Pregnancy Update #13 - Ultrasound: big baby! extra fluid...

I haven't been posting regularly. I think, in part, because my energy is going towards dealing with these intense 3rd trimester symptoms. It really is like night and day. Up until 30-32 weeks, I had a relatively easy, smooth time of things, then, WHAM, 3rd trimester swoops in and transforms the experience.

Insomnia got real, and I would find myself awake at 2 even 3am in the morning, then if I did sleep, it would be in short, frustrating intervals. Every time I'd try to lay down, I'd feel hot and itchy and restless, both in my body and mind. I know better than to lie there trying to force it, so up I'd get. RC is working swing shift right now and starts at 4am, so he got a surprise morning greeting a couple of times when he came downstairs. After trying Benadryl to no great effect, the doctor finally prescribed Ambien, which at least allows me to sleep more soundly, though I still don't drop off until 1 or 2am.

The worst new symptom, though, is carpal tunnel. I won't even be able to make this post as long as I'd like because my hands are already getting tingly and painful. Anyone who has had serious carpal tunnel knows what I'm talking about. It's relentless. At the very least, I have tingling and numbness all. the. time. Then it regularly moves into aching and pain. Nothing completely relieves it. Icing, tylenol, and a couple of specific stretches can take the edge off a little but not for long. I'm wearing braces at night but am not sure how much they're helping. My doctor referred me for a cortizone shot, but the hand specialists who do these can't see me until the 20th. Argh.

I've also gained more weight and in addition to feeling overextended with a watermelon-sized belly, I get tired and winded fairly quickly and have to make use of chairs and benches that were mainly installed for the elderly. RC has been kind and patient overall and has helped me navigate these challenges. After I broke two glass carafes for our french press within a few days - thank you carpal tunnel and lack of feeling in my fingers - he took over the coffee making duties for both of us. lol

The news is not all bad, however. Our little Ellie is active and growing, and we are experiencing the thrill of big movement and little feet pushing against the top of my belly, so that I can touch them and give a little push back. So cute! I love it so much. :) She's so long, and, now that she's head down, I can feel kicks at the top and simultaneous churny, tickly feelings at the bottom. I'm definitely blessed with the gift of kicks and pressure on my bladder at this point, which really feels strange. I'm not losing bladder control, though, for which I'm grateful.

Which leads me to the best part of my post, our ultrasound yesterday. You'll never guess how much little girl weighs now...6lbs 4oz!!! That's birth weight, my friends, OMG! The doctor anticipates her growing to near 9lbs by 39 weeks, and says she is leaning towards a c-section, that being the case. She has told us that with her own pregnancy, she had decided that if her son were over 8lbs, she would choose c-section (she was on the older side, too, around 40). If I were lower risk, I don't think this would be the natural course, but all things considered...including that we discovered I have polyhydramnios or high amniotic fluid, which adds some risk, as well. My level is mild to moderate, and she said they will just keep an eye on it. It makes me nervous, though. Has anyone else had this diagnosis? There doesn't seem to be any particular actions I can take to address it, so I have just recommitted to getting some exercise every day and trying to keep up a healthy diet. I admit to eating chips regularly, but the doctor said it has nothing to do with salt intake. It's probably partly why my stomach feels so huge and distended...

Anyway, all the other news was good. She's still measuring big in the 70-90th percentile on individual measurements and over two weeks ahead developmentally. Her heart and organs look great, and we captured some amazing pictures. I will share a couple of my favorites below. That's all for now. We are going on our babymoon to Bend tomorrow through Wednesday, and I hope to enjoy it and spend some time outside. Baby shower (scheduled on the 28th) is coming along, and my sister generously offered to have it at her house - a great location - so that's exciting. It feels like we have turned the corner and are on the final stretch.😅

Pregnancy Update #12 - Early Third Trimester Ultrasound

We had another ultrasound last Tuesday! Some highlights:

• Saw little Ellie kicking her feet like she was tap dancing. So cute! I feel this sensation sometimes, so it's fun to see her in action.
• She's 3lbs 7oz, measuring almost two weeks ahead! Is this common? It was 28wks 5days, and she measured 30wks 3days. Our big girl. So glad she's growing well.
• I was given my Rhogam shot a couple of weeks ago, since my blood type is O-. Happy to have that done to make sure and protect her, in case her blood type is positive.
• At the end of Tuesday's appointment, the nurse gave me the TDAP injection. Big needle, a little uncomfortable, but the worst part is definitely the sore arm that lasts for several days. It's gone now, and again, it's worth it to keep her safe.
• We got a better 3D picture of her face. Such a precious little face. If you can't tell, I'm falling more and more in love! 

With regards to my own symptoms and how the pregnancy is progressing, I will say there has definitely been a shift towards greater discomfort. Here are some examples:

• My stomach now feels overextended on a regular basis. The feeling is akin to an overblown balloon that may soon pop. lol It really is quite uncomfortable. It's worse after I have eaten or if I'm bloated and/or constipated, which happens regularly. 
• Insomnia or, as one of my pregnancy apps calls it, "disrupted sleep." I have trouble falling asleep and often end up getting up for another 45 minutes to an hour before I can finally relax and nod off. Then I wake up every hour to two hours for the first half of the night to pee and/or change positions, get another chunk of sleep, wake up once more, then sleep for another hour or so. So. many. dreams. Stupid, overly and unnecessarily detailed dreams. I usually like analyzing dreams. Not these. I wake up and shake my head and try to forget and move on. 
• Physical limitations in terms of shortness of breath and stamina. We went to Costco today, and I knew I could not traipse all over that warehouse of a store like normal. So, I drove one of those little scooters with the cart on the front. heehee I cracked myself up, but it worked and was just what I needed. We went to the county fair the other day, and we had fun, but I had to take regular breaks to sit down and keep drinking water. 
• Basically, I feel like I'm past the "cute" pregnant stage and into the part where I look like a walking beach ball. I'm so big! I can't believe I have another 9.5 weeks to go.

Not that we are ready for her yet! We still need to get the room done (we are doing NW forest/forest animals theme), and I was finally just able to schedule the baby shower with my friend who is generously co-hosting it at my sister's house for Saturday, September 28th. I know it's really late to have a shower - my due date for induction/c-section is October 10th at 39 weeks - but it's literally the only date she was available, and I really need and appreciate her being in the hosting role. My sister is just too busy and not really into that kind of thing. I'm super happy she's opening her house for it, though. Anyway, tell me it will be okay to have it that late? Praying over here that I'll be physically able to enjoy it, and that Ellie won't decide to make an early appearance.

I have more life stuff to share, but I'll save that for another post. Suffice to say, I'm so grateful and full of gratitude and joy for my little girl and getting to feel - and share with RC - all her activity. AND I'm feeling kind of generally anxious and overwhelmed and would love to just hibernate and not deal with the world for a while.  More soon... hope you're having a lovely, fun-filled summer so far.

Pregnancy Update #11 - Ultrasound pics

Bad news first: I was not offered the university job. Boo hiss to them.

I think it was because of my references, and, of course, I'm kicking myself now for not vetting them further. My first reference gave a good impression of me, I think, but may have focused on accomplishments less relevant to this job, such as the performance-based talent show I organized and directed for our student drama club. The second reference may have been unreachable. I had spoken with him within the last couple of years, but when I tried to reach him (after sending the references), he didn't even come up in a search of the college website, nor did he respond to me on LinkedIn. He either retired or possibly even passed away, I suppose. If they were unable to reach him, this reflects badly on me for not making sure my references are available, but also, he was the one reference I had on my list from the college at which I worked the longest. I could have easily provided other colleague references.

So, that sucks, though I don't know for sure that is the reason. After hearing their decision, I exchanged emails with the Director, and he did mention references and "other information" gained during the hiring process, so who knows. Maybe they even somehow found out I was pregnant?

They encouraged me to apply for other positions, but honestly, I don't have it in me. I'm done for now. I thought the odds were with me this time, and I still don't seem to have quite what they're looking for - in addition to the references, maybe my lack of 4-year university experience, maybe my background being weighted more heavily towards career counseling vs. academic advising? The Director told me the applicant pool was very deep at 400+ people, but they were hiring for *24* positions. Come on. If I can't get hired with those numbers, it doesn't bode well.

I'm also done with the community college - part-time at crap pay (I can make that salary with two new career counseling clients a month), and I did not feel good about it when I went in to meet people and review paperwork. Chaotic, draining, and depressing environment, in a nutshell. I felt a strong, inner "NO," and chose to honor that.

Plus, I'm about to enter the 3rd trimester, so it's not a good time. I'm going to focus on my business networking group, making local connections, and gaining new career counseling clients, plus getting ready for baby. RC is working, so that helps, though it does put our hopes of buying into cohousing further on the back burner for now.

On to the good news...24 week ultrasound went swimmingly! Ellie heart is developing well, and she was measuring 14 inches, weighing in at 1lb. 14oz. Almost two pounds, amazing! Her head measured on the bigger side, in the 90th percentile or something, and everything else was above 50%, mostly in 70-80% range. She was moving around a lot during the ultrasound. I've been feeling her kicks and jabs a lot lately, which makes me so happy. They said she was in a breech position, which I've read is normal at this point. Oh, and I passed my Glucose Challenge test, so I don't have to do the follow-up, which involves fasting. Yay! Here's a couple pictures of our little Ellie, as well as a recent bump pic.

Fourth of July was lots of fun, spent with my Aunt, Uncle, cousin and her family out in a nearby small town that prides itself on its Fourth of July festivities. We saw a morning parade with lots of firetrucks and veterans and old-timey clubs, then went to lunch and visited. RC joined us after work, and we barbequed lots of yummy food, with blueberry cheesecake for dessert. We left before the big fireworks because RC's bedtime is now 8:30pm, due to his shift starting at 4am (!). He's leaving for a 3-week training in Chicago this Sunday but will come back for quick weekends, Friday night to Sunday morning. Should be interesting being apart like that when I'm pregnant! Hope I don't get too lonely.

Pregnancy Update #10 plus job search news

I am super lazy just lately, so I'm going to do a bullet post. 😊 Developments and events of interest:

• I had my first two-week check-up visit with my maternal-fetal medicine doctor. I asked her about the Cereb (Hill) measurement and she said it was totally fine and that, with her pregnancy, she was hoping to measure in the 30th percentile. Ellie's heartbeat was 140-157, which is perfect! I will see her again a week from this Friday, and I need to remember to request the handheld ultrasound!
• I am finally feeling little Ellie moving around - hallelujah! It's not all the time, but definitely regularly. I feel less of a swish or swipe now and more of a bump or flip; just a bit more solid feeling. Instead of questioning all the time whether it might be digestion or gas, I have a sense of a living being in there moving around - so cool!
• Finally gaining a little weight! I guess this is the only time in my life when I'll be excited to gain weight, but it reassures me that Ellie is growing and my pregnancy is progressing normally. I think I've gained around six pounds at this point, and I will be 22 weeks tomorrow.
• I told my Dad what we decided to name her and showed him a couple of the ultrasound pics. He reacted positively and appropriately, so that feels like progress. I know he will love her when she gets here. He better! lol
• Here is my most recent belly pic. I feel amazed at how dramatically my belly size and how it feels from the outside changes from morning until night. Do those of you who have been pregnant remember that happening? I guess I'm weird, but I prefer when it's inflated and harder (with food and gas I guess lol) later in the day. In general, though, it's getting bigger and harder to hide, even if I wanted to.

Lastly, I have some amazing news on the job front: I finally received news yesterday that I am invited to the final round of interviewing for the Career and Academic Advisor position at the university! Hallelujah! I will be speaking for a half hour over the phone with the big wig advising director at the new building where all the new advisors will be working. The head of the interview committee asked my top three preferences of Flight Paths (we each will be working with students in a specific Flight Path or career/major grouping), as well as a list of references - that seems like a good sign, doesn't it? Everything crossed!

Hope you all are enjoying the start to summer. Our weather has suddenly turned hot as Hades, and we are going to get some fans asap. I much prefer it to rain, though!

Pregnancy Update #9 - Second Trimester Ultrasound

I'm happy to share that our second trimester (18 weeks 4 days) ultrasound went very well, with no unwelcome surprises! All her organs, including her heart (four chambers pumping away - so cool!), looked great and her measurements were all within normal range. She was actually measuring four days ahead! Her arm and leg bones were in the 70+ percentile; wonder if that means she will be tall?

The only measurement that was lower was the, "Cereb (Hill)" measurement, which I think is the diameter of the cerebellum? This one was 18.9mm and fell in the 30th percentile. I looked it up and one site said it's not really used any more. Plus, there were several conversations on pregnancy boards about numbers being low on that measurement, so I don't think it's uncommon? Anyone have more information? The doctor didn't mention it or seem concerned, so I'm thinking it's probably okay. This is one explanation I read: "Mean TCD was 17.32 mm in 14-20 weeks of gestation, 26.63 mm in 21-30 weeks and 40.73mm in 31-40 weeks."

The tech confirmed absolutely that she is a girl. :) I saw the three lines myself before she even told us. We got a great profile picture, which I'll share below, but she wouldn't cooperate for a 3D profile or forward-facing picture. She is so adorable, though, and I am in love. Her little foot is the sweetest, too. The doctor actually asked how often I would like to be seen and suggested every two weeks, when I indicated as often as possible! We won't get another full ultrasound for six weeks, but she said she could do a quick handheld ultrasound if we wanted. Yay!

On the work front, RC is on his third day at the new job today. He is finishing up the video training and looking forward to getting out for the on-the-job training. I received an email from the university thanking me for my patience and lettimg me know they are still working through the process and will let me know soon. I think I should hear this week, as they've mentioned making hiring decisions by the end of May several times. Everything crossed!

Pregnancy Update #5 - Second Ultrasound

We saw Pudge again yesterday! Little guy was wiggling and kicking at times, which was so amazing to see. He arched his back at one point; so cute! And thus begins the era of 1 million things that I think are adorable, and others probably roll their eyes at. 🙄😃 I’m glad to become annoying in that way, though. I welcome it.

Some data points we took away from our appointment:

• His heart was beating away at 170 bpm. 
• Nuchal screening came out great: 1.46 and they want it under 3. 
• They drew blood for the NIPT screening, but we won’t hear back for about 10 days. Then we will know 100% conclusively that we have a little boy, and hopefully get peace of mind that the chances of genetic/developmental issues are low. 
• They will also test my thyroid level, to my relief.  My OB/GYN was somewhat dismissive about it, saying we didn’t need to test for a while longer, but this high-risk doctor was very on board with testing. She said the required dosage level usually increases by 30% during pregnancy.  

We talked about making our pregnancy announcement after this ultrasound and are coming up with some fun ideas. Hopefully, we can post it later today or tomorrow. I’ve let most of the people I care about know already, but RC has a lot of longer distance friends and acquaintances. I know he likes sharing and celebrating with these folks online. I hope it’s not obnoxious or hurtful to anyone in the trenches of infertility. 

Without further ado, here is the most recent picture of Pudge 😍😍😍:

Pregnancy Update 4.5 - Maternal Fetal Medicine

I am gearing up for the second ultrasound today at the Maternal Fetal Medicine clinic. I am excited but also nervous. We get to see Pudge again, and so that is a fun thing, but there is always that thought, "What if something is wrong?" We just heard the heartbeat through home doppler a few of days ago, which was very reassuring, but oddly enough, the reassurance seems to last a couple of days and then dissipates. I am trying to limit use to every few days. Praying that he's going to be an active little bub in there; whole, healthy, and developing right on time.

Other tasks on the agenda today include talking to the high-risk testing folks about our background, what we know of the donor's background, and discussing potential testing. We are already clear we will not be doing any invasive testing, like amniocentesis or CVS (chorionic villus sampling), because our egg donor was 23-years-old, and there isn't anything we could possibly find out that would make us change course. I suppose the case could be made for preparation, but I think bigger issues would become known as the pregnancy progresses, with plenty of time to prepare. It's sad to even think about.

We are definitely going to agree to the NIPT blood testing, and they will do the nuchal translucency screening during the ultrasound, as well. I will also be getting an echocardiogram and an EKG in the afternoon, which I'm SO excited about. nope. The doctor wants me to do it, and I guess it can't hurt to be clear, but I've never had blood pressure or heart problems detected of any kind. I've had excellent blood pressure readings, actually, as well as cholesterol. Oh well. It doesn't sound painful, at least.

I will post an update later with more information and hopefully an exciting new ultrasound picture. I think we will be able to hear the heart this time, too, and I'm sure their machine will amplify it better than our home doppler. I'm definitely looking forward to that, and I hope my little guy is kicking and moving around in there. 😊

Pregnancy Update #2 - First Ultrasound

We FINALLY had our first ultrasound yesterday. We got there 10-15 minutes early, which is not a common occurrence. We were just so anxious and excited. The business person went over my benefits, which are very good! Plus, I will have secondary insurance through RC, once we're married, so we may not have much in the way of medical expenses for this pregnancy. Did I say "this pregnancy"? Oops, foreshadowing...

After a few minutes, we were called back to the ultrasound room. I was holding RC's hand so tight all the way to the clinic and all the way back to our room. They were doing a belly ultrasound, so I hopped right up on the table and just undid my pants. The room had a big TV-type screen on the wall in front of us, so we had a great view. She squirted the jelly and began moving the ultrasound scope around...within just a couple seconds, I saw that beautiful, telltale bubble - and there was definitely something inside! AAAAHHH! We both were thinking, "Is there another one? Will we see a second bubble?" A millisecond of disappointment...

But she quickly honed in on our one bubble and baby, and we were overwhelmed with gratitude and happiness again as she started speaking a new, beautiful language: "There's your baby!"; "Looks great!"; "It's measuring right on track."; "There's the heartbeat; see the heartbeat?" - Yes, we did!! OMG, I was so moved and overcome with waves of relief and joy. I was exclaiming ecstatically, and sometimes nonsensically, at times, and may have shed a few tears. Wow, what an amazing experience. The heart rate was very strong at 165. We got pictures, of course, and a video of the little bub with his/her heart beating. Our little Pudge. We went out to a delicious pasta lunch to celebrate and spent the rest of the day processing this new reality, which feels ever so much more real.

More later, but now I need to get my rear out the door to run many errands to make this wedding and honeymoon happen. Two more days! So exciting knowing our little Pudge will be with us on our special day. 💗


Do you see the little old man face? I don't think that's really Pudge's face, is it? Can you see the arm?