Dancing Queen

"You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life
See that girl, watch that scene, dig in the dancing queen"

Right.  So after three weeks of a small bag of rabid weasels running around inside Darby's belly (her analogy, not mine), Lili seems to have settled into a head down position.  The Dr. was pretty sure of it with the physical exam, and brought in the machine that goes "ping" to prove it to Darby.

Funny story - at the appointment on the 2nd, we were talking about how there's some study talking about foot pain causing babies to turn.  Friday the 5th, Darby damn near broke her toe (so much so we went to the walk-in clinic to make sure it wasn't).  Swelling and purple bruises later (and some more toe-kicking) things are looking better, both for the toe and for the position... Coincidence?  :)

Salient details.  36cm belly, baby's heartbeat in the 130's, if she went into labor today they wouldn't do anything to stop her.  They made her do a NST, and it was funny to watch the changes to Lili's heartbeat when Cora would enter and exit the room (it didn't help that little miss sunshine #1 didn't nap yesterday and was in "a mood").

We also took a tour of the birth center over at the hospital and got pre-registered, so now when she goes into labor, we can skip all the paperwork.

Questions?

Update for March 2nd Dr. Appt

The good:
Darby's weight is down 2 pounds from last checkup, blood pressure is a good 120/60 (almost saintly considering the night we had - Cora was running a slight fever and didn't want to sleep).  Belly measurement is "about 35 to 36cm" - yeah we're only officially at 34 weeks... hmmmm.  Heartbeat of baby was in the high 130's.

The bad:
We start doing NST's next appointment.  (For those of you just joining us, NST or "Non Stress Test" is something the did for Darby when she was pregnant with Cora.  It's used to measure heartbeat and movement of baby to make sure things are going ok.  They did it for Cora because Darby was being treated for Gestational Diabetes (also a great Scrabble word...).  Darby passed the tests this go around, and the Dr. admitted he may have been a little too worried about Darby's numbers this time - her's blood sugars are good).

The ugly:
Lili has shifted again.  Dr. thinks she might be "foot breach" but he's not too worried yet.  We're only at 34 weeks.  If she's still not sitting right at the next appointment, that's when things get interesting.  There's a few options available at that point that don't include C-Section - so we'll burn that bridge when we get there.

That's all I have for an update - I'll leave any other details to the wife.  :)

On the move....

Had a good appt yesterday. Weight is 2-3 more lbs in 2 weeks. A bit faster than I want but of no real concern. Didn't get the belly measurement this time. I got distracted with the quick ultrasound as we couldn't quite figure out what direction she was. I knew she wasn't head down anymore. A couple of nights ago there was some sort of spacial argument in my belly and she is now sideways or transverse. The ultrasound showed her head to the left (if looking down from the top) and butt to the right. That would explain the different shape I am sporting now. But with hands, legs and feet down its a bit rough on my bladder and anything else that is down there. Sometimes it feels like she is moving some where in the thigh area. There is no real concern about her position yet. Still have 7 weeks or so to go.

Had a quick blood test to see if my thyroid meds are still at the right levels. We will know in a couple of days. Other than that there is another appt in two weeks and I think that is one where we starting doing a NST here and there. (NST= non stress test) Had a crap ton of those with Cora so all it entails is laying with a blood pressure cuff and belly monitors on for 1/2 hour to see what the baby is doing.

Name clarification for those in desperate need of closure :p Liliana Abigail (now we just have to hope that fits when she comes out but I think its set) Most likely Lili for short.

Cora update:
She started a Creative Movement class (pre ballet sort of thing) yesterday. She had a total blast! She has been telling me for weeks that she wants to be a ballerina so we have made her a tutu and now this class has started. Found out about it from a friend of mine. They didn't have any classes for the 2 year old age range and the classes they did have started at 3-5 years. Now anyone who has had kids or observed them at all knows they will start dancing as soon as their walking if they are exposed to it. So it was requested that a younger class be offered and this is a trial run but after yesterday I think it is going to be a hit.

Other than all that its pretty quiet here.... Any questions?

10 weeks to go...

We had a Dr.s appt today. We went from one a month to three weeks (for one appt) and now we are going every other week. So more updates! In two weeks we will have another.
No more planned ultra sounds for now so we might not have the picture collection we had with Cora.

The baby is head down and doing well. My kick counts are usually done in 1-10 minutes. She is an active baby! Heart beat was at 160. Tummy measurement was 31.

I have gained two pounds in the last three weeks. I was disappointed with it but the Dr was happy with that and when I grumbled a little I was told I did need to gain some weight. This puts me at 9 lbs total gain so far. Guess I can't complain though!

I am on a generic version of pepsid. Acid reflux feels like an understatement. Every time I laid down I would have food and or acid at the top of my throat if not all the way up. It has been like that for the last week. No matter what I ate, how much or when it would creep up and I would occasionally throw up at 2am. I had been popping tums like a mad woman which lead to my earlier problem. This will help so much!

I still have "morning sickness". I am thinking I am going to be having it to the end. Oh well there are good and bad days and sometimes its just easier just to throw up. Although Cora has moved into this space where things "scare her". We aren't sure where that has come from but as I was throwing up today I kept telling her it was ok and mommy was just sick (I usually get "again??") When I came out of the bathroom I was told I had scared her. Wonder how that is all going to go.....

Everything else is going well so far.... the house is off the market now so stress has lowered. We will hope the bank will keep the mortgage at the lowered rate. If not we believe the paper work says we will be able to do a deed in lieu instead and be out from under it one way or another. If the payments stay at the adjusted rate we plan to stay in the house at least for a few years. I don't really want to move with a new baby again. So fingers crossed!

Anything else Honey?

A brief update

With some Smooth Move tea and 4 TBSP of Milk of Mag (two small doses) I think my troubles have taken a turn for the other direction.... Better though!

A new level of ouch....this includes TMI!!!! I need to let it out though....

So I have discovered a new level of pain with an impacted bowel. Because my stomach has been over acid for nearly a week, no matter what I eat, how much or when, the tums I was taking have quit really working on my acid tummy but instead have started working with my vomit medication to back up my system so bad its painful and scary. For the last three days its been.....(that bad but I am not going to share the finer details of what is happening with my rear) Other fun does involve food backing up to where I end up with acid in my throat as soon as I lay down (even if I don't eat a few hours before bed) and have been known to have to get up at 2am to vomit.
I called the Dr to day and am trying milk of mag. as well as some Soothe Move tea. If its not going by tomorrow I have to call the Dr again and we will go from there. I am in a new world of pain and this has been another addition that is making this pregnancy a lot harder than with Cora. I am going to guess it could be worse but this has been a tough one. Still sick, now backed up to a scary level and my rear end doesn't feel like it will ever be the same. At least the babys growth, my weight gain and the rest have been good but this other....I could do with out.

In other news...our new king bed got here today and its fantastic so far. I can't wait to sleep on it tonight. There is a lot more room and I can hardly feel when Trent tried a near belly flop. That will make getting out of bed when Cora is down easier. I am happy with it so far! A friend of ours is helping us build a king headboard bookcase (a simple one shelf thing) to attach to the bed. It will be pretty sweet having that and hand making it! And the wood is free! I plan to share some canned items and the like but its a really nice thing!

I have to paint now. Trent seems to want his BB team done for some reason. I guess he was getting mocked... he he!

Because if I don't....

A certain sister-in-law will strangle me :)

Had a good Dr appt today. Even with a wait in the office and a no-nap child. I have gained a half a pound again which puts total gain at 7lbs. I gained 10 with Cora but mostly in the last trimester. I am hoping to keep it low this time. BP 120/80 like last time.

The Dr. is really happy with my glucose test results. He didn't expect it to go as well as it did. With my blood sugars and BP I keep surprising him. He is a wonderful guy but sometimes I get the feeling he is waiting for me to gain 20lbs or explode or something :) We will be doing a non stress test down the line as we get closer. Those are old hat since I think I had 20 some odd test with Cora. (could be an exaggerated number, slightly, but it seemed like we were in there all the time)

So far the baby is already head down. The Dr could feel where she was at. She is sitting hard to the right and I had a braxton hicks contraction that allowed me to feel where she was more than I usually can. Its interesting to be able to put my hand on her back. Couldn't do that with Cora since she sat somewhere near my spine and I could never really tell where she was til near the end.

New baby is really active and I get to start kick counts again. Tonights were done in about 15 min. I get punched in the bladder a lot and kicked in the stomach...and there is three months to go! :)

I am having some rough lower spine pain. Its kind of in the hips but centered in my lower back. Its making standing up and walking a bit rough in the last few days. Other than that I am still vomiting but most of the time its just nausea in the AM and PM and just about any other time it feels like it in between. I figure that is ok to deal with since everything else seems to be going so well.

Next appt is in three weeks and then we move to every other week.

I think we may have settled on a name, as it has been the one we have both been agreeing on for a while now.... Liliana Abigale and using Lili for short. Trent came up with that one. I had suggested Lilija (a Scandinavian version) and he thought I had said Lilianna and when he came up with Abigale a while later it just seemed to work.

Questions?