Friday, June 30, 2017

Dr Appt - Week 38


This was my last appointment before my scheduled c-section.  I have less than a week to either go into labor naturally, or we're going in after baby.  It was a very short visit with nothing exciting happening at all.  We checked vitals, listened to baby, and sent me on my way.

My weight:  Up 1 lb from last week
Blood Pressure:  110/70
Temperature: Normal
Baby's heartbeat:   150


Now to spend the next week doing all the final preparations for baby, and waiting patiently for arrival.


Thursday, June 29, 2017

3 Things I'm Excited About

As we finish out the last several days of pregnancy, I did some searching for some writing prompts and I'm going to genuinely try to post one post a day from now until we have a new little one.  So today, I'm talking about 


3 things I am excited about

  • Meeting this new little person! 
    •  I know that seems like a "duh" response, but I'm so thrilled to meet the baby and learn the personality and quirks of a new human.  It should be interesting. 
  • Seeing Orion as a big brother!
    • Orion is the sweetest boy, hugging my tummy and giving his unborn sibling so much love already without even meeting them.  I can't even imagine how excited and loving he is going to be once baby is actually here to share his experiences with.  He already talks about sharing morning snuggles with baby, and how if they have a nightmare, they could come sleep in his room.  Even though they have separate rooms, he's also talked about them needing bunk beds.  I think it's adorable and I can't wait to share this experience with him.  I know just how much I love my sisters, and I am delighted that he will have a sibling to grow up with. 
  • Finding a new sense of normal! 
    • Pregnancy is this weird type of waiting where you spend 9 months preparing for the unknown and trying to do everything you can to be ready for a new little human to join your family.  It's stressful and exhausting to spend so long not knowing exactly what to expect, at least for me.  I look forward to baby finally arriving and finally getting the chance to set up a new routine that works for us and our changing family.  

Strangers and Pregnancy

In past posts, I've talked about how becoming pregnant suddenly makes you public property and my frustrations with that.  People feel that they are welcome to say whatever they want to you, giving unwanted advise and asking overtly personal questions, even going as far as feeling that it's ok to touch your body without permission.  It can be awful and uncomfortable, and as someone who is naturally introverted it makes me extremely uncomfortable.

However, this morning I realized just how much of a blessing it can be as well.  While there are rude and insensitive people, being pregnant can also bring out the most beautiful and personal parts of people as well.  During this pregnancy, I've found myself listening to the pregnancy and birthing stories from women all across the board.  My co-workers talk of their successes and issues while pregnant or giving birth.  I've listened to the sympathy from those who had rough pregnancies, and the joy of those who had amazing pregnancies.  I've heard birthing stories from strangers, and had random people stop and want to talk about my baby without knowing anything about me.  When I stop at the gas station on my way to work, the woman who works there often asks how much longer I have left. This morning I found myself listening to her birthing story from 16 years ago as she cashed me out.  I heard about the normal pregnancy of her first two children, and how she gained 70 pounds and had an 11 pound baby for her third.  I know these are stories that she doesn't share with just anyone, and it gives me both some insight into who she is, but it also builds a special bond between women to share those moments.

So today I am grateful.  While the invasion of privacy often frustrates me, I also understand the beautiful and amazing community bond that women feel with other pregnant women.  We look out for each other and want to share our stories.  We want to share our triumphs and our failures, and help others know that they are not alone in their experiences.  I'm thankful to each woman who has shared her story with me, and even those who wanted to share their advise.  Thank you for the kind smiles, the loving stories, the warnings and the laughter.  It's moments like this that I understand just how beautiful pregnancy can be.

Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Due Dates & Milk....no not that kind!

My due date is right around the corner.  I keep saying it's hard to believe, but sometime within the next 9 days I will officially meet this little person that has inhabited my womb for the past 9 months. While some parts of this process feel like they have taken forever, a much larger part feels like it has gone by SO so quickly.  I didn't quite realize how close we were to the end until today.   So, what made that feeling hit home?  A bottle of milk.  Yep.  I said it.  Milk.

Let me explain...

Since I was a child, I've always been fascinated with upcoming dates and countdowns to events.  I'll divide time into more manageable sections when driving and have had a count down until baby's arrival since January to go along with the count up in weeks that I've had since the very beginning.  My methods and tracking have often changed.  However, there is once consistent method that I have always used to tell when an event is officially "close"...and that is the expiration date on a jug of milk.  As a kid, I remember seeing my birthday on a bottle of milk and being excited that it was so close to the celebration, and I've continued that trend into my adulthood.  When I see an important date on a bottle of milk, I know it's time to start to get excited, and to make sure I'm actually ready.  Today, I found this:


That is my due date on a bottle of chocolate milk.  I guess that means that it is officially close and it's time to make sure that we're completely prepared for this little person to come home.

Tuesday, June 27, 2017

38 Week Dreams

Baby is right around the corner, but dreams of baby are as elusive as ever.  With Orion I regularly dreamed of him, but that has not been the case this pregnancy at all.  Instead, last night's dream brought a visit from my grandpa:

I was standing in the street of a small town talking with grandpa.  He was dressed in his legion uniform and holding a flag, getting ready to march in a parade.  He said one of his buttons on his uniform was loose and he was worried he was going to lose it, so I told him I would grab something and march behind him so I could pick it up if it fell. He then put his arm around me and started to tell me "did you know, these suckers are paying me to march?  I do it for free all the time!" and giggling like only my grandpa could.  He found it hilarious that they were willing to pay him to walk in the parade.  He was still chuckling to himself when he went to find his place in line.  I walked over to a table that was set up on the side walk and picked up a large glass goblet and a clear vase to carry along with me, and took my place in line a few feet behind grandpa.  Music started behind me, and the parade began to march forward. We marched through the streets, uneventfully as I proudly watched him carry the flag down the street.  This parade progressed into an enormous cathedral style building and my grandpa marched right up to the very front with the flags, so the rest of the parade followed.  When we got to the very front, I found myself walking past grandpa and facing the giant stained glass window that was at the front of the building.  Grandpa paused behind me and I could hear the national anthem begin to play behind me.  It was right then that my grandfather let out a sneeze and the button popped right off his uniform.  It bounced off the stained glass, and with one swift motion, I caught the button in the glass vase I had carried along.  I looked to my right and my mother was staring at me, wide eyed.  We both tried to stifle our giggles as the band played, but I had tears rolling down my face from laughing so hard.  After the anthem was finished, the parade dispersed and I found myself walking among the crowd, trying to see if my friends had witnessed my epic button catch, or if it was something I would only share with my mom and grandpa.

Sunday, June 25, 2017

Week 38

Welcome to week 38! We are under 2 weeks officially until baby will make an appearance, one way or another.  This week, the countdown will fall into single digits, which seems insane and I have mixed feelings for sure. So, what's happening in pregnancy world this week?

For baby

Baby probably is about 19 1/2 inches long and weighs about 7 pounds.  Baby has an eye color by this point, but the eye color, as well as the hair color and texture will continue to change from now through the first year of life.   Baby continues to ingest the amniotic fluid, building up that first yucky poop. Surfactant also continues to be produced in the lungs, which is the stuff that causes the air sacs in the lungs to inflate once they start to breathe air for real.

For momma:

My hospital bags are officially packed, the car seats are in the car, and the swing has been brought upstairs into the living room to prep the dog for the invasion.  Physically, I am tired and definitely feeling like I have to pee more often.  My tailbone also hurts a lot, but I think it's because I did too much moving and lifting over the weekend more than anything.  Otherwise, I physically feel ok.  Emotionally, I'm a bit torn.  Part of me is 100% ready for me to get this baby out and into the world.  However, the other part of me is a bit weepy about the whole situation.  I know this is the last time I will be feeling a little human in my womb, and I'm not quite ready to give that up.  I'm ecstatic to see Orion as a big brother and I know he'll be amazing, but I also am not ready to have to share him with another family member yet.  I'm going to have to share my snuggles and love with another human, and I just am not quite ready for all of that business.  I know it will be fine once baby is actually here, but I definitely find myself wanting a little bit more time with Orion, while also being desperately ready for the baby to get here.  It's problematic, but really the only thing I can do about it is to just continue to live in the moment right now, and go with the flow as well as I can.  Either way, it will be over before I know it.


Friday, June 23, 2017

Dr. Appt Week 37

Once again, the latest Dr appointment was uneventful and went smoothly, which is a good thing.  Baby continues to try to hide from the doctor as she tries to find a heart beat, to the point that the doctor thought maybe she had flipped around and was breech.  Fortunately, she wasn't but it was entertaining to feel her wiggling around and responding, but the doctor still having to chase her.

They did my Group B Strep test, and my doctor and I talked a little bit about the epidural for the c-section.  I explained the super itchy feeling that I had after the last one, and she explained that it's actually the pain medication included in the epidural that causes that reaction.  She then said we would discuss our options with the anesthesiologist on the day of surgery.  Essentially I have 2 options, either I have the same medicine and an itchy reaction, or I have a pain med pump put into place, which means no itchiness but potential for more pain.  

Otherwise, the rest of the appointment was not exciting at all.


Now for the vitals:
My weight:  went back down 2 lbs.
Blood Pressure: 112/88 - the nurse said this was a little high, but the doctor was fine with it.
Temperature:  Normal
Baby's heartbeat: 146
Uterus: Measuring at 42 weeks!!!


The next appointment will be in just 1 week, and will be my final appointment before I have this baby.  Woot.

Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Hospital Bag

I've always been a bit of an over planner...I try to be hyper organized, make lists for everything, and definitely am not one to just "go with the flow."  Things like waiting for baby to arrive without being able to control any of it drive me CRAZY!  So imagine trying to pack a bag for an event that you don't know when it is going to happen or what you're going to experience.  Needless to say, the hospital bag has definitely stressed me out more than it probably should, but as of right now it's officially packed.  So what's in my bag?

Clothes for Me
I know at some point I am going to want to be in my own clothes, even if it is just on the way home.  Gotta be comfortable somehow right?  So what have I packed?

  • A dress and super stretchy tights to go under it
  • Comfy T-Shirt
  • 2 super soft pairs of socks
  • Nursing Bra
  • Washable Nursing Pads

Items for Baby
  • Muslin baby blanket
  • Little Dress to come home in
  • Little Green outfit, just in case ;) 
  • Socks & light gloves for long fingernails
  • Burp Rags
  • Diapers
  • Wipes
  • Baby brush & lotion


Electronics
  • Phone Charger
  • Ear Buds
Bathroom Supplies
  • Hair Brush & Hair Ties
  • Shampoo & Conditioner
  • Lotion
  • Makeup & Chapstick
  • Toothbrush & Toothpaste
  • Pads
  • Makeup remover wipes
  • Q-Tips


Other
  • Eye Glass cleaning cloth
  • Grandpa's handkerchief
  • Eyeglass case
  • Wallet with ID & Insurance Cards
Seth will also be grabbing his camera and extra batteries.  Of course, we will also have the car seat in the car, and I will have my breast pump available if needed as well. 

The way I work, this is all packed and ready to go.  However, if I don't unpack and re-pack this bag multiple times in the next 2 weeks, it will be a miracle.  


Sunday, June 18, 2017

Week 37

Welcome to week 37!  We are now under 3 weeks until this little human arrives.  That's insanity!!  So, what's happening in pregnancy world this week?

For baby

Baby is now considered "near term" or "early term", which is the final step between being full term at 39 weeks.  During this time, lungs continue to mature and the brain continues to grow and develop.  Baby probably is about 19 inches long and weighs about 6.5 pounds! Baby will continue to grow about half a pound a week up until arrival.  She still wiggles a lot, but definitely feels like she's down lower than she has been in past weeks.  Baby continues to breath the amniotic fluid and suck their thumb to prep for life on the outside.  Before we know it, they will put those super important skills to the test.

For momma:

I managed to catch a cold this week, which is not my favorite thing.  As if I didn't have to pee often enough as it is, add a cough on top of things and it makes life quite the challenge.  Sleep for the past couple days has been MIA so I'm hoping to get past it soon.  The heartburn is still not too bad, which I will never complain about.  I haven't had it consistently at least, which is great.  Otherwise, I'm trying to be patient and not get too stressed or nervous about little one making an appearance.  I plan on packing my hospital bag sometime this week.  I already have the diaper bag packed, but I'm somehow sure that I'll unpack and repack it more than once in the next two weeks. 

Friday, June 16, 2017

Dr Appt - 36 weeks

I'm officially tired of going to the doctor.  Now, don't get me wrong...my doctor is very kind and awesome...I just don't want to go to any more appointments!  We just hit the point where I will be going weekly, which means that the end is in sight, and for that part of things I am totally ready.

My latest appointment went smoothly and uneventfully.  I did get to take Orion with me, and that was fun to share.  The nurse weighed me and took my vitals, all while explaining to Orion what she was doing.  She even took the time to weigh him as well.  Then we went back into the doctor's office to wait and he asked questions about how the baby was doing.  It was very sweet.  Ultimately though, he was here to listen to the baby's heart beat.  This was his face when he heard it for the first time:


The baby kept moving away from the sensor, making the doctor chase the heart beat and Orion found that super entertaining.

My doctor also officially scheduled my c-section with the hospital of my choice since we are so close to the end now.  She still says if I go into labor naturally in the next couple weeks, we will play it by ear, but if not we have an appointment scheduled at least.

After the appointment, my doctor also gave me a prescription for a breast pump, so Orion and I went to Milk Works to pick up my electronic, hospital grade double breast pump.  I obviously haven't tried it out yet, but I'm happy to have something higher quality than what I had with Orion, and for it to be covered by my insurance.  Here is hoping it makes breast feeding easier this time than it was for the boy.

Now for the vitals:
My weight:  went up 2 lbs.  I officially am back to pre-pregnancy weight.
Blood Pressure: 131/78
Temperature:  Normal
Baby's heartbeat: 145
Uterus: Measuring at 38 weeks


Also, Orion is now 50" tall and weighs 62.8 lbs!  Where did my little boy go??  The next appointment will be in just 1 week, so whee?  I expect it to be very uneventful.

Sunday, June 11, 2017

Week 36

Welcome to week 36!  The countdown has started and we are officially less than 30 days from meeting this little person.  It seems impossible, but there we are!  So, what's happening in pregnancy world this week?

For baby

Baby is now 18 to 19 inches long and weighs about 6 pounds! Baby should be shedding most of the lanugo, which is the fuzzy hair that covers their body, as well as the vernix, which is the waxy stuff that protects the baby's skin in the womb.   The baby's skull bones are not completely fused together, and won't be until well after birth.  This is to make it possible to move through the birth canal without getting stuck.  Circulation and immune systems should be complete and working on their own to keep the baby safe from infections.  The digestive system is still working to get completed though, and won't be done until after birth because the baby will continue to rely on the umbilical cord for nutrition until birth.  Baby should also already be head down, and has been at all of our appointments so far.  Here's hoping it stays that way.  I go back to the Dr. on Friday, June 16th and will give you an update on how things look at that point.

For momma:

Physically, I feel ok.  My tailbone still hurts but in general I feel pretty good.  Baby is pushed up against all my organs, so there are definitely moments where I have to pee quickly, or where I'm just not hungry because my stomach already feels full, but in general none of those are major issues.  I still have heartburn semi-regularly, but it doesn't seem as bad as it has been in weeks past.  I'm also still dealing with some random swelling in my feet, most often on days where my entire work day is spent sitting in meetings.   When I do have time to walk around, I'm trying incredibly hard not to waddle!  

Monday, June 5, 2017

Pregnancy Brain Returns

Adventures in Pregnancy Brain returns.  Whee!??!  I figure I should blog this while I still remember it happening...


I had sincerely hoped that I would miss out on Pregnancy Brain this time since I dealt with it so badly with Orion, but as of Saturday I can no longer pretend that I'm not currently brain fried completely.  So, what happened?  Let me explain:

Saturday, I went to the grocery store to pick up a few things for the weekend.  I took Seth's car to the store, parked, and successfully bought all my groceries with no problems whatsoever.  Yay, me!  I go back to the car, open the trunk, and put all the groceries in.  Then, like a good patron, I walk the cart to the cart holder and put it away and return to my car.   I try to unlock the door, and the doors don't seem to respond to the buttons I'm pushing.  I try again, and no go..the doors will not unlock!  I lock the car again, and hear the honk, so I know that it's working.  I try to unlock them again, but nope, still won't unlock.  I try to think, and realize that I had just opened the trunk with the same key fob, so I try to open it again, but nope...the trunk won't open either.  What the hell!  Now I'm getting mad.  This isn't even my car and the damn thing won't work, and I'm stuck in the Hy-vee parking lot with groceries in the trunk.  Grr!

So, since the car is push to start, it has the hidden key in the keyfob where you can manually unlock the car...so I take out the manual key and...wouldn't you know it, I can't open the damn door with the manual key either!  What the heck!??! I lock the door again and hear the "honk" that it locks.  At this point, I take out my cell phone and try to call Seth to ask him if he has had problems with this damn fob unlocking his car.  As I'm calling him, I click the damn lock button like 3 times in a row..."Honk!  Honk! Honk!"

It is at that point that I realize that the honk is not coming from in front of me...but instead seems to be coming from behind me...

I hang up the phone quickly before Seth can answer.  I turn around and, wouldn't you know it, 2 cars away from me is Seth's car, trunk wide open, honking proudly that the doors are locked.  I rush over to the car, slam the lid closed, then unlock the doors and get in before looking around to see just how many people are watching me try to break in to the wrong car.

Of course, at that point Seth was calling me back and I couldn't get away with just a "nevermind" answer...because when you're pregnant, your man gets WAY more concerned when he misses a call from you, so I told him the story and he enjoyed it so much that I thought I'd share it with all of you.


What can I say except, you're welcome?


Sunday, June 4, 2017

Week 35


Welcome to week 35!  The weather is hot, the sunshine is bright, and we're now only 35 days until this little one is supposed to be arriving.  I can't believe we're so close already and 35 days seems both so close and so far away at the same time.  It's a little bit crazy!  So, what's happening in pregnancy world this week?

For baby

Baby should now be somewhere between 18 and 20 inches long depending on how big they are going to be.  Baby should also weigh over 5 pounds now! They will continue to put on about 1/2 a pound each week until arrival.  Fingernails and toenails are in place, and the kidneys and liver are fully developed to process waste from their little bodies.

For momma:

For me, I feel alright.  Very full, but in general not terrible.  My tail bone hurts fairly regularly, which is no fun, but most other aches and pains are temporary.  There is a lot of movement now, which is entertaining and very distracting at the same time, but it's one of my favorite things in pregnancy.  Even Orion is now regularly feeling the baby dancing around and talks to her often.  He even gives me 2 hugs in the morning, one for each of us, which I think is sweet.  I know he is going to be an incredible big brother.  

Friday, June 2, 2017

I'm a bad blogger

So, I'm a couple weeks behind in baby updates, and haven't even posted about my latest doctor's appointment.  Let me reassure you that everything is going just fine!  I'm just plain lazy...or exhausted...or busy.  It's definitely been some combination of those things.  I want to continue writing and sharing this journey, so I'm going to ignore those missing posts that guilt me into not posting at all, and instead focus on moving forward.  I'm going to try to go back to posting the regular updates as I can going forward, so look forward to the next baby update on Sunday.  Thanks for reading through our journey as parents, and caring about our family.