Great Landings

Hello everyone and welcome to Baby Watch for week #38! This week we have about as big of news as you can get in the world of Baby Watch blogging. During our first amniotic fluid check since last weeks hospital visit we learned that the fluid was at it’s lowest point to date. If you remember from last week normal fluid levels are between 8-18 centimeters and Erin had been hanging out in the borderline category of 6-10 centimeters. This week on Monday’s check the fluid level was 5.4 centimeters and just like the week prior this prompted a chat with Doctor.

During the chat with the doctor he explained that 5.4 centimeters was very low (but above the emergency cut off of 5cm), and that the non-stress test they had also been doing was looking great so the baby appears to be doing just fine. He expressed some concern over Erin’s blood pressure saying that it wasn’t abnormally high, but that over the past several weeks it has been slowly creeping up. He also talked about how our situation may seem very similar to when we met with him a week ago, but that we were now in week #38 and that was hugely positive and made all the difference. It was at this point that Erin shouted out (as she does at almost every chance) “Lets just have this baby already!”. The difference was this time the doctor agreed! He explained the risks and procedures for inducing Erin and said that as long as we were comfortable, he was comfortable with moving things along. We said yes, and they scheduled the induction for this Thursday, April 29th!

Erin and I will go to the hospital on Wednesday night where they give her medicine to help get her ready for the induction. On Thursday morning the doctor will break her water and begin giving her more medicine designed to put her into labor. At that point we will wait and hope that the everything works as it is supposed to. If the labor progresses at a normal pace they will continue to plan and prepare for a normal birth. However the doctor said it is possible that Erin’s body is just not ready, and the induction medicine may not work. If that happens they will switch over to a C-Section and deliver the baby that way.

So there you have it. After months of baby showers, cleaning, painting, putting stuff together, worrying, crying, smiling, and of course baby updates, the day is almost here. Funny to think that I already know our babies birthday and it is not even here yet! I am also very excited to find out the sex of the baby. It has been hard sticking to our plan of not finding out. Hard to shop for clothes, hard to decorate the bedroom, hard to figure out the name, and hard to always be calling it an “it” or just baby. But now that the time is here I am happy we did it this way. Thursday we will all find out together, and that is pretty awesome!

Here is what the baby site has to say for week #38~

Baby’s Growth and Development When You’re 38 Weeks Pregnant

During the 38th week of pregnancy, your baby’s systems and functions continue to increase. These include:

• Your baby’s organ functions refine when you are 38 weeks pregnant.
• His nervous system functions increase.
• His brain helps him refine breathing, improve digestion, regulate his heart rate, and prepare for eating during the 38th week of pregnancy.
• Your baby might pass solid waste, called meconium, prior to delivery. If your water breaks or leaks and it is greenish-brown in color, this might indicate meconium spotting in your amniotic fluid. Call your doctor right away if this happens.
• He has reached what will likely be his birth length.

I have no doubt we will be calling, texting, Facebooking, sending smoke signals, and tapping out Morris code as soon as the baby gets here. But you can also keep an eye out here on the website and I will do my best to put up pictures and information as soon as I can. Next stop… Baby Birthday!

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