36 Weeks

Lengthy update, be prepared.

First, I wish every doctor, nurse, and chart I have on this pregnancy had the same due date on it. One doctor says I'm 35 weeks and 3 days, and in the same appointment with a different doctor or nurse, I'm told I'm 36 weeks and 1 day. That's almost a week difference. . .

Anyway, I had the worst appointment today. I'll get there in a minute. First, let's talk about me and how I've been feeling this week.

I'm still very tired. The inability to sleep seems to get worse and worse, now even if I fall asleep I'm awake and tossing around by about 3am. Emma has been sleeping better, but two nights this week she was up - last night she wanted me to get in bed with her. There isn't really room for me on the toddler bed and I actually fell asleep sitting next to her bed with my head on her pillow. Probably not for very long. When I opened my eyes she was looking at me, and said, "more milk, please." So I got her some milk and by the time I hobbled back upstairs she was asleep again. It was now about 5:30 in the morning.

My sciatic pain is off the charts. It was pretty darn bad last time I was pregnant. I have some afternoons where I just have to sit in one position because any way I move makes me feel like I'd like to chop my leg off. And my lower back. That coupled with the other aches and pains I've been feeling this time... I've not been able to make dinner very much - and when I do, I sit on a stool in front of the stove/counter chopping mixing and whatever else because I just. can't. stand. I've started to get creative with the crock pot.

I have more stretch marks. I knew my belly was bigger this time. Today Danny and I were wondering why I'm getting bigger if my uterus has stopped growing. That was answered with an ultrasound - last pregnancy I had 5cm amniotic fluid, this time I have 12 cm amniotic fluid. That coupled with swelling (i've already got sausage feet and fingers, can't wear my rings or some of my shoes)... yep.


APPOINTMENT 
As you likely know, I got a phone call yesterday telling me I was being treated as high risk now and should be seen not only here at BJACH(The army hospital on Post) but also down in Lake Charles(from here out I'll abbreviate LC, a "city" about an hour south of here) by a high risk doctor. I was told that the ultrasound I had last week was raising some major red flags, and they couldn't handle high risk there. How unnerving.

I kept my original 36 week appointment for today at BJACH, which as always is inconvenient, waiting for 45 minutes to an hour for a 5 minute appointment. I wish I could remember who I saw, so I could complain about her.
First, she scolds me, talks down to me, for not having my Gestational Diabetes testing done. I told her, I didn't have it done last time, I'm in no risk categories for getting it, and have no signs at all that would lead anyone to believe that I had it. Emma was born with perfect sugar levels. Of course she told me I could either do the glucose test OR my ONLY other option was to fast and do a blood sugar level something or other, to which I was like, "Ok. But no." Call me stubborn - I know it's a simple test - but I HATE the way they basically tell you you have NO choice in the matter - just like they tell you that you have NO CHOICE when you're in labor to refuse certain things - when in fact, you do, and you can refuse anything.. Any way just my rant-tastic moment there..

Ok moving on.

Heart beat: Perfect! 140 bpm.
Fundal height: She didn't even tell me what it was, and blurted out "Oh this is so disturbing."

Had I not ever been through this small baby thing before, that would have scared the hell out of me. I told her to go read my freakin' chart. To look at the Ultrasound I'd just had done.
She said "Oh this is so not good, this is very concerning. This is horrible, the baby is only in the 5th percentile."

To which, I said, "My daughter - that one sitting right there - was born under the 5th percentile."
I'm not concerned, but her attitude, tone of voice, and choice of words is making me mad. How would a first time mother respond to the way she was speaking??

She said, "I'm very worried about Intrauterine growth restriction, which leads to intrauterine fatality." ( as if it would certainly lead to my baby's death??) Again - another "why the hell is she saying this" moment.

I kept my cool, because I know, my hormones make me totally irrational and very bitchy. She sent me over to Labor and Delivery to be monitored and to check my fluid levels.

L&D was much more friendly, and reassuring. I had already called Danny to come to the hospital - mostly because Emma had been sitting in her stroller for an hour and a half and wanted to go potty but I couldn't take her, luckily I'd put her in a pull up and told her to just pee in her pull up, she got really upset and told me she peed her stroller and was all wet. I wanted Danny to be there in case she got antsy and needed to run or go to the bathroom or something.
The Dr in L&D told me baby is a rockstar on the monitor, handles the contractions, (only braxton hicks don't get crazy.) looks perfect. Fluid is AWESOME at 12cm!!

I have to go back twice a week to sit on the monitors. If baby ever stops moving, even just for an hour, I'm supposed to go in to L&D to be monitored now that I'm having a tiny baby.

Tonight, I will put up some belly shots for everyone. I want Danny to take some with my actual camera this week rather than standing in the mirror with my iPhone.

Weight this week: 154.0 (fully clothed @ Dr Office.)