Nug Prayers Needed

[Samantha Puppy]

Today I have an appointment with the Center for Advanced Fetal Care at the University of Maryland. I've been there twice before but they wanted me to come back today to see how the pelvic kidney is doing (last time I was there, they couldn't see it but they didn't know if it was because it had shriveled up and "died" or if it was because he hadn't gone potty in awhile and the poo was blocking the view). I also have a ton of questions to ask them regarding risks of Down's, risks of heart problems, risks of future pregnancies, etc. I hope I can remember them all.

In addition to that, I haven't been feeling well lately. My back has been absolutely KILLING me. I can't fully straighten up when I walk, so I look like a 90 year old woman shuffling around (nothing against 90 year old women, I just don't want to look like one at 27!!!!). I can barely manage stairs anymore because my knees are so weak. I grunt, huff and puff. I'm just tired of feeling like this. I want to be ME again. :( I don't mean to complain, I know there is a miracle inside me... I'm just impatient by nature anyway so I'm frustrated. I'm petrified of giving birth - I'm still weeks away from doing so and I already keep thinking to myself that I can't do it. I just want this all to be over.

Anyway, thoughts and prayers for the doctor appointment this afternoon would be appreciated. Feel free to ignore the above pity party paragraph.

[prechrswife]

Praying here. I hope everything goes well today. :)

[4 Dog Mother]

Prayers coming your way! Don't worry about having a pity party on yourself. Pregnancy, while a miracle, can be quite tiresome and uncomfortable! Most women I know that have been pregnant have had AT least ONE pity party. You are entitled to them.

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

Make a list of all the questions you want to ask! This way you won't forget anything :) Good luck for you and little Nug!!

[Karen]

I agree - write down a list, so you don't get home and remember that one-more-thing! Prayers being sent your way, and for Nug, too!

[Samantha Puppy]

Yeah - funny thing, that. I spent a lot of time doing research on our conditions last week, so I had a page FULL of questions written down. Last night, I put the piece of paper by my purse... and left it at home this morning when I left for work. :mad:

[Daisy and Delilah]

Jaime, my thoughts and prayers are with you and little Nug. Please let us know how things go. Maybe you could reconstruct your list while you're at work if you have time? (((((HUGS)))))

[Jadapit]

My thoughts and prayers will be with you both.

[Ally Cat's Mommy]

(((JAIME and NUG))). Hope everything goes well at your appointment.

It's natural to be apprehensive about the labor and delivery - I am nervous about mine, and it's my third!!

Are you planning on going to some ante-natal classes - even if you are not planning on a totally natural birth, you will find it VERY reassuring to go to some classes - if nothing else the breathing techniques are good for keeping you calm and preventing panic.

Don't want to post TMI here - please PM me with any concerns you have - I am no expert by any means, but you may find that "talking"about your concerns will relax you a bit!!! (((HUGS)))

[Samantha Puppy]

We're currently in birth prep classes now. We've had 3 and we have 2-3 more. It helps some but I'm still scared to death. I've never been in the hospital for anything before. It's just a lot to take in all at once, if that makes any sense.

[Cataholic]

Good luck with today's visit. Prayers that things are manageable, if not exactly what you hoped for.

As to the nervous part? Remember this...be as nervous as you want to be, just know when it is 'time'...nerves go out the window, and your body takes over. It is true. All the aprehension I had left as soon as the first labour pain kicked in.

Good luck today, and please let us know. Thinking of you. ;)

[Toby's my baby]

Prayers and thoughts coming your way! I hope everything is ok, and you can remeber all you questions. Pity yourself all you want ;) I hope you feel better soon!

[Samantha Puppy]

Thanks everyone. I had some time this morning and wrote down as much of the list as I could remember. I had a lot of help from a very helpful Chromosomal Disorder site I had written last week - they don't usually work on weekends but had a doctor compose an e-mail back to me to answer some of my questions. I plan on taking what she said in today and asking my actual doctors what they think - since they know my history.

I'm sitting here, out of breath for absolutely no reason. See, this is the stuff I hate. I know he's just stretching and my lungs don't have the room to fill up like they used to but there still is something unnerving about sitting down, not doing a darn thing, and still huffing and puffing like you just ran 5 miles. Blah.

I leave in 5 minutes. I'll try to get online tonight and fill you in, but if not I'll post tomorrow.

[Samantha Puppy]

Well, we're back!

First, the good news: He has TWO kidneys! The one wasn't visible last time because he was "backed up" but we could see it this time. It is still down lower than it should be but the bloodflow to it was normal and it functions just fine - it's just not up where it should be. It should cause him no problems once he's born. They also checked bloodflow from me to him, through his heart, kidneys, and other organs. Everything was strong and normal.

The not-so-good news: He's measuring smaller than he should at this stage in the game. He should be upwards of 4.5 lbs. and he's only approximately 3 lbs. 3 oz. I was only 5 lbs. 4 oz. when I was born (and I'm barely 5'2" now) and Josh was only 5 lbs. 11 oz. (and he's about 5'5" now) so they're attributing it probably to the fact that we're both tiny people HOWEVER it could be affected due to the two vessel cord issue we have going on. By how much, we don't know and won't until he's born and starts growing really. But I do have to go back to the Advanced Fetal Care Center one more time in 3 more weeks to see how much he's grown. I have an OBGYN appointment on Wednesday and I plan on asking him if there are any foods that will help pack on the weight. I'm sure he'll be a small baby anyway, just hopefully not 3 lbs. small.

Keep those prayers comin' - Nug needs to start fattening up!!!

[Lobodeb]

First of all ((((((((((((((Jaime and Aiden)))))))))))))).

I'm glad you got some good news today!

A few doctor's visits back, my doctor made a comment to me that I was gaining too much weight. She asked what I could be eating less of, etc. But one comment that she made stuck out to me that might be able to help you. She said to stay away from the starches or my baby is going to be huge and it'll only make my delivery that much harder on me.

So, maybe eat more starches?

Either way, good luck.

[Pawsitive Thinking]

Keeping you all in my thoughts.

Its natural to be scared at this stage, I know I was. If its any help I'm the same magnificent height as you are having started life in an incubator weighing about the same as Aidan does now - my twin brother was only a couple of pounds heavier and is now a good foot taller than me!

[Samantha Puppy]

Thanks, Brody's Mum. I'm trying to stay positive but I still am worried about WHY he is so small. Is it because Josh and I are small people? Or is it due to the two vessel cord? Or could it be that he has Down Syndrome? I hate the unknown!

I'm actually glad I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow, for once, so I can ask him what he thinks of this and if there is anything I can do/eat that will help (I'll bring up starches, thanks Lobodeb) or any precautions I should take to avoid early labor, etc.

BLAH.

[Cataholic]

I think that was good news. AND don't forget, no matter how technologically advanced we are, those are still approximations! They have +/- factors of various ounces depending on the term. I seem to remember at one point they could be off as much as a pound!!! Which was scary for me, since they kept saying Jonah was SO big.

Jaime, there isn't anything you can do at this point- so, TRY to stop stressing, which cannot be good. ;)

If you and your husband were little people at birth, well, it seems commonsense that two little people would produce another little person!! Right? :D

[lv4dogs]

Sending fat thoughts to baby nug!

[Samantha Puppy]

I think that was good news. AND don't forget, no matter how technologically advanced we are, those are still approximations!

If you and your husband were little people at birth, well, it seems commonsense that two little people would produce another little person!! Right? :D
I know they're approximations and can be off but the fact that people are shocked when they ask how far along I am and I say "8 months" leads me to believe that he really is small for his gestational age. I cannot tell you how many people say "You don't even look pregnant!" or "You look MAYBE 4-5 months, not 8!!" They don't realize that at this stage in the game, comments like those are NOT taken as compliments that I look skinny or good, they make me worry even more.

As for two small people producing another little person - yeah, you're right and I never thought that Josh and I would have big kids. As a matter of fact, from the time we started dating my dad always said "If you and Josh get married and have kids, they'll be little puppies!" because we're both small. So I'm trying to think positive and attribute it to just that. BUT in the back of my mind, I keep hearing the doctor say that a sign of Down Syndrome is that growth is steady with "normal" babies until towards the end when it tapers off and lags a decent deal behind. I can't shake that out of my head.

And LOL to you, lv4dogs. Send all the fat thoughts you can!

[Jods]

Hey,
JUst wanted to say glad about the good news I will keep you and the baby in my thoughts. Have fun trying to fatten him up ;) Lots of nuggets eh?? LOL> Good Luck and keep us updated.

[Karen]

Good news that he's got both kidneys, and just tell him to "keep growing, keep growing" like Nemo's Dad and Dory "keep swimming, keep swimming" and hey, he's still got some time to pack on the pounds, so no worries!

[finn's mom]

Jaime, I'm glad that everything seems to be good...I can understand your fears about his growth...I'd be nervous, too, I would that's normal. I am sure he'll be a healthy, beautiful baby, though, when he arrives. I didn't realize you and Josh were small! ;) I hope you're feeling well today...

[Samantha Puppy]

Had a regular OBGYN appointment today with the fourth of four doctors in the practice. I'd never met him before but I ended up REALLY liking him. He was friendly and answered all of my questions thoroughly and also so that I could understand them. So now I've met all the doctors in the practice and I'm impressed with 75% of them. Anyway, here are the answers to the questions I had. I feel much better now.

1. Is there anything I can eat/take that will help him put on weight?
I can go get special high protein, high carb/caloric drinks from GNC if I'd like OR make a conscious effort to lay on my left side which allows the best blood flow to the placenta.

2. Are there any special precautions I should take to avoid early labor?
Not really. Not that we want the baby to be born now, but even if he was he would be okay so I'm good to go.

3. Will this mean we let the pregnancy go on as long as possible OR will he eventually need more nourishment than he can get through the two vessel cord and be born "on time" or even a little early?
He will not go past term and will likely be born between week 38-40... which means as early as 5 weeks from now!!!

4. Is this due to two small parents, the two vessel cord or could it be an indication of Down Syndrome?
Mostly likely two small parents with a minor side of the two vessel cord. Aside from the two vessel cord, there have been no other markers to lead them to believe he will have Down Syndrome.

And in other non-size related issues:

5. The baby is currently breech. How long do we let things go before discussing alternative birth options?
Week 36 is when we start discussing other alternatives. I can either try and have him turned OR just basically accept the fact that I will probably have to have a c-section.

6. Will an epidural be possible for me to have given my back issues? If not, what happens if I have to deliver by c-section?
He checked my back and said I should be able to but referred me to the operating room of the local hospital for them to have a look and let me know for sure. If I can't I will have to be put to sleep, but that they do EVERYTHING possible to ensure the mother is awake.

Did I mention that I really liked this guy? I see him again in two weeks.

[Lobodeb]

That's fantastic news, Jaime! I'm so glad you found a doctor that you really liked at this practice.

1) Will you go on the special diet? That explains my my baby seems to be so freakin huge. I'm ALWAYS on my left side.

2) That's comforting.

3) Yikes, that's close!! :eek:

4) Yay for no Downs Syndrome!

5) My baby was breech until 2 weeks ago. Hopefully your Nug will do the flip too.

6) Let's hope it doesn't come to that.

Keep on keepin' on!

[caseysmom]

That is all great news! I had my first baby ceserean and my second the old fashioned way, the c section really was not that bad.

[Samantha Puppy]

Lobodeb - I may try one of those drinks but I don't know how much I'll like them. I may try and up my natural intake of protein and calories and spend a lot of time on my left side instead. We'll see. The doctor said he was small, but not alarmingly so - especially given the size of Josh and me. And he still technically has plenty of time to put on weight, especially since they pack on the most in the last 5-6 weeks.

[king2005]

Sounded like all good news to me :)

I fear the day I have kids.. I'm so small & Robs whole family are monsters. I'm scared the kids will rip me to shreds! & I know Rob is wanting kids soon, now that we make so much cash.. eek