It's been over a month since my last post and while I feel like I've been slacking, the truth is, there just hasn't been much baby wise to report. But that's a GREAT thing!!
Everything is going perfectly so far. :) And now that we've hit the 37 week mark, he can come whenever he chooses, though I'm sure it won't be until at least 39 weeks, if that. He seems to be pretty comfy in there!
I had an appointment on Monday. Vitals are still great, I've gained 12-13 pounds and the heartbeat is nice and strong. I had to do my GBS swab also. Jonathan has been on edge and worried about being here for the baby's birth. I tried to assure him that 1) I didn't expect the baby to come in the next two weeks before he comes down here to Texas, and 2) even if I DID go into labor, I don't have 2 hour labors like the women he knows apparently do...mine have both been 18+ from first contraction or water breaking so if he hopped on the first flight down, he'd more than likely make it in time. lol But it didn't seem to help much. So.....since Dr. Hinds was already down in my lady bits for my swab, I went ahead and allowed him to check me for Jonathan's sake. As I suspected...nothing going on yet. I told Jonathan that I still could go into labor at any second so it didn't really mean anything but I hoped it'd put him at ease a bit. He said it did. Then I made it clear not to expect me to do weekly checks or anything and that he was lucky I already happened to have my knickers off! lol ;)
Everything is going perfectly so far. :) And now that we've hit the 37 week mark, he can come whenever he chooses, though I'm sure it won't be until at least 39 weeks, if that. He seems to be pretty comfy in there!
I had an appointment on Monday. Vitals are still great, I've gained 12-13 pounds and the heartbeat is nice and strong. I had to do my GBS swab also. Jonathan has been on edge and worried about being here for the baby's birth. I tried to assure him that 1) I didn't expect the baby to come in the next two weeks before he comes down here to Texas, and 2) even if I DID go into labor, I don't have 2 hour labors like the women he knows apparently do...mine have both been 18+ from first contraction or water breaking so if he hopped on the first flight down, he'd more than likely make it in time. lol But it didn't seem to help much. So.....since Dr. Hinds was already down in my lady bits for my swab, I went ahead and allowed him to check me for Jonathan's sake. As I suspected...nothing going on yet. I told Jonathan that I still could go into labor at any second so it didn't really mean anything but I hoped it'd put him at ease a bit. He said it did. Then I made it clear not to expect me to do weekly checks or anything and that he was lucky I already happened to have my knickers off! lol ;)
Anyway, so all is good and we're just in a holding pattern until this little guy decides he wants to make it his birthday! Jonathan and his mom are planning to head down here on January 16th (39 weeks) and stay until the legal stuff is done after the baby is born. I'm getting excited at the prospect that we are getting closer. Until now, it still hadn't really sunk in. Now that he's a tad bit lower and I'm "feeling it" more, and we're getting things ready around the house for their stay, it's starting to become more of a reality.
Meanwhile, non-baby related, we had a great Christmas here at our house. It was just the four of us so nice and relaxed. The most exciting part for the kiddos was w new boy of our own...a miniature dachshund puppy. His name is Finley Duff Thornton and he's now about 11 weeks old and he's such a little cuddle bug!
Also, while I hadn't been taking on any new doula clients, a good friend of mine and fellow surrogate was induced on the 22nd so I attended her as a friend and doula on her birth team. She was over 38 weeks with twins and it was easily the most amazing birth I've ever seen! Her doctor (who also happens to be mine) allowed her to labor in the delivery room instead of the OR like they usually make you do with twins. She gave birth to Baby A at 10:45pm and she weighed 7lb 15oz. Then, Baby B flipped breech so Dr. Hinds did a version on him and he turned back vertex. She then pushed for about an hour trying to bring him down. It was going slowly so Dr. Hinds told her to stop and just let her body labor for a while on it's own while he went to do a cesarean on another patient. So she breastfed Baby A and let her birth waves work on bringing Baby B down before pushing again. 5 hours later (!!!!!) at 3:30am on December 23rd, Baby B was born after another hour or two of pushing, weighing a whopping 9lbs 7oz!! Both twins were delivered vaginally, 5 hours apart, and have different birthdays! It was so awesome, I can't even describe. The IPs were so ecstatic and everyone in the room was emotional. Here is a picture that her photographer, Leilani Rogers, took of my friend, her husband, and me.
I also finally started my midwifery training. So excited about this as I've been putting it off for now reason or another for years. I'm getting my academics started while searching for a local preceptor to hopefully be able to start my apprenticeship in a couple of months after this baby arrives and things return back to somewhat normal. I love starting this year off bringing in a new life for such a deserving daddy. I'm a believer that the way you start your year determines how the rest of it goes. It's gonna make the rest of the year amazing!