33 week OB update (windy pg ment)

[Guest guest]

Hiya,

Everything's ok, mostly! That's the short version.

Today was not only a visit but also my " antenatal teaching " appointment with

an RN at the hospital's birth center. I made my way back there and was

introduced to the nurse with a, " Your teaching's here. " So I said, " Hi, I'm

your teaching! "

(Note to self: Self, if ever working in a healthcare capacity again, try

hard not to refer to pt. as a procedure or malady.)

So I signed a bunch of papers and made out a birth plan. I tried to keep it

as low maintenance as possible and simply asked for minimal or no sedation

during the c-section, plus no bottles, supplementation or pacifiers for the

baby. Oh, and rooming in, too. I was relieved at how supportive the RN was

about my breastfeeding wishes. Turns out she was a lactation consultant,

too. So I probably should not have let that free diaper bag full of Similac

spook me last month.

I got the nickel tour of the rooms, including a glimpse of the green-tiled

OR. Made me tingle with anticipation. But the hospital room that they

reserve for us " sections " definitely needed less chintz. Better feng shuey,

too.

The OB appointment was fine. We did another US (#13) to document growth and

that checked out OK. The baby is very big (5 lbs. 6 oz.) and would probably

weigh 8-9 pounds at delivery, (which jibes with the answer I got (8#4oz)

when I worked out a formula a few weeks ago). The baby's abdomen is very

plump, which is great in terms of survival if born prematurely. The

placenta is a grade 1 or possibly 2, and seems healthy enough. My fundal

height remains the same as 2 weeks ago, at 35 centimeters.

The surprise was that he has turned transverse, with his head tucked under

my liver and his feet nestled under my spleen. I knew he'd been moving

differently the last few days, but had no idea he'd assumed a whole

different lie (after being vertex since forever). But that probably

accounts for the sudden separation of my rectus muscles and the lack of

fundal height increase. Of course it means a c-section, but that was what

we were planning all along anyhow. And this new position means that much of

the pressure is off my cervix.

A transverse or breech lie is likely with an MA . . .

so no big deal. I was more surprised that he was vertex for so long. I

expected that he would be breech or transverse.

After that I allowed myself the pleasure of shopping in one store . . . even

bought two items for the baby. And I have cleaned out the closet in the

baby's room and sorted and folded his clothes and put them away in there.

Can we say nesting?

I'm just so very glad that, aside from the discomfort of pelvic joint

softening and the bother of a cerclage, this pregnancy has been comfortable

all the way through, with minimal nausea early on and now almost no

heartburn, no zits, stretch marks, itchy bumps, and best yet--none of this

incontinence I hear people talk about. I hope the baby continues to be this

well behaved.

Beth

33w6d