It’s always fun to record details leading up to a baby’s birth for others, but also for myself because as I look back at my other pregnancies, I read what happened and realized so many details are fuzzy!!
December 18th—28 week appointment
I have had to take my blood pressure medication every couple of days, but nothing consistent just yet. That’s an improvement from Jericho’s pregnancy. Lots of fun things happened at this appointment! I got my TDap shot (4th one in the last 8 years) 😅 should be great if I step on any rusty nails! 157 heartbeat; feeling lots of movement, enough that can be seen from across the room. Officially supposed to begin kick counts. I submitted paperwork for delivery at St. Francis, which I am nervous about because I’ve never delivered here before. When I got here for the glucose test, they were out, so I had to wait an extra 25 minutes for that to get started. I did pass it with a 118! I measured at 30 weeks, but I’m not surprised by that at all. Dr. Wilson said he felt comfortable inducing at any point after I hit 38 weeks based on my history with previous pregnancies and my already high blood pressure. This baby may end up with a February birthday after all! One of the many reasons I’ve downplayed “March” as the due date month!
December 31st—30 week appointment
I did start the blood pressure medication once a day beginning at 29 weeks. We anticipate needing to add the second pill soon. Heartbeat was 153. She is currently measuring at 32 weeks and 3 lbs 15 oz. The app says 2.9 lbs is average for now, so she’s a little bigger than average. John Charles, Jillian, & Jericho all got to see the ultrasound and even got their own copy of a picture of their baby! We discovered that she is currently transverse. Dr. Wilson said there are three options if she doesn’t flip in the next five weeks. 1) I can try some exercises to try to move her on my own, 2) at 39 weeks, Dr. Pennebaker can try to turn her at the hospital and if that’s successful, we would induce right away, or 3) we can wait until my due date to see if she turns on her own by then. We’ve already discussed that I won’t make it to my due date, which Dr. Wilson said “I didn’t say they were great options, but those are the options we have.” So we are hopeful that this baby turns herself head down or I’m looking at a C-Section at a brand new (to me) OB setting! We already have an ultrasound scheduled for my 35 week appointment, since I’m apparently elderly, and best case she has already turned head down!
January 15th—32 week appointment
She had a 163 heartbeat. My belly is measuring 33/34 weeks, so still a little big. I told the nurse some of my most recent BP readings from yesterday afternoon, which included 168/90 and 159/98. Even after 2-2.5 hours of resting and taking a BP pill, it was hovering at 150/85 yesterday evening. I did officially start taking two BP pills a day as of this morning, though I probably should have started the second pill a few days ago. We added an ultrasound to my appointment in 2 weeks and added extra lab work today to check my liver enzymes and platelet levels. If those don’t look good, I’ll get to go back to Dr before my next appointment. While checking out, my arm started dripping blood onto the floor from my needle stick, so lots of fun today. My liver enzymes were normal and my platelet levels were a little low at 163.
January 29th—34 week appointment
She has a heartbeat of 144, and thankfully is now head down! I have a small amount of protein in urine again. My belly is measuring 35 weeks & she is measuring at 36 weeks, so about 1.5 weeks ahead. She’s estimated to be 6 lbs 2 oz. My fluid level is at 8.2, which is a bit lower than they would like. They consider anywhere 10-25 to be normal at this point, with 5 being critical. I’m supposed to be taking it very easy now and drinking a gallon of water each day. My lower back has begun to bother me, and I can’t raise my left leg without significant effort. Stairs have become a challenge and it takes a few minutes for my body to adjust after standing up to be able to walk without significant pain.
February 4th—L&D visit!
Monday, 2/3, I didn’t feel lots of movement. I did kick counts, which she did move the proper number of times in the 30 minutes, but she just did not move much through the afternoon. Tuesday morning I woke up at about 2:30AM to use the restroom and while waiting to fall back asleep, I realized I didn’t feel her moving at all. I drank some grape juice and ate a piece of candy and still only felt one very slight hiccup-type movement. We decided to get checked out at L&D, just to be sure. I was terrified to go to the hospital by myself. We tried to call Jeff & Laura, but their phones were on silent, so I drove there, woke them up, and Laura headed to the hospital with me. Meanwhile, Jeff went to relieve Brandon and stay with the kids so Brandon could come to the hospital. It was a pretty traumatic 30-40 minutes between deciding to go to the hospital and getting hooked up on the monitors. However, right at 4AM, the nurse hooked me up and we heard a strong heartbeat of 145. Still very little movement, but just knowing she was okay was such a relief. They kept me for about 2.5 hours and did a BPP ultrasound to check for fluid levels. They were at 7.9, so still okay. I was able to go home and am to follow up with Dr. Wilson tomorrow at my next appointment.
February 5th—35 week appointment
Her heartbeat was 158, and she is showing good movement and breathing. She’s measuring 6 lbs 7 oz and a little over a week ahead. The BP medicine I’m on does slow fetal growth, so it’s not surprising that she’s starting to catch up to her gestational age. The fluid measurement today was 10, but Brandon questions how accurate it was. One of the thigh measurements taken today was 31/32 weeks, so he just isn’t sure the fluid changed from 7.9 to 10 in 27 hours. Dr. Wilson agreed that it was a subjective measurement based on the sonographer’s choice of placement for the endpoints, but he is not too concerned as long as it’s above 6. I still have some protein in my urine. I’m dilated to a tight 1 and 50% effaced, and he said I’m a good candidate for an induction. Due to my hypertension and history, he wants to induce me at 38 weeks! We set an induction date of February 24th.
February 12th—36 week appointment
Heartbeat was 168; she’s breathing well. My blood pressure was elevated, so they had me lie down and recheck it to make sure it would come back down under 140/90. I have more protein in my urine than last week. Fluid has dropped to 7. Dr. Wilson commented on how he feels like I am more swollen than just a week ago. They ran labs again to make sure everything is okay, and they all came back in normal range. Every single medical person today “try to keep drinking fluids as much as you can. Rest as much as you can. Let’s see if we can keep this baby in another week.” I am dilated to a loose 1 and 70% effaced.
February 19th—37 week appointment
Heartbeat was 180; she is moving and breathing well. She’s measuring about 7 lbs 9 oz now, so Dr. Wilson thinks she might be up to 8 lbs by Monday. Fluid was about 8.7, so that’s good! I am dilated to a 2 and 80% effaced. We are officially having sweet baby girl Monday, unless things change before then!
February 24th: induction date!!
We arrived just before midnight and waited in line to be checked in. There were two couples before us and one after, so I knew the L&D floor wouldn’t be silent tonight! The nurse told us after we got to the delivery room that there were 9 inductions today. Later, we found out 15 babies were delivered on Monday!!
1AM I was 3 cm & 80% and they started Pitocin. The nurse told me to let her know when I wanted my epidural, and I said I was fine for a bit. She said she would recommend getting it around 5:30, which sounded fine with me.
4AM The nurse said I was having contractions every 2-3 minutes but I didn’t feel any of them. I felt fine to continue without an epidural still.
6AM Dusty Daigle came to give me my epidural. He did a great job, and it worked wonderfully!!
6:30AM Nurse said I was still at 3 cm but much softer.
6:45AM Dr. Wilson broke my water, said I was still at 3 cm and -2 station.
9:00AM Nurse said I was at 4 cm.
10:15AM Nurse said I was at 8 cm.
10:45AM They called Dr Wilson, and said we were ready for him to come deliver the baby!!!
10:53PM Dr Wilson came in the room and after one push, she was born at 10:57AM!! He said I had a couple of scratches, but no tears or stitches.
Juniper got 9 and 9 APGAR scores. She did great nursing shortly after birth, too. Tuesday early in the morning, she weighed 7 lbs 11 oz, and by Tuesday evening she was 7 lbs 5 oz. Thursday morning at her checkup with Dr. Frost, she was 7 lbs 2 oz.
