Ok, so the time continues to get closer and closer. I'm starting to think it won't get here fast enough though. Brooklyn's Grandma Belinda took me around to all my appointments this morning. I had another ultrasound at 7:30 in the morning to measure the amount of fluid around Brooklyn. She is really out of room to move now, which explains why her feet are in my ribs all the time. The fluid amount went back up from last week from 8.1 to 9.2. Dr. Fletcher said the count is always higher in the morning and decreases through the day, but that I am maintaining a healthy level, so she thinks everything is fine.
After my ultrasound at 7:30 in the morning, I had to go upstairs to have another NST, Non Stress Test, done. I passed that fine. This time the chart actually picked up some small contractions that I have been having. I have been having random contractions off and on all morning though, especially when I am laying down.
When we were done with the stress test we headed over to Dr. Fletcher's office for my 9 o'clock appointment. Surprisingly enough, we got right in to see the doctor. They told me all my tests came back fine. My blood pressure was good and Brooklyn's heart beat was about 150 when we were at the doctor's office. Dr. Fletcher told me that I am not dilated to a loose three, which I am guessing is going into a 4 almost. She said I was 50% effaced and that Brooklyn was stationed at a negative 2, which means she is no longer just floating around and is down in position.
SO, with all of that being said, I could possible have Brooklyn any day now, or she could just wait until next Tuesday, December 2nd to be induced. Either way, we are less than a week away now. I have fully accepted the fact that the chances of me being in the hospital over Thanksgiving and even Black Friday have dramatically increased. Hopefully she will at least hold out until Saturday so I can still have turkey and pumpkin pie, and then go shopping Friday morning. Today was my last doctor appointment with Dr. Fletcher though until Brooklyn arrives. I have another NST to do on Thursday morning as long as I don't have her. Then next Tuesday I have to be at the hospital at 7 in the morning for them to induce.
If I don't stop having contractions here soon we might need to go to the hospital again though to see what is going on. I can't seem to get really get a timing on the contractions. I just know that I am having them. We shall see what happens though!
Love,
Jennifer
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
35 Week Doctor Appointment
Dale and I went in for our doctor appointment this morning at 9 o'clock. I think it's so funny how when he is with me we barely ever have to wait. There was only one other person in the waiting room ahead of us, so we were called back not long after we got there.
They did all the usual vital stuff and tests. Took my weight, still good, (not going to share that one!) and her heart beat was still in the average range. I measured out at 35 weeks and my blood pressure was 137/74, which was a little higher than it usually is when I go in, but still not bad.
Dr. Fletcher came in joking with me about how I just don't want to produce any extra fluid and proceeded to explain to Dale and I what was going on. She told me my fluid count was lower, at an 8, but that it was nothing to worry about at the moment. She explained to us why the fluid was so low. She said the placenta is like an egg timer. It only goes so long before it decides it's done with the whole pregnancy thing. Well the placenta is what provides the blood flow to the baby. So when it decides that it's done the blood flow to the baby decreases. From there, there baby realizes that it's not getting enough blood flow and to protect itself, rushes it's blood supply to it's head to protect it's brain. In doing this, it means that the baby's kidneys aren't producing as much as they usually would. Basically, amniotic fluid is baby pee. So when the baby's kidneys are producing enough fluid, then the fluid starts to run low, which puts the baby at a higher risk the lower and lower the fluid gets. The fluid is vital for the baby to be able to move around and function.
Dr. Fletcher told me that since I was at an 8 that I was still ok for the time being, but that she feels that I shouldn't go any longer than 37 weeks, or the first week in December, which is why they set a date to induce labor just in case she wouldn't come before that period of time. When Dale asked why they couldn't just induce me today she told us because the risk of delivering a baby at 35 weeks who might not be ready is much greater than delivering a baby at 37 weeks. At 35 weeks, Brooklyn's lungs might not still be completely developed because my body wouldn't have given her that last natural dosage of steroids like it would naturally verses inducing. Also, babies at 35 weeks can not control their body temperature near as well as a baby at 37 weeks. So all and all, it was safer for me to wait as long as possible because being an 8 fluid wise was not causing the baby any harm. Had I been a 5, then she would take Brooklyn immediately.
So to keep and eye on everything, I now have to go in every Tuesday and Thursday to the hospital to have a NST done. She said she will be able to tell from this test whether or not the baby is stressing out. I also have to have a BPP, or Bio Physical Profile, AKA ultrasound, done every Tuesday as well to measure the amount of fluid and her weight. When I asked the doctor about her weight gain she said she was not worried about it at all. That babies grow in spurts and that there was always room for a little error in those weight measurements.
The next thing we discussed with her was whether or not I needed to continue taking my medication for the contractions. She told me no! She said not to worry about taking any more of the medicine because if I have Brooklyn, then I have her. As far as bed rest, she did tell me to take it easy still and that laying around wouldn't hurt me. Dale asked if that meant I couldn't get out because I was dying to go shopping for baby stuff. Dr. Fletcher said to go ahead and that it was fine for me to do all of that. If doing so sends me into labor, then oh well. She said she didn't have a problem if I went into natural labor because that was my body telling itself that it was time. If it's time, then it's time, so be it because my uterus is a lot smarter than she is!
She said that she is not on call this weekend, but if something happens over the weekend, that she has it written on my charts for the hospital to call her first. She is on call over Thanksgiving, so if something happens then, she'll be there. She then checked my cervix and everything and said I was still dilated to a 2 at this point. She ran some other tests and told me that she would see me next week on Tuesday since they would be closed for Thanksgiving on Thursday.
I also asked her why I wasn't able to eat too much without feeling like I was going to get sick. She told me that my stomach was literally up in my chest like I was feeling and that with the baby pushing on it all the time it has shrunk. With that being said, I need to eat 6 smaller meals a day instead of bigger meals otherwise I will make myself sick. Yay! I have never been so hungry but so unable to drink or eat anything in my life! I just hope I will be able to handle Thanksgiving! I am SO looking forward to turkey and pie!
Anyway, after we left the doctors office we had to go to the hospital so they could run a NST on me. After about 30 minutes of me laying there listening to Brooklyn's heart pound like a race horse and feeling her kick the crap out of me, they let us go. They said everything looked fine and that they would see me on Tuesday whenever I decided to come in. As for next Thursday, they said whenever I wanted to come in would be fine also and that I just needed to schedule my BPP with radiology before I left.
So my doctor appointment schedule for the next week is really nice. Now given that I don't have Brooklyn sometime this weekend, I have to be at the hospital around 7/ 7:15 in the morning next Tuesday for my 7:30 ultrasound. From there I have to go upstairs to have another NST done. After I am done with that I have to head over to Dr. Fletcher's office for my routine doctor appointment at 9 am. That should be nice since their last appointment that day is at noon because of the holiday weekend and the lady at the front desk went ahead and double booked us so we could get an earlier time. So I will probably be waiting a while there. Then sometime Thanksgiving day I have to run up to the hospital to have another NST done. All of this makes for a very busy week.
Anyway, with me being off of bed rest now, which I am SO excited about, Dale and I are finally going to be able to go to Wal-Mart and finish our baby shopping. I didn't think I would ever say this, but I can't wait to go to Wal-Mart!!
That is about it for my day so far though. I still need to talk about the baby shower, but I will have to do that another time because I need to get my bags ready for the hospital now just in case something happens!
Love,
Jennifer
They did all the usual vital stuff and tests. Took my weight, still good, (not going to share that one!) and her heart beat was still in the average range. I measured out at 35 weeks and my blood pressure was 137/74, which was a little higher than it usually is when I go in, but still not bad.
Dr. Fletcher came in joking with me about how I just don't want to produce any extra fluid and proceeded to explain to Dale and I what was going on. She told me my fluid count was lower, at an 8, but that it was nothing to worry about at the moment. She explained to us why the fluid was so low. She said the placenta is like an egg timer. It only goes so long before it decides it's done with the whole pregnancy thing. Well the placenta is what provides the blood flow to the baby. So when it decides that it's done the blood flow to the baby decreases. From there, there baby realizes that it's not getting enough blood flow and to protect itself, rushes it's blood supply to it's head to protect it's brain. In doing this, it means that the baby's kidneys aren't producing as much as they usually would. Basically, amniotic fluid is baby pee. So when the baby's kidneys are producing enough fluid, then the fluid starts to run low, which puts the baby at a higher risk the lower and lower the fluid gets. The fluid is vital for the baby to be able to move around and function.
Dr. Fletcher told me that since I was at an 8 that I was still ok for the time being, but that she feels that I shouldn't go any longer than 37 weeks, or the first week in December, which is why they set a date to induce labor just in case she wouldn't come before that period of time. When Dale asked why they couldn't just induce me today she told us because the risk of delivering a baby at 35 weeks who might not be ready is much greater than delivering a baby at 37 weeks. At 35 weeks, Brooklyn's lungs might not still be completely developed because my body wouldn't have given her that last natural dosage of steroids like it would naturally verses inducing. Also, babies at 35 weeks can not control their body temperature near as well as a baby at 37 weeks. So all and all, it was safer for me to wait as long as possible because being an 8 fluid wise was not causing the baby any harm. Had I been a 5, then she would take Brooklyn immediately.
So to keep and eye on everything, I now have to go in every Tuesday and Thursday to the hospital to have a NST done. She said she will be able to tell from this test whether or not the baby is stressing out. I also have to have a BPP, or Bio Physical Profile, AKA ultrasound, done every Tuesday as well to measure the amount of fluid and her weight. When I asked the doctor about her weight gain she said she was not worried about it at all. That babies grow in spurts and that there was always room for a little error in those weight measurements.
The next thing we discussed with her was whether or not I needed to continue taking my medication for the contractions. She told me no! She said not to worry about taking any more of the medicine because if I have Brooklyn, then I have her. As far as bed rest, she did tell me to take it easy still and that laying around wouldn't hurt me. Dale asked if that meant I couldn't get out because I was dying to go shopping for baby stuff. Dr. Fletcher said to go ahead and that it was fine for me to do all of that. If doing so sends me into labor, then oh well. She said she didn't have a problem if I went into natural labor because that was my body telling itself that it was time. If it's time, then it's time, so be it because my uterus is a lot smarter than she is!
She said that she is not on call this weekend, but if something happens over the weekend, that she has it written on my charts for the hospital to call her first. She is on call over Thanksgiving, so if something happens then, she'll be there. She then checked my cervix and everything and said I was still dilated to a 2 at this point. She ran some other tests and told me that she would see me next week on Tuesday since they would be closed for Thanksgiving on Thursday.
I also asked her why I wasn't able to eat too much without feeling like I was going to get sick. She told me that my stomach was literally up in my chest like I was feeling and that with the baby pushing on it all the time it has shrunk. With that being said, I need to eat 6 smaller meals a day instead of bigger meals otherwise I will make myself sick. Yay! I have never been so hungry but so unable to drink or eat anything in my life! I just hope I will be able to handle Thanksgiving! I am SO looking forward to turkey and pie!
Anyway, after we left the doctors office we had to go to the hospital so they could run a NST on me. After about 30 minutes of me laying there listening to Brooklyn's heart pound like a race horse and feeling her kick the crap out of me, they let us go. They said everything looked fine and that they would see me on Tuesday whenever I decided to come in. As for next Thursday, they said whenever I wanted to come in would be fine also and that I just needed to schedule my BPP with radiology before I left.
So my doctor appointment schedule for the next week is really nice. Now given that I don't have Brooklyn sometime this weekend, I have to be at the hospital around 7/ 7:15 in the morning next Tuesday for my 7:30 ultrasound. From there I have to go upstairs to have another NST done. After I am done with that I have to head over to Dr. Fletcher's office for my routine doctor appointment at 9 am. That should be nice since their last appointment that day is at noon because of the holiday weekend and the lady at the front desk went ahead and double booked us so we could get an earlier time. So I will probably be waiting a while there. Then sometime Thanksgiving day I have to run up to the hospital to have another NST done. All of this makes for a very busy week.
Anyway, with me being off of bed rest now, which I am SO excited about, Dale and I are finally going to be able to go to Wal-Mart and finish our baby shopping. I didn't think I would ever say this, but I can't wait to go to Wal-Mart!!
That is about it for my day so far though. I still need to talk about the baby shower, but I will have to do that another time because I need to get my bags ready for the hospital now just in case something happens!
Love,
Jennifer
Wednesday Worries
Big news for a non doctor appointment day. After my ultrasound Tuesday, Dale and I had some concerns about how little weight Brooklyn had gained in a weeks time. So I called and left a message with the nurses at my doctors office to see if they could have the doctor check into the results of the ultrasound because I was worried and wanted to make sure everything was still going ok.
It wasn't until later that afternoon when one of the nurses called me back. They said that Dr. Fletcher had been in surgery all day, but that they got the results back in and had messaged her with the fluid count results. It turns out that my initial thought of my fluid count being lower was right. I went from a 9 from the week before to an 8 for this week. They said it still wasn't dangerously low, so there wasn't any immediately danger or anything to worry about. The nurse told me that Dr. Fletcher would go over everything in detail with me tomorrow, Thursday, at my doctor's appointment and that she hadn't looked at the actual ultrasounds yet, but that she wanted to start getting the ball rolling on what was going to need to be done.
Apparently, since m fluid count continues to decrease, Dr. Fletcher now wants me to go in twice a week now to get a NST, Non Stress Test, done so she can monitor Brooklyn's heart beat and stress levels to make sure she is getting enough blood supply needed to function. She also wants me to continue my once a week ultrasound until Brooklyn arrives so she can keep a close eye on the fluid amount.
When I asked the nurse about the weight problem she said she wasn't sure because she hadn't noticed or asked the doctor about that because the main concern was the amount of fluid. She told me she would ask one of the other doctors in the office and call me back if they felt it was a big concern that needed to be addressed at that moment. She told me if she didn't call me back then I could just address the issue with Dr. Fletcher tomorrow morning.
With that being said, we ended out phone conversation and I called Dale and the grandmothers to let them know what was going on. In the middle of my phone conversation with Dale's mom Belinda, my cell phone rang. It was Dr. Fletcher's office and I became really nervous. When I answered it was the nurse again. She said that she hadn't had a chance to talk with the other doctor about the weight yet. She was calling me back because Dr. Fletcher had gotten with another one of the nurses and wanted her to go ahead and set me up to be induced!! Yeah! Induced! The nurse told me that Dr. Fletcher did not want me to go anywhere past 37 weeks before they would induce me, so she was going to call the hospital and schedule me for a date sometime in the first week of December and then call me back and let me know. When she called me back she said they had me on the books at the hospital for December 2, 2008. I needed to be at the hospital at 7 that morning for them to start the process. I was kind of in shock because setting an actual date made everything so much more real!
The nurse told me I would talk with Dr. Fletcher more the next day about everything, but that if and when she took me off of my medication Brooklyn didn't come by December 2nd, that she would definitely be here on that day, no later! So everyone, less than two weeks before we have a baby here. I went ahead and changed the due date on the count down from December 22nd, 2008, to December 2nd, 2008 so it is a little more accurate. Anyway, that is what happened on Wednesday. It made for a very interesting day! The day we found out for sure when Brooklyn would be here by! Everyone is really excited and nervous now, including me! I can't wait though!
Love,
Jennifer
It wasn't until later that afternoon when one of the nurses called me back. They said that Dr. Fletcher had been in surgery all day, but that they got the results back in and had messaged her with the fluid count results. It turns out that my initial thought of my fluid count being lower was right. I went from a 9 from the week before to an 8 for this week. They said it still wasn't dangerously low, so there wasn't any immediately danger or anything to worry about. The nurse told me that Dr. Fletcher would go over everything in detail with me tomorrow, Thursday, at my doctor's appointment and that she hadn't looked at the actual ultrasounds yet, but that she wanted to start getting the ball rolling on what was going to need to be done.
Apparently, since m fluid count continues to decrease, Dr. Fletcher now wants me to go in twice a week now to get a NST, Non Stress Test, done so she can monitor Brooklyn's heart beat and stress levels to make sure she is getting enough blood supply needed to function. She also wants me to continue my once a week ultrasound until Brooklyn arrives so she can keep a close eye on the fluid amount.
When I asked the nurse about the weight problem she said she wasn't sure because she hadn't noticed or asked the doctor about that because the main concern was the amount of fluid. She told me she would ask one of the other doctors in the office and call me back if they felt it was a big concern that needed to be addressed at that moment. She told me if she didn't call me back then I could just address the issue with Dr. Fletcher tomorrow morning.
With that being said, we ended out phone conversation and I called Dale and the grandmothers to let them know what was going on. In the middle of my phone conversation with Dale's mom Belinda, my cell phone rang. It was Dr. Fletcher's office and I became really nervous. When I answered it was the nurse again. She said that she hadn't had a chance to talk with the other doctor about the weight yet. She was calling me back because Dr. Fletcher had gotten with another one of the nurses and wanted her to go ahead and set me up to be induced!! Yeah! Induced! The nurse told me that Dr. Fletcher did not want me to go anywhere past 37 weeks before they would induce me, so she was going to call the hospital and schedule me for a date sometime in the first week of December and then call me back and let me know. When she called me back she said they had me on the books at the hospital for December 2, 2008. I needed to be at the hospital at 7 that morning for them to start the process. I was kind of in shock because setting an actual date made everything so much more real!
The nurse told me I would talk with Dr. Fletcher more the next day about everything, but that if and when she took me off of my medication Brooklyn didn't come by December 2nd, that she would definitely be here on that day, no later! So everyone, less than two weeks before we have a baby here. I went ahead and changed the due date on the count down from December 22nd, 2008, to December 2nd, 2008 so it is a little more accurate. Anyway, that is what happened on Wednesday. It made for a very interesting day! The day we found out for sure when Brooklyn would be here by! Everyone is really excited and nervous now, including me! I can't wait though!
Love,
Jennifer
Tuesday Ultrasound
So part of my doctor's preventative care is going to get an ultrasound done every week now until Brooklyn is here to check the amount of fluid. I went this past Tuesday, November 18th, so the doctor would have the results in by my Thursday appointment. For the most part, everything seemed to be ok. Brooklyn was moving around and still healthy. Her heart beat was in it's usual 150-160 range. The ultrasound tech took all of her measurements to get her weight, and also measured out the pockets of fluid. After the tech took all the measurements, she told us her approximate weight was 5 pounds 1 ounce. This concerned me because that meant she ad only gained 2 ounces in the past week. She is suppose to be gaining half a pound, or 8 ounces, a week now.
The tech couldn't tell me anything about the amount of fluid she measured, but I could tell that it didn't look like it was as much as the previous week. I also asked about her umbilical cord to see if they could tell if it was anywhere around her neck, just to make sure. They told me she is so crowded in my belly now that there really isn't a way to tell. As long as she continues to move around though she should be fine. So that was basically it for that day. They told me that they should have the results to the doctor's office by the next day, and I was free to go until next week.
Love,
Jennifer
The tech couldn't tell me anything about the amount of fluid she measured, but I could tell that it didn't look like it was as much as the previous week. I also asked about her umbilical cord to see if they could tell if it was anywhere around her neck, just to make sure. They told me she is so crowded in my belly now that there really isn't a way to tell. As long as she continues to move around though she should be fine. So that was basically it for that day. They told me that they should have the results to the doctor's office by the next day, and I was free to go until next week.
Love,
Jennifer
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Brooklyn & Momma at 35 Weeks
This is the most recent picture of me at 35 weeks pregnant with Brooklyn. I can't believe how much weight I have gained! My face looks so chubby now! Anyway, this picture was just taken yesterday, November 18th 2008. Look how big she has gotten!
Love,
Jennifer
Brooklyn Kicked Her Daddy!!
Before I forget what day it happened, I might as well go ahead and post about it even though it will be out of order with other events.
So Monday evening, Dale was laying his head on my belly and I was playing with his hair when all of a sudden Brooklyn kicked him! She did not like him being in her space I guess. It was pretty funny though that she got so upset at him that she kicked him in the head! After wards she gave herself the hiccups, which was pretty cool because Dale was able to lay on my belly and hear her have the hiccups. I just thought it was pretty funny because of how much of an attitude Brooklyn seems to have already and she's not even here yet. So now it's marked down in the pages of her history... the first time she kicked her daddy in the head, Monday, November 17, 2008! Haha!
Love,
Jennifer
So Monday evening, Dale was laying his head on my belly and I was playing with his hair when all of a sudden Brooklyn kicked him! She did not like him being in her space I guess. It was pretty funny though that she got so upset at him that she kicked him in the head! After wards she gave herself the hiccups, which was pretty cool because Dale was able to lay on my belly and hear her have the hiccups. I just thought it was pretty funny because of how much of an attitude Brooklyn seems to have already and she's not even here yet. So now it's marked down in the pages of her history... the first time she kicked her daddy in the head, Monday, November 17, 2008! Haha!
Love,
Jennifer
34 Week Doctor Appointment
Almost a week later, I have finally found some time to sit down and post about Brooklyn's last doctor appointment. Being almost a week later, and since SO much has happened since then, I know I'm not going to be able to remember everything in detail. I know, I know, I need to be better about keeping up with everything. It has just become so much harder to do the closer the time gets.
Anyway, my mom, Grandma Carrie took me to my appointment this time. For some reason, every time she takes me, we wind up having to wait forever. When Dale takes me, we never have to wait too long... it's weird. Dr. Fletcher was running behind AGAIN, what a surprise, I know. So I think we had to wait about an hour before we even got called back. Let's just say my appointment was at 10:30 in the morning and I didn't get to leave the office until almost 12:30ish that afternoon.
As for the usual vitals and stuff, everything was good. My blood pressure was still good and her heart beat was still up in the 150's. I also lost a pound over the week, which is awesome for me because I am trying hard to keep myself healthy and not gain a lot of extra weight.
So once we got back to the freezing cold room to see the doctor and got to wait a little longer, Dr. Fletcher came in with the results of my ultrasound from the Tuesday (November 11th) before. She told me she had some concerns because the fluid measurements came back low. She said for where I was in my pregnancy, 34 weeks, she wanted my fluid count to be around 12 (whatever the measurement term they use for fluid is). My fluid count was at 9. She said it wasn't dangerous, but that it was something she definitely wanted to keep an eye on. She informed me that if it were to get dramatically lower, like to 6 or 5, that she would have to take Brooklyn early. So to keep an eye on this problem, she wanted me to go in every week until Brooklyn arrives to have an ultrasound/ growth scan done. She wants to keep a close eye on how much fluid is around her and how much I might be losing.
Dr. Fletcher then told me that with her weight, 4 pounds 15 ounces, that it was enough to keep her out of NICU given that nothing else would go wrong. Next she got me set up to do a NST, or a Non-Stress Test. This test just consisted of them strapping a heart monitor to my belly as well as a monitor for my contractions. I had to stay hooked up to the monitor for over 20 minutes and had to press a button every time I felt Brooklyn move. Given that it was lunch time and I hadn't had a chance to eat before the appointment, Brooklyn was hungry. So she moved around a LOT! Every time I pressed the button for her movement, it would mark it on the heart rate sheet. What the doctor was watching out for was for her heart rate to go up after each of her movements. Once the NST was done, the doctor looked over the results and said that I just barely got by but that everything looked ok.
I also asked Dr. Fletcher about setting up a birth plan. She told me if I wanted to write one out that I might as well just plan to have a c-section. She said the majority of her patients who write out a birth plan wind up having to have a c-section. Then she went over what she does and what her rules are for the delivery. She said she was pretty easy going as wasn't one of the doctors what tried to force drugs on her patients or anything. She said basically her only rule was that I HAD to have an IV in case she needed to administer any drugs in case of an emergency. I knew that was a requirement already, but it is still something I am not looking forward to because they put their IVs right in the middle of your arm and they hurt!
The doctor also told me to start taking my higher dose of medicine every 4 hours now instead of every 6. The doctor checked me out also to make sure nothing else was going on and said I was still at a two, so I was still doing good.
Anyway, that was basically it, or at least that is all I can remember. My next appointment is tomorrow, Thursday, November 20th. I also had an ultrasound to check the fluid amount again which they got me in for yesterday. I will update everyone on that tomorrow though as well as the baby shower from this past weekend and Brooklyn kicking her daddy in the head AND developments from today and the doctor appointment tomorrow. So much to do, so little time!
Love,
Jennifer
Anyway, my mom, Grandma Carrie took me to my appointment this time. For some reason, every time she takes me, we wind up having to wait forever. When Dale takes me, we never have to wait too long... it's weird. Dr. Fletcher was running behind AGAIN, what a surprise, I know. So I think we had to wait about an hour before we even got called back. Let's just say my appointment was at 10:30 in the morning and I didn't get to leave the office until almost 12:30ish that afternoon.
As for the usual vitals and stuff, everything was good. My blood pressure was still good and her heart beat was still up in the 150's. I also lost a pound over the week, which is awesome for me because I am trying hard to keep myself healthy and not gain a lot of extra weight.
So once we got back to the freezing cold room to see the doctor and got to wait a little longer, Dr. Fletcher came in with the results of my ultrasound from the Tuesday (November 11th) before. She told me she had some concerns because the fluid measurements came back low. She said for where I was in my pregnancy, 34 weeks, she wanted my fluid count to be around 12 (whatever the measurement term they use for fluid is). My fluid count was at 9. She said it wasn't dangerous, but that it was something she definitely wanted to keep an eye on. She informed me that if it were to get dramatically lower, like to 6 or 5, that she would have to take Brooklyn early. So to keep an eye on this problem, she wanted me to go in every week until Brooklyn arrives to have an ultrasound/ growth scan done. She wants to keep a close eye on how much fluid is around her and how much I might be losing.
Dr. Fletcher then told me that with her weight, 4 pounds 15 ounces, that it was enough to keep her out of NICU given that nothing else would go wrong. Next she got me set up to do a NST, or a Non-Stress Test. This test just consisted of them strapping a heart monitor to my belly as well as a monitor for my contractions. I had to stay hooked up to the monitor for over 20 minutes and had to press a button every time I felt Brooklyn move. Given that it was lunch time and I hadn't had a chance to eat before the appointment, Brooklyn was hungry. So she moved around a LOT! Every time I pressed the button for her movement, it would mark it on the heart rate sheet. What the doctor was watching out for was for her heart rate to go up after each of her movements. Once the NST was done, the doctor looked over the results and said that I just barely got by but that everything looked ok.
I also asked Dr. Fletcher about setting up a birth plan. She told me if I wanted to write one out that I might as well just plan to have a c-section. She said the majority of her patients who write out a birth plan wind up having to have a c-section. Then she went over what she does and what her rules are for the delivery. She said she was pretty easy going as wasn't one of the doctors what tried to force drugs on her patients or anything. She said basically her only rule was that I HAD to have an IV in case she needed to administer any drugs in case of an emergency. I knew that was a requirement already, but it is still something I am not looking forward to because they put their IVs right in the middle of your arm and they hurt!
The doctor also told me to start taking my higher dose of medicine every 4 hours now instead of every 6. The doctor checked me out also to make sure nothing else was going on and said I was still at a two, so I was still doing good.
Anyway, that was basically it, or at least that is all I can remember. My next appointment is tomorrow, Thursday, November 20th. I also had an ultrasound to check the fluid amount again which they got me in for yesterday. I will update everyone on that tomorrow though as well as the baby shower from this past weekend and Brooklyn kicking her daddy in the head AND developments from today and the doctor appointment tomorrow. So much to do, so little time!
Love,
Jennifer
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Ultrasounds
It's time for me to play catch up. I have been so busy this past week that I haven't had a chance to post about what has been going on. So let's start with the ultrasounds. Dale's mom, Grandma Belinda, took me in last Tuesday morning, November 11th, and had my growth scan ultrasound done. Dr. Fletcher wanted the ultrasound tech to do any ultrasound to figure out how much Brooklyn weighed and to also measure the amount of fluid around her.
The ultrasound went fine. The tech we had was really nice and explained everything she was doing the whole time. It is getting harder and harder to distinguish Brooklyn from everything else around her since she is getting so big. Her head looks huge now, which is kind of scary for me. She barely has any room to move also. She definitely won't be putting her foot up to her face anytime soon. I knew she was getting a lot bigger though because she is stretching my tummy out really bad. It seems like the harder I try to not get stretch marks, the more I get. What is funny is that the only place I have them on my tummy right now is where she lays all the time.
Little Miss Brooklyn weighed 4 pounds and 15 ounces though. Only one ounce away from being 5 whole pounds. I was pretty happy about those results because that means if she comes early now, unless there is something else wrong with her, she won't have to stay in NICU.
Brooklyn was still down in position though and REALLY low. I don't think the tech could have gone down any lower to try to get the measurements of her head! So she is ready to come out. I honestly think now that I won't last more than a week after the doctor takes me off my medicine before I have her. However, Brooklyn could become stubborn and just decide to stay because it wouldn't be on her arriving on her own terms, which I could see happening since she has such an attitude already! Any way, I think that was about it for that appointment.
Love,
Jennifer
The ultrasound went fine. The tech we had was really nice and explained everything she was doing the whole time. It is getting harder and harder to distinguish Brooklyn from everything else around her since she is getting so big. Her head looks huge now, which is kind of scary for me. She barely has any room to move also. She definitely won't be putting her foot up to her face anytime soon. I knew she was getting a lot bigger though because she is stretching my tummy out really bad. It seems like the harder I try to not get stretch marks, the more I get. What is funny is that the only place I have them on my tummy right now is where she lays all the time.
Little Miss Brooklyn weighed 4 pounds and 15 ounces though. Only one ounce away from being 5 whole pounds. I was pretty happy about those results because that means if she comes early now, unless there is something else wrong with her, she won't have to stay in NICU.
Brooklyn was still down in position though and REALLY low. I don't think the tech could have gone down any lower to try to get the measurements of her head! So she is ready to come out. I honestly think now that I won't last more than a week after the doctor takes me off my medicine before I have her. However, Brooklyn could become stubborn and just decide to stay because it wouldn't be on her arriving on her own terms, which I could see happening since she has such an attitude already! Any way, I think that was about it for that appointment.
Love,
Jennifer
Monday, November 10, 2008
Brooklyn's Mommy & Daddy
Dale and I went this past Saturday, November 8th, and had the last pictures of us taken before Brooklyn gets here. Below are just a few of the pictures that we had taken.
Friday, November 07, 2008
33 Week Doctor Appointment
Oh boy... well girl, but did we get some news yesterday at my doctor's appointment! To start from the beginning, my blood pressure was still good, 122/80. I measured right at 33 when they measured my tummy. Brooklyn's heart beat was at 156 bpm, which is good.
So now for the interesting stuff. We got back to the room to see the doctor and I told her I had been having more contractions since Tuesday evening than I have been having the past two weeks since I have been on the medicine to stop them. They haven't been bad contractions, just cramp like feelings in my back. She told me that I will still have contractions while on the medicine, but that she doesn't want me to have any if possible. So she has increased my dose of medication to take to 5mg, which so far hasn't affected me. I just have to take it every 6 hours instead of 4 now.
Next, which I guess will be the routine until Brooklyn is born, she checked to make sure I hadn't dilated any more. She said I was still where I was at two weeks ago, which was great. (Dilated to a 1 almost a 2) She told me that she thinks I will have an easy delivery because 20% of the work is already done. That, to me, was GREAT news. Hopefully it pans out that way, because my prepared child birth classes were starting to freak me out. There is so much that will be going on during labor and delivery that I was starting to get overwhelmed with it all.
Anyway, then I asked the doctor about the bed rest that she has me on. I asked her how long I was going to be on bed rest and what was going to happen after she took me off. She said she wants me on bed rest until at least 35 1/2 - 36 weeks, which falls right at Thanksgiving. At that point in time, she will take me off of bed rest and off of the medication I am taking. If I have Brooklyn after that point, then she will be out of the danger zone of having to go into NICU, (Newborn/ Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). She told me what she wants for us is to be able to take Brooklyn home instead of her staying in the hospital for a couple of weeks.
I asked how that might affect my insurance and all since she will be taking me off of bed rest. She said it shouldn't at all simply because (HERE'S THE KICKER) she doesn't expect me to go more than a week after she takes me off of bed rest before I have Brooklyn. She told Dale and I that her goal was to get me to/ through Thanksgiving. So instead of Brooklyn being here on December 22nd, Dr. Fletcher thinks she will be here anywhere from around Thanksgiving to maybe the first week in December!!!! Either way, she will DEFINITELY be here before Christmas!!!
We mentioned that we knew a few people that went into preterm labor and that they were still a few weeks late, so could that happen to us. She said she wouldn't let us go more than two weeks after she took me off of bed rest and the medication. She kept reassuring us that she didn't think it would be an issue at all though and said "honestly, I don't expect her to make it through Thanksgiving." That kind of surprised the crap out of Dale and I because we were thinking we had about a month if not longer to get everything ready. From what the doctor is telling us though, we have about 3 weeks!!
Dr. Fletcher then ordered another ultrasound. She said she wanted to get a new weight for Brooklyn. She wanted to do this as a precaution in case I came in next week and was dilated any further and had to go into full labor. She said if she can show Moore Medical Center that the baby was past 4 1/2- 5 pounds that she would be able to keep Brooklyn out of NICU, which was her goal because she did NOT want her to have to be in NICU. Moore Medical Center doesn't have a NICU unit, so they would have to transfer Brooklyn to probably Norman Regional and keep her there until she was ready to come home. So Dr. Fletcher's nurse is suppose to schedule me an appointment at the hospital for next week to get another ultrasound done! Just when I thought we wouldn't have anymore ultrasounds too!
I'm not worried at all about Brooklyn being under weight. She weighed almost 4 pounds 2 weeks ago, 3 pounds 12 ounces to be exact. She is suppose to be gaining 1/2 a pound every week, which would be a whole pound since the last ultrasound they did. She should be about 5 pounds by the time I have the ultrasound next week, which would be great. As much as she is stretching out my belly, she has to be gaining weight!
My next doctor appointment is Thursday at 10:30 AM. Hopefully everything is still going ok since the baby shower is that following weekend! The doctor said that it would be fine for me to do things like go to the baby shower. She also told me that it would be ok for me to go ahead and take the Infant CPR class I had signed up for which is next Friday and to go get our pictures done this Saturday, which I am VERY excited about now. She said as long as I am not up walking around stores or trying to paint a room, then I should be ok.
So that is pretty much it. The time keeps getting closer and closer. I'm just excited that she will be here for Christmas. Dale's theory is that she wants turkey, which is why she is trying to come so early! Let's hope she doesn't come on Thanksgiving though. I want some turkey and pie!!
Love,
Jennifer
So now for the interesting stuff. We got back to the room to see the doctor and I told her I had been having more contractions since Tuesday evening than I have been having the past two weeks since I have been on the medicine to stop them. They haven't been bad contractions, just cramp like feelings in my back. She told me that I will still have contractions while on the medicine, but that she doesn't want me to have any if possible. So she has increased my dose of medication to take to 5mg, which so far hasn't affected me. I just have to take it every 6 hours instead of 4 now.
Next, which I guess will be the routine until Brooklyn is born, she checked to make sure I hadn't dilated any more. She said I was still where I was at two weeks ago, which was great. (Dilated to a 1 almost a 2) She told me that she thinks I will have an easy delivery because 20% of the work is already done. That, to me, was GREAT news. Hopefully it pans out that way, because my prepared child birth classes were starting to freak me out. There is so much that will be going on during labor and delivery that I was starting to get overwhelmed with it all.
Anyway, then I asked the doctor about the bed rest that she has me on. I asked her how long I was going to be on bed rest and what was going to happen after she took me off. She said she wants me on bed rest until at least 35 1/2 - 36 weeks, which falls right at Thanksgiving. At that point in time, she will take me off of bed rest and off of the medication I am taking. If I have Brooklyn after that point, then she will be out of the danger zone of having to go into NICU, (Newborn/ Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). She told me what she wants for us is to be able to take Brooklyn home instead of her staying in the hospital for a couple of weeks.
I asked how that might affect my insurance and all since she will be taking me off of bed rest. She said it shouldn't at all simply because (HERE'S THE KICKER) she doesn't expect me to go more than a week after she takes me off of bed rest before I have Brooklyn. She told Dale and I that her goal was to get me to/ through Thanksgiving. So instead of Brooklyn being here on December 22nd, Dr. Fletcher thinks she will be here anywhere from around Thanksgiving to maybe the first week in December!!!! Either way, she will DEFINITELY be here before Christmas!!!
We mentioned that we knew a few people that went into preterm labor and that they were still a few weeks late, so could that happen to us. She said she wouldn't let us go more than two weeks after she took me off of bed rest and the medication. She kept reassuring us that she didn't think it would be an issue at all though and said "honestly, I don't expect her to make it through Thanksgiving." That kind of surprised the crap out of Dale and I because we were thinking we had about a month if not longer to get everything ready. From what the doctor is telling us though, we have about 3 weeks!!
Dr. Fletcher then ordered another ultrasound. She said she wanted to get a new weight for Brooklyn. She wanted to do this as a precaution in case I came in next week and was dilated any further and had to go into full labor. She said if she can show Moore Medical Center that the baby was past 4 1/2- 5 pounds that she would be able to keep Brooklyn out of NICU, which was her goal because she did NOT want her to have to be in NICU. Moore Medical Center doesn't have a NICU unit, so they would have to transfer Brooklyn to probably Norman Regional and keep her there until she was ready to come home. So Dr. Fletcher's nurse is suppose to schedule me an appointment at the hospital for next week to get another ultrasound done! Just when I thought we wouldn't have anymore ultrasounds too!
I'm not worried at all about Brooklyn being under weight. She weighed almost 4 pounds 2 weeks ago, 3 pounds 12 ounces to be exact. She is suppose to be gaining 1/2 a pound every week, which would be a whole pound since the last ultrasound they did. She should be about 5 pounds by the time I have the ultrasound next week, which would be great. As much as she is stretching out my belly, she has to be gaining weight!
My next doctor appointment is Thursday at 10:30 AM. Hopefully everything is still going ok since the baby shower is that following weekend! The doctor said that it would be fine for me to do things like go to the baby shower. She also told me that it would be ok for me to go ahead and take the Infant CPR class I had signed up for which is next Friday and to go get our pictures done this Saturday, which I am VERY excited about now. She said as long as I am not up walking around stores or trying to paint a room, then I should be ok.
So that is pretty much it. The time keeps getting closer and closer. I'm just excited that she will be here for Christmas. Dale's theory is that she wants turkey, which is why she is trying to come so early! Let's hope she doesn't come on Thanksgiving though. I want some turkey and pie!!
Love,
Jennifer
Friday, October 31, 2008
The Very Last 4D Ultrasound
We had our last appointment for the 3D/4D ultrasound last night. Since the last session, which was the best, didn't get recorded to the DVD properly, they had us come back for another session so we would get our DVD. This session wasn't as good as the previous one. However, Brooklyn did show us her face. She had her hands up by her face at first but eventually moved them away. We got a bunch of additional pictures, but they were not as clear as the last time.
We got to see Brooklyn smile this time and stick her tongue out at us. She has gained a lot of weight in her face since the last 4D ultrasound we had done. Her cheeks are so chubby now! She has dimples too! We could actually see the dimples on the ultrasound! She looked so cute though. I just wish the pictures would have come out a little bit clearer. I still think she is going to look like her daddy.
Hopefully this ultrasound will be the last one that we have to have done until she gets here. I have posted a couple of the pictures below. They aren't too clear and are really distorted, but they are the best ones we could get of her. The next pictures I post will hopefully be ones of her AFTER she is here!! Enjoy!
Love, Jennifer
We got to see Brooklyn smile this time and stick her tongue out at us. She has gained a lot of weight in her face since the last 4D ultrasound we had done. Her cheeks are so chubby now! She has dimples too! We could actually see the dimples on the ultrasound! She looked so cute though. I just wish the pictures would have come out a little bit clearer. I still think she is going to look like her daddy.
Hopefully this ultrasound will be the last one that we have to have done until she gets here. I have posted a couple of the pictures below. They aren't too clear and are really distorted, but they are the best ones we could get of her. The next pictures I post will hopefully be ones of her AFTER she is here!! Enjoy!
Love, Jennifer
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
32 Week Doctor Appointment
I had my appointment today with another doctor in Dr. Fletcher's office since she was out of town. I don't know what it is, but every time I have to go to the doctor they are either running way behind, or have to rush out to deliver. This just happened to be the case today as well! There are four doctors in her office including her. Dr. Fletcher and two of the other doctors were out, and the one doctor that was left there this week got called out to deliver. I was there for two hours by the time I left, which to me is highly irritating because sitting in a doctor's office for two hours... not comfortable.
Anyway! Enough about my wait. Nothing really new this week. I did lose almost 5 pounds over the last week according to the doctors scale. 4.8 pounds to be exact. The doctor I saw didn't think this was really a problem though. As long as I am staying properly hydrated. We'll see what I weigh next week though and talk to Dr. Fletcher if I have lost more.
They took Brooklyn's heart beat. It was at 158 this time. It has seems to be running on the higher end lately but they said everything was fine. When they measured my belly it was a 32, which is right on with how many weeks along I am. According the patterns though, usually I measure one week behind what I really am, but I guess she is just really growing now and has seemed to have caught up.
I had some contractions last night while I was sleeping. Every time I would turn sides I would have a contraction. I asked the doctor about that and he said that is fine. He said that even though I am on medication to help my contractions that I am still going to have contractions. He said as long as they are no more than 10 minutes apart for an hour then I am fine. He did tell me that if they were still coming sporadically and were starting to hurt more that I could double up on the dosage of medicine I am taking. I am just going to see how the next week goes though and try to take it easy.
I'm sure the doctor I saw knows what he is doing, but when it comes to advice on what I should and shouldn't do, I really only trust Dr. Fletcher. She knows what is going on and I think she is really the only one qualified to make decisions that might affect the rest of the pregnancy. So I will be asking her all the questions I asked today next week. My appointment next week is on Thursday, November 6th at 3:40 in the afternoon. Hopefully I won't have to wait like I did today. That's pretty much it for this weeks appointment though!
Love,
Jennifer
Anyway! Enough about my wait. Nothing really new this week. I did lose almost 5 pounds over the last week according to the doctors scale. 4.8 pounds to be exact. The doctor I saw didn't think this was really a problem though. As long as I am staying properly hydrated. We'll see what I weigh next week though and talk to Dr. Fletcher if I have lost more.
They took Brooklyn's heart beat. It was at 158 this time. It has seems to be running on the higher end lately but they said everything was fine. When they measured my belly it was a 32, which is right on with how many weeks along I am. According the patterns though, usually I measure one week behind what I really am, but I guess she is just really growing now and has seemed to have caught up.
I had some contractions last night while I was sleeping. Every time I would turn sides I would have a contraction. I asked the doctor about that and he said that is fine. He said that even though I am on medication to help my contractions that I am still going to have contractions. He said as long as they are no more than 10 minutes apart for an hour then I am fine. He did tell me that if they were still coming sporadically and were starting to hurt more that I could double up on the dosage of medicine I am taking. I am just going to see how the next week goes though and try to take it easy.
I'm sure the doctor I saw knows what he is doing, but when it comes to advice on what I should and shouldn't do, I really only trust Dr. Fletcher. She knows what is going on and I think she is really the only one qualified to make decisions that might affect the rest of the pregnancy. So I will be asking her all the questions I asked today next week. My appointment next week is on Thursday, November 6th at 3:40 in the afternoon. Hopefully I won't have to wait like I did today. That's pretty much it for this weeks appointment though!
Love,
Jennifer
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Here Comes Brooklyn! Part 2
Now for the hospital part. To pick up where I left off... I called Dale, crying, as soon as I walked out the door to the doctors office. Told him what was going on. After I got off the phone with him I called my mom, Grandma Carrie, and told her what was going on and that I needed her to meet me at the hospital. She left work immediately. Next I called Grandma Belinda and told her what was going on and where to meet me at the hospital. I had to have someone there since Dale, daddy was in Orlando on a business trip. I was scared and didn't know what was going to happen.
Once we got to the hospital I had to check in and then go straight to radiology to have an ultrasound, yes another, and growth scan done. Dr. Fletcher wanted Brooklyn measured to see how she was in her progress and to make sure there there was no distress or anything else going on. We got the same tech that I've had the past two times I have had an ultrasound done at the hospital. She took all the measurements needed and told us that Brooklyn looked like she was going good. She said by the measurements that she already weighs approximately 3 pounds and 12 ounces. Her heart rate was where it should have been and that she was already down in position at that time. They had to search down pretty low to find her this time, which I already knew she was down way low because of all the pressure I was feeling. Also, yet again, Brooklyn was holding her foot, yes holding, her face again. There is something about her foot she just loves. With her other hand she kept pushing away the ultrasound tech. We got to see her breathing though, very heavily, which was good. The tech said she was being such a drama queen though and that we are going to have our hands full because she couldn't get Brooklyn to move for nothing. So Brooklyn has officially been labeled already as a "mess" and a "drama queen." Which with her attitude, I fully expect those labels to hold true.
After the ultrasound they sent me back up to labor and delivery. Next the doctor ordered me to be monitored, both my heart and Brooklyn's, as well as monitoring contractions that I was having.... or cramps as I was calling them. So they got me all hooked up and I got to sit there for at least an hour if not two. By the way, by this time, it's probably 10:30 or so and I am starving because I hadn't eaten anything for breakfast. I as planning on going straight to work and eating there. So Brooklyn needless to say was not all too happy with me.
After they monitored me for a bit, and then got shots. Lovely lovely shots. Per doctors orders they gave me a shot of Breathlean? I'm not sure how it is spelled. In pill form it is spelled Terbutaline. This show was suppose to stop my cervix from dilating even more and stop the contractions I was having. The medication raised my heart beat as well as the babies pretty high, causes me to be short of breath, and worst of all, really shaky. I was sitting there shaking and could do nothing about it. I now have the pill form of this medication that I have to take every 4 hours on the dot until at least 36 weeks to try to keep my from having any contractions. So needless to say, I have alarms set constantly so I won't forget to take a pill, especially in the middle of the night.
After the burning shot in the arm, I then had to get a steroid shot in my hip. They said there were a series of two of these shots. I would have to come back the next day, Friday, about the same time to get another one. The steroid shot was given to me though to help Brooklyn's lungs try to develop a little faster just in case we can't keep her in my belly until 36 weeks. I was not too happy about that shot. It burned SO bad. My hip literally hurt until about 8 pm Thursday night and is still a little sore even today. That is even after I went back today to be monitored again and to get the other shot in my other hip, which really burned too, but didn't hurt near as bad.
Anyway, after all that was done they decided to let me go home because everything checked out ok. My appointment back Friday was noting special. Just heart monitor and another shot. They said that everything still looked ok and that I just needed to pay attention and make sure I didn't have anymore contractions and to take it easy, which is what I have been trying to do. So I think that is about it. There are other things to talk about and mention, but I am actually getting tired now and think I am going to go rest. I will post more soon about other ongoings!
By the way, for those wondering, Dale could have come back at any point in time during all of this mess. He was ready t hop on a plane and would have been back here in a second. We decided since Dr. Fletcher caught what was going on, Kudos to Dr. Fletcher by the way, that he should just go ahead and finish out his trip in Orlando. I am currently staying with my parents until they get back who have been a great help and have made sure that I actually follow my bed rest instructions as much as possible. Thank you to everyone for all the phone calls and love and support and offers of help. I really do appreciate it and it is really nice to know that we have so many family members and friends who care so much about us and Brooklyn. Thank you.
Love,
Jennifer
Once we got to the hospital I had to check in and then go straight to radiology to have an ultrasound, yes another, and growth scan done. Dr. Fletcher wanted Brooklyn measured to see how she was in her progress and to make sure there there was no distress or anything else going on. We got the same tech that I've had the past two times I have had an ultrasound done at the hospital. She took all the measurements needed and told us that Brooklyn looked like she was going good. She said by the measurements that she already weighs approximately 3 pounds and 12 ounces. Her heart rate was where it should have been and that she was already down in position at that time. They had to search down pretty low to find her this time, which I already knew she was down way low because of all the pressure I was feeling. Also, yet again, Brooklyn was holding her foot, yes holding, her face again. There is something about her foot she just loves. With her other hand she kept pushing away the ultrasound tech. We got to see her breathing though, very heavily, which was good. The tech said she was being such a drama queen though and that we are going to have our hands full because she couldn't get Brooklyn to move for nothing. So Brooklyn has officially been labeled already as a "mess" and a "drama queen." Which with her attitude, I fully expect those labels to hold true.
After the ultrasound they sent me back up to labor and delivery. Next the doctor ordered me to be monitored, both my heart and Brooklyn's, as well as monitoring contractions that I was having.... or cramps as I was calling them. So they got me all hooked up and I got to sit there for at least an hour if not two. By the way, by this time, it's probably 10:30 or so and I am starving because I hadn't eaten anything for breakfast. I as planning on going straight to work and eating there. So Brooklyn needless to say was not all too happy with me.
After they monitored me for a bit, and then got shots. Lovely lovely shots. Per doctors orders they gave me a shot of Breathlean? I'm not sure how it is spelled. In pill form it is spelled Terbutaline. This show was suppose to stop my cervix from dilating even more and stop the contractions I was having. The medication raised my heart beat as well as the babies pretty high, causes me to be short of breath, and worst of all, really shaky. I was sitting there shaking and could do nothing about it. I now have the pill form of this medication that I have to take every 4 hours on the dot until at least 36 weeks to try to keep my from having any contractions. So needless to say, I have alarms set constantly so I won't forget to take a pill, especially in the middle of the night.
After the burning shot in the arm, I then had to get a steroid shot in my hip. They said there were a series of two of these shots. I would have to come back the next day, Friday, about the same time to get another one. The steroid shot was given to me though to help Brooklyn's lungs try to develop a little faster just in case we can't keep her in my belly until 36 weeks. I was not too happy about that shot. It burned SO bad. My hip literally hurt until about 8 pm Thursday night and is still a little sore even today. That is even after I went back today to be monitored again and to get the other shot in my other hip, which really burned too, but didn't hurt near as bad.
Anyway, after all that was done they decided to let me go home because everything checked out ok. My appointment back Friday was noting special. Just heart monitor and another shot. They said that everything still looked ok and that I just needed to pay attention and make sure I didn't have anymore contractions and to take it easy, which is what I have been trying to do. So I think that is about it. There are other things to talk about and mention, but I am actually getting tired now and think I am going to go rest. I will post more soon about other ongoings!
By the way, for those wondering, Dale could have come back at any point in time during all of this mess. He was ready t hop on a plane and would have been back here in a second. We decided since Dr. Fletcher caught what was going on, Kudos to Dr. Fletcher by the way, that he should just go ahead and finish out his trip in Orlando. I am currently staying with my parents until they get back who have been a great help and have made sure that I actually follow my bed rest instructions as much as possible. Thank you to everyone for all the phone calls and love and support and offers of help. I really do appreciate it and it is really nice to know that we have so many family members and friends who care so much about us and Brooklyn. Thank you.
Love,
Jennifer
Here Comes Brooklyn!
WARNING: THIS IS A LONG POST
Ok, so it's official. Brooklyn is ready to be here and she is ready to be here now. I don't know if it is because her daddy didn't talk to her before he left for his trip and she is trying to go after him, or if she is just tired of us trying to see her face and is thinking "Fine, I'll show you my face!!" Either way, she decided to throw me into pre-term labor on Thursday, October 23rd, and my doctor has now moved me to high risk and bed rest!
The Brooklyn going after her daddy thing first. When we dropped her daddy off at the airport Wednesday morning he didn't talk to her and say goodbye. He has been talking to her a lot lately. I know she probably really didn't know what was going on, but when her daddy and I walked away from each other she started kicking the crap out of me. So I am saying she was mad and this is her daddy's fault! :)
Second theory. She is tired of us trying to see her beautiful face. Every time we have an ultrasound, she hides her face with the exception of the very last one, or what we thought to be the last one. I watched the DVD that we got with the package from the ultrasound place Wednesday night, pre bed rest period, and they had only recorded the first try on the dvd. Yes, the try where you can't see a darn thing besides he foot. The second try, where we could actually see her face and we got to see her yawn and all that other precious beautiful stuff. Gone. I called back yesterday and told them it wasn't on there. They informed me they didn't have it saved. So what they are going to do is have me come back in and try to get another video of her. I have asked my doctor, since I am on bed rest, if this would be ok for me to do since next week is the last week that they can even do the ultrasound. She said it was fine as long as I wasn't up walking around a lot and putting any strain or pressure on her. So Thursday at 5:30 I have an appointment to go to the ultrasound place to try one last time to actually get some pictures of her pre-birth. I'm sure she won't like it, but she'll just have to deal and hopefully cooperate one last time for me. I will be drinking orange juice again!
Now back to the bed rest. So I went in Thursday morning for my regular routine check up with Dr. Fletcher. Everything was going fine, minus the time I had to wait because she was in delivery. Brooklyn's heart beat was 150, my blood pressure was 120 over 80, and everything seemed to be checking out ok. I assumed I would be out of there in no time and on my way back up to work. I almost just canceled the appointment since I had been the week before, but decided to go ahead and go anyway since Dr. Fletcher will be out of town all next week.
So the doctor comes in. Asks me how I am doing... any bleeding, no. Any contractions, no. Ok, so she asks me about some upper back pain I complained about a week or two ago. I told her that it wasn't as bad, but now the only back pains I was having were lower down. I told her that the past week off and on I had cramps like I did way back when I had my menstrual cycle and all. She paused... then said, "ok... well this is your baby, so we don't know if you would be at risk for pre-term labor. Tell ya what. I am going to be out of town next week. You are only 31 weeks along, so there shouldn't be anything going on, but let's just do an exam and make sure there is no monkey business going on."
So here I am thinking, ok, she will find nothing, it's probably just typical back pain brought on by all the rapid weight gain. BOY was I wrong. She did the cervix exam and low and behold I was dilated to a one almost a two already. I was in pre-term labor she said. The cramps I had been feeling off and on all week. Yeah, not cramps, CONTRACTIONS! I told her that I hadn't had any Braxton-Hicks contractions or anything else yet. She informed me that some women don't. That there is a precept ion that every single contraction is going to be very painful, and that it just isn't the case with some women. Mine were light, but I was dilated to almost a two and Brooklyn was 60- 70% effacement already so she was sending me to the hops ital and putting me on bed rest until 36 weeks at least.
Dr. Fletcher gets on the phone with the hospital to tell them I am on my way. I am in such shock I'm on the verge of tears. Dale is in Orlando. She's not due for another two months. I'm on BED REST! I was suppose to go to work! I was freaking out and couldn't retain anything the doctor was telling me because I was so scared something was going to happen to Brooklyn.
So now, I have to go to the doctor every week until Brooklyn is here. I have been moved into a high risk category as well and will have to be closely monitored. I go in next Wednesday for an appointment with one of her partner doctors in the office, then will hopefully see Dr. Fletcher the rest of the time. She told me it was really important that we try to get Brooklyn to 35 weeks though so she would be healthy and her lungs would be fully developed. So I made my appointment and headed to the hospital. So that is the story of how and why I am on bed rest. The hospital stay is a whole other long post to come later. I am sure I am leaving something out, but hey, I am on bed rest pretty much the rest of the year, so I will be posting on here a lot now! Watch out world, Brooklyn's ready to be here!
Love,
Jennifer
Ok, so it's official. Brooklyn is ready to be here and she is ready to be here now. I don't know if it is because her daddy didn't talk to her before he left for his trip and she is trying to go after him, or if she is just tired of us trying to see her face and is thinking "Fine, I'll show you my face!!" Either way, she decided to throw me into pre-term labor on Thursday, October 23rd, and my doctor has now moved me to high risk and bed rest!
The Brooklyn going after her daddy thing first. When we dropped her daddy off at the airport Wednesday morning he didn't talk to her and say goodbye. He has been talking to her a lot lately. I know she probably really didn't know what was going on, but when her daddy and I walked away from each other she started kicking the crap out of me. So I am saying she was mad and this is her daddy's fault! :)
Second theory. She is tired of us trying to see her beautiful face. Every time we have an ultrasound, she hides her face with the exception of the very last one, or what we thought to be the last one. I watched the DVD that we got with the package from the ultrasound place Wednesday night, pre bed rest period, and they had only recorded the first try on the dvd. Yes, the try where you can't see a darn thing besides he foot. The second try, where we could actually see her face and we got to see her yawn and all that other precious beautiful stuff. Gone. I called back yesterday and told them it wasn't on there. They informed me they didn't have it saved. So what they are going to do is have me come back in and try to get another video of her. I have asked my doctor, since I am on bed rest, if this would be ok for me to do since next week is the last week that they can even do the ultrasound. She said it was fine as long as I wasn't up walking around a lot and putting any strain or pressure on her. So Thursday at 5:30 I have an appointment to go to the ultrasound place to try one last time to actually get some pictures of her pre-birth. I'm sure she won't like it, but she'll just have to deal and hopefully cooperate one last time for me. I will be drinking orange juice again!
Now back to the bed rest. So I went in Thursday morning for my regular routine check up with Dr. Fletcher. Everything was going fine, minus the time I had to wait because she was in delivery. Brooklyn's heart beat was 150, my blood pressure was 120 over 80, and everything seemed to be checking out ok. I assumed I would be out of there in no time and on my way back up to work. I almost just canceled the appointment since I had been the week before, but decided to go ahead and go anyway since Dr. Fletcher will be out of town all next week.
So the doctor comes in. Asks me how I am doing... any bleeding, no. Any contractions, no. Ok, so she asks me about some upper back pain I complained about a week or two ago. I told her that it wasn't as bad, but now the only back pains I was having were lower down. I told her that the past week off and on I had cramps like I did way back when I had my menstrual cycle and all. She paused... then said, "ok... well this is your baby, so we don't know if you would be at risk for pre-term labor. Tell ya what. I am going to be out of town next week. You are only 31 weeks along, so there shouldn't be anything going on, but let's just do an exam and make sure there is no monkey business going on."
So here I am thinking, ok, she will find nothing, it's probably just typical back pain brought on by all the rapid weight gain. BOY was I wrong. She did the cervix exam and low and behold I was dilated to a one almost a two already. I was in pre-term labor she said. The cramps I had been feeling off and on all week. Yeah, not cramps, CONTRACTIONS! I told her that I hadn't had any Braxton-Hicks contractions or anything else yet. She informed me that some women don't. That there is a precept ion that every single contraction is going to be very painful, and that it just isn't the case with some women. Mine were light, but I was dilated to almost a two and Brooklyn was 60- 70% effacement already so she was sending me to the hops ital and putting me on bed rest until 36 weeks at least.
Dr. Fletcher gets on the phone with the hospital to tell them I am on my way. I am in such shock I'm on the verge of tears. Dale is in Orlando. She's not due for another two months. I'm on BED REST! I was suppose to go to work! I was freaking out and couldn't retain anything the doctor was telling me because I was so scared something was going to happen to Brooklyn.
So now, I have to go to the doctor every week until Brooklyn is here. I have been moved into a high risk category as well and will have to be closely monitored. I go in next Wednesday for an appointment with one of her partner doctors in the office, then will hopefully see Dr. Fletcher the rest of the time. She told me it was really important that we try to get Brooklyn to 35 weeks though so she would be healthy and her lungs would be fully developed. So I made my appointment and headed to the hospital. So that is the story of how and why I am on bed rest. The hospital stay is a whole other long post to come later. I am sure I am leaving something out, but hey, I am on bed rest pretty much the rest of the year, so I will be posting on here a lot now! Watch out world, Brooklyn's ready to be here!
Love,
Jennifer
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Mommy & Brooklyn at 31 Weeks
This is a picture of me at 31 weeks. Look how much Brooklyn has grown in just 10 weeks compared to the last picture posted!! Photo taken October 19, 2008.3D/4D Ultrasound Pictures
These are the pictures from the 3D/4D ultrasound from October 14th, 2008. These will be the last pictures we will get of her until she is born! Enjoy!!
Love,
Jennifer
The Last 3D/4D Ultrasound
We went back Thursday evening, October 14th, for our last try at getting clear pictures of Brooklyn. Before we left home, I made sure to drink a glass and a half of orange juice so she would have to move around. Daddy, Grandma Carrie, Grandma Belinda, Great Grandma Ethel, and Papa and Great Grandma Edith were all there.
To our surprise, Brooklyn was actually showing her face this time! We were all so excited! The only thing partially blocking her face at first was her umbilical cord which was floating up around her head. Brooklyn let the ultrasound tech get a few pictures before she moved to put her hand in front of her face. So the tech thought shaking her up a little might make her move her hand. Yeah... she was wrong! It just made Brooklyn mad. So instead of putting her hand down, she brought one of her feet up right in front of her face!
In an attempt to get her to move, I got up to walk around a little and we tried again. She had moved her foot out of the way, but still had her hand there. So the tech shook her around a little more to try to get some better pictures. At this point, she was done. Brooklyn moved and faced my back and the tech called it a day. I was just grateful that we actually got some pictures of her though! I think she looks just like her daddy. Her daddy thinks she looks like Shrek because of her nose. It's ok though, because Shrek is cute. It's weird for me knowing what she looks like now and knowing that her little face is what kicks the crap out of me all the time. I am very excited now though. I'm ready for her to get here so I can finally hold her and see her beautiful face for myself. I will post the pictures from the ultrasound shortly.
Love,
Jennifer
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
First Child Birthing Class
So last night was my first session of five for my Prepared Child birthing class at Moore Medical Center. Daddy, Dale, has been sick and couldn't go so I had my mom, Grandma Carrie go with me since she is right down the street.
The class was ok. There were 7 other couples there, one which I know daddy will know because he went to school with the girl when he was younger. Everyone seemed really nice though. The instructor just went over the basics with the first class. She covered different things to do for different pains and gave everyone tips on things to do at the hospital and things to bring to help you relax. Relaxation seemed to be the theme for the night. The class was pretty basic though. I am actually looking forward to the other classes because I think I will learn a lot about what to expect and different options that I will have. From what the instructor was telling us, I should really like my stay at the hospital because they treat their patients more like family and not just another sick person in a bed.
Hopefully I will have more to talk about with next weeks class. We are suppose to go over the difference between false and true labor. We are also suppose to get a tour of the facility soon. Class lasted until 9:30, so I was ready to go home and go to sleep after that. Not much to report back about it though.
Love,
Jennifer
The class was ok. There were 7 other couples there, one which I know daddy will know because he went to school with the girl when he was younger. Everyone seemed really nice though. The instructor just went over the basics with the first class. She covered different things to do for different pains and gave everyone tips on things to do at the hospital and things to bring to help you relax. Relaxation seemed to be the theme for the night. The class was pretty basic though. I am actually looking forward to the other classes because I think I will learn a lot about what to expect and different options that I will have. From what the instructor was telling us, I should really like my stay at the hospital because they treat their patients more like family and not just another sick person in a bed.
Hopefully I will have more to talk about with next weeks class. We are suppose to go over the difference between false and true labor. We are also suppose to get a tour of the facility soon. Class lasted until 9:30, so I was ready to go home and go to sleep after that. Not much to report back about it though.
Love,
Jennifer
30 Week Dr. Appointment
I was suppose to have my next appointment with Dr. Fletcher on October 6th after the 3D/4D ultrasound at 29 weeks. However, when I arrived, Dr. Fletcher was getting in an ambulance with another patient on her way to the hospital. So it was rescheduled for Tuesday, October 14th.
My appointment was just another general check up. They took my weight, which I have gained, but will not disclose at this moment how much! Thee took her heart beat, which was 158 bpm. They said my blood pressure was good, and that when they took my belly measurement I was only at 29 inches, even though I am 30 weeks along. So all and all, I am doing great statistic wise.
Dr. Fletcher told me that my glucose test results came back great. I asked her about my constant back pain and showed her where my back has been hurting. She thinks I just pulled a muscle and that there isn't anything she can do for me about that. I also asked if I would be able to go out of town at the end of the month to go to the NASCAR races. She said that usually she doesn't let her patients travel after 32 weeks. However, since it was one week over and since I was doing so well, and since there is a great hospital in Dallas, she said it would be fine. I just have to make sure not to over do myself and to drink plenty of water. She said after this trip though I can not travel. She also told me that at about 35 to 36 weeks we will start going over a birthing plan. Oh, and no more blood work until the baby comes! I was way excited about that news.
That was about it though. I had already scheduled my next two week appointment from the one I was suppose to have on October 6th, for October 23rd. Dr. Fletcher told me to go ahead and keep that appointment though because she will not be there the following week. So I have my next appointment next Thursday the 23rd. After that I assume I will go back to every two weeks until I start going every week. Everything is still going well though!
Love,
Jennifer
My appointment was just another general check up. They took my weight, which I have gained, but will not disclose at this moment how much! Thee took her heart beat, which was 158 bpm. They said my blood pressure was good, and that when they took my belly measurement I was only at 29 inches, even though I am 30 weeks along. So all and all, I am doing great statistic wise.
Dr. Fletcher told me that my glucose test results came back great. I asked her about my constant back pain and showed her where my back has been hurting. She thinks I just pulled a muscle and that there isn't anything she can do for me about that. I also asked if I would be able to go out of town at the end of the month to go to the NASCAR races. She said that usually she doesn't let her patients travel after 32 weeks. However, since it was one week over and since I was doing so well, and since there is a great hospital in Dallas, she said it would be fine. I just have to make sure not to over do myself and to drink plenty of water. She said after this trip though I can not travel. She also told me that at about 35 to 36 weeks we will start going over a birthing plan. Oh, and no more blood work until the baby comes! I was way excited about that news.
That was about it though. I had already scheduled my next two week appointment from the one I was suppose to have on October 6th, for October 23rd. Dr. Fletcher told me to go ahead and keep that appointment though because she will not be there the following week. So I have my next appointment next Thursday the 23rd. After that I assume I will go back to every two weeks until I start going every week. Everything is still going well though!
Love,
Jennifer
3D/4D Ultrasound
We went in for the 3D/4D ultrasound last Thursday, October 6th. It didn't go as well as we hoped. Daddy, Grandma Carrie, Grandma Belinda, Great Grandma Edith, Great Grandma Betty, and Great Grandma Ethel also came along. We were having the ultrasound done at a place called A Glimpse Before and After. They have a policy that says if they can not get you a good picture of the baby the first time, they will reschedule you to come back at a later time to try again. Thank goodness they have this policy because Brooklyn did not want to show anyone anything!
Brooklyn was folded in half AGAIN, like she was when we had the ultrasound at the hospital. So instead of having her fists hiding her face, she had her feet hiding her face. Not only were her feet, which looked huge by the way, in her face, she was HOLDING her feet in her face. Yes, holding them! We tried for about 30 minutes to get her to move around. We tried shaking her and poking her. Nothing. I drank water, moved around back and forth on both sides and my back. Nothing. I even went to the bathroom and did the chicken dance because that got her hyped up at a wedding we went to the weekend before. Still nothing. She was not going to move at all. So the ultrasound tech finally called it quits.
SO, we have our final ultrasound scheduled for tomorrow night, Thursday, October 16, 2008 at 6:30 pm. If we don't get to see her this time, we will just be out the money we spent trying to see her and will have to wait until she is born. I'm thinking this is God's way of trying to teach me to be patient and wait! They said the second time around they usually get really good pictures and videos of the babies though. I am also going to drink a bunch of orange juice when I get home tomorrow night so she will at least have to move around some.
The first try wasn't a complete loss. We got to see her feet and her hands and a little bit of her face in between her feet! Which, from what I could tell, I think she is going to look like her daddy. Hopefully we will see for sure tomorrow night though! Wish us good luck!!!
Love,
Jennifer
Brooklyn was folded in half AGAIN, like she was when we had the ultrasound at the hospital. So instead of having her fists hiding her face, she had her feet hiding her face. Not only were her feet, which looked huge by the way, in her face, she was HOLDING her feet in her face. Yes, holding them! We tried for about 30 minutes to get her to move around. We tried shaking her and poking her. Nothing. I drank water, moved around back and forth on both sides and my back. Nothing. I even went to the bathroom and did the chicken dance because that got her hyped up at a wedding we went to the weekend before. Still nothing. She was not going to move at all. So the ultrasound tech finally called it quits.
SO, we have our final ultrasound scheduled for tomorrow night, Thursday, October 16, 2008 at 6:30 pm. If we don't get to see her this time, we will just be out the money we spent trying to see her and will have to wait until she is born. I'm thinking this is God's way of trying to teach me to be patient and wait! They said the second time around they usually get really good pictures and videos of the babies though. I am also going to drink a bunch of orange juice when I get home tomorrow night so she will at least have to move around some.
The first try wasn't a complete loss. We got to see her feet and her hands and a little bit of her face in between her feet! Which, from what I could tell, I think she is going to look like her daddy. Hopefully we will see for sure tomorrow night though! Wish us good luck!!!
Love,
Jennifer
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