Follow Up

Well, my six week post-partum appointment was Wednesday. I have to admit there was something sad to me about walking into the midwife offices and knowing it was my last time there until the next time. I've so loved everyone there and almost felt like I was leaving friends behind when I said goodbye and walked out the door. Everything checks out, although the bean had a meltdown and had to be passed off to the office staff for cuddles during my exam. Oh that girl! When I came out she was fast asleep.

On the weight loss train we have made some baby steps of progress. All in all with Miss Maeve I gained 98lbs. (Yes folks, that's no typo.) Six weeks after my girl's arrival and I've lost 52lbs. So...only 48lb to go! This week I joined the gym and am hoping that between Zumba and getting back to running I can shed what's left quickly. Now...I just need the motivation to exercise when I could be napping! :)

Before I go, a glimpse for you of my six week bean. A little girl who much prefers napping in my bed to her own...

One Month Checkup

Today was the bean's one month checkup. It was also our first outing by ourselves.

*EEP!*

I am happy to report, we survived! Getting there was a mess, but we weren't even late! Maeve's stats read as follows;

Height at Birth 20in, Height Now 21.5in 69%

Weight at Birth 8lb2oz, Weight Now 10lb 72%

She's fit as a fiddle, though she's a bit spotty from some baby acne and sensitive skin. Poor girl. Luckily it's due to clear up in the following weeks. After our successful appointment we ventured out to Las Colinas and met Adam for lunch for the first time, and she slept the whole time! What a treat! Ofcourse, we paid for that with a massive afternoon meltdown at home, but the important thing is we made it out of the house alive!

Dr.Masingill-The Man Who Decides

Today was our appointment with Dr. Masingill, the doctor who collaberates with the midwives should one of their patient's need a c-section or be deemed too high-risk (cough-cough) to continue on with the midwives.

I.was.nervous.

Apparently, there was no need to be. The midwives had assured me he very rarely "took one of their mothers" but that they needed him to sign off with my colorful medical chart that I could continue with the midwives and limited monitoring during labor & delivery. While we waited silently for him to come to the room I was thinking of all the reasons I could give him to leave me alone and hoped he wouldn't argue it was too risky, and why did I have to swell so much today of all days?

Instead the man who walked in was a jovial, pudgy caricature. Excitedly announcing the baby's heartbeat after listening (128), reviewing my health history and discussing how my pregnancy has progressed and my luck. After answering a few questions I had he announced there was no reason, unless some complication arose, that I couldn't stay with the midwives and have the birth I desired.

There are a few things we'll have to sacrifice.

I won't be able to hold her immediately after, because of the blood-risk she'll have to be bathed immediately instead of placed on my chest. This may seem small, and maybe it really is, but it's something that saddens me to think about. In the great scheme of things, it's a small price to pay for the birth experience I want, but it does make me feel a little robbed. In the meantime, I'll choose not to think about it and instead rejoice in the fact that despite the fact that we've got three different diseases working against us, we've been really lucky so far and it seems we'll be given a gift with our birth.

Doctor Says...

Today was our 21.5 wk appointment. According to our lab and ultrasound, Dr. Autry informed us that 001 is looking pretty good! Her risks for the genetic screening were low enough not to matter, and from the ultrasound all appeared as perfect as it could. I may have mentioned earlier that we could count her five little fingers and five little toes (at least on one hand and one foot).

The medical center we use is part of Texas Tech's teaching hospital, so there are often medical students coming in during our appointments. Today was no exception, and a sweet young lady was a part of our visit. What made today a little more unusual was that she came in ahead of

Dr. Autry to ask me questions, measure my pelvis to the top of my uterus and measure baby's heartbeat. All was well until she went hunting for the heartbeat. After several minutes of static and finding my heartbeat twice, Adam kindly told her where he had seen them successfully find baby's heartbeat at previous appointments. Me thinks he pointed it out more to end my panicked looks then to aid the medical student, after she left the room he said "the moment she said she was going to search for the heartbeat I was like 'oh great, and she has no idea what she's doing, Kaitlin's going to freak out'" (Have I mentioned how much I love that he can anticipate my emotions?) PS: Her little heartbeat was up from the ultrasound from 156 to 159.

In scale tipping news....while I will not disclose my weight gain thus far, it is not looking good so far as to how hard I'm going to have to work to get it all off. I've decided to believe my sweet husband who tells me I don't look nearly as big as the scale says, but oh! To go in today and see I've gained 8lbs in the last month!!! My thyroid was a problem we had gotten under control before getting pregnant, but my entire pregnancy every time we do a lab, it comes back that the medication I'm on is not keeping up with my thyroid dysfunction. Today was no exception, and I received a call from my nurse that we'd be increasing my thyroid medication again to try and get my thyroid working like it should. Thankfully he has told me he has no concerns at this point about my weight gain. In two weeks I get to go in for my RH shot--"YAY!" which I attempted to explain to Adam today only to read up on later and realize I had no idea what I was talking about. Woops. :)

Funny how doctor's visits, which are normally something to avoid, can become something you enjoy and look forward to. It's nice to have good news about our little sweet!

Baby 001-17.5wks

Today, we had our first appointment in 4 weeks with Dr.Autry. Adam had to miss the last one, so this was the first time he got to actually hear the heartbeat, and the second time for me. I have to admit, that while I'm excited for these appointments, I become irrationally nervous too. For example, when they take my pregnancy test at the beginning of each appointment I wiggle around anxiously thinking "What if it comes back negative? What if I'm not pregnant anymore? What if that's why I haven't felt sick the last two days?!" Thankfully, it seems these worries are for nothing, and I am given momentary relief until it is time to stand on the scale, my born enemy. By the time we get to our room, and it is announced they'll be doing an ultrasound or doppler, I hold my breath until I can see baby, or hear that little heartbeat. I'm always frantic it won't be there. Today was no exception. It was a treat, however, to hear just how strong and quick baby's heart was beating, like a quick little drum. It makes me smile, it was even better to turn to Adam and see his concentrated face as he smiles... I am dying with excitement to find out whether 001 is a little boy or a little girl, and we've got to wait almost 19 days!!! ACK!!! The problem was, they didn't have an appointment that would work for us and be very soon anyhow, and since my mom & dad are visiting in 2weeks...I figured it would be more fun for her to be there with us and thus picked a later date. The question is, how will I EVER make it that long?

Hark! A Heartbeat!!

So at our last two appointments, one with the doctor and one with the ultrasound tech, we were able to see "Baby OO1" bouncing around, and see the pulsating heart beat. We had our 13.5 wk appointment yesterday, and it was great! Not only did I get a z-pack for my sinus infection (hah) but we got to HEAR the heartbeat. I didn't realize we were doing that this week, and have to admit I was nervous when Dr.Autry announced what he was about to do, and there was no noise for the first few seconds. I'm pretty sure I was holding my breathe and looked panicked, as he told me after a second, "Sometimes we just have to search a minute is all." All of a sudden, there it was. That strong, loud wooshing noise. Bizarre and completely beautiful. Friends, I think I may be in love... :) There was a lot of static, as if someone was blowing into a microphone and the doctor simply said, "Well that's good, static means baby is moving around...and yours is dancing about it seems."

A Glimpse at Baby "O"

Today we had an appointment with Dr.Autry, and were able to get our first glimpse of baby "O" with a sonogram! Our first ultrasound is next Thursday, when we'll get a picture print out and actually hear the heartbeat as opposed to just seeing it (which was also amazing!). I had been feeling kind of down lately, and honestly wasn't even that excited about today's appointment until we saw the baby moving on the screen & the pulsating heartbeat. It was completely unreal, and still doesn't feel possible that we're pregnant. Maybe when I start to show it will start to feel more real! Until next time...here is our sonogram video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iShKNQdnus8