Growth scan, BPP, and pic at 34 weeks

Magpie is now 34 weeks gestation (and change).

She is in the 35th%ile for weight - I think they said she weighs about five pounds, which my providers are very happy about, given the gestational diabetes.  And she passed yesterday's biophysical profile with flying colors - practicing breathing, kicking, having a good (but not too much) amount of amniotic fluid - another sign that the GD is not raging too much out of control).

That's my girl!

She is also kicking up a storm these days. Her head is down and her feet are up under the right side of my ribs now. She also seems to like to do what Will and I call "butt thrusts." Maybe it is the downward dog yoga position?

We also got another 3-D picture of her while we were at the growth scan. Magpie is looking very much like my husband Will. In fact, Will can do a Magpie impression by puffing his cheeks out that looks dramatically similar. It's quite something. My impressions only make me look silly, but don't resemble her in the least. Perhaps she will be a Daddy's Girl (not surprising. Moxie the Boxer is definitely also a Daddy's Girl).

Here she is, in all her glory...

Magpie at 34 weeks, 2 days

Magpie in a hoodie. Thanks, Will!

Mo

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Conversation 6 weeks before due date

Mo: So it appears we may be having a baby in a little over a month. Does it feel real to you?

Will: No. Not at all. I really cannot fathom it.

Mo: Doesn't feel real to me either.

[sit beside each other in silence on the couch for a bit]

...

Mo: Do you think that's how most first-time parents feel?

...

[silence]

Mo: Or do you think we're sort of fucked up because of our history?

...

Will: I think it's probably common, but I also think we're pretty fucked up.

...

Mo: Probably, huh? I guess it will feel more real after she gets here.

[sit beside each other in silence on the couch, holding hands]



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Coming out on Facebook

I took a big gulp and posted a picture and pregnancy announcement today on Facebook.

Hopefully this won't kill the baby.

I wasn't inclined to do this, but it seemed strange to just start posting baby pics 6 weeks from now. Especially after our loooonnnng infertility struggles, people wouldn't be way out of line for wondering if we'd just finally stolen a baby.

Which of course we've considered, but luckily (oh so luckily!), it looks like we won't have to do.

Assuming she makes it out ok. Which is something I still worry about a fair amount, but try not to dwell on.

She is alive right now - I can feel her squirming around. She passed her non-stress test with flying colors this morning. My blood glucose fasting numbers still seem really not ok to me...so am waiting for a call back about that...but hopefully she'll hang in there regardless.

I will be 34 weeks pregnant tomorrow.

I can't believe it.

And I really can't believe that it seems like we're going to have a baby in a little over a month.

How did we ever get so lucky?

Mo

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Catching up a bit with belly pics

Posted by popular demand...definitely still growing...

Kissing a shark in September at 32 weeks

28 weeks

Hiking with Moxie in July at 24 weeks

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Insulin...and the start of nighttime feedings already?!

Just to keep things interesting, I started on a long-acting form of injectable insulin late last week.

I saw my OB, who blessedly came back from her two-week vacation, and she agreed with me (and the nutritionist....and some of you...) that my blood sugar was not adequately controlled - most particularly the fasting levels, which were often mid-90s, with occasional spikes into the low 100s.

So insulin it is. I started on a low dose - 2 units - last Thursday night.

And instant amazingness!! My fasting numbers were great!! Around 90. Sometimes in the high 80s! (The goal is below 95.) All my post-prandial (after eating) levels were also awesome!

Sounds wonderful, doesn't it? Enter the next major snafu...

Ketones

Ketones: they look pretty, but are not a good thing at all.

I started having ketones in my urine, which means I am breaking down fat instead of glucose for energy. The highest levels were first thing in the morning (often measuring "moderate," but once measuring "large"--akkk!), and there were small amounts present when I tested throughout the day as well.

I tried reading up on this and found that ketones + baby = badness, particularly for later intellectual functioning of said baby. Many websites referred to this information...but I couldn't find any actual research discussing exactly what we were talking about here - how severe are these cognitive problems? what levels of ketones in the urine are an issue? Is a day or two of high ketones dangerous or is it more a problem over the long haul? Who knows... because pubmed.gov failed me, or I failed to use the right search terms.

I do know that my OB has gotten very aggressive with me all of the sudden, which is both comforting and a little alarming. I saw her last Thursday. And she wanted to speak to me Saturday and then again yesterday on the phone. She also wants to talk tomorrow. And she wants to hear every glucose number throughout the day and to hear about the ketone levels. And she has upped my antenatal monitoring to twice a week. And I'm referred to an endocrinologist, who I will be meeting with this Friday.

So yeah, based on her behavior, this is clearly something not to be messed with. (Not that I'm messing with anything; I'm truly trying my darndest. I just have been trying to figure out how worried to be).

Right now I'm experimenting with adding a middle-of-the-night snack to see if it helps with the ketones.  It is pretty weird to set an alarm for the wee hours of the morning and to then get up and eat. And my heartburn...well, yeah, not so great.

Will has set an alarm that actually talks, because he was worried I'd be so disoriented with just a tone that I wouldn't remember why it was going off. So at 2am or 3am, suddenly this mechanized voice says, "It's 2am, time to get up and eat your yogurt." It's rather strange, but effective. Who knew I would be doing middle of the night feedings for the baby already?! The midnight feedings helped some the first couple of days, but not enough. I was still testing positive for ketones.

This morning, I thought I struck the magic point finally - no ketones!! But...sigh...today's fasting glucose was a smidge high again at 95. Aaargh.

I am feeling a bit exhausted and also somewhat mystified and frustrated. But I will get this under control, no matter what it takes. I will do anything to try to help this little one be as safe and snug as possible until she's ready to join us.

Mo

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