Part 1, Pregnancy and Birth Story Two: Violet Ella

January 15, 2006
36 weeks pregnant
(Don't get too excited. Amelie and I are drinking the carbonated lingonberry drink from Ikea.)

Violet was completely planned to come around Amelie's 2nd birthday. I even had the same due date range--around Valentine's Day. I was ready to have another baby, as Amelie was well into toddlerhood-- walking, talking, and no longer nursing.
My pregnancy with Violet was the least complicated. The main struggle was VBAC vs. repeat c-section. I can't even tell you how many conversations were had about this topic--with friends, doctors, family, Duncan, etc. I REALLY WANTED to have a VBAC, but the complications involved and the potential size of this baby were the main reasons for my apprehension.
Because Amelie was so big, I had an early glucose tolerance test, to see if a late development of gestational diabetes was the cause for her ginormity. (The number one question I am asked when people learn how big my babies were at birth is if I had gestational diabetes.) Fortunately, it was negative, as was the one I had at the normal time.
I had ultrasounds every few weeks near the end to get a ballpark on her size. The one I had at around 34 weeks showed that she was breech. She could still turn but it was unlikely. I was so excited! I felt like God had handed me an answer on a platter--I no longer had to think about the dilemma. We started making c-section plans.
At around 37 weeks, I had another ultrasound that showed two things--she had turned and she was an estimated nine pounds. I was slightly disappointed, but with her size estimate, still comfortable with the c-section plans. I decided to schedule one, but if I went into labor on my own, before the scheduled date (February 3), I may try to labor a bit and see how it went.
As the end of January arrived, I could hardly move. I was ENORMOUS. The above picture is the closest thing to a belly shot that I've got with Violet. It was on my 30th birthday, January 15, which was 18 days before Violet was born.
On the morning of February 2, I lost my mucus plug, which, as you may know, means nothing, but it could mean something, in terms of an imminent delivery. I had actually lost part of it around Thanksgiving, at which time it was determined I was one cm dilated. I was put on "light activity" which meant no more Curves and picking up Amelie as little as possible. I was checked at every visit and remained at one cm until just before Violet was born.
Later that morning, I went to the hospital with Amelie and my mom so I could have some blood work done. My c-section was scheduled for 2:00pm on Friday, February 3rd. After the blood work, we headed to Panera and met my dad for lunch. As I walked around the restaurant during the peak of the lunch hour, I noticed as people stared at my humongous pregnant belly with looks of extreme concern that I might deliver in Panera while they ate their lunches. I told my mom that I wished I had a sign around my neck that said: "Don't worry. My c-section is tomorrow."
Amelie and I headed home after that so she could nap and I could make the final preparations before having the baby the next day. As the afternoon wore on, however, I felt more and more intense pressure in my lower back and such, not really contractions, but it was very uncomfortable. I couldn't walk very well and actually resorted to crawling in order to get around. I called the doctor and, since I had lost my mucus plug and had a scheduled section the next day, I was told to go to the hospital.
4:30ish in the afternoon, again.
Traveling on the beltway to Holy Cross during rush hour, again.
My parents came and got Amelie. Duncan came home from work and packed up our stuff. He was totally annoyed that I had waited to do the majority of our packing that night--I have a hard time packing too far in advance. We headed out and I started contracting on the way to the hospital.
That's enough for one post. Check back for more later. But while you wait, does anybody want to guess on how much Violet weighed? I'll give you a hint: It was more than Amelie!!