CHRISTMAS

KARCH IS BORN!

Wednesday December 17th, our new names will be Mommy and Daddy!

After visiting with Dr. Garner today, we decided a c-section wasn’t necessary today. However, I will have one on Wednesday (12-17)! I am still shocked Jason and I will be parents in two days. Amazing. Dr. G doesn’t want me to go full term due to my thyroid. No matter what, we knew we would have Karch Christmas week or the week after. We discussed the week of Christmas, but I don’t want to be in a hospital on Christmas. The week after Dr. Garner is super duper busy (but he could fit us in) with people wanting their kiddos to be born before the New Year (tax deduction). He sent me up to Dr. Koster’s office for an amniotic fluid test to ensure Karch’s lungs are developed. She decided to check him out herself before doing the needle test. She said by his size he needs to be born by primary c-section therefore, no choice to have any other way. Plus, she didn’t think he could grow another week in my belly. By her sono Karch is showing 9 ½ lbs! To sum it all up, both doctors agreed Wednesday, December 17th, is the best date.

Baby Today?

At Friday’s weekly appointment Karch didn’t pass his test they do every week during sono. He wasn’t practicing his breathing. Doctor Garner told me to keep an eye on him over the weekend to make sure he was moving normally. If at any time over the weekend I felt lack of movement to phone him immediately. He wasn’t as active as he normally is, but I didn’t feel the need to phone him. I am going in again Monday (12-15) morning so they can do his weekly test again. If he isn’t practicing his breathing again, I will have a baby Monday (12-15) by c-section. Crazy!

Sleep?

Last night I made the switch from the bed to the club chair recliner. In the middle of the night I came to realize, no matter what way I tried to get comfortable it would not help me breathe. So, I tried the sleeping method others have used-sleeping up in a chair. Once I got used to it, I actually got a pretty goods nights rest.

Last night I started having contractions, not Braxton hicks.

Around 1:30am, I was awakened from excruciating pain, which lasted a full minute or so. Seriously, this was the type of pain that would make you slap your mother! I only experienced two or three of these contractions before they stopped. However, my Braxton hicks continued and I was uncomfortable the rest of the night. This morning I phoned Dr. G to make sure he didn’t need to see me or anything before Friday due to the contraction episode. He assured me they were pre-pains and they might come back-if they come back with avenges to phone him. I would love for Karch to come before Christmas so we can celebrate his first Christmas this year. The waiting game continues. My appointment last Friday (12/05) was interesting. Dr. G started checking for dilation. Nothing was going on, but that can change within hours. I did find out due to being high risk Dr. G will not allow me to go full term. He said we will have a birthday by 38-39 weeks for sure! Karch arriving early is OK because he is 7lbs and shows at 38 weeks by his size. Plus, during the weekly sonograms they have been testing his reaction times and breathing- his development looks great (always scores an 8). Depending on my dilation Dr. G will choose to induce or go with a c-section. BUT Karch decided being head down and ready to go wasn’t comfortable for him any longer, so he flipped to breach again. If the little man doesn’t flip back, I will have no choice but to schedule a c-section. I think we will know more by December 19th visit. Karch's chubby cheeks at 35 weeks. (I took this photo of the sono picutre with my phone, so the larger picture is a litte fuzzy.)

Thanksgiving 2008 Photos