Slight Panic Last Night

N is fine and moving today, but last night as I laid on my right side, I felt very rhythmic movement. My husband could feel it, too. N had the hiccups! Once upon a time, I might have thought that was cute. . . but I know now that for some people whose babies have been born still, their babies had the hiccups a lot in utero. It may have been sign of distress. So now I worry. This WAS the first time that I was aware that N had the hiccups. Maybe he's gotten them other times and I was not aware. So now I worry. Last night when I turned over to my left side, the hiccups stopped. It was a relief, frankly.

Today N is very active again! He's getting big, so I feel him a lot. I still don't "feel" as large as I did at this point with Sam, maybe because I had too much anmiotic fluid with Sam. I have a "normal" amount with this little one.

Sam's Hospital Records

We finally got copies of Sam's hospital records. They STILL did not send the genetic reports!! (Rather steamed about that, but I digress. . . )

I am reading the report of Sam's Cardiac Catherization done just two days before he died. Here is the "Final Diagnosis" from that report:

1) Double outlet right ventricle with mitral atresia, severely hypoplastic left ventricle, subaortic and aortic stenosis, coarctation of aorta and atretic right pulmonary veins.
2)Status post Norwood with Sano modification using a 6-mm Gore-Tex patch from the right ventricle to pulmonary arteries.
3) Chronic respiratory failure with ongoing hypercapnia with pCO2s at least in the 70s regardless of mode of ventilation.
4) Decreased oxygenation from combination of decreased pulmonary flow and increased pathology of the left lower lung, and nonfuctioning right lung.
5) Status post extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support.
6) Occluded iliac veins bilaterally and probably the distal inferior vena cava.
7) Bilateral superior vena cava with no communicating vein.
8) Excellent right ventricular function and no coarctation of aorta.

So. . .
At least #8 was excellent. . . the rest sounds pretty grim, and it was.

I just want to cry.

Meeting with Pediatrician and Tired

I met with a pediatrician today, and so far I really like her. I think we'll probably go with her, too. She is perfectly fine with us holding off on the Hep B vaccine for the baby for at least the first few months, which is what I want to do.
She also highly recommended the book Baby 411. So I will probably buy the book eventually.

I am so tired today. I have had so much energy recently that this tiredness has me a little frustrated. I think I am hungry, too. I might sample a little supper, even if it means nuking some first.

I plan to put some of what I am making in the freezer, so when I am in the hospital my husband can bring it to me (if they can't make me food I can eat there).

32 Weeks (33??)

I am gestationally 32 weeks as of two days ago. However, at the fetal echo ultrasound yesterday, N was measuring at a 33-week size! He is approximately 4 lbs, 2 oz! So, if he follows the "normal" chart of growth, and is born at 39 (gestational age) weeks, he should be about 7.5 lbs, just like his older brother! I am personally guessing up a little, so maybe 8lbs.

The sonographer used the word "boring". N is boring which is wonderful! She said she loves to see "boringly normal" babies. I do, too!! Yay for N!! Boring is such a nice word to hear in our case!

N did keep moving and jiggling during the entire ultrasound. His head was up right under my sternum and his butt down on my bladder. Last night he was waking me up again with huge movements. This morning, I think his feet are in my left side.

This afternoon, I am interviewing a pediatrician that the pediatric cardiologist highly recommended. Tomorrow, I have my next OB appointment.

My DH is getting nervous. He wants to practice driving to the hospital where I am having the baby.

N's Movement and cloth diapers

N has been moving regularly the last few days, so no real moments of panic. I should say, I have been feeling him move regularly in the last couple of days. He gyrating right now in fact.

I spent part of the day with a friend who showed me her collection of cloth diapers, and the differing kinds available. I am still not sure if I am going to pursue this route or not.

31 Weeks

I had a scare earlier this afternoon -- I couldn't get the baby to move even with eating an apple. Or at least, moving enough to satisfy me. He must have been taking an afternoon nap. However, for the last 30 minutes, he must be awake! He's just moving and moving right now, although I don't think he's changed out of his breech position yet. I feel like I am sleeping on him at night with the way he's in my sides so much.

On another issue, we've been trying so hard to acquire some of the records of Sam from the hospital he was in, for our present pediatric cardiologist to take a look at. It would have been so much easier if I had been able to just walk in with my ID. As it is, since we live 1800 miles away now, I had to fill out a form after they took their time sending it to me, and then scan and print my ID. Then mailed the form. Then they took 3 whole weeks just to mail a "quote" of price. I received this today. We need the records one week from today. . . I am calling tomorrow morning, pay by credit card over the phone, and ask that the records be mailed tomorrow!! It would have been so much easier if I could have faxed or emailed .pdfs. . . but they were very unreasonable about it.

30 Weeks, Part 2

Oops - forgot to post after my appointment!

C-Section is scheduled for March 16!! Unless N decides that it's time earlier. My DH is telling the baby that March 12 would be better! Um, no. I have been telling the baby from early on that he needs to have his own birthday, and that I want my own birthday. Yes, March 12 is MY birthday.

30 Weeks, Part 1

Thirty weeks today. N is jiggling and dancing again tonight in my right side mostly. He seems to like it over there. I can't quite tell where his head is, however.

We had an emotional time last night and today. I went through some baby things, some of which Sam wore in the hospital. A couple of things were added to the things we will keep, that we have pictures of Sam. N will not wear these items. One cute little outfit my husband does not remember Sam wearing, so he thought we could use it for N. However, I remembered Sam in the outfit. Sam wore it less than a week before he died - when my husband got to hold Sam finally. I had to look at the pictures to verify that it was this very outfit. It was. So that one, too, N will not wear.

Tomorrow is my next OB appointment. We hope to get the c-section scheduled! It's all coming up so quickly now!

Early this morning, I had a dream in which I was eating lots of food, and then drinking lots of ice water. I woke up extremely thirsty!

I will write a 30 Weeks, Part 2 post tomorrow after my appointment.

29 Weeks

My parents have been visiting for the last week, so I have not been able to post until now.

Until today, for the last 9 days or so, N has been lying breech, with his head right below my ribs on the right side, and his butt on the left. His feet were dancing on my bladder. I had an ultrasound last week, so this position was confirmed, and I could feel his head on the right side since then.

Today, N has been moving constantly since noon. For a while, and even now, I could really feel him punching my sternum. Is he head down and feet up? I don't feel nearly so "wide" as I have for the last week, but shorter of breath!

Last week at 28 weeks, N was estimated at 2lbs, 6oz! A friend of mine is teasing me that I will be having a 10lb baby! I hope not. I am hoping for a very healthy 8 pounder.

My parents bought us a crib. It is a relatively simple crib, with rounded edges. We are putting the baby in our room for now, and we have limited space for the crib.

Last night, another friend told me that the way I am carrying the baby, I should be having a girl. She asked me if I was SURE I am having a boy. Well, what if three ultrasounds are wrong?? We have lots of "boy" stuff. If we were expecting a girl, I would go with a purple and pink "theme" instead of Winnie the Pooh!