As I get further along into the pregnancy, I’ve hit some of the “big” milestones that I’ve heard about from so many other mothers. I was 27 (almost 28) weeks along when I did my third trimester tests, which meant I had the blood draw to check my iron levels as well as the glucose tolerance test. Yes, the orange drink that seems to be the fear of every pregnant woman out there!
I’d heard many rumors about the infamous orange drink: overwhelmingly sugary, disgusting if served warm, makes you jittery and jumpy. I’d also read online that some women are told to fast before the test while others were told specific things they should/should not eat. My midwife told me there was no need to fast and gave me no other specifics. So that morning, I think I had cereal, juice and a latte before the test. No real diversion from any other day.
They served me the little bottle of orange drink which was, fortunately, cold. I had to drink it in 5 minutes or less while being watched by the lab tech. Oh, and by Mr. H who decided to snap a picture of the experience.
Yum!
Now, I’ve never been able to chug anything or take shots. I am a wuss. So drinking this within a time limit was a wee bit annoying. But it wasn’t absolutely awful. Would I willingly want to drink it again? Umm, no! But it really was just a flat, somewhat bitter, orange soda.
After that, Mr. H and I went and sat in the waiting room for an hour reading books and playing iPad games, and then I went back for my blood draw. After that, they sent us on our way. I felt great and I didn’t have the sugar jitters at all.
At my last appointment, they read me the results: my iron counts was fine (yay!) and I scored a 98 on the glucose test. I needed to be under 130, so I like to think I “passed” with flying colors!
However, in addition to all of the fun stuff at my last appointment – great test results, hearing the swift thump thump thump of Baby H’s heartbeat, finding out that Baby H was in the head-down position (stay that way, Baby!) – it was also time for the RhoGAM shot. Duh duh duh.
Because I have a negative Rh factor and Mr. H’s blood type is positive, there’s a change that the baby could also be positive. If so, I will need to have an additional RhoGAM shot after the baby’s birth (note: this is the bare-bones explanation of why someone would need a RhoGAM shot. I’m sure your medical professional can provide a much more thorough and scientific explanation!)
Anyway, as my nurse went on and on… and on and on and on about how big the needle was (she is incredibly nice, but definitely needed to zip it when it came to this shot!), I braced myself. Literally. You get the RhoGAM shot in your rear end. Sigh. Pregnancy isn’t terribly glamorous, is it? And, because Mr. H is always taking pictures, I have this lovely picture so as not to forget the moment she stuck me with the needle.
If that isn’t a face to be proud of, I don’t know what is! Ugh. I won’t lie, the shot was definitely painful and something I truly hope I don’t have to repeat. But of course I’d do it a million times over if it meant keeping Baby H healthy!
I’ve always been the type of person who struggles to live in the moment and instead am always looking ahead to the next big thing. I think that’s why my 18-month engagement really flew by. My mind bounced from dress shopping to cake tasting to registering until we zoomed right to the wedding day! With this pregnancy, it seems like just yesterday we were just starting to tell people I was pregnant, and now all of a sudden we’ve made it through so many of the big pregnancy milestones, which means that we are just speeding right through the 3rd trimester… I can’t believe that Baby H is due in just 2 short months!
Are you always looking ahead to big milestones in your life, or are you able to relax a little bit more and live in the moment?
blogger / pomegranate / 3201 posts
I’m so glad you passed the glucose test! I failed the one hour, but passed the three hour (the worst three hours of my pregnancy so far).
And I’m just like you – always looking ahead and forgetting to live in the moment! I have been better throughout this pregnancy, though, and have really tried to savor each day. It has still flown by!
guest
I had the shot in my arm (during pregnancy and postpartum). I wonder why you didn’t?
blogger / pomelo / 5400 posts
I hate to say that it gets worse when the baby is here! It goes by in the blink of an eye, and suddenly there’s this tangible measure of how fast time flies who has gone from a sleepy, tiny little thing to a smiley slobber monster on the go.
kiwi / 718 posts
congrats on passing the glucose test! I was nervous about that as well.
I think I live in the moment pretty well. It amazes my how fast time just flies by, but I try to enjoy every day & not think/worry too much about what’s coming up.
blogger / apricot / 366 posts
@Jill: they told me that because the shot is so big, they don’t want to put it in your arm. Otherwise, I don’t think there’s any medical reason they give it to you in the behind
@mrs. tictactoe: That stinks that you had to do the 3-hour test, but so glad you passed it!
honeydew / 7968 posts
yay@passing! i passed too and was SO relieved! i really didn’t want to take the 3-hour test. i didn’t think the drink was bad at all. and i chugged it all in what seemed like 10 seconds lol.
i tend to look at milestones because that makes me that much closer to holding the babies. i don’t think i cared about milestones as much with my first pregnancy. but after losing one, you want to hit every single milestone.
now, i just want to hit 37 weeks and then i’ll feel better.
cherry / 146 posts
my orange drink tasted more like 100% pure orange fanta concentrate. plus i had to fast for 8 hours before drinking it. gross.
hostess / wonderful honeydew / 32460 posts
I had the fruit punch flavor and thought it was so good! glad you passed!
pomegranate / 3053 posts
Firstly, congrats on passing your glucose test! They gave you the better tasting flavor – orange. I failed mine with this pregnancy so had to do the grueling 3-hour test which I passed, thankfully! I had to fast and was SO happy to see the sweet orange drink, believe it or not! It was the best part of my 3-hour test.
As for looking for milestones or relaxing and live in the moment, with my first I think I looked for the milestones and all the stuff that goes on with a pregnancy only b/c I had time to. With this one, I live in the moment b/c I don’t have time to look for the milestones. I have been too busy chasing after a toddler to keep track of anything. I’m just trying to survive and feed this baby this time around. I haven’t gained that much weight b/c I’ve been so tired and busy with a toddler. But my OB hasn’t been concerned so I’m not. My baby is measuring on target so I hope that’s a good sign that he’s getting enough nutrients from my body. It’s definitely different the second time around. Pregnancy too!
guest
Congrats on passing the glucose test!
I love that there is a photo of you getting your shot! I’ll need the RhoGAM shot too in a couple months. I’m fine getting shots in the arm, but I have to admit I am a bit scared about the big needle in my bum!
guest
Yeah, I’m ashamed to admit that I loved the orange drink. I chugged it right down, and the nurse said she’d never seen a pregnant woman drink it that fast. But I’m also a person who gobbles down Peeps at Easter, so I didn’t think it was much of a stretch.