Things get curiouser and curiouser...

Had another visit with the perinatologist and House O'Babies yesterday.

At 33 weeks gestation, Spider Monkey is a gigantic baby - weighing in at around 6-1/2 pounds (for comparison, most babies weigh about 4-1/2 pounds at this point). I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes a couple of weeks ago, so we know why she's so big. Of course, you add in that my dad was 6'6" and all of Moo's folks are over 6 feet tall, then - yeah - you get a gigantic kid. To slow down the growth and to prevent any further issues, I was put on a strict diet and yesterday, we've added insulin to my routine. So, while I've lost almost 4 pounds since my last perinatologist's appointment, she's gained 2!

Big babies have a greater chance of shoulder dystocia - which means they get their shoulders stuck in the birth canal. Because Spider Monkey is so big now and because most babies gain around a 1/2 pound to a pound a week during the last month, our chances of a scheduled c-section were just increased drastically.

With my doctors, putting a pregnant mom on insulin adds more doctors visits (now 2 each week!) and means that the baby will definitely be born before her due date. My perinatologist's office doesn't want me to deliver any later than 7/20 and my OB/GYN wants to induce or schedule a c-section sometime between 7/13 and 7/20 so that narrows down the date - unless she decides to come earlier!

Otherwise, she is perfect in every way. She's very active and all signs point to her being completely healthy at this stage. With the exception of having to stick myself with a lancet for a blood sugar test 4 times a day (I know Moo, you've been doing this for 8 months - oh how he suffers! :) ) and give myself 3 shots a day, I'm feeling pretty good. We're picking up the crib tonight and the changing table is being delivered tomorrow.