39 weeks pregnant. Appointment update & a picture.

Here I am, at 38.5 weeks pregnant:




My in-laws left yesterday. Sad to see them go (Hannah was especially sad!), but it's nice to have the house back to ourselves. They are planning to visit again at the end of January, when baby is 3 or 4 weeks old.

All the presents are wrapped, all the Christmas cards are sent, all our rooms are clean (though baby's room still needs to be reorganized a little more, I keep finding random accessories and supplies and things), and all of December's bills are paid. We have enough groceries in the house to last about a month. Everything is decorated for Christmas. And I have about 20 dozen Christmas cookies sitting around the house, begging to be eaten, thanks to MIL.

I think my next project will be to finish my pregnancy scrapbook. So far, I've gotten up to Month 4. Mike found some more baby-themed stickers in the attic yesterday (though I have no idea how they got up there!), so maybe I can work on it later tonight, whenever I'm not sleeping. You would not believe how many times I wake up during the night. It's pretty ridiculous.


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I was disappointed at my doctor's visit yesterday. Mike and Hannah came along, and it was an unusually long wait. Mike actually fell asleep in the waiting room!
So, we had to wait over 30 minutes, which NEVER happens at this office (for my last few appts, Ive been completely checked out and done within 30 mins!). Hannah got pretty restless, though she didn't complain...

They weighed me, checked my bp, then we waited some more in the exam room.
My bp was much higher than usual, barely within normal range, and I have gained six pounds in the last seven days. That, combined with the swelling in my hands and feet, was a huge red flag to me that said PRE-ECLAMPSIA!
But the midwife "was not concerned" (she is a new midwife, recently hired, and my first impression of her was not incredibly favorable), and only said that we would "keep an eye on it." She did not even feel it was necessary to do a urine check (why not?!).

The whole thing was very quick and routine:
Measured fundus: check.
Baby moving? Yes.
Head Down? Yes.
Hear the heartbeat? Yes. (it was 140)
"Ok then, everything is fine."


I asked a couple questions, but the whole thing seemed absolutely pointless. I mean, I could have called the office and TOLD them all that info, instead of spending an hour driving back and forth.

Of course I'll go to the hospital if anything changes, obviously I know the warning signs. And Mike can check my bp at home, so we'll know if it gets worse. But still, I was really disappointed that she wasn't more proactive about it. Plus I am at higher risk since I had pre-eclampsia in the past. Did she not notice that? Did she really not think there was a problem? I pointed it out and she just said that she "wasn't concerned."

FRUSTRATING!

Then, because Baby is not completely dropped and engaged yet, she implied that I might last all the way to 42 weeks! (Although, she did not even bother to check my cervix.) I don't know if I can stand it, if I have to wait until January to have this baby! It just seems soooo long!

Then again, my mom said "You never know, you could still have the baby tomorrow!"

So, we continue to wait and see.
I am asking God for lots of patience right now.