Happy Birthday!!!!

Zachary David Hiestand

Born Dec 2, 2012 @ 1120 am

8 lbs 12 oz, 22 1/4" long

Daddy and Zach

Momma with Little Z

1 day old

Update - New Due Date :)

We went back in this morning, to get stripped again, and monitored. We sat and talked with Sherry for some time, about what lies ahead for us. She mentioned that we should get a biophysical profile, and we talked about the possibility that we are actually 'due today'. So after looking at the previous ultra sounds - specifically the first one - she agreed that we could actually be due today. We had our first ultrasound at 9w+6days, but the ultra sound put us at 8weeks + 5 days. Usually, if a first trimester ultra sound is more that 7 days off, they will change the due date. So, since we are 'overdue' and over 41 weeks, she felt good about changing our due date to today, Nov 30th, based on that first ultrasound. (Somehow, Nate and I knew this was going to become an issue. We had talked about this early on! I'm just glad that it really wasn't an 'issue'. And Sherry wouldn't do anything she was uncomfortable with!) Nate and I both agree, that this also 'buys' a little time with the doctors... So they are pressuring us to induce!

She checked me again, and I was the same - a stretchy 5. And then we had another NST. The baby still looked good, so we will go back on Friday to have another NST. If we do not have the baby over the weekend, we go in on Tuesday for a biophysical profile. At that point, I will be 40 + 6 based on the first u/s - or 42 weeks based on LMP - so we know the docs are going to want it done.

Keep your fingers crossed that we have the baby by Tuesday!!

41 Week - Appointment

Well, we weren't in labor Sunday night... obviously or I would be posting pictures of the baby!!! My contractions puttered out, again, that night. We even left and went to Meijer and walked from 10-11pm!

So our appointment was at 8:45 this morning. My B/P was alittle high - it was 128/82 - which, even though is normal for most people, is high for me. I also had protein in my urine, which could be a sign that I need to deliver soon. She said with me being 41 weeks, she would really like to get things going. So she checked me, and I was a 'stretchy 4' which is such an improvement over last week! So that was exciting, because at least the contractions are doing something!! We decided to have her strip my membranes, and really stir things up - which made me about jump off the table! Holy cow - was that horrible!! I had another Nonstress Test - which was good, but not excellent. The baby was sleeping, so she had to keep trying to wake it up, to get some better accelerations. The baby had accels, just not alot, and not for very long.

We decided to come back at 2 - to do it all over again! I had some contractions in between the appointments, but none of them were really strong. I was really crampy, but they just didn't feel very strong.

We went back at 2 and started with our NST - which was so much better! The baby was much more awake, and had great accelerations! She was much, much happier about the results! So then when she checked me, I was a stretchy 5!! She stripped me again... and said 'I'll see you later tonight!'

So since then, I have definitely been contracting - not really consistently though - and not too strong. As long as they are 'doing something', I don't even care at this point! Nate and I got a couple hours of sleep (Thanks to Grammy J for being down here and helping with Tyler!!!) and so I feel rested up for a long night ahead...

Worse case scenario, we go back to see Sherry at 8:45 in the morning, and do it all over again...

40 Weeks and 5 days... Update

Today we are 5 days overdue. While I have continued to try to "get things going" - not a whole had changed until this afternoon.

Since we had such wonderful weather this morning, after we woke up, I figured I would go somewhere and walk today. So we went to Meijer this afternoon, and I walked for a bit, while Nate grocery shopped. And then after we got home, I didn't feel like it was enough, so I decided to go to Menards and walk. So since about 3:45 pm - my contractions have been about 4-6 mins apart. Once I was done walking, I went home and laid down, (about 5pm) just to see if they would putter out again. They didn't, so I got in the shower and we decided that we should maybe give our parents a 'heads up'.

We decided to time them from 6-7pm, and I had 14 contractions in that hour! (pretty consistently 4 mins apart) - so I am hoping that this isn't just another evening of 'false labor'!!

Everyone keep your fingers crossed that this is really 'it' and hopefully we will get to meet Baby Hiestand soon!!!

Happy 40 Weeks!

Well, I woke up this morning, and thought... while I am happy that the baby made it 40 weeks, I am also so surprised!! I have truly had a week of crazy contractions. Even though most of them were braxton hicks, I had a TON of true contractions. On Thursday I again, went hours having contractions 10-15 mins apart, and then nothing... and again on Saturday, and again yesterday. There have been multiple nights where the contractions wake me up (and Nate) and then nothing... and the last few days have been filled with uncomfortable, crampy, have to "concentrate through" contractions... and basically they have all done nothing! lol

We had our 40 week appointment this morning. It started with the nonstress test. The baby looked good. The first half of the test the baby was pretty chilled out and I didn't have any contractions. Then at the end, the baby livened up, and I had a pretty 'big' contraction. His/her heart rate pretty much stayed between 120's to 140's.

Then Sherry checked me, and she said that I really haven't changed much. We discussed 'stirring things up' or letting things go on their own. We all agreed that since I hadn't progressed at all, it was better to just let things happen on their own. We also expressed our concerns with waiting until next week to 'get things going'. With the holidays this weekend, and her being off on Mondays, we won't be able to go back in until next Tues. Next Tues I will be 41 weeks, and while I am not concerned about it, I know that the doctors get a little 'squirrely' about being 41 weeks. She didn't seem concerned at all, and she really does believe I will go in the next day or two.

I am at the point where if I don't go tonight, I would like to wait until Friday evening! lol I am being totally selfish and would really like to go shopping on Friday! hahahaha

No, really, I don't really care when we go, I just hope I realize it when I do! I told Sherry today that with all the contractions I have been having, I hope I know when it's really time. That probably sounds crazy, but this time has been so completely different than with Tyler, I really wonder...

So since the appointment, I have again, been contracting and cramping all day. I went hours where they were 10 mins apart, and then they spread back out. I went and got my 'go into labor pedicure/foot massage' at 5pm and they started back up consistently, and now they are still about every 10-12. So, I guess, again, we will wait and see...

39 Week Appointment

I was supposed to see the NP today (since Sherry is out of the office all week) but her little girl was sick, so I actually saw one of the doctor's in the practice. The baby's heart rate was 140's, still, and I measured at 37 1/2 weeks.

When she checked me, she said that she would call me a 'tight 3', so between 2 and 3, so more like a 2 1/2 (were her exact words, lol) So... hmmmm... not much different. She did say that my cervix was very, very soft. (which I already knew from last week) and she said I am still posterior. She made a bigger deal about me being posterior, then Sherry did last week. So because of that, after she was done, I said, you think I'm going to 40 weeks, don't you? And she smiled, and said, yeah, probably. But you just never know... your water could break or you could just go anytime!

Since she is a Doctor of Osteopathy, I was curious to see if she had any other "getting labor started" advice, that I hadn't heard of, or thought of. She said, "Nope, just lots of sex. Go home and make your husband happy!" So I said, alright... if that's what the doctor is ordering! :)

So now I am mentally back to going the full 40 weeks. Whew... I was tired of wondering if it was going to be today, or tonight, or tomorrow... I'm sure it will be on Thanksgiving. Just to make Maggie's mom happy :)

Weekend Update

So Friday night, Nate and I talked and decided that while yes, at 37 +4 weeks was a bit too early to have the baby, after this weekend, I was going to 'get things going'. I would absolutely hate to take it easy, and do the bare minimum, and then 1 of 2 things will happen: 1) I go over or 2) I will have this crazy long, horrific 2nd pregnancy labor because I have been taking it easy, and trying to slow things down! LOL Although I am perfectly fine with going over, then we always run the risk over going 'too far over' (by doctor's standards) and dealing with the thought of them wanting to induce... yuck.

So... I have decided to start drinking my red raspberry tea, and on Monday morning, I will start my 2-a-day walks. I was going to start my 'old wives tales' menus for dinners, beginning Monday night, but I think I'll wait until Thursday now... and get Nate through 1 more shift at work :) Or maybe we'll do italian on Tues., mexican on Thursday, and our hot-fried-and spicy on Friday... which is what did it for Tyler! Hmmm... that sounds like a good plan! :)

Sherry is off this week (just out of the office, not out of town!) so I will be seeing the NP tomorrow. I am assuming she will want to check me. I'll post tomorrow with any updates...