Madelynn Ashley arrived today

Today I went into the doctor's office for my weekly check and found out that my fluid levels were extremely low. The ultrsound tech said immediately "I don't see any fluid around your baby at all. It looks like you're having this baby today."

Panic set in. I was so worried that she wasn't ok. But the doctor reassured me that all was fine.

We got to the hospital today about 12:00 noon. Things started happening pretty fast from that point on. I had all my paperwork to complete, IVs, blood work, hydration etc... The only really tough thing was the IV - but I knew that would happen. It took them four tries to get one set. The first two times hurt like the dickens. The second two times they thankfully numbed the area for me. They finally ended up putting in my left hand. Ick. The C-section was scheduled for 2:30 pm.

They wheeled me into the operating room at 2:34 pm. Then all the official stuff started. They started "marking time" and geting all the stuff lined up for the doctor to appear. They completed my spinal fairly quickly. Once that was done, it was officially "go time".

The doctor showed up. Jim came in with the camera and looked as nervous about it as I felt. Once they started the actual "section", it was all done within 10 minutes. The doctor picked her up so I could see her. She was icky sticky yet completely beautiful. She cried a bunch which is good since she wan't born naturally. The doctor said "all the crying is good - we need that to clear her lungs".

We got some good pictues in the room and out. Jim got to wear a cool costume for the delivery too. :)


All is well!

Three days left

I am so happy. I only have three days left until I am "on the bench". Well, I guess "on the bench" for me is more like on the couch. :) I really hope I get at least a couple days to sleep before this kid comes. But, if not, I'll be ready.

Guess I should pack my bag huh?

Baby C and Reagan

Reagan and I were laying in her bed last night and she reached over and said "there's Madelynn mommy" and pointed to my belly. She hadn't done that yet. :) I was so happy she finally said it. She's known that there is a baby in my belly, but has resisted calling her by her name. Although, she's only had a name for about a week. :)

Baby C (Madelynn)

I had my doctor's appointment today and they said she was still breech. Needless to say, the C-Section is still scheduled. I have kinda gotten over the initial shock of it all. I just want her here healthy. I've talked to so many people and gotten mixed reviews of a C-Section. So I'll just hope for the best at this point and pray that it all works out the way it is supposed to.

35 weeks

I made it to 35 weeks before I took off my wedding rings. Sigh. At least I made it that far.

Baby C updates

Today, I started my second week of twice a week appointments with the OB. As exciting as that is, there is not a whole lot to tell. She's fine and I'm not progressing towards labor right now. Both good for today.

The one hiccup in my plan to go natural is this little thing called a breech baby. Because she is still breech, they are setting me up with a C-section for my 39th week. So I could go anytime after the 15th. I have until the 15th for her to flip. The doctor said if she doesn't flip by then, statistics show she probably won't. Sigh.

So we'll see what date they give me over the next few days. I'm sure it will be before 40 weeks. Wouldn't it be a hoot if she actually came on time?

Baby C has a name!

So we actually picked a name this morning. Jim threw one out and I said "I like it". He look amused. I wonder if he had been thinking about that one for a while.

Now you just have to wait to find out what it is.

Baby C checkups

So because I am old - or of Advanced Maternal Age - I have to have a check up twice a week. One day to see the doctor and do a NSI and the other day to do an AFI and NSI. For those of you that don't know what that stuff means - the NSI is to check fetal movement and heart rates, the AFI is an amneotic fluid level check. Yea team.

So I went in on Tuesday - all was well. Friday I found out my fluid levels were ok, but at a 9.5. So I plan on guzzling more water. It's fine, but still a little low. I don't want this baby coming out any sooner than she should.

The other thing I found out was the she was still breech - frank breech to be exact. Her rump is down in my pelvic area, her head is up in my ribs on the right side and her feet are folded back up towards her face but near my left side. Nice.

The doctor did say that in another two weeks, if she hadn't turned, I'd get scheduled for a C-section. Ugh. I'm praying that she turns. I don't want to deal with that type of recovery.

Baby C scans

We had our follow up scan today for Baby C. All good news was reported. She's fine.

The brain measurement was within "normal range". Her weight and size are all normal. Come to think of it, normal is all relative right?

They said she was a little small which I don't get. She's already measuring about 4 pounds. That's over average. But whatever. They said she'd be at least 7 1/2 pounds when she's born. Again - NOT SMALL!

Anyway, I breathed a sigh of relief when the brain measurement seemed to be more of a mistake than anything.

Thank you God!

Sick again

I can't believe it. I think I've had the worst two weeks in a while. Two weeks ago today, I came down with a sinus thing. I was coughing and sniffing. I had trouble breathing through my nose. By Sunday, I was an official mouth-breather. I made it through three days at work before they told me to go to the doctor.

The doctor gave an antibiotic and also suggested I take some sudafed and afrin to breathe. The OB had said that was ok as well, so by Wednesday night I could breathe again. Whew.

Friday morning, I went in for my follow up ultrasound from my doctor's appointment and they said "your fluid levels are too low". I was instructed to get off all meds, stay inside, rest and hydrate. So I was back to not breathing. Ugh.

Monday morning, Jim and I went to St. E's to get checked again. All was good. The pareonatal doc said the fluid levels were normal and I was good to go.

Tuesday morning, my OB called to confirm the report but then also said "we found a soft marker off - the cisterna magna" and said we want to check you in two more weeks". Great. Not to worry though... HA!!! Tell a old prego woman not to worry. Geez doc.

On Wednesday, I went to work and by 10:30 am I was puking in the bathroom. Nice. Jim had a stomach bug the past weekeend. I guess I finally got it. I managed to get home and onto the couch. I puked another time that day and managed to get Jim to let me hide in the bedroom after Reagan got home. Two days later, I was back to work (on the couch).

Needless to say, I'm soooo done being sick. I've literally had something wrong virtually my entire pregnancy. This little girl is wreaking havoc on my life already. I totally can't wait to meet her. She's going to rock our world just like Reagan did - just in a different way.

Pray she's good and that I can stay healthy for the next two months. That's all I have left folks!!!

My prego pic at 29 weeks or so

Someone asked for me to post my prego pic, so here it is. As of the beginning of August, I was THIS BIG!!!

Baby C scans

Yesterday we went back to the doctor to see how the baby was growing. On Monday, the doctor had ordered a scan because she was concerned. The tech was really good with us - she confirmed that the baby was fine. She was a little small, but all things were growing correctly according to her size.

My amniotic fluid, however, is a tad low. The measurement is supposed to be between 9.0 and 23.0. Mine is at 9.0. So the doctor put me on "bed rest" this weekend. He told me to stay inside where it's cool, rest and drink lots of fluids to get hydrated. I was also to stop all medication except my antibiotic. So - no more breathing. :) That's ok. Anything for this kid!

So Monday will be the next milestone for me. I will go to the hospital to have my fluid level checked again. If it's low, they will either put me on bed rest or admit me to give me IV fluids. Yea team. We'll see.

Keep praying!

Now I'm sick

Ok, this has been an interesting week for the Carman girls.
Jordan had a rash when we picked her up from camp on Saturday, Reagan was feverish and had the runs plus coxsackie virus, I ended up at the doctor today with a sinus/throat infection. Hmmm. What's next? Well actually, i go in Friday for my re-check ultrasound to determine if the baby is growing ok. If not, I get bedrest.

Saying tons of prayers this week for wellness!!!

Baby C updates

So today I went in for my standard appointment - I'm 29w3d. Yea team! Unfortunately the doctor became a tad worried when she measured me. Apparently she thinks I'm small. Now if you saw me, you would not say I'm small at all. I've actually put on about 33 pounds at this point - slightly more than recommended, but a LOT less than my first pregnancy.

She told me that my uterus was lower than expected and said "I think she might be small". She said she's either a pretzel baby (all bunched up in one place) or small. So she set me up with an ultrasound for this Friday and said "if she measures small, you will be put on bed rest." WHAT??? Yep - bed rest. Hmmm.

So of course my mind is going crazy. I know everything is in God's Hands, but sometimes it is hard to not worry and let go. I've looked up everything that could be wrong. One post said "just quit looking until you get your results because you'll likely find a bunch of things it could be that might scare you more than your results." Nice again.

My poor baby saw me crying to Jim tonight. She just kept looking at me and holding on to my leg. Poor thing was worried. Now she's not leaving my side at all. I'll be better tomorrow until Friday morning. Then I'll probably be sick to my stomach until I hear "the news".

Just keep me in your prayers!

Reagan and Baby C

Tonight, I got home and snuggled with Reagan on the couch. We typically do that after school - we eat a snack and watch Dora before playing. She was laying on my belly and started lightly patting my belly. Then she did it stronger. Finally, she dropped her elbow on my belly and said "I don't like that". I said "what honey, you don't like the baby?". She actually said "no mommy, I don't want one".

Hmmm

New Dora Bedroom and Baby Room

Reagan has done really well getting used to her new big girl room. We filled the walls and her bed with "Dora" and she really likes it. She has not seemed to have any issue getting used to the size of the bed either. We all like the size of the bed, because it makes it easier to cuddle if we want to. :)

And now, because the baby's room is now set up, Reagan wants to play in there. I'm not sure why, but I'm sure she's getting used to the idea of having another little thing in the house.

Baby C updates

Oh My Gosh - It's over 100 degress today. It is NOT a good summer to be pregnant... or at least THIS pregnant. Ugh!

Baby C updates

I left work yesterday around 2:00 pm to lay down. I was having considerable pain across my abdomen and was having trouble sitting up. I got home, popped some Tylenol and laid down. By the evening, I wasn't much better. In fact I was worse. By the time Reagan had to go to bed, I was done for the evening.

So this morning I woke up thinking I'd be ok. Nope! So I called into work and called the doctor. Great thing - the doctor wanted me to come into today to check the baby.

I got to the doctor. They checked me for infections, pushed on my belly and said "hmmm... let's check with an ultrasound". Even better. The baby was just fine. The heart was beating and she was moving around just fine.

The doctor said to take it easy and come back in about a week to see how I'm doing. But he thought that my pain was muscle strain and round-ligament strain. I hope so. :)

Baby C updates

So lately Baby C has been beating my stomach up from the inside out. She's has literally kicked me all day and all night. Not only that but I've been having some upper stomach issues - not my stomach, but the actual muscles. Someone at work finally convinced me that I was having Braxton Hicks. Yea team.

The good thing is the last two days that they've calmed down. But I've also had more strain in my pelvic area. I've resolved to just not workout because it's not worth the three days of recovery. I am struggling to pick Reagan up or hold her for any period of time. I hate that. I'm so used to being super woman - nothing stops me. Well, nothing until I got pregnant again.

But, I look at it this way. I have a little baby growing inside me. That is just a miracle. I'm 40 and had no problems getting pregnant. I'm grateful. So another 12 weeks to be selfless and just take care of myself is all I can do.

I'm looking forward to the end of the pregnancy for a lot of reasons. But am patiently waiting her arrival.

Baby C

So over the last week or so Baby C has gotten very active. She's not quite active all day, but she will go for LONG periods of time just kicking and punching all over the place. She's gotten so strong that she can now make my clothes move and other objects that I might balance on my belly.

The other day, Reagan was snuggling on my belly like a pillow and she got kicked by the baby. I'm not sure she knew, but I did. Her head moved.

I've started to get some of my energy back, but still having a lot of back trouble. If I sit too long, my hips lock up. Some days my groin gets too sore to walk, but stretching helps sometimes. I have to admit, I've had a few women catch me in the bathroom at work stretching in some odd ways. They just smile like they get it. Thank goodness.