Matt & Lindsay's Spot

I have dubbed this week "the week of doctors" because every day this week, I have an appointment with either doctors or nurses. Today I had a regular doctors check-up. Baby looks great, still heads up though. Stubborn little boy. Tomorrow, its not technically a doctors appointment, but Matt and I have an infant care class. It pretty much teaches first time parents the basics. Very helpful, I am hoping. Wednesday, I have my non-stress test, fourth and final one, I am hoping. Thursday, I am meeting with the doctor who is going to perform the c-section. I haven't met her yet, but I have heard good things about her, so I am feeling good about it. She will be telling me when to be there, what to expect, etc. Friday, I am meeting with the anesthesiologist and getting all sorts of pre-op labs done. Sounds like fun, huh? All of that on top of trying to get everything else in our lives prepared for the arrival of our baby (like that will ever happen :) )

So, the week of doctors has begun and I am sure it is going to go by quickly. Before we know it, it will be next Tuesday and the little guy will be here. Crazy isn't it that he will be here a week from tomorrow?!? Wow!

How does December 5th sound to everyone? Sounds like a strong birthday to me! I didnt get much of a choice in the matter, there are over 190 scheduled births in the month of December at our hospital. I asked if that was the norm and she told me no way, it must have lined up with a deployment coming home, how funny is that! That was the only day that week that they could perform the c-section and they had to do it that week when I am 39 weeks. Its a good thing I like the date! December 5th (unless something weird happens and I go into labor before that), 21 days and counting! Woo-Hoo!!!!

It was a very long day. Matt and I were at the hospital at 7:30 am and didnt leave until after 2pm. When we first got there, I went in to see my doctor and was checked out to make sure he was still breech. He was. They also checked and I am still at 2cm.

After that, they sent me up to Labor and Delivery for the version. They hooked me up to the monitors for about an hour to make sure his heartrate was steady and how my contractions were. They were still going strong. After 3 attemps, they got me hooked up to an IV, I guess my veins just didnt want to cooperate. The doctors decided that since my contractions were how they were that they would give me a relaxing drug. I was like, Sure! Little did I know it was the drug I had before when I went in to L&D for my contractions at 28 weeks. The shaky med. Fun stuff. So they give me that and it works instantly. My contractions stop and the shaking begins. There were 4 doctors, nurses, Matt and I in the room. It was quite a party. So after I sign tons of papers, they began.

They checked the postion of the baby with the ultrasound. The first attempt, they decided to try a front roll with him. There were 2 doctors actually performing the version. The male doc pushed the baby up and out of my pelvis, while the female doc actually turned him. It was the most excrusiating pain I have ever felt. I didnt know pain like that existed. I physically couldn't breath. They had to keep telling me to breath, so I wouldnt pass out, but I just couldnt breath while it was going on, no matter what I tried. The 2 docs had both of their whole body weighs pressing on my abdomen. Matt said at one time the female doc had her feet off the ground and her whole weight on me. They got him about half way there and as soon as they loosened their hold, he fought his way back up. The doctor was saying that when she was holding him in position, he was fighting her the whole time. Stubborn little boy, I guess he takes after his mother already.

They tried 2 more times after that. They said that they could try a total of 3 times and that was all they would do. One where they tried a back roll and another front roll. Toward the end of the last time they tried, I asked them to stop, I just couldnt take it any more, and it wasnt working. We all gave it everything we could and he just doesnt want to move. The nurse who was there said she had never seen them work on someone the way they did on me, and she has been a L&D nurse for 15 years. With a normal version, they dont usually work as hard on someone like they did with me and if they have to, they give them an epidural. I guess since I was taking it, they just kept going harder. Even though I am a little dissapointed that it didnt work, I am glad I gave it everything I had, so I can look back and know this was the way it was suppose to be. So we are going to be scheduling a c-section when I turn 39 weeks (the first week of December). The lady who normally schedules them was out yesterday, so I am going to call her today. I will let you all know the date when I know it.

I am just taking it slow today, I kinda feel like I was hit by a mack truck. Matt has been wonderful, he took the rest of the day off yesterday and took care of me. I think he was a little tramatized by watching the version. He ordered me not to do anything today while he is as work, so I am trying to follow orders (this one time, at least :) ) Sorry about the long post; I tried to make it as compact as I could.

So tomorrow I have my External Cephalic Version. (webmd's explination)(I called it wrong before, I thought they were saying aversion, but they were actually calling it a version - opps) Probably. I went in for my non-stress test on Wednesday. They hook you up to monitors to check the baby's heartrate and your contractions. After about 10 minutes, the nurse came in and asked if I could feel the contractions. Uh....Yeah! I have been feeling them since I was 28 weeks. She told me I was contracting, on average, every minute, but sometimes the contractions were lasting longer than a minute. At 28 weeks I was contracting every 2 minutes. Then she asked the last time I was checked and I told her at 28 weeks. I am 36 now. She told me it was time and had the doctor on call come and check me. I was 2 cm and 30% effaced. I am still suppose to have a month to go! Granted, you can be 2 cm for weeks before you have the baby, but I have no clue how long I have been at 2 cm. So the doctor on call talked to my doctor and they told me to try and hold out until Monday when they can perform the version. Hold out, huh, like I am controlling any of this :). They want me to be at least 36 weeks in case they have to deliver (there is info on the slight risk through the links above). When I made the appointment for Monday, we were suppose to discuss the version and perform it the next day or so, but now that I am dialating, they want to do it asap. So I am guessing it will be tomorrow. So, wish me luck. I am hoping it works and that I only have to do it once!

Last night on his way home from work, Matt was in an accident. He is fine, just a little sore. More mad than anything, this was his first wreck, ever. He was driving down the main street on base, going about 35 mph, and the other guy pulled out in front of him to make a left turn. Matt just t-boned him. Luckily, it was the other guys fault, Matt had the green light. It was also raining really hard. The other guys car is completely smashed on the passenger side and the truck's front is all caved in. I am sure Matt could tell you all the details, something about the radiator being cracked, among other things. I just see it as smushed. Its not drivable, so we are going to be sharing a car for awhile, which is going to be a pain, because I have doctors appointments a couple times a week. We'll work it out. We are hoping the other guys insurance will pay for a rental. We'll see. Even though its a pain, I am just glad that no one was hurt, especially Matt.

This weekend was alot of fun. Matt and I spent Saturday running around together. We went to the annual tent sale at the exchange on base. It was BIG! The tents took up most of the parking lot and had everything in them. They had all the electronics you can think of, furniture, kitchen stuff, appliances, etc. We actually bought a deep freezer. We had been talking about getting one for awhile now and it was a great deal, so we went for it! I just want to go to Sams and stock up. I am planning on getting some quick, easy dinners to put in there for after the baby comes, or even make a few things ahead of time and freezing them. I know I am not going to want to cook for awhile! Then we went on a date to a Mexican restuarant for dinner. It was yummy! Not as good as the Mexican food in Arkansas, but pretty close.

This week is going to be pretty busy. We have a breastfeeding class tomorrow morning. I am hoping to learn as much as I can, I have heard, from many, that it can be pretty difficult, but everyone in unique, so who knows. I also just got a call this morning from Labor and Delivery that my doctor wants me to have a weekly non-stress test. That is where I go in and they hook me up to moniters for about an hour to make sure baby is still doing well. With gestational diabetes, the placenta has a tendancy of not working as well, or even not working at all, at the end of your pregnancy. With a normal pregnancy, they will let you go up to 42 weeks without worring about it, but with GD, they start watching it around 35 weeks. I dont mind, I get to go in every Wednesday, starting this week, and lay around for an hour and listen to my baby's hearbeat. Sounds rough, huh? That night we have lamaze. Its going well. Matt made it through the birth videos like a champ and I pretty much get a back massage every week when we learn relaxation techniques. Friday is the Marine birthday ball. Its a formal affair and is pretty much like prom, yet with older people. I was planning on going, but I am having a hard time spending over $150 (that was the cheapest and not very cute) on a formal maternity dress I will probably never wear again, and thats on top of the $60 a ticket. Between Christmas and having a baby, the next couple of months are going to be expensive. Plus I dont know if I can last all night in heels, its hard enough when you're not pregnant! So we will see. I think that is all that is going on, I am probably forgetting something, but oh well.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

I went to my doctors appointment this afternoon. Baby is still breech. We discussed all the possibilities. He is going to give me until I turn 36 weeks (Nov 12) for baby to turn around himself. If he doesnt, they are going to perform an aversion. That is where they use their hands on my abdomen to physically turn the baby themselves. If it works, they are going to just watch me until I go into labor naturally. If it doesnt, I can either wait to see if he turns on his own or be scheduled for a c-section after that or up to about a week before my due date. They wont let me go to my due date if he is breech. The problem with waiting to see is that if he doesnt turn and I go into labor, then there would have to be an emergency c-section. If it does work and then later he turns back, they can try the aversion again unless I am in labor and then it is too late, they cant perform an aversion while you are in labor. The doctor did a quick ultrasound today and said that there is plenty of fluid for him to turn around in, so now it is a waiting game. Cross those fingers you guys!

Matt and I went to the doctors this morning for our growth scan. I am mad at our little guy. (OK, seriously I'm not, but I want to be) He decided in this last week that he wants to be breech. Last week at our doctors appointment he was head down, he has been head down the whole pregnancy, but this week he turned for some unknown reason. I am hoping that he will go back, if not, he will have to be delivered by c-section. Not really what I want to do. He is sitting with his bottom in my pelvis, one leg bent with his elbow resting on it, and the other leg straight up over his head and the arm down by his side. Sounds comfy, huh?

The ultrasound tech took his measurements. They measure the head, abdomine, and thigh bone and from that information they get his weight. He is weighing in at 6 1/2 lbs. He is only suppose to be 5 lbs right now. He is 2 1/2 weeks ahead of schedule, at least. She said that it is not from the gestational diabetes. When you have a large baby due to GD, their abdomines are very large and round. She said that you can sometimes even see fat rolls. Our baby's abdomine was the only part of him that was measuring normal for his week. She said he is just a big baby. She said he has long legs. I wonder where he gets that? Not from me! I'm kinda scared that none of his footed sleepers will fit, I guess we will have to wait and see.

I dont know exactly know what is going to happen from here. I see my doctor for a regular check up on Friday and the ultrasound tech said he will discuss the options then. She checked with the doctor who was the consultant for the day and he said that they wouldnt do anything until at least 36 weeks. I am 34 1/2 right now. A week and a half. I have a ton to do if that happens! We'll see what my doc says. I am just suppose to drink tons of water and rub my belly in a clockwise motion to get him to turn. Hope it works, the tech said they would check again on Friday to see where he was. I'll let ya'll know what he says!