Home Again!

My blood pressure was about as high today as it was last time, so I was a little afraid we'd have to go through all of the tests again, but we didn't have to.  Dr. Reynolds was in fine form today.  He came in singing and carried on a very animated conversation with Matt that had us all laughing.  I laughed so hard I cried.  My blood pressure might have been better if they had taken it then instead of before we saw him.  He felt my abdomen, commented on how the baby felt like he was a good size, and tested my reflexes, which were as outrageously touchy as usual.  He repeatedly asked us what he was supposed to do with us and declared us to be a pain in his bum because we aren't following a typical maternity story line.  Neil is small and I have gestational hypertension, but we're healthy.  Babies with Neil's growth numbers are supposed to need to be delivered early so that they can thrive, but he's growing and well-developed.  Mothers with my blood pressure numbers are supposed to develop preeclampsia and need to be induced, but I feel fine and have no other symptoms of preeclampsia.  We're supposed to need intervention from doctors, so the fact that we don't is making the doctors nervous.  We're off script.  

Dr. Reynolds didn't check my cervix again, but he said at the rate I'm going I might not deliver on my own until week 45.  He told us that as long as Neil's non-stress test at the hospital went OK (and it did) that he could give us until Monday to try to have the baby without inducing.  He said he can't really see us waiting past Monday.  We'll see.  We're scheduled to see Dr. Ackermann on Monday.  We want to wait as long as possible, and if they do have to induce, it's better for Matt's schedule if they do it at the end of the week.  So if Neil doesn't come on his own before then, we're hoping he arrives on or just before my 30th birthday.  I asked Neil last night which birth date he has picked out for himself, but he didn't answer.  Matt has tried asking Neil to come out to play.  I asked what they would play, and Matt said, "Changing diapers."  I suggested that it might sound like more fun to tell Neil he could play sprinkler. :)  Matt didn't like that idea as much.

Our trip to the hospital today was better in several ways.  There were no needles or catheters.  I didn't have to take my clothes off.  I was given a drink and a snack instead of being starved.  Once again my blood pressure was better at the hospital than at the clinic.  And Neil didn't fight the monitor quite as hard this time.  He still didn't like it, but he didn't kick it for a full hour.  Today's technique was more about applying a lot of pressure to the monitor so that it might pop off.  He also seemed to try flipping it over, which would have moved it more towards my rib cage.  He was unsuccessful, but I applauded the effort.  I don't want to discourage him if this is what it takes to keep him feisty during labor.  I did tell him that to ultimately defeat the monitor and rule mommy's tummy he needs to come out.  When he comes out, he can lay on mommy's tummy all he wants and the monitor will go away. We'll see if that entices him.

Neil was really lethargic this morning, and I felt crampy, so I kept trying to figure out if he was having problems or I was having contractions.  Since then it's become clear that he's fine and I'm not in labor, but not knowing if I was having a baby today made today's errands more urgent.  I had prescription refills to pick up and mouse traps to buy.  Matt found a mouse in our kitchen this morning, and we think it scurried under the dishwasher.  We've been finding mysterious pellets in the kitchen that we now know to be mouse droppings.  We've got some serious cleaning to do.  Yeah, we needed something else to keep us busy right now.