She's here! (Well, she has been here for 12 weeks. Oops!)

Hey there. I had a baby! :)  Yaaay!

Sorry for the lapse in blogging. Let me tell you, I had NO idea how tough it would be to do anything else when I had the baby. When my friends who all had babies disappeared during their maternity leaves, I was all, "Hmph. They could totally still be in touch with me. What the heck?"  Well, now I know what the heck. During my time off, it was a miracle if I was able to eat three meals a day and DEFINITELY something to call the Pope about if I got a shower daily. Anyway, I'm back at work now and can git to blogging again.

And here she is!  

Hattie Elizabeth Petruska

But I guess we should start with my birth story since that's sort of where we left off...

At week 39.5, I went in for my scheduled c-section. We were scheduled to have it at 1 PM so we headed to the hospital a couple of hours before that. I was SO ready. The girl was starting to wrap her feet around my right rib cage and scratch my back with her toes. I was also feeling lots of Braxton-Hicks that day so I was doubly ready. We checked in at around 11:45 AM. The desk clerk told us there were a few emergency c-sections ahead of us and we'd have a delay. Oh boy. We settled in to the chairs in the waiting room and waited for our name to be called so we could get to having our kid. Tick tock, tick tock..... three hours later (!!!!!), we finally are called to go back. Which is a good thing because my B-H were getting stronger. Finally we get put in a triage room and I'm hooked up to a fetal monitor and a contraction monitor. Yeaaaah.... my contractions were 2 minutes apart! Eeps!

Well apparently it was a full moon (Literally. The moon was full.) and it was one of their busiest nights in a long time, so we kept on getting bumped by emergency c-sections and regular ol' natural births. I didn't go back to the OR until 7 PM! Needless to say, we were ready. Let me tell you... having a c-section is a strange experience. First of all, there are like 15 people in the room. I couldn't keep them all straight. I think my Uncle Leon was there. I can't be sure. I had three anesthesiologists. For that, I was very thankful. They were SO helpful. They did a great job giving me a spinal and helping me feel calm. The one basically just sat near me and put his hand on my shoulder. Which was very comforting because Mike couldn't be in the room until after the spinal was administered. Finally, I was numbed up and Mike was in the room next to me. Then my OB showed up. The show was starting! They told me what was going on for the most part. There was some, "You're gonna feel some pressure." and "Things are going great!" Then about maybe 20 minutes into it, while we were talking to the anesthesiologists about the show Amazing Race, I believe, the OB shouts, "Here's your little girl!" and all of the sudden a crying baby is raised above the curtain between us and the Doctor. And then taken away. Wha?! No drum roll? No "We're yanking your baby out from behind your ribs now!" If we blinked, we may have missed seeing her. ;p   It was very surreal. I felt like I was dreaming. We heard her crying over in the corner and then she was brought over and placed in Mike's hands. I was able to kiss her little head but not much else since I was tied down to the gurney. And she wasn't HUGE like the OBs kept saying. She was definitely healthy at 8 lbs, but not the 9.5 lbs they predicted. Pfft. So... they closed me up. There were some hairy moments during that process in which I thought I was seriously going to die. I thought, "I got to this moment and NOW I go?!" There was intense pressure and I couldn't breathe. I kept asking, "Um, what's happening?" and the OB finally told me that they were having a bit of a tough time getting everything tucked back in. WHA?!?! OMG. Finally everything was in it's rightful place and I was wheeled to ICU because all of the full moon emergency people took up the L&D rooms. Hmph. I finally got to look at our daughter. She looked sorta swollen and bruised, but beautiful. Amazing. Again, a very surreal feeling. But holding her made me feel like a Mom. It just was a feeling that all of the sudden filled me up. Nothing else in the world would ever matter as much.

The rest of the story is pretty typical. We stayed at the hospital for a few days. Hattie had many visitors and was showered with love. I ate jello, pudding, many Italian ices. We had a photo shoot and the pictures were so amazing.

That's it for now.

38 weeks

How far along? 38 weeks, 1 day

Total weight gain: 12 lbs. I did decide this week that I'm having ice cream if and when I want it now, so maybe I'll pack on a couple of more lbs before 'labor day.'

Appointments: Just the bi-weekly NSTs so far. I do have a regular OB appointment on Friday.  The NSTs are fun because I get to hear her awesomely strong heartbeat, but she hides from the monitor device strapped ton my bump so the techs have to come in and chase her with it a lot. Little baby shenanigans! ;p

How big is baby and what's new with her? 

"Your baby's internal organs and systems are now fully developed. She's ready to enter the world. Her once spacious home inside your uterus has become cramped, and she has little room to stretch out her arms and legs."

 

Who knows how big our girl is. The 'normal' stats don't count for her. ;p   I bet she's a little bit over 8 lbs now.  Feels like she's 20 lbs of arms and legs pushing to get out!

Clothing? It's going to be another hot week. I'm over trying to find things to wear. I just want to wear mumus now. The focus now for me is purchasing some things that will be comfortable to wear post c section. I picked up some things at Old Navy this past weekend and a comfy nightshirt at Sears that won't scare away visitors if I'm wearing it when they come to meet her.

Sleep? So sad. I loooove sleep but right now, it's the worst time of the day/night for me. Peeing every hour still (thanks to being SUPER thirsty as soon as I get in to bed and having to chug water despite knowing the resultant 1000 bathroom visits). Turning over takes every ounce of strength I have. 

Symptoms? Heartburn is strong, but I've been eating foods that are safer for heartburn and they seem to be working, back hurts from lugging the bump around, general crankiness, congestion.

Picture: Thar she blows! ;p

  

37 weeks

How far along? 37 weeks, 2 days
I haven't posted in a few weeks because a) I got super lazy, and b) carpal tunnel reared its ugly head and basically crippled my hands.  

Total weight gain: Holding steady at 159. Thinking this is as high as I'm going to get weight wise. That will equal a total pregnancy weight gain of 12 lbs!  Props to the gestational diabetes diet!

Appointments: I've had a few. The most important to mention would be the appointment with MFM last week where we had a growth u/s and found out that the girl was measuring at 7lb, 6 oz at 36.5 weeks. The MFM doctor recommended definitely getting her outta there by 39 weeks because of her increasing size. I had an appointment with the OB the next day and she agreed about the 39 weeks deadline and actually recommended going straight to planning a c section. The reasons being the baby's increasing size and maybe more importantly (since size estimates can be off) due to my hemi issues. She said she doesn't want me pushing long at all due to the risk of the hemis (sorry -i know - ew!) getting bad like they were. They also mentioned the risk of shoulder displacement if the little one IS big and gets stuck. I don't like that risk at all. So we're scheduled for a c section on 8/1. If I go into labor naturally before then, we'll still do a c section. I feel like I should try for a vaginal delivery, but I also trust the doctors and agree with the risks so I'm putting those feelings aside and am feeling excited just to git 'er done and meet our daughter!!!


How big is baby and what's new with her? 

"Your baby is now considered "full term," even though your due date is three weeks away. If you go into labor now, his lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb. (Some babies need a bit more time, though. So if you're planning to have a repeat c-section, for example, your practitioner will schedule it for no earlier than 39 weeks unless there's a medical reason to intervene earlier.)

Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel. (Our baby is measuring probably around 8 lbs now. She doesn't like to be average. :) )  Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz."

Clothing?  Just recycling the same ol' stuff. I don't want to buy any more maternity clothes with how close to l & d I am. But this 90 degree weather sure makes it hard to be this pregnant and have to find clothes!

Sleep? Peeing nonstop. Probably 4-5 times per night. Indigestion is a big challenge. Turning over ain't easy.

Symptoms? Heartburn/indigestion is so ridiculously strong now, ankles are super swollen, back hurts if I walk long at all w/o wearing the maternity support belt, I'm one drooling and snoring fool, and I feel congested most of the time. Hands are swollen too. I miss wearing my wedding rings! Carpal tunnel in both hands is feeling better thanks to cortisone shots. So happy about that one. 


Picture:   Blurry again. Not sure why. I cleaned lens of phone camera. Oh well...

34 Weeks

How far along? 34 weeks, 4 days

Total weight gain: I'm up to 159. I think that's a total gain of 12 lbs. Not sure because I lost some weight in the first tri, but it's about that.

Appointments: Just regular OB appointments. Oh and toss in an emergency appointment with the OB to see if the rash that I have on my trunk is PUPPS (Google it. Pregnant women don't want to have it.). The OB is "not convinced" that the rash is PUPPS. So... sort of yay! I am pretty convinced it is from using BioOil to help with the itchiness I was getting from my skin stretching.Google 'bad reaction to BioOil' and you'll find MANY posts on forums about pregnant women breaking out in bad red rashes after using BioOil. Oops. I have another OB appointment next week. Nothing exciting until the 36 week appointment with MFM on July 12th. We'll find out the timeline and method of delivery then. AAH!


How big is baby and what's new with her? 

"Your baby measures about 19.8 inches from head to toe and weighs about 5 pounds. Baby is probably settling into the head-down position, although it might not be final. Organs are now almost fully mature, except for lungs, and the skin is pink instead of red. Fingernails reach the ends of fingers, but toenails are not yet fully grown. Baby might have lots of hair. Movements are less frequent because of the tight fit."
 -  Our baby probably weighs a little over 6 lbs now. And she doesn't follow the standard of not moving as much. She's a busy little bee in there still. 

Clothing?  I picked up a few things at Motherhood for the hot weather but not enough. When it's 90 degrees outside, I just want to wear... well, nothing.

Sleep? Carpal tunnel pain now wakes me up several times a night. I sleep with braces on but they don't help much. Only laying on my back with my arms stretched out helps. But you're not supposed to sleep on your back so my nights are very confusing and restless now.

Symptoms? Carpal tunnel in both hands, rash that hopefully isn't PUPPS, exhausted, cranky, can't get comfortable no matter how I sit (especially at work), swollen ankles.

 
 Other: My shower was this past weekend. It was AMAZING. I can't believe how generous everyone was and how much love I felt. This baby is one lucky little one to have so many wonderful people in her life already. The planning that went into the shower was also unbelievable. Overall the best day by far for me in many many months.

Picture: --->

33 weeks

How far along? 33 weeks, 2 days

I took a couple of weeks off from blogging. I wish I could say it was because I was too busy having fun times, but not so much. But I'm back in business now!

Total weight gain: I'm actually not gaining. MFM doctor said to loosen up my GD diet a bit and try to eat more to see if I can gain some, but not to be concerned if I can't.

Appointments: So may appointments since last time, but most were with the ER and the colorectal surgeon. Nuff said about that. I did have a couple of OB appointments in there and one more growth u/s and an NST with MFM. The growth u/s showed that the little one was at 5.7 lbs at 32.5 weeks. Her tummy is still the only part measuring above the 95th percentile... not her head, legs, etc.  Which I'm happy about. But the MFM doctor did say that they'll have to see at my next growth u/s at 36 weeks how she's measuring. If she keeps on this weight gain trajectory that she has been on (1/2 lb per week now), they said they may have to induce me at 39 weeks or do a c-section. :/   I know, I know... everyone says the growth u/s measurements are notoriously wrong, but the MFM people are planning according to those measurements so I have no choice but to take them seriously. So the 36 week appointment will really tell us everything we need to know about her due date and delivery method. Aside from that, the little one is very healthy and so am I. My GD numbers are similar to someone without GD, the MFM doctor said. :)   Oh and she's head down and facing the left, which I'm really happy about and hope stays the same from here on out.

How big is baby and what's new with her? 

"This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (Or almost 6, like our little one) and has passed the 17-inch mark. She's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and her skeleton is hardening. The bones in her skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for her to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as her brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood."

Clothing?  I wore hang out clothes and pjs for 2 weeks which was great, but now I'm back at work and it's HOT outside and i need summer maternity clothes ASAP.

Sleep? No fun. I pee every 1.5 hours, my hips hurt, the weight of the bump pulls it down so I get wicked RLP a couple of times per night that wakes me up.

Symptoms? She has her feet firmly planted in or on my ribs. All day, she moves her feet and my ribs sort of move. It's freaky but also fun at the same time. I also feel her punch me down low a lot. The kicks and punches definitely are more uncomfortable now. But I welcome each and every one.  My morning sickness has returned a bit (Oh joy). If I don't eat every 2 hours, I get pretty nauseous. And super cranky. I feel bad for Mike. I say that a lot during this pregnancy. ;p   My hips hurt since they're still expanding. The maternity belt helps a bit with that. In general, I just feel big and uncomfortable. Often I just have a general feeling like I ate WAY too much. I feel large, but I definitely don't feel in charge. ;p

 

Other: My shower is this weekend and I could NOT be more excited!!! Celebrating the little girl with everyone makes me cry every time I think about it. It's not about me, it's about her. And I love that. I can't wait to see everyone there as I've been sort of a hermit through much of this pregnancy due to all of the symptom issues I've had.

Pictures: Bump is big.

How far along? 30 weeks, 4 days

Total weight gain: Not sure. I bet holding steady.

Appointments: Had an OB appointment this past Friday. Met another OB in the practice. They are all great so far. Yay. I'm measuring right on time according to the OB (via the tape measurer on the belly test).

How big is baby and what's new with her? 

"Your belly’s increasing size is a definite clue that your baby is getting bigger every day, weighing in at over three pounds now (she’ll be packing on the weight at a rate of half a pound per week for the next seven weeks). Also growing daily is her brain, which is actually starting to look like the real thing with those characteristic grooves and wrinkles. And now that your little genius can regulate her own body temperature and turn up the heat, she'll start shedding lanugo, the downy body hair that's been keeping her warm up until now." 

And seeing this picture makes me realize that the pressure causing the hemis makes sense. Her noggin is probably just pushing down on nerves down there like crazy! ...

 

Clothing?  I'm doing well after finding some clothes at the consignment sale and borrowing some more from good friends.

Sleep? Hips hurt. Hemis hurt worse. Sleeping, but it ain't easy.

Symptoms? This week and last were TOUGH. I actually skipped posting last week because I couldn't get my head in to it. So, first, I had so much pain from swelling and tendonitis in my wrist that I had to go to MedExpress. By wearing a splint for a few days, that went away ...thank God. The bigger problem turned out to be reoccurring pain due to hemis. I had to go to the ER twice over the holiday weekend due to the pain. A surgeon did what he could but said that they will have to resolve themselves. I am in pretty much the worst pain I've been in my lifetime and it may not end until after the little one is here. I'm praying that it resolves itself within the week, as the surgeon said could happen. Life is not fun while feeling this way. I'm super grouchy and just feeling down. The pain deflates my funniness and I'm like Fun Bobby on Friends after he quit drinking. I know it's a strange request, but if you pray, I could use some prayers regarding that business. It is really freaking me out.  Aside from those things, I'm having normal hip pain at night and some swelling in my hands. One cute thing that happens is when I take baths to help get relief from the pain, the little girl thinks it's time to swim. I can feel her in there squirming around like a fish!

Pictures:This is from last week. My face this week is too scrunchy and angry. I'm skipping this week's pic. The bump hasn't grown much anyway.

28 weeks

How far along? 28 weeks, 5 days.  

Total weight gain: Not sure. Feels like eleventybillion pounds this week.

Appointments: No appointments this week. Have an OB appointment next week. Nothing very exciting until our next growth u/s on 6/14.

How big is baby and what's new with her? 

By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. (- and as we know now, my little one is measuring bigger so she may be closer to 3.25 lbs now) She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. (Awwwww!) With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.  

I know that she's head down now. Yay! Hopefully she stays that way.

Clothing?  Need more. I'm going to a huge consignment sale tonight that is supposed to include maternity clothes. Hoping to score big there!

Sleep? Same as last update: Hips are hurting while I sleep still. Peeing during the night count = 3.I now have to roll out of bed.

Symptoms? This week brought the worst symptom of 'em all. I ended up having to go to the ER for treatment to a 'roid. It was traumatic. I'm still not healed. ... Aside from that horribleness, my back hurts, hips hurt, RLP on the right side gets me good now and then, feet and legs are swelling a bit.Thankfully, indigestion seems to have calmed down even since last week.

Pictures: Comparison of 24 weeks and this week. Figured it was a good idea since I was wearing the same thing in that picture.

24 weeks...

28 weeks...

POP! ;p