Thirty-Two Week Appointment

I swear, these brain-farts are killer!  I can't remember anything anymore!

When I posted on Monday, I totally forgot to mention that we had our thirty-two week appointment scheduled for yesterday.  And then I forgot to post after we got home about how it went.  Man...what am I going to do with myself??  The scary thing is, I hear it gets worse after you deliver---aahhh!   Heaven help my poor child and those around me who expect me to remember anything important! lol

Ok, so while it's on my mind and while I can actually remember the details, let me give y'all a quick update from the appointment!

Everything looked good as far as my blood pressure and weight.  Their scale showed I've gained a little over 18 pounds so far, but thanks to this pesky constipation that has plagued me for the last FOUR DAYS (ugh), I have a feeling a pound or so of that are from all the food this weekend...including that box of chinese food I scarfed down the day on Monday...lol.  But either way, my numbers all looked good--PTL!

Reagan's heart rate was nice and strong at about 140 beats per minute, and she even did a little wiggle for Dr S while he was trying to measure it and my belly.  She's such a ham already! My fundal height (top of the uterus) is measuring at 29cm this week, which he said is a little small for being 32.5 weeks (their office likes to see the gestational age +/- 3cm), BUT when he heard that she was measuring 4.5 pounds on the ultrasound Friday, he wasn't very concerned.  He said that both the fundal  height and the ultrasound are both "rough estimates" of her size, and that he feels confident she will be small (like six pounds) or average size (seven pounds) when she's born.  Whew.  Thank God, cause the thought of a nine pounder scares the ba-jesus out of me! LOL!

We also discussed the possibility of preterm (early) labor (to prepare me mentally, just in case). Babies are considered "full term" at thirty-seven weeks, but he said if I were to go into full blown labor (regular, strong contractions and having broken my water) at thirty-four weeks, he wouldn't stop me from delivering.  If this were to happen before thirty-four weeks, he would give me a shot of steroids that would help to finish maturing Reagan's lungs before birth.  If I just had contractions but no leaking of fluid or anything, he would give me a drug (Magnesium Sulfate) to hopefully stop the contractions and keep her baking in the oven a little while longer.  This actually made me feel a lot better hearing that thirty-four weeks would be an acceptable (although still early) time frame to have her!  In the beginning, I thought I would be late delivering (my actual "guess" was August 1st), but for some reason, I've had a sneaking suspicion over the last few weeks that she might actually be slightly early (kind of like the feeling that hit me all of a sudden that Peanut was a girl ;) ).  God knew what I needed to hear to calm my nerves and give me peace, and He delivered at my appointment yesterday!  :)

Since everything looks a-okay, I'll go back in two weeks for another routine visit, and then again at thirty-six weeks, where he'll check my cervix to see if I'm beginning to dilate at all.  That's when the weekly visits should start, which is super exciting!  Heck, I'm super excited already--I can't imagine being any MORE excited!! lol

Okay doke, time to tackle some chores around here!  I'm still planning on posting about the shower and nursery tomorrow (if these annoying brain-farts don't get me again!), so I'll see you back here then!

By the way...today's Verse of the Day is Deuteronomoy 31:8, which says, "The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."  I felt like God wanted me to share this today, so I hope it helps to encourage you, no matter what your situation may be!