I’m back from my 38-week appointment which somehow morphed from an average 45-minute trip to a 4-hour jaunt to Maternal Diagnostics at my hospital.
Phew!
My physician noticed my uterine measurements were a little behind schedule for my due date (aha! – that might explain all of the “your belly is too small to be due that quickly!” comments). That coupled with a slight decrease in Whoorlito’s movements yesterday was all it took for me to be on my merry way over the the hospital. Honestly, I really wasn’t nervous at all- even my practictioner told me the testing was probably overkill, but better to be safe than sorry…
D and I checked into the center where they strapped all the fetal monitors across my belly, and Whoorlito was a champ. Heartrate was perfect, movements were all over the place, and they said everything looked great. They assured me that I had a very healthy baby and that I could go after they gave me a quick ultrasound measuring my amniotic fluid.
Yeah, it seems I don’t have a plethora of that. When they told me I had an Amniotic Fluid Index of 5.86, I said GREAT…wait, what does that mean? They informed me that anything 5.0 or below warranted an immediate trip to Labor and Delivery for an induction.
Excuse me? I was 0.86 somethings away from having a baby TODAY?!? Holy shit on a stick.
Anyway, I am now under orders to literally not do anything until Monday morning when I will be re-tested. That and drink 5,789 gallons of fluid a day. No errands, no leaving the house, etc. Basically, nothing that could make me sweat or lose fluids in the slightest. UM, I live in a town where the average July high temperature is 70 degrees, yet we have seen temperatures in the 90’s for over a week. UM, I don’t have air-conditioning. Walking from the bedroom to the bathroom makes me sweat. Thinking too hard about a subject makes me sweat. Hell, talking on the phone makes me sweat.
This is going to be tougher than I thought.
Plus, SAJ and I had plans to go shopping and zip around town in her super duper stealthy-mobile today! Damn!
If you need me, I will be tucked away in the bedroom with the window unit for the next three days. Party.
WAIT! How about some great news? Whoorlito is 6 pounds, 10 ounces and is the cutest thing I have ever seen. I watched him smile while trying to stuff his entire fist into his mouth repeatedly. That’s my boy.
Jessie
July 27, 2006 at 5:39 pmSo glad everything is okay, and hey, at least it gave you an excuse to get to see your little man!
Lyndsay
July 27, 2006 at 7:17 pmHappy to hear everything is okay after that scare.
don't call me ma'am
July 27, 2006 at 8:19 pmI think they should open movie theaters to women who are pregnant in the summer time. You just pay to go in and sit through the whole day. Of course, you would hope there are good movies playing, too.
BeachMama
July 28, 2006 at 3:46 amGet some good rest and drink lots, you may go a little squirelly but, it will be well worth it. That and it will ensure that you get lots of rest before Whoorlito arrives, which could be Monday ;)!
Ceece
July 28, 2006 at 7:10 amdon’t call me ma’am totally is on my same brain waves. I was reading that thinking, hell she should just go watch a movie. I freeze my ass off in the theatre’s!
Good luck and glad all is going well.
Emily
July 28, 2006 at 7:55 amGirl, that baby is going to be here before you know it! How exciting!
Serenity Now
July 28, 2006 at 7:55 amI hope cool weather comes your way soon. And that the AC is very rewarding. Drink, girly, drink!!!
reluctant housewife
July 28, 2006 at 7:58 amWhen we went for the fetal testing everything was perfect – except for the fluid levels. Once they saw how low they were it was a direct trip to L&D, do not pass go, do not collect $200.
Seeing as I was 5 days overdue and weighed a ton, I was ready.
Good luck to you. Try not to think too hard (he he!)
SAJ
July 28, 2006 at 8:02 amI think you should just check into the Montage and survive off room service and massages until Whoorlito gets here.
Miss Peach
July 28, 2006 at 8:13 amSAJ’s idea is BRILLIANT. I think you should pack a bag and head there immediately. Also, they have that nice pool, and even though you might sweat getting to the pool, you’ll then be enveloped in water. And that can only help with the fluids, right?
eM
July 28, 2006 at 5:51 pmHang in there and good luck with the last couple of weeks! I had a similar thing when I was prego – non-stress tests with the monitors and many ultrasounds at the end because they thought she was small. Everything turned out just fine. One day after the non-stress test they said they were happy everything went well because otherwise, they would have induced. It is FREAKY to go home thinking, damn, if monkles (or Whoorlito) didn’t play nicely, I’d have a baby now. Eeek! It’ll happen soon enough :) And then you’ll still be freaking out because you DO have a baby! :)
Natalie
July 31, 2006 at 8:02 amGlad to hear everything is ok with little Whoorlito. And to get a little smile, so nice. I would just melt!