First Weekly "Check"

Dear Wyatt,

Today was the 35 Week appointment with Dr. W. My blood pressure was 136/82 and I had lost 4 lbs since last week! Dr. W told me it must have been all that extra fluid I was carrying around (I think it all came off my cankles!).

I sat on the patient table covering myself with a paper sheet for what felt like forever. Why is it that you are always bare-bottomed and covered with a Kleenex when your wait is the longest? Ugh.

When Dr. W finally came in she swabbed me to test for Group B Strep. This is routinely done between weeks 35 and 37 in pregnant women. GBS is found in 25% of healthy women and the main concern is the mother passing the bacteria to the baby during delivery. Therefore, if a woman is colonized with GBS she is given an antibiotic during delivery. I find out my results later.

Today was also my first "check". Dr. W told me I was 1 cm dilated and 60% effaced, which basically means my cervix is starting to open, shorten, and thin out now that delivery is coming soon. They want you to be at 10 cm and 100% effaced when you start pushing in active labor.

After my check, Dr. W told me that she wanted a Biophysical Profile (BPP) and I could either do it that afternoon or the next day. BPP is done if there are problems with the pregnancy, in our case, momma's blood pressure. I decided to schedule it for that afternoon because I would have time to stop by and see Allie and Lilly and eat lunch with Daley and Kari before going back.

Dr. W also told me that she felt comfortable inducing me at 37 weeks! She said that 37 weeks is considered term and you are just in there plumping up and would be healthy. She also said she understood that I was miserable on bedrest and there was no reason to keep cutting into my maternity leave if you are going to be safe and sound. I am in total agreement! It feels great to know I will be meeting you soon, little one!

Biscuit has the bedrest thing down pat, but I'm getting antsy!

I popped over to postpartum and got to see Allie and Lilly for a moment. She was getting ready to be discharged so the visit was brief, but I got to hold Lilly in my arms and about cried, she is so beautiful and sweet.

Lilly and I - Love at First Sight!

After dropping off some Thank You cards in the OR, I went to Chipotle with Daley and Kari. It was great to see them. It is so nice to get out of the house and have a conversation not in a text message or on the phone. They got me up to speed on everything going on!

At 1 PM I went back to have the BPP done, which consisted of an ultrasound and a nonstress test to make sure everything is okay with you. I first went to have an ultrasound and they tested you in several areas, which you passed immediately. They watched for breathing movement, body movement, and muscle tone. Then they checked amniotic fluid volume and we passed in that too. The test was to last 30 minutes, and since you passed in the first couple minutes, she just played around and showed you off to me. I hadn't seen you since 20 weeks and was amazed at how much you've grown! By your measurements, she estimated that you are about 6 lbs!

Your sweet little face

She called your lips "Cupid Lips"
You have your daddy's lips!

She explained that the large circle was your scrotum and
the smaller oval was your, well, you know! :)

You kept sticking your hands in your face and sucking on your hands and fingers. She kept trying to get a photo of your face for me, but you kept putting your hands in the way. Finally, she used a little buzzer to spook you into moving. She pressed it against my abdomen near your head and pushed a button and it vibrated and scared you! You moved your hands out of the way finally and we got a quick picture. You were also pretty active (she told me that the Chipotle must have got you moving!).

After the ultrasound, they took me to a different room to do the nonstress test. I got to sit in a comfy recliner and they hooked me up to a couple monitors like they did in L&D last week - one to record your heart rate and one to measure the duration of my contractions. They also handed me a button to push and told me to press it whenever I felt you move. It lasted about 20 minutes and we passed with flying colors.

After the BPP, I went back over to see Dr. W to discuss our results. She said that with your weight and measurements being in the 71st percentile, she felt comfortable taking you "early".

Next Wednesday I go see my cardiologist, Dr. T, one last time before I deliver. I also go to have another BPP done and then go see Dr. W afterwards again. I am really excited for next Wednesday to hear more about when I am going to be induced and meet you, little one!

Love you to bits,

Need I say more? :)