Doctor's Appointment, Sonograms, and Showers!

Well, I saw my OB last week.  She is concerned, as am I, about my "gallbladder" problems.  I had them before I got pregnant and they've occurred again since being pregnant.  Before pregnancy I had a HIDA scan done which revealed absolutely nothing--no blockage, no stones, a healthy gallbladder.  But, the pain I describe, according to my primary care physician, is gallbladder related for sure. 

Well, Dr. Sloan got concerned when I told her about it last week because she said it's quite possible that a severe gallbladder attack could cause preterm labor.  So...she set me up with a sonogram of my gallbladder and an appointment with a general surgeon.  She said that "nobody likes to operate on a pregnant woman, but if they're going to...the sooner the better."  Well...I got the sonogram done and the tech said that she saw a healthy gallbladder, no stones, no blockage, and the walls weren't thickened either.  So...although it seems as though the issue is my gallbladder...I will have to wait until Thursday when I see the surgeon to know what the next step is since the sonogram showed everything as normal.

Also, Weston is "measuring big."  Now what she really means by that is that my stomach is measuring big--I don't see how she can really know how big he is.  So, I have a sonogram on the 4th to measure him.  They don't think anything is wrong--just want to be prepared for a big baby and be ready to schedule an induction date so I can still try to deliver vaginally instead of going straight for a c-section due to a large baby.  My gestational diabetes test came back negative, so I don't have that...that's a good thing, but it would definitely have explained Weston's size (if he is, in fact, measuring big).  The nurse said some people just have large babies..no big deal.  So...we're going to pray he's not that big after all or that if he is, it's a "just because" thing.  The best part is just getting another sonogram to see our son.  Two weeks after that we are scheduled for the 3D/4D which will be amazing, I'm sure!

Also, I had my first shower and it was WONDERFUL!  The ladies I work with are amazing and I am truly blessed to have had them for four years.  I'm so going to miss them next year!  Weston received books, toys, diapers, pacifiers, adorable clothes, bath stuff, lotions, the mobile and bedding for his room and much more!  And I must say, the cake and strawberries were DELICIOUS! :)  This weekend we travel up to Arkansas for the second shower which is being thrown by the ladies at Jarred's church there.  I can't wait!

A couple pics!

Well, here are a couple more pics of Weston's room, it's still a work-in-progress.  You'll have to excuse the lighting on the recliner picture, it's a bit dark.

I'll update later this week on the other happenings like the wonderful shower my friends at school gave me, my doctors appointments, the upcoming Murfreesboro shower, etc.

Contractions...already?

Well it's been an eventful week and not necessarily all in a good way.  Let me give you some background first.  At my last healthy pregnancy appointment with Dr. Sloan, I found out that the weird tightening and aching in my lower stomach was actually the dreaded Braxton Hicks contractions I'd heard so much about.  They told me that if it was ever painful, I should notify them.  They also said I needed to increase my water intake and change positions any time the Braxton Hicks returned.  Dr. Sloan also reccommended I get a pregnancy support belt for days when I would be super busy or on my feet a lot.  So I did all that and the contractions lessened a bit for a couple weeks. 

Then Thursday happened.  At around 11:15 my whole stomach got really tight and my lower back began to ache and stomach began to hurt pretty badly all over, not just in one area like all the previous BH contractions.  I was worried...this was unlike anything I had experienced so far.  I thought it would go away and I would just count it as one of those things...but it didn't...not for about 30 minutes.  Then at the urging of my wonderful friends, I called the doctor's office and luckily got put right through to Carolyn, my OB nurse.

Carolyn told me to "drink a glass of water, empty bladder, lay on your left side for an hour."  If they didn't stop, even if they were just less painful or less tight...if they didn't STOP, I was to head on over to the hospital and get monitored at Labor & Delivery.  So, I notified the office that I needed to go home and lay down, let them know what was going on and then did all that Carolyn told me to....while worrying about having to go the McKinney hospital.  You see, I'm not a fan of McKinney Medical Center--but the doctor's office "likes you to go there when in preterm labor or potential preterm labor." Ugh...

So...after getting ahold of my husband, he came home, we waited while I rested for an hour on my left side.  The pain went away, but the tightening was still happening, so off to L&D we went.  I got a wonderful nurse at the McKinney hospital and if something causes me to have to go back, I'm going to hope and pray I have her again.  They got both the baby and I hooked up to monitors--one was to keep an eye on his heart rate and the other to monitor my contractions.

They did a test to see if I was at an increased risk of preterm labor in the next two weeks.  We had to wait a while for those results.  They also checked my blood pressure---surprisingly it was really good (been high at the dr. lately), and checked my cervix.  It was closed tight...a good thing...but I am now 50% effaced.  This was caused by the contractions the monitor noticed were truly happening.  So, they hooked me up to an IV and pumped a bunch of fluids in me to get me good and hydrated.  The contractions stopped on their own after about two hours of being in the hospital.  This was good, obviously, but even better because if they'd had to stop them...I'd have been in the hospital overnight and on bedrest which would've meant missing work.

Once the test came back negative for preterm labor, I was released!  Had the test come back negative they'd have kept me in the hospital and bedrest for a couple weeks would've been ordered too.  So, praise the Lord, we're now both okay.  Weston's heart rate was strong and steady and he was very active in the hospital and has been since.  So, now I just stay super hydrated and I see my doctor for a checkup on Thursday.  I'll post an update then!

Recliner & Cute Outfits

Here's the picture of the recliner we bought for Weston's room.

Then here are some of the cutest little outfits we've gotten for Weston so far.  We have more, but I figured posting four was enough for now ;)

Time for Some Pictures!

Here are some pics of Weston's room.  His crib, dresser, and chest are just beautiful.  We've also gotten one of the light switch plates installed.  It matches his room decor!

Here are some "belly bump" pictures.  The first is at around 22 weeks and the second is around 24, not much of a change in two weeks time but the bump is definitely obvious!

Furniture, showers, clothes, & pictures.

Well, we couldn't find a rocker and ottoman in a wood and fabric that matched Weston's furniture...well, that's not true.  We could, IF we were willing to spend almost $800.  No way was that going to happen.  So, mom suggested we go to furniture stores and start looking for a smaller rocker-recliner.  We found a couple we liked and picked one that was on sale and it has finally been delivered.  It was the same price as our original rocker and ottoman but it's way more comfortable and can be moved to the living room in the future and it will look like real furniture, not something originally purchased for a baby room that had to be moved. :)

Getting excited about the showers...the first will be May 17 and is being thrown by my friends at school.  Then we go to Murfreesboro for the one the church ladies are throwing Memorial Day weekend.  We still need to come up with a date for the one mom and granny are throwing...

We bought some really cute outfits for Weston.  Both look waaaay too big for a newborn but both are supposedly newborn sized.  I'll try to remember to come back later and put pics up.  It's really important to us that he not come home in just a onesie.  We want him to look super cute :)

Oh also, the latest thing I'm super excited about; http://www.kmdigitalimages.com/.  Kay McIntire will be doing pictures of our sweet baby.  She's amazing and well priced.  Weston will be photographed the first time by her before he is 2 weeks old, and then again at 3,6,9, and 12 months.  Can't wait!!

Will update more later!
-M