Last week I underwent an external version to try to turn Juliet from breech to head down. As I explained, it wasn't successful. That same night she did a lot of twisting and turning, and we were hoping that she had finished turning herself the rest of the way all on her own. I had my weekly OB/GYN appointment on Thursday, and the doctor I saw wasn't able to determine whether or not she was breech. Juliet likes to keep everyone guessing! Unfortunately, an ultrasound on Friday morning showed that she was indeed still breech. What a tremendous letdown.
I am now scheduled for a planned c-section this coming Monday morning. In six days (or less, if I happen to go into labor before then), Juliet will finally be here! I'm still attempting all the at-home methods to try to get her to turn, but I have mostly resigned myself to the fact that she's going to enter the world the exact opposite of how I was hoping. Some babies do turn last minute, but the percentage of babies that turn on their own after a failed external version is extremely low. I'm not holding out much hope.
I'm struggling with a mixture of bitterness and disappointment with the whole ordeal right now. Yes, a healthy baby is the most important thing. Yes, a c-section may not be the end of the world. No, not every pregnancy ends exactly how we want it to. Maybe it's just my hormones, but I am incredibly sick of hearing cliches such as these, even if they are meant to be encouraging and well-meaning. I get that people don't always know what to say, but implying that I don't want what's best for my baby or that I'm overreacting is incredibly offensive. I'm entitled to my feelings.
I think the biggest reason the idea of a c-section is so hard for me is because I set my sights on trying for an all-natural labor and delivery. I was induced and had an epidural with Evie, and it was the best thing for the both of us at the time. But since this is my last pregnancy, I really wanted to experience the whole process the way nature intended, without any medical interventions. Or at least give it my best effort. See what I was capable of. A c-section is the exact opposite of all of that. And that's a hard thing to accept, knowing I'll never have that experience to look back on.
However, I am trying to focus on the positive as much as possible, and trying not to let how Juliet enters the world completely taint the excitement of her birth. I can't wait to see who she looks like, how much she weighs, if she has any hair. I'm looking forward to that sweet baby smell, bonding during breastfeeding, seeing Evie as a big sister. After a journey that began almost two years ago, the light at the end of the tunnel is finally drawing near. I can't wait!
Showing posts with label health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label health. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Thursday, November 1, 2012
External Version Experience
Last week I mentioned that Juliet was breech. We were hoping she would turn on her own again, as she had been routinely doing so off and on for a few weeks, but otherwise I had an appointment lined up to discuss trying to turn her manually. On Monday morning she was still breech so I went to see a Maternal Fetal Specialist for a consultation. A lot of women have a choice to make when finding out their babies are breech, and I want to share my experience and my thoughts about it all.
The ultrasound and consultation showed that I was a good candidate for an external version, and even though the chances of her turning from breech were only 50/50, I was willing to give it a shot. If it wasn't successful, then at least I had been proactive in trying to avoid a c-section. The procedure has to be done at a hospital in case there are complications, and although it felt like everything was moving so fast, they were able to fit me into the schedule that same evening.
Michael and I arrived at the hospital a couple of hours before the procedure was going to take place. It was a bit of a whirlwind with what felt like a million people asking me for my medical history and all this activity going on around me. Because a version can be painful and the best chances of success occur when a mom is completely relaxed, I had an epidural put in. Let me just say the experience is a lot different when you aren't distracted by the pain of labor. I barely even remember getting my epidural with Evie, and the whole process felt pretty easy and painless--this time around, I was a ball of nerves and it seemed like it took FOREVER. I was also given a shot of Terbutaline to relax my uterine muscles.
Once I was numb, the doctor started the version. Basically, he used the images on an ultrasound screen to help him try to manually manipulate Juliet into turning. It's a lot of careful pushing and prodding, and I'm told by Michael that it looks very weird. I just stared at the ceiling the entire time, chanting "turn, turn" over and over in my head. I didn't feel any pain, but I could feel the pressure of her being moved around--it's a very odd sensation.
In order to get the best angles to try to manipulate her, the doctor occasionally had me roll slightly onto either my left or right side and finally onto my back. Within a minute or two of that position, all hell pretty much broke loose. Suddenly the ten plus people in my room (that is not even an exaggeration) were scrambling around, and the doctor was explaining to me that Juliet's heart rate had dropped really low and we needed to get to the operating room as a precaution. He was almost positive her heart rate would jump back up before we even got there, but he didn't want to take any chances.
Thankfully the doctor was right and the approximately three minutes it took to get me wheeled into the next room was enough time for Juliet's heart rate to come back up to normal. It was such a relief, and I'm just glad I didn't have enough time to process it all. However, although her heart rate was up, my blood pressure had dropped drastically. They had to pump a few doses of ephedrine into me before it came back up--it felt like it took forever though it probably only took a few minutes. Michael was finally in the room at this point, decked out in his paper scrubs, and I can only imagine what was going through his head.
Once both Juliet and I were stable, the doctor attempted the version once again. We stayed in the operating room for the remainder of the procedure as a precaution, but no more theatrics occurred. Unfortunately, Juliet was being completely stubborn and would not get past laying horizontally. The doctor was able to get her butt up out of my pelvis which is a huge plus, but she just wouldn't turn that last little bit to get head down. The doctor was only willing to try so long before calling it quits. No one wanted a repeat of the earlier drama.
I was wheeled back to my room shortly afterwards, and was ready to wait out the two hours of observation required to make sure both Juliet and I stayed stable after the procedure. The two hours turned into almost six as Juliet wasn't quite ready to stop being a drama queen. Apparently she's an adrenaline junkie, and the three shots of Ephedrine on top of the Terbutaline were enough to keep her heart rate high for a few hours. Poor baby went from low heart rate to high heart rate all in the same day. Thankfully after a few hours of monitoring, her heart rate finally started to slow down and eventually got back to her normal range. After nine hours in the hospital, we were finally able to go home.
It was quite an experience, and not one I'd be willing to go through again during this pregnancy. Every person on the medical staff was awesome and through all the drama and craziness of the evening, I never once lost my cool because I felt completely safe in their hands. I had one moment of pure panic on the way to the potential emergency c-section, but otherwise my nerves were steady. It's amazing what you can learn about yourself in moments of such intensity.
Although I wouldn't attempt another version this pregnancy, if I were ever to become pregnant again and was faced with this option due to a breech baby, I would consider trying it again. I'm just not willing to put my body or Juliet through that stress again so soon after going through this. Even with the heavy disappointment of going through it all and the procedure not being successful, I don't regret doing it. Especially because I am almost certain Juliet turned the rest of the way that night while I was asleep! I'll find out today at my doctor appointment for certain, but either way the whole process was quite a learning experience.
The ultrasound and consultation showed that I was a good candidate for an external version, and even though the chances of her turning from breech were only 50/50, I was willing to give it a shot. If it wasn't successful, then at least I had been proactive in trying to avoid a c-section. The procedure has to be done at a hospital in case there are complications, and although it felt like everything was moving so fast, they were able to fit me into the schedule that same evening.
Michael and I arrived at the hospital a couple of hours before the procedure was going to take place. It was a bit of a whirlwind with what felt like a million people asking me for my medical history and all this activity going on around me. Because a version can be painful and the best chances of success occur when a mom is completely relaxed, I had an epidural put in. Let me just say the experience is a lot different when you aren't distracted by the pain of labor. I barely even remember getting my epidural with Evie, and the whole process felt pretty easy and painless--this time around, I was a ball of nerves and it seemed like it took FOREVER. I was also given a shot of Terbutaline to relax my uterine muscles.
Once I was numb, the doctor started the version. Basically, he used the images on an ultrasound screen to help him try to manually manipulate Juliet into turning. It's a lot of careful pushing and prodding, and I'm told by Michael that it looks very weird. I just stared at the ceiling the entire time, chanting "turn, turn" over and over in my head. I didn't feel any pain, but I could feel the pressure of her being moved around--it's a very odd sensation.
In order to get the best angles to try to manipulate her, the doctor occasionally had me roll slightly onto either my left or right side and finally onto my back. Within a minute or two of that position, all hell pretty much broke loose. Suddenly the ten plus people in my room (that is not even an exaggeration) were scrambling around, and the doctor was explaining to me that Juliet's heart rate had dropped really low and we needed to get to the operating room as a precaution. He was almost positive her heart rate would jump back up before we even got there, but he didn't want to take any chances.
Thankfully the doctor was right and the approximately three minutes it took to get me wheeled into the next room was enough time for Juliet's heart rate to come back up to normal. It was such a relief, and I'm just glad I didn't have enough time to process it all. However, although her heart rate was up, my blood pressure had dropped drastically. They had to pump a few doses of ephedrine into me before it came back up--it felt like it took forever though it probably only took a few minutes. Michael was finally in the room at this point, decked out in his paper scrubs, and I can only imagine what was going through his head.
Once both Juliet and I were stable, the doctor attempted the version once again. We stayed in the operating room for the remainder of the procedure as a precaution, but no more theatrics occurred. Unfortunately, Juliet was being completely stubborn and would not get past laying horizontally. The doctor was able to get her butt up out of my pelvis which is a huge plus, but she just wouldn't turn that last little bit to get head down. The doctor was only willing to try so long before calling it quits. No one wanted a repeat of the earlier drama.
I was wheeled back to my room shortly afterwards, and was ready to wait out the two hours of observation required to make sure both Juliet and I stayed stable after the procedure. The two hours turned into almost six as Juliet wasn't quite ready to stop being a drama queen. Apparently she's an adrenaline junkie, and the three shots of Ephedrine on top of the Terbutaline were enough to keep her heart rate high for a few hours. Poor baby went from low heart rate to high heart rate all in the same day. Thankfully after a few hours of monitoring, her heart rate finally started to slow down and eventually got back to her normal range. After nine hours in the hospital, we were finally able to go home.
It was quite an experience, and not one I'd be willing to go through again during this pregnancy. Every person on the medical staff was awesome and through all the drama and craziness of the evening, I never once lost my cool because I felt completely safe in their hands. I had one moment of pure panic on the way to the potential emergency c-section, but otherwise my nerves were steady. It's amazing what you can learn about yourself in moments of such intensity.
Although I wouldn't attempt another version this pregnancy, if I were ever to become pregnant again and was faced with this option due to a breech baby, I would consider trying it again. I'm just not willing to put my body or Juliet through that stress again so soon after going through this. Even with the heavy disappointment of going through it all and the procedure not being successful, I don't regret doing it. Especially because I am almost certain Juliet turned the rest of the way that night while I was asleep! I'll find out today at my doctor appointment for certain, but either way the whole process was quite a learning experience.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Turn, Baby, Turn!
The end is near!
I'm a couple days shy of 37 weeks. and I'm so happy every time I think about it. No matter what, I will be a mother of two within the month! I'm elated and scared out of my mind at the same time. That's normal, right? I'm really only nervous for the adjustment part though. We've been a family of three for almost five years. It's going to be hard on everyone involved to adjust to a new family member. Everything else--even the poopy diapers and impossibly long nights--is actually a bit of a thrill. I am so ready to have a newborn in the house again.
Everything pregnancy-wise is still going well. My body is slowly starting to progress, which I am thankful for. I want my body to have a head start on dilating, etc so when labor finally happens, it hopefully won't be one million hours long. I'm managing all the usual pregnancy complaints pretty well. I won't miss the swollen feet or the inability to move because of this huge basketball stuffed under my shirt, but I'm trying to cherish these last moments of pregnancy. I'm never going to be pregnant again, and it's all a little bittersweet.
I received the best compliment ever while shopping at the Commissary yesterday. A lady shopping behind me stopped to tell me she couldn't even tell I was pregnant until I turned to the side, and the belly was revealed. With only a few weeks of my pregnancy to go, I find that to be quite a compliment. I'm so thankful I'm carrying this pregnancy so well--hopefully that means the pounds will just melt off afterwards!
The one complaint I have pregnancy-wise is that Juliet is breech! It really is just my luck. The entire pregnancy up until about 31 weeks, she was always nestled very low in my pelvis. I rarely felt movement above my belly button, and her hiccups were always extremely low. When I hit 31 weeks, she decided torturing Mommy would be super fun. She'll be head down for about seven to ten days, and then flip to breech. She tends to stay in that position for about a day, and is usually extremely active during that period. And then she flips back to head down. Because I am carrying so compactly and the placement of her hiccups are so discernible, it is very easy for me to tell her position.
At my appointment last week, I mentioned to my doctor that I was pretty sure she had turned to breech the day before. She sent me for an ultrasound for confirmation, and low and behold, Juliet's butt was nestled right down in my pelvis! We talked about my options, and were planning on scheduling a procedure where the doctor manually tries to turn the baby using external manipulation for this week. And then that night, like I figured she would, Juliet turned back to head down. Disaster evaded...or so we thought.
Of course the little stinker stayed in the right position until Tuesday morning. I woke up to hiccups right at my ribcage, and my doctor appointment the next morning confirmed it. She's breech again! Obviously she has enough room to move around yet, but she's been in this position for a few days now--the longest she's stayed breech. I have the external version appointment set for next week, but really hope she turns on her own. I've been trying all the "tricks" to get her to move--a cold pack to make her mad, music and a flashlight to catch her attention, pelvic tilts and sticking my booty up in the air to shift her center of gravity.
Obviously. I'll try anything that has even an inkling of working because I will do anything in my power to avoid a c-section! I know it's not the end of the world if that's the route I end up having to take, but it won't be an option I'll take lightly. I want what's best for the health of Juliet and myself, but I don't necessarily believe having a c-section is the best thing for our health in every situation. Thankfully my doctor is willing to try to manually move her up until my water breaks so we aren't even discussing a scheduled c-section.
So keep your fingers crossed that she turns to head down, and stays!
I'm a couple days shy of 37 weeks. and I'm so happy every time I think about it. No matter what, I will be a mother of two within the month! I'm elated and scared out of my mind at the same time. That's normal, right? I'm really only nervous for the adjustment part though. We've been a family of three for almost five years. It's going to be hard on everyone involved to adjust to a new family member. Everything else--even the poopy diapers and impossibly long nights--is actually a bit of a thrill. I am so ready to have a newborn in the house again.
Everything pregnancy-wise is still going well. My body is slowly starting to progress, which I am thankful for. I want my body to have a head start on dilating, etc so when labor finally happens, it hopefully won't be one million hours long. I'm managing all the usual pregnancy complaints pretty well. I won't miss the swollen feet or the inability to move because of this huge basketball stuffed under my shirt, but I'm trying to cherish these last moments of pregnancy. I'm never going to be pregnant again, and it's all a little bittersweet.
I received the best compliment ever while shopping at the Commissary yesterday. A lady shopping behind me stopped to tell me she couldn't even tell I was pregnant until I turned to the side, and the belly was revealed. With only a few weeks of my pregnancy to go, I find that to be quite a compliment. I'm so thankful I'm carrying this pregnancy so well--hopefully that means the pounds will just melt off afterwards!
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| 36 Week Picture |
At my appointment last week, I mentioned to my doctor that I was pretty sure she had turned to breech the day before. She sent me for an ultrasound for confirmation, and low and behold, Juliet's butt was nestled right down in my pelvis! We talked about my options, and were planning on scheduling a procedure where the doctor manually tries to turn the baby using external manipulation for this week. And then that night, like I figured she would, Juliet turned back to head down. Disaster evaded...or so we thought.
Of course the little stinker stayed in the right position until Tuesday morning. I woke up to hiccups right at my ribcage, and my doctor appointment the next morning confirmed it. She's breech again! Obviously she has enough room to move around yet, but she's been in this position for a few days now--the longest she's stayed breech. I have the external version appointment set for next week, but really hope she turns on her own. I've been trying all the "tricks" to get her to move--a cold pack to make her mad, music and a flashlight to catch her attention, pelvic tilts and sticking my booty up in the air to shift her center of gravity.
Obviously. I'll try anything that has even an inkling of working because I will do anything in my power to avoid a c-section! I know it's not the end of the world if that's the route I end up having to take, but it won't be an option I'll take lightly. I want what's best for the health of Juliet and myself, but I don't necessarily believe having a c-section is the best thing for our health in every situation. Thankfully my doctor is willing to try to manually move her up until my water breaks so we aren't even discussing a scheduled c-section.
So keep your fingers crossed that she turns to head down, and stays!
Monday, October 1, 2012
The Final Stretch
I'm here for my monthly update! Ha, whoops. This blogging thing doesn't seem to be top of my list these days. Maybe when Juliet finally makes her arrival, I'll be bursting to share every single one of her milestones with all of you, and I'll overwhelm you with posts. More likely I'll be staring off into space like a zombie for a few months, and I'll be lucky if I can remember to take a shower, let alone blog often.
I'm a few days into my 33rd week of pregnancy, and getting very anxious to meet little lady. Apparently, Juliet is just as excited to meet us because she put me through my first round of preterm labor over the weekend. Thankfully it stopped on it's own, but not before keeping me up half of the night. They don't try to stop labor once you hit 34 weeks so since I'm so close to that magic number, my doctor didn't even have me go into Labor & Delivery because the contractions were still 10 minutes apart. Even though we're excited for her to arrive, that night made us nervous enough to be content with her waiting it out at least another month.
Other than that, things have been going well. We finally finished up her nursery, and I will post a nursery reveal very soon. I love how it turned out! And I'm really proud that Michael and I did so much of it ourselves. The only things that weren't repurrposed or homemade were things that would have been pretty difficult to do ourselves--such as making the lamp or cube organizer.
We have everything else ready for Juliet's arrival as well. All we need is her. I'm glad we got everything taken care of in case she comes early, but now I have to scramble for things to keep me occupied. Maybe I'll get a lot of Christmas presents taken care of so I don't have to worry about making or buying anything those first few weeks after her birth.
I'm feeling pretty good for being 33 weeks pregnant. My back pain is barely a nuisance anymore, and all the regular pregnancy symptoms are pretty minor at the moment. My biggest complaint is not being able to move as easily or roll over without a concentrated effort. I'm up almost every hour or two at night because I either need to pee (AGAIN!) or the side I'm currently sleeping on is going numb, and I need to heave myself over to the other side. I'm ready for pregnancy to be over, but mostly just because I'm ready to meet my newest little princess.
I'll leave you with my latest belly picture, and a promise to be back very soon with the nursery reveal!
I'm a few days into my 33rd week of pregnancy, and getting very anxious to meet little lady. Apparently, Juliet is just as excited to meet us because she put me through my first round of preterm labor over the weekend. Thankfully it stopped on it's own, but not before keeping me up half of the night. They don't try to stop labor once you hit 34 weeks so since I'm so close to that magic number, my doctor didn't even have me go into Labor & Delivery because the contractions were still 10 minutes apart. Even though we're excited for her to arrive, that night made us nervous enough to be content with her waiting it out at least another month.
Other than that, things have been going well. We finally finished up her nursery, and I will post a nursery reveal very soon. I love how it turned out! And I'm really proud that Michael and I did so much of it ourselves. The only things that weren't repurrposed or homemade were things that would have been pretty difficult to do ourselves--such as making the lamp or cube organizer.
We have everything else ready for Juliet's arrival as well. All we need is her. I'm glad we got everything taken care of in case she comes early, but now I have to scramble for things to keep me occupied. Maybe I'll get a lot of Christmas presents taken care of so I don't have to worry about making or buying anything those first few weeks after her birth.
I'm feeling pretty good for being 33 weeks pregnant. My back pain is barely a nuisance anymore, and all the regular pregnancy symptoms are pretty minor at the moment. My biggest complaint is not being able to move as easily or roll over without a concentrated effort. I'm up almost every hour or two at night because I either need to pee (AGAIN!) or the side I'm currently sleeping on is going numb, and I need to heave myself over to the other side. I'm ready for pregnancy to be over, but mostly just because I'm ready to meet my newest little princess.
I'll leave you with my latest belly picture, and a promise to be back very soon with the nursery reveal!
Thursday, July 26, 2012
This and That
(I'm not even going to mention that it's been almost a month since I posted. I am such a sucky blogger!)
Things in my neck of the woods are going well. We went to visit family in Wisconsin the first week of July, and the vacation was much needed. We spent time with family and friends, and went camping for a few days. Evie has never been camping, and she absolutely loved it. Especially going to the beach--another first for her. Evie loves visiting Wisconsin, and has been tearing at our heart strings asking when we can move back. Low blow, little girl. Low blow.
I'm a few days shy of 24 weeks pregnant, and I'm about ready to be done. Ha! Last week was a rough one for me with constant stomach aches, Braxton Hicks contractions, and a horrible pinched nerve in my back that sometimes causes my entire right leg to go numb. This week has been much better, and if it weren't for the constant fatigue, I'd be set. I really do love being pregnant because fetal movement is still the coolest thing ever, but I'm not in love with the not-so-fun side effects. The nerve pain is probably causing most of my crankiness--I know it's not going to get better until I deliver Juliet, and the thought of this pain for four more months is kind of depressing. But hey, at least there's an end in sight...someday!
Juliet's nursery is coming along, slowly but surely. Michael painted the dresser, and I made the curtains. I also sewed up some awesome (if I do say so myself) burb cloths, as well as two wet bags for cloth diapers. I'm ready to tackle the crib skirt next which kind of frightens me, but I'm sure I'll manage.
My life hasn't been all that exciting lately which is probably the reason for the lack of posts. This stinking HEAT forces me to stay inside most of the time since I start to swell within minutes of being outdoors. I can't believe we've had 100+ degrees for most of the last six weeks. Of course I'm pregnant the hottest summer in the history of EVER. Silver lining? At least we have air conditioning!
Things in my neck of the woods are going well. We went to visit family in Wisconsin the first week of July, and the vacation was much needed. We spent time with family and friends, and went camping for a few days. Evie has never been camping, and she absolutely loved it. Especially going to the beach--another first for her. Evie loves visiting Wisconsin, and has been tearing at our heart strings asking when we can move back. Low blow, little girl. Low blow.
I'm a few days shy of 24 weeks pregnant, and I'm about ready to be done. Ha! Last week was a rough one for me with constant stomach aches, Braxton Hicks contractions, and a horrible pinched nerve in my back that sometimes causes my entire right leg to go numb. This week has been much better, and if it weren't for the constant fatigue, I'd be set. I really do love being pregnant because fetal movement is still the coolest thing ever, but I'm not in love with the not-so-fun side effects. The nerve pain is probably causing most of my crankiness--I know it's not going to get better until I deliver Juliet, and the thought of this pain for four more months is kind of depressing. But hey, at least there's an end in sight...someday!
Juliet's nursery is coming along, slowly but surely. Michael painted the dresser, and I made the curtains. I also sewed up some awesome (if I do say so myself) burb cloths, as well as two wet bags for cloth diapers. I'm ready to tackle the crib skirt next which kind of frightens me, but I'm sure I'll manage.
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| Dresser, complete with new knobs! |
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| Curtains |
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| Burp Cloths |
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| Travel-size Wet Bag |
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| Hanging Wet Bag |
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
When Did June Get Here?
Wow, it's been a busy few weeks! I can't even begin to describe to you how tired I am. And how tired I'm going to continue to be for a little while. But while I'm sitting here with my feet up, refusing to do anything that involves getting off the couch for the rest of the evening, I thought I should end yet another mini-hiatus.
I'm about sixteen and a half weeks pregnant now, and getting very excited to start feeling baby movement. I've thought once or twice that I may have felt something, but since it's so far and few between it's hard to tell. I should start feeling movement for sure within the next few weeks, and I can't wait. It's by far the best part of pregnancy.
I'm definitely starting to look pregnant which I have mixed feelings about. I love that people can tell I'm pregnant, not just chubby--but gaining weight after working so hard to lose it this past year is tough. I know it's for the baby, and I am gaining weight at the appropriate rate. But it's harder to accept this time around.
The "big reveal" is two weeks from yesterday, and I am very excited to find out whether Evie is getting a brother or a sister! Thankfully she's come around and seems excited for it to be either. I "feel" like Baby 2.0 is a girl, but I'm not sure if that's mother's instinct or just wishful thinking. I'm ready to know one way or the other, and to begin the nursery!
There's another reason I've been so exhausted the last few weeks. We've been battling with Base Housing and it's commanding office here at McConnell for the past four months to either get a new house on Base or have ours thoroughly fixed. Our house is from the 1950s and leaks horrendously in the basement when it rains. From the amount of water that was accumulating, mold started to grow. One thing led to another, we found out Michael is allergic to mold, and when they refused to do anything but the very bare minimum to make the house livable for our family, we finally gave up. We moved off base.
The day we found out once and for all that the Base wasn't going to do the right thing to the day we signed the lease on our new home, was a whopping seven days. We toured apartments and townhouses, looked at rundown homes, and finally found a diamond in the rough with our new single family rental home. The housing allowance at McConnell for an Airman does not allow many choices when it comes to adequate housing. You either live in the ghetto or you live in a two bedroom apartment. Neither of those options were very appealing so we were very lucky with our find.
For the past week and a half I've either been packing or unpacking or cleaning. I spent seven hours cleaning the old house today, and I'm not even finished! The final inspection in Base Housing is no joke. I'm still disgusted that they are going to put some poor unsuspecting family into our should-be-condemned old house, but I can't say I'm really surprised at this point. I'll be glad when we finally wash our hands of it all, and walk away with the knowledge that we will probably never live in Base Housing again.
I'll post pictures of the new house soon, once I finally finish unpacking it all. And if I can stand still long enough, I'll have Michael take an updated baby bump picture!
I'm about sixteen and a half weeks pregnant now, and getting very excited to start feeling baby movement. I've thought once or twice that I may have felt something, but since it's so far and few between it's hard to tell. I should start feeling movement for sure within the next few weeks, and I can't wait. It's by far the best part of pregnancy.
I'm definitely starting to look pregnant which I have mixed feelings about. I love that people can tell I'm pregnant, not just chubby--but gaining weight after working so hard to lose it this past year is tough. I know it's for the baby, and I am gaining weight at the appropriate rate. But it's harder to accept this time around.
The "big reveal" is two weeks from yesterday, and I am very excited to find out whether Evie is getting a brother or a sister! Thankfully she's come around and seems excited for it to be either. I "feel" like Baby 2.0 is a girl, but I'm not sure if that's mother's instinct or just wishful thinking. I'm ready to know one way or the other, and to begin the nursery!
There's another reason I've been so exhausted the last few weeks. We've been battling with Base Housing and it's commanding office here at McConnell for the past four months to either get a new house on Base or have ours thoroughly fixed. Our house is from the 1950s and leaks horrendously in the basement when it rains. From the amount of water that was accumulating, mold started to grow. One thing led to another, we found out Michael is allergic to mold, and when they refused to do anything but the very bare minimum to make the house livable for our family, we finally gave up. We moved off base.
The day we found out once and for all that the Base wasn't going to do the right thing to the day we signed the lease on our new home, was a whopping seven days. We toured apartments and townhouses, looked at rundown homes, and finally found a diamond in the rough with our new single family rental home. The housing allowance at McConnell for an Airman does not allow many choices when it comes to adequate housing. You either live in the ghetto or you live in a two bedroom apartment. Neither of those options were very appealing so we were very lucky with our find.
For the past week and a half I've either been packing or unpacking or cleaning. I spent seven hours cleaning the old house today, and I'm not even finished! The final inspection in Base Housing is no joke. I'm still disgusted that they are going to put some poor unsuspecting family into our should-be-condemned old house, but I can't say I'm really surprised at this point. I'll be glad when we finally wash our hands of it all, and walk away with the knowledge that we will probably never live in Base Housing again.
I'll post pictures of the new house soon, once I finally finish unpacking it all. And if I can stand still long enough, I'll have Michael take an updated baby bump picture!
Monday, April 23, 2012
The Most Precious Sound
Today we heard the most beautiful sound in the world. The sound of Baby 2.0's heartbeat!
I'm officially 10 weeks, 2 days pregnant, and so happy to have made it to this point in the pregnancy. Hearing the heartbeat is such a pivotal moment because the chance of miscarriage has now dropped dramatically. I finally feel like this baby is really going to be a part of our family in a few months. The year of heartache and repeated disappointment finally has taken a turn for the better.
My pregnancy has been going well. I can definitely attest to the fact that morning sickness is a serious misnomer. All-day sickness would be a better term. I cannot wait to stop taking my progesterone supplement and for the first trimester to be over so I can finally find some relief. It's worth it--but I am not a fan of feeling like a zombie every day.
We're having a Nuchal Scan in a couple of weeks. Basically it's an ultrasound coupled with blood work that pre-screens for Down Syndrome and other genetic defects. We're having the test done mainly because insurance pays for it, and for a bonus ultrasound. I can't wait to see Baby 2.0 actually looks like a baby instead of the small fetal pole and gestational sac we saw at the last ultrasound. It's amazing the difference six weeks will make.
So we're excited. Not so scared anymore, though I'm sure I'll feel even more reassured after we have the ultrasound!
I'm officially 10 weeks, 2 days pregnant, and so happy to have made it to this point in the pregnancy. Hearing the heartbeat is such a pivotal moment because the chance of miscarriage has now dropped dramatically. I finally feel like this baby is really going to be a part of our family in a few months. The year of heartache and repeated disappointment finally has taken a turn for the better.
My pregnancy has been going well. I can definitely attest to the fact that morning sickness is a serious misnomer. All-day sickness would be a better term. I cannot wait to stop taking my progesterone supplement and for the first trimester to be over so I can finally find some relief. It's worth it--but I am not a fan of feeling like a zombie every day.
We're having a Nuchal Scan in a couple of weeks. Basically it's an ultrasound coupled with blood work that pre-screens for Down Syndrome and other genetic defects. We're having the test done mainly because insurance pays for it, and for a bonus ultrasound. I can't wait to see Baby 2.0 actually looks like a baby instead of the small fetal pole and gestational sac we saw at the last ultrasound. It's amazing the difference six weeks will make.
So we're excited. Not so scared anymore, though I'm sure I'll feel even more reassured after we have the ultrasound!
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Baby 2.0
I think the title of this post probably spells it all out pretty nicely, but in case you are confused? We're expecting again!
Right now, I'm somewhere between 6-7 weeks along. The doctors say 6 weeks, 3 days while the ultrasound suggests 7 weeks. But regardless, Baby 2.0 is due to arrive in the middle of November.
At this stage in the game, ultrasounds don't show all that much. Baby was measuring 6 weeks, 6 days, and really all you can see at this point is the yolk sac (which supplies nutrients for the baby) and the tiny little fetus. This was actually our second ultrasound, and at the first you could barely see the yolk sak. It's amazing just how fast they grow. It is said that at 7 weeks, baby is about the size of a blueberry.
A very large part of my absence on this blog over the past few months is due to trying for this miracle. After our miscarriage last April, we had a little difficulty getting pregnant. After a couple rounds of fertility drugs and some progesterone cream to help my low progesterone levels, I ended up getting pregnant during a month when I had no fertility drugs or aids in my system. Figures, right?
Right now, our feelings on the pregnancy run pretty frequently between elation and being petrified. We were able to see a strong heartbeat at the ultrasound which is always a very positive sign, but after suffering a loss and then disappointment month after month while trying again to conceive, it is hard to not let the past color the present.
One of the toughest things about this pregnancy is that Baby 2.0's due date is literally the day before the baby we lost last year. If it hadn't been Leap Year, the due dates would have been the same. The coincidence and deja vu of it all can be a little unnerving at times. But we are trying to hold on to the fact that our chances of another miscarriage are low, and that the doctors seem to be monitoring it all as best they can.
Symptom wise, I'm definitely feeling pregnant. Because I already get motion sickness very easily, I always seem to get nauseous pretty immediately in pregnancy. This time around is a little different in that I literally feel carsick from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to bed. Eating helps, but only for a brief period of time. Zofran, an anti-nausea medicine, doesn't seem to help much either. Thankfully I have a huge aversion to vomiting so I will do anything and everything to keep that particular symptom at bay. Eating is a chore since I have non-stop nausea, but I've been forcing myself to at least get a predetermined amount of calories in per day. My workout regime has been pretty much halted due to the nausea as well, but I hope to pick it up again as soon as I feel able.
On a happy note, Evie is absolutely thrilled that she is finally going to be a big sister. We started prepping her for the idea of a sibling last year when we got pregnant (thankfully, we hadn't told her about the pregnancy) so she has been talking about having a baby sister constantly ever since. She refuses to even consider the fact that she may have a baby brother. She is going to be one mad little four year old if Baby 2.0 ends up being a boy.
Doesn't she look excited? When we told her of the pregnancy, she just giggled and demanded to see my belly. We debated when to tell her about the baby since we aren't out of the woods yet for miscarriage, but after seeing a strong heartbeat we just decided to go for it. We want to give this baby all the positive juju we can!
Evie's been talking and singing to the baby already, and gives it kisses at bedtime. Since she's been around other pregnant women I think she grasps the concept that it will be awhile before the baby actually arrives. But that hasn't stopped her from asking once or twice if it's time for the baby to come out yet. This could be a long 7.5 months!
Right now, I'm somewhere between 6-7 weeks along. The doctors say 6 weeks, 3 days while the ultrasound suggests 7 weeks. But regardless, Baby 2.0 is due to arrive in the middle of November.
At this stage in the game, ultrasounds don't show all that much. Baby was measuring 6 weeks, 6 days, and really all you can see at this point is the yolk sac (which supplies nutrients for the baby) and the tiny little fetus. This was actually our second ultrasound, and at the first you could barely see the yolk sak. It's amazing just how fast they grow. It is said that at 7 weeks, baby is about the size of a blueberry.
A very large part of my absence on this blog over the past few months is due to trying for this miracle. After our miscarriage last April, we had a little difficulty getting pregnant. After a couple rounds of fertility drugs and some progesterone cream to help my low progesterone levels, I ended up getting pregnant during a month when I had no fertility drugs or aids in my system. Figures, right?
Right now, our feelings on the pregnancy run pretty frequently between elation and being petrified. We were able to see a strong heartbeat at the ultrasound which is always a very positive sign, but after suffering a loss and then disappointment month after month while trying again to conceive, it is hard to not let the past color the present.
One of the toughest things about this pregnancy is that Baby 2.0's due date is literally the day before the baby we lost last year. If it hadn't been Leap Year, the due dates would have been the same. The coincidence and deja vu of it all can be a little unnerving at times. But we are trying to hold on to the fact that our chances of another miscarriage are low, and that the doctors seem to be monitoring it all as best they can.
Symptom wise, I'm definitely feeling pregnant. Because I already get motion sickness very easily, I always seem to get nauseous pretty immediately in pregnancy. This time around is a little different in that I literally feel carsick from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to bed. Eating helps, but only for a brief period of time. Zofran, an anti-nausea medicine, doesn't seem to help much either. Thankfully I have a huge aversion to vomiting so I will do anything and everything to keep that particular symptom at bay. Eating is a chore since I have non-stop nausea, but I've been forcing myself to at least get a predetermined amount of calories in per day. My workout regime has been pretty much halted due to the nausea as well, but I hope to pick it up again as soon as I feel able.
On a happy note, Evie is absolutely thrilled that she is finally going to be a big sister. We started prepping her for the idea of a sibling last year when we got pregnant (thankfully, we hadn't told her about the pregnancy) so she has been talking about having a baby sister constantly ever since. She refuses to even consider the fact that she may have a baby brother. She is going to be one mad little four year old if Baby 2.0 ends up being a boy.
Doesn't she look excited? When we told her of the pregnancy, she just giggled and demanded to see my belly. We debated when to tell her about the baby since we aren't out of the woods yet for miscarriage, but after seeing a strong heartbeat we just decided to go for it. We want to give this baby all the positive juju we can!
Evie's been talking and singing to the baby already, and gives it kisses at bedtime. Since she's been around other pregnant women I think she grasps the concept that it will be awhile before the baby actually arrives. But that hasn't stopped her from asking once or twice if it's time for the baby to come out yet. This could be a long 7.5 months!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Do Your Best & Forget the Rest
I've made it halfway through my first week of P90x, and I feel great! Well, great and sore. At the same time. We have a love/hate sort of relationship right now.
It only takes one word to sum up P90x, and that would be INTENSE. It is a crazy intense workout each and every day. It's challenging and exciting and by the end you sort of feel like you took a shower in sweat. Yes, I know. Gross. But oh so very true.
I'm doing P90x Lean rather than P90x Classic because it's focuses more on Cardio and losing weight and becoming lean (duh!) rather than bulking up. I'm not looking to enter any gun shows.
With this version of the program, I've done Core Synergistics, Cardio, Ab Ripper and Yoga so far. I was suppose to do Shoulders & Arms yesterday along with Ab Ripper, but I just couldn't. I could barely move. I mentioned P90x is intense, right?
After the first day I was sore, but it was manageable. After my second workout, I was definitely feeling it. By the time I tried to roll out of bed yesterday (people would have paid money to see that comical event), I could barely move. Every muscle in my body felt abused. So I only did the short Ab Ripper workout, and called it a day. I'm looking to get fit and healthy, not die. Dieing is bad.
I'm glad I took the break because I felt much better today. And after the crazy long session of Yoga, I felt even better. Yoga is by far my favorite workout thus far. Not only was it challenging and intense, but it worked on balance and stretching everything out. My sore muscles were so very happy when I finished. It barely felt like I spent an hour and a half working out!
Tomorrow is Legs & Back and another round of Ab Ripper. I'm a little nervous because out of my whole body, the legs are what kill the most right now. An entire workout focused on them? Ouch. But if I get skinner thighs out of the process, I'll deal with the pain.
As Tony says: Do your best and forget the rest. And don't forget to Bring it!
It only takes one word to sum up P90x, and that would be INTENSE. It is a crazy intense workout each and every day. It's challenging and exciting and by the end you sort of feel like you took a shower in sweat. Yes, I know. Gross. But oh so very true.
I'm doing P90x Lean rather than P90x Classic because it's focuses more on Cardio and losing weight and becoming lean (duh!) rather than bulking up. I'm not looking to enter any gun shows.
With this version of the program, I've done Core Synergistics, Cardio, Ab Ripper and Yoga so far. I was suppose to do Shoulders & Arms yesterday along with Ab Ripper, but I just couldn't. I could barely move. I mentioned P90x is intense, right?
After the first day I was sore, but it was manageable. After my second workout, I was definitely feeling it. By the time I tried to roll out of bed yesterday (people would have paid money to see that comical event), I could barely move. Every muscle in my body felt abused. So I only did the short Ab Ripper workout, and called it a day. I'm looking to get fit and healthy, not die. Dieing is bad.
I'm glad I took the break because I felt much better today. And after the crazy long session of Yoga, I felt even better. Yoga is by far my favorite workout thus far. Not only was it challenging and intense, but it worked on balance and stretching everything out. My sore muscles were so very happy when I finished. It barely felt like I spent an hour and a half working out!
Tomorrow is Legs & Back and another round of Ab Ripper. I'm a little nervous because out of my whole body, the legs are what kill the most right now. An entire workout focused on them? Ouch. But if I get skinner thighs out of the process, I'll deal with the pain.
As Tony says: Do your best and forget the rest. And don't forget to Bring it!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Changed Perspective
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about my increasing heart palpitations, chest pains and shortness of breath. I've gotten a few emails asking me how everything is going so I thought I'd share what I've learned thus far. After that initial doctor's appointment and a visit to the Emergency Room a week later for increased symptoms, I finally had my appointment with a cardiologist.
I am not one of those cool people who get heart palpitations for absolutely no reason at all.
They ran a couple different tests--echocardiograph and an isotope stress test. Both were interesting to say the least. And when I left the appointment, I wore a Holter monitor which is basically a portable EKG machine that would record the electrical firings of my heart over a twenty-four hour period.
The initial results from the Echo and stress test came back immediately. I have an arrhythmia which is just a fancy way of saying my heartbeat is irregular. And I also have heart valve disease, more specifically Valvular insufficiency. Which again, is just a fancy way of saying I have a leaky heart valve.
The doctor was very brief in explaining all this to me and although he allowed for questions, I had no idea what to even ask at that point. So right now, I have no idea what kind of arrhythmia I have or what heart valve is leaky. Those are pretty important things to know. I do know that I have a strong heart and the problems seem to be mild right now.
When the results of the Holter monitor come back, I will have another appointment with the Cardiologist. I already have a long list of questions and will most assuredly have a pen and paper handy to write everything down. The researcher in me hates not knowing what's going on, especially when it involves my health.
Before I found out the results, I thought that if I learned something was indeed wrong with my heart, it would change everything. I would feel depressed, angry, hopeless. Maybe it would even be the push I need to finish my book and check some things off my Bucket List because now I would know that I'm not invincible. I figured at the very least it would be life changing.
That's not really the case. I don't feel any different. Except for the symptoms that pop up a lot more frequently, I keep forgetting that there is anything wrong. Life isn't any different. My house and child and husband all still need my attention just as much as before. I don't have time to feel sorry for myself. I don't even know if I have the right to.
Sure, the heart is a pretty important organ and heart problems--no matter how small--can be really scary. But it could be a hell of a lot worse.
I wanted to write about this not because I'm asking for sympathy, but because I'm amazed at how normal I feel. I always thought if something bad happened to me, it would rule my life. I wouldn't be able to look past it. Maybe those philosophical moments I've been having have done me more good than I thought.
Because all I really want to do is keep on living my life to the fullest.
I am not one of those cool people who get heart palpitations for absolutely no reason at all.
They ran a couple different tests--echocardiograph and an isotope stress test. Both were interesting to say the least. And when I left the appointment, I wore a Holter monitor which is basically a portable EKG machine that would record the electrical firings of my heart over a twenty-four hour period.
The initial results from the Echo and stress test came back immediately. I have an arrhythmia which is just a fancy way of saying my heartbeat is irregular. And I also have heart valve disease, more specifically Valvular insufficiency. Which again, is just a fancy way of saying I have a leaky heart valve.
The doctor was very brief in explaining all this to me and although he allowed for questions, I had no idea what to even ask at that point. So right now, I have no idea what kind of arrhythmia I have or what heart valve is leaky. Those are pretty important things to know. I do know that I have a strong heart and the problems seem to be mild right now.
When the results of the Holter monitor come back, I will have another appointment with the Cardiologist. I already have a long list of questions and will most assuredly have a pen and paper handy to write everything down. The researcher in me hates not knowing what's going on, especially when it involves my health.
Before I found out the results, I thought that if I learned something was indeed wrong with my heart, it would change everything. I would feel depressed, angry, hopeless. Maybe it would even be the push I need to finish my book and check some things off my Bucket List because now I would know that I'm not invincible. I figured at the very least it would be life changing.
That's not really the case. I don't feel any different. Except for the symptoms that pop up a lot more frequently, I keep forgetting that there is anything wrong. Life isn't any different. My house and child and husband all still need my attention just as much as before. I don't have time to feel sorry for myself. I don't even know if I have the right to.
Sure, the heart is a pretty important organ and heart problems--no matter how small--can be really scary. But it could be a hell of a lot worse.
I wanted to write about this not because I'm asking for sympathy, but because I'm amazed at how normal I feel. I always thought if something bad happened to me, it would rule my life. I wouldn't be able to look past it. Maybe those philosophical moments I've been having have done me more good than I thought.
Because all I really want to do is keep on living my life to the fullest.
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