24weeks! (and obgyn appt)

Today, I am 24 weeks! I am so excited. I hope I keep this baby baking for a lot longer though. I am happy to have a long, boring pregnancy in the heat of summer.

I had an obgyn appt today. Dr. is very happy with my progress. On the way to my appointment, I saw my RE (fertility doctor). He was on the phone, of course, but interrupted his call to say hi to me and to say I look great. I told him that I was 24wks, etc. He was very happy. Last time he saw me, I had a hematoma that was marked as a threatened miscarriage.

My obgyn kinda rushed me, but I guess he was in a hurry. I asked him about swimming and his response 'it's ok to swim and I would prefer you do that instead of walk or run'. I will have to tell my husband, but I am betting he still won't let me swim with my son. I asked him about getting my tubes tied and he had some standard answers for me and said 'we won't do it unless you are 110%'.

I asked him if the baby was down and he said he would feel and said he couldn't tell because the baby is still so small. Last time, the girl could feel that the baby was heads down.

Thanks for the support ladies! There are many times that I didn't know if I would make it this far.

23w5d -peri appt

Today, I had my appointment and I had asked my mom to go with me. She had 4 kids, but never has seen an u/s.
The baby didn't want to cooperate much as she was facing my back and breach. My mom asked the u/s tech to re-verify the gender and she couldn't do that. Other than that, it was a great appt. The tech actually did the 3D view of the baby and they NEVER do that at my peri's office. I know they *can* but they choose not to do that for people. The u/s tech was being nice probably because my mom was there.
Of course even when she did it, the baby's face was hard to see. We saw a little of her face. Her nose looks like my son's nose.

H/B: 152bpm
Weight: 1.5 lbs - last time at the same gestation I forgot to write down what it was...
Cervical length: 3.8 plus. Wow...my bladder was completely empty, but baby was high up and breach (not on my cervix). I asked the dr if that made a difference for the length and he said 'no'. I am so happy with that because that is longer than last time and I returned into the office yesterday. (instead of working from home). I am not sure she got a good measurement since at first she said it was really hard to get it because of the baby's position. She even said 'well if we can't get a measurement, we just don't take it'. With the cerclage they don't care as much (at least with a proactive one...).

They didn't want the dr to see me, but I decided to pay extra and wait for him. Last time at this same gestation, they wanted to do the same thing...
My mom and I had some time to burn, so we waited for him.

He was really nice to her and spent time talking to me about topics that aren't related to me really. He was telling my mom and I a few stories...
He said one of his patients lost a baby at 23wks and didn't want a cerclage on her 2nd pregnancy. He said she is now 21wks with her bag of water hanging out and he told her she needs the cerclage. He never worries about people, so I am glad he is at least telling that girl that she NEEDS the stitch. I hope things work out for her. I am not sure if he wanted to scare my mom, but he told her that cervical issues and people losing babies is an epidemic and they are seeing a lot of cases. I said 'oh because ppl wait to have kids and then they have multiples' and he said 'no, we have 18 yo girls with singletons all the way up to 40 yo ladies with multiples'. He said there are so many ppl who have IC issues that he doesn't know why. I was really surprised by that comment especially from him.

He told my mom that I could travel and that I could do anything really even have sex. After the appt, she told me that she thinks he is not very conservative and that I have to take it easy and listen to my body.

I asked the dr if I could swim and he said 'yes', but most likely I won't as DH thinks it isn't smart to do for infection. I agree. DH didn't go with me, but I gave him a full update afterwards. I asked the dr about my intenstinal problems and he said 'it was ok and wouldn't hurt the baby, but if it continued to talk to my obgyn'. If I ate something raw (which I never do...) he said I could get a bug that stays in my intestines for awhile and they might have to treat it. Ugh...He said I could take kaopectate or immodium for diarrhea, but I really haven't had any stomach pain since Sunday. I hate taking stuff, so I won't unless absolutely necessary.

Oh, a few people on the IC board that I frequent have wondered when the danger zone for IC is and if the hips really take over the baby's weight. I still think the danger zone for IC rearing its ugly head is 16-24wks. I think the baby's danger zone is still 24-28wks though....I do believe the baby's weight does get more on the hips around 24wks for *most* ppl, but I believe it has to do with your frame. This gestation last time my length had grown from 3.0cm to 3.3cm. This time it grew from 2.8cm to 3.8cm. I think at least for me, my hips have taken over. (maybe around 22 or 23wks.) My obgyn told me that the danger zone for IC with a cerclage is before 20wks, but I am not sure I buy that.

Thanks for all those who read...I know there are a few who read but don't post. That is ok, if you don't comment. I still appreciate you following my progress.

22w6d - Obgyn appt

Today I woke up to some loose bowels and some pain. I decided to go into the obgyn to make sure I didn't have an infection. Last time around this time, I had been diagnosed with BV and a UTI. The pain I felt was semi similar. I did capture my urine and thought it looked ok, but I am no dr. ;) I can kinda tell when it looks cloudy.
I got in with the nurse practioner and she said my urine was fine. They checked the baby on the doppler. She listened to my intenstines based on where I told her the pain was and she said they sounded irritated. She asked if I had diarrhea or vomiting. I said I had loose stools. She said most likely it was something that I ate and to eat very blandly over the next few days. bananas, rice, apples, toast (BRAT). I was glad that she didn't have to check inside my vagina.(like last time). Had my urine showed something, she would have...She offered to, but I declined if she didn't think that is what it was.
I was sick a few weeks ago, but that was vomitting and diarrhea.
I am just hoping that is all it is.
Oh, she asked me 'did you go out for cinco de mayo?'. I said no, but I did grab some food yesterday for lunch. I ate some spicy chips and I think my body doesn't appreciate spicy food with pregnancy.

Life is fragile...

I found out this week that a friend of mine lost her baby boy. He was full term and had a few problems besides spina bifida.

We are not that close, but I didn't even know she was pregnant. She doesn't live in my city. I am thinking she didn't tell a lot of her friends because she didn't know what was going to happen with the baby. His lungs just never developed due to some bladder issues.

I only found out because she posted an angel pic on her online profile.

I hate that the world gets any more moms who lose their babies. I have to say that she is the first dead baby mama that I know in real life. I have met so many online. It really is sad that anyone has to go through this.

She and her DH are in my thoughts and prayers (and her other living son).

It is just a reminder on how fragile life is...