“Almost done!”
That’s what everyone keeps telling me, but pregnancy has a funny way of messing with time. Days seem longer, weeks are anxiously marked and then you’re “almost done.” At 35 weeks, I don’t feel almost done. Gestational Diabetes has a way of making things feel drawn out. In my earlier post, I shared what a day was like for me earlier in my pregnancy and as I’m nearing the end it seemed like a good time for an update. Not everyone will have the same experience as me or have it with the same severity, but this has been my journey.
Our day to day life is about the same. I am still wrangling a 3 year old and trying to keep up with sugar checks two hours after every meal. I confess, I’ve missed a few, but thankfully my sugars have been relatively “controlled.” Every evening I give myself an insulin injection and every day I test my sugar level 4-6 times a day.
I’ve recently added a before dinner fast acting insulin injection, as for no particular reason, those numbers are now elevated. (Even though I’m eating the same foods.)
Weekly however, there have been some big changes. Due to the “high-risk” label that comes with Gestational Diabetes, I now head to the high risk unit twice a week for several appointments. I can totally rationalize that this pregnant is a blessing, a gift, having been through a miscarriage I know how lucky I am to be carrying a healthy baby to term. That doesn’t change the fact that this pregnancy has been hard at times. Twice a week Non-stress tests, once a week Ultrasounds and bi-weekly doctors appointments for prenatal visits and gestational diabetes check ups.
Non-Stress Tests (NST)
During an NST I am hooked up to a contraction monitor and a fetal heart rate monitor. They are looking for the baby’s heart rate to elevate at least twice in a 20 minute period. If this doesn’t happen, or the heart drops, or spikes for too long, you often have to stay for an additional 20 minutes. If there continues to be irregularities you “fail” the NST and often end up in Labor and Delivery for additional monitoring. These appointments are twice a week and should last around 30 minutes. Being a work at home mom, I take MJ with me to at least one of these each week and it’s a challenge! Especially on the days that I have to stay for additional monitoring. I’ve gotten pretty good at it though! We pack snacks, toys, books, games and sometimes the ipad! I let him push the button for fetal movement too! He’s charmed all the nurses now too and get’s snacks and juice.
Ultrasounds
Each week I also have an ultrasound and once a month a growth scan. At the weekly appointments, they are checking fetal position and amniotic fluid levels. As a Gestational Diabetic, they check the baby’s size each month. GD babies can get big near the end of pregnancy making a vaginal delivery difficult. Size MJ was 9lb 3oz, it’s important to me to monitor and watch the growth, in my attempt to have a VBAC delivery. The upside of the ultrasound is getting a sneak peek at her each week.
And that’s it! I’m “almost there,” as they say!! I’m super thankful to be well taken care of, but I’ll be glad when I’m not at the hospital twice a week!! A few more weeks of this before I can snuggle my sweet baby girl.
