Almost there... 36-38 weeks

June 25 – 36w 2d

Another appointment marathon day.  First stop of the day à biophysical profile.  I’m confounded every time I deal with the ultrasonographer at this point.  When I was pregnant with Gracie, he remembered every time he saw me that I am a physical therapist and went to P.T. school with one of his wife’s colleagues.  He is the one that confirmed that Gracie had no heartbeat.  Yet, 6 months later, when we showed up pregnant with Jenna acted like he had never met me before.  Same deal with baby number 3; every time he sees me, it’s like he’s meeting me for the first time.  Anyway, as he got started with the ultrasound he asked “Has baby been breech?”  Of course, this almost brought me right up off the table.  I asked if he was telling me that she was breech and he asked again if she had been breech.  Long story short, our little bug had flipped herself over again and was back in a breech position.  Fantastic.  Just what we need at 36 weeks.  Aside from this wonderful news, all was well with the NST and the OB check.

June 28 – 36w 5d

NST and MFM appointment.  NST was appropriately reactive.  The very good news of the day was that our little bug had, yet again, flipped herself over and is again head down.  She was estimated to be 6 lbs 12 oz for overall growth, which put her in the 59^th percentile.  No more MFM appointments unless a problem develops between now and Bug’s birthday.

July 2 – 37w 2d

BPP, NST and OB check.  Ultrasound had to be done at the hospital instead of in the office this morning, as the sonographer is on vacation this week.  The hospital sonographer didn’t know that she had just been measured a few days before, so she measured her again.  Estimated to be 6 lbs 15 oz….  so we are thinking that she will likely be between 7 and 7.5 lbs when she finally makes her appearance.  Very reactive NST.  Met the new midwife in the practice today.  They haven’t turned her loose on the L&D floor yet, as she has only been there for a couple weeks, but it was nice to meet her.  I liked her immediately, which usually doesn’t happen with the midwives.  Since she is so new, it’s unlikely that she will be the one to deliver our little bug…but maybe next time.

July 5 – 37w 5d

NST only today.  Very reactive in a short period of time.  In and out quickly today!

July 6 – 37w 6d

Very distinct change in Bug’s movements today.  Everything seems very sluggish.  The amount of movement doesn’t compare to what it’s been in the last several weeks, and the intensity/velocity of the movement also doesn’t compare.  Thought that perhaps it was heat related, so I made a huge effort to drink even more than I normally do and make sure that it was all very cold, but it didn’t help much.  Finally decided to put a call in to the midwife on call and she had me come into L&D for a little monitoring.  As soon as I was hooked up, I could hear her moving all over the place, but I was just not feeling any of it.  I was  hooked up for just over an hour, and all looked well.  They sent me home with instructions to come back the next day if nothing changed.  Movement the next day wasn’t a whole lot better, but I waited it out until the following day (Sunday)  Things were better on Sunday, so I assume that all is well.  But… it was just one of those moments / experiences that made we want to crawl out of my skin.  If one more person tells me that she’s running out of room to move as we get closer to delivery, I might have to start clubbing people.  Yep.  I understand that.  However… it’s not something that changes overnight; it changes gradually.  I have also experienced sudden change…and it was because my baby was dead…not because she was out of room.  Sigh.

July 9 38w 2d

Appointment marathon Monday.  BPP was good; baby is still vertex.  NST was appropriately reactive without any issues.  Midwife checked me – 1 cm., 50% effaced, cervix pulled about half-way forward and very soft.  So…pretty much whenever she wants to make her appearance, it’s go time.  At this point, we are giving her the week to bake and then this weekend we will start the stuff that we did with Jenna to ‘self’ induce labor.  Next appointment is Friday, July 13 for NST.