Ashleigh Farrell, BellaB Maternity, week 35

35 Weeks: WHAT?? Induction. Soon. Let me go faint really quick!!

We had our regular appointment this week with a growth ultrasound and then we were given the shock of our lives! Apparently our little guy has kind of dropped on the growth curve all of a sudden. At previous appointments he was measuring right on track even ahead at times but I guess his abdominal measurement has now slowed down considerably, about 2 ½ weeks behind. His fluid level is also on the lower end. So the doctors sent us off to the high risk center for another ultrasound and the results were the same, a small tummy and borderline fluid. What does all of this mean? Well basically it looks like the placenta “may” be beginning to fail in which case the baby would do better growing outside of the womb rather than inside. That means that the docs are looking to pull the plug and get the little guy out, and they want him out pretty soon. I was told that we will be looking at an induction somewhere around 36-37 weeks!!  So we are kind of in a holding pattern for the time being, I go in two times a week to check on the baby and to do growth and fluid checks and really anything could happen at any one of these visits. So each time I go in I’m prepared to be told “it’s time!” and head over to the hospital.

Pretty crazy news huh!! We certainly weren’t expecting this! I’m very thankful that if there were going to be any issues with the boy that they waited until 35 weeks to pop up because a 36-37 week baby is considered “full term” to the docs. They are confident that he is going to be perfectly healthy just “skinny.” His other measurements are all right on track, he’s reaching all of the developmental milestones, breathing, swallowing, etc. So he’s just ready to come out I guess.

So now what?! We are scrambling to get things done! We will be finishing the nursery, installing the car seat, packing the hospital bag, and getting the house 100% ready for his arrival. We had to go out and buy a new coming home outfit since the one we have will be too big. His growth checks at this appointment came in at 4.0 lbs, 4.8 lbs, and 4.14 lbs so he’s pretty little! We got him a little premie outfit and had to buy some more little clothes but I’m hoping to get one more pound on him before he comes out, my fingers are crossed.

I’m pretty apprehensive about the idea of induction because it boosts your chances of ending up with a c-section. And induction in general just isn’t a “natural” experience, you’re forcing your body into something which I’d rather not do. But there are positives too, I know when we’re going, I can make sure to shower and get ready before heading to the hospital, and I can mentally prepare myself. And so the countdown truly is on…. Our Turkey baby has turned into a Pumpkin baby!!

When you realize your baby is coming, soon, this is what happens…

Wow… 35 weeks huh… I look back now and it brings tears to my eyes to think about how we got here... I mean the LONG look back. I remember the first time I met my future husband, I remember what he was wearing and the conversation we had. I still laugh at how shy he was while we were dating and how I almost had to force him into our first kiss. Introducing him to my family and meeting his for the first time… and the first words out of everyone’s mouths was always “you guys will have some beautiful children”… I remember the look on his face when he bent down on one knee and asked me to marry him. He held the ring box upside down and was shaking and I almost collapsed with happiness. Then came the wedding and I’ve never been so excited to see him in my life. As I turned the corner in my wedding dress with my Dad I saw the most amazing man standing at the end of the aisle… there was my future… standing down there waiting for me. We were completely lost in each other the whole night. I remember our honeymoon, it was true bliss, we were like little kids in a candy shop. I’ll never forget the smile on his face while we rode a Harley to all of the beaches and ate bologna sandwiches overlooking the island. I remember the night we decided we were ready to start a family and laughing together about the fact that we actually just made this decision. I can remember the look in his eyes every month of trying to conceive that we were unsuccessful, there was always hope and strength in those eyes which I leaned on greatly month after month. And then I got the positive pregnancy test, I could barely contain my excitement but I wanted to make it special for the love of my life. I came up with an elaborate plan to tell him. I had to look away while he opened the gifts that would tell him he was going to be a daddy... He looked up at me and whispered “no way!” and both of us burst into tears.  We were both in shock. I remember how tightly he hugged me and that I never wanted him to let me go, it was the happiest moment of my life outside of saying my vows to the man I love. I remember how he held my hand at our first ultrasound when we got to see our baby’s heart beating away… again there was our future… beating away on the screen before us. And week after week has come and gone. Now we have a finish line in sight and a brand new door to walk through. I can’t wait to see the look on his face when our son takes his first breath and it finally hits us that we are someone’s mommy and daddy and that our journey to making a baby has turned into a lifetime journey of parenthood. I can’t wait to meet my son… my future… the next love of my life.