24 weeks!

So happy to be crossing the viability milestone. It wasn't something we thought about at all until we had the scary early 2nd trimester bleed, but since then it's definitely been the point on the horizon we've been watching.

Now we get to look to 28 weeks, but it does look more and more likely we'll be having this baby in December.

I had an ob appointment on Thursday, and found out he wants to induce me at 39 weeks due to my elevated hormone levels in my second trimester bloodwork (hcg and something else). They're not super elevated, and it's very likely it's because of the bleed, but elevated numbers indicate a possible placental insufficiency issue, and are correlated with an increased chance of stillbirth. So inducing at 39 weeks is just being cautious, in case the placenta isn't keeping up with the baby.

All in all, I'd rather not be induced (duh), but there are some practical benefits. Our due date is Dec. 22, so by inducing a week early, we get his birthday further away from Christmas. It also makes it easier for my husband - the first couple of weeks will be during company holidays, instead of being paternity leave (though amazingly he gets 4 months of paternity leave that he can take in the first year), so work will be quiet - and it makes it easier for family visiting from out of town, since the timing will be more predictable. And I'm a planner, so having a schedule is nice.

That said I'll be talking with my doula to see if there is anything we can do to improve the chances that the first stage of induction (the gel that softens the cervix and hopefully starts contractions) works, and that I won't need further medication to get contractions started.

And of course it would be awfully nice if I went into labor naturally right around 38w6d.

Everything else at the appointment went great. It was the first appointment with no ultrasound - just a conversation, and then he used a doppler to hear the heartbeat (I haven't done that at home since I've felt the baby move at 18w) and measured my belly.

I'm up to 12 pounds gained - almost exclusively the bump and breasts - a little around my hips. I feel good, and everyone says I look good. I'm loving maternity clothes, and I've definitely reached the point where everyone recognizes I'm pregnant (though they don't necessarily say anything).  I bought a few more maternity items this week - 2 tops, and a pair of pajamas. I also got some Hot Milk maternity/nursing bras that I bought through one of the online sale sites. Really cute and comfortable (I got wireless ones).

The nursery is really close to being ready to move stuff in - I had some repair work done earlier this week, and I'm meeting with a painter today to get a quote. The crib/dresser are ordered, the rug is already here, the light is already here, and I'm ordering the glider today! Really looking forward to getting the room together.

In the next three weeks I'll be doing the glucose tolerance test - just the 1 hour, no fasting version. I'll also be screened for toxoplasmosis, CMV and parvovirus, since those could be linked to the echogenic bowel that was maybe seen at our first Level 2 ultrasound in early August. Unlikely to turn up anything, but since I'll already be having blood drawn, easy to add in to the testing. And my next ob appointment is the last week of September.