February 12, 2009

Past Due: Second Notice

I went in for a Non-Stress Test yesterday. I didn't know what they were until this whole ordeal called "getting knocked up", so I'll quickly explain that it's where they monitor the baby's heart rate in conjunction with any contractions or baby's movement. They're making sure the heart rate goes up when there's a contraction and you lie there for 20-30 min until there are enough movements to ensure the baby's doing fine. I was only there for 15 because this baby was moving all over the place. At least 4 times, some doctor or nurse poked her head around my curtain, looked at the printout from the computer and said, "Ooh! Happy baby!" I could have told them that - there's just no hope of her emerging. Maybe one of you has informed her how much nicer it is in there compared to the horror of meeting her crazy and bumbling parents. In that case, I don't blame her.

But then there was a glimmer of hope. One doctor came in and began to tell me they would schedule me for another similar test over the weekend since the baby seemed to be doing great in there and since I had PLENTY of fluid (and there I was thinking, "Ooh! Quick weight loss!" I'm so awful). And then she checked my vitals. Here's the lowdown.

There's now some protein in my urine.
My blood pressure spiked 7 points in two days and more over the course of the last two weeks.
They didn't like the swelling in my feet (not that I can blame them).

I don't (as yet) have any visual problems, headaches, or liver pain, but all of these are signs of oncoming preeclampsia (which can lead to seizures for me and low food and oxygen for the baby, among other things), so after discussing with another doctor and two nurses, the group concluded I need to be induced. They gave me an option of tomorrow (now today) or the next. I chose Friday the 13th. heheheehehehe

Wish us luck!

6 comments:

Kat said...

Happy Birthday and Baby Day soon! (she'll be born on my birthday...a great day). I just wanted to say congrats and you look beautiful and I was induced with my last 2 and LOVED it. Love love love to be induced (of course, I love being in labor too which I guess is strange to some). Good luck and enjoy it. It's pretty stinking cool to see your body in action like that. YAY!!!!

dietcokegrrl said...

Good luck! Can't wait to see her!!

Jean said...

GOOD LUCK!!!! AAAAHHHHH I'M SO EXCITED!!! You'll do great! I can't wait to see your little nugget! :-D

La La Land said...

Happy Birthday and Congrats! Lucky little girl to be born on Friday the 13th!!! Can't wait to hear all of the details!

Nat said...

Yay! What a relief to finally have an end in sight. We'll keep our fingers crossed!

The Hytes said...

I am a giant fan of induction. (I was induced with all 3.) It's now over, I'm assuming, and the excitement has just begun. Here's to the 6 months of sleepless nights and the next 2 weeks of painful nipples!!! May your experience be better than the rest of us!

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