35 Week Check-Up

Well I made it though 4 days of regular contractions, only to wake up this morning to cramping. No Contractions! Still in a lot of pain though after having my muscles worked out all weekend. I went in for my 35 week check-up this morning and found that I am still 2cm dilated, which is good, but also frustrating after suffering so much pain. I am also still measuring large, but we already know that it’s because he’s a big boy.

The Dr. decided that since I’m having so much trouble with cramping and contractions, that she’d refer me to the high risk Dr’s to have an amniocentesis done to check fetal lung maturity. I will have that done Thursday morning. If his lungs are mature then we can go ahead and schedule the c-section for any time. If they’re close to mature, then I may be able to deliver about a week later. However if they’re completely immature, then they’ll try to get me all the way to 39 weeks. She did say repeatedly though that if I go into labor, they will not try to stop it, which is great news to me. Statistically, white males’ lungs develop slower than girls (and boys of different races). She did say that since I had steroid injections for his lung development that they may be further developed. Also, he is a big boy, so he has that working in his favor.

She did say that I will most likely have to have a c-section. Unless I was to go in to the hospital fully dilated and crowning, they’d probably still do a c-section. (Clearly she’s not a big believer in VBAC’s.) Personally, if I were to deliver early, I would love to give a VBAC a shot, since he’d most likely be smaller than Carter’s 9lbs+, but it doesn’t sound like I’ll get the chance. On the plus side, she did say she’d let me have a mirror in the OR to see the birth. She’s never done it before, so she’s not sure how the angle will work, but she’s willing to give it a shot. I’d heard of other women doing this so they could still see their baby being delivered. My one big disappointment with Carter’s delivery was not being able to see him born, so I’m glad she’s going to let my try to see. (From what I’ve read online, many Dr’s refuse this kind of a request).

Lastly, she told me to stop taking the Terbutaline, because it obviously wasn’t working for me. She prescribed me Procardia XL to take instead. It’s primarily a blood pressure medication, but is also used for Preterm contractions. We did ask about how that would affect me, since I have naturally low blood pressure and get really sick when it drops. Her answer was that if it makes me sick then I probably shouldn’t take it. With that in mind, I’m thinking I won’t be filling the prescription, because I already know that even a slight decrease in my BP makes my dizzy and nauseas, and I REALLY don’t want to go through that again.

So I’m a little disappointed that I haven’t progressed more over the weekend, but relieved that they will let me deliver now and not try to stop labor if it does begin (another reason I see to not take the medication). She didn’t say so directly, but Ryan and I both got the impression that I didn’t have to stick to such strict bed rest any longer. (Again, because it’s ok for me to deliver now.) So I am hugely relieved to be able to get up for a few little things. Maybe without the meds and being up a little more, I may go into labor this week after all! I can only hope. I’m definitely ready to get this whole pregnancy thing over with and meet my little boy. :)