Tummy Tuesday

36 WEEKS

WOW! 3 1/2 weeks to go!!!!

Mary Claire now weighs approximately 6 whole pounds and is whopping 18 1/2 inches long. She is such a big girl!!! She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. And on Thursday she will be considered full-term!!! (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.)

We had the first of our weekly doctors appointment on Friday, and Chase took off work to go with "us." We were sooo glad he did because we got to see our sweet baby girl on a surprise ultrasound!

Apparently when they did the ultrasound at 19 weeks the ultrasound technician notated that I may possibly have "placenta previa". This is a condition where the placenta (the nutrient rich membrane that the umbilical cord is attached too) lies unusually low in the uterus and may partially or completely cover the exit route.  If the placenta is still close later in pregnancy, it can cause bleeding, which can lead to other complications and may mean that you'll need to deliver early. If you have placenta previa when it's time to deliver your baby, you'll need to have a C-section. --- But good news- All looked well. NO PLACENTA PREVIA! 

So we got a another sneak peak at our sweet baby :) 

Some highlights from the ultrasound:

- She is still a girl!

- She is DEFIANTLY head down, and very comfortable that way. There was no coaxing her into budging even a little so the ultrasound tech could see if I had placenta previa.

-She was looking toward my left hip bone and her body was curled up to the left side of my belly. (Picture the her laying on her right side in the "fetal position")

- She has hair! Only on the back of her head, but it did appear to be curling up on the ends. It was like little U's on the back of her head. 

- Her tongue was going 90 to nothing! The tech said she was either already talking (oh golly!) or she was trying to suck a finger or thumb. Then we saw her move her hand toward her mouth, so she may be a finger/thumb sucker!!! YAY for self soothers!!!! 

- She would not cooperate for a good picture of her sweet face, so we settled for a foot shot. But she is so cramped in there you really have to use your imagination to see the foot.

- She said by the way things looked MC could make her arrival in as soon as 2 weeks.... or as long as 6 weeks.

It was neat to not have to imagine what she was doing, we could SEE her in action! But- it does make me curious now- Wondering what she is doing right now? Wonder if she is sucking her thumb? 

Then it was on to the exam.

Highlights from the exam:

- I am already 1cm dilated and 50% effaced. My next question- So does that give us any kind of timeline?????? Answer- No. Every pregnancy is different and there is no way to tell when I will go into labor by just that. I could have been like this for a few weeks now. But good news is we may know more when I go to this weeks appointment because they can see if I have progressed any and if I have how quickly. And that information may give us a better timeline. 

For all those concerned with my swelling ankles- There was no protein in my urine and my blood pressure was 112/62- so all is well. She said it is nothing to worry about. But if it becomes more common or worse then to let them know.

Since she could come in as soon as 2 weeks I got the low down on how to know I am in labor and what to do if I am. I would be considered in active labor if: 1- my water breaks or 2- I have contractions 5 min apart for at least an hour. If either one of these happens I go to their office if they are open for an exam, or to the hospital if they are closed and the hospital will do the exam and page the on call doctor if needed. 

I think that is all the good stuff from the appointment :) I can't wait to meet our little girl! And I am so glad she and I are both very healthy.