34 Weeks & Some Surprises

Well, as the creative title implies- we are 34 weeks along. Yes, "we can't wait!," yes, "we are still feeling great." No, "I cannot predict when she will be born..." Yes, "we realize how much our lives will change in a few short weeks," blah, blah, blah.


Everyone seems to have a million questions and their 2 cents of wisdom for a pregnant lady these days. I have also noticed a calculated increase in "sympathy" tips at the restaurant. Note to all you ladies out there: wait a few tables when you are about 30-34 weeks pregnant - people think you are a sad, knocked up gal raising a baby on your own, and they tip 20% plus - guaranteed!

So, we are still feeling so good that I make my previously and currently pregnant friends want to stab me with dull spoons. I am sorry, it has just been a freakishly uneventful pregnancy to this point and I feel fantastic. The docs tell me that the baby is 100% healthy, right on track for growth, and that I should count my blessings.


However there has been one small glitch in the perfect pregnancy. We had an appointment last week - at this appointment they looked back through my charts and remembered that at my 20 week ultrasound I had a bit of a "low lying placenta" and it was nothing to be concerned with then because 95% of the time it "migrates up" to where it is supposed to be by the time you get to the end of the pregnancy. Low lying means it was a bit too close to the cervical opening (where the babe will come out and if it ruptures or bleeds it is VERY bad). So, no worries for the last 15 weeks - surely it migrated and all will be great.

Well, after a follow up ultrasound was done yesterday, it is still within the "not-safe threshold." It needed to be at least 2 cm away and it was at 1cm. SO, this news was delivered to me by my very nice sonographer with a disclaimer - "your doctor will confirm all this and let you know what is going on."

Of course I can hardly wait for the doc to get the report from the radiologist, so I call him and tell him to get the report asap and call me. He is nice, so he does and sure enough... Too close for comfort but "he will consult the other 3 docs" and we will make any final calls regarding the delivery at my weekly appointment on Thursday.

To simplify my rambling: I have a partial placenta previa. This is one of the 3 possible scenarios where a vaginal delivery is just not an option. This means that I will have to have a cesarean section to deliver baby healthy and not risk bleeding to death myself. This means that all my hopes and dreams of this beautiful natural birth where my baby comes into the world in a certain way are shattered. This means that I grieved and pouted for my disappointment and this BIZARRE turn of events for exactly 8 hours. Pete helped by being really, really sweet and getting me dairy queen blizzards and letting me cry on the couch all night.

Let me just say that I am EXTREMELY thankful and grateful for the modern technology that can identify this very real complication that would likely result in a very very bad situation for me and our baby. I am MOST concerned with the healthy delivery of our baby, above any thing else in the entire world. But, it was quite a blow. We have been thinking and preparing for this birth for 9 months. The entire birth training I have been doing has been "visualizing" this natural birth and I whole heartedly wanted and believed in the plans we had. It's like training for a marathon for months and pouring your emotions and hopes and efforts into it and then breaking your foot a few days before the race! BUZZ KILL!

I still have to talk to the docs on Thursday, but being me - I of course have now dove head first into reading about placenta previa and the odds of being able to do a natural deliver - pretty much 0% - you just don't mess with a big bleeding placenta - I get it. And, I don't want to risk anything, especially this.

So, there we have it... You will likely be meeting baby girl Howell a bit earlier than expected, as (from what I have read) and she will likely be delivered (unless there is a small miracle) by cesarean section. You can read a more technical definition about placenta previa here.

Great news - she is ADORABLE! I got another peak at her sweet face and feet and butt in the ultrasound and she has a beautiful face and full lips and big cheeks. She is perfect. She is estimated to be about 5 pounds right now (give or take 12 ounces either way) and she will likely gain about 1/2 pound a week until she is born. She is estimated to be in the 40th percentile for size - so she is kind of petite!

We can't wait to meet her - HOWEVER she comes into this world!