Latest Doctor Visit

Just wanted to pop on and update on my doctor's latest appointment! I had to redo my glucose test just to be safe, so here's hoping I pass again. If I remember my weight correctly from my last appointment two weeks ago, I'm down two pounds. The doctor didn't say anything about it, but perhaps I'll start having an Instant Breakfast every day again. I've been stuffing my face less lately, perhaps because the babies are taking up so much room.

I asked her about how things will go from here forward, since I'm less than ten weeks from delivering these babies (cue screaming). After Monday's ultrasound and cervical check, I'll switch to doing weekly contraction tests along with quick ultrasound checks of the babies (I'll be 30 weeks at this point). They want to make sure I'm not contracting like crazy without realizing it. So far I have had a few Braxton Hicks contractions, mainly when I overdo it or am dehydrated (they are practice contractions that don't advance labor or anything).

She's paranoid mainly because of the stress of my daily commute. It's eased up a bit because Blue drives me to the train and picks me up, but there is still the super sweltering subway and walking between work and the subway. I caved and took a cab one afternoon this week -- I just couldn't take doing the subway. Each day I make it home gets me one day closer to babies and is one less day on possible bed rest. And each Friday I send up a silent "thank you" for getting me through one more week of being able to work. As much as staying home sounds awesome, I know I need my leave AFTER babies arrive and want to keep as much vacation time available for post-baby doctor appointments. And, you know, maybe a small vacation next summer.

Cervical checks will be done weekly by my doctor in her office (joy). I'm hoping I can roll all of those appointments into one day and perhaps take Thursdays off from here on out. My doctor only does appointments on Thursdays, which makes it fun when my rheumatologist in the city also seems to only do Thursdays... will need to finagle my appointment with her.

Then when I hit 34 weeks, they'll start adding fetal heart checks onto the contraction test appointments. They'll want to make sure they aren't stressing out and that there is still enough fluid around each of them. Speaking of hearts, today Baby A had a heart rate of 147 and Baby B was 151. So they are both staying strong!

We also discussed my delivery. I'm opting for a C-section for several reasons, so I was wondering about scheduling one versus waiting until I go into labor on my own. At my next appointment in two weeks, we'll schedule a section for 38 weeks, which will be around November 12th. I'm not sure what days she is available to do them, so it may be a few days sooner or later. 11/12/12 would be rather easy to remember though. If I go into labor sooner than that, they'll do one when I get in to labor & delivery. My next task is to make an appointment for a consultation with the anesthesiologist, which I assume is to go over the risks and sign consent forms for the medication they give you. Good times there!

Oh, and she's ordered me to buy new shoes for more support for my back. Gotta go shoe shopping. Darn! Maybe that's something my mom and I can do on Saturday while my stepdad is finishing up the nursery floor and making built-ins for the second closet area in there.

So that's where things stand! It's so crazy that they will be here in less than 10 weeks. So much left to do! I might pack up a hospital bag in the next two weeks, just in case. Maybe by being prepared we won't need it until mid-November!

And a small addendum to say that I have indeed finished up our honeymoon album! Today I also finished writing our thank you cards for the wedding (yes, the wedding that was almost two years ago). Profuse apologies were given and forgiveness begged for. It really was just ten or so people that we truly meant to send cards to long ago, but we saved them for last because we knew they'd be most understanding (and because we see them a lot). Still don't feel great that it took us this long. Off to start baby shower thank yous now! And beginning to wonder if our wedding album will ever get done. I have ten weeks, right?