Still no news. Ashley saw Dr. Levine yesterday and everything was fine. It looks like she just might make it until Sunday, but we are driving to work all week with the hospital bag in the car just in case.

Ashley's stomach now has its own gravitational field. Sunday, April 26, 2009.

How to make a baby.

Visit to Dr. Levine

Ashley saw Dr. Levine today at lunch time. Everything if fine. She is 3.5 cm dilated and 60% effaced. Garnett is still head-down, ready to launch.

What is effacement? you ask:

What is effacement and dilation?
By : Ashley Ocampo -->

As your due date gets closer, your cervix will begin to stretch (efface) and open (dilate) to prepare for your baby's birth. In some women, particularly if this is their second or third pregnancy, the cervix may efface and dilate slowly over a period of weeks. A first-time mother often will not dilate until active labor begins. Throughout your pregnancy your cervix has been tightly closed and protected by a plug of mucus. As the baby's head drops down into the pelvis, it pushes against the cervix and causes the cervix to relax and thin out, or efface. When the cervix effaces, the mucus plug is loosened and passes out of the vagina. The mucus may be tinged with blood. This passage of the mucus plug is called "show" or "bloody show." You may or may not notice when the mucus plug passes. Effacement is described as a percentage. For example, if your cervix is not effaced at all, it is 0% effaced. If the cervix has completely thinned, it is 100% effaced.After the cervix begins to efface, it will also begin to open (dilatation). Cervical dilatation is expressed in centimeters from 0 to 10. Zero means that the cervix is closed, and 10 means that it is completely dilated. You will be ready to push when you are 10 centimenters.Your health care provider will begin checking your cervix for effacement and dilatation during the final weeks of pregancy, and during your labor to see how it's progressing.

Not a lot of news today.

Ashley saw our OB, Dr. Levine (http://www.nwwomenshealth.com/pages/physicians.php?pid=3), on Friday. He said that if the babies are not out by May 3 he will induce that day.

April 12, 2009. Week 35. Ashley's belly is 42 1/2 inches in circumference and weighs about 40 pounds.

April 12, 2009

April 10, 2009, Ultrasound

Ashley had another long ultrasound this morning and the news is good. Both babies are growing like crazy and everything looks as it should.

Garnett is still the presenting baby, head down on Ashley's left and his little butt on her right. Avery is still transverse over Garnett, with her head on Ashley's left.

Garnett's estimated weight is 6 lbs. 6 oz., which puts him in the 86th percentile (for singletons). "The estimated fetal weight remains in the normal range but with evidence that interval growth has been borderline greater than expected since 03/24/2009".*

Avery's estimated weight is 4 lbs. 12 oz., putting her in the 11th percentile (for singletons). "The estimated fetal weight was less than the 10th percentile on 03/24/2009 and is now in the lower range of normal with evidence that interval growth has been somewhat greater than expected since 03/24/2009".*

The differential is now 25% between the two, but our doctors are not worried since Avery is holding her own and is growing at an appropriate rate.

* Preliminary Report from Obstetrix Seattle Ultrasound Associates, 04/10/09

Avery on April 10, 2009. Garnett was uncooperative and did not get a 3-D picture taken. (Click to enlarge.)

April 1 Class

Last night was our next to last class. The instuctor set out life-size baby dolls and the men were instructed to hold them for the duration of the three hour class to, you know, get a feel for twins. I had one androgynous white doll and one androgynous black doll, so I pretended I was Madonna and found myself wishing things with Guy Ritchie had worked out.

The main topic of the night was feeding and all its components; latching, rooting, hunger cues, etc. It brought back a lot of memories of Charlotte, who was a great little eater.

We watched a movie about breastfeeding. Imagine a bunch of guys holding dolls watching a movie featuring naked female breasts. And they wonder why men have so many conflicting emotions around pregnancy and childbirth!