Wednesday, March 12, 2008

32 weeks!!!!

I have a 32 week picture - but I lost my cords to download it off of my camera so until then you will just have to imagine my 32 week baby bump - Maybe if I feel up to getting a gussied up I will take another picture but by then it will be a 33 week picture.

So today I had my 32 week appointment. I can't even believe that I made it to 32 weeks! My Dr can't believe that I made it to 32 weeks. It is all by God's grace - believe me! So I will give you a rundown of my appointment. Starting this week I will have the works done each week at the Dr's. I start weekly appointments, weekly Non-Stress Tests, weekly growth ultrasounds and weekly cervical checks. Oh the joys of a High Risk pregnancy!


So on to the fun stuff. I officially weight 177. That is only 2 lbs over my pre-pregnancy weight. It also means that I have not gained any weight in 2 weeks. If I may sidetrack here for a minute. Weight is a very sensitive issue for me. I have spent majority of my life being overweight. I also remember being told by my mother that if I was anything like her I would gain obscene amounts of weight, when I was pregnant with my first. I was very fortunate to loose close to 30 lbs during the first 4 months of my pregnancy with Ethan. I did eventually gain that plus 10 more lbs back, still giving me a pre-birth weight of 215 lbs. I can say that it was really cool to come home from the hospital weight less than when I got pregnant! I was very unsuccessful of losing weight - even despite pumping/breastfeeding for the first 4 months. We then found out that I had a thyroid dysfunction and was put on pills to help with that - but alias still no major weight loss. Then I got pregnant with the twins. I was close to 190 lbs when I found out that I was pregnant. This pregnancy too, I lost weight in the beginning. I had just started to put it back on when I delivered prematurely at 33 weeks. I was pretty close to 190 - 195 when I gave birth. Here again I came home lighter than when I got pregnant! I lost some weight really fast while I was breastfeeding - well mainly pumping - but when I stopped all the weight came back on fast. I then spent the next year or so trying to loose weight and doing a pretty good job of it! Being diagnosed with Epilepsy helped I am sure - because the meds took away majority of my appetite. I made it down to 175 when I found out that I was pregnant. During the first 6 weeks I lost another 10 lbs. Probably due to moving to a new state and all that stress! So now I am at 177. Officially up 12 lbs, but really only 2 :) I wouldn't normally be worried about this - but read on and you will see why I am a bit concerned.

Okay now that I am done with my weight rant - back to my appointment. I started out with my ultrasound. We had the fun one first - the growth scan. She is officially breech and her head is lodged very uncomfortably under my ribcage. At 32 weeks and 3 days she weighs in at 3 lbs. A little small. She is in the 15%. They are looking at 32 weekers to be closer to 4 lbs. She has only gained 10 oz in 4 weeks. The good news is that she has always been in the 15 - 20 % during all of her growth scans. My Dr's words to me were that he would have been concerned but he has met my husband and children - he just thinks that we don't make big babies. He is okay with that - he said the smaller they are the easier they are to deliver! All that joking aside - with an possibility that she could make her entrance into the world sooner rather than later, I would like her to be a bit bigger. We will be doing weekly growth scans to make sure that she is continuing to grow at the right rate. If there is any question - they will take her. My Dr says that there is nothing that I can do to help her gain weight - and is not concerned with my lack of weight gain. He said that this is what most woman dream of during pregnancy. He said that she is completely healthy and there is nothing to worry about. He is the Dr and has seen more babies/moms than I have been pregnant with - right? I should just trust him - right?

Okay then on to the not so fun cervical u/s. The good news is that everything is holding strong at 2 cm. I am dilated but it is something to be expected at this stage in the game. Her being breech is most likely a good thing and the reason that I am still pregnant. I just really hope that she does turn within the next 4 weeks!!! I was then stuck on the monitor for the NST. It was quick and easy - I did have a few contractions but nothing to worry about. She looks great on the monitor. After all of that fun stuff - I then saw the Dr. It was really quick. He said that he isn't in the office for the next two weeks so at the beginning of April we will really start to hammer out the details for the end. He would like to deliver me at 37 weeks. It really works out great too because that is the week that he is on call at the hospital. That is pretty amazing because he is only on call once every 2 months! I just hope that her lungs are ready by then! I did also reiterate the point that is she doesn't turn and a c-sec had to happen I would need to be highly drugged. :) He said not to worry about it - it would all be fine.

Well that was about it for my appointment. Things are moving along rather well. It is amazing that I am still pregnant - and I think that we just might make it to 37 weeks!!! Right on!

If you actually read all of this - kuddos to you!

7 comments:

debi9kids said...

Shan,
So very happy to hear that little AnnaGrace is doing so well. YIPPEE! How awesome is God that you are holding strong at 32 weeks! Just think, 10 weeks ago we didn't think you would EVER make it to this day & now we are looking to 37 weeks!!! You are blessed!
Much love!

Tonya Staab said...

Congratulations on making it to 32 weeks hon.

Now for tonights lecture ... this is why you love me, right LOL. I want you to please stop focussing on your weight. I think you are beautiful. I want you to be healthy and beautiful though please, please, please. Don't make me come out there, move in with you again and make sure you are taking care of yourself.

Anna Grace is doing amazingly well. Hang in there momma, you are doing a great job, just a few more weeks. You can do it, we are all pulling for you.

Jenn H said...

Almost 33 weeks now. So proud and happy for you Shan! Prayer is an amazing and powerful thing! Hang in there, just another 4 weeks, amazing!!!

Angela & Albert Fontenot said...

Shan,
Is your dr. not willing to do an external version to try to turn her? Sure beats a scheduled C
So glad you've made it to 33 weeks tomorrow! Call me this week
love,
angela

Shannon said...

Ang - I think that it is possible that he would be able to do that. He is not to concerned about it. He thinks that it is a good thing that her head is up off of my Cervix right now. A version just might be possible especially since she is so small. I thought about putting an ice pack on her head to see if that gets her to flip - I saw that one on a TV show about midwives delivering babies and they had a momma do that and sure enough her little one flipped.

Shannon said...

Tonya - That you for your concern for me. I am not upset that I am gaining weight now. I know that it is all for the baby - what concerns me is that I am not gaining weight and that she is so small. What sucks is that I have this stupid GD and I have to stick to this stupid diet and it is hard to gain weight on it too. :)

Lizze said...

Yay Shannon! 32 weeks! What a miracle, you are one blessed woman that's for sure. I don't know how you guys manage to go a whole pregnancy and only gain a few pounds. I swear I LOOK at food and put on another 20 pounds! lol