36w3d OB Update

Today was my 36-week checkup. The nurse took my blood pressure, and it was normal (as usual) -- despite my very swollen feet. I was hooked up to the NST machine again for about 20 minutes. Blake didn't do much moving this time. I must have caught her in a mid-afternoon nap. Although, I swear, she was bouncing around when I was out in the lobby just before I got called back. Little stinker. But the NST still went well. Heart rate is normal and there were no detected contractions.

Then the OB did an ultrasound to check my amniotic fluid level and for fetal movement. Both looked great. Blake finally moved around for us a little -- enough for the OB to be happy and rule out possible problems at this point. Her breathing looked normal as well. In the words of my OB: "She looks perfect!" I was happy with that! I was a little bummed after my appointment when I realized that I forgot to ask how much Blake weighed. I'll call tomorrow to see if she actually checked the weight or not. If not, I'll just wait to find out next week. I was kicking myself that I didn't ask her about it, since that was the one thing I really wanted to know! Oh well... I'm guess she's around 6 lbs or so by now.

The OB also did a pelvic/cervical exam -- my first one! It was a little uncomfortable, but didn't last long. She said I am currently 1cm dilated and that my cervix is soft. However, I am not effaced (thinned out). But the dilation and softened cervix are signs that my body is in very early labor, which is a great sign! That doesn't necessarily mean that I will go into active labor tomorrow. It just means that I am progressing to the final stage of this pregnancy. It could be several more weeks before I even make further progression, but it could also be sooner. Only time will tell. OB asked if I was having any contractions, and I told her I didn't think so. I mentioned that I sometimes felt a tightness only across the top of my stomach (uterus). She asked if it lasted for only around 1 minute and I said "yeah, I guess so". She said that, most likely, those are early contractions -- just my body's way of preparing for labor and very normal. I had no idea you could have contractions in only one area, as I was told before by others than it was usually your entire uterus that contracts. But, everything I have felt thus far has been very mild and didn't hurt at all. It feels like the baby is just cramming her whole body into one area of my body, which gets rock hard. But apparently those are actually small contractions. OB said not to worry about going to the hospital unless they come every 5 minutes for 1 hour.

As for when Miss Blake will make her arrival... I mentioned to the OB that I probably had a little over 3 weeks or more. She said she didn't see me going much more than 39-40 weeks -- definitely not past my due date. This made me happy because, at one time, she said she wouldn't let me go past 41 weeks! So, worst case scenario, I could be induced the Monday after my due date which is February 18th. (The only reason she wouldn't induce me on my Saturday due date would be if she was not on call that weekend.) I think the only reason she would induce at 39 weeks is because of my gestational diabetes. Although, I started taking Glyburide today to help control my blood sugar levels. So I'm hoping high blood sugar is a thing of the past. If I go all the way to my due date, that will give me 2 full weeks after I stop working to get some things done around the house to prepare and try to get some extra rest. I know once Blake comes, sleep and restfulness will be a thing of the past! And, if she decides to come before my due date, then I'll be just as happy! Overall, I am incredibly blessed that I have had such an uneventful and relatively easy pregnancy. Thanks be to God!!

36 weeks! and Work Shower

On Thursday, my sweet friends, Karen & Carla, threw me a work shower! They are so thoughtful! I received lots of gift cards and cute baby outfits. As much as I may complain about my job at times, my co-workers really are great! Speaking of work... February 1st will be my last day! Shawn has agreed to let me stay at home to take care of Blake! I am so blessed and excited!!

Here are some pictures from the work shower. Yes, I realize there are no people in them -- lame. I just wanted to capture how cute the decor was...

Tulips! The packaged ones are paci-holders!

Today, we celebrated Ruby & Mable's 2nd birthday! A great time was had by all! This 36-week pregnant chick even got in the "jump-jump" and bounced around a few times! Yep, I've still got it! ;-)

Lastly, my mom helped me (again) get the nursery all ready for Blake's arrival this weekend. She even helped me spend all of my gift cards! I am so blessed to have such a great mom, and Blake is blessed to have a wonderful "Goggy"!

How I’m Changing

Total weight gain: 15 lbs (1 lb gained since last week)

Maternity clothes? yes

Stretch marks? nope. I'm shocked!

Sleep: would be a lot better if I could breathe through my nose and not get up to pee 5-6 times a night, but thank goodness no insomnia (knock on wood)

Best moment this week: celebrating Ruby & Mable's 2nd birthday and seeing family!

Miss Anything? champagne punch and cupcakes (which I could not have at the party... stupid GD)

Movement: oh yes! even hiccups!

Food cravings: nah, not really. not much to crave when you can't breathe through your nose.
Anything making you queasy or sick: no

Gender: all girl! (we hope!)

Symptoms: swollen feet & ankles (big as ever), broken sleep, a little tired... but other than that, I feel great for 36 weeks! not miserable at all... yet!

Belly Button in or out? not in, not out

Wedding rings on or off? off

Happy or Moody most of the time: a little of both

Looking forward to: having my first pelvic exam on Tuesday and seeing if I'm dilated!

Blake Alexis Kirby Week 36 Update:

Your baby's the size of a honeydew! She's still in the 17.2- to 18.7-inch and 4.2- to 5.8-pound range and continues to beef up. She's getting closer and closer to being able to breathe on her own. Her skin is getting smooth and soft and her gums are rigid. Her liver and kidneys are in working order. Circulation and immune systems are basically good to go, too. 

35w2d OB Update

Today, I saw my OB for the 35-week checkup. First, I spent around 20 minutes on the NST machine. This is where they hook up 2 electrodes to my belly... 1 to monitor the baby's heart rate and the other to monitor possible uterine contractions. Blake was dancing in there almost the whole time! There is a button I have to push every time I feel movement. At one point, I was literally pushing the button in a rhythmic pattern every 2 seconds or so. I couldn't figure out what she was doing in there! And I could hear her moving around on the monitor, almost like she was moving to a beat. Eventually, the nurse came to check on me and heard the same rhythmic patterns that I did. She said "Oh! She has the hiccups!" Mystery solved! It was too cute! :-)

Next, the OB checked my amniotic fluid and Blake's measurements on an ultrasound. All of the fluid levels looked good. And Blake is measuring at 5 lbs 10 oz! I was shocked! I told the OB that she only weighed 4 lbs 15 oz last week (just 5 days ago) at the MFM appointment. She said that sometimes the measurements can be off by 1/2 lb (8 oz). So she may not weigh quite that much at this point. But time will soon tell. Either way, 5 lbs 10 oz is still quite average, she assured me. If she was going to be a "big baby", she would be up to 7 lbs by now.

My OB is still checking my daily blood sugar levels to make sure they are not too high. Overall, they are still pretty good. But lately, with the holidays and my birthday, some of them have been a little high. She gave me a prescription for medication to control my blood sugar and advised me to only take it if I could not get my levels under control with diet over the next few days. Even if I have to start taking the meds, it will not hurt the baby or me. It may just bring my blood sugar so low at times that I may feel crummy. But, if I can't start eating better and getting this under control, I will do whatever I need to do. Even tonight, for example, all I had was a grilled chicken sandwich on a wheat bun from Chick-fil-A. Normally, I can eat one for lunch and my blood sugar is only 110 or so. But tonight it was 158!! I don't get it. There is something about dinner-time blood sugar levels that really get me. We are going to eat stew tomorrow night for dinner. I have decided that, if my blood sugar isn't normal after that, I will be filling the prescription and starting the medication.

After seeing my sugar levels and the baby's weight today, the OB mentioned that an induction at 39 weeks could be possible. But that will remain to be seen, depending on how the next few weeks go. Honestly, I would be overjoyed if Blake came 1 week early! Although, I really want whatever is safest and best for Blake. My next appointment is in 1 week, so we'll see what happens between now and then!

35 weeks! Weight and Childbirth Class

So yesterday I turned 35... And you know what I just realized? One day later I turned 35 weeks! 35 at 35! Pretty cool! Ok, so maybe I'm just trying to make myself feel better about only being 5 years away from 40... OLD! ;-)

This week, I had a followup appointment with Dr. Earhart (my MFM). She's just checking up with me every 4-5 weeks to make sure things are still going well. She said that my hypothyroidism, age, and possible IVF complications are the reasons she wants to keep a close watch on me. Better to be safe than sorry, I always say! Everything looked great. Blake is average in all of her measurements and weighs 4 lbs 15 oz! Wow, just about 5 lbs! And we still have around 5 weeks to go. Grow, Blake, grow! (but not too much... haha!)

Shawn & I are attending a childbirth class this weekend. Prior to this, I never really let myself think about childbirth because, quite frankly, it freaks me out! I may be a strong woman in some areas of life, but I have never considered myself to be physically strong. I'd say I have a pretty low pain tolerance and have never been one to take on physical challenges. Giving birth is something that I know I will get through (because I have to), but not something that I am looking forward to toiling through! To be honest, if my OB said that I needed to schedule a c-section, I would be beyond thrilled. I know it's really better for the baby to be born "naturally". But the control freak in me would love to know when Blake will be born, as well as having a team of doctors and nurses standing by in case of emergency. I mean, how cool would it be to tell the family to be at the hospital on a certain day/time so they can meet her?? I know, it doesn't always work out that way. So I've got to be realistic. That's why we are taking this class. We are learning all about lamaze, labor, breastfeeding, newborn care, and what to expect during and after delivery. I really think it is the videos that are freaking me out. The women in the videos are pretty holistic and try not to rely on modern medicine to get them through labor, for the most part. While I understand the logic of why they do those things, it's just not me. Don't get me wrong... if my labor is not progressing and walking around or bouncing on a ball will help, then I may end up trying it. But I still plan on getting an epidural and easing my pain as much as possible. That may sound selfish, but I know myself. If I don't take the edge off, then I'll want to quit... and that's not an option. All in all, I'm glad we are taking the class. We are much more informed now and know what to expect, for the most part. Although, everyone tells us that it never goes how you expect it to. Which is kind of why I wasn't letting myself think about it to begin with. I don't have a "birth plan". I just want to take it moment-by-moment and do whatever the doctor feels is best for all of us. I know we will get through it and pray that we end up with a beautiful, healthy little girl. I'm sure when the pain is all over and Blake is here, I will be really proud of myself and be willing to do it all over again. In the meantime, I'm just going to be as prepared as possible (pack hospital bags, get the house ready, etc.), without thinking about the labor part too much. But I'll leave you with a couple of videos to enjoy. The first one is similar to the ones they are making us watch in the class -- very holistic and cheesy. And this video does not even come close to how awkward the videos were -- only a small taste. The second video is from a movie where they are making fun of these types of classes. So true and so hilarious!

How I’m Changing

Total weight gain: 14 lbs (1 lb lost since last week)

Maternity clothes? yes

Stretch marks? not a single one!

Sleep: starting to get sketchy... bathroom breaks are frequent and can't get comfy

Best moment this week: seeing Blake on ultrasound!

Miss Anything? sweets

Movement: is there ever! mostly at night and the wee hours of the morning... lucky me!

Food cravings: sugar and bread!
Anything making you queasy or sick: no

Gender: princess

Symptoms: swollen feet & ankles (as usual), some backaches, waddling a little, broken sleep

Belly Button in or out? in, but just barely

Wedding rings on or off? off

Happy or Moody most of the time: not too bad this week!

Looking forward to: finding out how much Blake weighs on Monday at OB appt!

Blake Alexis Kirby Week 35 Update:

Your baby's the size of a coconut! She's about 17.2 to 18.7 inches. From here on out, she won't get much longer, but she's plumping up. She's now about 4.2 to 5.8 pounds, and she'll put on a pound or more of baby fat before birth. Now, her hearing is fully developed, and she responds best to high-pitched noises. 

34 weeks! and Nursery Progress

So, the nursery is finally coming along! There are still a few finishing touches left to be done. I am waiting on 2 wall hangings (not pictured) and a pillow to arrive this week. We have a handyman coming this week to hang the chandelier as well. As soon as everything is set up, I'll post pics of the finished room. In the meantime, here are some sneak previews:

Mirror over crib

crib close-up

pillow for rocking chair

my Pinterest-inspired project :-)

door muff

chandelier

Yes, it's annoyingly pink & white... but I love it! Simple, yet girly. Sometimes I like to just sit in there, rock, and watch Blake move around in my belly. I can't believe in a little over a month, she will actually be here to enjoy the room that we've created for her!

How I’m Changing

Total weight gain: 15 lbs (0 lbs gained since last week)

Maternity clothes? yes

Stretch marks? nope... I'm shocked!

Sleep: for the most part, it's still pretty good

Best moment this week: ringing in the New Year... Happy 2013!

Miss Anything? eating whatever I want (for the most part)

Movement: this girl is a mover & a shaker!

Food cravings: cakes, pies, desserts... in my dreams!!
Anything making you queasy or sick: nope

Gender: girl!

Symptoms: swollen feet & ankles, irritable... but not miserable! (yet)

Belly Button in or out? in

Wedding rings on or off? off

Happy or Moody most of the time: let's just say... poor Shawn :-(

Looking forward to: turning 35 in 6 days! (ok, not really looking forward to it. but I can at least try to embrace it.)

Blake Alexis Kirby Week 34 Update:

Your baby's the size of a butternut squash! At less than two months to go, she weighs in at about 4.2 pounds to 5.8 pounds and measures about 17.2 to 18.7 inches. She's recognizing and reacting to simple songs, if you're singing them.  In fact, baby will recognize frequently sung tunes after birth and probably find them soothing. Less cute news: She now urinates about one pint per day. Get the diapers ready! 

33 weeks!

With 2013 almost upon us, I thought I might take a moment to reflect on 2012. In January, we knew we would be getting ready for a roller coaster fertility ride. We had plans to do IVF, which required that I have a hysteroscopy performed first. This outpatient procedure would check for polyps and other obstructions in my uterus that might prevent a successful pregnancy from taking place. My doctor did not find any polyps, but he did see that I had a bicornuate uterus (aka "heart-shaped uterus") as seen below: 

He basically just shaved the tissue away to make my uterus shaped more like the regularly-shaped uterus, as see above. As invasive as it sounds, I was only out-of-commission for the day of the procedure and was back at work the next day.

In February, we had our first IVF consultation and injection training, which was required prior to starting treatment. Since we had not had Shawn's sperm analyzed in a year, we also decided to get him tested the same day to make sure that his numbers had not gotten worse. While we were in the injection training with the nurse, the sperm analysis results were brought in. The nurse stopped the training momentarily to glance at the results and briefly discuss them with us. His morphology had increased from 1% (very low) in 2011 to 4% (normal range)! We were shocked! At that point, we started questioning if maybe we should try IUI again, as it is a much cheaper procedure than IVF. We explained to the nurse that we thought we might indeed switch gears and go for IUI instead of IVF. Shawn & I agreed to try no more than 3 IUI attempts before revisiting the IVF process. Honestly, I was a little disappointed, as IUI success rates are typically much lower than IVF. But, if it could save us a lot of money, then I needed to give it a try. Plus, I wanted to give Shawn's "guys" a chance to prove themselves -- haha!

So we did an unmedicated IUI cycle in March. When I went in for my pregnancy test, the nurse called with the results, saying that my hcg level was only 5.99. Typically, anything over 5 is sometimes considered a positive result. So, while this was almost the lowest possible positive result I could have gotten, they wanted to re-test me the next day to see if my levels increased. Unfortunately, my hcg went down to 3.85, which meant that it was probably a chemical loss. I was devastated and sad, but not ready to give up. We did another IUI cycle in April, but opted to include Gonal-F injections to increase our chances. Unfortunately, that cycle ended in a negative result. I know I had told Shawn that we would do 3 IUI cycles before returning to IVF, but I couldn't take the IUI disappointment again. I just wasn't strong enough at that point. So we decided to proceed full steam ahead in May to do IVF. I finally felt a hope during this process that I had never experienced before. I finally felt in-control!

As you well know, the IVF was indeed a success! The 2nd half of 2012 had turned out to be such a blessing! Every day, every milestone, every growing bump pic just made me feel more and more blessed in my life. And, here it is, almost 2013... just 7 weeks or so away from Blake's arrival! I am so thankful everyday to God for this precious gift. I thank Him for giving me the patience (what little I had) and determination to keep trying. He knew I would be a mother one day -- I just needed to show Him a little bit of faith. And it was so worth the wait! One of my favorite sayings throughout this process has become "Never give up on something you can't go one day without thinking about". I was never going to give up on my quest to be a mother, no matter how it would happen. I pray daily for all of the women who have the same dream but have not been able to conceive thus far. I hope that they never give up and do whatever it takes to make their dream a reality. And, most of all, I pray that God gives them the resources and faith to make it happen. Amen.

How I’m Changing

Total weight gain: 15 lbs (0 lbs gained since last week)

Maternity clothes? yes

Stretch marks? no

Sleep: having more vivid dreams, but sleeping throughout the night, with occasional potty breaks

Best moment this week: Christmas with the family!

Miss Anything? moscato

Movement: sometimes I think she plays ping-pong in there!

Food cravings: sugar-free chocolate candy (at least it's sugar free!)
Anything making you queasy or sick: no

Gender: girl

Symptoms: swollen feet & ankles, moody (especially at work)... the usual

Belly Button in or out? in

Wedding rings on or off? off

Happy or Moody most of the time: take a wild guess... ;-)

Looking forward to: ringing in 2013! what a great year it will be!!

Blake Alexis Kirby Week 33 Update:

Your baby's the size of a durian fruit! She weighs about 4.2 to 5.8 pounds and measures about 17.2 to 18.7 inches. And she may grow up to a full inch this week -- amazing. Things are heating up inside as well: Baby may grow up to a full inch this week alone, and her brain is developing like crazy. Pretty soon, she'll be able to coordinate breathing with sucking and swallowing. Also, her bones are hardening, and she's started to keep her eyes open when she's awake.