Baby Update...

I went to the doctor yesterday - and there are no signs that this baby is coming out any time soon.....

I have an ultrasound appointment today (I guess to check everything out) and a follow-up with the doctor on Thursday.

We also talked about induction dates..and she wants to induce either Thursday evening / Friday at this point. She also seemed even more resolved that this baby will not be coming out naturally and a c-section is even more likely (although, I do believe we are still going to try labor first to see if things work out before heading the surgical route).

Thanks for your prayers and support. And...maybe next time I post, it will be pictures of a healthy, baby boy this weekend!!

Love,

Kristin

40 Weeks!! Ticktock, ticktock, ticktock

Wow!  I can't believe how fast this pregnancy has gone!  We are already at this little guy's "official" due date!

I have an appointment later this afternoon with the doctor, so there may be a discussion of how long she will let us go before induction, but we will see!

And....this will (probably) be the last picture until he comes......

40 weeks!!

The Good...and the Bad

The purpose of the blog was to be able to keep friends / family up to date on our lives. In order to stay true to that, I need to be able to write the more difficult parts of life as well.  

The following writings will not be gory, per se, but will be more "medically" (i.e. more facts than you might want to know about me :) ) inclined - so if you don't want to know the details, then I would stop reading right about........now. :)

I went to the doctor yesterday afternoon.  During the appointment they did the normal weight and blood pressure check (both good) and checked the baby's heartrate (also good).  She also checked to see if I had made any progress (effacement / dilation, etc.), and....I have not (I am pretty sure if there would be a "negative" stage, that's the stage I would be in).  However, the doctor was unsure if the baby was head down, so wanted to do an ultrasound.  The good news, is that the baby's head is down (and facing the correct way) - which is great!  The harder to swallow news is that the doctor thinks there is a good chance I might have to have a C-section.  

Don't get me wrong, I always knew there was a possibility that a C-section would happen - as I have had friends / family both go through them.  I also have been told "don't anticipate your birth plan going accordingly, as things change and they change fast".  I thought that if a c-section was going to come - it would be in an emergency situation (i.e. stressed baby) - my adrenaline would already be running, and I would just come to the conclusion (very quickly) - let's get this baby out as safe and quick as possible.

However, I definitely did not expect to be told that my body just not be able to have this baby (and it isn't because the baby is ginormous) - it is more the fact that my body (apparently) is small.  The doctor said there is a chance that during labor things could loosen/soften up a bit, but she definitely wanted to give me a heads up that a c-section was a good possibility - major surgery = scary!  So, as of right now - they are waiting on a normal labor and then going to see if things will work out "naturally" or if not, go in and get the little guy themselves.  I have another appointment on Tuesday (the "official" due date), so maybe will know more by then.  There are a lot of thoughts running through my head - if they go the 'natural' route, will the baby be stressed in any way, will it put me in danger, how come I she thinks I am unable to do something so many other women have been able to do (yes - I realize that the doctor will not put the baby in danger if she thinks it is a possibility, and I realize having a small pelvis does not make me less of a woman - but I am just being honest with some feelings right now).  The blessing is that she is aware of the size and can be monitoring the situation a little more closely than if I were to have gone into labor without knowing this before hand - that could have really made things difficult / dangerous.

In the end - all we want is a healthy baby!

Your continued prayers are appreciated!! 

   

39+ Weeks....and counting

My water broke.....well, at least I thought so the other night. I was sitting on the couch two nights ago....and all of a sudden I felt a rush of water underneath me.  Was this what is felt like?  I mean...I never have been pregnant / gone through labor / experienced anything like it.  But it wasn't anything like I thought...it was cold (and I mean ICE cold) and it felt like it was coming from my back side rather than underneath me.  So, as I started to get up to go tell Andy what was happening, I felt the water coming in the direction from the left side of my leg. I turned to look back at the couch...and my cup of ice cold water and tipped over and had spilled to where I had been sitting.  Ha ha.  So - I guess I still don't know what my water breaking feels like :).

Last Saturday, we went blueberry picking with some friends - because what better activity than to go picking when you are 9 months pregnant :).  A long with them was their little girl - who we are pretty sure ate her weight in blueberries - but did SO well in knowing exactly which ones to pick off the bush to eat :).  We were able to get 9 pounds of blueberries!! (Andy picked 6...I only got 3 - but I only picked off the top of the bushes and ate a lot along the way :) ).  We have made 2 fruit tarts and a few pans of lemon-blueberry sweet rolls (recipe courtesy of Pioneer Woman) and froze the rest. We are looking forward to the future delicious treats to come this summer.

So - in picture form - a picture from the blueberry farm & our finished nursery (all we need is a baby now!)

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support - the countdown continues - anywhere from now until 2 weeks and we will get to meet our baby in the world!

-Kristin

37 weeks!!!

Yes - I realize it has been over 5 weeks since I posted - so much has been happening!  I'll have to divide this post up into a couple different sections: 1) the Baby Shower, 2) Overnight at the Hospital, 3) Mothers Day, and 4) the Final Countdown (a.k.a. winter-melon does not mean your body temperature decreases).

So - first up - the Baby Shower!

My friend Meghan hosted a beautiful shower for Andy and I. Actually - her awesomely designed invitations actually inspired Andy and I to theme the nursery with a nautical theme. She even painted some really cool signs that we have already hung up in the nursery (pictures of the almost completed nursery to be up soon.  Andy and I want to thank all of our friends and family that were with us physically and in spirit - supporting us as we begin this new adventure (formal thank yous are still currently being written :)).  It was a fun-filled crazy weekend. We were lucky enough to have some family come down for the shower/weekend - my Aunt Mary, Aunt Theresa, Grandma Dottie, mom, Aunt Janet (Andy's side), and cousin Jonna.  We are so blessed to have such awesome friends and family!

Next...Andy's first overnight stay at the hospital (excluding his own birth, of course).

So, the first Wednesday in May, I woke up in the middle of the night with some extreme cramping.  I thought it was mostly due to being extremely exhausted from a busy weekend, but had trouble getting back to sleep and didn't feel better in the morning.  I decided not to go to work to "sleep it off", but ended up calling the doctor when the office opened up at 9.  After some questions from the nurse, she suggested just heading up to the hospital to have everything checked out.  I got to the hospital a little before 10:30 and was hooked up to a monitor to watch the baby's heart beat and track contractions.  Apparently, I was having contractions (had no idea). Initially, they thought it was because I was dehydrated, but after a few hours and some liters of fluids with no change in the contractions, they decided the contractions were being caused by something else (my blood test did indicate a high white blood cell count). Around 2:30ish, the nurse came in to administer some medication (I do not recall what it was or what the purpose was anymore - I only recall it made my heart race and I got nauseous afterwards).  Around 3:30 - 4:00 - the doctor came in and essentially determined that because the contractions were stopping in frequency or strength they would administer some medicine to stop it and give me a steroid to help develop the baby's lungs in case he came early) and they would keep me overnight to monitor me and the baby.  Surprisingly enough, I was calm / not worried the entire day - God was somehow letting me know it was all going to be o.k. so there was nothing to stress out about. Thankfully, our friends, Kevin and Erin were willing and able to watch Ollie for us. Andy came by after work and settled in for a night at the hospital.  He had it pretty easy - the bed was essentially the couch pulled out to the equivalent of a twin-sized bed. He slept pretty well from what I can tell. As the nurses kept coming in to check the monitor and he barely stirred, and around 5:30, a gentleman had come in to the room to take some more blood for testing, and Andy, sound asleep, gave a little snore (the man chuckled a little bit).

The next morning, the doctor came in to let me know that I was still contracting - but by the morning - they had subsided enough for her not to be worried (as they didn't seem to be getting me closer to labor).  So - they released me (yay!), and the only thing I had to do was to return the next evening to get dose 2 of the steroids for baby K.

Thankfully - I haven't had any other issues since that night!

Sorry this is such a long post!  I guess I could  have split it up - but it is easier to just keep typing :)

Mother's Day -

There wasn't too much that happened on this day - just some reflection on what it really means to be a mom. There are some sacrifices I have had to make just being pregnant - but that is such a small comparison to what mom's do every day for their children. I have such great and amazing examples of true motherhood in my life: My mom, Andy's mom, and all our family & friends who have ventured into the adventure motherhood before me. All examples of strong, nurturing, faith-filled women that I have the blessing of being witness to!

Finally, ... I am at 37 weeks!  That gives me approximately 3 weeks (give or take a week or two either direction). According to my resources online - the baby is the size of a winter melon (which, do not let the name fool you - I am in no way, shape, form or fashion cold!).  Today - the doctor was able to tell me the baby's head was down (well, to her best estimate). So - however long it takes after that!  Also, I have had to say farewell to my ankles for awhile - they took a trip and I am not sure when they will be back. I miss them.

We just asked for continued prayers as we prepare for the labor / delivery / life as parents!

:)