Hippopotaguin

hippopotaguin: the animal combination of a hippopotamus and a penguin; the way that a pregnant lady may feel; the feeling of being massive and waddling.

Disclosure: I completely made this word up (if you had any doubts) and you will not find it in a Webster Dictionary, unless there's one specifically pertinent to a pregnant woman.

Baby Update: 34 Weeks

Size of Baby: 5lbs, 6oz (large cantalope)
Baby Movement: Enough to make the ultrasound tech laugh when trying to measure body parts and take pictures.
Changes in Baby:  Cutest little face I've ever seen, complete with chubby cheekers and pouty lips :-)
Changes in Mama:  Milk is coming in...kind of grossed me out the first time I noticed- not going to lie.
Cravings:  Water, unsweetened iced tea, spicy foods
Aversions: Nasty smells...like dirty people.  I've almost gagged a few times this week.
Current Symptoms:  Pinched ureter (very painful), frequent potty breaks, intense heartburn (not helped by my recent love for spicy foods), difficulty sleeping....
Nesting:  Not as much this week, mainly because the pain from my pinched ureter makes moving around difficult (cleaning and such are out of the question)
Exciting News:  Getting closer to maybe buying our first home!!!
Looking Forward to...:  Getting my prenatal massage this Sat that I finally scheduled :-)  Looking at our potential home again on Sunday!!
Not So Much Fun:  Weekly trips to Green Bay for ultrasounds that I should just be able to have done in Oshkosh...
Next Appointment: Monday Aug 1

Weekly Trips....and GO!

   I headed to Green Bay Aurora Baycare early this morning to meet with Dr. Hayes about having an excess of amniotic fluid and do some tests.  They did an extensive ultrasound focusing on measuring baby's growth, organ function, and amount of fluid.  I got some new pics for my large collection of "first" baby snapshots, which is always pretty cool.  Afterwards, I answered some questions with a nurse (the standard ones about my health and family history) and then I met with Dr. Hayes.  He is highly intelligent, but he didn't really give me any new information that I hadn't already researched myself.  He did say that everything seemed pretty normal from the ultrasound.  He gave me all the possible reasons causing too much fluid, like gestational diabetes (my glucose test was normal), carrying multiples (only one bambino in there), problems with baby's ability to swallow or process fluids (ultrasound showed her swallowing as she should), possible infection in baby, or maybe Baby H just pees a whole lot.  On the other hand, everything can be normal, just a lot of fluids. 
   Doc wants me to begin weekly monitoring via ultrasound starting next week Thursday Aug 4 and then every Thursday following until Baby H decides to grace us with her presence.  The only super-dumb part is that the next 3 appointments will be in Green Bay too...I wish insurance would cover my gas expenses.  Hopefully by the 4th appointment I will be able to continue at the Oshkosh Aurora for those last few weeks. Speaking of insurance, the receptionist had me sign a consent form agreeing that I would pay for anything insurance denies....and at the top was the cost of today's procedures- a whopping $1047.56!  Ah!  I definitely hesitated before putting pen to paper on that one.  Thankfully, I was able to call our insurance carrier and verify that anything ordered by the doctor as a medical necessity should be covered.  Whew!  That's the extent of my voyage today.

Appointment Updates

Okay, so I have both appointments scheduled now.  Tomorrow morning I will have the xrays regarding my pinched ureter/kidneys.  Thursday morning I will be heading to Baycare in Green Bay for the appointment regarding excess amniotic fluid.  Yes, that's in Green Bay :-(  They have no openings in Oshkosh until Sept. 20....a little too late, I should say, considering my due date is Sept. 9.  Good news is that all this stuff is sorted out and I'm taking as little time away from work as possible.  Have to get paid, yo!  ;-)

Updates, Updates, Updates

   Yesterday was a day full of doctors, nurses, and ultrasounds.  My scheduled ultrasound revealed that my due date is still on for Sept. 9.,  Baby H weighs 5lbs, 3oz at 33 weeks, and too much amniotic fluid is the reason for a larger fundal height.  Baby H even turned her head and smiled for a picture, too cute!
  However, over the weekend I started experiencing a severe stabbing pain in the right side of my lower back, sometimes reaching around to my abdomen.  When I mentioned this to the ultrasound tech she told one of the nurses, who then had me see one of the doctors right away.  He then had me go downstairs for a different ultrasound, which revealed a pinched ureter (highly common in pregnancies towards the end).  He referred me to a urologist who confirmed the same diagnosis, which means some xrays to confirm there is nothing more serious going on.  Unfortunately, there is nothing much to do for the pain right now; it will go away as soon as I deliver.  Until then I just have to tough it out and try to position myself away from putting more pressure on my right side. 
   I was supposed to be working yesterday, but I'm pretty sure I spent more time across town at the doctors' offices than I did in my office at the bank.  Oh well, health of baby and me is more important, right?  Right now I'm waiting for the hospital to call me back to schedule an appointment with a different doctor about the excess amniotic fluid- and they have 2 minutes....(I was told to call back if I hadn't heard before 3pm).  Whoa!  Speak of the devil, my phone rang as I was typing that.  Something about a wrong fax #, but now it's been corrected and Dr. Hayes office will be calling me shortly to set up that appointment (for the excess fluids). 

More to come....

Baby Update: 33 Weeks

Size of Baby: Over 17" long and weighs a little over 4 lbs (like a pineapple)
Changes in Baby: losing that wrinkley skin and baby's bones are hardening, except the skull which remains soft to get through the birth canal (thank goodness!)
Changes in Mama:  Frequent contractions towards the end of the day...sometimes a little painful, but mostly just uncomfortable.
Changes in Daddy:  Working hard to get loose ends settled before Baby H comes.
Baby Movement:  I always laugh when I read that I should be able to feel 10 movements in 1-2 hours....I feel that in about 5 minutes or less in the late evening.  Our baby is definitely a little mover and a shaker!
Cravings:  Water...but I'm getting so sick of being thirsty all the time, no matter how much I drink.  still thirsty.
Aversions:  Strong smells that I'm not used to smelling.
Current Sypmtoms:  Heartburn, of course.  Trouble sleeping because my left hip is starting to get sore from being favored every night.  Swelling feet, so bad sometimes it feels like my foot may burst if I try bending it.  Braxton Hicks (tightening in my tummy and lower back).  Lots of trips to the bathroom....all this seems pretty standard for this stage in the game though.
Nesting:  Yes!  I want to have everything ready, clean, and perfect for when our baby comes.  The sad part is that I can't do much at night after work because I have to head straight to the couch with the mountain of pillows to prop my feet way up and a big ol' cup of icewater....and there I sit, looking at all the messes that should be getting cleaned.
Current Mood:  Over everything except that which involves Baby H...
Interesting Tidbit of Info:  All my coworkers have started a pool to see when Baby H will come (so far I think the pot is up to $5, haha)
Looking Forward to...: A weekend away from work, away from requests, away from phones ringing...  Ultrasound on Monday morning, so we should find out more about why my belly is sooooo large.  Only 7 weeks til my originial due date.
Next Appt:  Ultrasound- 7/25/11   Prenatal- 8/01/11 

Baby Laundry

  Yesterday (after I had realized how unprepared I was for an early delivery), I went to the store for baby detergent to get started on all that little laundry.  I ended up deciding on Purex Baby.  I like the fresh scent, but I also like that it's hypoallergenic.  Not knowing if our baby will have any skin reactions, I steered clear of the fabric softeners like Downy, which I have reactions to myself.  I did get some Bounce Free dryer sheets because I've never had a reaction to those and I just can't stand static-city clothes.  Maybe I went a little overboard with the baby products, but I purchased Palmolive Baby dish soap specifically designed to clean baby bottles and toys without all the harsh additives.  Give me a break, it's our first baby :-)  I'm allowed to go a little overboard sometimes.  

Trip to the Hospital

    Monday afternoon I started having contractions that seemed different from the usual Braxton Hicks tightening of my stomach with the dull, continuous pains in my back.  I've never been in labor before, so I wasn't really sure what to expect.  I left work a little early, went home, took a warm shower, drank lots of water, elevated my feet, and waited.  I tried timing the contractions; though I could tell when they started I couldn't tell when they ended.  After all this, the contractions didn't seem to slow down or stop.  Walking didn't help much either.  I wasn't too concerned since the pain was uncomfortable but not bad (as I would think true labor would entail).  After urging from my mom, I eventually called the hospital, explained the situation and they said they would have the on-call doc give me a call back.  About 5 minutes later, my phone rang.  After several questions, I was advised to go to the hospital for some monitoring and tests....
    Honestly, I wasn't freaking out or worried; I was calm and relaxed (I didn't really feel like it was time).  I was more concerned that I hadn't washed our newborn clothes or packed our bag yet.  I made it there about 9:30 pm.  The nurse hooked my belly up to the fetal monitors (one for my contractions, the other for baby's heartbeat), which I wore the whole time I was there.  During the monitoring, I was having contractions, but nurse said it's just my body getting ready for the real thing later on.  Also the real ones would make me lose my breath, not like those which I was perfectly able to talk and breathe through.  I answered lots of questions, did a sterile urine test (for UTI/negative), had a pelvic exam to test for dialation (first-ever by a man doc...not fun.  I closed my eyes and went to a happy place) and a fetal fibronectin test (fFN) to see the likelihood of preterm labor, answered more questions, got fluids through an IV, got the fFN test results back (negative), and finally got the ok to go home around midnight.
    So, no worries.  I wasn't dialated at all.  And I have a 98% chance of NOT delivering in the next two weeks.  That's good.  And my ultrasound on Monday morning should offer more clarification as to my due date.  I'm hoping to be a real trooper and not go back to the hospital unless it really is GO TIME....especially since I have better things to do than sit in an uncomfortable hospital bed all night long, NOT being able to sleep.

Fundal Height

Typically, fundal height coincides with your pregnancy week.  According to my due date, I should be measuring 30-34 at this point.  At my appointment this morning, my measurement was 36.5-37.  Holy mama!  Doctor still doesn't seem too worried, but she did order me to have an ultrasound at the next available date, Monday July 25.  And then I have an appointment the following Monday August 1.  Baby Holm might be coming sooner rather than later, so get ready (...I say to myself, haha)!  I wouldn't put it past her because if she's anything like her mama, she's most likely impatient.  What can I say?  Like mother like daughter....already. ;-)   

Great Position!

  Last night when I rolled into bed (literally because my belly prohibits me from those pre-pregnancy moves) I must have perfectly positioned my pillows because I was super-comfortable for nearly all of the night.  I even woke up a few times, realized I was still comfy and told myself, "STILL comfortable!!  DO NOT MOVE!!"  It was splendid!  Unfortunately I did have to get up for a bathroom trip and when I rolled back into bed I just couldn't find that heavenly position again.  Sigh.  At least I got a few more uninterrupted hours of sleep than usual . :-) 

Baby Update: 32 Weeks

Size of Baby: About 16.7" long and weighs about 3.75 lbs (like a large Jicama, though I've never seen or had one of those...).
Changes in Baby:  Gaining roughly about 0.5 lbs per week for the next 7 weeks.  Baby has toenails, fingernails, and real hair!
Baby Movement:  All the time, and sometimes so hard that Zach can feel the vibration through the bed even if he's not touching my belly!  Kicks and sommersaults are getting much more intense.
Changes in Mama:  Fundal height seems to be measuring more than should be at this point in the pregnancy...I hope to find out much more during this next doc appointment.  Large belly is making life pretty difficult when it comes to bending over and moving around (putting on socks/shoes, drying off after a shower, eating from a lower table, turning over in bed, getting out of bed....and the list goes on).
Changes in Daddy:  Getting very excited the closer we get to bringing Baby Holm into the world.  Looking forward to having our own little family :-)
Current Symptoms:  Lessening of heartburn a bit, though still horrible.  Frequent lower back pain.  Continuous Braxton Hicks contractions all throughout the day, but progressing more towards the night and fading into the morning.
Cravings:  Ice water, veggies, chicken fingers from A&W.
Aversions: Anything with an intense smell or funky texture.
Exciting News:  VA ceritification is moving right along, just waiting for Zach's Commander to sign some forms and send them back to us.
Looking Forward to...: Having a weekend with my hunny without driving all over.
Not Looking Forward to...:  Dentist appt tomorrow because I'll have to lie on my back which is not very comfortable at all.
Nesting:  Settling down a bit, but more so because I'm too uncomfortable at night to do anything but prop up my feet and try to ease my backpain.
Next Doc Appt: Monday July 18.

Too Much Can Be A Bad Thing

  After my doctor explained that I'm measuring bigger than should be, she said it could be due to being farther alone than thought, having a large baby, or too much amniotic fluid.  Well, the first two reasons are pretty self-explanatory, but I didn't know much about too much fluid.  Hence, I did a little research today....
   Not the greatest findings.  Too much amniotic fluid is also called hydramnios or polyhydramnios. The good news is that it's not something that could be prevented by doing anything differently throughout the course of my pregnancy (so it's not my fault, whew!).  And doctors don't really know the causes, but they think a few are:

• Maternal Diabetes
• Carrying Twins or Multiples
• Fetal Abnormalities
• Fetal Anemia

So I know I don't have the first or second ones, but who knows about the last two common causes.  But if I were to be diagnosed with this then it can require/cause more ultrasounds/monitoring, stress tests, preterm labor, cord prolapse, increased postpartum bleeding, or placental abruption. :-(  Most times it is naturally fixed before birth by mother's body, but it can also be corrected by a procedure that removes excess amniotic fluid.
  According to BabyCenter, your healthcare practitioner may suspect this problem, which happens in about 1 percent of pregnancies, if your uterus is growing more rapidly than it should. You may also have unusual abdominal discomfort, increased back pain, shortness of breath, and extreme swelling in your feet and ankles. If you have these symptoms, your practitioner will send you for an ultrasound.  I DO have all those symptoms, so I'm assuming I will end up having another ultrasound soon.  However, I'm not too worried about all this because if it was really dangerous or alarming, I think my doctor would have rushed into action.  She didn't seem worried, so I am trying not to be either.

  

Doctor Says...

  I had an appointment last night with Dr. Katie; everything seems fine and moving right along.  However, when Nurse Madge measured my tummy she got this very odd, kind of surprised look on her face.  Apparently I'm measuring much bigger than I should be at this stage...so she had Dr. Katie measure too.  Same thing: confused/surprised look on her face after measuring.  SO, we might be doing another ultrasound to see exactly what's going on- whether I'm further along than they thought, or there's an excess of fluids in there, or maybe baby was just stretching out.  Regardless, I have another appointment in a week and then they will decide whether to do the ultrasound or not.  Dr. Katie did say that more towards the end of August seems likely, rather than a couple weeks into Sept for my due date.  Make those bets, Family!
  Another interesting tid-bit I learned was that I have been having Braxon Hicks for several weeks now and I didn't have the slightest clue.  I thought that the tightness of my tummy was because Baby Holm was moving all around and putting pressure on my belly, NOT because my belly was actually contracting.  Silly me.  Then again, it's not like I've ever been pregnant before to know what a contraction actually feels like.  I guess that's why it sometimes hurt.  Now I know :-)
   Today I am experiencing lots of pain/aching on the right side of my belly (but it's not like a contraction that comes and goes), as well as on the lower right side of my back.  Not so zesty.  I'm interested to see what my next appointment brings....

Newest Symptom

Bloody nose....not like a nose bleed (I've never had one of those in my life...that I remember), just dried blood in my nose, or blood when I blow my nose.  Lovely. Here's why.  I can't imagine that the basement is too dry for goodness sake- we have a dehumidifier that has to be emptied like once a day, and it still feels damp in the rooms.  I drink enough water to drown a monkey.  Maybe I am just too aggressive when getting those boogies ;-) 

What If....

      So...what if I mistook my period in December as not a period at all and I really should've used the first day of my last period in November?!  I have a slight memory of that period being lighter and waaaay shorter than usual.  I never notate those kinds of things because I'm usually just so happy for a shorter torture time- I don't ask questions, haha.  I just feel like I'm farther along than my due date suggests.  I was reading about ultrasound due date accuracy and I gathered that usually the early ultrasounds are the ones that get the due date, while any later ultrasounds can only be used to measure how well baby is growing, not really how far along we are.  I think I'll have this baby in August, not September....and I hope I'm right.  Not that I want to rush things; I would never want my impatience and discomfort to cause an early birth and complications for our baby.  Time will tell, but I know one thing I have learned for sure...don't tell the doctor your possible last period- just get the early ultrasound to decipher.  That would put my mind more at ease- and probably be way more accurate.  Though I DO know that due dates are not set in stone and baby will come when baby is ready no matter how much calculating is done.   

Baby Update: 31 Weeks

Size of Baby: Over 16" long and about 3.3 lbs (like carrying around 4 navel oranges).
Baby Moves:  Very, very active now.  No specific body parts pushing outward (like a foot or a hand), but I can usually tell when her body is rotating or somersaulting. 
Changes in Baby:  Packing on the baby fat, getting ready for her grand entrance.  Arms, legs, body and head are all capable of moving now.
Changes in Mama: LOTS of lower back pain!  It gets worse as the day progresses and I've found nothing to bring relief.
Changes in Daddy:  Probably feeling as ready as I am for baby to get here (so I'll stop complaining about my back, haha).  And he really wants his chance to hold our little baby since, in his words, "You've been holding her the WHOLE time.  It's my turn!" :-)
Cravings: Water, Tea, healthier foods especially fruits (probably because greasy foods increase my heartburn)....anything I see in a commercial on tv :-)
Aversions:  hotdogs....loved them, but lately I do NOT want to eat them.
Current Symptoms: Lower back pain, like a dull ache that doesn't stop by sitting, standing, warm showers, massages, or stretching :-(  Heartburn isn't quite as bad this week....surprisingly, though it's probably due to better food choices, or I'm just going numb in the throat, haha.  Trouble sleeping due to lots of baby acrobatics and frequent bathroom trips.  Pillows aren't helping much anymore.  9 weeks, you say?  Eh.
Nesting:  I'm calming down a little due to husband's wonderful reassurances that everything will be ready in time.
Looking Forward to...: Baby shower #2!
Exciting News:  Nothing yet, but I'm hoping that my next appointment might change my due date to earlier....please?
Next Appointment: Monday July 11

Fireworks

  I was very excited and interested to see how Baby Holm would respond to the big, booming fireworks...but nothing extraordinary happened.  I think I jumped more when the first few were set off.  Not to mention, they set off some random ones periodically during the afternoon to get ready for the big night show.  Scared the poo out of me! Zach and I went to the Menasha Fireworks last night since we missed the Sawdust Days show Sunday night.  I thought the fireworks were really good! :-)  I've always loved watching fireworks with my man!  This morning Zach says to me, "I want to repeat everything we did this weekend because it was so fun!"  And I said, "Oh yeah, I totally agree!....except with a little more sleep." :-)  It was what a summer weekend should be like- laid back and full of grilling and sunshine :-)  I am pretty full of aches today though....

Anxiety?

  I have never been an anxious person, nor have I ever been one to feel stress caused by anxiety.  However, lately I've been feeling really weighed down by these intense worries about if our baby comes early.  When the thoughts come a knocking, I start praying...but sometimes I just can't seem to shake the worry.  I'm terrified that our baby will be early and we won't have a house yet...so no nursery set up...and all chaos will certainly follow.  I am trying my hardest to be as organized as possible just in case, but no one seems to be helping me out.  I clean messes and there they are again the next morning when I wake up or when I get home from work- just staring me in the face, like a defiant little child.  It's really tiring when all I want (and should do) is sit down with some icewater and my feet propped up.  It could be the added stress due to the hot weather making me miserable....but I just don't know.  Is this normal?  Did anyone else experience this in the last trimester? Like I said, I generally am a calm, worry-free individual....