Updated Kidney News

To start out, last week this little guy passed his BPP in 4 minutes! I already feel like a bragging mother and he isn't even born yet! His NST's have been great and even categorized at "text book." This prompted me to ask my DR if I really did need to come every week for the BPP and NST's since he is passing with flying colors and she said yes b/c they want to make sure that he still does this great and that my fluid level stays consistent and that the kidneys don't get any bigger. Well, so much for that. I had my follow up level II ultrasound with the Perinatologist on Wednesday this week and it wasn't horrible news, but not great news either. The kidneys have dilated more which is what they were hoping would not happen. They are now measuring at 1.37cm on the right and 1.34cm on the left. They are measuring/weighing him in at a whopping 6lbs and one oz right now!! Which is only in the 63% for being 35weeks and 5 days. I was 8lbs 15oz when I was born and Jared was 8lbs 14.5 oz, so we both are assuming that he will be right around there when he is born.

What they are saying he has by the looks of the ultrasounds are Moderate Bilateral Pyelectasis w/Hydronephrosis along with a probable Mild Posterior Urethral Valves. So in layman's English terms now! Pyelectasis is the enlargement of the part of the kidney that collects urine (the renal pelvis) from 4 to 10 millimeters in diameter. Bilateral for those of you who might not know what that means is that both the kidneys are dilated, not just one. Posterior Urethral Valves (PUV) is an abnormality that occurs when the urethral valves, which are small leaflets of tissue, have a narrow, slit-like opening that partially impedes the urine flow. This is thought to develop in the early stages of fetal development and occurs more often in males vs. females. During the ultrasound his bladder was very large/distended b/c he wouldn't pee. We waited an extra 20-30 minutes for him to pee to see if the kidneys would get a little smaller with the urine being released from them down to the bladder but this kid would just not pee! From all of these findings we have a consult appt with a Pediatric Urologist on Tues Jan 5th to discuss what all this means, what to do until he is born, and what will be done after he is born. I am assuming they will for sure do an ultrasound on him after he is born in which they would be able to see much better what is going on in there since they won't have to go through my body to see him. We will find out much more next Tuesday when we meet with the doctor.

For those of who you are thinking of questions let me throw some more information out there. They will not take him early due to what is going on. The only reason they would is if my amniotic fluid level gets too low which right now is at 13.1 and they consider low at 7.9. This would mean that he is taking in the fluid but not putting it back out. I did ask that with all this going on if it meant that we would have to have c-section and both my DR and the perinatologist said no. Unless, when I am in labor he is showing signs of distress, I don't progress, or any other issue which could happen to any baby and any mom during the labor process. I do have quite a bit of swelling in my legs but they check my urine every time for protein and those levels have been great too. I have had some high blood pressure for a couple weeks which we have been monitoring but it looks like it is on its way back down to normal. Everyone asks if I have been having contractions and so far no. But you are asking someone who has never felt a contraction in her life if she has them so I really don't know! I'm assuming from what they have been described as that I have not or I would know. If anyone has any questions feel free to ask away. As of right now this is all the information I have but after Tuesday I will have more to update you on. Jared and I hope everyone had a great 2009 and has a better 2010!!

Tests, Nephews, and Showers

Well this week was a breeze for the BPP and NST's. I know I have said this before but we really do have an overachiever on our hands here!! Last week was his first one and he completed his BPP in 13 minutes (they allow up to 30 minutes to complete everything) with flying colors. Well this week he completed his BPP in 5 MINUTES!!! Then I went down to have my NST done and he must have changed moods quickly b/c he was very quiet for this. He established a good heart rhythm which is good, but then wasn't showing an accelerations so we poked and moved him around a little bit which did the trick b/c then he had no problem showing off again! We don't go back until the 23rd for the next set of test and then on the 30th to see our perinatologist to have our level II ultrasound done.

As many of you know my sister Michelle and nephew Christopher who live in New Hampshire were able to come to town for a little over a week which I wish could have lasted another 10 weeks b/c we had so much fun getting together again. Christopher is a hoot and loves playing Transformers in which Jared was much obliged to play with him. As I am sitting there watching them fly and drive Optimus Prime and Bumblebee all over the living room I thought to myself "this is going to be my life in 3 years!" Jared took on the challenge of babysitting Christopher during my baby shower. When I left them at home they were both laying on the couch under a blanket watching the Vikings game! It was so precious I actually did shed a tear walking up the stairs thanks to my awesome hormones. So as I said goodbye to one nephew today I have the pleasure of announcing the arrival of a new nephew!! My sister Julie who was 6 weeks further along then I am deliver Marshall Frederick Sipe today at 12:33pm weighing in at 9lbs and 1 ounce at 22inches long!!! Her induction was set up for tomorrow morning but decided that he would rather share a bday with his mom as today is Julie's 30th birthday!!! What a great way to celebrate!

I had my first baby shower this past Sunday which was thrown by my mother and two sisters and man was it a blast! Jared and I received so many nice gifts! Things are definitely starting to feel more real after receiving all those gifts knowing that in the next month and half we will need to use the stroller, infant seat, and blankets!! I can't thank everyone enough for all the great gifts and taking time out of your day to come and celebrate with me. Jared pretty much had a second Christmas going through everything at home!! My next shower is this coming Sunday which is being thrown for us by the Brechon women which I am looking forward to as it is always a great time with them!

BPP and NST's Weekly

Don't worry if you don't understand that title as I will explain it all. From the level II ultrasound we had done before Thanksgiving, the perinatologist recommended that the little guy have weekly BPP's (Bio Physical Profile) and NST's (Non Stress Tests) done. The bio physical profile consits of 5 criteria in which each criteria gets a score of 2 points to get a total of 10 points for everything. #1 Fetal Breathing - one episode of fetal breathing for more than 30 seconds. #2 Gross Fetal Movement - more than 3 body, limb, discrete or separate movements. #3 Fetal Tone - one episode of extension/flexion of limbs, head, or trunk. #4 Amniotic Fluid Volume - more than 2cm if more than 36 weeks and more than 3cm if less then 36 weeks. #5 is the NST test in which I am hooked up to the fetal monitor for 20 minutes and he has to show a stable heart rhythm with accelerations. If he scores an 8/10 then I just have to come back the next week for my next BPP/NST. If he scores a 6/10 then I have to come back the next day to have another BPP/NST done. If at any point he completely fails his NST and scores lower then a 6, I would be sent to Methodist Hospital to have extensive monitoring that could last anywhere from 6-10 hours all depending on what they are seeing from him. If during the monitoring anytime at Methodist they don't like what they see, then my DR said they will talk about delivery (SCARY thought as I am only 33 weeks on Sat). I asked if that meant a C-section and she said not necessarily as it would depend on how he is doing and if they feel like he would be okay for another 36 hours to induce and try a vaginal delivery. If they don't feel he is better off staying in for another 36 hours then they will do a C-section. Today he passed with flying colors at he got 8/8 in 13 minutes. They allow 30 minutes to score 8 point for the BPP. I did not have to do the NST today (hence the out of 8 points today) since I was on the monitor 2 days away at my DR's appt. For right now that is all that is going on with him/us. I am starting to get a cold so that is going to be really fun. I have my first shower on Sunday as I am really looking forward to that! At the level II ultrasound the tech pointed out a hair that was sticking straight up from his head which I was skeptical to believe but then again today the rad tech pointed out his hair so I started to believe them that he has hair! I actually got a really cute picture today that you can see his face, chin, and his chubby cheeks!! I will try to get some pictures up sunday from this ultrasound and the shower.

Perinatologist Appt

So at my ultrasound the Wednesday before Thanksgiving the radiologist noticed that the kidneys were dialted/enlarged and that the bladder was shaped like a key hole. What that means I couldnt' tell you. We were referred to see a perinatologist to have a Level II ultrasound done so they could look more closely and in depth at the kidneys. Yes, this is ultrasound #8 I have had!! The DR we saw was very very nice and explained things easily to us. The DR did say that this is more common in boys then girls but it is nothing to freak out about right now. Both kidneys measured about 5cm bigger then what they should. During the ultrasound they didn't see anything obstructing or blocking the kidneys or ureters. During the ultrasound they checked a couple times to make sure the bladder was emptying, which it was so that is a good sign and there was no key whole shape today. The DR also said that normally after delivery 50% of babies with dialted kidneys regulate themselves and nothing needs to be done. If after delivery the kidneys are still dialted/enlarged then it would require surgical correction. I have to go back to see the perinatologist in a month to have another ultrasound done to check the fluid levels around the baby and to measure the kidneys again. She said that if they are still dialated at this time that she would refer us to a pediatric urologist to talk about what needs to happen after delivery. This does not put me at high risk which is a good thing. They said he weighs about 4lbs 10oz right now. With all the measurements they took, he is measuring at about 9 days bigger then my due date, which if something does surgically need to be done this is a good thing b/c they would want him to be as big as possible for surgery. I will still be seeing my regular OB DR along with the perinatologist once in a while to check and make sure things are still ok. They also noticed that he was doing fetal breathing which means that he was practicing his breathing, what an overachiever he already is!! He was still head down but face down this time and did not want us to see his face. My next appt with my DR is actually this Tuesday so we will see what she has to say. Jared and I have our first birthing class tomorrow at Methodist Hospital so that should be interesting. I am intrigued to see what we will be doing and how things will go. We have it two Saturday mornings and tomorrow is one of two. I am most excited for the tour of Labor and Delivery at Methodist since I have never been there before. Other then that we are just anxiously waiting for Michelle and Christopher to come as they arrive on Monday and it has been a year since we have seen them!!! My sister who is 6 weeks further along then I am seems to be ready to go and deliver at anytime so I may have a new nephew by next weekend!!