37 Weeks

This week started with a couple days off of work. I really wanted to do some last min things so I felt better prepared for the baby, I had a little fun also. I met my friend Cristen at the Mall for pedicure and a trip to the motherhood store. The pedicure came at a great time. My feet have swollen up quite a bit in the last couple days. They look terrible!!! I never knew that swollen feet actually hurt, I just thought that my shoes wouldn't fit or something but I was wrong....they hurt pretty bad. I also got my taxes done, set up an appointment with a pediatrician, packed both mine and Maddox's hospital bags and caught up on some things around the house. There are still quite a few things that I want to get done before his arrival but overall I feel much more prepared now.

Jay and I spent the day at the hospital on Saturday for our child birth class. Overall it was a pretty good experience. They discussed new born nutrition, natural and medicated labor techniques, how to push, vaginal and c-section delivery, and what to expect in the first few days after birth for mom and baby. I think Jay and I learned a lot and I feel much better knowing a little more of what to expect at the hospital.

We went to the doctor on Tuesday for our ultrasound and checkup. I was really excited to see Maddox again cause it had been a while. Turns out once you are this far along you can't see as much. The ultrasound tech estimated him at 7lbs 2ozs which puts him in the 83 percentile. He was being very camera shy and would not turn his head for us to get a good peak so we just saw the back of his head, but it was still beautiful. She said he was definitely a big baby. All I can think is if we go full term then Maddox could be born well over 9 pounds! Yikes!!! When we met with the doctor she said that my amniotic fluid levels were below average and that it could mean that I was just not very hydrated or that we could have a placenta issue. She told me to drink lots and lots of water and come back in 2 days for another ultrasound. I am trying not to worry too much about it yet, I figure that if the doctor was really worried about it she would not have sent me home. I am also about 1/2 cm dilated so that is a exciting. We will see what Thursday's appointment brings.

I am publishing week 37 a bit early because tomorrow (3-19) is officially 37 weeks but we had an interesting turn of events during the follow up appointment to check the fluid. I went for my ultrasound today, after drinking well over 130 or so ozs of water in the last day in a half, and it turns out my fluid levels have actually dropped more. Dr. Lewis checked and I have not dilated any more but she said we were going to have to spend the night in the hospital. They hooked me up to a monitor for a while in the doctor's office to track the baby's heartbeat and stuff and they said he looked perfectly healthy and I should not worry. She said it also looked like I was having little contractions but I do not feel much yet. I am not really sure what happens if you continue without enough amniotic fluid, I assume that it causes your placenta to give out and finally detach, which is something you want to avoid if possible. I try not to ask too many questions that might scare me or make me get too worried or stressed out. I figure if there is a problem then the hospital is the safest place for Maddox and I to be and Dr. Lewis says this happens pretty often and since I am officially full term tomorrow there is no need to worry if we deliver a little early.

So here we are currently in the hospital. The plan is that they are going to pump me full of fluids for the night and do another ultrasound in the morning. If my levels have not improved then they will induce labor. I am a little nervous but Jay seems very excited. I really thought we would make it a little longer, and who knows maybe we will get to go home tomorrow and everything will be fine, but maybe we will get to see our precious Baby Maddox also. I think I will be happy either way. As much as I would love a couple more days or weeks to prepare the thought of holding him in my arms as early as tomorrow or the next day is very thrilling and exciting. I will post an update tomorrow after the decision is made.