The Appointment Update and Prayer Request

Well, true to form during this pregnancy, this little guy is not going to make things easy for momma.

I went to my OB appointment and asked to be checked for any dilation since I've been having lots of braxton hicks contractions and even a few regular ones I think. Since I fared very well with contractions with Emily, I've been a little concerned that I don't notice them as much as I should and that I might miss something important.

I did not.

The OB checked me and said that little boy is "Way up there" and absolutely nothing is happening. I asked her if she could tell whether he was head down or not. She said she really couldn't and when she started feeling my abdomen, said she wanted to do an ultrasound because it was possible that he is lying sideways (transverse) across my belly. I had actually been wondering about this myself because I feel a lot of movement in odd places that I never had with Emily.

So off across the office I went and had the ultrasound. Sure enough, little guy is somewhat sideways. Not completely transverse, but sort of diagonal in there. His head is pointing down toward my left hip and his rear end ("Boohind" as Emily calls it) is sticking up toward my right ribs. At 36 weeks, this is not ideal. Yes, he still has a little time to turn, but it's getting mighty tight in there and usually, babies have chosen their final position by now.

According to all the info I have found thus far, there are three possible options:

1. He can turn on his own in the next week or so and all will be well.

2. The OB can admit me to the hospital and try to do a manual version, which mean that he/she will attempt to physically move the baby into the proper position by pushing on him from the outside. This is closely monitored, often painful for mom, not guaranteed and somewhat risky (thus the constant monitoring and the possibility of the need for an emergency c-section.)

3. Baby will not turn and a c-section will be inevitable.

Obviously, option number one is best for all involved and therein lies my request for prayer. Time and space are limited now and if this little guy is going to turn he really needs to do it ASAP. So if you don't mind saying a quick prayer for this, I would greatly appreciate it. I don't mind telling you that this was not good news for me today.

However, there is some good/fun news. I am healthy. Baby is healthy. He weighs an estimated 6.5 lbs. (which is about average) and should be at least 20 inches or so. His heart rate is around 158 and he appears healthy. My blood pressure is great (110/80 today, despite nerves) and I am not noticeably swollen. I've gained a grand total of 4 lbs. from my intial OB visit weight, which in all reality means I've probably lost a good 15-20 lbs. WOHOO!!!!

The best news of all....the ultrasound tech, while taking measurements of the baby's head, said, "Oh look...he has hair!" This is music to my ears as sweet Miss Em was bald for most of her first year, much like her momma was. Plus, it's pretty amazing to me that you can see hair on a baby's head from an ultrasound.

So, that's the update. Here's to hoping for a cooperative little fellow who feels like giving this tired momma a break. Turn, Baby, Turn!!