Glucose Challenge!

The glucose challenge WAS NO BIG DEAL! I seriously do not know why I have heard so many awful reports about it. I went in and the nurse handed me a glass bottle (maybe 10oz?) of fizzy orange soda that tasted exactly like Orange Sunkist. It was no sweeter than pop. It was no thicker or more syrupy. It was just a plain replica of orange pop, which I love and have not partaken of in many a month! The nurse handed me a timer that was set for 5 minutes and said that is how long I had to down the bottle. I just looked at her quizzically, wondering why she thought I would need 5 whole minutes to gulp down such a yummy treat! It took me exactly 1 minute 3 seconds to polish off every last drop of the orange ambrosia. Then I was handed a timer set for 55 minutes and told to come back when it went off to get some blood drawn. At that point, we went in for our monthly checkup with the midwife.

I measured at 28 weeks (right on, yay!), gained only 4 lbs (the exact amount recommended, yay!), had excellent blood pressure (96/52) and listened to the beautiful thumping of Presh's heart (which was 140 bpm). This baby is determined not to reveal its gender through that heart rate wives tale. (Over 140bpm= girl, under 140bpm= boy). It just keeps riding on the line!

Then we went back to the lab, where I got a finger prick. Two drops of blood were taken-- one to check my glucose levels, and one to check my hemoglobin level (the iron level in the red blood cells). I passed the glucose challenge with flying colors! They want to see my glucose level below 140, and I was 102! My hemoglobin was low, however, so they drew additional blood from my arm to perform various tests on. I suppose I will have to go home and eat some steak this week, doctor's orders!