Update 8.10.09

Wow – I’ll be 31 weeks tomorrow! Still amazed and humbled that we’ve made it this far… This morning’s visit with the perinatologist went very well.

Amniotic fluid levels. Check.

Heartrate/beat. Check.

Fetal growth. Check. (Baby W is over 2 pounds – 2lbs 4oz to be precise!!)

Fetal movement. Check.

Fetal breathing. Check.

Placenta – um, still a little bipolar. Great on one side, not on the other. But, it’s doing its job and giving nutrients to the bambino. So, I’ll reserve the criticism.

Up to now, we’ve really just been measuring the baby’s growth and looking at movement. Next week, I begin BPPs (biophysical profiles). What are those, you ask? Here’s webmd’s definition:

“A BPP test measures the health of your baby during pregnancy. A BPP test may include a nonstress test with electronic fetal heart monitoring and a fetal ultrasound. The BPP measures your baby’s heart rate, muscle tone, movement, breathing, and the amount of amniotic fluid around your baby. A BPP is commonly done in the last trimester of pregnancy. If there is a chance that your baby may have problems during pregnancy [that’s us!] (high-risk pregnancy), a BPP may be done by 32 to 34 weeks or earlier. Some women with high-risk pregnancies may have a BPP test every week or twice a week in the third trimester.”

Translation? A whole truckload ‘o doctor visits.

Between my weeklies to the perinatologist, I also have bi-weekly visits with my OB, soon to be weekly. Oh yeah, and the cardiologist follow-up. And, the OB said something last week about an anesthesiology consult. I’ll give them the cardio follow-up. But, here’s what I have to say about the anes consult.

Put the needle in my back sir. Story over. I know the risks, this ain’t my first rodeo.

Our only scary moment came this morning when I was hooked up to the fetal monitor. The heartrate was a strong 140 and then in a matter of seconds it dipped to 70, then went blank. After a quick meeting with the doctor, he thinks the baby was rolling on its umbilical cord, thus interrupting the heart rate. Whew.

I’m amazed at what technology can tell us these days. And, I’m increasingly thankful that God did not give us this cross to bear with baby #1. I would be an even bigger basketcase than I am now. For real.

So, the prayers are appreciated, as always. I have some cute ultrasound photos to post tomorrow. Well, they might be cute to me, perhaps a little fuzzy and non-exciting for the rest of ya. But I’m posting them anyway.