40w4d Appointment Update

Well, first thing they did was the NST (non-stress test). For those that don't know what that is, they hook up 2 monitors on the belly...one for heart rate, one for contractions. I had to sit for 20 minutes. His heart rate was consistently good...no contractions on the monitor.

Then I had a BPP - basically it was an ultrasound to measure everything & make sure all is well. I wasn't told his exact measurements or expected weight (I know ultrasounds can be really "off" for predicting weight). But I watched him do his "practice breathing"...which I have FELT outside the belly! Seriously! It wasn't his heartbeat - too slow to be that. It was too slow to be my heartbeat, too. It wasn't me breathing cause I held my breath, haha. It was very rhythmic. I'm guessing the times I've felt it, his back was facing out & was probably pushed out. The tech said it was a very good sign that he was doing that - "strong lungs", she said.

Anyway. The ultrasound looked good, too. He is perfectly content (though very squished) in there. In fact, he fell asleep! She had to use this buzzer thing to wake him up, haha. I saw his feet move and his little fingers wiggle like newborns do so often :) I kept thinking "I'm gonna see those hands and feet soon..."

So then I had to wait to be seen by my OB. She checked me...only 1 cm dilated. She said "I'm gonna try to get things going here; it's gonna be uncomfortable & you're probably gonna be mad at me..." and she swept my membranes (which was very painful). You can Google more if you're interested, but as I understand it, she separated the sac from the wall of the uterus. Sometimes that triggers hormones & causes labor to start. Sometimes it doesn't work & the membranes fuse back together. So, it's not a guarantee.

She basically said that, as far as my cervix goes, if you think of it like putting on a turtle neck...it has to shorten & spread out (dilate)....she said my cervix still had a little more shortening to do. I also heard her say he's at a -2 (station). It would probably be easier for you to Google that rather than me explain, but here's a picture that somewhat explains it:



We've got our fingers crossed that the membrane sweep will do something. I'll try to remember to put something on Facebook when the time comes...I know many of you want to know. I promise if I can remember and find the time between contractions, I will :)

So pray, pray, pray! I'm developing a really itchy rash on my belly. It's not PUPP. My OB said it could just be from my skin being stretched so much...could just be from the hormones. In any case, it's not fun & I'm quite miserable!

*sigh* I feel much better than I did yesterday. I see a light at the end of the tunnel...praise God!