Hospital visit

38+6 today and another scheduled hospital visit this morning. After queuing up 45 minutes to get my chart the midwife/nurse check-up came immediately. Urine is clean, no sugar, no protein (surprisingly, the sample was somewhat cloudy this morning). Blood pressure is okay (120/76). Weight: 68.5 kg (gained around 16 kg from the start but all you can see it is my bump and a bit of water with swollen feet).

Another 45-50 minutes at the doctor's door. What I like about these 'waiting outside'-s that there is no chit-chat among 'mum-to-be'-s asking about this and that. Everyone is quietly reading something in a book or in a magazine or on a mobile phone.

BabyBunny looked happy on the mini scan, and in all probability that she is happy there because no sign of wanting to come out and meet us. My (Dating Scan) EDD is tomorrow!! The doctor said that they will see me next week and if there is still no happening I will be scheduled for an induction on the following Monday (which is the 25th). Oh, boy, I do hope that Bunny don't want to wait that long. The 19th would be nice. It is my father's birthday. Bunny would be a lovely birthday present for him. I know he would not love anything better.

I asked the doctor about the vaginal swab taken two weeks ago. The result shows 'Light growth of Candida sp.' She said this is very common and asked me if I am using the Canesten (Clotrimazole Anti-Fungal) cream as she told me to. Well, she told me on Wed and I got it on Fri and used it only on Sat once but(!) I stopped using panty-liners around the clock the day I come home from her visit and the itching and whitening is gone since. No need to use then, she said. BTW, on the swab result there was a hand written note: Pt. called no answer. Well, there was no call for sure!

I handed over my updated Birth Plan so my chart is up-to-date.

GP visit

37+6 today. Another scheduled GP visit this morning. Urine is clean, no sugar, no protein detected. Blood pressure is okay (126/85). Fetal heartbeat is fine. Weight: 66.6 kg.

Symptoms/questions and comments/answers on this week's visit:

Generally feeling well. Looking nice and round (very big bump she said). Slightly puffed up feet, still stiff fingers but blood pressure is fine so not to worry.

The sharp pain down in the lower abdomen is getting more frequent. I had to jump up from the dinner table yesterday because it was so painful that I could not bear sitting with it. Baby is getting ready, she commented.

Itching L nipple, and some itchiness around the belly-button.

Accidentally ate some unpasteurized feta cheese last week. Not to worry, she said.

More (migrating) numb spots on tummy. Stretching on nerves.

Q: Baby medicine cabinet essentials?

A: Nothing in the first 2 months. Calling and visiting the GP ONLY.

Not that I want to drug my baby just I do not want to be caught in the middle of the night having nothing to bring high temperature down with...

Hospital visit

36+6 today (37+6 according to Dating Scan). Another scheduled hospital visit this morning. The waiting wasn't so bad. Urine is clean, no sugar, no protein. Blood pressure is 'perfect' (118/75). Weight: 66.4 kg. BabyBunny is happy, growing well. Amniotic fluid is nice, plenty.

While I was waiting outside the doctor's door BabyBunny started to dance and my bump burst out like a billowy playground.

Symptoms/questions and comments/answers on this week's visit:

S: discharge still yellow(ish)
C: it's hormonal;

Q: Group B strep. test (GBC vaginal swab)?
A: not routinely done;

S: itchy labia majora (the top of the vulva), the skin is whitened out
C: yeast infection/thrush, very common;
the doctor took a swab and it will be checked under the microscope, meanwhile she told me to get a canestan cream in the pharmacy but use it only for a week;

S: hiccups - they are still frequent (noon, around 4pm, 8:35pm, 11pm, 1:3am just the last 12 hours for example), lasting from 15 to 20 minutes, but not so rhythmic anymore, there are 30 to 45 second gaps sin them sometimes; Q: what is normal in frequency and length?
C/A: there are no set parameters, do not worry about hiccups, we only worry if the baby is not moving;

S: baby movements - trembling/shivering-like movements once or twice a day for 3-4 seconds;
C: it's normal;

S: numb spot on tummy;
C: it's the stretching, normal;

Q: flowmetry (to measure microcirculatory blood flow in tissues - cord, placenta, oxygen, nutrition)?

Q: can I leak amniotic fluid while the mucus plug still there?
A: yes, if the fluid just dripping the mucus plug can stay there but there is a flow the plug will be loosen;

Q: raspberry leaf tea to tone the uterus?
A: no clinically proven results, but it won't do any harm;

Q: what is given and what is done (routinely) after a baby is born?
A: cutting the cod, putting the baby to skin-to-skin contact, some checking;

S: brown skin-growths on upper body mostly;
C: to be checked by a dermatologist after delivery;

I informed her that we gave it a try to perineal massage but it did not work for me eventually. I did not feel any burning sensation (DH was very gentle and careful). She said that there is no proven evidence that it can help avoid an episiotomy. In theory, yes.

GP visit

35+6 today. Another scheduled GP visit this morning. The nicer, kinder midwife is back. Good news, I can ask questions! Urine is clean, no sugar, no protein. Blood pressure is within normal limits (124/80). Fetal heartbeat is nice and loud. Weight: 64 kg.

Generally feeling well. Slightly puffed up feet, slightly stiff fingers but the blood pressure is fine so just a bit of water retention which is normal, she said. Some change in vaginal discharge: slight increase and more yellowish but the urine sample is clean so not to worry, she said. For the occasional sharp pain down in the lower abdomen also normal, and the strong, frequent Braxton Hicks' do not effect the baby (which I still doubt), she said.

Bunny received some extra vitamin D today as the sun was scorching on the way to and back.

GP for confirmation

We went to the GP this morning. No, not to the previous one, I have chosen a new one, a younger, a more sympathetic one. She could be around my age.

She wanted to sign me to a different hospital because all her patients go there but I said the old one from my January pregnancy will do. They know my history. I hope for an earlier scan around week 8.

I showed the supplements what I took in pre-conception (Pregnacare and MorDHA) and what I am taking now (Prenatal Nutrients from Solgar and MumOmega). No vitamin C or Prebio7 this time, I was afraid to take. She said no extra vitamin C but she gave a green light to the probiotics.

I also asked about herbal teas. She said that camomile and peppermint are OK. When I asked about exercise she said no need for it. I was surprised as all I hear how positive to exercise during pregnancy for mummy and baby alike.

I peed in a container. She checked it but did not say a thing about it so I presume all is good. I am officially pregnant!

Today's measures were weight: 54.5 kg, blood pressure: 134/80 (systolic/diastolic). She did not measure my BMI. My new EDD: 21/06/2012. 21st of June just days away from my BD ;-))

What are the symptoms? Some breast pain and since yesterday morning lost appetite and all day lasting mild nausea.

The confirmation

I was smiling over the week and the weekend, being happy and light. Today I went to the GP for my pregnancy confirmation. Same GP as for the smear test. She asked my LMP, measured my blood pressure (116/60 - systolic/diastolic), listened to my chest. She asked me to pee in a little container but my bladder was empty so I just showed her the two positive tests. I also showed her the supplements I take: Prenatal Nutrients (Solgar), Mum Omega pregnancy (Equazen), vitamin-C 500 mg (Sona) and Prebio7 probiotics. She said that the probiotics are fine, wasn't sure about the Omega-3-6, but definitely said to stop the vitamin-C, immediately! She didn't say why though. She didn't make any statement about the prenatal vitamin formula.

She put my EDD (Estimated Date of Delivery), i.e. my due date on the 11th of October (I calculated the 12th - subtract 3 months and add 7 days to your LMP). She wrote a letter for me to take to the hospital of my choice. Well, it was her choice really. When I asked which one to pick as I have 3 approximately in the same distance from where I live, she chose the University Hospital for Women & Infants. The care is good, she said. When she asked about how would we (DH was there too) proceed if there is any problem with the baby, would we want to terminate the pregnancy in bad outcome, we said yes. So she wrote another letter to take with me to the prenatal diagnosis clinic, for a blood test and Nuchal thickness scan, around week 12.

There was another choice to make, whatever I want to go private, semi-private or public. She said if I choose private, semi-private it will cost me, a lot, but the service basically the same and even in private the bed, the care, the same obstetrician cannot be guaranteed as it operates on a first come first serve. I chose public (going combined care) and Midwifery Led Unit. Midwifery because I want a natural birth as possible. I dare not take a home birth but no needles, no cuts, no drugs, please.

Finally I got a flu jab. First she presented it as a choice, a highly recommended one. I said we will think about it and come back if I want to have it. She said we have 5 minutes to decide! She pushed us hard so we gave in.