Baby Update

I love going to the midwife! The best thing is the hour long appointments that I get to have with them. It was also exciting to see all the progress on the birthing center that they're building! I bring my girls with me to my appointments because they love to hear the heart "beep" and help measure my belly. They're very good student midwives! I actually wouldn't be surprised if one of my children ends up being a midwife someday!

So upon arrival to the midwifery office, I went in and weighed myself and tested my pee (lovely!) for protein and sugar. I believe at most OB offices, the nurse does this for you. It's just as easy and accurate for me to do so myself! I unfortunately gained 8 pounds in the past 4 weeks, which was a huge jump, but only 20 pounds gained thus far, so it's not a big deal.

Then we went over my tests from last week- the gestational diabetes glucose tolerance test and hematocrit (iron) level testing. The first result was excellent- my glucose level was 80! They're looking for anything under 130, so I was better than okay. I tolerate sugar just fine. It's a good thing, too, because I have a bit of a sugar addiction! I am trying to be better about my sugar consumption, but it is just soooo good! At least this time when I have a 9-10 pound baby, there will be no question that this was just a result of me making big babies rather than having a GD big baby (I didn't get the test with Rose, and she was over 9 pounds, which is why I opted to get tested this time around).

The iron levels, however, are a concern. I've been pretty good about remembering to take my iron supplements, but apparently my body needs a little more of a boost because my iron level was at 30, which is the lowest it's ever been in any of my pregnancies. I need to work to get it up so I don't have to transfer care to a hospital midwife at the end of my pregnancy. I'm now drinking a pregnancy tea which includes nettle and dandilion root which have iron in them. I'm also taking an herb, yellow dock, which helps with iron absobtion. I cook off of cast iron pans already, and have been taking a whole food iron supplement along with my prenatal vitamin. They'll retest my iron level in 6 weeks. Hopefully by then it will be higher! At least now I know why I've been so tired and cranky all the time!

I complained about my aching back, and I will be referred to physical therapy! Unfortunately we can't afford chiropractic care with this pregnancy (as much as I would love to be able to afford it) so this is the only option that my insurance will pay for. I'm hoping with the work Dave's been getting recently I'll be able to get some adjustments at the end of my pregnancy.

Then, the fun stuff. We measured my belly (29 cm, which for me is normal- about 1-2 cm ahead of how many weeks pregnant I am), and listened to the heart "beep" through the fetoscope. I was able to hear it quite clearly this time! It is so hard to hear the heartbeat in one of those. It's different than a doppler, which has adjustable volume controls. This one you have to really focus and listen for it. It is a very faint thumping, but it was clear as a bell once I heard it. Lacy got to listen to it to, and use the fetoscope herself. She loves doing that! The midwife also felt for baby's position, and my guess was right on the money- he is still head down. I determined this based on where I was feeling the hiccups! I think he was flipping all over the place the other day, but went back to head down before the day was done. Then she took my blood pressure and said, "wow, this is high for you!" It was 100/60. Yeah, that's a high blood pressure reading for me, all right! After I had Lacy, I was on my back on the floor passed out because it got down to 60/40! I tend to run low. Last time I think my high number was in the 80s or 90s.

I don't have a new belly picture to post, so for now you'll just get the update. I'll understand if most of you don't want to read this- it's just technical stuff for my own enjoyment later on, anyway!