37 weeks into this pregnancy and I haven't felt much pain at all. My braxton hicks are getting more intense though, but it's like a gentle squeeze around my belly more than pain. We are now seeing two doctors weekly. Last week, we saw Dr. Rittenhouse for our regular check up, and we also went to the perinatal office for my glucose monitoring. Let's start with the glucose monitoring... The first part of the appointment was an ultrasound. Gerard's back was turned to the wand so we didn't see his little face. However, they found that I was low on fluids. The ultrasound tech called in a doctor to verify it, and so he called Dr. Rittenhouse with that update. They scheduled me on the spot for a non-stress test, and it actually turned out normal. Gerard was responding to the contractions (his heart beat would go up and down -- which is what they wanted to see) just fine. Because of the impromptu test, Erin my dietitian came in to talk to me while I was strapped to the non-stress tester about my glucose results instead of me going into her office like we've been doing. She said my daily test results were looking good, so I only have to do it once a day now, instead of 4x. She gave me more information on what I need to do post-partum, and gave me some paper for the hospital. I was advised to give it another 2 years before having another kid if we were planning on it as to give us time to recover and prepare for the next birth. I would need to notify them about the next pregnancy so we can start with my diabetes monitoring early on because I'm very much at risk for it again. Two days later we went in to see Dr. Rittenhouse where I was given a pelvic exam. It was uncomfortably done! He applied some pressure on me down there to which I just tightened my lips. He told me that's the kind of pain or pressure I'll feel during the real labor. I think he did a group B strep test because he handed me a tube of something for check out, and that I'll get results from it shortly. Why I hadn't confirmed what that was, I don't know! I think I was still reeling from the uncomfortable throbbing of the pelvic exam. He acknowledged my low fluids, and we asked what we could do about it. He said there really isn't a known reason why fluids become low but I should keep myself hydrated any way. Later that night, I was getting ready to shower when I noticed blood all over my underwear. It alarmed me at first sight, but I figure it was from the pelvic exam so I just let it be. I put a pad on overnight in case I continued to bleed, but next morning, I was clean. However, later that day at work, I noticed some bleeding again and called Dr. Rittenhouse (who wasn't in at the time) but his assistant advised it could possibly just be from the pelvic exam. I had informed her about the night before and how I figured it was from the exam, but she assured that Dr. Rittenhouse will call me back later. She asked if I was feeling any pain but I was not, so I really had nothing to worry about. When doctor called, he explained the same thing -- if the bleeding is more than a regular period, then that's when I should call in about possible labor. Well the last couple of weeks, white-colored discharges have been showing on my underwear and since my last appointment, I have been showing colored discharges. Nothing so alarming, though. We're still 3 weeks away from the due date, and the lack of pain makes it like I'm still very far away from that date! I go to the perinatal office and Dr. Rittenhouse again this week. But it's been so hard to sit down and get up!!! It gets harder by the day!!! Almost everyday now, I've been getting asked if we're ready and my response is always 'No' because I haven't really felt the reality of pain just yet.. and it's like just any other day in this pregnancy. Hehehehe. Last weekend, I was asked by strangers when I was due. I hadn't realized that I show that much now, because everyone else who sees me everyday keeps telling me I don't show as much. One lady on the street asked if I was 7 months along but we told her that we're due in about a month or so! Another lady at the grocery asked if we were having a boy or girl at the checkout, but I didn't think I was showing that much. She saw my belly shaping out under my thick sweater though! So there's our update. We'll see what happens on Thursday after the appointments. Hopefully we're still good on track.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
3 weeks before the big due date
37 weeks into this pregnancy and I haven't felt much pain at all. My braxton hicks are getting more intense though, but it's like a gentle squeeze around my belly more than pain. We are now seeing two doctors weekly. Last week, we saw Dr. Rittenhouse for our regular check up, and we also went to the perinatal office for my glucose monitoring. Let's start with the glucose monitoring... The first part of the appointment was an ultrasound. Gerard's back was turned to the wand so we didn't see his little face. However, they found that I was low on fluids. The ultrasound tech called in a doctor to verify it, and so he called Dr. Rittenhouse with that update. They scheduled me on the spot for a non-stress test, and it actually turned out normal. Gerard was responding to the contractions (his heart beat would go up and down -- which is what they wanted to see) just fine. Because of the impromptu test, Erin my dietitian came in to talk to me while I was strapped to the non-stress tester about my glucose results instead of me going into her office like we've been doing. She said my daily test results were looking good, so I only have to do it once a day now, instead of 4x. She gave me more information on what I need to do post-partum, and gave me some paper for the hospital. I was advised to give it another 2 years before having another kid if we were planning on it as to give us time to recover and prepare for the next birth. I would need to notify them about the next pregnancy so we can start with my diabetes monitoring early on because I'm very much at risk for it again. Two days later we went in to see Dr. Rittenhouse where I was given a pelvic exam. It was uncomfortably done! He applied some pressure on me down there to which I just tightened my lips. He told me that's the kind of pain or pressure I'll feel during the real labor. I think he did a group B strep test because he handed me a tube of something for check out, and that I'll get results from it shortly. Why I hadn't confirmed what that was, I don't know! I think I was still reeling from the uncomfortable throbbing of the pelvic exam. He acknowledged my low fluids, and we asked what we could do about it. He said there really isn't a known reason why fluids become low but I should keep myself hydrated any way. Later that night, I was getting ready to shower when I noticed blood all over my underwear. It alarmed me at first sight, but I figure it was from the pelvic exam so I just let it be. I put a pad on overnight in case I continued to bleed, but next morning, I was clean. However, later that day at work, I noticed some bleeding again and called Dr. Rittenhouse (who wasn't in at the time) but his assistant advised it could possibly just be from the pelvic exam. I had informed her about the night before and how I figured it was from the exam, but she assured that Dr. Rittenhouse will call me back later. She asked if I was feeling any pain but I was not, so I really had nothing to worry about. When doctor called, he explained the same thing -- if the bleeding is more than a regular period, then that's when I should call in about possible labor. Well the last couple of weeks, white-colored discharges have been showing on my underwear and since my last appointment, I have been showing colored discharges. Nothing so alarming, though. We're still 3 weeks away from the due date, and the lack of pain makes it like I'm still very far away from that date! I go to the perinatal office and Dr. Rittenhouse again this week. But it's been so hard to sit down and get up!!! It gets harder by the day!!! Almost everyday now, I've been getting asked if we're ready and my response is always 'No' because I haven't really felt the reality of pain just yet.. and it's like just any other day in this pregnancy. Hehehehe. Last weekend, I was asked by strangers when I was due. I hadn't realized that I show that much now, because everyone else who sees me everyday keeps telling me I don't show as much. One lady on the street asked if I was 7 months along but we told her that we're due in about a month or so! Another lady at the grocery asked if we were having a boy or girl at the checkout, but I didn't think I was showing that much. She saw my belly shaping out under my thick sweater though! So there's our update. We'll see what happens on Thursday after the appointments. Hopefully we're still good on track.
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