35 Weeks & Birth Plan

I can't believe I'm here! Only 5 weeks to go...35 days. Amazing. :-) Evan should be around 5 1/4 pounds and 18 inches long. Most of his physical development is complete, the next few weeks he'll just be packing on the pounds. I can tell he's become a lot bigger (and stronger) this past week. He is kicking so hard that it hurts! There are so many times where it hurts so bad (and surprises me so much) that I actually yell out loud. I also double over in pain at times and when he's really active I have to hold on to my upper abs to try to contain it, it helps absorb some of the impact. I've heard that some women get broken ribs from their babies kicking so hard...let's just say I'm not surprised that happens sometimes! I actually like it that he's moving so much though. It was pretty uncomfortable for a couple of days, but yesterday he calmed down a little and I was sad not to feel him quite as much.

I have still been feeling pretty good except for really bad hemorroids (from the pressure) that my midwife is going to take a look at on Friday since they aren't going away with Prep H and Tucks pads (probably because the pressure isn't going away either). TMI, I know, but hey, it's a big part of my pregnancy right now! lol My stomach has been feeling pretty good, but sometimes at night I wake up and it's very upset, I feel like I will throw up. I always wake Matt up to get me some cold water. That just happened last night. ;-) Headaches are a little better and I'm definitely feeling better than I was a month ago when I was losing weight and feeling so weak and tired.

We've written up a birth plan and will go over it with the midwife on Friday. I'm not sure if I'll add anything to it, I'm hoping my midwife already feels the same way I do about most things, so I shouldn't have to be super specific. However, if it seems like there may still be some misunderstandings with her, one of the other midwives, or the L&D nurses, I may add to it and make it more detailed. For now here it is:

• We would like the mother and father to be together at all times.
• We would like to maintain freedom of movement during labor and request the presence of a squatting bar in our room.
• It is not necessary to offer pain medications, we will let you know if they are needed.
• We do not wish to have continuous fetal monitoring unless it is required by the condition of our son. After the initial monitoring, intermittent checks are preferred as are limited vaginal exams.
• We prefer to have as few staff members in the room during labor and delivery as possible. The father, midwife, and minimum amount of required nurses are all that are needed in the room until after the birth.
• We do not want an IV or hep-loc.
• After the birth, we prefer that all procedures and exams be done with the baby in the room at all times.
• After the cord has been cut and the baby has been wiped clean, we would like the baby to be handed to the mother for skin to skin contact at the breast, with both covered by a warm blanket.
• We prefer not to be woken up during the night for any testing that can wait until the next day.
  In case of emergency: If a c-section is required, we request that the father be present for the surgery, that the baby be handed to him after the cord is cut, for the father and baby to remain in the room with the mother at all times, and that skin to skin contact at the breast take place with the mother as soon as possible.

Yesterday's appointment at the diabetes center went really well. My dietician said that my levels are great and that there is no way the GD is affecting Evan at all with those numbers. She said he shouldn't be large from the GD at all. That makes me feel so much better, I'm even more hopeful that the u/s tech was wrong a couple of weeks ago. Hearing from her that I had a large baby, plus knowing that GD makes babies large had me worried, but I'm happy that the sugar isn't making Evan grow too much! If he is big, it's not the GD that's causing it. The dietician also said I shouldn't have any problems with my sugar levels after Evan's birth. I'll still be checking my levels every once in awhile, I'll have to come in for another appt and to have another glucose test, and then they want me to have a glucose test every year after to make sure that I don't get Type II, although the dietician said she highly doubts I will ever have a problem. I'm so glad my levels have gone down from what they were a month ago! I've discovered the key is extra protein...peanuts and cheese have become my best friends! lol

I haven't gained any weight the past couple of weeks, but that isn't unusual at this point in pregnancy. I've been feeling good, so I know I'm healthy. Back when I lost weight a few weeks ago I felt awful all the time, it was definitely unhealthy. But I feel almost like normal these days. Plus, it's obvious that Evan has gained weight, so the dietician and I aren't worried.