36 Weeks and Maybe the Last Pregnancy Post??

Here I am at 36 weeks. It has been an eventful few weeks. I have gotten bigger and more uncomfortable. I am finally feeling like I am very pregnant. I had the flu two days ago and yesterday I tried to walk around Taipan with my mom and I really had to sit and rest more often than I care to admit!! Everything has been going fairly well. She is still moving around like crazy and seems to move on a schedule. I hope that she will be easy to get on a schedule once she is here! I am up a few more pounds, although I haven't gained anything in about 3 weeks. My total weight gain is about 29 lbs or so. We have also switched the kids rooms and have her nursery all ready. She has SOOOO much stuff I can't even believe it. I feel bad when people ask if I need anything... I really don't! People have been so nice and have totally helped me out. Her nursery is really cute. I had a fun shower thrown by my friends. It is so nice to be so loved and supported!

Another reason this month has been eventful is because of all the doctor stuff I have been doing. During my 34 week appointment, my doc tested me for all the blood clotting, thyroid, and had me to a 24 hour urine test to test for protein in my urine. The reason for all of this was because my blood pressure started to freak out right around this time. It is fairly normal when I take it at home (130/80 or so), but at her office it runs about 148/95 which is considered high, especially pregnant. So, at the beginning of the appointment, she took my blood pressure and of course it was high (and even a little higher since we had just dropped of Jon at the MTC). I then went into my appointment with her and she was talking about these blood clotting things etc and I just lost it. It was really embrassing, but I think she understood. At the time, I was totally done with being pregnant and everything that came with it! My doctor was very nice and just listened to me and handed me tissues. After that, she got the results from the urine sample and there was a trace of protein in it... so then she started to freak out a little. I think she is worried about me developing pre-eclampsia because of my higher blood pressure so she calmed me down, told me to get my blood work done and do a 24 hour urine test the next day to test for any more protein. She then started talking about induction at 37 weeks instead of 39.

So, I went in for my blood work and lost it with the techinician again... she thought there was something wrong with the baby. Ah, just one of those pregnant days. She took my blood, gave me the stuff for my urine test and sent me on my way. My doc decided then that she wanted to start seeing me every week so I made my appointment. The next day I did the urine test (Jason was thrilled to have a jug full of pee in the fridge for the day) and turned it in on New Years. I had an appointment the next week. Of course, all of my tests came back normal. No blood clotting diseases... urine was fine, thyroid was fine... blood pressure was still high. So, she benched me from the gym... :( The last time I went to the gym was the day I was at 35 weeks. I was sad about that. The gym has been such a blessing to me and I think it has really helped me with this pregnancy. I have felt really good (albeit somewhat emotional), but I am 20 lbs lighter right now than I was with Jack. I am not swollen and I feel like (until yesterday) that I have been able to get around very well. So, I figured it was probably coming, but I was sad when it did. After she benched me from the gym she was still talking about inducing me at 37 weeks and she decided she wanted me to go in for a non-stress test on the baby.

I did that last Wednesday and had another appointment with her. The test on the baby was fine. They hooked me up to a heart monitor for the baby and monitored her for about 30 min and did an ultrasound to check the fluid etc to make sure she is okay in there. The fluid and everything was fine. Her heart rate was a steady 150. She was supposed to have a spike in HR at least twice in 20 min and she had about 8 so she passed. :) She is very active and strong. That is another thing I attribute to the gym. I think it makes babies a lot stronger! At my appointment, my blood pressure was still the same, but everything else now is looking fine. My doc wanted to take my blood pressure again and then decide what to do about induction. My blood pressure was the same. So, she scheduled me for induction this coming Friday. I have another non-stress test on the baby tomorrow... and an appointment with my doc on Wednesday. I think her main concern is the development of pre-eclampsia like I said... so, it could be that I have this baby this week!! I, of course, want to make sure that she is ready to come and am okay with whatever my doc decides... but, I would be lying if I said I wasn't excited she might be here that soon! We will find out for sure on Wednesday what the verdict is. I think the final decision might be to do a mix and take her sometime between 37-38 weeks, but we'll see. I really don't think my doc wants to leave her in much longer. My blood pressure at home has been steadily getting higher and I don't think she likes to see that. She has been okay with everything until this point because at home my blood pressure was completely normal. That is not the case anymore.

Anyway, that's the scoop... Keep your eyes open. We could have an annoucement before the 40 week post!! Either way... she is coming so soon!!