Baby Drama

I went to the Doctor this morning and it looks like I am dilated 1cm- which means nothing really, but the doctor couldn’t feel the head. Last week, the other doctor said she did feel it, so either he flipped or she just didn’t feel him for some other reason.

I am going back today at 3:30 for an ultrasound to see if he really is breach. If he is, they will have to schedule a procedure to try to flip him. If that works- great, but if it doesn’t, there is a 50/50 chance it could send me into labor which means I would have to have an emergency C section at that time. If it doesn’t work and I don’t go into labor, then they would have to schedule a c- section.

I really don’t want a c-section, so I am hoping this lady was just wrong and that his head really is down, because it really feels like it is. Wish me luck.

32 Weeks!

I can't believe that I am 32 weeks along! It seems like just yesterday that I told you all that I was going to have a baby! It has been a roller coaster so far, but I can't complain. I have managed to avoid many of the really hard parts of pregnancy that so many people have to deal with and I am so lucky to be pregnant at the right time for me-many people get pregnant too soon or have to go through a lot of waiting a frustration before it happens for them and I think of them whenever I am feeling sorry for my big fat bloated self and remember how lucky I am.

At this point- my little preppy baby is around 4 lbs and 19 inches long. He is moving around so much at this point that I sometimes worry that he must be huge! He feels very strong, and rolls and turns and kicks and pushes and generally seems like he is having a wild time inside my belly. I am very excited to see him soon and can't wait to hold him.

I recently found out that my cousin and his wife are also expecting a baby- they are due in may- and I am very excited that our group of cousins has started having kids- I think it will be so much fun to see them all grow up together. Although they live in NYC, I hope our children grow up to be great friends.

We have been busy getting ready for the Holiday that seems to be sneaking up on us really quickly! Budgets are tight this year, so i have been trying to come up with thoughtful and or handmade gifts for family members. I had the idea of doing a dinner exchange with Big Guy's sister. Instead of giving each other presents, each couple could cook be in charge of an interactive night of cooking. Since both couples love to cook, I thought this might be a fun way to spend time together while doing an activity that we enjoy. For my parents, I was planning to make them matching T-shirts with our preppy baby's name on them- I know it sounds strange, but that is what my dad wants, so who am I to argue. The tricky ones are Big Guy's parents! I wish preppy baby was going to be born in time for Christmas so that I could just give framed pictures of him- but no... I will have to think of something else...any ideas?
What are you all getting for your in-laws?

Sorry I've been MIA

I haven't posted in a while- sorry. I have been so busy and pretty tired too! After Thanksgiving, I was exhausted and it took me a while to recover. Then I had a little pregnancy scare that sent me to the hospital wondering if this was it- was the baby coming early?
Warning TMI ahead:
I was having discomfort for about 12 hours before I called the doctor and asked if I could take anything that might safely assist me in going to the bathroom- I hadn't gone for 3 days and it was starting to be a problem. I would run to the restroom every 15 minutes thinking this was it- I had to go! and then nothing...eventually, it started to be painful and I was having stomach pains and cramps in waves. I called the doctor again, and they said that it could be labor! I am only 31 weeks, so obviously, I would prefer NOT giving birth at this time, but I knew that the baby would most likely be OK- most of my panic was due to the fact that I hadn't mentally prepared for this and that the baby would need help to fully develop- and who wants their baby to have to go through all that. I got to the hospital and fully expected them to examine me and send me home, but they sent me upstairs to Labor and Delivery! When I got up there, I fully expected them to examine me and send me home- but they put me in a gown and in a bed and strapped monitors to me and said that I was having contractions! It was all a little surreal and the whole time I was expecting everything to be a false alarm and no big deal...

Well, it turned out fine- I was not dilating, so the contractions were likely caused by stomach and bowel spasms (I told you this was TMI) and they made me have a procedure that aided in going to the bathroom (again...TMI). It was very uncomfortable and actually kind of humiliating- but I know it was for my own good- and afterwards, I felt so much better and after a day of resting, my contractions are a thing of the past. It was a strange and unpleasant 24 hours, but at least everything worked out and it was a sort of dress rehearsal for the real thing. Now we know where to park, where to go and even how to work the TVs!

Baby Update

Some of you have been asking for baby updates and I am happy to oblige. I am due February 11. As of this minute I am 15 weeks and 2 days pregnant and my baby is about the the size of an apple. Some days my belly is HUGE, like yesterday, and some days it is pretty small, like today--I am in a regular vineyard vines cord pencil skirt without a problem. It all seems very strange and random to me but I am sure that once I POP officially, it will be big from then on.

I am feeling pretty well in general, although today I have felt a little crummy. It honestly feels like I went out and partied last night (let me assure you that I did not).

Big Guy is very excited, and makes time to talk to the baby every day even though we are dealing with a million things going on right now (More on that later).

I am so excited to be a mom, and I know it sounds corny, but even though being pregnant makes me feel a million different ways--Happy, scared, anxious, uptight, stressed, cautious, tired, excited and nervous, there is the overwhelming feeling that what I am going through right now is entirely GOOD, it is almost like saying a 40 week prayer- and I don't usually talk like this, because I am not a talk-y person when it comes to what I believe- and faith and all of that, but I feel very tied to something bigger than myself with this experience, as though I am doing something that it 100% good. It is hard to explain. I hate to get all deep- but that was the thought that occurred to me this morning while I walked to work from my bus.

Thanks for all the kind words, the interest and the support fro my bloggy friends! It really does make me happy!

Best,

MP

(picture from babycenter.com)

The Follow up

Thanks so much for the helpful advice and information. It helps to hear that my doctor isn't the only one who has rushed a little in an appointment. Also, I agree that it is my own responsibility to speak up if I feel that I am not getting proper care! I would say something if I got a lousy haircut so why not something that costs 100 times as much! I decided to follow up with the office about the BPM and they responded very quickly that my baby's heartbeat was within the normal healthy range at 155- which is great. I am not sure if it is a boy or a girl based on the old wives tales that you can tell the sex from the heart rate- does anyone know that one? I don't totally believe in any of those things but it is fun the speculate.

Also, I am feeling better today. Yesterday I had a little bit of a rough morning but it may have been the result of an empty stomach. I made sure to have an egg, slice of cheese and half an English muffin before I left home today--Now if I could only remember my water bottle! Because of all that BPA plastic scariness I bought a stainless steel water bottle- it is so cute- but I keep forgetting it at home where it does me no good!

Heart Beat

Yesterday we had a doctor's appointment and we were both anxious to hear our baby's heartbeat for the first time. We had caught a glimpse of a little flashing heart on an early ultrasound at around 7 or 8 weeks, but had yet to have that moment where we hear the heart and know that the pregnancy is real- and that we are soon to be parents! After hearing it????---all I can say is that I feel a little bit cheated! It wasn't magical! It barely lasted 5 seconds. It was very unceremonious and the doctor just seemed to rush through it- she placed the doppler thing on my stomach, moved it around a little, found it, and said- there it is... and then I said, "That is the heartbeat?" and I smiled and looked at Big Guy and then it was over and she was packing up her stuff and it was all done! There was no discussion, no- time to really digest what we were listening to- no EXPERIENCE! I feel sad that I felt rushed and almost like it was no big deal! I wonder if I made a mistake when I stuck with the teaching hospital instead of choosing a private practice? I thought they were supposed to tell me a number- something like a heart rate or BPM or something! but really- it all happened so fast! I don't know what to think about this. My next ultrasound at 20 weeks is supposed to be an hour long, so I suppose that will give me plenty of ooh and ahh time? Has anyone else had this experience?

Helpful Hubby

When we learned that we were going to have a baby, Big Guy and I were Cautiously THRILLED. We knew that a lot of pregnancies didn't progress to the 12 week point, so we kept a low profile and tried not to get too excited until we hit that point. For the first three months, I felt really tired and some days felt pretty awful- throughout the whole first trimester, I kept waiting for him to clean the apartment- to do the dishes, to take out the trash, do a load of laundry....ANYTHING!!!! And he never did! I had to resort to asking him to clean...and still nothing. We bought him an Expectant Father book- where they kept stressing how important it was to do more than your share around the house in those early days because your partner feels lousy--still....NADA... I cried, I hinted, I yelled, I alluded...NOTHING! Finally came 12 weeks and a major MELTDOWN. My receptionist at work told me I had a delivery- and I went up to get it and saw that it was a beautiful pink and green arrangement in the square vase that was wrapped in a pink satin ribbon and tied with a bright green ribbon. I was so happy because I thought, even if he didn't clean, he made the effort to send me flowers on the day that was so long in coming....and the first day I felt free to be excited! I looked at the card....It was from my parents...Big guy didn't even get me a card. He didn't clean the apartment. He didn't even say anything! Don't get me wrong- Big Guy is very excited to be a father and talks to my belly and reads his father book and is generally a very supportive man- but there was NO EXTRA EFFORT WHATSOEVER! Hence the major meltdown! It wasn't pretty- but I think it scared him straight. It happened Thursday night, and he took Friday afternoon off and cleaned the apartment. Since then- he has made our bed every day, and he even helped me make bachelorette invitations last night. He printed the text, cut them to size and even stamped the polka dots so that they all matched perfectly! He has done a total 180. It is so nice and I am reminded that he may be stubborn and a slow starter- but he is a wonderful husband and I love him very much.

Thanks!

Thank you so much for all the well wishes! I really needed them this week since I was dealing with some of those sensitive issues that I mentioned previously. All in all we had pretty good responses. Some better than expected, and some better than others. One of my best friends had a bit of a hard time since she has been trying for some months and having some roadblocks, but after a few conversations she came around and started acting like the supportive friend she really is deep down. She said that her main shock came from not knowing that we were trying. And though she understood that it wasn't my obligation to tell her, she felt hurt that I didn't tell her. I explained that it was my choice, and that I had learned that everyone watching you and wondering was no fun place to be and that is why I chose not to tell anyone. I think I understand how she felt- almost deceived in a way, but I think she came around to understanding that those were her issues and not really reality- which is ok, we are all human, and whether we admit it or not, we sometimes don't think the noblest of thoughts- most of us squish them down and don't say them out loud- but I bet we all think them.

So, this week has been challenging, but also a relief. One of my other potential landmines had a happy ending in that I found out that a good friend is also pregnant. I had been worried about her reaction since she had been trying for a year, but she is only two weeks behind me- so that is great! My only remaining issue is my cousin and his wife who have been trying for for over a year and suffered a miscarriage last year around this time--so I am sure that it will be hard for them to hear, but hopefully good news will be on the way for them soon.

Again, Thanks to all of you for being so happy for me- as you can see, i was in need of some unabashed joy and congratulatory cheer. Big Guy and I feel so lucky and happy and blessed and it is great to be able to share that now!

Exciting News

I am pregnant! After a long 12 weeks (well- Wednesday will be 12 exactly) I am excited to announce that big guy and I are expecting a baby in February! My due date is very close to Magnolia Marriage and Manhattan's which is really fun! For the past three months I have had it pretty easy- I have felt pretty terrible a lot of the time and I have been really exhausted and I have this very strange tailbone pain-which is somehow pregnancy related (anyone have any experience with this?) but I haven't thrown up much at all (only twice) which is very nice. My mom said that she didn't have morning sickness which is probably why I lucked out as well. (Sorry MMM- I know you had a hard time.) Big Guy and I are so excited and have just started to share our good news with family and friends. Unfortunately we have more than our share of sensitive situations to deal with- with family an friends trying and having a difficult time--but we couldn't be happier. My parent's are overjoyed and so are his- I am sure this will be one spoiled baby.