Emmie birthday update 1

Well, it seems the process has begun. Abbie starting having strong contractions about 1 am.   We came in to the hospital and they monitored her for a while but ended up sending her home. We went to the scheduled appointment at 9:30, and Dr. J sent us back to the hospital to finish the job. We are in the hospital, all hooked up, and Dr. J just broke her water.   Will try to keep updating when possible.

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Baby Emmie Update-40 Plus Weeks

We went today for our biophysical profile (ultrasound) since I am “post date” with Emmie.  She looked great.  Her head was measuring about 39 weeks as was her femur.  She was head down and positioned a little funny so the sonographer had to figure out measurements by hand to guess weight.  She guesstimated 10 pounds.  However, everything she had for measurements showed around 9.  Of course, we know she is going to be big given that she is post date and the last three have been over 9 pounders.  So, the weight we are not too concerned with.  Everything else looked good too including her fluid level.

Dr. J asked, as he always does, what the plan was.  I told him I guess we would schedule the induction for late next week if she doesn’t come before then.  He agreed.  He said that since she is big it does add some risk to a vbac but because I have had big babies before he didn’t see that as a major cause for concern.  I asked him if we should induce earlier and he didn’t seem to feel that would change much of anything so he just asked for me to come back early next week.
When I looked at statistics/evidence (what small amount that is available), the risks only increase by about .3 to .5 percent.  Since Dr. J is still letting me call the shots, he is not really too concerned about problems with our delivery even with an induction.  My body is favorable for an induction if that is necessary.
I’m not going to lie.  This waiting has been tough mentally and is now becoming tough physically.  Adding all that together with other emotional events, I had to have “the ugly cry” today.  My heart’s desire is to be able to go into labor with out drugs but our main desire is to have a healthy baby and mom in the end.  After crying and praying and talking with Kristina (such a blessing to have a best friend who is an L&D nurse and very willing to hash out the professional as well as emotional side of things with me), we still feel like the Lord wants us to wait on Him.
And then we read through our Bible reading today and it’s in Psalms.  And David several times admonishes the reader to “wait on the Lord.”  The ones we read even talk of His power and Sovereignty of His creation that He made!  Needless to say, my heart was full with the comfort only found in His word as it reminded me of who was in control.
I know you are all praying for us.  Pray as we wait and pray that the waiting will end soon and we can all meet this blessing!  
Several weeks ago we met a sweet couple at the doctor’s office who were expecting their 7th baby.  She had placenta previa at 20 weeks and was about to find out if it had moved to allow for a regular birth again.  This was the same time we were there to find out if Emmie was head down.  It was a blessing to talk to them (they also home school and are Christians).  They were such a sweet couple and the Lord allowed us to see them after both of our appointments.  They found out Emmie was head down and we found out they were able to go ahead without a c-section.  Yesterday, as we waited forever to see Dr. J we learned that he was delayed because he was delivering a patient who was having her 7th…I told our nurse that we knew who it was and how excited we were for them.  Dr. J thought it was funny that had met as well.
Then, in the waiting yesterday, we met another couple who was expecting their 7th.  Her children were spaced quite a bit out with her oldest at 16 and her youngest at 5 but it was neat to see other couples and families with more than a few children and all under Dr. J’s care 🙂
By the way, one of the chapters we read was Psalm 33.  Such a testimony of God’s love for us.
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40 Weeks Emmie Update

Zoe woke up this morning and jumped in front of me and yelled, “Is she coming today?!”

Yes.  We’re still here.  Yes.  I’m still pregnant.  To celebrate Emmie’s due date coming and almost going and she’s still cooking, we went to the doctor and started clearing out school from this year.

Woo-hoo!

Emmie is doing great.  I’m doing great and now we wait to see if she is going to come out on her own or if we’ll have to force her out.

I go back in a few days to check on her via a bio-physical profile and then we’ll wait some more.

And as we were leaving, Dr. J doled out a sweet compliment.  He called me down the hall and I walked back down and he had to say that for someone who was over 35 and 40 weeks pregnant, I sure did walk much better than some of the women he has seen waddling around with several weeks to go.  I laughed and said thanks.  And “non” waddled my self out the door until later.

I really am feeling good.  Not too uncomfortable.  I have no big complaints about her having to get out.  My only desire is that she comes on her own without the need for an induction and that makes me antsy to get this show on the road.  So, please pray, dear friends, that Emmie will indeed come soon and “on her own.”  In the meantime, we have activities planned to keep kids and mom busy throughout the week.

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Emmie Update-37 Weeks

When last we left our baby Emmie updates at 32 weeks the placenta was moved but the baby was frank breech.  That meant she was head up and so were her feet.  Future gymnast?  Maybe.

I didn’t post at 34 weeks because, well, it was boring.  Listened to the heartbeat, discussed options if baby doesn’t move.  Yawn.

So, this appointment was the “big one.”  Where was she?  Would we need to do an ECV?  Wait it out?  Would we have an ultrasound to see what was going on?

I’m thrilled to say, she is head down!  As of now.  She could still move because my uterus is “stretchy.”  That means I’ve had a lot of kids and I can make all sorts of room for overactive babies.

I know ya’ll are probably tired of me saying this but I am constantly thanking God for Dr. J.  Even while we were trying to figure out he started saying that since she was still spinning (and she was…she was having hiccups all over last week), that we would wait and see how she did or until I went in to labor and make the decision then .  As I said with earlier pregnancies, we always feel part of the team and decision making and we are very grateful to have a doctor who doesn’t make snap decisions and really seeks out what is best for baby and mom.

Now it’s just a wait until she’s ready.  I asked him how far over I could go past my due date and he said I wouldn’t go over.  I laughed at him.  So, he’s going to give her eviction papers ten days or so after my due date.

I’ve got things ready for her and we’re all waiting but for some reason it just doesn’t seem real that we’ll have a new little one here in just a few weeks.  I’m excited to meet her and for the kids to have a baby here but, honestly, we have a few things we need to get wrapped up (like school and a project fair) before we meet her, so I’m fine if she wants to cook for a few more weeks.

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Emmie Update-32 Weeks

That would be Miss Emmie’s face…it’s hard to see and I’ll tell ya more about that in a second.

First, an answered prayer (lady details here) at 20 weeks the placenta was low lying and really too close to the cervix.  So, this check up was to see if the placenta had “moved.”  We are praising God that it has.  It’s even better news because it is also anterior (in the front), if it had not moved up and I have to have a c-section, that would not have been a fun recovery, etc.

We were also to confirm that Emmie is indeed Emmie.  I don’t remember looking with the other girls but it is definitely very clear at 32 weeks.  Just an FYI there.

My glucose levels are slightly high (from my fasting times) so Dr. J has me monitoring and maintaining through exercise and diet.  It’s not been too bad and the nice result is I’ve lost a bit of weight.  I think the lab tech lady was a bit off on the numbers so I don’t think it is as much as she says, but I have lost.  And that’s just a little something nice…and totally justified my cheating tonight (pizza…yummy and pizza dessert…even better).

Now more prayers please.  While the placenta is in the clear, we are now looking at our first ever breech baby.  Her rear is down and her feet are up by her face (as well as her hands).  That is one reason our picture is not exactly clear.  I have been going to the chiropractor regularly since before I was pregnant.  She is a great chiropractor and is going to do what she can to help Miss Emmie face the right direction.  We’ll work at home too to get her going right too.  Dr. J, in his calm demeanor is not concerned and because I have a “well exercised” uterus said she has a ton of room and will probably go back and forth a few times.  He’ll check her out at 36 weeks and from there we may have to do another ultrasound and then discuss options.

So, pray, please, that she turns and stays turned.  Mark and I are at peace with whether she turns or not.  We’re perfectly happy to see what God has for us and this little one who is growing now.  We just laughed when we saw her on the ultrasound and suddenly my belly poking out occasionally made a  lot of sense.

Thank you for the prayers and joining us (virtually or in real life) on this fun adventure of parenthood.

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Baby E

 Baby looked great.  That’s a hand, back and head.
 I absolutely love ultrasound profiles!
This was the leg position.  That would be the head up near the foot.  Arms were also outstretched over the head.
I suppose you might be wondering if we saw anything else.
We did.  But I won’t post that picture on here
Want to know what we saw though?!
 Please welcome, Baby…
Emmie Mae!
“Emmie” means universal and helps us to remember that the Lord’s love spans the world.  Not just us.  “Mae” is my mother’s middle name.  When I talked to her tonight she said it was also her grandmothers’ middle names (both sides, she thinks).  I’ve read in one place that Mae means woman or lady.  A perfect name for our little lady.  UPDATE: Talking with Papa & Grandmere, we realized that Emmie was Papa’s grandmother’s name and his other grandmother also had Mae as her middle name.
We are thrilled the Lord has chosen to give us another little girl.  Mark guessed girl.  I did too but didn’t want to get set on one gender so I called the baby him until we found out.  It didn’t help that I dreamed about finding out the baby was a boy all night the night before.
Mark informed me that I should not doubt him about the genders of our babies…he just knows.  The moodiness probably helps in his prediction as well.
Prayers please.  The placenta is over the cervix.  It’s classified as a low-lying placenta (not a full placenta previa which can be scary for mom and baby and cause bed rest…um, yeah, not our desire).  We are going for a VBAC but if the placenta is covering the cervix, well, that attempt will be null and void for the safety of mom and baby.  We’re fine with that and are trusting the Lord.  Ever the optimist, Dr. J feels that the placenta will shift as my belly grows and move out of the way.  If it does, then yay!  VBAC here we come.  If not, we’ll have a c-section.  It’ll be around another twelve weeks before we can confirm either way.  Recovery time with a VBAC will be much faster and easier than a c-section.  So, move placenta, move!

Update again:  Uncle B&B have been blessed with a baby due two weeks after us.  We found out that their baby is a girl as well!  Aunt B said, “Isn’t it funny how God does things!”  

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