Thursday, December 13, 2007

all things prenatal

Did you notice I wished you Happy Thursday on a Wednesday?

We finished Asher's room and moved the computer, so until the cable people come out my internet access is limited. If you've sent me an email and haven't gotten a reply, that's why.

It is also actually 12:50 a.m., an hour I prefer not to see, but I have been blessed with a special sleep disturbance known as momsomnia. If I hear a baby cry at any point in the night, my mom-radar pings to life and I am UP. Sad. Especially when a little boy is cutting two teeth, because he sometimes cries in his sleep. He quickly fell back to sleep (without ever getting out of bed), as did Brian, but I'm AWAKE. So I'm using my momsomnia to tell you we heard a heartbeat with the doppler radar today. At this point, my chance of miscarriage is down to 2%. I think we're going to have another baby. S/he is due right around my thirtieth birthday (July 11).

By the way, my doctor's philosophy on prenatal care is that if a test or procedure will help you sleep better at night, he's willing to do it. Bless his heart.

My next concern - after the viability of the pregnancy, obviously - was if I will automatically have to have another c-section. It is my opinion that recovering from surgery is worse than any labor experience (at least, my recovery was worse than my labor). Also, I'm going to have an 18-month-old son who is not going to understand why his mom can't hold him for six weeks. Plus, there's no way repeated surgery is good for anyone, with scar tissue and that sort of thing. We discussed it at my visit today. He explained the risk (1% risk of a ruptured uterus - only 1%). To make a long story short, as long as there is no medical reason (like a breached baby) that he finds closer to delivery, he will let me go into labor naturally and try to have a normal birth. I have about a 40-60% chance of success, after having one c-section. Which means, in reality, the odds are slightly against me that I will still have to have the surgery. But I just want to TRY. Of course I won't risk the baby's health over it, but if I can avoid another extended recovery in the midst of a major life change, I'd like to. So if you're the praying type, maybe you'll pray for a smooth and normal delivery? If you think of it. Honestly a healthy baby is enough. Not having surgery would be icing on the cake.

Speaking of icing on the cake - I haven't been sick at all. A little more tired than normal, hungry as a horse, and more likely to give my opinion, but not sick. And no debilitating fatigue (like I had with Asher). That's just LUCK, friends. Most of the stories I've heard have been second pregnancies harder than the first. This one has been easier.

Last thing - Asher's been drinking his formula from a cup in the mornings for a few weeks, so he's been down to one bottle a day for a while. We instituted a brushing teeth routine at night (thank you Emily), and had intended to let him keep his bottle until the 1 year check-up. Tonight I was tired and FORGOT he normally takes a bottle, so I made his cup of formula. He drank it without complaint. How's that for unceremonious? Just like that, no more bottle. Oh well. Clearly I was more attached to it at this point than he was.

An example of Hungry as a Horse: I have eaten a sleeve of crackers since I started writing this post. The whole thing. But! I've only gained 2 lbs so far. And in general I try to eat foods of nutritional value (crackers notwithstanding). So, you know, whatever.

I am dipping into banality now. I'm about to support my mother's assertion that not everything should be published.

Happy Middle of the Night, everyone.

6 comments:

Emily said...

YAY!!! A heartbeat!!!

I have momsomnia, too. Unfortunately, we live in an urban area with the highest percentage of children under 5 in WESTERN EUROPE. Plus, there is a girl 4 days older than Benjamin right next door. So, I often start awake at a crying baby only to discover it is not MY crying child.

On the cup: it sounds like he is trying to grow up faster than you want him to. Boy, if that's not classic, I don't know what is!

On the c-section: Is there a patron saint of no-surgery?

Anonymous said...

I am so glad that they found a heartbeat!!! that is wonderful!!

Heather said...

VBACs can be very successful. I am believing in that for you. :)

Kim said...

I did notice you wished us a happy Thursday on a Wednesday...but since I am on the other side of the international date line, it WAS Thursday for me!!!! I FINALLY have internet access, so I will update my blog and send you a proper email in the next few days...but in the meanwhile, congrats on the pregnancy and I am so glad everything is going well.

Mercy's Maid said...

I'm so happy for you that you got to hear a heatbeat. I will continue to pray for a healthy baby for you.

Missy said...

Stephanie, I don't know you but I am SO happy for yall! I popped over here holding my breath and am about to ecstatically head out to WalMart now.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Missy

PS Switching to the cup has always been incredibly anti-climatic for me as well. If only all the milestones went so easily!