our breech chubbette

I had a rough night... my anxiety got the best of me and I started driving myself crazy thinking that the baby wasn't moving around as much as it was before. It was moving for sure, but it just felt a little different...a little less... and a little less intense. I weaseled my way into the Dr. this morning (my appt wasn't until tomorrow) and everything is fine!!! I had an ultrasound to measure growth, movement, and amniotic fluid. Then I had a non-stress test that measures the heart rate of the baby in response to its movements. Healthy babies will respond with an increased heart rate during times of movement...our baby passed all the tests!

We found out during the ultrasound that the baby weighs 6 lbs, 7 oz (already,) and the head is measuring 39 weeks! (this is perfectly normal, thank goodness.) We also found out that our naughty little baby is breech. I'm not sure if it's always been breech (and my dr. was mistaken the last couple of weeks) or if it's just turned again. So...I will have weekly ultrasounds to check the baby's position. Unfortunately I will not get my cerclage out (supposed to get it out next Wednesday) until the baby's head is down, or until I have a C section - which is scheduled for 12/31. She doesn't want to take the cerclage out now while the baby is breech ...for fear I could go into labor with the foot first! And that's literally what it is..."footling breech" - the baby has one foot down and one foot up!

I asked about turning the baby and she said she doesn't think it's a good idea... she said you have to think about why the baby is breech (for a reason) and possibly the cord could be in the way/around the head so that's scary to try to force the baby to turn. My Dr. is actually kind of liking the idea of a C section so she can see the placenta better and really get everything out. But then she was concerned about how my body heals (it scars) and how an incision will scar..... so she's talking about some anti-scarring medication. It feels like she is really thinking of everything for my delicate case and I was so glad that they fit me in this morning last minute, and took my concern over decreased movement so seriously.

The important thing of course is that all seems to be well with our baby, and I was thrilled to see the baby is so big already! A "chubbette" as my Dr. says... I am a little disappointed about the breech position and C section. I was looking forward to getting the cerclage out next week - kind of an exciting time to think about "when will I go?" But now I feel that I will go all the way until 39 weeks. Oh well, maybe I don't want to push that head out anyway!!!

We decorated our tree last night and there is a funny clump of ornaments at the bottom where Scarlet put all of the ones we gave her to hang... I was going to rearrange everything today, but the cluttered grouping is so cute, I just couldn't. Not yet. There are few things cuter than a sleepy little lady running out of her room in the morning in winter pj's, heading straight for the beautifully lit tree. Scarlet helped us hang our stockings on the mantel. Four stockings. Truly a moment Robbie and I breathed in and cherished... I remember last year I cried when we took down our Christmas tree. This year I have the most adorable tiny stocking to gaze at, and the first ornament I put on our tree said "Hope."

"Before you were conceived I wanted you. Before you were born I loved you. Before you were here an hour I would die for you. This is the miracle of life."

Maureen Hawkins