45 days?

As I write this, the little floating baby next to the post says 45 days to go!  I haven't updated for a while, and I thought I'd better.  The 45 days is probably inaccurate!!

Let's see...I've had to increase the amount of insulin that I'm taking every few days, or at least every week.  Which I guess is fairly normal.  My body needs more insulin as my pregnancy progresses, but my body isn't producing any more than it was before...so an increase is necessary.  I'm not as stressed out about it as I was before because it seems to be working.  

I've had to go to Dr. Hazelton (internist) a couple of times now, and I like her.  She herself had GD with her third child.  She's always very positive and informative.  This week when I went they did a blood test to check my A1C levels, and the results were good.  It's gone down since June (From 5.4 in June to 4.7 now).  Because this measures how treatment is working overall - the big picture - this number shows that we are getting a handle on it.  This helps me not cry every time I have a high finger prick test!  :-)  

I also saw Dr. Driscoll, my OB, a couple of times since I last wrote.  Two weeks ago was the first time I've seen here since my diagnosis with GD.  She measured me and I was measuring a week ahead. One of the side-effects of GD is a big baby (which isn't good).  However, I also know that many people measure a week ahead one week, and then right on at the next appointment, so I'm not too worried, yet.  However, she did also tell me that because I am on insulin, I will have to have a non-stress test (NST) every week until the baby comes!  This is a pain in the butt and time consuming, but it's also nice because you get to listen to the heartbeat for twenty minutes or more. :-)  I've had two of those now, and both were fine.  It's also reassuring to know that, based on the NST, she is doing well.

Also at that appointment, Dr. Driscoll told me that they will not let me go the full 40 weeks.  If Raisin grows too quickly, they will do a scheduled C-section a bit early.  If she's an average-sized baby then they will induce me early.  She indicated that it would be around week 39 (which starts August 19).  At my appointment this past week (the second NST) I measured a week behind!  So, it looks like she's growing "normal" at this point.

Finally, the really cool news.  Because of all this, I get to have another ultrasound!!  Woo hoo!  In two weeks (July 23rd, week 35) we will get to take another peak inside to see what's going on!!  We've invited Grandma Kathleen and Grandma Howe to attend if they are allowed.  :-)  The main reason they are doing this is to check on the size, so I'm sure it won't be quite as long as the first one, but it will still be fun to watch her move around again!  I will post pictures, of course.

This coming week, my friends Amy and Helen are throwing us another shower!!  I will post pics as soon as I can!

g.d. update

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind at best.  The G.D. must be kicking my arse; I'm now dreaming about people stealing my food or forgetting and eating something with too much sugar and things like that!!  :-)

When I found out about the gestational diabetes I immediately changed my diet and Charlie and I started walking each evening.  It took a week or so to get into the dietician, who further "reduced" my intake of food.  Then I starved myself, basically, while trying to reduce the sugar levels.  All that did was make me spill ketones, which isn't a good thing.

Another week or so of that and they put me on insulin.  I've been on insulin since lunchtime on July 23rd....so about four days ago.  It has made a difference.  The internalist that I went to has me pricking my finger 7 times a day, checking for ketones every morning (always negative now) and injecting myself with Humalog three times a day.  She also informed me that it's pretty much inevitable that I will be also giving myself a fourth injection with a longer lasting insulin in the evenings....probably within a week or so.  Apparently most people have to go to that at some point.

I've been to a dr. or dietician or internalist more than once a week since this all started June 9th.  Next week, I go back to the dietician and I see my regular OB doc.  I have so enjoyed my pregnancy, every moment of it, up until now.  The last two and a half weeks have been complete hell!  I feel robbed somehow, I can't really explain it.

The good news is that I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Now that my blood sugar levels seem to be getting better, I can enjoy myself a bit again (however, I do miss food)!  I am hoping to put in some time in the nursery over the next couple of weeks.  As soon as I have anything to show...I will take pictures and post them!

baby shower

Kathleen (Charlie's mom) and my mom had a family shower for us this weekend!  Pictured are a few of the many gifts we received!













Everyone had an opportunity to decorate a bib or a onesie for the baby!  

Now I need to figure out what to do with the nursery!

failed

Well, at my 28-week appointment, I failed all the tests.  First of all, I have very low iron.  It's low enough that I am now taking my regular pre-natal vitamin, and then two extra iron pills throughout the day.  Although, it really hasn't been a problem yet (and it's been a week), I have a feeling that I may not be...uh...regular for the next three months!

On a more serious note, I also failed the glucose test.  This means that Tuesday (yesterday) I had to go back for a more diagnostic test that lasted three hours.  The result is that I have gestational diabetes.  Now that I've cried for two days, I'm ready to try to take care of it.  I'm waiting to hear back from the dietitian so that I can meet with them to determine our next steps.  Until then I am watching what I eat, and Charlie is helping me by walking with me in the evenings.

I bought this yesterday for our beautiful Bea...

I can't wait to see her in it!

Last day of school was Monday. Mom helped me pack things up for my move to Prairie Creek.  I have meetings most of the next few weeks, but I'm looking forward to getting that nursery ready in July!  Expect pictures in a couple weeks, Grandma Howe and Grandma Braun are throwing me a family shower in a week and a half!

baby gifts

Hollyanne learned to crochet. :-)  She made her baby sister an afghan in bright orange, pink and yellow.  Last night she also brought over a little baby hat that she made!  It's blue and pink with a ball on the top...and very cute.  I think Raisin will probably have to come home from the hospital with this hat on!!  (unless it's 90 degrees or something)  Check it out.....

it's a gearle

We had the ultrasound today!  It was so unbelievable to watch her move while the ultrasound person was trying to get the shots she needed!!  We saw every little perfect part of her -- kidneys, brain, heart, bladder, spine, legs, feet, arms, hands, nose, eyes -- all pretty amazing.  The pictures are almost a let down because watching it live was so cool.  :-)  Every time she moved (which was A LOT), Charlie and I both laughed because she looked so funny and cute.  

Afterwards, Charlie's parents, my parents and the two (well, three) of us went out to eat in Marion so we could show them the pictures.  :-)  Here's a looksee for you all....

The shot above is 3D!  

Her feet are middle right of the above picture. You can see one fairly clearly (toes facing right).  The other foot is right above it.

Just one foot.  Little toes are so cute!

Check out the leg in the 3D pic above.  See how it's bent up by her chin, and then around her arm.

I like the above profile picture because it shows her little leg bone and her knuckles! 

A 3D smile!

eighteen weeks two days

booties for baby braun

Last week was spring break, and it was beautiful outside! Helen and I spent one day in Iowa City exploring. We went out to eat, browsed a few stores, enjoyed the art galleries, and of course, the hall mall. One of the stores we went to was a sports store that had all kinds of fun things....including these cute little booties...made of wool...perfect for CAMPING when it's a little bit cold. :-) And they are orange and green!! Helen made me buy them. The conversation went a bit like this:

Helen: I think you should get them.
Me: OK

We also had a doctor appointment last week. It was all of 5 minutes, of course. The heartbeat was 145 bpm. The exciting part was setting the next appointment...for the ultrasound. April 10. Good Friday.

Raisin has her second recording...give it a listen here. (recorded today - 18 weeks)

riverdance on mom's spleen

Wednesday as I was driving home from class, the above song came on KUNI. A few bars into it, I felt Raisin move for the first time!!

You can become Raisin's facebook friend here.

Baby Raisin's Heartbeat

Late last night Charlie and I (and the baby) recorded the heartbeat! We used the baby heart monitor that I rented from heartones.com and hooked it up to the computer. Give it a listen here...

http://69.65.33.125/~zvbd9ze5/heartbeat.mp3

fourteen weeks, two days

thirteen weeks, two days

Today's appointment was very short. Our appointment was for 4:30, and we were in the car driving home at 4:40!

Weight check, heartbeat check (165 bpm this time). That's about it. Our next appointment is on March 20th and at that appointment we will set a date for the ultrasound! :-)

I rented a doppler so that we can hear the heartbeat whenever we want!! It should be here on Monday...and so should the WiiFit that Charlie ordered!

180 bpm

The nurse we met with two weeks ago that made me cry, was wrong -- and I've already failed my first motherly task (with this baby).

This morning, around eight a.m., I realized that I forgot to catch my first morning urine for our doctor's appointment!! I waited until they opened at nine o'clock to call the doctor's office and they told me that if they need it, they would get a sample when I get there. I'm sure it's not a big deal...but I'm not going to get a mother of the year award either. :-)

The nurse weighed me. Then made me pee in a cup (which is not difficult, since I pee every half hour). She left me half of a gown and told me to undress...everything. Seriously....the gown was not a regular hospital gown, it was half size. When you go for a mammogram, they only make you take off your top, and they give you the same half gown thing. How is that right?

The nurse left and Charlie said, "Uhh...do I have to stay for this part?" :-) I told him that this is where they would check for the heartbeat. He chose to stay (in the chair, behind me). :-)

The doctor came in and asked a lot of questions. Many of the questions were centered around my eating habits, beginning with, "What does vegetarian mean to you?". She seemed to dwell on the vegetarianism a bit more than needed. I eat beans. I eat rice. I eat eggs (thanks to Charlie specifically making them for me because he wants to be sure the baby gets the needed protein -- he's so cute). :-)

We told her that we weren't interested in having any of the screenings or tests. What's the point really? We will have the ultrasound, though. :-) That's just too fun to do without!

Then she did the exam. When she was getting to the end of feeling me up inside and out she said, "How many weeks are you?". When I told her, "ten" she said, "Now we may not be able to hear the heartbeat yet...." I quickly responded with, "But you'll try, right?" And she did.

180 beats per minute....it was beautiful.

the first appointment - eight weeks

Today we had our first appointment at the doctor's office. I cried, so it must've been successful?

We didn't even meet the doctor today. It was just a family history appointment with the nurse. I was weighed, measured, and all that normal stuff (thankfully, Charlie waited around the corner for the weighing). Then she asked question after question about our family health history. I was very thankful that Charlie was there for a zillion reasons and it was extra important because I had no idea what to answer for many of the questions on his side of the family! We do have a history of twins...and I am over thirty-five...so higher risk for twins. Wouldn't that be cool??!!! I'm not going to bank on it though. :-) The nurse also gave us a few pamphlets about screening and testing that we are able to have. A few extra since I'm over that magic number. We'll have to talk about that a bit more before we decide.

I didn't cry until the nurse asked if we had any questions. My question was about hearing the heartbeat at our ten week appointment. I believe the way I asked it was, "What will happen if we don't hear the heartbeat at my ten week appointment." I only asked this because I know that you don't always hear it at ten weeks, and I also know that I am going to worry until I hear it (well, until it's born...ok...I'll worry forever). Basically, I just wanted to know if I would have to wait a month to try again, or if we could have nother appointment sooner, or better yet an untrasound if we couldn't hear it! Instead, her reply was, "Doctor won't try to hear the heartbeat at the ten week appointment". I'm not exactly sure why I cried, but I did. Geez.

When I called the doctor's office to make the appointment for today, they actually made two. The woman on the phone asked me for the first date of my last period, calculated my due date for August 26, and told me that we would make two appointments. The first appointment would be on January 14, the day I am eight weeks along (and explained that I would only meet with the nurse for a family health history). The second appointment would be scheduled at ten weeks and that is when I would meet the doctor and the doctor would try to hear the baby's heartbeat. She offered up that information. I did not ask. So now this nurse is telling me that the doctor will not even try to hear it at ten weeks??? This same nurse also used the same tool to calculate my due date at August 24...(instead of 26th) but also said that I wouldn't be eight weeks until tomorrow (so...a two day earlier due date, but it's one day later that I turn eight weeks? -- that doesn't even make mathematical sense)! Of course the due date thing doesn't really matter, since they never come when they are supposed to...and although it is mathematical, it's really just an estimation. So I'm not completely concerned about that. I only tell this part of the story because it makes me wonder what this woman's problem is. :-)

My good friend Amy had her "ten week" appointment today, too. Same doctor's office (different doctor though). They checked for (and heard) the heartbeat. So I'm hoping that the woman is wrong about that -- and since I think she is -- I'm keeping my estimated time of arrival at August 26th.