Baby Update

My doctor's appointment yesterday went really well. In fact, there will be no baby this week delivered because of size reasons, which is a good thing. Today I am only 34 weeks along and it is still too early to have her if there is a way we can hold out. She needs to cook a little longer.

The doctor gave me peace of mind. She checked all the vitals and she is getting plenty of oxygen and blood flow. So a lot of my worries have been subsided. She thinks the main growth problem in the placenta is the lack of nutrients. I asked if it could be because of my gastric bypass and she said no, it was HIGHLY unlikely, but it was something that shouldn't be ruled out completely. She and my main OB think it is because of my blood pressure, which is probably what it is. My body doesn't like being pregnant and due to rising blood pressure with my first daughter, I developed pre-eclampsia.

Anyhow, the doctor estimated she gained about 5 ounces in a week, which was really good. Her growth is still behind, but instead of being behind 4 weeks, she is only behind 2 weeks in size...well, her body anyhow. Her head is the size it should be. But, they are going to keep a close watch on me anyhow. I go back on Monday and if she has continued to grow and they decide not to deliver then, they are going to schedule me for a c-section sometime the first week of February. They think that since I had a c-section with my daughter and because most gastric bypass patients end up having to have a c-section anyway, that I should probably not try for a VBAC. Plus, with the issues, it just might be the safer route. If I have a planned c-section, my husband can be in there with me...if I had to have an emergency one, he wouldn't be allowed, so maybe it is the right choice.

Last night I actually got a good night's sleep. Something I haven't had in awhile. I think a combination of peace of mind about the baby's situation and that she removed her feet from my lungs, I was able to actually get some rest. I even napped after my daughter went to school this morning for several more hours. It was really nice to be able to SLEEP. I feel that I have been lacking a lot in that department.

One problem I have been having lately is stomach cramps...not uterus, but actual stomach. I have found that if I have some No Sugar Added Carnation Instant Breakfast that my stomach seems to stop hurting almost instantly...and this seems the be the ONLY thing that calms the cramping. I don't know what it is, but I really have to stay stocked up in that stuff!!

Mixed Feelings

So Bo had CQ again today. It seems like he just had it. I really hate it that the MPs are so immature that they basically have to have a babysitter every night. What happened to demoting for poor behavior? Or even, now that they have "too many people in the military" just fire them! If they think going out and getting drunk and then sneaking women in their trunks onto post is a good idea, then they need a good reality check! Not making my husband stay 24 hours to babysit some morons who are old enough to know better!

Though...I suppose it is better than deployment.

Anyway, tomorrow is the day we find out if we are going to have a baby this week. I have total mixed feelings about the situation. I think it is a good idea for them to deliver her because the longer she stays in the more likely she is to develop cerebral palsy, but then on the other hand, the longer she stays in the more likely she is to develop her insides.

And just in case you didn't know (I didn't until I did research recently) what cerebral palsy is, here is the run down:

"Cerebral palsy (CP) is a disorder that affects muscle tone, movement, and motor skills (the ability to move in a coordinated and purposeful way). Cerebral palsy can also lead to other health issues, including vision, hearing, and speech problems, and learning disabilities. CP is usually caused by brain damage that occurs before or during a child's birth, or during the first 3 to 5 years of a child's life. There is no cure for CP, but treatment, therapy, special equipment, and, in some cases, surgery can help a child who is living with the condition." - www.kidshealth.org

Cerebral palsy is a life long condition, and the developments can occur outside the womb in the NICU, but who knows how long that will be and if that is even the healthier choice. Unfortunately, we won't know either way until it happens. It is so stressful.

Ugh.

My New Year's Resolutions 2012

1. Get back to the size I was before I became pregnant.
2. Be a better person than I was in 2011.
3. Love myself more.
4. Put my family first.
5. Raise two healthy, happy daughters.
6. To go running at least 5 days a week (post pregnancy of course).
7. Read at least 12 books (children's books don't count).
8. Keep up with my blogger.
9. Learn 12 new family recipes.
10. Polish up on my German (after all, I will be living here for awhile).
11. Get back into yoga.
12. Go back to school.
13. Take more pictures.
14. Write my great grandmother a hand-written letter every month.
15. To be more understanding of my husband's strange obsession with working on the car.
16. Breastfeed...for an entire year.

"Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other." - Abraham Lincoln