Worry, worry, worry, worry = Mother

Oh, why can't she just steadily gain weight. Baby Ella gained the minimum amount required last week, but over the last 6 days she only gained 1.4 oz. I think the minimum for a 6 day period would be 3 oz. I'm not sure b/c I haven't been able to talk to the dr about it.

My milk supply is definitely down. I think it's a combination of stretching out feedings, pumping less, and she is just not big enough to suck vigorously to stimulate the breast enough. It doesn't help that I am in a constant state of stress over whether or not she will get enough from my breast. I had a breast reduction 10 years ago. We've been amazed at how good my production has been, but that was with 3 hour feedings and pumping after nearly every feeding. I don't know what the dr is going to say, but my plan is to go back to 3 hour feedings around the clock and to pump more times per day. I won't say how many pumpings...let's just say as many as I can stand.

Growing...

Hallelujah! Yesterday at her doctor's appointment her weight was up to 5 lbs 3.5 oz. What a good big girl! The pediatrician took us off of the hellish NICU feeding schedule (hear me screaming for joy). We now breast feed on demand with one formula supplement feeding in the evening. I will pump for only that feeding. Our only limitation is not to let her go more than 4 hours without eating. Last night she went 2 four hour stretches so I was able to get some really good sleep. It was bliss

Baby Girl is here!

Born October 22, 2009 at 1:04 pm. 4 lbs 8 oz 18 1/2 inches long
She was not able to maintain her temperature because she was so small and had no fat to keep her warm. She spent 7 days in the NICU, but we brought her home on Thursday afternoon. She was up to 4 lbs 15 oz just before we brought her home.

We're exhausted. She's on a strict 3 hour feeding schedule which includes breastfeeding and then adding a formula supplement. I also pump at almost every feeding.

We go to the pediatrician on Tuesday. Can't wait to see how much weight she's put on.

Birth Day

Checking in at the hospital tomorrow morning at 6:15 to induce. I've been having lots and lots of contractions and was 2 cm dilated on Monday. I hope that means that we can use the minimum amount of drugs. Better yet, maybe I'll just start full-on labor during the night tonight.

I'm very excited that my dr of choice is on call tomorrow.

More when I'm a Mommy!

Waiting

And we wait another week. The amnio showed that the protein level was not high enough to induce yet. This is particularly bothersome b/c the peri so does not like the look of things that he lowered the bar on his protein level requirement from 55 to 50. It was 42.9. Our new plan is to induce on Thurs Oct 22. No more testing. No questions asked. It's a go.

She only gained 2 oz in a week (babies at this point should be gaining 8 oz per week). That was with the 2nd measurement done by the peri himself. The first measurement done by the sono tech showed that she actually lost weight. She's now fallen lower than the 9th percentile of last week. He wouldn't even give us a number. He just said, "It's less than 10%." The 10th percentile mark is where a small baby goes from Small for Gestational Age to Intrauterine Growth Restriction. Above 10th is SGA; below is IUGR.

It's so scary and frustrating to go from, "we need to get her out right away." to "we're going to wait a week."

They didn't put me on bedrest, but my husband has. He's so sweet and cute. He's been reading up and decided that I should try bedrest b/c it is something that we can do. I plan to spend the week internet shopping and scrapbooking. There will probably be prayer without ceasing going on along with all of that.

....and then there was drama.

I didn't post about that I've had uncontrolled asthma symptoms. We've finally got it under control now, but I got bronchitis (which I'm highly prone to get) and suffered terribly from severe asthma symptoms for the last 9 or so weeks. Because the asthma was so poorly controlled, I checked out what A*COG recommends for asthma in pregnancy. They recommended regular u/s monitoring starting at 32 weeks. I asked for an u/s and it was scheduled for 3 weeks ago today in the afternoon. However, I woke up that morning realizing that the baby wasn't moving and had moved very, very little for about 36 hours. I went right in after the office opened and got the u/s; which didn't look so good and then immediately following that a non-stress test. They didn't like the looks of any of it so they sent me to the hospital for monitoring and had my peri's sono techs meet me there.

As it turns out, she was measuring 15 days behind. Since then, I've been having 2ce weekly monitoring. Actually, sometimes more because when I freak out if she's not moving I go in for an extra one. I've also had a couple of ER visits for breathing treatments in the last 4 weeks. One of which included an NST.

We went on Friday to the peri for a follow up u/s. Again, not so good. She's fallen even more behind and is now more than 3 weeks behind. Weighing in at 4 lbs 8 oz at 35 wks 4 days.

The plan is that we go tomorrow pm for an amnio to measure the protein level which indicates lung maturity. If here lungs are mature tomorrow, we will induce on Friday. Yes! The day after tomorrow!!!

I'm really hoping we go ahead and induce. The stress is killing me. Also, she's dropped and I'm very uncomfortable. I'm having so much trouble walking and getting up from a seated position is just a very painful experience.

Please send prayers, good vibes, happy thoughts, or whatever you believe in. I suppose my next post will be a birth announcement.

Sheesh! How long has it been?

It's been forever since I've posted. I just don't have any drama. Everything is going fine and that just doesn't make for a very interesting post.

Just 9 weeks to go. We're finally working on the baby's room. We've ordered all of the furniture and I have 2 showers coming up at the end of the month.

So pleased that I haven't gained a ton of weight. I'm staying a pound or two under the minimum recommended weight gain. It's, thankfully, all out front. I never expected to be one of those pg women. I thought I would S-P-R-E-A-D out!

She's still an active little girl. We can't wait to meet her!