Just THREE more weeks until munchkin's expected arrival, and a few days away from week 37 of this pregnancy!! We are so close. And to help prepare for the little guy's birth, two weeks ago I went on a tour of the hospital with the intended parents (IPs). The tour went great, and I'm glad the parents got to see the hospital ahead of time. We got to watch a baby girl get her first bath in the nursery on the recovery floor. So precious, and made me even more excited for my couple to meet their baby boy and watch him get his first bath as well. I also made sure that munchkin's parents were ready with a car seat (not sure why my crazy self was so concerned about that, but I was). They didn't have a car seat the day we went on the tour yet, but not to worry, they have one now and it is fully installed and ready to go. Yay! Munchkin has a safe ride home. The parents are also close to deciding on the name, but I will wait to reveal it until after he's born.
I've had two doctor's appointments since my last post, and both went great! At the first I was checked for Group B streptococcus (GBS), which is a type of bacterial infection that can be found in a pregnant woman’s "private parts" - just keeping it real! This bacteria is normally found in about 25 % of all healthy, adult women. This is a routine test, and if it came back positive they would give me antibiotics while I was in labor to prevent the spread of the infection to the baby at delivery. My test came back negative though. Woo hoo! The doctor also measured my uterus and felt around for munchkin, he even showed me how I could feel that munchkin's head was heading down already near my pelvic bone. It was neat to feel that, in a totally creepy there's-a-human-being-in-my-belly kind of way.
Saw the doctor again a few days ago, and again everything looks wonderful. Munchkin's heart beat is strong at 130 beats/minute, and he is still head down - doc said he'll most likely stay in this position in preparation for birth. As for me, my blood pressure was good, and weight gain is... well... I am definitely gaining! Grand total so far is 39lbs, and we've still go three weeks to go... sigh. Oh well, all part of the process right?! Munchkin better be a big boy though, so that I can get rid of this weight even faster is all I have to say.
Physically, I am feeling good, but tired more often than before, primarily because a good nights sleep is hard to come by nowadays. Munchkin seems to like to move around a lot at night. I'm still working full time, and plan to work up until munchkin decides he's ready to meet his parents. Yet I won't be afraid to throw an eviction notice at him if he takes too long either. Ha!
Emotionally, I am happy and excited to be in the home stretch of this journey. I couldn't have asked for a better couple to work with, and everyone at CSP has been wonderful to work with as well. I also feel blessed to have had it so easy - a first time success with the IVF and a problem-free pregnancy. I know this is not always the case for surrogates and their IPs. There is just so much to be thankful for, and I will never take any of this for granted. My IPs have become like family to me, and I hope our relationship continues to grow even after munchkin's arrival.
Last, but definitely not least, my husband and I went out to dinner with my IPs the other night. It was nice to catch up and hear their plans to fix up munchkin's room that weekend, I love seeing them and talking about munchkin. AND I FINALLY got a picture taken with them!!
Munchkin's parents and me (baby bump from 35 weeks, 6 days)...
Up next: MUNCHKIN'S BABY SHOWER IS SUNDAY! Can't wait!!! And a week from today is another doctor's appointment, as well as a sneak peek ultrasound to check how big munchkin is getting!
~The Baby Fairy
WOW! It's hard to believe that we will be hitting the 35 week mark in just a couple days! And as anxious and eager as I am to no longer be sharing my body with a little one who enjoys kicking, punching and causing me to use the restroom 24/7, I am also sad. Yep, sad. But let me make it clear, I am not sad because I will have to "give up" this baby. Munchkin is not my baby, he was never mine to "give up". I am simply GIVING BACK what belongs to my IPs (intended parents). I am sad, because in about 5 weeks my "job" (for lack of a better word) will be over. The past year has flown by so quickly and I have enjoyed (almost) every minute of it (those 12 weeks of daily injections weren't exactly what I would call a good time). But any little bit of sadness that I am feeling or will continue to feel as the weeks trek on is overshadowed by the tremendous amount of joy and happiness I feel to be giving my IPs this amazing gift. I am so excited to see their faces when they hold their son for the first time and know that I got to play a role in making that happen for them.
And now for updates:
Baby is doing GREAT and is VERY active lately - which is always a good thing. At the last ultrasound (3 weeks ago) he was estimated to weigh around 3lbs, 9 ounces with an expected NEW estimated arrival date of February 15th (2 days earlier than our last estimated due date). The parents were both present at the ultrasound and got another peek at munchkin - though it's getting harder to get a good picture of him since he's growing so much and the amount of open space is running low. It was awesome to see them again, as always.
As for me, I am doing great too! At my last appointment, we found out that my placenta has FINALLY moved up to a better position and is no longer in danger of being low-lying (which can result in a possible c-section at delivery). YAY! I had been feeling optimistic that my placenta would move as it was supposed to, but you just never know. So hearing the doc say those words was awesome. So after my doctor told me the good news about my placenta and asked how I was feeling and I said "great!", she commented, "Wow, you really did mean that you have easy pregnancies." And she is right. I cannot complain too much at all. Sure, munchkin likes to roll, twist, kick, turn, poke and push on my bladder constantly, but for the most part I am pain free. Here is a self-portrait belly shot from yesterday (34 weeks, 5 days):
My weight gain so far is about 34lbs - which is normal for me and I am just thankful that I am tall and that my weight gain is fairly well hidden. :) {I see running shoes and a track in my near future. Ha!} Also, at my last appointment my doctor noted that because my own babies were on the larger size (8lbs, 10oz & 9lbs, 11.5oz) she would like to have another ultrasound done at 38 weeks to check munchkin's progress to get an idea of how big he may be at birth. We will make a decision then about possibly inducing a week or so early. Though it's always safest and best to let baby come when they are ready, so I will lean towards that option. You know, unless they want me to push a 10+lb'er out of there at 40+ weeks, because OUCH!!!!
Up next: A tour of the hospital (and pre-registration at the hospital for me) with my IPs is happening later today! So excited to see them again and discuss more about munchkin's arrival day. Also, one of my co-workers has GENEROUSLY offered to host a baby shower in honor of the intended parents. It will just be a small group of my friends, family, and coworkers, but I am excited to get together with munchkin's mama and spoil munchkin with a few new gifts before his arrival.
~The Baby Fairy
