A successful use of the potty

On the 6th, Baby Girl pulled off her diaper, walked over to the potty, sat on it and peed. I was very impressed. It was only the 3rd time she's gone on the potty and the first time it was entirely of her own volition. The other two times were because I could tell her was about to go so I put her on (once on her 2nd birthday and on one other occasion). Today she and Little Man have pediatrician appointments.

Pic of Baby Girl taken on April 29, 2012

Pic of Rhyme Girl and Little Man taken on May 4, 2012

Pic of Baby Girl and Little Man taken in April 2012

So our little lamb is more of a Baby Bird

Why??

Because any time we are eating anything that looks remotely interesting, she strolls over, tilts back her head and opens her mouth while gesturing at the food object of interest.

Anyway, she had her 2 year check up today.

Our DR is sending a referral to a pediatrician re: her assessed speech delay (which we had checked at KidsAbility about a month ago).

Her height is: 34.5 inches which the DR says puts her in the 75th percentile
Her weight is: 26.125 lbs which the DR says puts her in the 50th percentile

However; the nurse did the conversion from 11.9 kg and said it was 26.125 but an online conversion tool said "11.9 kilograms = 26.2350092 pounds"

Now, I'll also check using this: http://pediatrics.about.com/cs/usefultools/l/bl_kids_centils.htm

And it says:

At 2 years:

your child is 26.235 pounds, and that is at the 43rd percentile for weight.

your child is 34.5 inches (aka 2 feet 10½ inches), and that is at the 73rd percentile for height.

Little Man had a pediatrician appointment today

height: 51.5 inches tall - which the DR said puts him in the 20th percentile for boys his age

but the calculator I used last time says: your child is 51.5 inches, and that is
at the 19th percentile for height.

weight: 53.57 lbs (24.3 kg) - which the DR said puts him in the 10th percentile for boys his age

but the calculator I used last time says: your child is 53.57 pounds, and that is
at the 7th percentile for weight.

Wee girl is 6 months old!

Her height/length is apparently 27 1/4 inches
Her weight is: 18.2 lbs
Her head circumference is 17 1/2 inches

2 month appt stats + something to worry about

Height - 22.44 inches aka 57 cm
Weight - 12.103 lbs aka 5.49 kg
HC - 15.04 inches aka 38.2 cm

Child Growth Chart Calculator

Based on the data you submitted, your child falls into the following percentiles:
Length = between percentile 25 and 50
Weight = between percentile 50 and 75
Head Circumference = between percentile 10 and 25


DR said she was looking good, healthy and alert but he had one concern.

He said that her fontanel was about the size of his fingertip and that that was really small for her only being 2 months old.

He said that we needed to monitor it and if it appears to get smaller than a fingertip that we should come back in. But that he did not want to x-ray her at this point and expose her to radiation since it is still open albeit small.

I really didn't understand what this could mean but I googled it as soon as I got home and found:

http://www.answers.com/topic/craniosynostosis

Cranial deformity produced when the bones of the skull fuse too early. Pressure from the growing brain normally causes the skull bones to grow along the seams (cranial sutures) between them. If all the sutures fuse early, the head remains abnormally small, which can cause intellectual disability or blindness. If only one or some fuse early, the skull grows in other directions and becomes deformed. Surgery in the first two years to keep the sutures open longer minimizes these complications.

And now I am feeling extremely concerned and freaked out...

37 wk and 2 days OBGYN appt

My weight -- 296 lbs :(
My blood pressure -- 118 over 80

I've been told to go in for my pre-section bloodwork stuff this Friday since my section is scheduled for Wed the 24th.

baby's heartrate was 148 bpm.

I am tired and sore and cranky.

Can't wait till I have my sweet lil stubborn baby in my arms though :>

And the fun baby bpm site result based on doppler in my OBGYN's office says girl again...

36 wk and 3 day OBGYN appt

Next appt Mon., March 15th at 1:30 p.m.

Informed them of my BH contractions (which stopped while I was at the office - though they'd been going on for 2 hrs prior) and the painful BH ones last night between 2 and 3 a.m.

Group B strep test result = negative

No concerns with results of fetal growth ultrasound, though he said the weight was 3042 grams (3042 grams = 6.70646202 pounds).

He also said it was good that we already had a c-section scheduled because of the baby being bum down.

My weight (*cries*) - 293 lbs so I am up 10 fucking lbs!!!! I mean I ate like crazy yesterday and on the weekend but still -- 10 fucking lbs?!?!?!?!?! *sigh*

OB said that I've been doing excellent with my weight this pregnancy and not to worry about it, but to let him know if I suddenly notice any swelling.

My BP was 124 over 70

Baby's heartrate was 151 bpm at OBGYN's office using doppler.

35 wk and 4 day fetal growth ultrasound appt

So the tech didn't reveal much.

She said she'd tell me the gender if the baby revealed it -- but the baby did NOT reveal anything so Team Green carries on.

Apparently the baby is in a frank breech position (bum facing down). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breech_birth

Estimated weight at the moment is 6 lbs, 11 oz.

She didn't tell me baby's estimated length though.

And anything the OBGYN may want to discuss with me will happen at my next appt with him (which is Tues morning).

Baby heartrate was 147 during the ultrasound and Karen and I got to see baby waving its' fists on the monitor.

35 wk and 4 day OBGYN appt

My weight - 283 lbs (** my home scale says I am GAINING but according to the scale in the OBGYN office I am losing... I am confused **)

My blood pressure: 118 over 76

Baby's heartrate: 137

He did the group B strep culture today and I have some paperwork for my RCS (set for 12:30 p.m. March 24th).

Apparently I will be in hospital for 3 days (not counting the day of my c-section) as that is his personal recommendation. Though he said if I feel fantastic after 2 days, that I might be able to be released early.

There is some bloodwork I need to have done at least 4 days before my c-section and I am not allowed to eat anything as of the midnight before my c-section date though I am allowed clear liquids until 6 a.m.

My next appt is Tuesday, March 9th at 9:45 a.m.

And I have my fetal growth ultrasound at 2 p.m. today so expect another update later.

Lastly (and just for fun) re: the baby bpm gender guessing site...

OBGYN office with doppler

32 wk and 4 day OBGYN appt

Grr Arrgh!

OBGYN was in extreme cranky mode today.

Remember though - I choose him for his skill IN SPITE OF his bedside manner...

Still no c-section date --- arrrgh! This was the 3rd now (I think) appt in a row where it was discussed that it still needs to be booked. Now he was saying probably sometime March 23 - 25th depending on when other ones are booked.

Since the 23rd - 24th is the date range we've been discussing since what - January? Then maybe it should have been bloody well booked already!!!

I've apparently lost 3 lbs since my last appt and he asked why I thought that happened and I mentioned the wicked night-time heartburn/night sickness and then he says, "Well what do you want me to do about it?"

So I pointed out that I thought he'd want to know. He told me to try Gaviscon.

Oh, and the waiting room was standing room only today.

HOWEVER -- the office is going to be closed for a wk while he goes on vacation sometime before my next appt so he'll HOPEFULLY be nicer next time.

Anyway, I brought up that he said at my last appt that I'd be having another U/S and he said they'd book that for me and I said, "Oh, OK."

So he says, "Well how else do you expect it to happen?" And I said that with my previous 2 ultrasounds, my family DR had given me the requesitions and had me book my own within a timeframe the DR gave me.

Nonetheless, they booked the U/S for me with no input on the place I prefer to go, and no input on the time so I have to go to a place on Pine St for 2 p.m. on March the 3rd.

The form they gave me just says that it's to check "fetal growth" -- but now I'm wondering, does that mean he's concerned about the baby's growth?

Oh and that same day, the 3rd, is also when I go for my next OBGYN appt - and that's at 10:45 a.m.

He's never given me my measurements or anything even though he measures me -- but he was so cranky today I didn't want to ask ANYTHING...

Stats for today were:

Weight - 285 lbs
Blood Pressure - 134/80

Baby's heartrate - 121 bpm. He said 120 - 160 is "normal" and I asked if I should be worried since it was so close to the low end of normal and he repeated that 120 - 160 is normal.

So I asked if that was his way of telling me to NOT worry about it. And he said, "yes."

So there we go.

And re: the baby bpm guessing site --

OBGYN short appt

Dr. C seemed kind of rushed today.

Heard baby's heartbeat with doppler -- 132 bpm (think baby was at rest since I hadn't been kicked much yet)

He measured my stomach but didn't tell me what I was measuring at.

My BP was 122 over 78.

My weight (arrgh!) - 288 lbs

The hospital had not sent my glucose results to the office yet (even though I had the test Dec 30th) so they are following up on that.

EDITED TO ADD: Apparently my glucose test came out at 8.0 and they like it to be no higher than 7.8 so I have to do the freakin' 3 hr test on Friday morning at 8:30 a.m. at the lab across the hall from Dr. C's office.

Still no date set for the repeat C-section (from now on to be known as RCS) but he's still thinking March 23rd or March 24th.

He seemed a bit confused about why he would have proposed a date more than a week before my due date and I reminded him that it was because of my emerg. C-section that I had with Little Man.

Should I be nervous that he needed to be reminded?

While in the waiting room, one of the Moms-to-be there turned out to be the sister of one of the teachers at Little Man's school (Mme H.'s sister).

My next appt is Feb 10th at 9:15 a.m. and, apparently, I will be getting one more U/S sometime in March. Though by then, my baby should be pretty big so who knows if we'll actually get to move from "Team Green" to team Blue or Pink???

That baby bpm guessing site says: BOY



But I still keep thinking GIRL...

re: glucose testing...

http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/glucose/test.html#what

1st appt with my OBGYN

So, I took H. with me to be my brain, essentially, and she did a damn good job of it.

I still forgot to ask about how long I can work, about my bouts of swelling feet and about the occasional heart palpitations when I lay down to go to bed (though my family DR was aware of all that and had no concerns or restrictions other than not lifting anything more than 10 lbs and staying off my feet as much as I can).

My weight on the scale at the OBGYN's office was more in line with what my scale at home says and NOT what the scale at my family DR's office said (too bad though, I liked the idea of being lighter).

So according to their scale I am 283 lbs. Which, according to my home scale means I've gained 11 lbs so far.

I guess I am OK with that.

I need to decide whether or not I will have a tubal ligation at the same time as my C-section. My OBGYN does recommend doing it at the same time and thinks it's the best option for me but now I find myself re-thinking the finality of it.

As well, I've been hearing some horror stories online about the side effects women have experienced after getting one done.

*sigh*

I go back for my next appt the morning of Jan 12th.

Oh and there are no concerns about the LEEP I had in Jan '08 and the performance of my cervix. He checked my cervix and the baby was fine.

He said that the max time he will schedule a C-section is 10 days before my due date.

My due date was changed to April 3rd at my 2nd ultrasound so that means the earliest (unless I go into labour) that I will have my baby is - March 24, 2010.

I was really hoping for March 18th because that would be during March Break so I could just have Little Man stay with his father or with some of my friends and not have to worry about how to get him to and from school and all of that.

And of course, I am worried that I might just go into labour early anyway. If that happens, I will still have a C-section but it might be a lil more scary than a scheduled one but hopefully LESS scary than the emergency one I had to deliver Little Man.

Oh but if I go into labour before my scheduled C-section date, I might not have the same OBGYN and I really am not fond of that idea either...

In other news, my baby's heartrate was 153 bpm on the doppler.

There is a funny little site that supposedly predicts a child's gender via their heartrate on their ultrasound dates. But I'll put in the doppler rates too and we'll see which gender is winning.

http://www.babybpm.com/

1st ultrasound



family DR office with doppler



2nd ultrasound



family DR office with doppler



OBGYN office with doppler

My appt today

DR had a bit of a tough time finding the baby's heartbeat but he did and it was 130 (just like last time).

My blood pressure was 120 over 80.

I asked about my placenta placement and it is posterior, behind the uterus.

And I have paperwork to give to my OBGYN on the 9th...

From my first u/s (for dating purposes) of Sept 28, 2009 -- it says:

crown-rump length of 5.8 cm
Biparietal diameter of 1.8 cm
head circumference of 7.3 cm
abdominal circumference of 6.5 cm

The average of these measurements is about a 13 wk size.

fetal heart rate - 165 bpm

cervical canal is closed & both maternal ovaries were outlined and look normal. No free fluid is present.

From my 2nd u/s of Nov 5, 2009 -- it says:

There is a single, live intrauterine gestation with cephalic presentation.

Biparietal diameter: 4.1 cm = 18 wks, 4 days

head circumference: 14.8 cm = 18 wks, 0 days

abdominal circumference: 15.0 cm = 20 wks, 2 days

femur length: 2.6 cm = 18 wks, 0 days

The average of these measurements is 18 wks, 5 days. Therefore size = dates according to the last u/s.

Visualization is somewhat limited but there is no obvious fetal anomaly. The placenta is posterior & clear of the internal os. The cervix measures 4.6 cm.

The amniotic fluid volume is within normal limits.

fetal heart rate - 145 bpm


IMPRESSION:
The est. gestational age based on size is 18 wks, 5 days.

For my quad screening blood work:

Screening result: screen negative
risk of Down`s: 1 in 19,000 (at term)
risk of NTD: 1 in 2,300
comment: Down`s risk due to maternal age alone is 1 in 200

Open spina bifida: maternal serum AFP is NOT elevated for a pregnancy of this gestational age

Down syndrome: the risk of Down`s syndrome is below the screening cut-off (1 in 200). No follow up is recommended.


Also, according to the paperwork re: last 3 appts

_____ G.Age___Weight______B.P.___Urine prot.__SFH___ Fetal HR
Oct 2/09_13_____119.8 kg___130/80_____1+ _______13______ --
Oct 28/09 _17 ___ 127.5 kg___140/90______0 _______17 _____ 130
Nov 25/09 _21 ____123.5 kg _ 120/80_____1+ _______20 _____ 130


Found a website about 2nd & 3rd trimester u/s -- though they use mm not cm on their chart... still an interesting read though.

http://www.brooksidepress.org/Products/Military_OBGYN/Ultrasound/2ndand3rdTrimesterUltrasoundScanning.htm

18 wk ultrasound

My EDD has been pushed back a day to April 3, 2010.

The baby was moving around and waved at Little Man (that's what the tech told LM when he and T. were allowed in).

Baby is measuring normally. 10 inches long about about 10 oz in weight I think the tech said.

HB - 145

Baby kept its legs closed the entire time according to the tech so even if the tech HAD been allowed to tell me anything, she said there was nothing to tell because the baby was shy.

I am going to add 2 of the U/S pics from today (but they aren't very clear unfortunately).

Today was a tough day

I am 99% certain that I miscarried today.

I go for an ultrasound tomorrow.

I am sore and aching and sad and tired.

I just need to say how thankful I am for T. and my friends who are loving and supportive.

I was at work and I was feeling sort of cramping pains in my right side. I had felt them a bit on Tuesday as well but I thought perhaps it was implantation or something because it was very mild. Not even as strong as period cramps.

But I went to the bathroom and I was spotting. It was kind of a deep mauve colour and I was feeling a little more crampy.

I called the DR and made an appt to come in. Then I thought about calling T. but I didn't want to get him worried unnecessarily so I called my S-girl.

Got to her place (after leaving work early, while totally bawling) and I laid down for awhile and sobbed.

I made her look at the colour of the blood. Yes I did. She handled my urine container on Monday to make sure I didn't screw up the test and then today, I made her look at a swab of paper with my blood on it.

That's what friends are for, folks.

She took me to my appt and came in to the room with me and spoke to the DR. He seemed totally unconcerned and gave us some requisition forms.

S-girl & I picked up T. and I left word for H. via her man as to what was going on.

Could not get in anywhere for an ultrasound today though.

Cried and slept a LOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Every time I go to the bathroom, it looks more and more like a "regular" period so each time I go to the bathroom - I start crying again.

Logically, I realize that there was nothing I could do to stop this from happening. And I also know that if this was to be the outcome of this pregnancy, it is better that it happened sooner rather than later, but I am still really, really sad.

I am grieving, essentially, for the death of a dream.

Or has the dream really died?

Even though I have one slim hope, which is probably ridiculous, I'll tell you what it is.

I have read that women over 35 have a higher chance of having fraternal twins. So, if that's the case then MAYBE I was one of those women with two embryos. And maybe I lost one but still am carrying one.

Also, T. has said that if I want to try again that we can.

I have a lot to think about.

And I still cling to a shred of hope that the ultrasound will show me that I still have a baby to be born even though, logically, I think it's over.

I'm sorry, baby.

I never got to know you.

Appointments

Dr. K. - July 13th at 2 p.m.

Pre-birth clinic at GRH - Aug 11th at 12:45 p.m. *must pick up paperwork beforehand*

Dr. C (OBGYN) - Aug 12th (must call and double-check the time)