OurWilderTimes: 2017

Friday, December 8, 2017

38 & 39 Weeks... Waiting for baby!

Note to self: This is quite the weirdest time. Its like you are preparing for everything for this time and now the time is here and I am still waiting! And the waiting is on going until baby decides to come out! I am getting REALLY excited though! I can't wait to meet our baby! I also can't wait to find out what gender baby Wilder is! Thankfully after last week being so stressful with baby's positioning being a concern, baby is still head down and is FAR down :) The doctor did not find my cervix to be dilated this week but that doesn't always mean anything. At my last appt on 12/6 my blood pressure was somewhat elevated to 130's over 90's, which is really high for me but not super high for pregnancy. My doctor recommended buying a blood pressure cuff and taking my blood pressure daily. One more thing to do! The good thing is I am officially on maternity leave! I decided to take a few extra days, 8 total before my due date. I am really glad I did as I have had a bad head cold the last week and being super preggo and working and a massive headache don't mix well! I am trying to be productive in between my "couching" time since I am not sleeping well at night.

How many weeks pregnant?

38 & 39 weeks!

Which trimester are you in?

THE LONGEST MONTH EVER!

Have you started to show yet?
My belly is so hard and round! It is so far out! I just have to laugh at this point.

What are some of your pregnancy symptoms?
Leg cramps have been coming back on and off. I also have been having insomnia in the middle of the night. The whole "nesting" feeling comes and goes. Some times i feel like i have so much to do and then when i start doing things I literally will move a ton of stuff out of one box into another box and feel like I was productive when I did nothing! ha! Heart burn here and there.

Happy or moody most of the time?
HAPPY and excited! My excitement comes and goes between nervous to giddy! I just want my head cold to go away!

Any cravings?
Cheese-its! (I ate a ton of these during 1st trimester) I also really like hot & sour soup! Yum its so good! and of course Chocolate...hot chocolate, chocolate candy, chocolate chip cookies! Still really into ice cold water.

Any food aversions?
Surprisingly I am not into coffee right now. I have been drinking black tea or hot chocolate instead.

Sleep?
I am SO tired but not sleeping well. It's hard to get comfortable and then I feel like i have to pee again! Trying to take naps now that I have had two days of maternity leave!

Highlight of the week?

Week 38: Baby shower with my closest friends!
Week 39: Maternity leave!

Are you wearing maternity clothes yet?

I am actually kind of sad that I will have to go back to my old clothes soon! I have a few maternity dresses that I would only wear with my large basketball belly as it is very tight! I have a few dresses I have only wore a couple of times, thankfully they were cheap but I plan to wear them at two of my upcoming holiday parties!

Have any stretch marks or skin changes?

Skin changes: my belly is SOO hairy!
Due to the change of the type of injections i have to do now, i have so many bruises now :(

Has your belly button popped out?

It has FINALLY popped! It is a very interesting looking outtie! haha

Feel any kicks?

YES! Baby is moving so much! They are slower movements but all the time! Also now that baby's head is down, Jameson and I finally felt hiccups! It was really fun!

Gender prediction:

I had a dream that baby was a girl when I thought I was going to have a C-section but now that baby successfully flipped to head down, I think it is a boy. Lately everyone, even random strangers say its a boy... We will see! Jameson unfortunately has no prediction.

How has Dad been this week?

Dad-to-be has been hilarious recently. He told me about 2 weeks ago that "he's ready"... I said what to do you mean? He said "I am ready for baby to come so I don't have to go to work" HA! I said to him, "you're ready? like you have been carry this baby around for 9 months and now all the sudden you are ready??!!" Sheesh! And then he told me one day that he plans on using our luggage scale as a baby scale! Ha! I guess this means he is nesting and ready for baby! Thankfully he has started to pack his hospital bag!

Here is a link to show some photos of my awesome friend baby shower: https://trinetteandmike.blogspot.com/2017/12/sarahs-baby-shower.html?m=1

Week 38:

Another crazy baby butt popping up on the right of my belly.

This was a gift from work... which will it be?

Week 39:

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Baby is Breech Position - 37 weeks

Wednesday 11/22/17: OB appt

When Jameson and I found out baby was breech positioned, we were both pretty freaked out. My doctor was very calm about it and reassuring, however it makes you question everything about labor and delivery. At our appt on 11/22, while my doctor was doing an ultrasound it became clear there was something not right. My doctor did not take the time to show us any parts of the baby, but rather was quickly looking around on my belly with the ultrasound wand and concentrating. My OB explained that baby is in an "oblique lie" position which means its head is in my left hip and its back and butt are transverse or facing towards my right hip and baby is basically laying across my belly rather than head down. The concern with this position is that if I was to go into labor the only way to get baby out safely would be a unplanned C-section and could become very dangerous. My doctor then explained that babies should be in the correct position (head down) by 37 weeks in order to deliver vaginally. She explained 3-5% of babies are not head down at this point. Some move on their own, while most need an external cephalic version to help them into the correct position. Because I am 6'2 with a long torso allowing space for baby to flip and baby is transverse rather than completely breech, my doctor felt there was a really good chance the version will be successful. The major risks involved with the procedure is that baby could not tolerate the procedure and need to be removed immediately via emergency c-section. That is rare (<1%). Secondly, the placenta could tear a lot or a little and cause short term or later that evening problems for baby. The procedure itself is done in the hospital with constant monitoring. There is also a medication called Terbutaline given, that relaxes the uterus to prevent it from contracting while the procedure is being done and after to help baby stay in place. If the procedure is unsuccessful, as in the baby or mom (me) don't tolerate it or the baby does not flip then a C-section is scheduled at 39 weeks.

Here is a basic explanation of the procedure: https://www.webmd.com/baby/external-cephalic-version-version-for-breech-position
My doctor suggested trying some "alternative methods" while we waited until Monday for the procedure. Her suggestions were yoga positioning (downward dog & pelvic tilts) and going swimming and doing summer salts. I did all of the above each day. I even did 37 summer salts in 45 minutes of swimming in the pool! I was quite sick afterwards :)

Monday 11/27/17: External Cephalic Version Procedure
The procedure was scheduled for 9:30am at Stanford Labor & Delivery. I will spare all the SUPER stressful details and how painful it was. (procedure did not start until 1130, multiple IV sticks, terbutaline medicine makes you feel awful, & procedure was super painful but short lived). The best news is that Baby and I tolerated the procedure and everything went as planned! Baby is now head down and ready for labor! Btw I did not feel any different with Baby's position after the procedure. No pressure additional pressure.

Tuesday 11/28/17: NST=Non stress Test
The doctor who did the procedure in the hospital recommended I get a NST done the next day to make sure baby was still doing good and head down. NST involved sitting in a nice room with a fetal monitor on my belly that monitors the baby's heart rate and any movements for 30 minutes. Thankfully again everything checked out fine and baby was still doing good. My doctor also did a quick ultrasound to confirm baby was still head down! So now its just a matter of waiting until baby is ready to come out! My next appt was not scheduled until a week later.

I took a picture before I left for the hospital in case my belly was going to be gone ;)

37 Weeks

After the procedure went well!

Getting my NST the next day!

Monday, November 27, 2017

36 & 37 weeks!

Notes to self: This past two weeks have been a bit stressful. Thankfully we had thanksgiving in the middle of week 36 & 37 to distract us a bit and we had a chance to go on a mini Baby Moon to Monterey! Unfortunately I did not take any photos of thanksgiving!
We have been waiting patiently and looking forward for our ultrasound & doctor appt on 11/22 (day before thanksgiving) to find out baby's positioning and start to plan for labor/delivery. We got some bad news. Baby was positioned in an "oblique lie" which is very similar to a transverse position, which is also known as breech. Meaning baby was not in my pelvis and there would be no way I could deliver baby vaginally. My doctor said we could wait until Monday (11/27) to see if baby would turn on its own and/or if I could do some "homeopathic" techniques to get baby to go head down. Then on Monday 11/27 she scheduled me for an external cephalic version (link to explain in next blog post), which means the baby will be physically manipulated to flip into the correct positioning. Of course, this procedure comes with many risks, the main one being that Baby does not tolerate the pushing and squeezing and would need to come out in a big hurry (emergency C-section), or the placenta could tear, or I could have issues with it. I will explain more details in the next posting.

Another big thing that changed at 36 weeks is that the blood thinner injectable medication I am taking (safe during pregnancy) changes. At 36 weeks I could go into labor at any point and in order to get an Epidural and/or any complications during delivery, there has to be enough time since the last time I have taken a blood thinner to prevent bleeding in the spine. Since we don't know when I will go into labor they switch me to Heparin blood thinner which is still injected and it is twice per day (morning and night) rather than just nightly. Heparin's half life (meaning how long it takes to get out of my system) is much shorter, typically 4 hours so if I took it in the morning I would still be able to get an Epidural in a decent amount of time, rather than the levonox injections i was on previously lasts for 12 + hours. Thankfully I am a nurse and have experience drawing up medication with a syringe and needle because it is quite the process. The Levonox injections were pre-filled and easy to administer, however the Heparin comes in a little vial and i have to use one needle to draw it up and one needle to give it. Also THANKFULLY my amazing husband gives me the twice daily injections that are very painful in my abdomen. The medication does not burn like the levonox but the needle is a bit bigger and the poke is very uncomfortable. I have yet to give it to myself.

Here are some photos from the last two weeks:

Weekly Photo: 9 months!!

Crazy alien baby photo! This is me laying on the couch and baby moving some body part in my belly. Makes a huge bump on the right. (disregard my ugly stretch marks)

The view from our hotel room in Monterey. We took our baby moon Sunday thru Wednesday.

Jameson enjoying a bellini at breakfast. If I can't drink, he might as well!

Our Surrey ride. It was really fun but a lot of work!

On our way to a sunset sail that ended up being private because no one else had signed up! It was a bit long as there was NO wind! It was absolutely gorgeous though.

Delicious breakfast on our last day. Breakfast burrito for me and "monkey do" pancakes for Jameson.

Adding some giraffe decals to the nursery wall...

Monday, November 13, 2017

32 - 35 weeks!

Notes to self: So many changes have happened in the last few weeks! One not so happy change is that my fingers are a bit swollen and I can't wear my engagement ring anymore. I am wearing my wedding band, but I can only take it off with lotion and at certain times of the day. Also a huge change is at 33 weeks all the sudden I CRAVED Chicken! So crazy. I literally was at the grocery store and wanted a rotisserie chicken! I came home and ate so much chicken! I don't crave chicken as much, but I definitely prefer it at this point. Emotionally, these last few weeks I am losing my patience at work. I am sick of entitled parents and bratty kids. I am trying to be less emotional at work but then I walk away and cry for what seems like no reason afterwards. I feel like a vampire in the mornings, as my gums have become a lot more sensitive and bloody :( I also have what is called a slipped "SI joint". My doctor recommended seeing a chiropractor but i think it will just deal with the pain and discomfort... I am so close! Some other few things I have realized and wanted to write down: I don't like gum when I lived on chewing gum first trimester! I still love licorice and eat too much of it! I have been eating an egg, cheese and wheat toast every single morning since being pregnant. Occasionally I mix it up and eat a bagel, egg, & cheese or sometimes I add Canadian bacon for more protein. But eating the same thing for months is super surprising for me! I am still SO tired. I am assuming this does not go away and only gets worse once baby gets here. Thankfully I will be only taking care of baby and not dealing with work as well. I can't wait until December 8th (last day of work). My next doctor's appt is 11/22/17 and we get to have an ultrasound to confirm baby's position. I am so excited to see baby! Jameson gets to go to this appt too! We also have a mini babymoon planned to go to Monterey for 3 nights. I am very excited for breakfast in bed and prenatal massage! We may check out the aquarium too! Ok instead of my usual questionnaire, I will just post a few pictures from the last few weeks! Its been busy!

Week 32: Highlight - Katie (my best friend from High School) Wedding Weekend!

Donuts for dessert! YUMM!

Best friends from high school

Zoppe Circus with Wilder Family - Annual tradition!

Week 33: Highlights - Work Baby Shower & Halloween

Nursery coming together

My two co-workers, Monica & Sandy gave me a "Snow ball" themed baby shower with a dessert bar and lots of fun games! We had a great turn out for an after work shower. So thankful for these awesome party planning ladies!