July 14th we hit the 32 week mark! (picture 7/13) Baby is estimated to be about 3.75 lbs and 16.7 inches long. I should be gaining about a pound a week and half of that goes to baby. In the month of July I've started to feel like I waddle when I walk at times. I've also had back pain some days (no lower back so that's good 'cause that's a sign of contractions). I had my 5th perinatalogist appointment of this pregnancy July 12th and miracle, 4th visit with same doctor! Dr. Marc Jackson; guess out of the 4 perinatalogists who rotate and come down to St. G, he comes the most often. So nice to feel like a have a doctor--one--in that department verses several. I was put in a room I've never been in before that felt like an over-sized closet. I'm usually in the huge room that seems like it could be a small house. I felt downgraded and demoted. Then I normally only wait 5-10 minutes in between the ultrasound and seeing the doctor, but this day I waited 30 minutes! Not comfortable lying down with a belly full of jelly (the doctor always does more with the ultrasound after the technician) wondering why the wait. Made my mind go wild and start to make up things like something was wrong and they were going to come in the room to tell me it was time to deliver the baby, and maybe they were seeing if there was enough room for me in the hospital. Don't leave a pregnant lady to wait and wonder! He came in and told me it was a waste of time to do the blood work that was done last week and there was no need. I didn't see why; I was only being seen by them every 4 weeks so why not have a little more info in between? He said the antibodies are there so didn't matter how many or how much; we could see what we needed to see with the ultrasound. They did the Doppler blood flow measurement and it averaged out to be 46; we put that on the chart which bumped Caleb up from zone D to zone C. Doc said zone D is absence of anemic or low anemia. Thus zone C means more anemic but not bad. For the reason of having gone up I will now be seen every 2 weeks by the perinatalogist. He also said at 34 weeks we would start weekly non-stress tests to monitor and check on baby. With Porter I was doing them twice a week. So right now I'm seeing my OB weekly, will now see the perinatalogist every two weeks, and have weekly non-stress tests. Every other week I'll have three appointments. Whew! All and anything for my baby Caleb! One good thing is we are pretty much out of the zone or possibility of needing or doing a blood transfusion in utero. That would be needed if baby was severely anemic but too young gestationally) to be born. Dr. J said they would do that up to 34 weeks, but after that they'd rather do a newborn transfusion (meaning deliver the baby then do blood transfusion) rather than risk doing it. I'm so grateful we won't have to do that! First of all if it was needed it would mean baby Caleb was very sick and in danger, it would be risky, it's expensive, it's painful, and we'd have to travel to SLC to do it. The following day on the 13th had my appointment at the OB. Dr. Lunt had talked to Dr. Jackson and said something to the effect of "Did Dr. Jackson say I was stupid?" We talked a minute then I did the urine sample, was seen by someone new--Kellie who was something something nurse midwife--for the exam (baby heartbeat 120 and I measured 31 so right on), got my progesterone shot, and as I was leaving Dr. Lunt said, "Don't let me do anymore blood work." =P The one negative to that appointment was waiting for an hour to be seen! No more late appointments (it was at 11am but not by my choice--it was all they had when we scheduled which is why we went ahead and scheduled all of my remaining appointments so I could get mornings).
July 21st was 33 weeks! Baby should be over 4 lbs (the heft of a pineapple) and just over 17 inches. (picture 7/20) On Wednesday the 20th I had my weekly OB appointment with Dr. Lunt and all was well! We talked about the delivery date and still planning on 37 weeks (won't go longer than that) assuming Caleb is fine in terms of anemia. That puts us at the 3rd week of August. My boys will have birthdays so close together! Caleb had a good strong, herd-of-horses-sounding heartbeat at 140 and I measured 33 which is normal and great.
July 28th we hit 34 weeks where baby is approximated to be 4 3/4 lbs (an average cantaloupe) and almost 18 inches long. The day before--the 27th--was a busy day. Had three appointments in a row: Perinatalogist, OB, and back to Maternal Fetal Medicine for first non-stress test of this pregnancy. It was a long morning. I saw Dr. Esplin who I have not seen since my first perinatalogist appointment this pregnancy at 16 weeks. Ultrasound was good, Caleb measured right on. I was going to be seeing them every other week but the MCA measurement that we chart went up to 57 (meaning Caleb more anemic) into the next zone (from zone C to zone B), so we're bumping up the visits to be weekly. Dr. E also said we would increase the non-stress tests from once a week to twice a week. Gotta keep an eye on the little guy. That appointment ended just in time for me to make it to the OB. Dr. Lunt checked me and I'm dilated 1 cm. They also swabbed me for a culture to test for a bacteria--believe it's called Group B Strep. Talk about being violated; I won't get specific but let's just say they swab in two bodily orifices. Not comfortable. Caleb's heartbeat was good and strong in both the ultrasound and at the OB office. I asked about some hives I have on my rear (TMI?...TB) which have been irritating and horribly itchy. I was afraid it meant I was allergic to the progesterone injection (maybe the oil they mix it with), but he said it didn't look like an allergic reaction just a skin irritation. He said he wanted to continue the injections and I said of course. I can live with a little irritation if it results in keeping my baby inside longer. Dr. L said he was going to "ruffle some feathers" by scheduling the induction at 37 weeks. Apparently the hospital has a fit for any birth planned before 39 weeks, but he made sure to add "MFM recommended," which it sounded like they can't or don't argue with as much. As Dr. L left the room he mentioned how amazed he was with this pregnancy saying it's gone a lot better than he ever anticipated. I told him it gives me hope for the future (meaning future pregnancies). I got my injection and then headed back to MFM (Maternal Fetal Medicine) at the hospital next door for the first non-stress test of the pregnancy. Sat in a chair for 45 minutes as baby was monitored and all was well. Now starting next week (at 35 weeks) I get to look forward to 4 appointments a week: OB, specialist, and 2 in MFM for the NST's (non-stress tests). Anything for my baby Caleb I say! 
