The NST went much like the last one we did, in spite of my attempt to get Baby to wake up by slamming part of a bottle of Coke for my morning carbs. I started out on my back, then the nurse had me roll to my right side and propped me up with a pillow. We noticed my blood pressure spike quite drastically when I was on my back - I was giving off readings of 148/94, which is MUCH higher than what they want to see. Baby seemed to be sleeping throughout the test again. After 20 minutes, the nurse took a buzzer and put it on my stomach to wake baby up. Then she explained a little better what exactly they're looking for since she was training a new tech. They need Baby's heart rate to increase by 15 beats per minute and stay elevated for at least 10 seconds. Baby has to do this at least 2 times in 10 minutes for the test to be considered 'reactive,' which is what the goal is. The buzzer really seemed to do the trick - I got the living daylights kicked out of me for the next half hour! lol!!
We had another ultrasound to measure the fluid levels around Baby. We were told the level is in the 'normal' range, although it's on the lower side of the normal. This is another thing they're really keeping an eye on. We got a pretty cute face shot of Baby though :)
Next we went to see Dr W. She asked about my sugar levels, which have been really good since I've been on the Glyburide. In spite of me overdoing some of my carbs a little bit now and then, my numbers are staying in range. I've noticed quite often I underdo my carbs too, though. Anyway, Dr W was very concerned with how high my blood pressure was. She sent me over to Labor and Delivery for additional monitoring. She didn't know if they were going to keep me overnight or if I'd just be there for a few hours. It was dependent on how my blood and urine tests came back and how the monitoring came out.
We went over to the L&D Triage center and I got admitted. After giving them a urine sample, I spent the next couple hours laying in the bed with the NST monitors and a blood pressure cuff on. They checked my bp every 5 minutes for the first hour, then every 10 minutes for the next hour. Hubby and I watched a movie to help pass the time. With the docs and nurse coming in and with the monitor going off, plus having to contact people to keep them posted (my sister since she had my kids, and my mom and grandma), I missed quite a bit of the movie. What I did see what pretty good though.
In addition to the other tests, the OB on call in L&D did a pelvic exam since I haven't had one since about 20 weeks or so. We found out I'm dilated to 2, 50% effaced, and even though Baby feels like he/she is sitting lower, is still at -3 station. (I've included these couple links for those who are unfamiliar with the terms.)
Obviously after this additional time added to my appointment, hubby didn't make it to work as planned :( He had been planning on going in around 11 or 1130, but since we didn't get back to town until about 2, he said there was no point in going in. Unfortunately that means he gets to spend all day Saturday working and putting in a few extra hours during the week... He's been putting in up to 2 hours extra a night during the week. I don't think he has any idea how much it means to me that he's been so supportive and so involved in this pregnancy. This all would have been a lot more difficult if he wasn't so supportive. I'm so lucky I found such a wonderful man!!
My bp mellowed out and my labs came back alright, so they decided to send me home. I have to go back on Tuesday for another NST, ultrasound, and checkup. They also sent a jug home with me with orders to collect urine for the next 24 hours (YUCK) so that they can check the protein levels in it. Which means we actually have to go back this afternoon to drop it off.
Hubby really doesn't want me to go by myself just in case something happens, even though it's just straight over there and back. I asked my best friend to ride with me, but she has to help her dad move today. I can't go until after 3:30, which is about how late hubby was planning on working anyway, so we decided that I would just wait and we'd go when he gets home. I had to move the seat back in my car, too, cuz my steering wheel was rubbing against the baby belly. It's a little more difficult to reach the pedals now, so I try not to drive out of town if I can help it. Since a friend had asked, here's a belly shot. Not so flattering. But I am still down a total of 8.25 pounds. Yup - I gained 3 pounds this past week.
Next week I have to be back 2x again. The plan was to go on Wed since Scraps has an ENT appointment then, but that doesn't work into their 2x per week schedule. They said one appt has to be Mon or Tues and one has to be Thurs or Fri. So next week I will be at Mayo Tues, Wed, and Thurs. We were having a hard time figuring out how to do this since it would be super hard for hubs to take that much time off, so Grammy is going over with me on Wed for Scrappy's appt. We don't have to be there until 945 for that one, and my appts are at 8am so it would be harder for her to go with to those. I would prefer that hubby is with for mine anyway in case I get kept or anything happens.
And the more that things are going wrong, the more the docs are talking about induction. Hopefully we find out a definite answer very soon. As much as I love my babies and I loved being pregnant, this one has taken quite a toll on me. I'm ready to meet this little one and have some strand of normalcy back in my life.
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