Plans for Annabelle Grace’s arrival, we got ’em!

“Can’t let this moment, this moment slip away.  ‘Cause things like this, don’t happen to us everyday.  So take this moment and put it in a glass, if you want a sip, I got memories on tap.”

-Train, Drink Up

Alright, here we are!  It’s Friday, August 18, 2017 (currently 8:59pm CST, if you care!) and we have an update on our dear baby girl, Annabelle Grace!

As most of you know, we had an appointment today- and I am currently 39 weeks and 4 days along!  (3 days until her actual due date on Monday!!!!  Because, of course, a countdown is necessary!)  We’ve been waiting since week 37 to see if this dear girl would decide to come or not- and clearly she HAS NOT!  That is also totally okay with us, as she and I both seem to be staying healthy- however, now we are getting down to the wire with her due date, and she has shown absolutely NO signs of wanting to be delivered.  What can I say, I must have some pretty comfortable insides…. I mean, I have gained like 21 pounds- and it’s pretty much all in my stomach- it must be rather cushiony for her!

Will and I both have wanted to have her as naturally as possible, and our doctor (Dr. Jason Williams with the MOGA doctors in Memphis) has been awesome about that- even without us asking for that option!  This meaning, we have also wanted to avoid induction if at all possible, because it does lead to a 50/50 chance of having a c-section.

Last week at our appointment our girl wasn’t looking like she was ready to come out, which was totally fine- it’s still not her estimated due date, so he scheduled us for the appointment we had today.  We knew we would probably be making some decisions at this appointment, and they would be based on a lot of factors- my sugar levels, our thoughts on delivery, IF we would want to push past 41 weeks- which would involve a lot/daily monitoring until 42 weeks at the latest.  After talking all of this through on our way home last Friday, Will and I decided that if there still was no change in my body/her showing any progression towards labor that we would ask for an ultrasound to check her weight.  Obviously the estimated weight can vary at this point on an ultrasound- but it would still at least be an estimation- so we could see if she was even too big for my body to attempt delivery.  We would also get a final look, and be able to make sure she was not breech again by any chance.

So, back to today’s appointment- the doctor did all of his usual checks and like we assumed- this sweet girl is no where close to entering this world! We had a tentative plan to wait until next Friday, the 25th to induce, which would put me at 40 weeks and 4 days, if she had not come on her own by then.  It would basically get us close to the 41 week mark as well, to avoid any daily monitoring as well.  So, off to ultrasound we went to check things!  Here is our most recent picture, and it shows you all the hair this baby has! (If I believe any of the Old Wive’s Tales- it’s most certainly that a lot of hair causes heartburn!  I have NEVER had heartburn before pregnancy, but there are more days and nights that I have it now than not!)

Soooooo, come to find out- our girl is measuring an estimated 8 POUNDS, 10 OUNCES right now?!?!?!?!  Please read that again- EIGHT POUNDS, TEN OUNCES!  We aren’t even to term yet, and she is showing no progression of coming! That is still almost HALF of the weight I have gained total!  On the bright side, she is still head down, and her face is facing my backbone, which, assuming she stays that way, is the most ideal for delivering naturally.

Since she is ranging on the larger side, if we waited until next Friday, she has the potential to weigh 9-10 pounds, and right at 10 pounds is when our doctor recommends moving to a c-section instead anyhow.  With babies that big, and moms with gestational diabetes, there are still risks involved with delivery- one of them being shoulder dystocia- basically where the baby’s head comes out, but the shoulders get stuck.  The baby can still be delivered, but there is obviously risk involved that could even include nerve damage to the baby.  So, our next option is the one we took!

We will go to the hospital and check in at 9pm on Tuesday night (August 22- my Dad’s birthday!)  They will then give me Cytotec- which should help to hopefully start making my body try to progress towards labor, making it more favorable for delivering a baby.  Crazy thing about this- this is the same medicine I potentially could have taken for my miscarriages over the last two years…. Fortunately with both of those I was able to do it all naturally, but it is crazy how this is now where we are at with our viable pregnancy.

Cytotec can also potentially help induce you.  Our doctor doesn’t think that will happen for us, but it could.  He is planning on having us induced Wednesday morning, and then waiting to see how things progress.  He does think it will be a while, so by 10pm that evening, after checks throughout the day- we will see if we are progressing at all towards natural delivery or not.  If we aren’t, we may have to move on toward a c-section.  I’m really hoping we don’t get to that point, but I do understand that it is a high probability.  It would more than likely be the only probability if we had decided to put things off until next Friday.

Like I told Will, it’s important to me, emotionally, mentally, and physically, to have a shot at delivering this baby naturally.  The only feelings I have associated to delivery right now are not fun ones- they are sad, and painful, and emotionally draining.  I know delivery will be hard, but there is a HAPPY ending to this one!  So, even if a c-section becomes the reality of Annabelle Grace’s birth- at least I will get a shot a doing it naturally, and that’s all I really wanted- a chance.

So, unless any things change over the weekend- mark your calendars!  We should have a baby no later than EARLY Thursday morning someway, somehow!!!

Until then- I’ll be back to Pure Barre for the next 4 days, because this will be it for at least 6 weeks!

Also- yes- our emotions are ALL OVER THE PLACE with this news- in the best way possible!  The biggest emotion is still nothing but PURE HAPPINESS!

Goodnight everyone!