But don't stress everything is fine.....
Yesterday I woke up at 3.30am and was really sick. It continued again at 6.00am, 8.00am and even at 11.00am after having taking some anti nausea tablets. Jochen was getting a little bit concerned but I wasn't too worried, figured that it was probably just something I ate or a 24 hour bug of some description.
By 3.30pm when I still hadn't managed to keep any liquid down and was having quite strong bracksten hicks contractions, I thought that it was probably time to give the maternity ward a call and see what I should do. I was told to put in my hospital bags and come straight to hospital.
So we arrived at the emergency department and they send me straight up to the maternity ward to make sure that the little one was okay. So we met Elenore the midwife, who looked after my cousin Sharon when she had her son Zac. Elenore was lovely and very reassuring - I hadn't overreacted by going to hospital. I was having the occasional 'proper' contraction which was a bit of a concern as was my state of dehydration but luckily my cervix had not dilated. So I was admitted, put on a drip, actually ended up having two full drip bags and was given an injection of an anti nausea medication. Thank goodness the medication worked and I stopped being sick which stopped the contractions, which meant that I wouldn't have to have further medication to stop the contractions. By about 5.30pm I was able to eat a bit of food and keep it down. They were going to keep me in overnight but I really wanted to be at home where I would be a bit more comfortable. Because I wasn't sick anymore and had eaten Dr. Pearson (coincidentally the doctor who had been on duty when Mum gave birth to me) let me come home. So at 9.00pm after a long and tiring day of feeling absolutely awful, I was on my way home again feeling a little better
I didn't sleep well last night, even in my own bed. Was too sore and uncomfortable. Got up finally at 2.00am and had a bath but that didn't really seem to help very much. I finally managed to get some sleep on the couch between 3.30am and 5.00am when I woke up and went back to bed. I probably should have stayed on the couch as I didn't sleep anymore after that. So I've been really tired today but I've been at Mum's being looked after, as our floors are being polished and I don't want to be around all the smell. I've been able to come home tonight though but probably won't be home much over the next few days.
What started out as another blog about pregnancy after infertility, became a story about the joys, worries, wonder and laughter created by our beautiful daughter Isabella and precious son Lucas.
Monday, September 26, 2005
Monday, September 19, 2005
OB Visit
So today we had an OB visit but not with Dr. Simon, who was away. Instead we saw Dr. Mirza who is the hospital maternity department resident or something similar. I have to say he was absolutely lovely and Jochen and I both agreed that we probably like him better than Dr. Simon who doesn't seem to have much of a bedside manner, although he does seem to know his stuff. If we end up having Dr. Mirza look after us when she does decide to arrive I won't be unhappy about it, he is just really quietly confident but explains things really well.
Anyway as for the little madam, she is still head down, kicking around with a good heart beat. I still seem to be measuring right for weeks and my blood pressure was even a little better at 105/70.
It is funny but I have this strange feeling that she might decide to come a little bit early as my body seems to be really getting ready, practicing contractions with a lot of bracksten hicks contractions still and the leaky breasts. I mentioned it to the midwife that we saw today, I think her name was Pat (couldn't quite warm up to her but I'm sure she would be fine) and she said it sounded like I might have an irritable uterus. Irritable is it? Well I would be irritable too if I had someone kicking the life out of me all the time.
Anyway as for the little madam, she is still head down, kicking around with a good heart beat. I still seem to be measuring right for weeks and my blood pressure was even a little better at 105/70.
It is funny but I have this strange feeling that she might decide to come a little bit early as my body seems to be really getting ready, practicing contractions with a lot of bracksten hicks contractions still and the leaky breasts. I mentioned it to the midwife that we saw today, I think her name was Pat (couldn't quite warm up to her but I'm sure she would be fine) and she said it sounded like I might have an irritable uterus. Irritable is it? Well I would be irritable too if I had someone kicking the life out of me all the time.
Saturday, September 17, 2005
Only 42 days to Go.....
Am I ready? I don't think so....
Is the time going quickly? Is it ever!
Am I as scared as hell? You betchya....
Is Jochen having to put up with a weepy sooky bub? Yep that would be me.
So we are at the 34 week mark and in general things are going really well. I'm pretty sure that my hormones are starting to play havoc with my emotions and giving me all the nausea and fatigue feelings again. Also not helped by the 5 or six trips to the toilet during the night and feeling very uncomfortable in bed. I would really have loved to have a soak in the bath the last couple of days to help me feel a little better but this has been impossible due to the fact that our bathroom and ensuite was finally being tiled. Hopefully I can hang out until tomorrow otherwise I might be tempted later this afternoon. It does look pretty amazing though. Just need to put in towel racks and things, which have been ordered and then get the floor polished which is happening on the 26th September. Our house will almost be finished on the inside by then which will be really nice after living in renovation land for the last 12 months or so.
Anyway as for Miss Ernie, this week according to pregnancy.org-
Is the time going quickly? Is it ever!
Am I as scared as hell? You betchya....
Is Jochen having to put up with a weepy sooky bub? Yep that would be me.
So we are at the 34 week mark and in general things are going really well. I'm pretty sure that my hormones are starting to play havoc with my emotions and giving me all the nausea and fatigue feelings again. Also not helped by the 5 or six trips to the toilet during the night and feeling very uncomfortable in bed. I would really have loved to have a soak in the bath the last couple of days to help me feel a little better but this has been impossible due to the fact that our bathroom and ensuite was finally being tiled. Hopefully I can hang out until tomorrow otherwise I might be tempted later this afternoon. It does look pretty amazing though. Just need to put in towel racks and things, which have been ordered and then get the floor polished which is happening on the 26th September. Our house will almost be finished on the inside by then which will be really nice after living in renovation land for the last 12 months or so.
Anyway as for Miss Ernie, this week according to pregnancy.org-
- She now acts completely like a newborn, with her eyes opened when awake and closed when sleeping. I may also find her settling into more of a routine for sleeping & awake times. Can't say that I have notice this yet.
- She has learned to blink. She can also see more clearly when there is a bright light on my stomach and probably has the outline of all my organs memorized so she knows just where to kick me to have the greatest effect.
- Antibodies from my blood are being transferred to her. These immunities continue to build until birth. Then breastmilk will add even more protection against disease.
- Our little girl may have already turned to a head-down position in preparation for birth - yep we know she has been here for the last four weeks. As she is our first baby, she may be settling into the pelvis with her head pressing against my cervix. It wouldn't surprise me if she is doing this too as it is getting mighty uncomfortable down there sometimes.
- Ernie's fingernails have reached the end of the fingertips now. She may scratch her face even before she is born.
- She is now about 45cm from head to toe and weighs about 2146 g.
Friday, September 16, 2005
Today's Ultrasound
Today we had an ultrasound to check on Ernie's growth and it looks like everything is going well. The ultrasound lady Marion wasn't very forthcoming with information but it looks like she is fine developmentally for her gestational age and that importantly she seems to be surrounded by enough amniotic fluid. I still suspect that she is going to be a smallish baby as she was only measuring 32 weeks for some of the measurement. Although I have to say that the measurement for the top of her head was measuring 36 weeks, so hopefully that means she is going to be a real little smarty, just like her mum and dad (smile). We got Marion to double check that she was a girl and yes she is, got another good close up of the area in question and there was no doubt about what we were seeing. I just wanted to confirm it as I know that sometimes they can get it wrong..... I think the chance of us now being surprised with a little boy is pretty low now. At the end of the ultrasound Marion kept it on her face and let us have a really good look and I have to say that I think she looked absolutely sweet. But I'm just biased I suppose. Jochen thought she looked like me as a baby - we will have to wait and see.
Anyway I know it is hard to work out what you are seeing but this is a picture of Ernie aged 33 weeks and 6 days.
Anyway I know it is hard to work out what you are seeing but this is a picture of Ernie aged 33 weeks and 6 days.
Most of what you can see is her head, the round circle in the middle towards the top is an eye, just left of the white patch is her nose and further left is her mouth. Further left of these is part of her arm which is pointing up.
I loved seeing her again. The next time that I see her will be in person.... how exciting is that.
I loved seeing her again. The next time that I see her will be in person.... how exciting is that.
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
General Update for 33 Weeks
So I've shown you Ernie's room but thought I should do a general update for the 33 Week and 3 Days mark as I haven't done this for a while.
Ernie has really grown and should look something like this at the moment.
Also according to pregnancy.org -
I've been on the look out for stretch marks on my belly or anywhere else for that matter but luckily there aren't any there yet and my innie belly button has not yet become an outie. Neither of these may actually happen but I've been on the look out. Thankfully I don't seem to be retaining fluid either, no swollen hands or ankles. If it is just this continuing nausea and fatigue then I think that I'm doing really well.
Jochen finally felt the full power of Ernie's kicks on Sunday night and it amazed him just how strong they were. We were in bed and he had his hand resting on my left side which is often where I feel her kicking. She gave a good kick and for some reason Jochen thought that I had done it (although how I could have done it I don't know). He seemed to be a bit surprised when I told him that I hadn't done anything and that it was his daughter giving me a kick or two as she often does. I think he can understand a little better why it hurts at times now. I have offered to give him a demonstration of how it feels on his ribs but he has yet to take me up on the offer.
I'm also getting better at being able to feel what is what down there. I'm sure I can feel her head which is already down. Sometimes depending on how she is laying I can feel her back then continue up and feel her bum, which is often located just under my ribs which I have to try and push down to a more comfortable position. We even get a foot kicking out at me on my left side, which looks really weird as does the general squirming and wiggling we get in the middle of my tummy. I love to lay in the bath and watch all the weird movements happening, it is something that I will never forget.
And finally, we were meant to be having a 3D ultrasound this Friday but I changed this to a normal ultrasound when I found out that we would only get pictures and not any video. I can't see that 3D photos would be much different from 2D ones especially at this late stage when there isn't much room to see anything apparently. Jochen and I talked about it and decided that having the video and pictures in 2D would be better than just having pictures in 3D and that Ernie might get more out of it when she has grown up. I am however looking forward to it anyway. It will be great to see how big she is and see her face in more detail. Hopefully we will also be able to confirm that she really is a girl - it still seems funny sometimes. Anyway I'll definitely post some pictures when we get back.
Ernie has really grown and should look something like this at the moment.
Also according to pregnancy.org -
- The Amniotic fluid surrounding Ernie is at its highest level that it has been during my pregnancy.
- Ernie's head size has increased due to rapid brain growth.
- Neurons and synapses are developing in huge numbers -- forming connections in your Ernie's brain which will give her all the skills she needs to thrive as a newborn. This week, she may be able to coordinate sucking and swallowing with breathing. What a big achievement that will be.
- While most of her bones are hardening, Ernie's skull is quite pliable and not completely joined. The bones will be able to move slightly to make birthing easier. I'm for anything that makes birth easier.
- Ernie takes intermittent deep breaths -- of water! That's okay, though since she gets oxygen from the placenta. This breathing exercises muscles and encourages her lung cells to produce more surfactant (a protein essential for healthy lung development). She also has the hiccups a lot.
- Ernie is now about 43.7cm long from head to toe and weighs about 1918gm.
I've been on the look out for stretch marks on my belly or anywhere else for that matter but luckily there aren't any there yet and my innie belly button has not yet become an outie. Neither of these may actually happen but I've been on the look out. Thankfully I don't seem to be retaining fluid either, no swollen hands or ankles. If it is just this continuing nausea and fatigue then I think that I'm doing really well.
Jochen finally felt the full power of Ernie's kicks on Sunday night and it amazed him just how strong they were. We were in bed and he had his hand resting on my left side which is often where I feel her kicking. She gave a good kick and for some reason Jochen thought that I had done it (although how I could have done it I don't know). He seemed to be a bit surprised when I told him that I hadn't done anything and that it was his daughter giving me a kick or two as she often does. I think he can understand a little better why it hurts at times now. I have offered to give him a demonstration of how it feels on his ribs but he has yet to take me up on the offer.
I'm also getting better at being able to feel what is what down there. I'm sure I can feel her head which is already down. Sometimes depending on how she is laying I can feel her back then continue up and feel her bum, which is often located just under my ribs which I have to try and push down to a more comfortable position. We even get a foot kicking out at me on my left side, which looks really weird as does the general squirming and wiggling we get in the middle of my tummy. I love to lay in the bath and watch all the weird movements happening, it is something that I will never forget.
And finally, we were meant to be having a 3D ultrasound this Friday but I changed this to a normal ultrasound when I found out that we would only get pictures and not any video. I can't see that 3D photos would be much different from 2D ones especially at this late stage when there isn't much room to see anything apparently. Jochen and I talked about it and decided that having the video and pictures in 2D would be better than just having pictures in 3D and that Ernie might get more out of it when she has grown up. I am however looking forward to it anyway. It will be great to see how big she is and see her face in more detail. Hopefully we will also be able to confirm that she really is a girl - it still seems funny sometimes. Anyway I'll definitely post some pictures when we get back.
Ernie's Room
So I've been slowing working on making Ernie's room look nice and cozy and suitable for a little girl. The bookshelf just arrived last week and I've already filled it up with kids books and some of my old teddy bears, including Ernie. I bought a nice colourful rug for the floor and yesterday whilst we were in Melbourne looking for things for the house we dropped in at Baby Bunting so that I could get more wall decorations and the flower pot book ends. Actually they look so good I wouldn't mind another pair.
As you can see from the pictures the room isn't quite finished yet but it is getting there. We still need to stain and varnish the cupboard and bedroom doors, add shear curtains, the new light fitting and dimmer switch. This will happen in the next couple of weeks hopefully. At some stage we will also be adding picture rails but as we are having trouble finding what we want this may not happen until after she arrives.
The pram, car seat and bouncer will come out of the room and it will look even better. Take a look at the change table and bath - that bugger took me hours to put together with all its little bits and basic instructions.
Overall I'm pretty happy with the way her room is looking. Oh yeah and if you think the cupboard may be hiding all the junk - check this out.
All the clothes are washed and ready to go. The second car seat is ready to go into the Jackaroo and her bag is packed with everything that the hospital has said she will need during our stay. And just in case you are thinking it - yes I am probably nuts.
As you can see from the pictures the room isn't quite finished yet but it is getting there. We still need to stain and varnish the cupboard and bedroom doors, add shear curtains, the new light fitting and dimmer switch. This will happen in the next couple of weeks hopefully. At some stage we will also be adding picture rails but as we are having trouble finding what we want this may not happen until after she arrives.
The pram, car seat and bouncer will come out of the room and it will look even better. Take a look at the change table and bath - that bugger took me hours to put together with all its little bits and basic instructions.
Overall I'm pretty happy with the way her room is looking. Oh yeah and if you think the cupboard may be hiding all the junk - check this out.
All the clothes are washed and ready to go. The second car seat is ready to go into the Jackaroo and her bag is packed with everything that the hospital has said she will need during our stay. And just in case you are thinking it - yes I am probably nuts.
Friday, September 09, 2005
Monday's Meltdown and Wednesday's Wobbly
Everyone now and then when stupid little things get to much for me I have the occasional meltdown or wobbly. This week has been a bit of a ripper in that department.
Monday night after Jochen got home from work he had to deal with a pregnant wife having a meltdown. So what was I so upset about? Well it was simple really and can be summed up in one word. FOOD!!!!!! I was hungry, starving in fact. But I couldn't think of anything that I felt like. I was also suffering from heartburn and thought that more food would make it feel worse. Add in the extreme nausea and tiredness that I was feeling and you have a meltdown waiting to happen. Yes crying was involved as was feeling sorry for myself that food was such a problem for me. I just wanted to enjoy and want food again and not be so picky. Anyway Jochen found me crying in our room, looking miserable. Being the wonderful husband that he is he gave me a cuddle, let me cry some more, got me to laugh at myself and finally got me to go with him to the kitchen where I ate more of what I had been eating all day - some of mum's lovely nutloaf, a piece of toast with tomato on it and a drink of milo. Okay so it wasn't the most nutritional dinner that could have been eaten but at least I ate something. End of meltdown - for the moment.
Tuesday came and went.... everything was fine.... then Wednesday struck. Not food this time but my BIRTHPLAN. I'd been working really hard on it and had not had any interest or input from Jochen (or that is what it had felt like anyway.) I thought I'd covered most of the main points and asked Jochen to look at it to see if he agreed with what I had written. I felt like all I got from him was criticism which really hurt when I had put so much thought and effort into it. Needless to say the highlights of the Wobbly were screwing up the plan and putting it in the bin and locking Jochen out of our bedroom when he wanted to talk about it. Okay so I knew he could get in with the little latch on the outside of the door, so children can't lock themselves in accidentally - but it was symbolic. I've never done that before but I just needed some time to myself as I had I worked myself up into quite a state that I knew wasn't quite rational. Jochen gave me a little time to myself before he came in, gave me a hug, let me cry some more, and then together we sorted it all out. He wasn't criticising what I had done or disagreeing with what I wanted for us, he just thought the tone that the plan had been written in, which I had got the basis of from the internet, was very condescending to the midwives who may be helping us, which was something I definitely did not want. After re-reading it I had to agree and although the guts of it has remained the same I've now re-written it in my own words and we are both happier. What a silly thing to have a wobbly over but I suspect it may have been related to still being quite scared about the actual birth which is getting closer day by day and trying to control with a birthplan, the uncontrollable.
Thank goodness we have had Friday without any freakouts. Think I was having a bad couple of days and I'm glad that my hormonal madness seems to have subsided. Thank goodness Jochen is such a wonderful and understanding husband, he has really copped a raw deal lately.
Monday night after Jochen got home from work he had to deal with a pregnant wife having a meltdown. So what was I so upset about? Well it was simple really and can be summed up in one word. FOOD!!!!!! I was hungry, starving in fact. But I couldn't think of anything that I felt like. I was also suffering from heartburn and thought that more food would make it feel worse. Add in the extreme nausea and tiredness that I was feeling and you have a meltdown waiting to happen. Yes crying was involved as was feeling sorry for myself that food was such a problem for me. I just wanted to enjoy and want food again and not be so picky. Anyway Jochen found me crying in our room, looking miserable. Being the wonderful husband that he is he gave me a cuddle, let me cry some more, got me to laugh at myself and finally got me to go with him to the kitchen where I ate more of what I had been eating all day - some of mum's lovely nutloaf, a piece of toast with tomato on it and a drink of milo. Okay so it wasn't the most nutritional dinner that could have been eaten but at least I ate something. End of meltdown - for the moment.
Tuesday came and went.... everything was fine.... then Wednesday struck. Not food this time but my BIRTHPLAN. I'd been working really hard on it and had not had any interest or input from Jochen (or that is what it had felt like anyway.) I thought I'd covered most of the main points and asked Jochen to look at it to see if he agreed with what I had written. I felt like all I got from him was criticism which really hurt when I had put so much thought and effort into it. Needless to say the highlights of the Wobbly were screwing up the plan and putting it in the bin and locking Jochen out of our bedroom when he wanted to talk about it. Okay so I knew he could get in with the little latch on the outside of the door, so children can't lock themselves in accidentally - but it was symbolic. I've never done that before but I just needed some time to myself as I had I worked myself up into quite a state that I knew wasn't quite rational. Jochen gave me a little time to myself before he came in, gave me a hug, let me cry some more, and then together we sorted it all out. He wasn't criticising what I had done or disagreeing with what I wanted for us, he just thought the tone that the plan had been written in, which I had got the basis of from the internet, was very condescending to the midwives who may be helping us, which was something I definitely did not want. After re-reading it I had to agree and although the guts of it has remained the same I've now re-written it in my own words and we are both happier. What a silly thing to have a wobbly over but I suspect it may have been related to still being quite scared about the actual birth which is getting closer day by day and trying to control with a birthplan, the uncontrollable.
Thank goodness we have had Friday without any freakouts. Think I was having a bad couple of days and I'm glad that my hormonal madness seems to have subsided. Thank goodness Jochen is such a wonderful and understanding husband, he has really copped a raw deal lately.
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
Off to the Maternity Ward
So last night we went for a quick trip to the maternity ward.
All day I had been having lots and lots of Braxton Hicks contractions, I get them quite frequently normally but nothing like what I was getting yesterday – particularly last night.
At nine o’clock after having had at least 15 Braxton Hicks in the previous hour, some that appeared to start just after the last one stopped, I thought I had better ring up the hospital to see if that was normal. I was a little surprised when they said that I should come down and get it checked out to make sure that I wasn’t in premature labour at 32 weeks. So we jumped in the car and headed to Warragul where the lovely midwife Helen put me on a monitor that measured but Ernie’s heartbeat and the pressure of the contractions. Of course I hardly had any contractions then, did I – which was typical. After about half an hour and only one or two contractions that were even remotely close to the pressure required for a proper contraction, Helen told me that it looked like everything was okay and I was allowed to go home. If I had been having normal contractions every 5 minutes or so I would have been sent to Melbourne where they would be better equipped to handle an 8 week prem baby. Needless to say the midwives who were there all suggested that I may want to get my bag packed ready just in case. Let’s hope that we don’t need it.
On the positive side we got to finally see the new maternity ward which hadn’t been opened when we were having our tour of the hospital a few weeks ago. I can now also say I’ve actually been in one of the birthing rooms and know what to expect now when I really do need to go there. This makes me feel more comfortable about what needs to happen.
All day I had been having lots and lots of Braxton Hicks contractions, I get them quite frequently normally but nothing like what I was getting yesterday – particularly last night.
At nine o’clock after having had at least 15 Braxton Hicks in the previous hour, some that appeared to start just after the last one stopped, I thought I had better ring up the hospital to see if that was normal. I was a little surprised when they said that I should come down and get it checked out to make sure that I wasn’t in premature labour at 32 weeks. So we jumped in the car and headed to Warragul where the lovely midwife Helen put me on a monitor that measured but Ernie’s heartbeat and the pressure of the contractions. Of course I hardly had any contractions then, did I – which was typical. After about half an hour and only one or two contractions that were even remotely close to the pressure required for a proper contraction, Helen told me that it looked like everything was okay and I was allowed to go home. If I had been having normal contractions every 5 minutes or so I would have been sent to Melbourne where they would be better equipped to handle an 8 week prem baby. Needless to say the midwives who were there all suggested that I may want to get my bag packed ready just in case. Let’s hope that we don’t need it.
On the positive side we got to finally see the new maternity ward which hadn’t been opened when we were having our tour of the hospital a few weeks ago. I can now also say I’ve actually been in one of the birthing rooms and know what to expect now when I really do need to go there. This makes me feel more comfortable about what needs to happen.
Monday, September 05, 2005
OB Update
Today I went to see Dr. Simon by myself as Jochen was on day shift, luckily it was pretty uneventful. So just after the 32 week mark I can report that everything is going just fine.
My uterus is still measuring right for weeks - which is always good to know, my blood pressure was 90/60 which is good for me.. not too low and the little Miss is still head down (as she has been since Week 30).
At our next OB visit at just after 34 Weeks Dr. Simon is going to be away so we will be seeing the hospital registrar who could possibly be on duty when I go into labour. I think that it is better to meet him now and not for the first time when I'm wearing very little and feeling pretty scared and vulnerable anyway. Also the Maternity Department should have moved into the new area by then so I'm going to see if we can have the tour that we weren't able to do during our last Antenatal class as they hadn't finished it yet.
Overall though I can say I'm feeling pretty good although I'm still suffering from nausea. I have come to the conclusion that this is just the way it will be for me, especially when I am tired. So I'm trying to get lots of rest. Which of course everyone is taking great delight in telling me to "do this while I can, because I won't get any after Ernie has arrived". It is like everyone is almost rubbing it in and laughing at the sleep deprivation that we have yet to experience. Yes I'm sure it will be hard, very hard, but I'm just as sure that like everyone else, Jochen and I will get through it.
My uterus is still measuring right for weeks - which is always good to know, my blood pressure was 90/60 which is good for me.. not too low and the little Miss is still head down (as she has been since Week 30).
At our next OB visit at just after 34 Weeks Dr. Simon is going to be away so we will be seeing the hospital registrar who could possibly be on duty when I go into labour. I think that it is better to meet him now and not for the first time when I'm wearing very little and feeling pretty scared and vulnerable anyway. Also the Maternity Department should have moved into the new area by then so I'm going to see if we can have the tour that we weren't able to do during our last Antenatal class as they hadn't finished it yet.
Overall though I can say I'm feeling pretty good although I'm still suffering from nausea. I have come to the conclusion that this is just the way it will be for me, especially when I am tired. So I'm trying to get lots of rest. Which of course everyone is taking great delight in telling me to "do this while I can, because I won't get any after Ernie has arrived". It is like everyone is almost rubbing it in and laughing at the sleep deprivation that we have yet to experience. Yes I'm sure it will be hard, very hard, but I'm just as sure that like everyone else, Jochen and I will get through it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)