Zachary Alexander has arrived.

We got to the hospital around 9:30pm and the midwives checked me and I was about 3cm and 70% effaced, so foley bulb was out. The foley is smaller than 1cm and anything bigger than that and it doesn't do anything. So she said we could go ahead and start a small amount of pitocin...then see how my body adjusted and turn it down or off.

I was really tired but not able to sleep b/c of all the monitors and iv and drama, so I asked if they could give me something to sleep. She brought me an ambien to help me sleep and they started the pit around 11 pm. I still couldn't sleep much, but on and off. Doug got a little sleep and I got a little. I was doing fine, not hurting too bad, contractions getting closer together and stronger. I woke around 3ish and was hurting pretty bad. I started thinking I just couldn't do it. I was hurting and started crying some and telling Doug I hoped he didn't think I was a wuss, but I wanted the epi. So we asked the nurse and around 3:30/4 they ordered the epi. I was breathing through the contractions and thinking the epi better get here quick. Well, I was also sort of thinking in the back of my head that I must be in transition b/c that's when you start thinking they better find another way to get the baby out b/c he is NOT coming out the way they think he is. :) But I didn't think there was any way I could already be in transition.

So a few minutes pass (which seems like hours), and the midwife comes in and says let's check you and see where you are. So she checks and I was 7cm, 100% effaced and that my bag of water was bulging and he was right at the lip of my cervix. She said, we could wait for the epi, or I can break your water and you can have him out in about 30 minutes. So I was crying and said "ok, fine, let's just do it" b/c by the time the anaes. came in and by the time it took effect he could be born.

I breathed some more and then felt like pushing, while they were getting everything ready. She said, hang on! Then she broke my water and I pushed a couple of times. The anes. came in. LOL. The nurse said "Too late!" and they left. I pushed about four more times and out he popped.

There was some meconium, so they went ahead and had me cut his cord and then suctioned him out.

He's doing great now, I'm doing great and we're thrilled he's here. :) They think the hearing machine is messed up, and want me to take him back in to have him re-tested b/c he failed the left side...but they were having problems with it all day.

9 pounds 3 ounces and 20.5 inches long with a cute round little head. November 6, 2008 at 4:59am.

39 weeks

No real progress from last week. Still about 2+cm and thick. The specialists still want me to induce by 40 weeks. I am going to call my mw tomorrow (since I didn't get to see her today) and just chat with her a little to see what she thinks. I have been having some hard ctrx the last couple of days, and last night, they were regular enough that I stopped and went to do something else to see if they would stop- they slowed, but continued throughout the night. They've stopped today though- well...mostly.
The mw I saw today stripped my membranes again- OUCH! and she said well, it's your third, so you never know- you could be two more weeks, or you could have him tonight.

The u/s was great- he looks really, really good. I feel like he's at least 9 lb, but that's just my guesstimate, so we'll see what happens!

oh and according to them, I've officially gained 24 pounds this pregnancy. With N I gained nearly 50 and with M I gained about 35-40. But this is the most I've ever weighed- I can't wait to get it all off!

My experience as a pin cushion

So not really that bad. :) I went to the acupuncturist today and it was interesting. SHe did some work on my sinuses, circulation, and of course, suggesting the baby come on out. I kept asking her what points she was putting needles in, and the only one that hurt was the one that is to open the pelvis. HA! As soon as she put it in, Zachary started squirming around, readjusting his positioning. I lay there for about 30-45 minutes, and then when she removed all of the needles, I stood up and he had already dropped about an inch! Crazy! I've been contracting all day on and off, nothing major or regular...but hopefully it's moving that way!

38 weeks and 2 days

In my pregnancy with Natalya...she was born today! And I'm still pregnant...I'm officially more pregnant now than I've ever been.

38 weeks today

The weird thing to think about is that with Natalya, I was induced at 38 weeks and one day and she was born the following day. Not going to be an issue here though, my bp is perfect, so no hypertension. I have no swelling at all in my feet- no edema. It looks like I am going to be more pregnant this time than ever before! :)

Today's appointments went great- he looks good, measuring great, and the mw stripped my membranes (ouch) and I immediately started having some contractions. She said she thinks he may be over 7 pounds, but he could surprise us b/c he seems to be growing out side-to-side instead of out front. I agree and I think he's at least 8 pounds, probably more. So we'll see. :) He also wasn't too happy with her messing around in there, because he kicked her- twice- while she was stripping. LOL.

I am having some discomfort and contractions from the membrane stripping, but otherwise feel good, so we'll just keep on keeping on and hopefully he'll decide to make an appearance soon. I am still at about 2.5/3 dialation, but am now about 50% effaced from 0% last week, so my body's doing something anyway.

37 weeks +

I had an appt with the maternal fetal specialist today. And another u/s. :) He looks great, and luckily for me, I got to meet with the dr that is the non-worrywart. ;) She said that everything looked perfect, with him and me (blood pressure fine, no protein in my urine, etc) so she didn't see any reason why I'd need to be induced at 39 weeks. She said if I did go past 39 weeks, she would recommend twice weekly monitoring, instead of once, but other than that, me going into labor on my own should be fine. *whew*

And the funny thing? He had his toes in his mouth!!! At first we thought it was his hand but she "focused in" or whatever on the appendage, and it was his foot! Crazy kid!

This afternoon I have a consultation with the accupuncturist, so we'll see how that goes. . . I still plan on going ahead with that, since according to them, it will be better to have him a little early. So I am not opposed to that. As of next Sunday, I will be more pregnant than I have ever been, since I was induced with N and she was born at 38 weeks and two days.

They estimate he's about 7lb 10 oz and his head is measuring over 40 weeks.

37 weeks!!

Holy CRAP!! 37 weeks!

Appts went great today- Z's doing perfect, which we love. :) Nothing interesting from the u/s appt, then onto the mw appt. She had to redo my groupB strep since the lab messed up the last one (she said they were really embarrassed. LOL). So no news there yet. She checked me and I'm "about 2 and a half, but definitely more dialated than last week". She also said she didn't technically strip my membranes, b/c she couldn't reach all the way up there, but she "swished around a little". :) No bleeding or discomfort, so I don't think she did too much.

I am about to go try to make an appt for a 39-week accupcuncture induction. :) We'll see how that goes.

Monday I have an appt with the maternal fetal specialist, another u/s and non-stress test. fun. I will also get to smile and nod when they go on and on about how i will be induced at 39 weeks. I do need to ask them about the heparin- how long after birth I need to wait before I start taking it again, and how long I shold continue taking it after delivery. So at least I can get those q's answered.

I'm SAD! My mw is going to be out of the office the next two weeks, so I may not see her again! I will meet with another mw for the next two appts, then if I make it to 40 weeks, I will meet with Mavis again. She will be available by phone though, so I can certainly call her office. (I have her direct line # hehe)

Meanwhile, all the diapers and clothes are washed and ready. Hospital bags are mostly packed. Z's is packed, and out "after delivery" bag is packed. the labor bag and N's bag are in progress, and I've already got my pillows (including the boppy) in the car. :) Once I get the other bags done, I'm just stuffing them in the car. It's a van. there's room. :) So all I will have to grab will be my daughter, the dogs and the camera, and head out the door. (dogs will be staying with my mom). At this point I am really telling Z that he needs to start things while Doug is at home, I really don't want to have to drive myself to Amanda's (where we'll be hanging out until we check in at the hospital) or have to wait 2+ hours for Doug to get home to drive us.

I've bought N a new pair of pajamas to surprise her with for her stay at grandma's, and I want to pick up a few small things for her to open at the hospital, books and arts things to keep her occupied. Oh, and I have to get the "big sister" shirt. :)

36 weeks already!!

I can't believe I am 36 weeks already!! And they want him here by 39 weeks, which means three weeks if he cooperates! YIPES! I had to have a talk with Doug the other day, he was in denial. ;)

Appts today were good. My grandmother and N went to the u/s appt and we got the BEST 3D pic so far. :) I wish I could show it to you guys. He looks just like N. He is measuring 6lb 13oz and everything measuring between 36 weeks 4 days and 37 weeks 5 days except his big old noggin, measuring 39 weeks 2 days. LOL.

At the mw, everything was good, he was cooperating perfectly while on the monitor, and she checked me, I'm 2 cm (common since I've had two kids) and long and thick, firm still. She said I could start EPO if I want. I also got the name of an accupuncturist and I am going to make an appt for 39 weeks, so if I'm still preggo, I will do that to induce labor. It's supposed to work really well, so I'm all for it. :) She said next week she'll strip my membranes- holding off to let my cervix get a little softer. She also said at 39 weeks, we can talk about castor oil, but honestly, I'm not a fan, and I probably won't do it.

Other than that, I have hit the "wow, I feel really pregnant" stage. :D and I am sick of all the nightmares about losing babies- miscarriages, stillbirth, botched c/sections...I've had them all, and about one a night. I can't wait until he's here and I'm holding him and those stupid dreams stop!!!

35 weeks and all is well

Everything looks great. This is the non-measuring week, so I don't know how his measurements are, but he feels BIG! :)

Next week's appointment will be busy. We're going to start checking my cervix to see how things are going, and if I am dialating at all or effacing. The specialists do not want me going to term and I do not want to be induced, so we're going to do what we can to naturally avoid a pit induction. I will be having my Group B strep test next week (which we hope will be negative) and then maybe stripping my membranes. We will continue to check and strip every week.

I am finally starting to realize that I will be holding a healthy baby at the end of this pregnancy, and it's sort of weird.

A new pic of me

Please forgive me... I had to do this myself since I am disconnecting the cable modem tomorrow and I wanted to get a pic up before that. :) So, this is ... rough. But you can at least see the big ol' belly. :)



Luckily I have not gained any weight in the last 9 weeks. Maybe a pound, I have been between 172/173 since 25 weeks. Seeing as I started out 30 pounds heavier than when I got pg with N, that is a blessing b/c I gained nearly 50lb with her. At this rate I will weigh less full-term with Z than I did with N. That would be weird.

Also, Doug and I have agreed that I am not as big now as I was when I had M. She was a big baby, and I know I was bigger with her at 31 weeks than I am now. I do think I am carrying Z more side-to-side b/c I seem wider than I did with the girls, and I have these bulges on the sides I've neer had before, but I am definitely not sticking out in the front as much...actually, I am not sticking out as much as I was with N either. Strange.

For comparison...
Me at 35 weeks with Natalya


Me at about 29 weeks with Margaret

The email I got today tells me that my little one is piling on the weight and chubby rolls at 33 weeks, and we got to see some of those rolls today on u/s. :) We also got to see him sucking and swallowing, watching his tongue motions and watching him breathing. He again had his face pressed into my placenta so no 3d pics for doug yet. Hopefully next week he will decide to show his face a little better.
Everything looks great! Mavis (my midwife) and I talked about plans as we get further along, and she said we could think about stripping my membranes at 38/39/40 weeks to help things move a little faster since we would like for him to not stay in too long b/c of my clotting disorder...and because I do NOT want to be induced. SO that will probably be the plan.
Z and I are still discussing his arrival, and how he needs to vacate earlier than originally planned. I think he's listening.

Meanwhile, the shower is planned for next Saturday and hopefully all our family and friends will be able to make it. We are thrilled to be able to celebrate his arrival and his life. :)

32 weeks and counting

Today I am at 32 weeks. I can't believe I've only got two months to go! We had our typical appointment today. Natalya and Doug were along for the ride and got to see the baby on ultrasound. No 3D today b/c he had his face buried in my uterus, so you wouldn't have seen much but an ear maybe. He is measuring right on- everyhting measuring 32+ weeks and belly and head measuring 33+ weeks (normal she says). And the crazy thing? She pointed out that you could see his hair floating around in the fluid! She said, wow, he's got a lot of hair! (and still two months to go!)
He weighs in at 4lb 7oz (give or take, these are not very accurate), so gaining steadily. Everything still looks good, so we're thrilled to pieces!

Tonight we went to see Disney on ice - Worlds of Fantasy, and natalya had a blast. She loved watching the skaters and really enjoyed the Lion King and Fairies segments. We had great seats and had gotten them 50% off b/c it was opening night too! Can't beat that!

I had my 31-week appointment today, and the ultrasound was so awesome. Amanda went with me (she had never seen an u/s before) and was really excited about it, so the tech was showing her all his fingers, toes, etc. She had the doppler on the bottom of his foot and right as she said, there's one foot, he reared back and kicked the doppler, which bounced off my tummy. It was so funny!

Then she did some 3D stuff!! She let me have a few pics, and we got to watch him moving around, swallowing, etc, in 3D. It was really, really cool. And Doug was extremely upset that he missed it.



The tech kept saying that everything looked wonderful. Heart looks perfect, brain, etc and so on. YAY!

We love that everything is looking right on target! He is now head-down again, and probably will stay that way, so that's good. The u/s pics are really cool- unfortunately he was smushed against my cervix, so it only shows like half his face. But they're still really neat. :)

My son has the hiccups. A LOT.

I guess when I was pregnant with Natalya I never realized what this feeling is. But ever since last week, when I had the epiphany that the weird rythmic thumping I am feeling is him having the hiccups, I have noticed it a lot more often. I guess it makes sense since he is now swallowing more frequently, but it's weird. And a little annoying. But at least it is a reasurrance. :)

Doug adds that it feels like a heartbeat. except in my very lower pelvis.

It is the weirdest feeling!

30 weeks along!

I went in today for my 30 week appts. First we went to the place where they do ultrasounds and had that done. :) (I got reprimanded for not having a full bladder. I told her if I hadn't gone to the bathroom before I laid down there would have been an accident. :D )

He looks really good. We got to see all his parts and everything looks great. When she was measuring everything she measured his head and said "now don't tell your mama your head is THAT big, let's do that again". I laughed and said, "well, I wouldn't be surprised." She asked me if my daughter's head was big and I said "ohhhh yes". She said "well maybe it is that big then!" and yes, his head is huge! (greeeat)

We also got to see the heart beating and she was so happy with the perfect view of his little heart we watched it for a bit, and also saw him breathing (well, making breathing motions). She said that at 30 weeks is when you should start seeing breathing actions. It was really cool to see him 'breathing'. :) She said he's about 3lb 7oz (49%tile), perfectly average. (of course we know how those guesstimates are. Give or take a pound and a half)

Then we went over to the office for the NST. That was fine. They just hooked me up to the monitors and I relaxed for 20 minutes and he sounded great. Moving like crazy. As if I didn't know that. ;) Got to hear his heart beating. That is the most comforting sound in the world.

Then they drew blood to check my platelets. They want to make sure that my blood doesn't get too thin while I'm on the heparin, so we'll be keeping an eye on it.

Next appointment is next week and at that point I will have passed the date that we lost Margaret, so hopefully I will be feeling better (more comfortable) by then. I am also having a check-in with the Maternal Fetal Specialist that has been keeping an eye on my chart. Just to check in with her.

:)

Got a call from my midwife

whom I absolutely love, in case I haven't mentioned. ;)

She said she had the resident OB (the one who works with the midwives, mostly as a "name" for insurance purposes, since most ins. companies don't accept midwives) take a look at my file, along with the medical records, as well as a maternal fetal specialist. She said that originally, when they looked at my labs (that whole series of labwork they did back in the beginning, every blood test known to man), they didn't see anything that was abnormal, but when taken with all my medical history, there was some concern with a couple of things. One was an abnormal alleal. Normally, you would need two alleals to have this particular clotting disorder, and normal people have none. I have one. This means I am borderline for the disorder, which was the one the first midwife was concerned about to begin with. There was also another "borderline" factor that raised a red flag for the specialist when taken in consideration with everything else.

At any rate, she recommended I begin being treated for the clotting disorder to prevent any problems that could occur. She said there is no way to know if it would cause a problem, or to know if this is what caused M's death, but the benefits far outweigh the risks. I am to start taking a baby aspirin a day, an increased doseage of folic acid each day (a prescription) and also doing self injections to treat the clotting disorder. Of course, 25 doses of the injections is going to cost me $300 ($1800 before insurance ) but I'll figure out something b/c it's not something I am not going to do. I am hoping she will tell me they want me to do one injection a day, and not two, she is supposed to let me know tomorrow. (at two a day, 25 will not even last two weeks, and I've got about 9-10 weeks to go!)

Anyway, I am thrilled that she is being so proactive and I don't mind the injections at all. I am to go into the office in a couple of days to have them show me how to do them, either tomorrow or Friday.

Now to find an additional source of income...to pay for them!!

28-week appointment

Everything looks great! Natalya and my grandmother went with me. (Doug had to work) I am measuring 28.5 weeks and the hb was 145-148, so really good. I was 172 (so down a couple of pounds? but no one comented on it) and my blood pressure was great. I gave her my medical records from M's birth and she said, "so a little light reading before bed?" and laughed, I did too. It's like 100 pages, mostly handwritten and difficult to decipher. She said, "I don't think I'll read this right now" I said, "no, I didn't think so!" hehe.
She said she reviewed the plan and she thinks we are on track. She said she knows with the 31 week mark coming up I'll probably have some anxiety, so feel free to call for anything.

I go back in two weeks for my next visit. I will also have a Biophysical Profile (BPP a.k.a. ultrasound) and then to the office for a NST. I will then go weekly and continue to have the BPPs and NSTs until he is born.

The funny part was- after se wrote up the plan and I left, I went to the front to have the secretary-person make my appointments. She questioned having botht the BPP and the NSt on the same day. She said usually, they do them on alternate days, like you'd go have a BPP and then two days later come back for an NST. She called back to Mavis and Mavis apparently set her straight (ha!). She said, that's just weird, I've never seen that done before. Well, there's a first time for everything right? So then, the mw nurse comes up and says, "we don't do BPPs and NSTs on the same day" and the sec. said, "That's what I said, talk to Mavis about it".
[side note, Mavis is the HEAD of the midwifery department at Vanderbilt University, and teaches/does research four days a week and sees patients one day a week, this is why I was recommended to her and why I decided to continue as her patient. Plus I think she's awesome!]
Jeanette (the nurse) said, "well since she may as well be 'Dr.Schorn' whatever she says goes." and kind of laughed. LOL. Mavis is not a Dr, but I guess she is well-respected enough that her decisions are not questioned. And I love her to death.

So that's the plan. She said she also forwarded all my info to the OB they work with and he agreed with the plan she had set up 100%.

I feel really good about how everything is going, and since Zachary is kicking the daylights out of me constantly, that's good too.

I know that something could technically still happen, but at least we're keeping track of every nook and cranny, so if something out of the ordinary does show up, then we will be able to resolve it right away.

25 weeks already?

Can it be? Am I over halfway there already? The answer apparently, is yes. :)

Yesterday I had my 25 week appointment with the midwife and everything looks good. Baby's hb loud and clear and around 140-142. Measuring good. She said, he's really growing in there huh? LOL. I said yep, I grow 'em big. My bp is so far so good, so good news there.

I drank the nasty glucose crap. Blech. They only had the lemon-lime flavor cold. I would have much preferred the orange, but oh well. We talked about the plan, and she is going to write up a plan of attack, so to speak for the remainder of my pregnancy. I go back in three weeks for a regular visit, hb, measurement, etc. Then I go in two more weeks, at 30 weeks, for an u/s and non-stress test, along with some other things. After that I will go weekly for ns tests and then have a few more u/s's.

We talked a bit about the "weird" things surrounding m's birth, the large amt of amniotic fluid and the dark meconium staining, but the fact that everything was "normal" according to autopsy and pathology reports. She wants to kind of keep an eye on things, and I'm all for it.

She wasn't too concerned about the spotting I had last weekend, said it was pretty common as you have more pregnancies, sometimes you can have some blood on your cervix that comes out and it's no big deal. *whew*

I'm really feeling good about my mw and everything she has planned. I also told her that N wanted to be at the birth and she said that was totally fine. I told her my Mom was going to be there for her to totally just take care of her and be there for her and she said that was great. We also talked a smidge about my birth plan and I told her we had the one from N and that I would update it and bring it in next time.

Oh, and I'm up to 172lb. Yay. That's a gain of around 17lb so far (awesome for me).

And ironically, I saw my cousin, who I haven't seen in ages, the one who's due around the same time as me and they've changed her due date. I am due the 6th of Nov and she is now due the 5th. HA! Wouldn't it be funny if we were in labor at the same time? We're delivering at different hospitals though, but still funny.

Pregnancy #3

I feel weird this pregnancy. I know it's because of our loss, but with natalya, I was excited, nervous, had some trepidation...all of that. But I always pictured holding a baby at the end of the long pregnancy process.

With margaret, we were worried, a little stressed, but happy and excited that N would have a little brother or sister. I pictured giving birth to the baby in the water and holding a newborn in my arms with Doug by my side and Natalya looking at her new baby brither/sister.

This time, I can't picture it. In my head I guess I am remembering that the last time, the only way I experienced my child was while she was inside my body. There was no...outside, holding her squirming little body. I am having a really hard time visualizing holding a breathing, living baby.

It's strange. Understandable, I suppose, but strange. This occurred to me last night. I am trying to change my mental pictures but it's really, really hard.

Ultrasound pics

Here are a few of the ultrasound pics from yesterday's session. hey are kind of blurry b/c he was moving a lot! Enjoy :)

A profile shot


A profile shot


His feet


And here's the proof- a BOY!


Wait, couldn't you see it? Ok, here you go...with notes. :)