Doctor Visit Update

Okay, here's an update from the doctor's visit this morning. I've gained 7 pounds in the last 5 weeks for the grand total of 27 pounds. Do you remember when I freaked out about gaining 8 pounds over my 5th month? Well, I'm not so freaked out now. I don't like it but I don't care as much since I only have 6 more weeks til the due date. The range of weight gain that OBGYNs recommend is 25-35 pounds so I'm still within the range! Well, hopefully this weight gain is mostly Ava doubling her own weight :-) Blame it on the baby!

I've had pregnancy rhinitis (sneezing, runny nose, congestion) since November and while it's annoying, it's barely a blip on my radar so I didn't take any medicine. The congestion is only bothersome at night unless I sleep propped up. Well, last night, I was finally fed up with it that I took a Benadryl and boy, let me tell you, I slept fantastic! I barely had any congestion or runny nose when I got up this morning. I slept through the night without my usual wakefulness every hour or so. I felt guilty about taking medicine (even though Benadryl is allowed) and wondered how it affected Ava. I asked the doctor about it today and he said I could take it everyday and it would actually help with the Braxton-Hicks contractions!

Speaking of the contractions, I learned from the doctor that they tend to be worse in the morning because I'm dehydrated from not drinking water all night and worse at night because of activity in the day. It's interesting because that's pretty much the pattern I have.

I also shared with the doctor about my anxiety about the baby being small because of people's comments about the size of my belly. I guess at 8 months, I'm supposed to be as big as a house. He said because of my height, I have more room in my belly. I've known that it's because I'm tall but it's reassuring to hear it from the doctor. He measured my belly and the size is perfectly on track so Baby Ava is doing fine! I don't know why I worry about it but I do. I find that the closer I get to my doctor appointment, the more I worry about whether I'm eating well enough, whether Ava is growing, whether she's distressed, etc. I worry too much.

Overall, everything is fine - blood pressure, protein level, iron levels, baby's heartbeat, everything. They even wrote on my medical card (that I'm supposed to carry around with me) that I'm "doing well." I'm thankful for a healthy pregnancy!

I'm due back to the doctor in two weeks, instead of a month. I think after my next appointment, I will be going back to the doctor every week. It's hard to believe that I only have just a little over 6 weeks left! :-)