At 37 weeks, Neil is no longer considered premature even though he would probably need to wear preemie clothes. He passed his BPP today without M&Ms and with attitude. He breathed deeply and constantly during the ultrasound while also sucking on his fist. The ultrasound tech poked my belly to make him move more, and he swatted at her. She got what she wanted, but it was clear he didn't appreciate her method of asking. If I had known that swatting at the ultrasound tech might make her stop poking me, I might have tried it sooner. It wouldn't have been nearly as cute as Neil's swat though. We really like the ultrasound tech. When I talk to Neil, I refer to her as the "nice lady who takes his picture." The nurse practitioner is also nice, but she doesn't take Neil's picture. We watched Neil a little longer and he kind of waved at us by flexing his fingers. The ultrasound tech says she likes to see movement like that. Apparently, those times when I've felt like he's trying to tickle me by opening and closing his hand against me (the way small children do when they're learning to tickle) he really has been opening and closing his hand against me. As for intent to tickle, I may be supplying that since he doesn't know what tickling is yet let alone its social meaning as a gesture. We watched a while more and saw him grab his toes. The ultrasound tech was able to give us pictures of him sucking and grabbing his toes. They're fuzzy and you can't tell what's going on unless someone tells you, but they are evidence of cuteness.
My blood pressure was 127/82 the second time they took it. My fluid was half of what it's been, but apparently that's OK. And I lost the pounds I gained between my last two appointments, certainly not by dieting. I'm eating at least every two hours sometimes. We were in the doctor's office so long that I ate two high fiber granola bars in the waiting room at least an hour and a half apart. After the second bar, I realized that I'd just consumed 70% of my daily recommended fiber just in the doctor's office. I also found the warning on the granola packaging to take it slow if you're not used to eating a lot of fiber. I usually get a good amount of fiber, but with my raisin bran this morning, half an apple for one snack, and sweet potatoes and peanut butter in my chicken peanut stew for dinner, I probably exceeded my allowance for the day. I'll have to make sure dessert has no redeeming qualities like fiber. :)
We saw Dr. Ackermann today, and even he isn't worried about Neil anymore. Hurray! He asked if I'd had any contractions, and I told him I didn't think so. I've had some occasional discomfort, and I don't know what contractions are supposed to feel like. He told me I'd know them when I felt them. He said he's only had one mother deliver at home because she didn't know she was having contractions, and that was because she grabbed some marijuana and cocaine to feel better when she started hurting. I have neither drug and no plans to acquire either, so we're OK. He did ask me when I was going to let my baby out since he's now full term. I told him that I was OK with Neil growing a little more and coming when he wanted to. I've had a talk with Neil about this and have asked him to wait until after his measurement next Thursday so that we know he's at least 6 pounds. I figure that there's less of a chance of his being whisked off to a NICU in Louisville based primarily on his size if he's at least 6 pounds. Neil did not actually agree to my plan, but he's been remarkably cooperative so far.
Sorry this post is late again. I took a really long nap when we got home. If I don't get posts online by 10 p.m. Eastern time, my email subscribers have to wait an extra day. I think I'm just under the deadline this time.
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