Colleen's 28-29 week update

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Well, The doctor was stuck at the hospital with an emergency so she

didn't make my 8am appt and at 9:30 the physcian's assistant came in.

I like her and she is experienced with post-op stomach bypass mommies

so I said she could do my appt instead of waiting longer for Dr. Ray.

All was well, my BP was fine, she was happy with my blood sugar

readings and said no need then to do the glucose tolerance test. YAY!

She wants me to keep testing 1-2 times a day just to make sure. I

gained 6 lbs, sheesh! I had chugged a lot of water (I mean like 3

water bottles in the last 2 hours) so I think some of that was just

water weight, but they were FINALLY happy to see gain some. They want

me to keep stuffing my face and gain a lb a week. I know it's hard to

understand but when you get full from 3-4 ounces of food HAVING to eat

and stuff your face all the time can be worse than dieting and trying

not to eat. I know, I've been on the dieting end too I am now

only 1 lb less than when I got pregnant so I finally made back all the

weight I lost in that scary time 14-20 weeks. My tooth is hurting a

little less these days so maybe it helps that I can chew more solid meals.

Anyway she measured my tummy and it was at 29 which is perfect (Sunday

makes me 29 weeks) She laughed as she listened for the baby's

heartbeat because he kept kicking and the machine was just bouncing up

and down. She said she hadn't often seen kicks that hard at 7 months.

I laughed and told her he does it all day and night.

She told me a list of cold/cough meds I can and cannot use, since I

had the sniffles yesterday I wanted to know ahead of time what is

okay. She took blood to test my iron and calcium levels, make sure I

am not getting shorted too much due to malabsorbtion. We wanted to do

a fasting blood sugar but I had gotten hypogylcemic around 11p the

night before so I had to eat.

She gave me the future timing for appts and tests. I have a 30 week

ultrasound to check the severity of my placenta previa. if it has

moved even further I can worry less about needing a C-section. I see

the Doc at 32, 35, 37, 38, 39 & 40 weeks or until I have my baby. At

35 weeks I come in for the first of my weekly non stress tests where I

guess they measure the baby's movements. Those will continue til I

give birth. At 35 weeks I get tested for Group B Strep which I guess

40% of women have and it just means you have to have antibiotics right

before you have the baby. Some women can test positve for it with one

baby and negative for the next one.

She told me I could try one pill of aleve or motrin to help with my

nerve pain and toothaches but only from weeks 30-35 and only 1 pill.

she thinks the anti-inflamatory agents may help me keep the pain down

and keep eating more food since they know my toothache is a big reason

I wasn't eating enough or gaining enough.

I still have some restrictions on my activity. she did not okay me to

do any exercising besides very light walking. I am still limited to 2

hours outside the house at a time for shopping or whatever, no lifitng

anything heavier than a gallon of milk, STILL no sex allowed

arggggh! I am also not allowed to start kegels or perineal massage or

birthing ball practice either. She wants to wait until after the

ultrasound and we see the placenta previa status. I need to start

these things soon or I will never get the natural uncut/tear-free

birth I am hoping for. I suppose I should just be glad for the amount

of freedom I do get. I remember how frustrating the full maximum

bedrest was and this way is much more generous and I actually get out

to the stores to shop for fabrics and food and clothes once in a while.

Overall she seemd pretty happy with everything and I am just glad to

be in the final stretch of things.

wooohooo!!!!!

Colleen

due Jan 23, 2005