Trimestre Tres

Really? Third trimester already? This is just getting weird, guys. I’m still scratching my head as to how this even managed to happen.

My latest appointment at the perinatologist office was yesterday (at 28 weeks, 4 days), and yes, there’s still a baby in there. And she seems to be growing – a little bit slower than they’d like, but growing nonetheless. She’s dropped from the 37^th percentile down to the 10^th percentile (and still has an itty bitty little head), but everything seems to be developmentally appropriate. She even had the hiccups during the beginning of the ultrasound (which made me nearly squeal with adorableness), which is a good sign that her diaphragm is getting plenty of exercise. She has plenty of amniotic fluid to squirm around in so there doesn’t seem to be intrauterine growth restriction issues, and the blood flow to her cord looks good which indicates that her placenta is doing a fine job supplying her with yummy bloodiness. So, like her mama, she’s just a small lady. She’s weighing in at 2 lbs., 1 oz. Despite her apparent normalcy, her petiteness earned me the notation of “lagging fetal growth” right underneath “uterine anomaly” on my chart. Oh Hot Baby, it’s OK to be little.

(I was assured by the ultrasonagrapher that smallness is not a sign of immaturity. Just because her lungs are little doesn’t mean they’re not making as much surfactant, etc., it just means they’re smaller. PHEW.)

Need I even note that my cervix still continues to baffle? This time the perinatologist even had a colleague step in to take a look at my ultrasound since my cervical set up is a “once in 20 years occurrence.” It is still crazy long, however (possibly 6.5 cm (!) yesterday, if it was indeed my cervix they found), and coupled with my lack of any troublesome contractions, they don’t seem concerned about preterm labor at all, and sent me along with instructions to come back in 3 weeks.  Wait, something concerning me is going normally?! That just doesn’t seem right.

My latest OB appointment was July 2^nd, at 27 weeks. Did the glucose tolerance thing (which was really not horrible at all. Should I be ashamed that I actually found that orange goo slightly tasty?), got the blood drawn. My fundal height was also lagging by 2 cm (25 cm instead of 27), but I don’t suppose that’s surprising considering that I’m small and baby is small too. What was somewhat surprising was that I’ve managed to become slightly anemic, even though I’ve been on iron supplements since February. I’m staggering them with my prenatals now to try to spread out my iron intake, and doing my best to include more meat and dried beans in my diet and not as much dairy (since calcium blocks iron absorption). Since I can go days at a time without eating meat and get much of my protein from dairy, this can be challenging. I learned today that watermelon has iron in it, which was lovely news.

But I did pass my glucose tolerance test (just under the mark! Hooray!) and see Dr. Thick Neck again next Friday, at 30 weeks. I suppose we’ll be scheduling my c-section soon as well. Wow.

Meanwhile we’re planning our baby/birthday/beer party (we’re not into the shower thing, and since Brad and I both have August birthdays as well as our August anniversary, we’re combining them and a baby party all into one – at a relatively unsmoky local cigar bar!) for early next month. We’re also taking one of those childbirth-y classes at the hospital next month.  Not a Lamaze type thing, more of a when to come in, what to expect, pain relief options type class. I feel like the librarian in me has already researched everything to death, but I may learn a thing or two.

Also – I outed myself as a pregnant person on Facebook yesterday. It was terrifying and I’d been putting it off for weeks. Thanks to those of you who left nice comments. Even Pru and Yo-Yo Mama, who revealed that Hot Baby’s name will either be Cinnamonia Neveah or Angora Nekropsie (HOLY HELL).  To tell you the truth, considering the names I’ve seen recently on Babycenter, that wouldn’t be too far off. The latest one that made me gag? Gelatina. Seriously you guys.

And now a few pictures for your viewing pleasure (beware of belly shot):

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Legs from underneath, crossed at ankles (how ladylike!)

Little Skeletor face

28 weeks!

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