baby number 2

you gotta be kidding me

Posted on by mommyinthemidwest

Dear Bimbo at the Doctor’s Office*,

I woke up to my phone vibrating across the nightstand at 3pm yesterday.  That was your first mistake.  I saw that it was you so even though I was still half (or more like three-quarters) asleep, I answered.  See, my alarm doesn’t go off until 4pm and that hour makes the difference between 6 and 7 hours of precious sleep, every bit of which I need.

Moving on.

Next, you told me that the results from my one hour glucose test were “abnormal” and asked if I had ever done the three hour glucose tolerance test before.  Look at your notes, bimbo.  I did it barely over a year ago.  I say “yep.”  You then proceed to tell me everything I need to do to prepare for the test.  I just told you I have done it before and surely you can hear the boredom in my voice as I lazily attempt to validate your rules and instructions with monotone “mmm hmms.”

Lucky for you, you tell me I can come in on Thursday at 8am.  No, this is not ideal…but when is it ever ideal to have to sit at the doctor’s office for 3 hours?  On my day off.  When I should be spending time with my son.  At least you didn’t try to FORCE me to come in on Tuesday or Wednesday, when I would have to work right before and again that night.  (Last time I had to do the test, they basically told me I had to do it the next day or my baby could die and it would be my fault.  Then took 4 days to call me with the results).  Unlucky for me, I will be going on no sleep, having been up all night the night before, and starving because I can’t eat after midnight.  Not to mention that I will have to pay an extra $23 to the babysitter for my little kid to go on a day he normally doesn’t, thereby losing the cash and the coveted time with him.

Sidenote:  I say “lucky for you” because I was prepared to go off on your bimbo self with a speech about how I don’t have to come in for the test the next day and how I’m not going to miss a day’s worth of sleep over the test.  I was going to tell you that I already know how to monitor my blood sugar and how to eat as if I have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes.  I was gonna rub it in your face if you insisted that I come in the next day that it takes you people FOUR days to get test results back sometimes, therefore I don’t feel the need to stop on a dime to make you happy.  That’s why I say “lucky for you.” 

Moving on.  Again. 

So far, none of this is sounding too cool.  And it’s all your fault, bimbo at the doctor’s office.  I have done well.  I’ve tried to watch what I eat this time.  I cut out sweet tea (for the most part).  DO YOU KNOW HOW BIG OF A BIG FREAKIN’ DEAL THAT IS?  I have gained like 11 fewer pounds so far than I had at this point during my last pregnancy.  I’m rocking this. 

So after you tell me all the dumb stuff you have to tell me and I’ve had a moment to think about all the dumb stuff as mentioned in this I’m-mad-at-you-because-everything-is-all-your-fault-even-though-it’s-not-but-I’m-going-to-blame-it-on-you-because-it’s-not-my-fault-either-and-I-don’t-like-having-no-control-over-my-health-and-my-body letter, you ask if I have any other questions.

Yes.  Yes, I did. 

Bimbo At The Doctor’s Office:  Oh, okay. What’s your question?
me: What’s the cutoff?
BATDO: 140
me: And what was my reading?
BATDO: 143
me:  YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!
BATDO: nope. 
me:  ARE YOU SERIOUS!?
BATDO: yep.
.
.
.
.
sad silence during brief moment of realization
.
.
.
.
BATDO:  I’m. um. sorry?  Maybe the three hour test results will come back normal?
me:  See you Thursday.

CLICK. 

(There’s no “click” anymore.  It’s the gentle tap of my fingertip on the smooth plastic display that says “end call” in red.  But if I’d said “GENTLE TAP,” you wouldn’t have understood, would you?  It just doesn’t have the same appeal).

Clearly, I was not able to go back to sleep after you dropped that bomb on me.  Being well-rested when you are pregnant AND work third shift is priceless, so the way I see it you owe me WADS of cash.  Plus the $23 for having to have a babysitter on a day I shouldn’t.  You’re a crummy, crummy person, bimbo at the doctor’s office. 

you suck and everything bad is all your fault,
~C~

*disclaimer: I’m sure the bimbo at the doctor’s office is a perfectly lovely human being. 

27 week check-up check-in

Posted on by mommyinthemidwest

I went to the doctor last Thursday and had the one hour glucose test.  No results yet, but I can fill you in on everything else. 

First things first:  I’m now in the 3rd trimester!  Less than 13 weeks until my due date!  Yiiikes.  This also means that I will start going to the doctor every 2 weeks instead of 4.  That makes the time just fly by even more.

Weight gain so far:  16.5 lbs (I only gained 2 in the last three weeks, phew).  At this point in my pregnancy with Theo I had gained 27lbs, so I am definitely thankful!  I am on track to gain a healthy 25-35 pounds this time.  The baby should be weighing about 2 pounds now and measuring approximately 14.5″ long.  That’s a lot of baby!  No wonder I am feeling so much movement.  It’s good to know that if the baby was born now, chances of survival would be very high. 

I’m feeling good for the most part.  Much of how I feel is tied to sleep… how much I get and how well I rest.  If I’m well-rested, the only time I feel bad is when I get up and haven’t had anything to eat for awhile.  I get nauseous and weak but that usually goes away after I get some protein.  The heartburn hasn’t been too terribly persistent.  I haven’t had to take anything over the counter yet besides Tums.  I don’t quite remember when it got really bad with Theo, but it was worth it for his gorgeous head of hair (supposing that Old Wives’ Tale is true) and I hope this baby has just as much of it. 

People have been asking me if this baby is more or less active in the womb than Theo was and up until the last week or so, I’ve said it’s too hard to compare.  I’ve been paying close attention lately and this kid is definitely more of a wiggle worm.  For example, while my OB/GYN was trying to get a heartbeat with the doppler, we could visibly see this wild child squirming under my skin to get away from the noise.  We were both laughing and that didn’t help matters, with her hand shaking and my big belly jiggling.  She even said I was going to end up having to have an ultrasound to get a heartrate if the kid didn’t cooperate.  Obviously, we both knew the little one was alive and well.  Spunky little booger.  She eventually got it and it was averaging in the 130s-140s again. 

We talked about the possible birthdates for the baby, supposing I don’t go into labor on my own.  My doctor said she is on call Thursdays and some random Fridays.  If I am scheduled for a c-section, it will be at 39 weeks so the baby would be born on Thurs 5/19 or Fri 5/20.  If I am induced, she wants to do it at 38 weeks (supposing an amniocentesis shows that the baby’s lungs are fully developed) and I would be induced on Thurs 5/12 or Fri 5/13.  Naturally, my hubs is hoping for a Friday the 13th baby (if you know my hubs, you totally get this!). 

So, there you have it.  I’ll update about the results of my 1 hour glucose tolerance test soon. 

fingers crossed,
~C~

not super excited

Posted on by mommyinthemidwest

I have my 27 (random) week check up today and with that, the dreaded 1 hour glucose tolerance test.  I’m so not looking forward to it because I know if I have “abnormal” results, I’m going to have to do the dreadful, terrible, horrible, tragic 3 hour glucose test.  My doctor told me if my results are 190 or 195, she won’t make me do it because levels over 200 mean you surely are diabetic.  Oh, I guess I should explain what I’m talking about in case anyone isn’t all caught up here.

With Theo, I had gestational diabetes.  There is a genetic factor to it and obese people are more predisposed to it.  I’m not obese, so I guess I have my dad and most of my grandparents to thank for the genetic part.  Although I think they are/were all Type 2.  Anyway…

The test:  You drink 6 or 8 ounces of disgustingly sweet orange syrup and wait an hour, then get blood drawn.  From the blood draw, they test your glucose level to see if your body produces enough insulin to handle the extreme amount of sugar.  If you are over say 140(?) or maybe 160 (?), that’s considered abnormal and you have to do a 3 hour glucose tolerance test to see how your body handles the even more disgusting, even more sugary liquid over a three hour period (meaning they do 3 fun blood draws instead of just one).  The worst thing about that…you can’t eat after midnight the night before and you can’t leave the doctor’s office.  So three hours of sitting in the waiting room with nothing to do (meanwhile, on the verge of puking because that stuff really is sickeningly sweet AND if you are diabetic, you’re probably sick anyway from not eating for so long). 

If you have gestational diabetes with one pregnancy the chance that you’ll have it with subsequent pregnancies is quite significant.  If, by some miracle, I do not have it this time, I will be SO happy because that will mean I’ll (more than likely) get to try for another vaginal birth. 

If I get it, and definitely if I have to go on insulin this time (I didn’t last time), I’ll be having a c-section.  Boo.  Anyway, I’ll check back in with the results of the test and updates from my 27 week appointment soon. 

Happy weekend,
~C~

p.s.  What about the name Dexter?  Nickname Dex?  Cute, right?  Theo and Dex.  What about Mallory for a girl?  Kind of loving both of these names right now.  Holla?