Milestone

If you look at the little baby counter on the right today, you'll notice it says 34 weeks, or 6 weeks to go. I am breathing a huge sigh of relief today, knowing that if my little man decided to make an early appearance, everything would be OK. Sure, I'd still like to get to 36 or 38 weeks, but today I am happy for what I have--a healthy growing boy with 34 weeks of gestation under his belt. The last few days I've really started enjoying the pregnancy and preparation again since the anxiety is fading away. MM asked me the other day if I was ready to have this baby, and I think I am, at least as much as I can be. I haven't been listening to my hypnobirthing CDs like I wanted, I'm not meditating or practicing yoga like I would like, but still, I feel ready.

At my last appointment I talked with my midwife about our plans for the home birth. She said the gestational diabetes makes our window of comfort a little smaller. If everything was normal, she would say home birth is OK between 36 and 41-42 weeks, but since GDM delays fetal lung maturity and he's a white boy (statistically the slowest to mature and worst outcomes pre-term), potentially a very fat white boy (GDM will also mean he's bigger than he would otherwise be), she would feel better if we delivered at home only between 37 and 40 weeks. Also, chances are good that I'll be induced if I go past my due date (again, thanks to GDM) which would of course mean a hospital birth. It's a little disappointing, but I didn't get into this so I could have a home birth, I got into this so I could have a baby and be a mom. However that happens at this point is fine with me.

Part-time work is going well. It's just enough to keep me interacting and engaged with the world outside home and baby preparations, but not so much that I'm contracting and totally exhausted. I have started having some lovely swelling of my lower extremities--yep, some days I have cankles. Otherwise I feel pretty good.

Blood sugar is still in check without insulin thanks to the steady diet of ham (nitrite free :), eggs, cheese, avacado, nuts, and peanut butter, with an occasional half an apple and veggies. I gave myself a pass not to check my blood sugar after meals this weekend. I didn't eat anything I hadn't eaten before, and I was enjoying a much needed day out with MM and didn't want to poke my finger one more time. Otherwise I've been a great patient, I promise.

I can hardly believe we've made it this far. It's truly amazing. He will be here so soon!