Twenty-Eight-and-a-Half-Week Midwife Appointment

I sneaked in a midwife appointment last Tuesday morning before heading out of the country to Jamaica on Wednesday. Since this was the appointment of the Rhogam injection, and since they do not keep vials of the medication in the office, they had called in the prescription to the pharmacy across the street in the hospital, and Elsa and I picked it up the day before so I would have it to bring in to the appointment with me. Elsa was thrilled to run the halls of the hospital, and I told her that was where her baby sister would make her appearance.

The appointment went well. I did not have to wait in the waiting room at all this time (amazing!), likely due to the fact that I had an 8:45 a.m. appointment -- one of the first of the day. I was immediately sent back for the urine sample (must have been fine), was weighed (142, up 5 pounds since the previous appointment -- I am starting to feel like I am gaining a lot between each appointment!), and had my blood pressure taken (90/60). I handed over the Rhogam prescription and was then immediately placed in an examination room. Shortly thereafter, Sarah (the in-house midwife who does not actually deliver babies) came in and she asked me how I was doing and if I had any questions or concerns. I asked if they had received any results from the analysis done in Charleston, and they had not. We also kind of took a look at my thyroid levels, and she said things were looking good based on the last test. I asked her how frequently they would monitor it here on out, and she said they typically just check it once a trimester. So I am assuming they will do another test soon, in the coming weeks, since I have entered the third trimester. And I will then have to check with my other doctors to see if they are okay with just the one more test. I know Dr. J at least believes that big fluctuations can happen in this last trimester. After we chatted, she measured my belly and said things were measuring perfectly (and that I was gaining weight perfectly -- so I guess I should not worry!) and she listened to the baby's heartbeat and said it sounded great -- that it sounded like I had a very active baby in there. Soon after she left the room, the nurse came back in and administered the injection in my left hip. The liquid felt cool as it was plunged in (as the prescription had to be refrigerated), which was weird, and it hurt just a little, but really was not too bad. It is just nice to know it is over and taken care of at this point.

I will now go in for an appointment every two weeks, so I will see one of the midwives again next Wednesday morning. Childcare should get interesting for Elsa with the more frequent appointments, but so far Jarrett has been able to work from home those mornings that I have an appointment, which is nice. I might just end up taking her to a couple, which should be totally fine... as long as we do not have to wait in the waiting room forever!

The Twenty-Eight-Week Belly

Well, I would say she has definitely grown since the photo taken four weeks ago. I am still not feeling too uncomfortable, though. Except for days like today when I run about 5000 errands (okay, maybe more like 5), dragging Elsa along with me, having to strap and unstrap her every time we enter and exit the car, feeling the need to carry her screaming, protesting self when she gets a little too rambunctious in places like, oh, the post office and the hospital. That is when my belly starts feeling a little large, like it is maybe weighing me down just a bit. And I have been getting slightly more uncomfortable while relaxing on the couch in the evenings. But, overall, I really cannot complain. Keep growing, my little one.

Twenty-Eight Weeks

I officially entered the third trimester on Saturday. Seriously, how is this possible? To think that I am now less than three months from the due date just seems unfathomable. But, alas, here we are. I have yet to decide whether to hire a doula this time around. We still have not totally been able to decide on a name (though I think we are pretty close). I have not yet done anything about cord blood banking. I have not even begun to think about what I need to take to the hospital (and realized over the weekend that I cannot even totally remember all what I packed the first time around). But there is time for all of that. I did get all of Elsa's baby clothes down from the attic and actually went through and sorted them by size late last week. So that felt like a pretty big accomplishment. I really do hope the girls' birthdays do not fall on the exact same day, but I would have to say that I am pretty pleased that I will be able to reuse all of the clothing we have with them being born the same time of year.

I almost feel that there is more readying to be done with Elsa than there is in preparation for the baby. We are still working on potty training, and not getting anywhere very quickly. She totally understands the concept and tells me exactly what should happen. But actually making that happen seems to be the difficult part. She is not very good friends with any potty, and so she is quite stubborn (surprise, surprise) when it comes to sitting on one. I figure she has two more years at Gabriela's before starting any sort of "real" school, so hopefully we will have it figured out by then. But it sure would be nice to make that accomplishment prior to the new baby's arrival. Also, Elsa's big girl bed was supposed to go out for delivery last week, but we heard no word indicating the follow through of that. Jarrett and I leave for Jamaica on Wednesday (hooray!), so we figure we might as well just wait to call again when we get back. But we did find a lavender quilt and pillow sham on sale over the weekend and picked it up in preparation for the day it does arrive. We will still need a mattress, sheet set, and pillows, but we are making steps toward the big transition.

But back to Baby Helms #2... according to BabyCenter, she weighs 2.25 pounds (Chinese cabbage, whatever that is) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through my womb (so I hope she enjoys that Jamaican sunshine). She is also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

So, yes, Jarrett's dad and Susan arrive tomorrow, late afternoon sometime, and Jarrett and I head to the airport fairly early Wednesday morning. I am a bit of a nervous wreck, leaving Elsa behind this time. And I think this is mostly due to the fact that four nights is the longest we have ever left her with anyone, and Jarrett and I have never flown anywhere (let alone to another country) together apart from Elsa. Oh, deep down I know she will be totally fine, but I guess a mom still has to worry some. But I am also very much looking forward to checking out the house we rented, and then literally checking out, promptly settling into relaxation mode. Yes...

Twenty-Seven Weeks

I reached the twenty-seven-week mark yesterday. This week, according to BabyCenter, Baby Helms weighs almost two pounds (like a head of cauliflower), and is about fourteen-and-a-half inches long with her legs extended. She is sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, the baby's brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning -- with a lot of medical help -- if she were to be born now. I am to chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements I may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on, though I am fairly certain I have felt her have the hiccups from very early on... if that is possible.

Waterbirth Class

Last night, Jarrett and I attended the waterbirth class at Atlanta Medical Center. According to Margaret at an appointment a few months ago, she said if I had the certificate of completion from when we took the class when I was pregnant with Elsa, that was likely all we would need. I did actually find the first certificate (amazing), but there was a feeling in my gut that told me that since this is a different hospital (even though they are both in the Tenet system), and since they were actually requiring payment for this class (which neither Jarrett nor I remember from the last class), we should go ahead and just take the class again. And I am glad we did.

Not only did we run into two couples who we know from the two previous churches we have attended (all sister churches), we also learned a couple of things. One is that if you are expected to birth a nine-pound or larger baby, they really do not want you in the tub. This worries me just a little since Elsa was 8 pounds, 9.6 ounces, and I have heard that subsequent babies can lean toward the bigger side. And I was 11 pounds when I was born, so if there is any sort of genetic connection with birth weight, there is certainly the possibility of having a 9-pound-plus baby. But they also said that if you have proved you have a pelvis that can birth bigger babies, they might let you give it a try. Maybe Elsa was close enough to nine pounds? We also learned that once you actually get into the tub, the nurse who is with you is with you until that baby is born. I guess this is maybe what happened when Elsa was born, and how we lucked out with that fantastic nurse being by my side nearly the entire time (although she had actually reached the end of her shift and still stayed with me). Anyway, it is nice to know this fact.

The list of what to bring remains pretty much the same, though they do not seemed concerned at all about the antibacterial soap and doing the whole scrub-down thing before getting into the tub. So minus that, they say to bring the following:

• Kid-sized swim rings and/or inflatable raft and/or bath pillow (to float arms and legs in or rest head, etc.
• Swim trunks for Dad (if there is any possibility that he will want to get into the tub)
• Aquarium fish net (to scoop out of the tub any possible organic matter... lovely, I know)

There were many first-time parents in the class, but also a few couples who were on their second, third, or even later pregnancies. Of those who already had children, there were several women who had experienced births in multiple ways -- with an epidural, naturally, with IV pain killers. But I was the only one in the class who had actually experienced both laboring and birthing in the tub. So it was kind of nice to be the one who was able to say, "I've done it. It was awesome (though I have nothing to compare it to). And I want to do it again."

The nurses who led the class also took us up to a labor and delivery room so we could see one of the tubs set up. This was the second time Jarrett and I had seen the rooms, and this one even seemed smaller. But it doesn't really matter. The tub fits in the room with the bed, there is a nice shower in the bathroom, and still a little room to walk around. Besides, the view of Downtown Atlanta is pretty impressive too. The inflatable tub is actually bigger than I remembered it. One of the nurses (who is an average-sized woman) got in, and the side of the pool was above her head. So I think it will work out great.

One of the techs walked by the room we were all gathered in and ended up bringing all us expectant moms a little gift box. I later found it to be sponsored by Huggies and Target, and it included ten newborn-sized diapers (the package seems so tiny!), a disposable changing pad, and a small, hard-sided pack of wipes. Oh, and some coupons, of course. Some good essentials for the diaper bag. And much better than free formula, which I remember receiving (and never ended up using -- should have donated it!) when I was pregnant with Elsa.

So I now have an updated certificate of completion to take with me to the hospital on the big day, which makes us feel much more comfortable, as without a certificate, there is no waterbirth.

Twenty-Six Weeks

Here I am in the final weeks of the second trimester of this pregnancy -- I am twenty-six weeks as of yesterday. According to BabyCenter, the network of nerves in the baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before, and she may now be able to hear both my and Jarrett's voice as we chat with each other. She is inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of her lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when she is born and takes that first gulp of air. And she is also continuing to put on baby fat. Baby Helms now weighs about a pound and two-thirds, and measures fourteen inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel.

Mother Nature has decided to bring on the hot temperatures in Atlanta without hesitation here of late, and we have experienced highs in the 90s for days now. I would certainly not have minded a few more spring-like weeks (temperatures in the mid-70s would be lovely), but so far I have been handling it pretty well. I have started punching down the thermostat an extra degree at night for better sleeping, but other than that have been doing okay. It also helps that the City of Decatur pools opened over Memorial Day weekend, so I purchased a family pool pass early last week (since Elsa has to officially pay as a two-year-old), and Elsa and I have already been across the street to McKoy Pool a couple of times to cool off. She loves it, and it feels nice for me to get in the water as well. I just hope the swollen ankles decided to hold off for awhile longer. Those I can do without.

In other pregnancy news, the test results came back from Dr. Owen's more thorough thyroid testing, and my Free T4 level, which the midwife had been somewhat concerned about at my last appointment, was actually back up just a bit, from 0.81 to 0.89. And my TSH level was 1.36, again down further from the last test result of 1.61. In fact, everything was in the normal range except my antibody counts, which were high, but at least according to Dr. J, I should not be too concerned about that, as those counts will fluctuate quite a bit, depending on the day. So overall I am feeling pretty good about things. I am sure it will just continue to be monitored over the remainder of the pregnancy.