Update on 31 Weeks

I'm going to wait a bit to talk about how my appointment went this week. Dr. Stewart called in sick, so his receptionist called me a half hour before our appointment and cancelled it. They couldn't get me in until the first of November so Dr.S wanted so see me, and we learned some very frightening things may take place soon. I want to wait to really talk about it all because we are all hoping that Dr. Stewart will be able to give us some more details and clear up a bit of scary factors for us. All I know for sure is, her due date of December 18th is no longer applicable and I'm hoping we can still have her naturally by December 4th. I'm just putting my hopes in everything going normally by then. But, as Roger said...at this point we plan for the worst and hope for the best. One thing she did say, is that Kay is really long with really long legs...I wonder where she gets that from (she says sarcastically).

Anywho..updates.

Babycenter.com: "This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. He weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

Have you noticed the muscles in your uterus tightening now and then? Many women feel these random contractions — called Braxton Hicks contractions — in the second half of pregnancy. Often lasting about 30 seconds, they're irregular, and at this point, they should be infrequent and painless." They are painless, but extremely uncomfortable...

Thebump.com: "Out of breath? Your still-growing uterus is squeezing your lungs, making it impossible for them to fully expand like they used to. Things will improve once baby drops, probably in the next few weeks. Until then, sit up straight with your shoulders back to get a little relief.

Baby's going through major brain and nerve development these days. His irises now react to light, and all five senses are in working order. (He won't pick up anything from his nose until after birth, though -- smell is transferred through air, not amniotic fluid.)"

Babiesonline.com: "Your baby will gain weight faster than he'll increase in length. By now the baby's lungs and digestive tract are nearly mature. Your baby's irises can now dilate and contract in response to light. Due to the deposits of white fat underneath the skin your baby's skin is no longer red, but is now the wonderful newborn pink color. His fingernails may reach the end of the hands, too."

Update on 30 Weeks

Yep, I'm 30 weeks. We saw Dr.S on Monday and she seemed very pleased with my progress on the meds 3 times a day. I had two really frustrating days last week, and she assured me that everything was okay. The part that has been frustrating for me is when I try really hard to watch what goes in my mouth, and my sugar levels shoot out of control...but it seems like on the days where I don't care as much what I eat, they're not so bad...(like eating potato soup and cake on the Saturday of our baby shower or chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and white gravy for instance should have had that affect on me because those foods are a carb nightmare...)

The fear of my baby's health especially, but also being hospitalized while they figure out an insulin level to put me on sends me into a horrible frustrating depressive mood when I have high days, because I just feel like all my hard work is not good enough and that I'm doing Kay harm. It's really tough some days, but if my doctor says I'm doing okay, I need to listen to her, but that is hard too because I've just got this fear sitting in the back seat that I'm not doing good enough.

This (watching sugar levels, and what I eat and how often I eat, and how much I eat) feels like the hardest thing I've ever had to do, because it isn't just me being affected anymore. I wouldn't be nearly as frustrated if it were just my health on the line...

Anywho, Dr.S told my mom (I was making my next appointment, so I didn't actually hear this part) that she thinks Kay will come up to two weeks early. She is certain I won't make it to my due date. At the very least, one week early. So, we are looking at the end of November to the 10th of December. We are getting close! We'll just have to see what happens. We have an appointment with Dr. Stewart this coming Monday, so hopefully I'll have some pictures to post and a current weight on her.

Updates!

Babycenter.com: "Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)"

Babiesonline.com: "Your baby's permanent teeth have developed and are waiting in his gums. Your baby is very aware of his surroundings and his eyelids will open and close. He will even look around and turn toward light. We tend to think of the uterus as a dark place but the uterus actually can be light and dark depending on your environment.

You may be able to distinguish sleeping and waking cycles in your baby. Although it usually seems as if the baby wants to sleep while you are awake, and vice versa, this is not indicative of a sleepless newborn. Your baby can not only hear your voice, but can recognize it. Also, he has a grip so strong it is capable of gripping your finger. At this point, your baby may be practicing nursing as he sucks his thumb. He has lungs that are capable of breathing air, although medical help may be needed. About 9 out of 10 babies born now will survive."

Thebump.com: "As baby's skin smooths out, her brain just keeps getting more wrinkled. All those grooves and indentations increase surface area, meaning more room for that oh-so-essential brain tissue. She's also adding some brawn -- her grip is now strong enough to grasp a finger."

Update on 29 Weeks

Whew! I don't know if I mentioned it before, but I've officially made it to the Third Trimester. With all the problems we had at the start, I wasn't sure we'd make it this far. I'm so happy that it's all resolved and she's as happy and healthy as a baby can be while still baking.

I had an appointment with Dr.S yesterday to check-up on the meds she started me on and to see if they're helping enough. Good news is, it seems to be working. She seemed very pleased with the results (much better reaction than last week, when those stupid people who are supposed to be specialists put me on the wrong path to getting better), and I felt better than I had in weeks. I'd been down and really depressed while trying to work through this, and I actually felt like I was making headway for the first time in three weeks. We are increasing the med to 3 times a day instead of 2, and hopefully that will put me where I need to be. We didn't actually see Kay, but her heart rate is good and she is still super active. I also discovered that I am already back to my pre-pregnancy weight, which means I've lost about 5 to 6 pounds in the last 2 weeks. I was a little worried about that, but they assured me that it was okay because Kay is gaining.

I also discovered what a contraction feels like. Apparently I've been having them on and off the past week, but didn't know that's what was going on. I thought it was just Kay sitting on something or moving just right to make me uncomfortable. They're right on that borderline of very uncomfortable but not quite painful. I had one while she was feeling my belly, looking for Kay, and she said, "I do believe that was a contraction." I was like, "Is that what that is?" She told me to keep an eye on how many I have, and if I get to 6 or more in an hour that I need to call her right away. We don't want to have her too early.

On another note, I'm super excited about the cool weather we've been having. I haven't had to have my air conditioner on in days, and it's been so nice outside! The only drawback is, the weather change has made my asthma flair up again, so I'm trying to get a handle on that again.

Updates!

Babycenter.com: "Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. To meet his increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day."

Thebump.com: "Baby's energy is surging, thanks to white fat depositing beneath his skin. And since he's growing so fast (weight will triple by birth), things are getting kind of cramped in the womb. What all this means for you: Get ready for some more kicks and jabs to the ribs."

Babiesonline.com: "Your baby can open his eyes and will turn his head towards a source of any light. His sensory organs are well developed. His fingernails and toenails are growing and he is beginning to regulate his own temperature. The bone marrow is completely in charge of production of the red blood cells now. Your baby even urinates about a half liter of urine into the amniotic fluid every day. Your baby weighs about 2.5 pounds and is over 15 inches long.

The movements you feel will probably begin to change at this point. You once were the home of wild gymnastics parties, but now as the space becomes cramped you will notice smaller movements, such as elbows and knees poking you."