We have big news--Chili will be born this week! That means it's time to get your final boy/girl vote in on the poll in the upper left corner of our blog if you haven't voted yet (the poll will close Thursday night.) Due to some complications, labor will be induced and we expect Chili to arrive on Friday October 30, 2009. Our little turkey is going to be a little pumpkin! Below you can find more details of what has been going on and learn more about my condition and pregnancy than you probably ever wanted to. As a reward (or just scroll to the last paragraph), at the bottom you'll find a link to our maternity and family portraits we had done a couple weeks ago.
Over the past few weeks my pregnancy discomforts had become difficult enough that I thought something might not be quite normal. On Monday, October 19 I was uncomfortable enough to go to labor and delivery at our hospital to have everything checked out.
While I was there they took blood for some tests and monitored my contractions and Baby Chili's heartrate and movements. I was not dilating, but I was having frequent, strong contractions. They gave me a shot of terbutaline to calm the contractions and were going to discharge me.
Then the results of my bloodwork came back. The nurses were confused because apparently my doctor had not ordered any blood work. The test was done by accident--it was meant for the girl in the next room. But it showed that my liver enzymes were elevated. They decided to keep me overnight.
On Tuesday, October 19 the high-risk OB came to visit me. He explained that the elevated liver enzymes could indicate early pre-eclampsia, obstetric cholestatis, or nothing. The plan was to do an ultrasound that day to check on Baby Chili's size and general health, and then begin twice weekly monitoring of me and the baby with non-stress tests and biophysical profiles.
We went in for our ultrasound right away. I was 35 weeks and 6 days pregnant. Chili was 7 pounds 10 ounces already--a very large baby! The average baby at that gestation is closer to 5-6 pounds! Most babies will put on approximately 6-8 ounces a week at this stage in the pregnancy. Chili could be expected to gain about 2 more pounds if I went to my due date!
We were discharged after the ultrasound showed that Chili was big and healthy and doing fine. I was told to try to be on bed rest (which is pretty impossible with Matilda around!) and made an appointment to see the high risk doctor for more monitoring and my regular doctor for my 36 week check up on Friday, October 23. Ed stayed home to help for the day and I finally got a little sleep and was feeling a bit better.
By the time I went to see the doctor and have Chili monitored on Friday the 23rd I had lost 4 pounds, was incredibly uncomfortable, and my hands and feet were constantly itchy. My OB diagnosed me with Cholestatis of Pregnancy. It is a condition where the pregnancy hormones interfere with the functioning of my gallbladder causing bile to back up and spill into my blood. It makes me sore and itchy (and very very tired) but is not particularly dangerous to me and should resolve upon delivery and symptoms should be gone within about 3 days. However, it can be very dangerous for the baby if allowed to go on too long.
The doctor ordered an amniocentesis on Friday to check the baby's lung maturity. First, the fluid was sent for a 1 hour analysis called the LBC (Lemellar Body Count). If the numbers came back 10,000 or lower, the lungs would be immature, if they were over 50,000 they were mature. If they were inbetween, it would require a longer test. The numbers came back at 29,000. They sent it off for the longer test (L/S ratio)and expected to induce me on the 24th. Chili needed to score a 2.5 to induce on the 24th (although 98% of babies with any score over 2.0 will not have respiratory distress syndrome issues.) On the night of the 23rd the numbers came back--only 2.1. We were close, but not ready.
We went back to see the doctor again on Monday, October 26. My itching continues to get worse. Chili's heartbeat and kicks were monitored for over an hour in a non-stress test--Chili got an A+! But the doctors said that we were getting to the point that the scales were tipping in favor of inducing soon for the baby's safety. We scheduled the induction.
I will check into the hospital on Thursday night to begin the induction with administration of a prostaglandin. Friday morning, provided I have made sufficent progress overnight, the doctor will perform an amniotomy (this is a painless proceedure where the doctor breaks my water) and start pitocin. The doctor expects the baby to arrive on Friday, October 30. I will be 37 weeks and 2 days pregnant on Friday. 37 weeks is considered full term. I feel lucky to have made it this far.
We are VERY eager to meet our little Chili!
Now, if those weren't enough links for you, we had family and maternity portraits taken 2 weeks ago. Here is a link to the pictures. To see ours, follow the link. Click on the blue-boardered image to enter the photographer's website. At the top of the page find and click on "view proofs." You will be prompted to provide a name, email and password. You can enter you own name and email. You will not get spam. It is just to keep track of your favorite pictures and place orders. The password is Gustafson.
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