Sunday, December 27, 2009

I am a 4%er, INFP 1%er. I am a rare breed of bed rest. I am a rarity? OK.

(Note the date above...this was drafted for 30 days because it's just a silly cut and paste job...)

This period of time marks the period of bed rest and heavy reading for me. I'm following up on this past a month later, able now to report that my AFI went from 5.6 to 20 in three days following good counsel of my amazing team of midwives. Love you ladies. All is well; that's our hope, and expectation, as a constant...

The amniotic fluid that surrounds a fetus (unborn baby) plays a crucial role in normal development. This clear-colored liquid cushions and protects the baby. By the second trimester, the baby is able to breathe the fluid into the lungs and to swallow it. This promotes normal growth and development of the lungs and gastrointestinal system. Amniotic fluid allows the baby to move around, aiding development of muscles and bones.

The amniotic sac that contains the baby forms about 12 days after conception. Amniotic fluid immediately begins to fill the sac. In the early weeks of pregnancy, amniotic fluid consists mainly of water supplied by the mother. After about 20 weeks, fetal urine makes up most of the fluid. Amniotic fluid also contains nutrients, hormones and disease-fighting antibodies (1).  The amount of amniotic fluid increases until 28 to 32 weeks of pregnancy, when it measures about 1 quart. After that time, the level of fluid generally stays constant until the baby is full term (37 to 40 weeks), when the level begins to decline.

In some pregnancies, however, there may be too little or too much amniotic fluid.
  • Having too little amniotic fluid is called oligohydramnios.
  • Having too much amniotic fluid is called polyhydramnios.
Either condition can cause problems for mother and baby or be a sign of other problems. However, in most cases, the baby is born healthy.

How are oligohydramnios and polyhydramnios diagnosed?
An ultrasound examination can identify the amount of amniotic fluid. This procedure measures the depth of the fluid in four quadrants in the uterus. These amounts are then added up. This method results in a measurement of amniotic fluid called the amniotic fluid index (AFI). If the amniotic fluid depth measures less than 5 centimeters, the pregnant woman has oligohydramnios. If amniotic fluid levels add up to more than 24 centimeters, she has polyhydramnios (2).

How common is oligohydramnios?
About 4 percent of pregnant women have oligohydramnios (3). It can develop at any time during pregnancy, although it is most common in the last trimester. Some 12 percent of women whose pregnancies last about two weeks beyond their due dates (42 weeks gestation) develop oligohydramnios, because the level of amniotic fluid tends to decrease by that time in gestation (1, 2). 

Monday, December 07, 2009

Butterfly Pavillion

Willoree and I drove to Denver and went to the Butterfly Pavillion last week. It was a mellow, sweet day...began with a nap on the way (hers, not mine), some gift shop browsing, a picnic, and then a long stay in the closest thing to a spa I've visited lately: the Tropical Conservatory, their 7,000 square-foot tropical rainforest...which is home to more than 1,200 butterflies and 350 plant species from around the world. Hawaii, and just minutes away. Willoree took my camera, I sat on a bench, tired and pregnant, and watched her "catch" things like leaves, walls, trunks, feet, concrete, her shoes, my belly, more leaves...

So yeah. Not a lot of great photos, but some really great humidity. And a possible boon to my CO complexion.

Since then it's been cold, very cold and snowy.

One morning recently I even ran my car into the curb, causing around $1000 worth of repair costs and a set of new wintery tires. We're all fine, the car's fine now, too. But I wonder if I should migrate to what all the other women in CO seem to drive -- why, the state car: the Subaru! And apparently these are popular for good reason, though I've never driven one. My mom used to have one when my brother and I were young; we'd ride around in the way back, stretched out prone. Seemed safe enough...

And last night we went to a party...a great gathering next door at Darlene and Leland's house. Great crowd, food, warmth...everyone was wearing their slippers and all the kids were downstairs -- firstly raising hell, then finally being sung to almost sleep by a 6 year old.

'Tis the season. I'm excited to get a Christmas tree and share home with all the family coming to town to see us. And then there's the dollhouse project gracias to Rob and Mopsy! (Details and documentation coming soon.) I feel compelled, already, to photo-document-og this. Anyone who's ever spent evening(s) assembling stuff for their kids will likely relate. Ben and I would wait until the last minute, but I truly think this effort will take several days if not weeks to complete.

I am already regretting I can't throw back some whiskeys...but then again, me, drinking, assembling, uhgh.























Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Swine Flu Shot Ingredients...




Swine Flu shot ingredients...if anyone is curious. I haven't checked this source, but I like the line up a great deal, and I am open to revision, as needed. Makes me glad I haven't injected anyone I care about. God Bless America!


INGREDIENTS:

In addition to the viral and bacterial RNA or DNA that is part of the vaccines, here are the fillers:

· aluminum hydroxide

· aluminum phosphate

· ammonium sulfate

· amphotericin B

· animal tissues: (pig blood, horse blood, rabbit brain, dog kidney, monkey kidney, chick embryo, chicken egg, duck egg, calf (bovine) serum

· betapropiolactone

· fetal bovine serum

· formaldehyde

· formalin

· gelatin

· glycerol

· human diploid cells (originating from human aborted fetal tissue)

· hydrolyzed gelatin

· MSG (monosodium glutamate)

· Neomycin

· Neomycin sulfate

· Phenol red indidcator /

· Phenoxyethanol (antifreeze) /

· potassium diphosphate and monophosphate

· Polymyxin B

· Polysorbate 20 and 80

· Porcine (pig) pancreatic hydrolysate of casein

· Residual MRC5 proteins

· Sorbitol sucrose

· Thimerosal (mercury)

· tri(n)butylphospate

· VERO cells (a continuous line of monkey kidney cells washed sheep red blood cells)