38 week update

Today I got to spend most of the day listening to my baby's heartbeat, and seeing him on ultrasound. I had my 38 week appointment at 11:30, beginning with an ultrasound. They do a bio-physical profile each time, measuring the amniotic fluid, looking for movement, and practice breathing, and he gets a score based on that information. Every time he has been practice breathing throughout the session. This time they gave him just a little over the maximum 1/2 hr limit, and he only did it a couple times, which they said didn't count. So, for the first time he didn't receive a perfect score. After that I had the NST, which charts the baby's heart-rate, looking for the right accelerations in response to his movements. That part went great, but when I saw the Dr. she said that since he didn't score perfect on the BPP, I had the option of going for extended monitoring. Of course I wanted to be sure he was okay, so that's what I chose to do.

Over to the hospital I went, where I was put back on the monitors and his heartbeat continued to sound good. Even though I've done it week after week now, I never get tired of hearing that wonderful sound!! After about 1 1/2 hours, and 1 1/2 episodes of Cold Case I was called in for an ultrasound. He did well right away with movements, and she started taking lots of measurements. This was a better machine than the one at the office, where he had measured an estimated 8 lb., and this time he measured 8 lb, 14 oz.!! At the office they were having a hard time getting a tummy measurement because he was kind of scrunched up, but this time he was more spread out so I think they got the more accurate measurements. He is turning into one chunky monkey!! The tech asked me if we had set a date for induction yet, and I realized that they probably would have mentioned that if we hadn't been so focused on the test results, so I might call back tomorrow just to see if we can get something set up.

I'm getting a little nervous about him being so big, because my first son was 9 lb. 6 oz, and he had a difficult delivery and ended up with a broken collarbone at birth because his shoulders got stuck. This can be very risky during delivery so I really hope that doesn't happen again this time around! With that in mind, I would love to get him here even today!!!

He finally cooperated and did his breathing motions, and we were given the perfect score and the green light to go home. It was 4 by the time I left there, and by this time I was starving and exhausted, and after lying on the hospital beds focusing so much on the baby, I wished I was getting to take him home with me!! But, I'm so thankful he still appears to be doing great, and it is only a matter of time before he's here!!