39 Week Bumpdate (LAST one!)

Well, here we are at 39 weeks, which given this week's events, means that it is simultaneously Aubrey's birthday (separate post to come!).

How Big is Baby: The size of a watermelon!

Weight Gain: According to the MD scale, I am up 6.5 overall (after losing a half lb this week). Either way, I will have 38.5 lbs to lose to get back to pre-pregnancy (with Bella) weight! Oh Boy!

Workouts: Slowing down this week big time, partly b/c I am so tired, and partly b/c it was a holiday week so things weren't as normal in our schedule. Either way, I did a couple of birthing ball workouts and 2 mile long walks.

Maternity Clothes: Definitely need them, although with my torso being short, I still wear regular shirts that I'm probably stretching out like crazy!

Belly Button: For sure an outie!

Sleep: Falling asleep around 9 or 9:30, but waking up at 2 or 3 to pee, and often not getting back to sleep til 4 or 5.  If I do go back to sleep at 4, I'm up for the day at 5 or 6 (on days that I'm lucky!).

Cravings: Nachos, chicken pesto ravioli, bread, sweets particularly ice cream.

Aversions: The only thing that sounds disgusting to me is ground beef or ground turkey.

What I Missed: A big glass of cabernet with Thanksgiving dinner.

Symptoms: Nausea (what!?), crazy bad heartburn, pelvic pain, fatigue, and all over body pains with lower back being crazy bad!

Movement: Girlie's movements still are more than Bella, although it's getting tighter and tighter in there!  

Gender: It's a GIRL!

Best Moment this Week: Getting to celebrate Thanksgiving and a long weekend with the family which was a good mixture of fun, relaxing, and getting a ton of stuff done (to prepare for c-section recovery, as opposed to VBAC).

Worst Moment this Week: Having to schedule the c-section 2 weeks before planned, and not being able to try at a VBAC.

What I am Looking Forward to: Meeting our beautiful little Aubrey Lynn!

38 Week NST/US and Appointment

So this week there's good news, and bad news. Let's start with the good news: Aubrey overall looks great. And we got some cute 3D pics.  So here those are!

The not good news: my c-section date got moved up from 41 weeks, to 39 weeks : ( 

So for the story on that one:

On Monday, our NST went great. Aubrey's heart rate was mostly in the 130s, and she had great movement.

We went in for the US and appointment with a new midwife on Wednesday since Thursday was Thanksgiving.

This did not go as expected.

Aubrey's biophysical profile was perfect- she had tons of movement, was taking great practice breaths, and had good tone.

However, she was only measuring at 5 lb 13 oz which is about the 6th percentile, and her head circumference and belly size were measuring 4-5 weeks behind.  

Because of these measurements, she is considered IUGR (Intrauterine Growth Restriction or Retardation).

The US tech said that b/c she was so small, they would probably have me come back in Monday for a repeat US, so this is what I was banking on.

However, the midwife came into the room with other plans.  She wanted us to head straight to the hospital for a c-section.  I was completely taken by surprise, very disappointed, and just started crying (which those that know me well, know this is totally abnormal for me!).  

I have worked so hard to prepare for a natural, unmedicated VBAC, and here we are getting whisked away for another c-section.  I was heartbroken! 

However, after talking more with the midwife, who was in communication with my OB (who was at home sick with conjunctivitis), they both agreed that it would be ok to wait on the c-section until Monday since Aubrey looked so great and all her tests this week were perfect. 

I left the office super upset, but still with hope that I could naturally go into labor before Monday (which puts me at exactly 39 weeks).

We shall see...to be continued!

Maternity Pics!

This year I just didn't have the time or energy to find a professional photographer to get our maternity pictures done.  That being said, I definitely wanted a few of the bump, and am so glad we made time for them!  They may not be as edited and professional looking as the ones we did in Chicago with Isabella, but I am happy with the way that they turned out!

So those were my favorites!  And then you have these...