Damnit

My GSB test was positive. Group B Strep is a bacteria harmless to adults that lives in the various private bits of up to 40% of women. In infants it can prove to be life threatening in rare cases. This is why pregnant women get a strep B test between 35 and 37 weeks. I had mine last week. Tonight I found out it was positive.

It's a simple enough fix - you get IV antibiotics in labor after your water breaks every 4 hours. I just really didn't want to have an IV. Luckily I'll be able to ask for a heparin lock so that they don't have to keep reinserting an IV or leave me hooked up to tubes and a pole. That means I'll still get to have the mobility I want during labor and delivery. I just don't get away with no IV as we'd hoped.

I'm still a little bummed about it, though. Nothing I did could have either prevented or brought on the strep B, so I can't feel bad about being a carrier. At least there's that.

37 weeks. Could be just another week, could be a few.

Mobile post sent by spokeinthewheel using Utterli.  Replies.

Office friends threw me a shower. Look at this amazing cake. My friend made this! I cried. So thoughtful!

Mobile post sent by spokeinthewheel using Utterli.  Replies.

I'm ok! I'm here!

I got a comment from Sandra asking me how I am that made me realize I've been absent the past couple weeks. I've been beyond busy, but I'm fine! Things are good! Don't worry, there's no baby yet and there are no health problems significant enough to be concerned about. The puking on the tracks incident of the last post was a one time incident. A horrifying, embarrassing incident, but a one time thing.

We had our weekly (we're up to weekly now) midwife appointment this week and everything is great. I'm measuring a little bigger than average in the belly, so the midwife is estimating this kidlet is going to be 8lbs and change. It's what I had been thinking, too. My weight is still right on track (21 lbs). I'm doing well. The only thing that's been keeping me down this past week is the energy level (which is pretty nonexistent) and the swollen ankles. I have cankles, people! CANKLES!! All of a sudden they popped up on Wednesday and haven't gone anywhere since. Their encampment is strong. The cankles have invaded and it doesn't seem as if they're going anywhere for the next few weeks.

3 weeks from today is the baby's due date according to the sonogram from 13 weeks. 3 weeks from t-o-d-a-y. OK. I can do this. We can do this. Totally. Yep. I was built for this. It's completely OK.

Deep breaths. Big, deep, cleansing breaths.

groan

I woke up this morning feeling pretty lousy. It felt like I hadn't slept much, even though I got a good night's sleep. I threw up in the sink while I was brushing my teeth, but felt like it was just a fluke, just a one time thing. I muddled through the rest of my getting ready routine and had some water and some juice, planned on getting breakfast at the office, and walked out the door.

The walk to the train was pretty uneventful. I took it slow and eventually joined the ranks of the Brooklyn straphangers waiting on the platform for the subway. Typically the trains come minutes apart, so when the wait got past the 25 minute mark I was getting antsy and really wishing I could sit down. The platform was more and more packed by the minute. I leaned forward to see if I could see the light of a train coming...

And then I puked into the tracks. Ugh. It was horrible. Loads of people around. A young mom with her baby in a stroller gave me a tissue and told me to drink lots of water very slowly so I wouldn't get dehydrated. I walked home, crying the whole way (combination of my typical reaction when I throw up and the pregnancy hormones, I'm sure), called my boss and told him I had just gotten sick on the subway platform. I've been taking it easy since then and I just ate an English muffin. Hopefully that will stay down and everything will be fine.

Just a lousy day. No big deal. 4 & 1/2 weeks left until the baby's due date predicted by my sonogram. I want those weeks to fly by!

$5 for each, madame, or 5 for $20 if you'd like

I used to see this man a lot. He sold vegetable peelers in Union Square on days when the Greenmarket was open. Last year I bought 5 of them ($5 each or 5 for $20) as stocking stuffers for my family. Sounds like a goofy gift, but these particular peelers are magic. You should see the things you can do with one of these peelers!

He gave demonstrations. His hands were rough and always a bit red, especially in the cold. He wore nice suits (always a suit) and called everyone "madame" and "sir". His classy British accent made his pitch all the more compelling. His voice was deep and strong and you couldn't help but stand and listen to him awhile, even on days when you weren't going to buy a peeler.

I dropped the peeler I bought for myself behind our sink a few months back and it's hopelessly lost. Last month I was passing through Union Square and the peeler man was there. I bought a replacement. He asked me to be careful with this one and then wished me good luck with the baby. It was a brief, kind exchange.

He passed away on Sunday. He was a fixture in my personal New York City. Every person has their own version of NYC, you know. The peeler man was always part of mine. He'll continue to be part of it. Every time I peel a potato or julienne a carrot (it juliennes!) I'll think of him. I already do that. Now I'll just add a knowing smile to my little routine and he'll live on in my personal NYC forever.

"This is not your average vegetable peeler, ladies and gentlemen, I assure you. You've not seen anything like this in your homegoods shops or your corner stores. This peeler is not your typical made in China waste of money that will break on you or become dull after one use. This peeler is Swiss-crafted from stainless steel that will never go dull or leave you disappointed." Now picture him saying all of that while he peeled a potato and made a carrot garnish on the board in front of him.

Squeeze, cramp, spasm, repeat.

Braxton-Hicks contractions are strange. I started having them about 2 weeks ago. The midwives say everything is A-OK in there, so I'm not worried about them. They're just strange. The first time it happened I knew right away what it was and I didn't freak out at all. I just had to lean against a gate on my walk home and take some deep breaths.

I know now all those books we've read really have sunk in. Pretty amazing. I feel we're prepared. Well, we're as prepared as we can be. Which is to say that we are well educated about childbirth and we are armed with copious information.

That wonderful education also means that we are fully prepared to know absolutely nothing once labor actually starts. Flexibility is the key. We're ready to throw it all out the window at a moment's notice and take each moment as it comes. I think that's mainly why I'm not scared. Labor doesn't scare me. Delivery doesn't scare me. I'm prepared for it to be painful and tough and amazing and beautiful and weird and disturbing and fulfilling all at the same time. Sounds simple, right? *wink*

Pardon me. I need to go rub some oil on my belly. My belly button is flush with the rest of me now and it feels like it will pop out at any moment.

I love my block in the snow.

Mobile post sent by spokeinthewheel using Utterli.  Replies.