31 Weeks

Nine weeks left, oh how I'm counting the days...

.

I went back to the O.B. on Tuesday. He scheduled my C-section for the 25th of April, on my due date. Yea! Hopefully, unless I go into labor on my own, Baby Dolton will have the same birthday as his grampa!

.

My gluco test results are in - ugh. The level was a little high... it's supposed to be under 140, and it was 156. There is a chance that it was high because of the round of steroids I'd recently taken, so Dr. Robinette wants me to do the three-hour test this weekend. How are you going to tell a pregnant woman not to eat or drink anything for 12 hours? Seems like cruel and unusual punishment to me! I'll post an update when I get the results of that test, too.

.

All the baby books state that you should talk to your doctor during the 30th week about your 'birth plan'... I mentioned that to Dr. Robinette on Tuesday as well. He asked what I wanted, and since I'm having a C-section (due to my pilonidal problems) I said, "Lots of drugs and you cut me open?" He started cracking up. The medical student (or intern or resident, I don't remember exactly which) who was in the room was laughing, too, and said, "I like her!" Dr. R. replied, "Yeah, Lindsey's always funny!"
.
I've been having fun ordering things baby-related on-line... Here is a picture of a ring I recently received. On the outside of the band it says "I made a wish" with a gold star, and on the inside it reads "and you came true". Not only is it too cute, it matches the theme of Baby Dolton's nursery! Of course, since I'm so swollen I can't wear it right now...

I also ordered Emily Paige a t-shirt that reads "I'm the new BIG cousin" - she'll look adorable in it! It was actually a bit hard to find... most shirts like this are for big brothers and sisters.

Here is the picture of a 31 Week gestation from the Baby Center website. It also says:

"This week, your baby measures about 16 inches long. He weighs a little over 3 pounds and is headed for a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and he's beginning to accumulate a layer of fat underneath his skin in preparation for life as a newborn. As a result, his arms, legs, and body are filling out."

As for what's going on with me, the site goes on to say:

"You may have noticed some leaking of colostrum, or "premilk," from your breasts lately. Some expectant moms experience this leaking, others don't; either way, it's perfectly normal and you can rest assured that your body is doing what it's meant to do. If you're leaking, you may want to tuck some nursing pads in your bra to protect your clothes. And if you plan to breastfeed, you might also want to pick up a nursing bra. If your current bra is too snug, go ahead and wear the nursing bra now. (When shopping, choose a nursing bra at least one cup size bigger than you need now to accommodate the swelling that will take place when your milk comes in.)

"Have you noticed the muscles in your uterus tightening now and then? Some women feel these random contractions — called Braxton Hicks contractions — in the second half of pregnancy. Lasting from 30 to 60 seconds, they're nonrhythmic and irregular and, at this point in your pregnancy, they should be infrequent and not painful. (When you're within a few weeks of your due date, it's normal for Braxton Hicks contractions to become more frequent and even somewhat painful; in fact, they're often called "false labor" because sometimes it can be hard to tell them from the real thing.) Until 37 weeks, though, your baby is still premature. So if you're getting frequent contractions (even if they don't hurt), it may be a sign of preterm labor. Call your practitioner immediately if you have an increase or change in vaginal discharge (especially if it's watery, mucus-like, or pink or tinged with blood), abdominal pain or menstrual-like cramping, more than four contractions in an hour, an increase in pressure in the pelvic area, or low back pain, especially if you didn't have it before.

"If you're having a boy, you will want to take some time to think about whether or not to have your baby circumcised."

It's oh such much fun in Lindsey Land right now... ugh. I've actually started waddling!