Friday, January 26, 2007

Another great visit to UNC...

Its a beautiful, crisp Friday in North Carolina. Perfect for a trip out to Chapel Hill. Jordan & I met with Dr. Strauss again today for our 35 week prenatal visit. The more we know him, the more we enjoy him & are thankful to be under his care. All the usual vitals came back normal - blood pressure, weight, fundus length. We talked a bit more about delivery & how the baby will need to be monitored during labor. He reassured us that HLHS babies do just as well through the delivery process as any other baby - the difference is once he's out of the womb & dependent upon his lungs for oxygen. We'll head to the hospital once contractions come about 5 minutes apart.
I'd been having great discomfort in my abdomen over the past few days & was quite relieved to hear my experiences to be normal for women at this stage in pregnancy - strong tightening on one side of the uterus, sharp stinging pains on the upper right of my abdomen, lower back pain. He attributed these to Braxton Hicks contractions & my body stretching to accommodate Isaac's rapid growth of late. Finally, our visit w/Dr. Strauss concluded w/a cervix check. Normally, he begins doing these on patients at 37 weeks, but with the symptoms described over the past few days, he thought it best to check it out. "With this being your first pregnancy, I'm sure you'll be at zero &...oh wait...huh...you're already 1-2 cm dilated & 80% effaced. Looks like you'll most likely have a quicker labor than you expected!" Jordan & I were quite surprised, though it made sense with all the aches I'd been experiencing lately. So we'll just keep a vigilant eye on my progress & depending on how quickly I dilate & efface, Dr. Strauss said we'll probably induce sooner than originally anticipated rather than send us home an hour away to progress slightly & then return.
So it seems our Isaac may make his grand entrance in February! Exciting days lay just around the corner!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

God has truly blessed your family with little Isaac. You guys will have him home before you even know it. We certainly can't wait to see him!!!

Love you guys!
Benjamin, Carlyn & Makayla

Anonymous said...

Wow, prayers are intensifying for all 3 of you! Love you,
Nancy

Anonymous said...

Very exciting!!! I can't wait to see my first little nephew!
love you, kim

Anonymous said...

Awwww, sweet bundle o'baby, Isaac. Gramma Chris.... you are in my Breakfast Bunch prayers .... prayin' three verses for your family ....Psalm 71:6 Isaac is praising God! Psalm 139:13 Jesus in within Isaac's innermost being, and Ecclesiates 11:5 We can't out-think God..... Much love & been thinking about you off and on, all day(s) long.... Terre