High Risk with High Hopes

 

I mentioned in my {{last post}} that I have been diagnosted with gestational diabetes. I wanted to give everyone an update on my situation, now that I've met with my OB doctor and feel a little more educated about what's going on with my baby.

 

No, I didn't get gestational diabetes because I drank sweet tea.

 

No, I didn't get gestational diabetes because I ate chocolate and skittles.

 

Gestational diabetes can happen to anyone - it all depends on how your body reacts to the pregnancy hormones. If you have a family history of diabetes (as I do), you are at an increased risk for developing gestational diabetes. Unfortunately, my body is not metabolizing sugars the way it did before I got pregnant. Here's what is happening to the extra sugar that my body isn't processing:

 

 

After meeting with my doctor Monday night, I have learned the following things:

 

1. I am now considered "high risk" because of the gestational diabetes. I will be followed by a group of doctors of maternal & fetal medicine from Harrisburg for the remainder of my pregnancy, in addition to my regular OB appointments.

 

2. I will have more ultrasounds throughout the remainder of my pregnancy to check the baby's growth, development, and activity.

 

3. Starting at 32 weeks (not next week, but the following), I will need to report to Labor and Delivery at the hospital for one hour every week. During that hour, I will be hooked up to monitors and the baby's heartrate will be watched closely. If he shows any kind of distress, I will immediately be admitted to the hospital for bed rest for the remainder of my pregnancy. This means that every week I have to be prepared to go into the hospital and stay, if that ends up being the case. Talk about pressure to get stuff done!!!

 

4. I am measuring 34 weeks instead of 30 weeks.

 

5. I will deliver before my due date. At the very latest, I will deliver one week before my due date.

 

Am I nervous?

 

Yes.

 

Am I scared?

 

Yes.

 

Am I ready?

 

Not in the least bit.

 

But, I feel like I have a great team of doctors to support me through the remainder of my pregnancy. My baby boy and I are going to be watched very closely over the next several weeks. I'm praying that God will help me keep my blood sugar numbers under control, so that there is as little risk to the baby as possible. I know that He is faithful and He will make a way. Please keep my baby boy and I in your prayers!

 

And... to make you smile after a long, serious post: a video of my baby boy kicking around in my belly last night!

 

 

 

 



29 Weeks Down, 10 More To Go!

How Far Along? 29 Weeks, 6 Days

Size of Baby: A little over 3 pounds! He's the size of a butternut squash.

 

 

 

Total Weight Gain/Loss: +1 pound... no change this week.

Maternity Clothes: Yep! Bought a new pair of jeans yesterday for my upcoming maternity photo shoot... very excited!

 

 Gender: Baby boy!

Movement: Wowzers... this boy has some STRENGTH! His kicks and punches are getting more and more powerful by the day. My belly will completely jolt to the left or right, depending on which side he's kicking at the time. It's crazy to watch! I try to catch it on video, but as soon as I get my camera ready he gets still. Love his sense of humor ;-) He's so much fun to interact with. I will tap on my belly a couple of times in a certain spot, and a few seconds later I will get a love tap back from my baby boy. He's becoming a lot more active at night too. I fall asleep each night (usually on my left side) with my hand wrapped around the bottom side of my belly, feeling him move all around. He hasn't woken me up with his kicks yet, but he's usually wide awake when my alarm goes off.

What I miss: I have officially been diagnosed with gestational diabetes.  I have started tracking my blood sugar levels with a glucometer, and watching the number of carbs I have at a given meal/snack is super important now. No more candy, no more sweet tea, no more unnecessary sugar in my diet. While I do miss some of those things that I have been craving throughout my pregnancy, I will glady give it up if it means a healthier baby boy in a few weeks! On a side note, this is what my hand looked like after the pharmacist and I spent 20 minutes trying to figure out how to work my glucometer... ouch!  

 

Cravings: Haven't really had any strong cravings this week. It's been an emotionally-trying week as I am learning to cope with the gestational diabetes, and I just haven't had the appetite that I had before.

Symptoms: Well, my bathroom sink has taken on the appearance of a crime scene when I brush my teeth... holy bleeding gums! Should get better after I have my baby boy.

Best Moment This Week: I had a few! First of all, I got my hair done on Tuesday night with my cousin Beth and there's just something about 'fresh hair' that makes you feel 10 times better about yourself.

 

  Secondly, I found out last night that I'm going to have a niece in July!!! More details about the gender reveal at my brother and sister-in-law's house coming soon ;-)  

  Looking Forward To: My 30 week appointment tomorrow evening, part-one of my maternity photo shoot Thursday night, and my 3D/4D ultrasound with our families on Saturday night! Lots of fun things to look forward to in the upcoming week. :-)

A message from the baby:

 

 

 

29 Weeks Pregnant:

 

Valentines Tea Party

Love was in the air last week! Valentine's Day came and I got showered with love at school. My sweet, sweet students brought me several boxes of chocolates... the good stuff. Too bad, Valentine's Day fell 24 hours after finding out I failed my glucose test - LOL. No chocolates for me!

 

 

My hubby and I celebrated by going out to dinner at our favorite Mexican spot here in town. Nothing fancy... just spending time together at our favorite restaurant. Here's the front of his card... he thought my ''artwork" was pretty cool, LOL.

 

 

My friend Amy invited me to a Valentine's Tea Party at her house this past Saturday. We were supposed to bring a Valentine-themed breakfast item to share. I opted to bring a red velvet cake roll with cream cheese filling. No, I didn't MAKE it. But.... I made it happen! LOL. I sliced it into servings and arranged them in the shape of a heart. I thought it looked rather festive :-)

 

 

We had quite a spread of yummy breakfast items to enjoy, as well as a variety of Keurig coffees and teas.

 

 

Lots of cute decorations :-)

 

 

The hostess-with-the-mostess ;-) Her sweet little Valentine princess is sitting on her lap.

 

 

Amy & I :-)

 

 

 

Amy has another tea party planned for April - can't wait!!!

 

Hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day.

 



28 Weeks... 7 Months!

    How Far Along? 28 Weeks, 6 Days

Size of Baby: About 17 inches long and almost 3lbs!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: +1 pound
 

Maternity Clothes: Every day! Leggings and yoga pants are my absolute favorites.

 

Gender: BOY!
Movement: More than ever!!! He's moving around so much these days. As my doctor said, "He's one active little guy... He's all boy!" as she tried to get him to hold still while she was checking his heartbeat.
What I miss: Well, my first glucose test came back a few points higher than it was supposed to be...so I'm watching my sweets this week! I go for the 3-hour test on Friday, and I'm praying for a good report. So, you could say that I'm missing my Skittles and chocolates and sweet tea these days. 

Cravings: Since I haven't been allowing myself to splurge on the sweets like I was, I have found how much I really love ice-cold water... without ice. We have a refrigerator in our garage where we keep bottled water and sodas, and the water gets SOOOO cold out there. It's so refreshing!

Symptoms: I haven't had much heartburn during this pregnancy. Although, there were a couple of nights this past week where I woke up in the middle of the night and needed to munch on a couple of TUMS to settle my belly. Hoping this isn't becoming a trend! I've also been super emotional lately. As I was walking out to my car from work the other night with my arms full of papers to grade and lesson planning materials, I felt my eyes welling up with tears. I have been so blessed... to have my dream job, a nice car, my baby boy kicking away happily in my belly, and to be on my way home to a man who loves me more and more each day. So much to be thankful for! All my dreams are coming true.

Best Moment This Week: I had a great doctor's appointment on Monday. I met another doctor in the practice and really felt at ease with her. She is super pleased with my weight gain (four pounds by their records, one pound by my scale - and I weigh myself first thing in the morning before my shower) and said I am measuring right on track. Baby boy is now head-down, and she estimates that he will weigh 7lbs 4oz. Also, I'm LOVING how much my baby boy is moving this week! Check out {{this post}} to see his kicking in action.
Looking Forward To: Finding out if I'm going to have a neice or a nephew in July!!! Gender reveal is Saturday evening and I can't wait! The more I think about it, I kinda want to wear pink AND blue. Not because I think they're having twins, but because I would honestly be thrilled for either a girl or a boy! I already stated in my last weekly update how neat it would be for them to have a little girl... but it would also be great for us to have boys together! They could go fishing together, play sports together, and become best buddies. I guess we shall see! By this time next week, we will know ;-)
 

28 Weeks Pregnant:

 

Kickin' it with Mommy

Yesterday was my glucose test. Still waiting to hear the results, by the way.

 

As soon as I drank the sugary orange stuff, baby boy started kicking up a storm. Yesterday was the most active he's ever been! I had the remote sitting on my belly and just watched in amazement as he would kick and the remote would wobble with his movement.

 

It might not seem like much to you, but it was probably the highlight of my week.

 

Just feeling so very blessed to have a healthy, active baby boy growing away in my belly. I've waited so long for these moments, and I just want to cherish them while they last!

 

 

 

Dear Baby

Dear Sweet Baby Boy,

 

I know we "talk" all day long, but Mommy wants to write down some of her thoughts to you so you can read them one day. Granted, when I say "talk", I mean me talking to you... telling you all about the world you're going to be meeting in a couple of months, and you kicking occasionally (either in agreement or opposition - I'm not really sure!).

 

I know I tell you every day how much Daddy and I love you and can't wait to meet you... but you really have no idea how much love our hearts are holding for you. Mommy cannot wait to hold you in her arms and just stare into your sweet bright eyes. I know it's going to be love at first sight. Mommy and Daddy prayed for you for a long time and holding you for the first time is going to be a tall glass of water after a season in the desert.

 

I hope you're ready for the cuddles, kisses, and snuggles that are waiting for you! Whether it's the middle of the day or the middle of the night, I can't wait to spend every little moment with you. Believe it or not, Mommy is already dreading going back to work. I just want to soak up every sweet little moment with you after waiting so long for you.

 

We pray for you every day... that God will give you a kind heart, a gentle spirit, and a desire to seek after Him. We pray that one day you will accept Christ as your personal savior, and that we do everything God has called us to do as your parents to introduce you to Him. You are such a gift from God, and we can't wait to show Him just how thankful we are for the blessing of you by raising you according to His word.

 

I love you with all of my heart and I can't wait for you to read this one day when you're old enough to understand just how much Mommy and Daddy love you and are looking forward to meeting you.

 

-Mommy

 



27 Weeks

How Far Along? 27 Weeks, 6 Days
Size of Baby: The size of a head of cauliflower!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Gained another pound this week! I am officially back up to the weight that I was when I found I was pregnant back in August. My goal is to keep my total gain within the 15-20 pound range, and with only 12 weeks to go, I think I'm right on track. :-)

Maternity Clothes: Yes! Got a few more tops and some nursing bras from my friend, Abigail. Also, got an email from Old Navy saying their maternity clothes were 40% off yesterday! So, I bought myself a few more tops from there. I haven't been crazy with how the pants from Old Navy fit, but the shirts I have ordered from there fit great and are holding up well. Here's what I ordered:

...I guess I was in a blue mood! LOL - didn't realize how much BLUE I ordered until just now. Must be the mindset of a mommy of a little boy ;-)
Gender: Bow Ties! Sweet little boy!
Movement: Lots and lots! I'm feeling him all over my belly now, so I'm curious to find out what position he's in tomorrow at my doctor's appointment.
What I miss: Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi.
Cravings: See below.
 

 
The Old Wive's Tale says you crave sweets with a baby girl... that one was definitely wrong for me! I'm thinking I'm going to have the sweetest baby boy in the world, though :-) 

Symptoms: Friday, I had my very first episode of swelling. Oy. Worked all day long, and stayed at work till almost 7pm doing work in my classroom. And when I got home, my ankles and feet were PUFFY. Of course I looked it up, and they recommend sitting with your feet elevated throughout the day. Ummmm... not going to happen! I barely sit at all except for planning time, guided reading, and lunch. The rest of the time I'm up, standing, walking around, etc. I have a feeling more puffy days are in my future.

 

Best Moment This Week: Getting some great feedback at work!
  Looking Forward To: The gender reveal party at my brother & sister-in-law's house next weekend! In less than two weeks, we will know if they are having a little prince or a little princess. I'm rooting for team PINK and already have my shirt picked out for that night :-) Of course, I'll be thrilled either way (wouldn't it be neat to have two little boys growing up together, becoming best friends?)... and there's a big part of me that would love to see them have a girl because 1) I would get to buy cute, frilly, lacy things. 2) My brother would totally be wrapped around the teeny-tiny little pinky of a baby girl and I would LOVE to see that! 3) My sister-in-law is absolutely GORGEOUS... I can just see a beautiful little version of her running around with a little Coach purse to match her Mommy's :-)
Here's Stacey's most recent bump pic... what do you think? Boy or girl?  

 

 

I can't wait to find out!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

And here I am... my bump pic this week.

27 Weeks Pregnant:

 

 

 

Glucose test in the morning... praying I pass!!! I love my sweets way too much these days.

 

See you next week :-)

26 Weeks



I'm already halfway through my 27th week, and time has just gotten away from me! I've been extra busy these last couple of weeks. I should actually be working on something for school right now... but I figured I better take the time to update the ol' blog so I can remember my 26th week of pregnancy.   How Far Along? 27 Weeks, 3 Days (but this post is about last week - my 26th week of pregnancy)   Size of Baby: A little over 2lbs and 15 inches from head to toe!       Total Weight Gain/Loss: Up one pound... officially one pound away from being back at my pre-pregnancy weight. They say after week 24 you should gain about a pound per week... and after maintaining my weight through most of the pregnancy, I'm slowly starting to gain! It's all for good cause, though :-)   Here's a pic from 10 weeks ago. You can see, I haven't really gained anywhere but my belly so far.  

  Maternity Clothes: Absolutely. Went shopping last weekend and picked up a few new shirts from Ross. Three new shirts for about $30 - can't beat that!     Gender: Sweet Baby Boy :-)    Movement: All the time! From the moment I go to bed, when I wake up, while I'm teaching, while I'm eating, while I'm sitting... this boy is moving non-stop! He's going to be just like his daddy. He has to be busy all the time - LOL :-) I love it though. He's getting big enough, too, that my entire belly jumps when he kicks with enough force. It's awesome!   What I miss: Being able to get down on the carpet with my students without needing a crane to get back up :-/ Yikes.   Cravings: Remember my dark chocolate lemon truffle craving?! Well.. my friend Ann came through! She works very close to a sweet shop, and she brought me the most amazing present last week: This beautiful gold box with a red bow. And guess what's inside?! YOU GUESSED IT! Dark chocolate lemon truffles and milk chocolate lemon truffles. They. Were. AMAZING! I may (or may not) have eaten them all in 10 minutes. Ha!         Symptoms: I continue to struggle with some pain in my left hip. I am pretty sure it is sciatica. Baby boy is awfully comfy on a certain nerve, apparently.   Best Moment This Week: My hubby and my parents all got to feel the baby kick on the night of the super bowl! Jason has been waiting to feel him kick for quite some time now... so it was awesome for him to finally experience that moment.   We also had fun at the Ice Fest that was held in downtown Chambersburg :-)               Looking Forward To: March 2nd - my 3D/4D ultrasound! March 9th - my baby shower! And of course... exactly three months from today... May 6th!!!   26 Weeks Pregnant:     See you soon for my Week 27 update!