34 week check-up

Monday was a marathon day of doctor's appointments for Dylan & myself! We started the morning off at the hematologists, Dr. Spero Cataland, at the OSU James Cancer Center. (I am oh-so-grateful to be a patient of benign hematology, and not the hematology-oncology department. I heard some very sad conversations in that waiting room while I was there.) I have a bleeding disorder called vonWillebrand's Disease (vWD) Type 1A. It's the most common bleeding disorder, affecting 1% of women. Often it is best managed by being on birth control - the hormone regulation helps the vonWillebrand's factor level out as well. And if you follow that same line of logic, it often self-corrects during pregnancy due to the consistent (and higher) level of hormones, and lasts till sometime after delivery & recovery. When I was pregnant with Haley, there was so much going on with her that somehow I never made it to a proper hematologist, and though my OB/GYN ran the bloodwork it seemed that my vWD had not corrected itself even though I was pregnant. Because of this, it was important that I deliver in a Level 3 ER hospital and that I received an infusion called DDAVP during delivery. That made everything a little nerve-wracking since I live far away from any such facilities in Logan, and basically meant that I had to be induced. So it was a huge relief to hear on Monday that as of bloodwork that was drawn in June, my vWD HAS corrected itself this pregnancy! Dr. Cataland decided to re-run the bloodwork, just to have something closer to the actual time of delivery and be extra-sure. We should get those results by the end of the week, though he anticipates that they will be similar to June's, and in that case I am free to deliver anywhere (and even have an epidural if I decide I want one this time, which I hope I will not!) We will still certainly try to be in Columbus, but at least now if I do go into labor in Logan and can't make it that far, we will be okay to deliver in Lancaster. (I was seriously worried about this, considering my first labor was 1 hour & 50 minutes - if the second labor is supposed to be faster, I just couldn't see making it through an hour long car ride!) I really didn't want to be induced, and it's just a big weight off my mind as our due date draws closer and closer.

After the good news at the hematologists, Chadmo picked us up and we had a tasty lunch at NorthStar Cafe (my favorite restaurant in Columbus - homemade Ginger Ale - YUM!) Then we trundled over to Dr. Copeland's office for yet another Non-stress test, ultrasound, and OB check-up. Dylan did excellent on her non-stress test yet again - Go Dylan! During the ultrasound, the tech repeatedly remarked about Dylan being a big baby & a very active baby. She already weighs 5 pounds 15 ounces - that's only 1 ounce less than Haley weighed at birth! Her head is still measuring a couple of weeks ahead of schedule (lucky me ;)), and she'd gained 3/4 of a pound a week in the last 2 weeks. I think the little sister is going to be the bigger sister, though I guess that's really no surprise. I told Dr. Copeland if he wants me to have a 6.5 pound baby, I think it's going to have to be next week! He said he'd rather have a slightly bigger baby and have her stay in there a little longer, and I agree entirely. :) Also, my amniotic fluid was up to 13, which is the best it's been since we've been monitoring it, and Dr. C was very pleased. All my sitting around and drinking multiple Nalgenes full of water every day must've paid off! ;)

I'd been having more contractions again last week. I'd actually been so lucky as to have a case of mastitis the week before that, and felt fairly miserable on Thursday and Friday. (Luckily it wasn't nearly as bad as when I'd had it after Haley was born.) Then we'd had a very busy weekend, and I just chocked the extra contractions up to being sick and then pushing myself too hard while I was recovering. But those contractions were obviously doing something, because I'm now dilated to 3 cm. I was actually at 3 cm at this point in my pregnancy with Haley too, in fact at 35.5 weeks I was dilated to 4 cm and stayed that way until they induced me at 37.5 weeks. So Dr. C really didn't get too worked up about it, but now I'm on even stricter instructions to stay off my feet, no exercise, and keep Dylan in there as long as possible. Dr. C is optimistic though that we'll still be able to hold off at least 2-3 more weeks, and he said sometimes he even has people that will dilate to 5-6 cm and make it to 40 weeks. On occasion he even ends up just breaking their water at 40 weeks, and that's a level of induction I could deal with. (Though to be perfectly honest, if we make it to 38 weeks, I think I'll start going for walks and bumpy car rides to see if we can't inspire Miss Dylan to make her arrival!)

All in all it was a day full of good news, something we're still getting used to when it comes to doctor appointments! Now we are just hoping and praying that Dylan will stay in there till at least 37.5 weeks, and that when she does decide to arrive that everything goes smoothly & safely and we have a healthy, adorable Smooch-Pickle safe in our arms!