Hello! Here we are, two months of quarantine down. It sounds like Michael might not be back to work until potentially July. Then we'll have our baby in August and he'll be off again for paternity leave. What a weird year. It's been very strange to be pregnant during quarantine. My OB appointments are virtual. My OB basically just facetimes me, which is so strange. I don't like that I don't give a protein urine sample, get a belly measurement, a weigh-in, or get to discuss my pregnancy in person. If this was my first pregnancy, it would be really hard to experience all these OB things from home for the first time. I have my gestational diabetes test in June and I'm requesting to go in person. They would prefer I get a glucometer and do it at home, but I have about 50 questions I want to discuss with my OB anyway, so I'm going in.
Pregnancy is going well for the most part. Although, this week my leg cramps have started back up. I had terrible leg cramps with Isla that kept me up most nights. This pregnancy is 50x worse. It feels like constant shin splints radiating around and up my legs. On top of that I have sciatica, which makes it hard to move some days. I am taking supplements, drinking magnesium, wearing compression socks, getting nightly leg massages from Michael, walking, resting, hydrating, eating bananas, taking baths, taking tylenol... and it doesn't seem to improve. Just a reminder that my muscles and tendons are literally expanding and relaxing every day to prepare for birth. Bubba doesn't move a whole lot either since these cramps have started, which is really concerning. We have a doppler, so I listen to his heartbeat often. We aren't quite at the point of needing to count kicks, but if we were he definitely wouldn't meet the quota :( We've started to feel little body parts sticking out though, which is so exciting (that is, until the foot is big enough to stick into my ribs haha)!
Our biggest concern is still the birth. If either of us starts thinking about it too much, we get anxious. The idea that I could hemorrhage and need a transfusion at the birth is very scary. It sounds like everything is in place and ready to go so that a transfusion is smooth and quick if needed. I get worked up thinking about how that might affect my first few hours with Bubba. I want to be able to hold him, let him belly crawl up me, and start feeding within the first hour. This is something I wasn't able to do with Isla because I was shaking so violently they had to take her off of me. I just want really great skin-to-skin with him, without being interrupted by a transfusion. The other big fear I have is what my MFM doctor has suggested my OB do after I deliver the placenta. My OB wants me to decide (unless it's absolutely necessary) if we should do an exploration of the uterus and sponge curettage. This basically means, she will manually explore my uterus and sweep it with a sponge to make sure all of the product has come out and to avoid further bleeding in postpartum. It can be painful and risky. So we have a lot to decide.
Otherwise, we are still counting our blessings and can't wait to welcome sweet Bubba in August. I truly believe Isla understands that there is a baby in my belly. She is so sweet and loving towards him. She always offers her food to my belly before taking a bite herself. She likes to hug my belly and say "Bubba" in the sweetest little voice. We have been pulling baby things out of storage and she gets so excited and talks about how she will show Bubba. I just love that.
Here is my belly progression so far (Some weeks were missed because we forgot. Oops):
And in case you needed some Isla pictures, as well:
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