3 October ‘06
Week 39: Still waiting!
Unfortunately, even though I'm feeling increased pelvic pressure, things don't seem to be progressing. Dr. Maioriello is concerned that the baby's head is still not engaged ( i.e. locked in to place in my pelvis). As the "dropped," about a month ago, he'd expect the baby's head to be engaged by now. When he did a pelvic exam, he could not feel the head, and when he checked externally, he could still fit his fingers between the top of the baby's head and the top of my pelvic bones. So his concern is that the baby's head could be too large for the internal opening to my pelvis.
At the same time, he's said all along that he doesn't want me going beyond 40 weeks. Initially that meant that he'd start inducing labor if I was at 40 weeks and hadn't spontaneously gone in to labor. However, with the baby's head still not engaging, the worry is that I could easily be in the hospital, going through induction for a couple of days and still not be able to deliver (and the baby continues growing while we're waiting). So yes, he's thinking that a c-section is entirely possible next week. We'll see how things change between now and our next scheduled appointment at 8:15 next Tuesday morning.
Meanwhile, I'm healthy and baby's heart rate is good. This morning’s NST/AFI tests showed baby’s still healthy. Just stubborn!
26 September ‘06
2 more weeks until the due date and everything seems to be fine. This morning’s weekly exam with Dr. Maioriello showed that the fundus is 39cm, and he’s still not calling for a caesarean section birth. That is, he’s still not worried that the baby’s too big to be delivered naturally. His first question today (after asking how I’m feeling) was, “So have you had any signs of labor?”
I replied, “I’m not sure. I’m having Braxton Hick’s contractions, usually more in the later afternoons, but nothing painful. Some occasional, mild lower back cramping. Some pelvic pressure when I get up and walk around. It’s getting a lot less comfortable to go for walks.”
He did an internal exam to see how “ripe” I am and found that the cervix is about 50% effaced and not dilated. Baby’s head is still down, but there’s still a little distance between the top of his head and my pelvis, so he’s not yet quite locked in. So likely we won’t be having a baby today. Though he did say, “Hey, you can start having contractions and go in to labor without any dilation. So don’t count it out as impossible today.” But it’s unlikely.
Meanwhile, I mentioned that I’ve noticed the baby’s not moving quite as much the past few days as he was previously, and that his movements haven’t been as vigorous. Dr. Maioriello said not to worry, that it’s actually pretty normal, that it’s getting pretty cramped in there and that the baby’s heart rate is showing that the baby’s fine. Okee.
Later this morning is the first of this week’s NST/AFI testing, then we’re going to Heller’s to have them install the car seat for us. At some point we’re going to hit up Babies R Us to use a gift card we received (thank you Tom, Lucy, Ian and Elena!) to complete some of the newborn necessities. By then, I’m sure it’ll be time for my requisite afternoon nap.
20 September ‘06
He's officially "fully cooked"
That is, I'm now in week 37 and the baby is now considered, "full term." He could be born anytime now and thrive. Come on baby!
Had two good doctor's appointments yesterday morning. Dr. Maioriello (the
And, by the way, HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Now it's time to go finish emptying out the baby's dresser (formerly my Granny's), wash all those baby clothes, put 'em away and start writing thank you cards. Nest, nest, nest...
Ahhhh… and a big sigh of relief that we signed on our doula today. Her name is Susan Hollander and I got the best vibe from her when she taught our childbirth class a couple months ago. I felt so comfortable with, and good about her, as soon as she said she does doula work, I knew she’s who I wanted. We spoke this morning and she said she’d, “be honored.” We’re so happy about this. Phew! And for those that like credentials (don’t we all?) she’s a Nurse Practitioner (specializing in obstetrics and gynecology) as well as a Certified Nurse Midwife, and works in Dr. David Galland’s office (a highly respected OB/GYN in Marin County – formerly my OB/GYN, in fact).
18 September ‘06
Plushy Patrol is Ready and Waiting
Wow, this baby is loved! Yesterday we celebrated the impending birth of Baby Merz with a baby shower. Mom, Mick and Bonnie threw a fabulous party with fabulous decorations, food and a terrific ambience (big shout out!). And so many people that we love showed up to help us get ready to bring our little one in to the world. Thank you all! We were overwhelmed with the gifts… so many cute outfits, practical items, hand-made blankets, stuffed animals… a stroller and a car seat. Baby will need it all and we really appreciate it. We’ll thank everyone individually, but for now, I’m a little wiped out from all of yesterday’s expended energy, so a big group ‘THANK YOU’ for the moment.
12 September ‘06
Week 36 and maternity leave are both here. Wow, it’s all really happening!
Today was the first official day of maternity leave, though it was kind of the “overlap day,” where I kept an eye out for urgent email (none – excellent) and answered the phone if it rang (only once, for last words of advice with Debra). Now that the work day is done, my office phone now goes directly to voicemail and emails to my work address get an “Out of the Office” automated reply.
The day started with this weeks obstetric visit. Dr. Maioriello took a culture to check for Beta Strep (routine check) – cross your fingers! Also, upon external palpation, he said it feels like the baby’s “dropped.” That is, the baby’s head has dropped deeper in to the pelvis and is engaged, getting ready to go. Yay! I read up on this in What to Expect When You’re Expecting and it doesn’t really predict when labor will begin. It could begin tomorrow. It could begin in six weeks. But it’s good to know that he’s stayed head-down and he’s getting “locked in.”
Then it was off to Marin General Hospital for the first of this week’s non-stress testing (NST) and Amniotic Fluid Index (AFI) testing. Baby was awake and cooperative today, making the NST go quickly (and he was “perfect,” according to the nurse) and the AFI showed about 16 centimeters of fluid, which is great. The sonogram did, indeed, confirm that the baby has dropped. His head is way down in my pelvis now. Plus I got to see his sweet little head, a hand, a foot and… hey! proof of his gender…
Baby boy Merz is definitely on the way!
Oh, and meanwhile… We bought some Dreft detergent and washed the bedding for the crib. The crib is now put together and waiting:
We got a changing table on Sunday. Mark gets to assemble it now. Let the nesting begin!
5 September ‘06
Then Mark and I went to interview Dr. Martin Joffe, a pediatrician. I knew that his name was familiar to me and that people really like him a lot. So, as he has an office in
THEN, a quick bite for lunch as I drove to
Today Dr. Maioriello gave me the note that said my last day of work should be September 11, with a due date of October 10. Tomorrow I meet with Sybase’s HR department to get the paperwork going for the maternity leave. Holy moses… I’ve got 4 working days left!
Yesterday, while I was at Polly & Garrie’s for a family dinner (fun!), Mark said he was going to work. But you know what he was really doing? Oh, that sweet man… he was buying a great crib, bringing it home and setting it up. 
30 August ‘06
Yesterday marked the beginning of week 34 and also my birthday! Mark took the day off to spend with me, doing whatever I wanted. Ah, how nice. I had work to do, of course, but I worked extra hard on Monday so I'd not have a lot of responsibilities.
We started with a fetal stress test at Marin General Hospital. We both got to hang out and hear the baby's heartbeat for 20 or 30 minutes and then watch the sonogram while the nurse measured the amniotic fluid levels in baby's home. The nurse said that his heart-rate and range were great, that there was plenty of amniotic fluid (good!) and from what she could see, baby looked healthy. Meanwhile, we got to see the little guy's face, fingers, spine, ribs, etc. Nice and reassuring. The nurse said that the equipment she uses is not adequate for gauging the baby's size, so I still have no idea how big he is. She said we'd have to do ultrasound to get that kind of measurement. I wonder if my doctor has that in our plans?
Afterwards, we continued my birthday with a trip to Heller's, the
Later in the afternoon my mom and dad both showed up to visit for a bit. Great to have time to hang out with them for a while. Then Mark, Mom and I went to the movies, where we met up with Mick and saw "Little Miss Sunshine." If you haven't seen it yet -- GO. It was wonderfully, darkly funny! After the movies, we met up with Polly at Moylan's for dinner. The nurse practitioner at the endocrinologist said to go ahead and have dessert on my birthday and not worry about having a high reading for that one meal. In fact, she said to go ahead and share a glass of wine with dinner if I wanted to. It turned out I didn't actually feel like having any wine. However, I did forgo the mashed potatoes that came with my steak, in favor of sharing a warm fudge brownie with ice cream, caramel and fudge sauce with everyone. Yum! Very rich and very sweet, but darn it, it was great to have sugar for the first time in seven weeks.
And yes, my glucose numbers were quite high for the last readings of the night. ;-)
All in all, it was a really lovely birthday.
18 August ‘06
Looking good so far! Hopefully this'll be done quickly.
I met with my
and the baby's been very active, so I'm hoping for the 1 visit a week schedule. But if it needs to be twice a week, so be it. Perhaps I'll have some new images of baby to share by Monday afternoon.
Have a great weekend!
P.S. I've lost a little more weight. I'm now up a total of 8lbs since pre-pregnancy weight. As my
12 August ‘06
I started out the week with a check-up with the endocrinologist. Because of 3 high glucose readings during the road-trip, my nurse practitioner was concerned that it will soon be time for me to start taking fast acting insulin before each meal. So she gave me a "pen" filled with fast-acting insulin and plenty of extra "tips," and gave me a brief explanation of how to use it. However, she said that I didn't have to start using it immediately -- she just wanted me to have it in case she feels I need to use it before our next appointment (a week from Monday).
But guess what? Not one high glucose reading all week so far. It's definitely easier to make sure I eat every 3 hours and eat properly when I'm home and not on the road. So that's all good news, yay!
Meanwhile, little baby is rockin' and rollin' inside all the time. By some of the fast riffs he plays, maybe he'll grow up to be a drummer. Scary. :-p
The weather is beautiful here again. Not too hot, not too cold. I think today will be a good day to explore used baby furniture stores! Mark has to work this weekend, but I'm ready for shopping! Maybe a movie will be in order, too. Perhaps "Little Miss Sunshine."
Isn't life nice?
4 August ‘06
Now that the room is cleaned out and painted, we can start getting furnishings for the little guy... time to decorate and shop -- oh boy!!
28 July ‘06
Eh, it was bound to happen, right? I had a slightly high glucose reading after lunch today, so I dutifully called it in to the doctor. She said, "You have a choice to make now."
"What's the choice," I asked?
She replied, "You can come in this afternoon or on Monday to learn about more fun with needles."
As Mark and I are leaving on a week long road trip tomorrow morning, this afternoon had to be the time! So off to the doctor's office I went. She's starting me off with a low dose of insulin, once a day (15 units at bedtime). I'll have a follow-up visit a week from Monday and we'll see how things are going. Meanwhile, I'll call her from the road when/if I'm not feeling well, having high or low readings, etc. And now I get to check my glucose levels before and after every meal and, if I'm awake anyway, between 2 and 3am. Woo hoo!
But the road trip... I'm really looking forward to that. Seeing the
See you all when I get back!
11 July ‘06
Obviously this is something I need to take care of and take very seriously.
I had my first appointment with the endocrinology clinic yesterday, seeing a nurse practitioner as that was the fastest way to get me in there. I'll have a follow-up with the doctor (Dr. Linda Gaudiano) on August 28, as well as with the nurse that day. Here's the run-down of how thing went yesterday:
The nurse and I basically just talked a lot yesterday. Talked about my lifestyle, how the pregnancy's going and the basics of gestational diabetes. She gave me a glucose testing kit and showed me how to use it, plus a journal where I'll keep track of my readings and what I eat. 
Diet-wise, I'm to eat 3 meals a day with two to three snacks in between. Always allowing at least two hours between meals and/or snacks. No meal should have more than 30 grams of carbohydrates, and absolutely no sugar or other "natural" sweeteners (including honey). No juice. Fruit is okay, but because it's high in natural sugar, smaller portions than usual (i.e. 1/2 piece of fruit is a serving). From what I can glean so far, there's not much limitation on protein or fat. The only thing is to ensure that each meal includes some protein and fat in addition to the carbohydrates.
I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed about what to eat, as how do I ensure I'm getting enough calcium? No O.J. supplemented with calcium as that's too much of a mainline for sugar. Non-fat milk is good, but it's relatively high in carbohydrates, so I can't overdo it on that. The nurse said she hopes I like string cheese -- that it becomes a snacking staple for lots of gestational diabetes patients. I've got an appointment with the clinic's nutritionist at 11a tomorrow, where we'll put together some meal plans.
Testing-wise, I'll test my blood 8 times a day, plus testing my pee once a day. Nice. After waking up, test my blood (should be <90 for glucose at this read) and test my ketones (pee on a strip) and log it. Then test my blood one hour after breakfast, before lunch, one hour after lunch, before dinner, one hour after dinner and before bed. The glucose reading should be <130 for those 7 readings. So far, of the few readings done since 4p yesterday, I haven't been close to reaching any of those numbers.
Also, exercise helps burn the excess glucose. She said that a simple 30 minute walk each day should do the trick. "Just put on some headphones, walk out the door and when it's been 15 minutes, turn around."
The nurse also said that usually the numbers will get higher as the pregnancy progresses. Hopefully I won't start getting high readings. If I do, then it could mean adding insulin to the treatment plan, which I really don't want to do...
That's all for now... stressing out.
Oh yeah, speaking of stress. I was told that stress actually raises glucose levels, and to avoid stress whenever possible. Easily said.
3 months to go…
27 June 06
Alrighty, 25 weeks, here we are. Not only am I feeling big, but I’m getting big. Today I had my regular 4-week visit with Dr. Maioriello where he measured the height of the fundus (baby’s home), checked me for fluid retention (I’ve got a little bit – it’s been hot), weight, etc. Okay, so at the previous two visits, I’d gained 2 pounds in the previous 4 weeks. I.e. I had a 1/2lb per week weight gain, on average.
This visit, we found I’d gained EIGHT pounds in the last 4 weeks. 2 pounds per week! YOW! My eating habits haven’t changed, however, and the height of the fundus increased in height by 6 inches. Picture this – the fundus was previously measured at just slightly shy of underneath my belly button. Now it’s just below the notch in my ribcage – a growth of 6” in 4 weeks. I’m really looking pregnant (not just fat) now. What did the doctor say? “Don’t worry, you’re right on track. He might just a big baby!”
June 24, 2006 in front of the ’56 Deluxe
I asked him a bunch of questions today… such as:
2 June 06
Alright, alright… I’ve had enough requests that I asked Mark to do it this morning… take the first “belly shot.”
Belly at 21 weeks, 3 days
Please forgive the pajamas, not-yet-made bed in the background, messy hair and bad lighting. I just wanted to get it over with. Yesterday afternoon I realized that the kicks felt strong enough to be felt externally so when Mark got home last night and said hello to the baby, I suggested he hold his hand still, in one place, for a little while. Sure enough, he felt a couple small bumps. Hello baby!
Oh, by the way… it’s a boy. :-)
Today begins week 21, and was started off with my regular checkup with Dr. Maioriello. I gained two pounds in the past 4 weeks, which puts me on average at gaining ½ a pound per week during the second trimester, which Dr. Maioriello said was perfect. The blood test taken last exam showed that the baby’s spinal column has sealed (which is good) and that it does not have a rare disease that prevents it from metabolizing cholesterol properly. It was easy to pick up on the baby’s heart beat today, and it was still beating a steady 150 beats per minute. Go, baby, go! He said that the results of the ultrasound showed that there’s nothing for us to worry about and basically… “life’s great and see you again in 4 weeks!”
We hosted a fun family BBQ yesterday for Memorial Day. Lots of family and a few friends and, of course, too much delicious food. It wouldn’t be a Freiberg BBQ without too much food, right? And of course we went insane on desserts: Polly made chocolate chip cookie bars and lemon bars, while I made strawberry/rhubarb crisp, cherry pie and coconut/ginger/lime ice cream. Oy – glad I’m supposed to eat extra calories for a while!
Both of our moms were at the BBQ yesterday, both professing that they want to throw the baby shower. Thanks Moms! I asked them to coordinate and work together on the shower. My only request is that it not be just “for the girls.” Guys should get to come to the party too. So now you know who to talk with if you’re curious about it!
20 May 06
This week I’ve been feeling the baby move somewhat regularly. It feels like fizzy carbonation or sometimes faint taps from the inside. It’s really neat, but still so slight that it’s almost hard to believe it’s real. When we can feel the movement from the outside I think it’ll really hit home.
Last week we did an ultrasound to check on everything and it looks like the baby’s doing fine. At least the ultrasound technician didn’t blanch, mutter, “Oh my god,” or anything else worrisome. The next checkup with my
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