I had my 29 week prenatal visit this past Wednesday, February 20, at 10:15 am
After arriving, I did all of the normal stuff like the weigh-in, blood pressure, and peeinacup deal. Then I was taken back for the little talk with the doctor. This time I saw Dr. Ann (she’s really sweet).
We went through the typical “Do you have any questions” routine, and she went over my vitals. Thank goodness my home scale was wrong – I wasn’t 140 as I thought this past Saturday. My official weigh in was at 145 lbs. That’s still not good though as it means I lost 3 pounds since my last visit. Since the baby now weighs over 2 lbs himself (not including the placenta), it means that my actual body weight is less than my pre-pregnancy starting weight of 143. The doc wasn’t very pleased. They want me to stop losing weight (too bad they didn’t tell me how??). She thought I might be a bit dehydrated as well, which surprises me because I drink over 6 glasses of water each day (not including other beverages such as milk).
I also have protein in my urine, which she said could be a sign of hypertension.
Hypertension is where your blood pressure shoots too high. It’s a side effect of gestational diabetes and can lead to preeclampsia – which means a guaranteed early delivery (not good). Great. High blood pressure?? For months now, my blood pressure has been running too low – down to 70 over 50 during one visit. So low in fact that I passed out during church one morning. My blood pressure at this visit was 80 over 52.
Now I have to worry about high blood pressure? She assured me that I probably do not need to worry about that given my previous low blood pressure record, but “please be sure you are drinking more fluids”.
What should I do? Carry around an olympic pool? I feel like I’m swimming in water already. *sigh*
My gestational diabetes issues seemed to take a back stage. I get the feeling that they just don’t care and there’s really not much guidance coming from their end. Really. It was only discussed maybe 30 seconds at the most and brushed to the side. All I was told “don’t worry too much, just eat in moderation”.
Ok. So I have this condition where I could have early labor, high blood pressure, a 13 pound baby, and I’m now at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes later in life – and all they tell me is “don’t worry too much“??? I’m carrying my first child. Ever. And I have something only 5% of pregnant women develop. Of COURSE I’m going to worry. I want guidance. I want support. I at least want to be told something more than “don’t worry…” and maybe a finger prick or two to keep a check on my sugar levels. GAH!!
(Sorry. I’m having an annoyed pregnant woman moment.)
One good thing I learned was that I am now starting my 2 week visits.
One bad thing I learned was that they “forgot” to do a 20 week anatamy ultrasound on me.
And guess who’s fault it ended up being? Mine. That’s right. I was blamed for not “reminding them”.
Ok, please tell me – I’m carrying my first child. I have never experienced this before. I’m new to this whole pregnancy deal, am being bombarded with advice / tips / books / information from every angle, trying to disect everything, trying to get ready for a first baby, and have NO clue what the doctors do to expectant mothers behind closed doors. Was I SUPPOSED to tell them how to do their job??? I didn’t even know I was supposed to have one. All of my cousins have warned me that I need to take charge of my pregnancy health care because the doctors don’t – but I naively believed that people who spent 100 grand on master degrees to do this stuff would know what they were doing. Dumb 25 year old that I am.
See, I received 4 ultrasounds between my 6th and 13th week of pregnancy. During my last ultrasound, at 13 weeks, things were measured and we were told the baby was a boy. Nothing else was ever said of another ultrasound and I naturally thought that everything was fine. At my November 27th visit, I met with the man who will be delivering the baby and was told “During your next visit we’ll do an ultrasound and tell you what you’re having”. I said “Oh, they’ve already told us!” and he said that was great then – and nothing else was mentioned about doing it. I just followed what the doctor was telling me and going to my visits each month and trying to take care of my health. Afterall, I considered myself lucky to have had the 4 other ultrasounds so early on. Even with all the pregnancy books and things I read, I don’t recall ever reading anything that would have tipped me off to the fact that a 20 week ultrasound was supposed to happen. And I certainly wasn’t aware of how serious the 20 week anatamy ultrasound was – it’s when they do all sorts of measuring and make sure the baby is developing properly.
In hindsight I feel so very very stupid for not paying more attention and learning everything for myself, yet at the same time it angers me very much because there was no clue from this doctor’s office – nocluewhatsoever - along the past 16 weeks that indicated I was missing a final vital ultrasound, even though I’ve been there 5 times since that last ultrasound in early November!! I keep going back and forth between being highly angry at myself for having such naive dependance on the OBGYN, and being angry at this Doctor’s office who’s only explaination (literally) was “Whoops, we dropped the ball on that one, sorry.”
So, anyway, after some whispering of the doctors they scheduled me instead for a 30 week ultasound next Thursday, February 28. I was also informed that beginning with my 34th week, I’ll be having an ultrasound done each week since I am a gestational diabetes patient. (That was the only other time the diabetes was mentioned.)
My one bright point with this visit is that they assured me the video tape on the ultrasound machine is now working (an issue I dealt with at my Nov. 3rd appointment during the last 13 week ultrasound). Now hopefully my husband can finally see his baby move on screen since he’s not able to get off work to go to pre-natal appointments with me! 
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Tags: Dr's Visits, pregnancy, prenatal care
That’s a crazy story, Lisa! We’re definitely praying for you, baby Jack, and Kevin!
Love N
Hey girly… First off let me tell you that it was not your responsibility to remind/tell them that you needed your 20 week scan…When i went to the dr.. we had 6 different dr’s and they all knew what was going on and what to do at each appointment! So dont feel dumb or stupid because it was their responsibility!! 2nd Congratulations for getting to do another ultrasound and getting to have it put on video tape
i know your excited ….Also.. you said starting 34 weeks (i think) that you are going to get an ultrasound once a week…let me tell you from my experience..i had 2 ultrasounds a week because Tyler was too active from the non stress test..ha ha/..anyway, Pay close attention to things your baby does on ultrasound, it’s so amazing the little things Tyler did inside, he still does now…it’s just too adorable!! 
Also if your dr’s office is ANYTHING like mine.. you should be able to take your tape to every ultrasound and they will add to it! I have ALL my ultrasounds on video tape…my tape is almost full!! lol so ask if you can bring it to your weekly ultrasounds.. Then Kevin will be able to see them all 
Anyway i hope you doing good… Talk to ya later…Much Love, Missy
Hi Lisa,
I have only been to your site once before (linked from WFMW at Rocks in my Dryer) anyhow, I wanted to see how you were doing with managing the diabetes. Then I read your post! I am so sorry that your pregnancy is a little more complicated than some. I know all to well about that. This is my third pregnancy and it has been a trial (well worth it I might add for our little girl!). I am surprised that your doctor’s are being so nonchalant about the diabetes. As soon as mine was discovered my doctor had me signed up with the local diabetes center. I go there almost weekly. First I tried to manage it with diet and excerise but my numbers were still too high. So a week later I started insulin. Do you use a glucometer to test your sugar levels? Did they give you a diet plan to follow? From what I understand about gest. diabetes the protein in your urine is part of it. Gest. diabetes can cause high blood pressure and pre-eclampsia. I would think if they (your doctors) were so concerened about those things they would try and tackle the diabetes first? I live in CA so things are probably done a bit differently. But I will say I have learned with three pregnancies that you do have to be informed, do your own research and ask a ton of questions. Doctors assume you know. I don’t know why they do but it seems they do. And it won’t stop with your OB, your peditrician will assume you know what an ear infection looks like (signs and symptoms) and various other things. As a mom, you will definately be doing a lot of investigating on the internet!! Anyway, if you want to talk about gest. diabetes or anything about pregnancy feel free to email me! In Christ, Mrs. S