Under Pressure

I had a mildly alarming prenatal appointment today: my blood pressure was 132/90 and then 128/96...not the best numbers overall, and particularly not good since my early-pregnancy baseline reading was somewhere around 115/65. So I was sent to the hospital (I had permission to go home and have lunch first) for some bloodwork and a few more blood pressure checks, just to make sure this wasn't a sign of pre-eclampsia. Everything checked out (liver and kidney function normal, normal platelet count, no protein in my urine, and my BP got down to a respectable 127/82), but it still wasn't my ideal way to spend an afternoon.

We also had weight estimates and a lovely vaginal exam at today's appointment. Baby A's weight estimate is about 5 pounds, 9 ounces (37th percentile) and Baby B's is about 5 pounds even (21st percentile), but Dr. McFly said he couldn't get very accurate measurements for that kidlet and so we should take the number "with a whole shaker full of salt." Both kidlets responded as desired during monitoring. And that lovely vaginal exam (really, why do they hrt so much during pregnancy? Youch!) revealed that I am about 1.5 cm (maybe a smidge more, but not quite 2 cm) dilated, about 50% effaced, and Baby A's head is "way, way down there." I had my Group B strep swab and should have those results within a few days, so unless I go into labor spontaneously before the weekend, I will be able to avoid unnecessary antibiotics (though, of course, not necessary ones).

Back to the docs on Friday for another blood pressure check...

---

I'm still taking topic votes on this post...though I think I know what I'm planning to write about first. Consider polling closed at...ooooh...9:30 AM Eastern Time on Wednesday? That's tomorrow, people!