ChezPerky

My perinatologist had recommended that I see the midwife practice that is part of the OB practice that finally took me.  The midwife practice is owned by the OB group, but they operate relatively independently within it.  Since they’re part of the OB practice, though, there’s *always* an OB back up should it become necessary (this practice always has an obstetrician on site 24/7 at the hospital I’ll be delivering at).  When she’d first suggested it, I still hadn’t found an OB to take me on, but I made an appointment for today (several weeks past my original call – but it was the first available appointment).  In the meantime, I’d gotten an appointment with the OB practice and they’d agreed to take me on, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to talk to the midwives anyway.

And it didn’t hurt to talk to them.  They were lovely.  Not comfortable taking on my care, but lovely nonetheless.

So I’ll be sticking with the OB side of the practice (unless, by some miracle I get off the Zofran pump, get the PICC line out, and cease needing IV meds – in which case, they’ll slide me over into the midwife practice… let’s just say I’m not holding my breath).  This is fine, and essentially what I had anticipated anyway.  At least now I know and I won’t have to wonder later why on earth I didn’t try to see the midwives.

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I was at a meeting last night for J’s school. On my way out, I said good night to the security guard, with whom I am friendly. He had someone there talking with him, but he paused to say hello and to ask when this baby of mine is due. I told him I’m due in May and the woman sitting with him nearly fell out of her chair in shock. “How many do you have in there!???? You’re huge!” She commented several times on how she didn’t see how I could possibly keep growing all the way to May – how much bigger could I possibly get, she wondered out loud.

Um.

Am I? I didn’t think I was. I’m still below my pre-pregnancy weight. My fundal height is measuring exactly on target. The baby is growing exactly on the curve, and I have an appropriate amount of amniotic fluid. It wasn’t like this woman was rail-thin, either. She easily weighed twice what I weigh. So what’s the deal?

I mean, yes, I’m definitely showing. I’m definitely showing even more than I was when I was growing three entire humans. But… I don’t look like I’m about to pop.

And anyway, even if I am a huge hippopotamus right now, what on earth do you say to a comment like that??

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I’ve felt funny all day – a lot of weird pelvic pressure and horrific cramps. I just saw my perinatologist on Tuesday, and everything was fine. I have an appointment with a midwife tomorrow and I’m sure everything will be fine then, too. Meanwhile, I just feel funny.

I started on weekly IM Progesterone injections a couple of weeks ago. The theory is that progesterone injections can slow smooth muscle function – so the uterus contracts less. It’s definitely making a difference – After the first injection I got two weeks ago, I went from having very regular contractions (5-6 per hour, sometimes more) to having only sporadic contractions. By the end of the week, the contractions were getting more regular and more intense. Within 24 hours of getting the next injection, the contractions were back down. So, we’ll see.

I’ve been on a course of IV Steroids for the last month or so. We’d been hoping it would eliminate the hyperemesis symptoms… but not so much. I felt a little better for a few days, but back to awful once I started titrating down. Interestingly, despite the fact that it didn’t solve that issue, it fixed a whole lot of other things. My sciatica disappeared (mostly), the inflammation around my PICC site was completely gone, my migraines were way down, and the itching I was having head-to-toe (my skin was RAW from all the scratching) was gone overnight, and even the restless leg syndrome that was triggered every time I took Phenergan sent mostly away.

I’m now down from my original 16mg three times per day to 2 mg twice per day – a huge drop. And my migraines are back in full force, RLS is back, I’m itching EVERYWHERE, I’m more nauseated, and it sure does look like I’m having yet another skin reaction / inflamation under the tegaderm at my PICC site. Good times.

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