Friday, September 19, 2008

36 Week Update

Well...here we are, with 36 weeks staring us in the face tomorrow. Or, as my doctor reminded me yesterday, 35 weeks using the original due date. Pray tell, why did we change the due date based on growth if we're even going to still consider the original one even at all? In any case...

It was an eventful 36 week checkup for Bunny and I, yesterday afternoon.

We started out with the U/S tech, as always. Her comment, during the once over she does before zoning in on particular parts and organs, was "My goodness. She's outgrown her condo." Sure has! Seems I'm not stretching very well and so baby is taking up every inch of space possible. Everything looked great on the ultrasound. Computer modeling adjusted baby's age to be 36w2d...versus an age of 35w5d. The scan showed that she was about 6 pounds, 1 ounce, and the computer model indicated that she's growing at a pace of over an ounce a day. She is head down and engaged, using my ribs to prop her little feet up.

The perinatologist then came in to go over the scan with me and talk for a bit. His greatest concern was her size versus my size depending on how long we let her go before executing the plan to get her out. Otherwise, he felt that both she and I were doing well, and so he'd wait to hear from my obstetrician on how her half of the exam would go since it was time for an internal. (The peri couldn't see much of what was going on with me...baby was blocking any possible views.)

So down a floor in the medical building to the OB. Boy, was she in for a surprise! She had me lay back after the third listening of baby's heart rate that day and prepared to go prospecting...and her first reaction was "Oh my God, she's right there."

Turns out that I'm at 3cm, 75% effaced, and the doc had no problem touching baby. Baby did not enjoy that and stiffened up and stayed stiff until this afternoon, when she finally relaxed. All that we're missing right now is contractions!

We went into the appointment intending to start a plan for the second week of October or so to get Bunny out...and came out, instead, with a target date to keep Bunny in until. What a change of events! So our target date is September 27th - 37 weeks by the new date, 36 by the old.

In the meantime, the OB has decreed me on restricted movements. No prolonged standing, walking, lifting, nothing to raise my heart rate, period. If I start contracting sporadically, I'll switch over to bed rest. If I start contracting regularly, which she defined as 4 or more times per hour, she'll stick me in the hospital and try to slow things down. Anytime after the 27th, we'll just let things take their own course. So Bunny is on her way! :-)

There is just one more complication, however. And it's this: Future Daddy was deployed as part of a state police contingent to provide enforcement support to the local police in Galveston, Texas. He left yesterday morning. It's a 10-day deployment, not counting travel days. That puts him back home the afternoon of the 29th. So...things could get interesting!

I'll be back with more updates soon...on Lamaze and such. Hugs to everyone!

~FM~

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

You are going to be holding that baby in your arms in no time. :) WOW! Stay put little bunny for just one more week and my FD can come home a couple days early...I'm certain they have a contingency for this sort of thing on the police force.
Prayers are still coming at you! Its awesome that you are both doing so well. Even is bunny decides now is her time...Babies born this early happens all the time and do fabulously. :)