 15 almost 16, it was my first ever concert. I was one of those crazy, kooky, obsessed NKOTB fans. They got back together and went out on tour when I lived in Germany, and I wasn't able to go. I made a promise to myself that if I ever had the chance again, I would take it. James didn't want to go, but as luck would have it, I had a friend who thought that sounded like a fun thing to do so we were all set!

I am not a huge BSB fan, but I know enough of their more popular music that it was still fun when it was their turn on stage. The concert was very entertaining. I thought I would enjoy it because of the nostalgia, which I did, but I wasn't prepared for how much of " a show" both bands put on. The way that it worked was they sang a few songs together and then one band would leave the stage and let the other band sing 4-5 of their songs and then that band would leave and let the other band come on and do the same thing. It was pretty much non-stop singing for about 2 1/2 hours. We had a great time!

Leah & I made it! It took us close to two hours to drive down there (right in the middle of DC) even though it's only about 45 miles away from our town.

NKOTB

NKOTB

Joey McIntyre

BSB serenading four lucky fans!

NKOTB getting the crowd all fired up!

Jonathan Knight out working the crowds!

Jordan Knight.

NKOTB singing "I'll Be Loving You Forever".

"Hangin' Tough" in their green Boston Celtics jerseys.

Finale with both bands.

It was quite the show!

Until later,

Emily

And He's Back!

James returned home from his last work traveling trip (until after the baby arrives & I am on my feet again) tonight. He spent 11 days in Germany. This was probably the best experience the boys & I have had while he was gone. Go figure, since the next time James goes away, we will have three children! They behaved and I, for the most part, kept my sanity. The weather has been nice so we have been outside a lot and that helped! The only bump in the road was on Tuesday when I found out I may have to go to the hospital to get the steroids to develop the baby's lungs. I wasn't too happy about facing that while he was gone, finding last-minute babysitting for the boys and such, but it all worked out. It turned out that I didn't need the steroids after all/just yet.

Until later,

Emily