We're moving right along! The baby and I are both healthy and doing great! Only another 2.5 weeks until she's due to be here! I'm feeling pretty confident that she will be here by her due date if not before. I don't think she's going to be late. ;) This is good news for me! And (not that I want to tempt fate) but I'd like to say a big "I told you so!" to all those people who said, "Oh, it's your first? You'll probably go past your due date.". Now we aren't in the clear yet, I know that there is still a chance, but I have a strong feeling that she'll be here by her due date or before. I don't think she'll be late. But we will see. ;) Michael had a dream that she came on October 3rd. I had a dream a month or so ago that she came on October 4th. Aside from these dreams, I think she'll be here no later than the end of next week. I would like her to be here by the end of this week, but I'm going to say she could take another week or so. So my prediction is that she'll be here by September 29th. ;) Not necessarily on that day, but sometime between now and then. Again, we will just have to wait and see. :)
Now, onto the stats from our doctor's appointment! I didn't gain any weight this week. I'm happy about that. But from what I've read, it's normal to slow your weight gain or even lose a little in the last few weeks of your pregnancy. Last time I got on the scale here at home it said I had lost 1 pound and was at 17.5 pounds above my pre-pregnancy weight. Not too bad. Hopefully I stay this course, the weight doesn't seem so daunting to get off at the moment. ;)
My blood pressure seemed a little high to me, but my doctor said it was good. I believe the numbers were 130/88. But like I've said many times before in this pregnancy, if he's not concerned about it, I'm not going to be concerned either. My urine dip was normal. It's been so great that gestational diabetes haven't been a problem during my pregnancy. Glad that I haven't had to watch what I eat. Seems like I'm eating ok if I've only put on a net 17.5 pounds!
Our baby is measuring right where she should be. Not large for her gestational age or anything like that. All good news, because I don't want to deliver a 10 pound baby! Her heartbeat was a calm, cool, and collected 138 bpm this week. She's head down and in the -2 pelvic position. This means that she's working on dropping into my pelvis in preparation for birth. (See the picture below) I'm dilated to 3cm now and am 70% effaced! This is GREAT news, because it shows that we are making progress and she is on her way! :D For those of you who don't remember, I was at 2cm dilation and 50% effacement last week. We're making great progress!!
I knew that things were happening and that my body and our little girl were getting ready because I have been noticing some changes in my symptoms. :) First off, I've been having a lot more pelvic pressure lately. This makes sense, because our baby is getting down lower into my pelvis to prepare for her arrival. The pelvic positioning goes from a -3 station, which is high in the belly/pelvis, to a 0 station, where the head is even with the ishial (sp) spines on the pelvis, to a +3 station where the baby is crowing (again, see the picture below). Our childbirth instructor told us during class that if the baby reaches the 0 station (which is often reached while in active labor) that it's likely that there will be no problems having a natural delivery. As she has been moving down I've needed to use the bathroom a bit more often (but not nearly as often as the movies or tv suggests). Also, another symptom that has let me know that labor is getting close is that I can see that she's moving down in my belly. She used to sit just under my ribs, now she's moved down an inch or two and sits between my ribs and my belly button. You can see in the way I carry her that she's moving lower. She obviously hasn't completely dropped yet, but she's working on it. I've also had an increased amount of abdominal pain and pressure and an increased number of Braxton Hicks contractions. Now, some of these things I'm feeling could be actual contractions, but as a first-time-mom it's hard for me to tell and know for sure. What I do know is that our little girl and I are healthy, and that's what matters. :)
I talked with my doctor today about my platelet count. It had lowered by about 20,000 in a month. I asked what he thought of my platelet count. He said he was not concerned as long as they stayed over 100,000. My last draw said they were at 106,000. He said that even down to 80,000 they would probably work just fine. However, if I end up getting as low as 80,000, he will give me a steroid shot to help with the platelets and insure that they don't get too low and that if they do, they can still work effectively. I got more blood drawn today and will find out sometime tomorrow where my counts are this week. As I've said before, I lay low on the platelet counts anyway, and it is very common in pregnancy for platelet counts to drop. As long as mine can remain somewhat stable over the next few weeks, we will be in good shape. :) I asked my doctor if low platelet counts would keep me from being able to deliver at the Birthcare Center. He said it would not be a problem as long as they stayed over 100,000. He also said it would probably be ok as long as they stayed over 80,000. He didn't say much more than that, but I would venture to guess that if my levels get any lower than 80,000, that I will have to be over at the hospital. This is no big deal. The hospital is great and people are well cared for there. But I'm still holding on to hope that everything will go according to plan and that we will be able to be at the Birthcare Center. :) We will just have to wait and see how things develop over the next few weeks. :)
I'm getting excited (as if you didn't already know this) to meet our baby girl. Going to these weekly appointments and seeing our progress and how much closer we're getting to her being here is very exciting. I still feel very much like a ticking time bomb, just waiting to go off. Every little twinge or pain makes me wonder if the moment has come. She will be here very soon and I could not be more excited! This pregnancy and this little girl has been such a blessing to Michael and me! I cannot wait to meet this perfect little girl that God has placed in our life! :) Anyday now. ;) Stay tuned for more details as we continue to near the end of our pregnancy and begin the amazing adventure that is parenthood. :)
**Edit**
Forgot to add the picture! Whoops! Here it is now! ;)
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