Thread: @>---24me's Birth Lodge---<@

Ooh!!! Either feel better vibes or (((ELV)))s- whatever you want the most! SOOOO excited for you Lara- KUP!

Thanks...just had lunch...idk what's going on, I don't feel well at all but not having contractions either. Well just B-H anyway, lots of those. We'll see!

Well my lower GI tract is on overdrive still. And my appetite is absolutely gone. All I feel like today is Gatorade, so I asked dh to go get some, but since it's so cold out (-30F with wind chill) he's balking
I feel well enough to be out except that I'm not always making it to the bathroom on time...and I don't want that to happen in the store. Egads. Maybe I should just move into the bathroom.

Anyway, he'll go sometime today.

I am hoping this is prelabor, just because I don't want this to be a stomach bug that the kids will catch! But at the same time, my brother won't be here until next Sunday, so it would be best if baby waited until then to come so bro-ham can watch the kids.

Still busy on the pot these days. I was thinking about how this started after 2 days of taking EPO (orally). I wonder if that really did it? It says it can be irritating to the stomach, but I can't imagine 3 days of having the runs being caused by 2 EPO pills? Maybe I"m miscounting. Anyway I haven't taken the EPO since Friday.

Anyway, saw the midwife (the one I like best) today, but first had a NST, which went fine. My bp is 130/72, so not up from last week but still higher than normal for me. I've lost about 3 lbs...woohoo! So the first thing the midwife says is, let's do an ultrasound for size. I said, for size??? She says, well if you prefer, we can measure you first and if that is fine then we can skip the ultrasound. Uh, yeah, let's do that. If I'm measuring 45 then we can do an ultrasound, I said. I measured 37...so we talked about future ultrasounds and I told her that once I hit 40 weeks I'd agree to them. She said that sounds great to her. As she's writing in my chart she says, patient declines ultrasound for size...but it was no big deal, not like it would have been with the other mw. Anyway, then she asks if I want her to check my cervix, and I said no...so she just wrote patient declines cervical check. Again no discussion, she was happy to write that it seemed. What else...oh I told her about having had the runs for 3 days and asked her if that could be a sign of early labor and she smiled and said yes, definitely. She'll be on call at the hospital on Thursday and she said she'll see me then, lol. I told dh that and he said, Thursday? You're having the baby on Thursday? lol. I think it's kind of a reality check for him though.
I like this midwife because whenever she talks about going into labor she says, it'll be fun. Also for the past few appointments she's reminded me what room to ask for to get the labor tub (there are 2 labor tub rooms but apparently one is better than the other). I'm GBS negative (woot!) so she said I won't need an IV; but that when I first get assigned to a room the L&D nurse will probably try to get one in me, and to tell the nurse that I want to wait until the MW arrives, and then they'll assure the L&D nurse that I don't need an IV. I hope that goes smoothly. Gotta remember to tell dh that.
No contractions yet, so I am thinking it won't be Thursday. We'll see

Well...I guess it was just a stomach bug. At least no one else caught it. I'm back to taking the EPO again, one 1200mg once a day PO.

Here's a 39 week picture from this morning. I feel alot smaller than I look, which is quite the change because usually I feel bigger than I look, lol.


For some reason I don't feel pregnant anymore. IDK why...I am feeling baby move, feeling contractions (just B-H), exhausted etc but somehow I don't feel pregnant. I think I'm just crazy.

Debating on picking up a carseat today, I can't decide which one I want, a Graco Safeseat or a Britax Roundabout. Good thing I still have a few weeks left to decide! ha.

Lara, I can't believe how good you look! I am glad that you are feeling better, though I was kind of hoping for labor for you

I hope that you get the good m/w when you do go into labor- I love that she has such a great attitude about it!

I think I'm just crazy.

I usually spend the end of my pgcy feelign like that... Analyzing every little thing, then thinking that "I must just be crazy" You aren't crazy, just pregnant Sometimes the symptoms mimic each other, lol!

If you get the Graco safe seat, you will have to let me know if you like it! I am looking at the Graco snug ride right now- but not 100% sure if we will get that one.

EPO can cause loose bowels so I imagine with that some can experience upset stomachs too. Maybe try cutting down on the dosage? Oh! Just read your back on the EPO lol

I love your midwife, that's awsome! And I ove how she says it'll be fun because it IS fun!! It's some of the hardest work you'll do but wow is it amazing.

Love your belly picture! So sweet

Thanks yes I agree and I hope the MW who thinks labor is FUN is the one who's at the hospital when it's time.

Kasey, 5 minutes ago I bought the Graco Safeseat on amazon. I had a bit of a freak-out when I went to Target and BRU and Kohl's yesterday and NO ONE had it. So, just bought it online for cheap ($117) and free shipping. Now as long as baby waits another week, the carseat should be here before baby. Otherwise we have an old-ish Comfortsport that I HATE but would work for the few days we'd need it.

I spent some time on the computer last night studying shoulder dystocia, since this seems to be my midwife's main concern, again based purely on my son having been 9 lb 12 oz. They have no indication that this baby is big other than s/he having had a 'big' brother. My only real risk factor is AMA for what that's worth! Found this great website: http://www.shoulderdystociainfo.com/introduction.htm and read it...and am now even more convinced that I'm doing the right thing by not consenting to the 'early' ultrasound to check baby's size. But, I still think I'll probably have an u/s next week, mainly to check the rest of the baby out (meaning a BPP) but I'm sure they'll tack on size measurements as well.

Some interesting (!) tidbits from that website...the main concern is brachial plexus injury. Asphyxia is a concern too but not very common from what they say. Broken collarbone, and maternal injuries are also mentioned...

A little math tells the story:
--If the rate of occurrence of shoulder dystocia is approximately 0.5%, and
--If the rate of brachial plexus injury is 10% in these deliveries, and
--If the rate of permanent injury is 10% of all brachial plexus injuries,
then the rate of permanent brachial plexus injury will be one in 10,000 to one in 20,000 deliveries.
In fact, the rate of brachial plexus injury in which no shoulder dystocia was reported has been quoted to be as high as 40% to 50%.

The bottom line that I was looking for is here, from Sandmire 1993:

And even if clinicians could determine fetal weight accurately, the frequency of persistent fetal injuries associated with vaginal birth of the macrosomic fetus is so low that induction of labor or cesarean birth is not justified on that basis. Delivery decisions based on inaccurate estimated fetal weight should be avoided.

Also the article states that around half of all shoulder dystocia cases are in babies under 4000g (meaning, babies who do not have ' macrosomia').

Sigh...the things that keep me up at night!

Real quick post(will be back to read all posts later). You are looking great Lara. Like you attitude .. haha 39 wks pregger woman saying I still have a few wks to decide. Sounds like me then people giveu a weird look.

GL and hope you have a ELV when baby decides to come.

And even if clinicians could determine fetal weight accurately, the frequency of persistent fetal injuries associated with vaginal birth of the macrosomic fetus is so low that induction of labor or cesarean birth is not justified on that basis. Delivery decisions based on inaccurate estimated fetal weight should be avoided.

Now, if only doctors would listen to this!

*fingers crossed* that your carseat arrives quickly