I'm feeling a little down this morning. I haven't had any signs anything is starting up, and I feel like I am on a deadline now. At my doctor's appointment yesterday they said I'd be induced Wednesday if nothing had happened by then. She also said again that sometimes epidurals are used to help labour progress by relaxing the pelvis, especially with big babies. I'm SO hoping I can go into labour on my own, and that I can avoid the epidural.

I'm nervous about having to be induced, getting an epidural, and ending up witha c-section. (which is an increased likelihood once you are induced, versus going into labour on your own) I'm stressed because I feel like there is nothing I can do but wait and see.......I'm supposed to be resting so I can't even be out walking to try to get things going, and I don't know what else is supposed to help.
- posted by Wendy @ 8:10:00 a.m.

 
Another NST at the hospital, followed by an ultrasound and an OB consult. Baby girl is slowing down a bit but still active enough. Everything looked fine on the ultrasound, fluid hasn't increased, all the measurements seemed ok, though large. Her head is 9.9cm (!) and she's guestimated at about 9lb4oz!! (That's what hubby and I both weighed at birth)

The OB isn't in a rush to induce me, though he said that if I didn't go into labour within a week they'd probably want to. Cervix is softening and a fingertip dialated, so that is good, some progress there.

I noticed yesterday my hands started swelling. I did eat chinese food that day, so perhaps the sodium and MSG did it, but it was pretty bad. I could hardly close my hands and they hurt. Today it's better, though they are a little swollen still. I had some caffeinated tea this morning so that might have helped flush out some fluid.
- posted by Wendy @ 6:24:00 p.m.

 
More belly pics:


I don't think I've gotten a lot bigger in the last couple of weeks, but there sure is a lot of belly there!
- posted by Wendy @ 8:27:00 a.m.

 
Had my appointment earlier this afternoon. Baby isn't making any moves to show up yet! After my NST on Wednesday they'll do an ultrasound and then I will consult with an OB to discuss whether I should be induced or not. They can measure the amniotic fluid at the ultrasound, and see if that has changed or anything.
- posted by Wendy @ 4:49:00 p.m.

 
Still no sign of baby. I'm getting really impatient to meet her, and so is hubby. The second NST yesterday was fine, and I have an appointment in a couple hours. Hopefully they will examine me, and tell me if I'm dialated at all.

At the NST I learned I HAVE been having Braxton Hicks contractions, I just don't feel them. What I had thought was baby's bum sticking out when she got in a funny position, was just my uterus tightening up, and sticking out between the stomach muscles, which have seperated. Sure enough, when that happenned next, I felt my belly and it was quite hard. It happened a couple times last night, and has been happening for a while, I just didn't realize that's what it was!
- posted by Wendy @ 9:27:00 a.m.

 
At my doctor's appointment yesterday she decided to send me for a non stress test and another ultrasound.(this must be nearing a record, even the tech said "you're getting to be a regular customer!") My blood pressure had come down to 130/80 at the appointment, but doc still wants me on bedrest (damn!).

Baby Girl performed well enough at the NST, they're just checking for movement and heartrate to increase a certain number of times, and she did that fine. The ultrasound tech we had was really nice, she showed us tons of great face shots and profiles, and then handed us 4 photos at the end! I'll put them up once we scan them. We had to wait over an hour afterwards to chat with an OB. He didn't say much other than he wants me going in to the doc twice a week now, to watch my blood pressure, and mentioned inducing if there were problems.

One thing that makes me a little nervous is the OB and my doc both mentioned that with the amount of fluid I have, if my waters break, there would be a huge gush, and that could force the cord out, which is not a good thing. If my water breaks I'm to head straight for the hospital, and doc said to be on my hands and knees in the back of the car on the way there! A little scarey to think about!
- posted by Wendy @ 7:30:00 a.m.

 
After a day of dandilion tea and oatmeal/baking soda baths, I'd gotten a lot better, but I'm itching a lot again. This is really quite difficult to deal with! I really hope the doctor can offer me some hope at my appointment tomorrow!

I'm starting to get nervous, almost scared about the baby coming. I can't beleive it really could happen any old day. I don't know what labour is going to be like, how big this baby will be, and how I will do as a mother. It's quite a big deal!

I'm on bedrest still, but I've been cheating a little. I went out with hubby while he ran errands but mostly stayed in the car and knit while he ran in. I'm just getting crazy being stuck at home when I want to be out shopping! I really hope at my appointment tomorrow they say I can start doing things full force again.
- posted by Wendy @ 7:54:00 a.m.

 
The more I read the more it does sound like PUPP is what I have. I was up at 3am last night for a few hours, the itching was so bad I couldn'tsleep and I was shaking the bed scratching like a madwoman! I had a baking soda bath which granted me some releif for a little while. I had another cool bath with oatmeal and baking soda this morning, it takes the edge off at least.

Here's a photo of what my lower calf looks like right now:



I'm going to try and find some dandilion root tea today, and hopefully I can stand it a couple days until my appointment!
- posted by Wendy @ 9:59:00 a.m.

 
I am SO itchy!! I started itching earlier this week, and it's gotten progressively worse each day. As I scratch, little bumps appear, and they now cover almost my whole body! From reading online it sounds like it might be PUPP, but I'm not sure. It wasn't bad at the time of my appt on wednesday, and the doctor didn't reccommend any treatment, but it's getting unbearable. I might head to a clinic today - scratching this much is NOT good for me and I am very uncomfortable.
- posted by Wendy @ 7:35:00 a.m.

 
Just got back from the doctor's appointment. My blood pressure was up, something like 140/90, so I am now on bedrest. I'm not allowed to go into work tomorrow for my last day even! I'm not too broken up, I hope they won't give me any grief though. I'm quite swollen up, my feet are like little sausages. I'm itchy too, and a little rashy, which isn't anything the doc can help with unfortunately. I'm bummed about the bedrest, there is still a lot I wanted to do, and now I have to cancel a lot of things. My husband's birthday is this friday, and we had plans to go out. We still may - plans were to eat dinner out and watch the new Lord of the Rings movie, and that's pretty low key.

I got a sample newborn size diaper, along with a couple other things at the doctor's office today. I could not beleive how tiny that diaper is. I doubt our daughter will fit "newborn" sized of much of anything though, considering how large she is already!
- posted by Wendy @ 6:30:00 p.m.

 
Well we had our ultrasound this afternoon and it went well. Baby Girl is
head down! She's also facing my spine, which is perfect. We only got a glance at her face since she was facing my back, but it was neat to see how much more developed she is now compared to last time.

The other news we got is that she is going to be large. Heck, she already IS large, the measurements put her at about 8lbs 1 ounce already!!! I'm only at 35weeks 4 days today - so she's still growing! I'm not too surprised she is large, Hubby and I were both 9lbs 4 ounces, but it's still a shock hearing the numbers. I have extra amniotic fluid, which apparently isn't a problem, just partly due to the big baby. The OB we consulted after said the extra fluid and big baby would probably mean I'd go into labour around 38 to 38 and a half weeks, so within the next couple weeks. (He also said that having so much fluid meant if my water broke - expect a flood so have towels handy LOL)
- posted by Wendy @ 5:23:00 p.m.

 
I have an appointment for an ultrasound on Monday afternoon. If baby is breech or transverse, then we have a consultation with an Obstetrician right afterwards. I'm excited about seeing baby girl again, but nervous about the whole c-section idea. It's weird to think we may be planning the birth day on Monday!
- posted by Wendy @ 12:15:00 p.m.