Hello Hello! ( i sent this out early june to some of you)
Well I thought it was about time I sent another update. I'm happy to say that we've reached 34 weeks gestation! This is a good thing as full term is at 40 weeks and the longer he stays in his nice little swimming pool the more developed and fatter he'll get. This will allow him to fight all the better when he gets out in the real world.
I had to move down to Vancouver about 2 weeks earlier than expected as I have polyhydramnios. Which they expected could happen. Basically the kid has a big swimming pool as he is no longer able to swallow or breath in the amniotic fluid (fluid around the babe) which helps maintain a balance. So my tummy has been growing and growing and growing! I was measuring 37 weeks gestation at 33! Hence the fact the belly is hangin out under my shirt in the pics I've attached! Anyhow they were thinking of draining off some of the fluid but he is totally content and I have to be unable to speak in a full sentences while sitting which is definitely not happening. I'm happy with this as with this "decompression" i could be set into labour. Anyhow, I think the belly is going out more than up as you'll see in the pics. Apart from that there was concern about the placenta not nourishing him properly but that seems to be ruled out at the present. They did some checks of the flow of the umbilical cord and the blood flow seems to be appropriate. Whew! If its not one thing its another.
I drove down to PG May 18th and then Mom jumped in the truck and we headed south through snow storms until Cache Creek. We found my new home which happens to be very convenient. Its an apartment about 10km from the hosptial with a great 180 deg view of the mtns. George also flew down for the weekend and while I flaked out they worked on Niatross to pretty her up a bit. It was nice to have them there for the transition of northern girl to big city girl.
I really have been far from lonely down here. After Mom and George left, friends from up in Ft St John were down, one of which took the fun prego pics in VanDusen Botanical Gardens. I then had a visit from another friend from FSJ for a night. I've also been busy with old high school friends and my cousin Bo and his girlfriend Alisha. On top of that I have an antepartum home care nurse come to the apartment 2x a week to monitor Alistair's heart in relation to his movements plus a weekly ultrasound and doc visit. So if anything I have to remember i have to slow down some as they have me on restricted activity as they don't want me going into labour early if at all possible.
So not sure if I had told you in the last E-mail but Jason decided he was sick of me calling the kid "The Kid" so he took it upon himself to name the little guy. So he is Alstair Bernard MacMillan. Both names are formed from Jason's grandfathers names, Alison and Bernard.
Jason is down now for a week which is great. We decided he should come down now rather than earlier as we have appointments with a general surgeon, NICU doc, plus he'll catch a couple of ultrasounds. It was great as the lady who did the ultrasound on Friday is really passionate about prego ultrasounds and she knew Jason hadn't been about for awhile so she really took the time to show him absolutely everything:heart, profile, healthy brian, lungs, arms, legs, feet, etc... She says he has Jason's nose and he thought he had mine! So whatever the outcome it will be a big one! : )
After Jason leaves I still won't be alone. Then my buds Marcy and Candace will come for a few days over the next two weekends. After that George and another bud may come in the weeks after. So this girl is feeling incredibly supported.
So it really is just a growing and waiting game. I'm enjoying the fresh fruit and veg while I'm at it and getting to see a completely different side of Vancouver than I ususally do. As generally we head straight to the boat and go out to sea. Yesterday Jason and I got ourselves out to Stevensons which is at the mouth of the Fraser River. A great deal of fish tugs park there and great fish and chips are served on the wharf. So we had our feast of halibut and cod. Well I just wanted to keep you posted and let you know apart from feeling more and more like a big beached whale things are presently ticking along nicely.
Hope this finds you all well!
Cheers Julie
Well I thought it was about time I sent another update. I'm happy to say that we've reached 34 weeks gestation! This is a good thing as full term is at 40 weeks and the longer he stays in his nice little swimming pool the more developed and fatter he'll get. This will allow him to fight all the better when he gets out in the real world.
I had to move down to Vancouver about 2 weeks earlier than expected as I have polyhydramnios. Which they expected could happen. Basically the kid has a big swimming pool as he is no longer able to swallow or breath in the amniotic fluid (fluid around the babe) which helps maintain a balance. So my tummy has been growing and growing and growing! I was measuring 37 weeks gestation at 33! Hence the fact the belly is hangin out under my shirt in the pics I've attached! Anyhow they were thinking of draining off some of the fluid but he is totally content and I have to be unable to speak in a full sentences while sitting which is definitely not happening. I'm happy with this as with this "decompression" i could be set into labour. Anyhow, I think the belly is going out more than up as you'll see in the pics. Apart from that there was concern about the placenta not nourishing him properly but that seems to be ruled out at the present. They did some checks of the flow of the umbilical cord and the blood flow seems to be appropriate. Whew! If its not one thing its another.
I drove down to PG May 18th and then Mom jumped in the truck and we headed south through snow storms until Cache Creek. We found my new home which happens to be very convenient. Its an apartment about 10km from the hosptial with a great 180 deg view of the mtns. George also flew down for the weekend and while I flaked out they worked on Niatross to pretty her up a bit. It was nice to have them there for the transition of northern girl to big city girl.
I really have been far from lonely down here. After Mom and George left, friends from up in Ft St John were down, one of which took the fun prego pics in VanDusen Botanical Gardens. I then had a visit from another friend from FSJ for a night. I've also been busy with old high school friends and my cousin Bo and his girlfriend Alisha. On top of that I have an antepartum home care nurse come to the apartment 2x a week to monitor Alistair's heart in relation to his movements plus a weekly ultrasound and doc visit. So if anything I have to remember i have to slow down some as they have me on restricted activity as they don't want me going into labour early if at all possible.
So not sure if I had told you in the last E-mail but Jason decided he was sick of me calling the kid "The Kid" so he took it upon himself to name the little guy. So he is Alstair Bernard MacMillan. Both names are formed from Jason's grandfathers names, Alison and Bernard.
Jason is down now for a week which is great. We decided he should come down now rather than earlier as we have appointments with a general surgeon, NICU doc, plus he'll catch a couple of ultrasounds. It was great as the lady who did the ultrasound on Friday is really passionate about prego ultrasounds and she knew Jason hadn't been about for awhile so she really took the time to show him absolutely everything:heart, profile, healthy brian, lungs, arms, legs, feet, etc... She says he has Jason's nose and he thought he had mine! So whatever the outcome it will be a big one! : )
After Jason leaves I still won't be alone. Then my buds Marcy and Candace will come for a few days over the next two weekends. After that George and another bud may come in the weeks after. So this girl is feeling incredibly supported.
So it really is just a growing and waiting game. I'm enjoying the fresh fruit and veg while I'm at it and getting to see a completely different side of Vancouver than I ususally do. As generally we head straight to the boat and go out to sea. Yesterday Jason and I got ourselves out to Stevensons which is at the mouth of the Fraser River. A great deal of fish tugs park there and great fish and chips are served on the wharf. So we had our feast of halibut and cod. Well I just wanted to keep you posted and let you know apart from feeling more and more like a big beached whale things are presently ticking along nicely.
Hope this finds you all well!
Cheers Julie
Hi!sounds like things are holding their own with the little Alastair!! Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this journey. The building project is going well and the wall are all up and waiting for the trusses to do on and then the roof. Don't miss work a bit and the weather is beautiful with a swim in the lake any chance I get. I so enjoy your pictures and your comments and your spirits seem really good. Way to go Julie!!!
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