28 Week Check-Up
Yesterday was my 28 week check up, which also meant it was time for the dreaded glucose test. I had heard that the glucose drink was GROSS. You could say I wasn’t looking forward to it.
(source)
I was told to drink half a bottle (pictured above), cold and over ice (this was just a suggestion to make it more palatable), an hour before they would stick my finger to test my blood.
Honestly, it wasn’t as bad as I expected. The orange flavored drink just tasted like syrupy-sweet Fanta that was a bit flat. By the last sip or two, it was so much sugar that it was kind of hard to swallow. But still, I’ve had MUCH worse things to swallow for the sake of medicine.
The finger prick revealed that I do not have gestational diabetes (yay!) and that my iron is a bit low (boo). Honestly, the iron thing doesn’t surprise me. I hover right above anemic pretty much every time my blood is tested. Time for more leafy greens and meat. Or as the nurse put it, “if it moves, eat it.”
We also got a sonogram to check on Josey’s kidneys. She definitely looked a lot more crammed than last time! It was a bit bizarre feeling her move and seeing her move at the same time. I feel her move throughout each day, but seeing it while feeling it was new.
During this ultrasound, she kept lifting her arms up over her face. We did get to see that sweet face though, a little bit. Is it crazy to say that from a sonogram, I thought she looked girly and pretty already?
Maybe I’m just seeing that because I know she’s a girl and because I love her so much. But for a second, we got to see her face (as best we could from an ultrasound), and it was so sweet!
Unfortunately, none of the pictures looked nearly as good as what we saw live. It also looks in the pictures like there are bubbles in there with her.
In this next one, she looks like she’s laughing. I know her mouth was open some, but I can’t really tell what all I’m looking at.
Tom said it looked like teeth, but since those are still forming in her tiny gums, and this is going all down her face, I’m not sure what it is we saw. The ultrasound tech said her mouth is only open a little bit in that shot. Her nose looks totally different to me in this picture too.
Want to see her foot (and part of her chunky little calf)? Her calf makes her foot look extra long, but it’s really both that you see.
I love seeing every inch of her. Today her ribs were really prominent, and so was her spine. You can just see her getting bigger. They estimate that she’s about 2lbs, 13oz and in the 58th percentile right now. Growing girl!
And the real reason for the sonogram. Her kidneys.
Turns out that her right kidney was nice and emptied out, but her left one had a tiny bit of fluid retained still. Less than a centimeter of fluid measured, so they’re not too worried, but the doctor did decide I should come in for another look at 34 weeks.
I really don’t want to have to switch to a perinatologist at this point, and of course, I want Josey to be okay, so I’m hoping it turns out to be nothing.
I also asked the doctor about some weirdness going on with my rib area. On my right side, I have had stabbing pain at times in one area of my ribs, and I was starting to wonder if it was broken. I also have been dealing with some VERY irritated skin right above that spot. It is itchy all the time in that one place.
When the doctor checked it out, she could feel Josey pushing on that area. Turns out that she’s bruising my ribs (best guess, since they can’t do an x-ray to check for more damage) by hanging out up there and pressing on them all the time. It’s also adding to the natural irritation that some pregnancy hormones can cause in skin.
She said it wouldn’t hurt to push her away from that area when it’s bothering me. So guess what I was doing a lot of last night?
The first time it started to really hurt, I found her head (yes, she’s breech right now) and pushed her away from my rib cage. She lovingly responded by kicking my internal organs. We continued this little power struggle throughout my waking hours last night.
Regardless of the pain and the itching, I just love to feel her move. It’s reassuring to know she’s okay, and, save for the roundhouse kicks to the bladder, I love when she dances around inside.
So that’s what’s new with JoJo.
I can’t believe that at my next appointment, I’ll be 32 weeks. And then I’ll be in again at 34 weeks for another ultrasound. Wow.
She’s going to be here so soon!
~Meghan
Oh yes the wonderful glucose test. I gagged with my last few sips of that stuff. My iron was a bit low with Michael. Not a biggie. Glad that all is well with you and Josie. Look forward to the day that we can all see her sweet face. Jay and I are hoping to be up there for Christmas break. Our friends live in Dallas and we’ll be staying with them.
We would love to see y’all while you’re in GA. Y’all just need to bite the bullet and move!
And thank you! It is always fun for me to hear Josey is on track and healthy too. =) I can’t wait to see her either!
We’re working on that. Praying that we’ll be able to move in the Spring. Would appreciate your prayers as we seek God’s will for our family. We desire to move up to GA and we are making plans for early March, but God could have other plans. So far we believe we’re making the right decision. God has opened up some doors for us to make it easier for Jay to continue to work from home. Funny thing is, is the company the he contracted with is here in Florida, but the owner has agreed to have Jay work remotely. So we pack and we pray and wait on the Lord for our next step.
I think there is a website called “spinning babies” which suggests exercises that help the baby move to the correct head-down position. Maybe you could massage Josey so she manuevers into a more comfortable position for both of you.
Thank you!!
Be glad you do not have to do the three hour glucose, it is a much more sugary drink and you have to drink twice as much. I failed the one hour with both pregnancies and I had to do the three hour with Andrew and Brian. Hopefully you will not have to go to the Perinatologist. I had to go with Brian because I had gestational diabetes and it was a pain to go so often but I got to see him with the really advanced ultrasound machines every 2 weeks which was always neat.
Oh wow! I was worried I wouldn’t pass the test. I was thinking how awful it would be to head into holidays with gestational diabetes. That’s when all the treats are out! =)
It is nice to know there’s a plus side to having to see a perinatologist though! Thanks!
It really was not that bad. I was diet controlled and the plus side is I only gained 9 lbs.