Week 36 Check up

Yesterday was my weekly Doctor Visit.  It was actually a little more eventful that usual. 

First, the baby is still really high up.  She doesn't seem to want to drop down and get this party started!  My dr can barely feel her head because she is so high up!

Next, when my dr. asked if the baby has been moving around (a typical question that is asked almost first thing at every appointment), I told her that the past couple of days had been a little less movement than I was used to.  Usually, the baby will kick and roll around at certain times of the day that I can 'look forward' to - as much as you can look forward to being beaten up from the inside out! :)  But the past couple of days hadn't been as eventful.  I figured the baby is just getting big and running out of room.  When my dr. listened to the heartbeat, it was a little fast.  I guess when she put these two things together - not moving as much, and the elevated heartbeat - it was cause for a little concern.  So she sent me over to be monitored.

The nurse first did a quick ultrasound to measure the fluid and make sure we could see the baby breathing, heart beat, and muscle tone.  Everything looked great.  I could see the heart beating strong, my little angel breathing, and even some hair on her head (at least that's what the nurse said it was!  It just looked like some blurry lines to me!)  I also saw her precious face and feet - the two most important things - right?!? :) 

Next, I was hooked up to a contraction monitor and a heart moniter.  I was suppose to be hooked up for 20 minutes, but after about 15 min. the nurse realized I was having contractions about 3 minutes apart!  She asked me if I felt them (Duh!) and I told her of course, but I thought they were just Braxton Hicks.  She said they were just little quick 'fake' contractions, but that they were effecting the baby's heart rate.  This is probably what happened when I was at my dr's office.  The dr. made me stay for another 20 minutes to be monitored and hope the contractions would stop so we could see how the baby was doing resting.  Eventually the contractions did stop and the baby calmed down.  Then everything looked fine and I was able to leave!

So basically I have pretty regular contractions all day long but they are superficial and aren't pushing this baby down!  I know I have been having the contractions - trust me!  But I didn't realize they were so regular! 

I have to go back to be monitored again on Monday and Thursday next week, just to be safe.  I really think that if the baby would drop then I would probably go into labor and have her soon.  However, that will probably not be my luck!  I will probably endure this for the next three weeks waiting for June 2, which is the day I will be induced. 

It is a little stressful living so far from family.  If I were to go into labor, things are a little more tricky than when we lived in Utah.  I do have my Aunt Cathy that lives down here, so that is a little reassuring if something were to actually happen and my mom wasn't here yet!  I need to tell my mom that she needs to be 'on call' for this baby because it is turning out to be a little different than Kat and Em! 

Anywho, other than constant contractions and baby pokes I feel decent.  My blood pressure is actually staying really low, so that is great.  My feet are constantly swollen, so that pretty much sucks.  Mat likes to pretend they are a stress ball! :)  I still don't sleep very well and can not bend over!  I am just excited to finally meet this little princess and be able to get on with life!  I feel like we are just sitting around waiting for it to happen and I am more than ready!