It has taken me a couple of days to blog about my 28 weeks appointment last week.
I had my gestational diabetes test and I found out that I passed, so that is a good thing. I also found out today that my blood platelets have plummeted. :(
Normal platelet counts range from 150,000-400,000. When my blood was tested last Friday, my platelet count was 109,000. Two months ago, they were at 135,000 and in October, they were at 137,000.
This is nothing new to me of course because I have been diagnosed with ITP or idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. (There are some nice technical words for you!). This is a blood disorder in which the immune system destroys it's own platelets. The spleen cannot make enough new platelets to make up for the ones that are being destroyed, therefore, you always have low numbers and newer-looking platelets.
In fall of 2008, I saw a hematologist because one of my doctors noticed that I always had low platelet counts for the last 5 years or so. The hematologist ordered 17 viles of blood (which was drawn all at one time!)for different blood tests. All those came back fine, so she diagnosed me with ITP. It always takes my blood a long time to clot, so it does make sense. The lower number you have, the longer your blood takes to clot. My platelets were also very big during this blood test, which means they were newer platelets.
This can be concerning during pregnancy and my midwives are going to watch my count carefully. I may have to take steroids before I deliver to get them up. They want me to come back in this coming Friday and do another complete blood count.
My midwife was also concerned about my weight gain this far. From 20-24 weeks, I gained 7 pounds and from 24-28 weeks, I gained 6 pounds. She did not like this! She says it is too much in a month- I have gained 23 pounds so far. (This is what I gained with each of my girls by the end!)
My question though is- where is all this weight?? I have people everyday say to me, "What? You're pregnant? You're so small!" or "That scale must be wrong! You don't look like you've gained 23 pounds!" I'm confused!! I don't sit around and eat junk food all day and watch TV! I try to eat healthy, but I am always hungry! My midwife told me to get active (not like cleaning your house is exercise?). She told me to get outside and take a walk. I agree, that would be beneficial, espcially if I want to go natural, but I don't want to starve myself either. I need to eat! I really think this has to do with that fact that I am carrying a boy instead of a girl this time! I would be happy with 30-35 weight gain. For this pregnancy, I started at a lower weight than I did with my girls, so few extra pounds won't hurt me. I am going to see a different midwife in two weeks and see what her opinion is on it!
Oh, and I am also measuring 30 cm when I am 28 weeks pregnant! (still normal, but I should be measuring 28) Yikes! Maybe this will be a big boy!
The older you get the slower your metabolism runs. So it could be that the older we get the more weight we retain if we are not as active as we should be?
ReplyDeleteI too thought that it made a difference in girl vs. boy when it comes to weight but apparently not?
Lauren was my 1st, a girl, and she weighed in at 8lbs 7oz. I had her when I was 21 years old. Fiona was my 2nd, a girl, and she weighed in at 7lbs 7oz. I had her when I was 33 years old. Kinsley was my 3rd, a girl, and she weighed in at 10lbs 3oz. I had her when I was 35 years old.
I think you are doing great weigh-wise although I am not an ob or a midwife. I think you are going to have this baby like the champ that you are! You can do it! And you don't look pregnant because you are not dressing like you are pregnant. No? ;-)