What to Expect…

Yesterday, Brad and I spent the afternoon at UW Maternal Infant Care Clinic. I had a whole slew of appointments scheduled. We first met with the neonatologist. This is the doctor and team of 6 who will take Poppy immediately after she’s born to check her out and start the prostaglandin (the medication that will keep her heart functioning like it did in the womb, without this medication, her heart would adjust to the air just like any newborn, only for her, this would be fatal). He was awesome to visit with and provided us with a picture of what to expect following delivery. He said there will be an adjoining room to the OR that I will be in that has a glass window where Poppy, Brad, and the NICU team will be working. Once the prostaglandin has been started, they will transport Poppy by ambulance to Seattle Children’s. Brad will go with her, and I will stay at UW and recover. If I am in recovery when they are ready to transport her, there’s a chance they will swing her by to see me on their way out. I will be able to join her at Children’s once I am discharged (I’m thinking the soonest would be 2 days because of the c-section recovery time). He assured me that it would be a rare case for her to have to go into surgery before I could get there. More than likely her surgery would take place 3-5 days after birth because they want her to be as stable as possible before going on bypass for her surgery. What a relief to have such a clear picture painted for us. We know that every baby is different, but having this kind of visual really provided us with some comfort.

I then had to have an NST (non-stress test). This is where they hook up a couple monitors to my belly to check for Poppy’s stress response. They want to see her heart rate jump 15-20 bpm for about 15 seconds in order to ‘pass.’ Apparently this test is something that occurs once a week in the last few weeks of a high risk pregnancy. Totally new to me. It sounds like the test typically takes about 20 min and sometimes a change in position or a drink of juice will create the jump in heart rate they are looking for. If not, they have a buzzer they buzz your belly with to get the baby to jump. Poppy had to have the buzzer….like 3 times. After about 45 minutes, they had the change in rate they were looking for. Yes!! Thank you, Jesus!! Brad and I were so thankful she finally performed!! I’m not exactly sure what they would have done had she not- just so relieved she did!!

We then met with the social worker. She was wonderful, and provided us with some information about a photography non-profit who specializes in hospital photos for patients with serious health conditions. This company is completely free of charge!! What a tremendous blessing to know our Poppy will get to have her picture taken before her surgery, and that they will include our family in the shoot. How special to have such a keepsake….this part of everything is really hard to sit with, but I called them today and set it up. God just continues to bless us with such love and caring people/organizations such as this to help make this all as good as it could be. Thank you, Lord.

We then met with an OB. He was great and walked through a lot of the pre-op paperwork with me. And, the best part of our appointments…..we set a delivery date for 39 weeks!! March 8 at 11:00 our Poppy will be born, unless she has her own plans before that. I turn 37 weeks tomorrow, which is when Crosby made his grand appearance! So far, so good!! We are praying she stays in until her March 8 date 🙂

I am definitely slowing down, and not being able to lift Crosby anymore is really hard for me 😦 but its all part of it I suppose. Brad is so good with him and is making me take it easy. I am so thankful to have such a loving husband and hands on daddy to go through all of this with. God is so good. Thanks for all of your prayers!! Keep them coming! 🙂 All is fast approaching and becoming more overwhelming each day.