Weekly doctors appts, Bi-weekly growth scans, weekly progesterone injections and daily fetal monitoring Oh My!!!!
So I was worried this would be the longest pregnancy in history but so far I have been wrong all of the above makes it seem pretty fast when you are measuring time from the next appt to the next injection. These doctors are not playing around and I couldn't be more pleased. I was on progesterone bc my levels were a little low in the beginning that was thru 12 weeks. Then the injections started at around 17 weeks to keep from having preterm labor and to help premature water breaking. A nurse came out and taught Brian how to do it so now we get the meds and do them ourselves. He's doing a great job! They don't hurt at all, but I don't mind shots either so I guess that's why. But now that we have been doing them for weeks I now get bruised the next day you can't see anything but if I sit wrong it feels like I've been hit in the lower hip upper butt area. But I don't mind bc it really does seem to be helping I have had less braxton hicks contractions than any other pregnancy I.ve had yet so I know they are doing their job. And it helps count down the weeks too:)
I see perinatologists that do a growth scan every other week and that means I get to see my sweet girl again, and yes they check every time she is still a girl, after more than 10 sonos I'm feeling pretty confident it's ok to buy pink. They check her out from head to toe all organs, cord and make sure blood flow is good at the placenta to make sure everything is still attached correctly. So far so good.
My ob, queen of the obs, also likes to take peeks almost every visit, who am I to argue! It has been decided that I will be admitted into the antepartum unit of labor and delivery on jan 30th. Where I will stay hooked up to monitors and just sit and bake until somewhere between feb 17th and 24th. We will discuss in that week when she will grace us with her magnificent presence I will be 35 to 36 weeks then. We know this time is not going to be easy waiting, worrying, but if jan 30th could just get here I would breathe a little easier knowing I'm hooked up and there in case something were to happen again.
For anyone who doesn't know this precious babys name and the meaning behind it...Arabella Grace she will be called Ella Grace. Arabella was Brians Great grandmas name he said he would like to use it, when I looked up the meaning, which really never mattered to me, means answered prayer. It brought tears to my eyes and I knew that was her name, no doubt about it. Grace means gift from God and I knew last year if I ever had another daughter that would be her middle name. And finally Ella means ray of light, and that she is our light at the end of the tunnel. There is a lot of heavy meaning for this tiny baby, and she has this huge job ahead of her which includes constant unconditional love, kisses, rocking and people fighting over needing to be with her, I hope shes up for the task:) Bc I can pretty much swear on anything you put in front of me this baby isn't going to not be in someones arms until she says put me down!!
We have our ups and downs getting thru this. Ava took a really long time to connect, Hunter seemed to connect right away, he actually told me the day I came home last time I hope you have another baby and I hope it's a girl. Spencer still is very kept at bay, partly I know is his age, but he also has not told one of his friends I am pregnant. I know its so he doesn't have to tell them if something happens. He has walls like his mama, which I guess I'm really not proud of, but totally get where he's coming from. I refuse to tell any of them it's going to be ok this time. Bc I don't know that, I say pray about it, and we hope, and we are doing everything possible for a different outcome. I can't lie to them when I also can not get myself to buy anything that can't be returned, and what I do buy I have an envelope full of receipts that are labeled god forbid someone is delegated that job again. I can't help it I'm a realist, I know it can happen better to be prepared than caught off guard again.
That said though............. I love being pregnant with this little girl. It's not easy at 39, however I don't mind every snap crackle and pop my hips and back do when I stand up. I love the roundness of my tummy! I could care less about weight gain this time. I relish every time she kicks, punches and squirms. It is the most spectacular amazing moments of my day, I'm not taking any of it for granted. When she wakes me in the morning I thank God for another day that her heart is beating. Im late getting out of bed bc I would rather play with my sweet girl. Every time I threw up, every nap I need and injection I get equals priclessness if in 10 weeks we are looking in each others eyes and I can hear her voice.
