Pregnancy Update

Tomorrow I'll be 35 weeks along.  I had another OB appointment on Monday, and things are going fine.  This was with a different doctor than I had seen the past 2 times, although she looked familiar, so I'm sure I have seen her, probably during Drew's pregnancy.  She was pleased that I have only gained 26 pounds, which made me laugh, since that is what I had gained back on July 3, when I had that appointment with the weird doctor who was so concerned about my weight!

The only possibly concerning thing is that my fasting glucose readings have once again started being over 95.  Not much higher, but definitely over, like 96 or 97.  So frustrating!  This only started happening 2 mornings before my appointment, so I'm coming back in one week from today so they can check them again.  If the readings are still high, then I'll be put on a pill in the evenings only to keep those fasting numbers under control.  So in the meantime, I have once again upped my protein at my evening snack, and I have added a second fiber pill.  My reading was fine this morning--we'll see if that holds.

I am not really hopeful that I will be able to make it through this pregnancy without going on some medication, though.  It seems that my numbers will be fine for a few weeks, and then they will just all of a sudden start being higher.  I have noticed that my numbers are getting higher even after meals like breakfast, where I have never ever had any high readings at all, and even after I exercise.  For dinner tonight I had salmon, steamed broccoli, and a few strawberries, and then I walked for 45 minutes afterwards.  My reading?  115, which is just 5 points below too high.  Even just a week ago, that would have been below 109, for sure.

The only problem with being on medicine, the doctor explained to me, is that instead of being induced at 40 weeks, like I was with Drew, I'll be induced at 39 weeks.  That is definitely not something to look forward to, as I have no doubt it would be a fairly long induction.  Not because my cervix isn't ready or anything, but because the baby will be way up high, with a lot of amniotic fluid, and she won't move down and engage, so they won't break my water for fear of cord prolapse, so they'll just keep upping the pitocin . . .  and when the baby is eventually born, my uterus will be really tired, and not clamp up, leading to excessive bleeding, which leads to manual uterine sweeps, which with Drew led to a uterine infection . . .  So yeah, not looking forward to an earlier induction.  Interestingly, my friend Siri (the real person, not the voice that lives in my phone!) told me she learned that having a lot of amniotic fluid was a side-effect of gestational diabetes.  That makes sense with my experiences!  At least I know now that if they have to do those horrible manual sweeps, to insist on me being put on antibiotics proactively.  My sister-in-law Melinda, who has been a labor and delivery nurse for many years, couldn't believe they didn't do that as routine protocol last time!

Other than worrying about my glucose readings, I'm feeling okay.  Big, bulky, not sleeping well, but not too bad overall.  I've been seeing the chiropractor more regularly this pregnancy, so that has helped my hips (although I think I'm at the point where nothing really helps them for too long anymore, lol).  I have been faithfully doing my pregnancy workout DVDs in the morning after breakfast, and walking every night after dinner, which I am sure is why I have stopped gaining weight.  That regimen does take up a ton of time and really cuts into school in the morning, so we shall see how things go once co-ops start up after Labor Day.  At least Anna and Grace can work fairly independently now too.  Faith is the one who is not getting much school done right now.

I'm not sleeping well in part because I always wake up absolutely roasting, although the ceiling fan is on, and the AC is pretty low.  I think I'm getting a foretaste of menopause, LOL.  I still have round ligament pain, although I would say not as badly with this pregnancy, and the pains are only on the right side.  But this means I have to sleep a lot more on my right side, since I get the round ligament pain when I'm lying on my left side.  I used to only rarely sleep on my right side, so that feels weird too.  Of course, not sleeping well also means higher numbers in the morning, so I'm sure that is part of my problem.  Just a few more weeks . . .