Last week, I ran into unexpected complications with the pregnancy. Up until last Thursday, I’d had a great 9 months with the exception of being classified as a gestational diabetic back in January.
Because of the diabetes diagnosis, I was scheduled for automatic weekly non-stress tests at the hospital and last Thursday was my first trip – and that’s when they discovered I was already contracting, dialated, and thinned! That ended up turning into a 4 day hospital stay to stop preterm labor.
Thankfully it was stopped! And with the steroids they gave me (to build up baby’s lungs), they determined that Little Jack could now come any day and they were confident he would be fine and healthy.
The best part about it was the doctor on call ordered more tests done this past Saturday, reviewed my entire case history, and suggested that he thought I did not have the gestational diabetes.
Talk about a huge worry off my mind!
It was confirmed by my own doctor when I went for my weekly OBGYN visit this past Tuesday, April 1st. (And luckily, it wasn’t an April Fool’s joke either). 
I turned 35 weeks pregnant this past Tuesday, and at 8 am my mom and I left out to head up to the doctor’s office for my (now) weekly visit with them. (My weekly visits started at 34 weeks)
We were a tad late because it seemed I couldn’t get going good enough – we kept forgetting everything! As we were leaving mom’s, I realized I’d left some important papers at my house so we had to run back home to pick them up. THEN we realized we’d left the ultrasound video at mom’s house. So it was back to there we went afterwards to pick it up really quick. (My gracious dad was standing in the front yard…kinda tag team like… ready to hand me the video as we passed!)
Luckily all of the bouncing around only put me 10 minutes behind my scheduled 8:30 appointment!
It was packed at the office….and it seemed like everyone there was about 8 or 9 months pregnant. It was a funny site to see the room filled to the brim with miserable looking ladies, hunkered over a friend in the room, looking like they’re about to pop.
It was even funnier to think that I looked worse than they did!
Ok, well. Maybe not that funny, now that I think about it.
But I did feel like complete and total crud.
I was there about 20 minutes before I was called back for the scan. The ultrasound went great (his lungs are already maturing nicely! they think the steroids did a great job). Jack scored an 8 of 8 on his BPP (bio physical profile) and we actually got a nice video of his face in 4D this time. I think the ultrasound lady felt sorry for me when I pleaded for her to get a shot of his head (he’s been so low that we haven’t gotten a face shot since November). That’s when she turned on the 4D imaging and pulled up a nice lower face picture.
It’s so marvelous at what technology can do! Little Jack appears to have a square jawline (like his daddy), chubby little cheeks, his dad’s chin, a bowed mouth (like me), and his dad’s nose (yay!). He was just so cute – especially when she paused him in mid “squinch” – he looked frustrated and had his face squinched up just like Kevin does. We all had a good laugh at that.
After the ultrasound, they did my vitals. Even with all the food I’ve eaten over the past week (I think I ate every hour at the hospital!), I still lost 2 pounds since my visit last week. My weight was 142 this time. That’s 1 pound less than my starting weight. And since the baby is estimated to weigh a little over 5 lbs now, that means my personal body weight is 137. I started the pregnancy at 143! The removal of sugar from my diet is the absolutely only thing we can determine is causing the weight loss….perhaps it has triggered the fast metabolism I had when I was young? I don’t know, but it sure doesn’t feel good. With my worry wart nature, I feel like I’m doing something wrong. The doctor isn’t worried though and says as long as I’m eating enough and eating healthy (I am, I am!), then there’s nothing to worry about. All tests point to the fact that the baby appears very, very healthy and well developed.
After the vitals check, I was put in a room to await a visit with the doctor. The real doctor, this time – “the man”, Dr. Fred himself. I haven’t seen him since November 27 (when I first met him). I didn’t even see him during my 4 day hospital stay! It’s weird to think that he’s going to get all the credit for my pregnancy and birth, when I don’t even know him. I wouldn’t even had saw Dr. Fred during this visit if it wasn’t for the doctor-on-call (Dr. Bullard) at the hospital who listened to my concerns and said he’d make sure I got to see Dr. Fred at my next appointment.
(I swear, I’m going to Dr. Bullard with the next baby. Anyway…)
So I had my visit with Dr. Fred and he seemed unconcerned about preterm labor any more. He says I’m now in the clear and if I deliver now, it’s fine, and we should have a normal healthy baby. He also says there’s really no way of knowing when the baby would come and he has known cases where they stopped a preterm labor – and then had to induce later on because the baby decided not to come out afterall! He also reviewed my case history and confirmed that I should no longer worry about the gestational diabetes. (Hurray!!)
I did have a few questions to ask him – such as how terrible I’ve been feeling and the changes I’ve suddenly felt in my body. Over the past week, I’ve definately noticed a huge difference “within myself”.
He addressed each of my concerns and attributed them to “normal” end of term pregnancy feelings….
Current Pregnant Symptoms:
- Nausea is hitting me more often – he says that’s normal as the baby is putting so much concentrated weight on and my innards are getting displayed.
- My hip bones hurt like crazy – my pelvic region is spreading (great, a bigger butt is one thing I didn’t need), and my bones are softening in prep for delivery.
- I’m very moody now - pregnancy hormones will do that to a woman.
- Sharp pains are exploding “down there” at times – muscles are stretching and nerves may be pinched as the baby loses room due to growth.
So those are a few of my 35 weeks symptoms with the doctor’s response. Of course, a doctor who has seen upteenth births will treat these symptoms with a light hearted “no problem” mood.
But for a first time preggo woman like me, those symptoms are killer! There’s nothing more frustrating than telling a man your hips hurt like mad and having him shrug it off. Can’t I get some sympathy here? *sigh*
My moods are terrible too and I feel like crying all the time. In fact, I think I’ve cried more this past week than I have in years. (Where’s all this water coming from anyway? I thought I peed it all out every 15 minutes…geez). Thankfully I have a very patient husband!
He still hasn’t learned yet though that I don’t have to have a reason to cry, thankyouverymuch.
Crying just feels…good.
“No reason. I just want to cry, daggum it!!” I tell him when he asks what’s wrong.
So anyway.
After 15 minutes with the doctor, I was given my chart, a good bill of health, a smile, a handshake, a new appointment, and I was able to leave.
It’s going to be nice not having to go to the doctor so much once I get back to my pre-pregnant self. I’ve never particularly cared for going to the doctors, but it’s getting to where it’s hard to imagine what life was like without the regular doctors visits.
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Tags: Dr's Visits
