32 wks and 6 days pic

32 wk and 4 day OBGYN appt

Grr Arrgh!

OBGYN was in extreme cranky mode today.

Remember though - I choose him for his skill IN SPITE OF his bedside manner...

Still no c-section date --- arrrgh! This was the 3rd now (I think) appt in a row where it was discussed that it still needs to be booked. Now he was saying probably sometime March 23 - 25th depending on when other ones are booked.

Since the 23rd - 24th is the date range we've been discussing since what - January? Then maybe it should have been bloody well booked already!!!

I've apparently lost 3 lbs since my last appt and he asked why I thought that happened and I mentioned the wicked night-time heartburn/night sickness and then he says, "Well what do you want me to do about it?"

So I pointed out that I thought he'd want to know. He told me to try Gaviscon.

Oh, and the waiting room was standing room only today.

HOWEVER -- the office is going to be closed for a wk while he goes on vacation sometime before my next appt so he'll HOPEFULLY be nicer next time.

Anyway, I brought up that he said at my last appt that I'd be having another U/S and he said they'd book that for me and I said, "Oh, OK."

So he says, "Well how else do you expect it to happen?" And I said that with my previous 2 ultrasounds, my family DR had given me the requesitions and had me book my own within a timeframe the DR gave me.

Nonetheless, they booked the U/S for me with no input on the place I prefer to go, and no input on the time so I have to go to a place on Pine St for 2 p.m. on March the 3rd.

The form they gave me just says that it's to check "fetal growth" -- but now I'm wondering, does that mean he's concerned about the baby's growth?

Oh and that same day, the 3rd, is also when I go for my next OBGYN appt - and that's at 10:45 a.m.

He's never given me my measurements or anything even though he measures me -- but he was so cranky today I didn't want to ask ANYTHING...

Stats for today were:

Weight - 285 lbs
Blood Pressure - 134/80

Baby's heartrate - 121 bpm. He said 120 - 160 is "normal" and I asked if I should be worried since it was so close to the low end of normal and he repeated that 120 - 160 is normal.

So I asked if that was his way of telling me to NOT worry about it. And he said, "yes."

So there we go.

And re: the baby bpm guessing site --

32 wks info from babycenter.com

Your pregnancy: 32 weeks

How your baby's growing:

By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds (pick up a large jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus.

You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb.

She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

How your life's changing:

To accommodate you and your baby's growing needs, your blood volume has increased 40 to 50 percent since you got pregnant.

With your uterus pushing up near your diaphragm and crowding your stomach, the consequences may be shortness of breath and heartburn. To help relieve your discomfort, try sleeping propped up with pillows and eating smaller meals more often.

You may have lower-back pain as your pregnancy advances. If you do, let your caregiver know right away, particularly if you haven't had back pain before, since it can be a sign of preterm labor.

Assuming it's not preterm labor that's ailing you, you can probably blame your growing uterus and hormonal changes for your aching back. Your expanding uterus shifts your center of gravity and stretches out and weakens your abdominal muscles, changing your posture and putting a strain on your back.

Hormonal changes in pregnancy loosen your joints and the ligaments that attach your pelvic bones to your spine. This can make you feel less stable and cause pain when you walk, stand, sit for long periods, roll over in bed, get out of a low chair or the tub, bend, or lift things.

Get support from your partner "Sleeping is getting difficult. The only way I can get any rest is to lie with my back to my husband as he cradles my body. The support from him and a pillow between my legs is the best help." —Anonymous

Decision Guide: Who should be in the labor room with you?

Childbirth is an intensely personal experience, as is your decision whether to have additional family members, friends, or labor coaches in the birthing room with you. Here are some things to keep in mind as you prepare your guest list:

• There's no one right decision. In a recent BabyCenter poll, 44 percent of expectant moms said they preferred to have no one but their partner and medical staff in the room when they gave birth, while 37 percent said they brought an additional relative along and 16 percent requested to have a friend present. Only 3 percent of respondents asked for a doula or labor coach in the birthing room.

• Some husbands or partners may be confused about their role in the birth or reluctant to participate if others are present. If you bring outside relatives or coaches in, make sure your partner is on board with the plan.

• You may be under pressure from mothers or mothers-in-law who are eager to be present for the birth of their grandchild — regardless of your wishes to keep the experience private. If you want to be alone with your partner, don't be afraid to enlist hospital staff for support in carrying out your wishes and keeping relatives out of the delivery room.

• Labor and delivery nurses come and go according to their shifts, so if you'd like to be attended continuously by one person, a private labor coach or doula is a good option. In fact, some research shows that women attended by labor assistants have shorter labors, fewer labor complications, and healthier newborns. You should also give serious thought to having a doula present if you're set on having a drug-free birth.

This Week's Activity:

Start lining up helpers. Your friends and family will want to pitch in after your baby's born, but many new moms are too overwhelmed to direct household help. How to prepare now:

• If anyone offers to help during the newborn weeks, write down their name and number.
• Select one friend to set up a schedule so that all the friends who wish to help are given a date on which they can bring you a meal.
• Create a master grocery list so you can hand it off to a friend.
• Create a childcare or ride schedule for older children.
• Line up a friend or neighbor to take out your garbage, walk your dog or feed your pets.