32 Week Appointment

Yesterday we had our 32 week appointment--hopefully I only have two more! Our doctor was an hour late, yeah, fun times. Oh well, I guess Kaiser enjoys making me wait. I still really like our doctor and I just assume something happened that morning. Anyway, I had some mild concerns, nothing that I felt was pressing or urgent (I did wait for my scheduled appointment) but the doctor wanted to check my amniotic fluid anyway. So, I had a wonderful pelvic exam (which gets more painful as I get more pregnant I think) and then a surprise ultrasound!! It wasn't the cool ultrasound where you can see everything, it was just the little machine that they have in the office that they use to check for a heartbeat at 8 weeks--so we couldn't see the whole baby at once--or his face since he was facing my spine, but we could see the back of his head, his spine and ribs, his lungs breathing, his fist and one giant foot. I wasn't expecting that, but it was awesome. His heartbeat was 144 and his lungs looked really good (I think, at least the doctor was happy with it). My amniotic fluid was fine through the exam and the ultrasound, so nothing to worry about. He talked to us a little bit about preterm labor again, reasons to come in or call and gave Mike a DVD on circumcision.

I find it amusing that they have a video. When I was born everyone was circumcised, I think it is more of a decision now. I think most people probably still do have it done, but it is not automatic. The American Pediatric Association doesn't recommend it, but they don't recommend against it either--they say it is a personal and religious decision. Essentially they say that circumcision lowers some risks but very mildly, and that other people say that having foreskin teaches boys better hygiene which then lowers the risks anyway. It also says that the risk of infection FROM the surgery is about the same as the risk of infection from not having it done--so it doesn't really matter.

I think it is Mike's decision, but if there wasn't a Mike I wouldn't do it. First, I am not a guy, so I don't really care or maybe I don't get it. I have had sex with uncircumcised guys and never really cared. It was way easier to get certain things done :) That may be a down side for some guys. No idea. The main reason I wouldn't is because it is painful, and it is just a tiny baby. You can't explain to him that it will hurt, or need to heal. It just hurts him and I would assume it hurts like hell when he pees. Babies can't reason logically, but I am sure they get "when I do this it hurts" scenarios. It seems mean to make a baby's first week result in when I pee it burns. However, risk of infection is really low, they do use numbing agents for the actual procedure and in the long run he won't remember it at all. I don't mind that Mike wants to get it done, I really don't care that much, I just don't want anyone freaking out about it if we chose not to. It is not dangerous either way, it is not a medical decision, it is a personal decision, and if everyone could just acknowledge that I would be a lot happier and not feel the need to educate everyone :) I think there is a lot of misinformation out there about how it will get infected, but there is just as much information saying that an exposed penis is dangerous too--it just isn't as main stream. Neither are cloth diapers, but they are still a really good choice.

Other than that, gigantor is not really gigantic at all. He isn't small or anything, but the doctor did not seem at all surprised by the size and he is measuring perfect at 32 weeks, which I would assume puts him in the 50th percentile--which makes me happy. It is not a very accurate reading, it can be off from 1-2 weeks, but that is no big deal as I want to deliver at 38 weeks anyway :) The baby is tall though. His head is down by my pelvis, the doctor said he can still flip, but probably won't. I always feel him kicking REALLY low and pushing out on my right side so I was confused about him being head down. Well, his head and feet are down there. Essentially his head is down there, his back curves up my right side to about 1-2 inches below my ribs in the center (he follows the rib line from what I can feel) then he folds over so his butt is a little right of center at the top of the belly, and puts his feet back down towards the left where he likes to peddle his feet into my left side and kick outward. I am always sore on that side really low. Sometimes he likes to kick my back and sometimes he moves his butt and flips around (which you can see) or stretches his legs upwards, but since the doctor explained how he was laying it make sense with his movements. I rarely get kicked in the ribs, sometimes punched or pressed on, but I always get kicked in the bladder, spine and belly crease. It doesn't seem comfy to me, but if he is happy I don't care.

Next appointment I get another pelvic exam to check for strep B (36 weeks) and do the heartbeat and measuring thing again. Then at 38 weeks they will check my cervix for dilation and efacement and I hopefully I will go into labor before the 40 week appointment when they talk about induction!

For Rachel

Read the whole thing--it keeps getting better.

8 More Weeks

I just keep telling myself, eight more weeks, I can do this for eight more weeks. There is sort of a lot going on in baby land, and in Mike and Donna land, right now over all. I don't feel like blogging all of the details, so here comes my ever-trusty, reliable, bulleted list:

• I have gained 10 pounds in the last month, the goal is three
  
• With said weight gain, it is no longer just baby weight, I am legitimately getting fat
• I passed my GTT test with super odd results that indicated I was more hypoglycemic than anything, which I suppose is good, but now I am supposed to eat every three hours and include a protein, see bullets one and two for more details about that
• My belly and Mike's belly measure the same in circumference this week, right at 41 inches.
  
• I am on Spring Break, and really don't want to go back to work at all
• I had to take my car into the shop for a couple of reason--I needed a new key and remote, my airbag sensor light burned out and Mazda doesn't let anyone but them fix something if it has to do with safety, and overall it was making a slight humming noise that was increasingly getting louder. I figured it was the dealership and all so about $500-1000. Nope, $1500--and I am not sure that included the key and remote. F.
  
• A squirrel made a nest in Mike's truck and ate a bunch of wires--I have no idea why it would want to do that. So now we soak his truck with pepper spray and moth balls in an effort to keep the damn thing out. His truck smells amazing if you were wondering.
  
• We finished out birthing classes and I learned that I am terrified of epidurals. I already hate IVs, so going natural is definitely the option I am going for, which I already knew, but that was more preference, it is now the least of two evils.
• I have eight more weeks of pregnancy, but I am hoping X is on board with coming about two weeks early. Not anymore than that, I want him fully cooked and there is a lot of evidence that says even 37-38 weeks makes a big difference, but holy god, please only let it be 6 more weeks.
  
• We have a ton of stuff that we still need to buy for him, but I am waiting until after my shower which is in about two weeks. I am excited, but I have no idea what to buy for hostess gifts :(
• I compulsively made a list of every single thing we need, priced it at BRU and Amazon, added the various discounts we get at both and now have a list of where I will buy everything. Overkill, yes, super organized, double yes.
  
• I still don't have stretch marks, but I am scared to mention any pregnancy symptoms I don't have because I feel like I immediately get them after that. That dark line is starting to form, but it is pretty light still. There are quite a few other things I don't have, but I am not putting them to paper (err, electronic paper) until after the baby is born.
  
• I bought a sewing machine so that I could make X a book sling, to buy one would cost me about $100, to make one cost about $200. Great job Donna!
  
• The nursery is almost complete, we are waiting on our glider and ottoman, we need to hang the book sling and some shelves, put up some decals, wash diapers and clothes and we are done!
• I still need to buy about $100 in diapers. We will be able to diaper X for a total of $400, which is pretty amazing. Our electric bill may go up about $10/month, but compared to disposables I am pretty excited.
• I can't find our camera, which is where there are no photos of all of this stuff.
• X has been moving a lot the last two or three days, I am not sure what the hell he is doing in there, maybe discovering a new sport?
  
• I decided to play soccer with my nephews, I paid for it later. I was in so much pain that night and the next day I was almost in tears and had to take a four hour nap. It was miserable. Note to self, do not run when carrying 20 pounds directly in front of you that bounces. I pulled a muscle in my groin, stretched some ligaments in my belly and really hurt my back. Plus, with X bouncing around in there I irritated my sciatic nerve again. Yesterday was rough. I feel better today.
  

Okay, that is it I think, I will upload photos when I take them :) I am off to the dentist, to spend more money I don't have. Yippee.

In baby news (remember, it is a week off because I didn't get how it worked :)

Baby's now the size of a squash!
Ready or not, baby's getting ready to emerge. He's probably in the head-down position by now, with his bottom facing up. This is the comfiest way for his body to fit in your increasingly cramped womb and will make his eventual exit (only a few months away now!) much easier. (If he's still head-up, don't panic -- there's still time for a flip before birth.)

Your baby weighs about 4 pounds and is about fifteen to seventeen inches tall. Photographs of babies in utero at this stage show their skin becoming less translucent and pinker, as layers of fat are deposited under the skin. His skeleton is rapidly ossifying (turning from cartilage into solid bone), which means that kicks will become visible through your shirt as the trimester progresses. Well-placed kicks under your ribs can take your breath away!

For mommy:
Was that a contraction? Yup, but it's just for practice. Those strengthening Braxton Hicks contractions are just your body's way of prepping for the real deal. (If you feel more than four in an hour or have discharge, call the doc.) Farther north, your nipples are getting darker and (yes, it's possible) bigger -- all the better for baby to see (and latch onto) in a few short months.

From now until delivery, you'll be gaining about a pound a week. About half of that gain is the baby's, the rest is fluid retention. Fight bloat by avoiding high-sodium foods and carbonated beverages. Call your care provider if you suddenly feel puffy in your face or hands; this is a symptom of preeclampsia. If you're still working, you're probably already counting the minutes until your maternity leave starts. During the next six weeks, you may be trying to decide if you'll be one of the sixty percent of moms who will return to the workforce in the year after having a baby, or if you'll be among the forty percent who stay home.

Belly Shots

I don't really feel like blogging. There is plenty going on in baby land, but I just feel like sleeping. However, I promised Rachel I would still upload photos, so I will, and it will be comical for everyone involved but me. For reference, my belly grew over two inches in one week (in circumference). So, here is a photo from about 2.5 weeks ago.
And here is one in the same shirt.
And now, for your viewing pleasure, some various images from the week in which I did not actually shove a basketball in my shirt (or dress).

30 weeks!

I am 3/4 of the way done! I will meet my baby boy in 10 weeks. Please dear god let them be short weeks. Brandon measured me the other day and my belly is 39.5 inches around. WHAT? Yeah, I am not sure when that happened either. He also pointed out my cankles. So, I am getting big. I have also gained more than enough weight for the rest of my pregnancy, so it could slow down now, but it isn't I will probably gain at least another 10-15 pounds. Oh well, it is time to get swollen and huge I guess. It is also getting very hard to sleep and move around, plus walking up hills is almost impossible. I also got a crazy leg cramp last night that still hurts now, so that is insane, but apparently just another pregnancy symptom. They really should make a list of all of the shitty things the human body does and then title it pregnancy. Oh well. I passed my GTT test, I think, I am missing the results from the fourth test, but the doctor didn't call, so I think all is good. I did read this really cool article while I was at the hospital though.In baby news:
As baby's skin smooths out, her brain just keeps getting more wrinkled. All those grooves and indentations increase surface area, meaning more room for that oh-so-essential brain tissue. She's also adding some brawn -- her grip is now strong enough to grasp a finger.

You baby's length is about 16 inches—about as long as a laptop computer—and he measures almost 11 inches from crown to rump. He weighs approximately 2 1/2 to 3 pounds. From now until delivery, every baby will gain weight at a more individual rate. Your baby has doubled in height over the past six weeks, and from now until delivery, he'll gain only a few more inches in length. Don't worry if he's in a strange position (what your care provider might call a "transverse lie"). There's still plenty of time for him to get settled into the head-down (cephalic) position for birth. He's floating in about 1 1/2 pints of amniotic fluid and has some room to move. Your baby's most important organ, his brain, continues to develop at a rapid pace. His eyes are able to track light, and some researchers have theorized that exposing your belly to light may stimulate development. Try moving the beam of a flashlight slowly over your belly in a dim room, and see if he reacts.

Mama news:
Your massive belly and nighttime heartburn might be making sleep difficult to come by. If you are able to drift off, you're probably having some strange and vivid dreams -- your subconscious is no less anxious than your waking mind.
You've now been officially pregnant for seven months, and the home stretch is in sight. You're big now, no doubt about it! Your belly is about the size of a watermelon. Tying your shoes is a challenge, and you may already have adopted the pregnant "waddle."

To keep your sex life alive, continue having intercourse unless your doctor says otherwise. Most couples' sex life tapers off temporarily, but this may not be so much a problem of desire as one of engineering. The solution: be creative with positions and techniques.

Egumacation

Mike and I started our baby classes. We are taking a condensed version that lasts six hours on two different Sundays, rather than a few hours for a month. It is nearly impossible for Mike to be at a class on the same day for four weeks, so this is the only way we could fit it in. I was pretty weary of the class to begin with--just because it is offered by our hospital and from what I have read a lot of them are a waste of time. I essentially figured I would go, but that I would prepare for my labor independently. However, the class was really cool. It started off a little rough, talking about pregnancy and nutrition and stuff, but it got a lot better. The teacher is obviously in favor of natural childbirth, which I think is super awesome. It may be annoying to others in the class, but I think a lot of people plan on getting an epidural and therefore do not plan much else. In reality you are in labor for a long time before you can get that epidural and you still need some way to manage the pain. In the afternoon she had stations set up for couples to rotate through that focused on pain management techniques. Some of them worked for me and some didn't, which is the point I guess. For instance, music does nothing for me. I knew this going in to the class, but it reaffirmed it. I find repetitive sounds obnoxious (which is sort of the definition of most music), and in a heightened sense of ones surroundings I may kill anyone who puts on music. I was surprised to find that breathing techniques also don't work that well, but Mike and I agreed to practice them anyway because I have a tendency to hyperventilate. So although it may not help with pain, it will help me breathe. I really liked the idea of squatting and a squat bar and that it was AWESOME that the hospital has them in each room. I didn't realize this, but it does show how progressive our hospital is since you can't use one with an epidural and yet they have them installed. I knew our hospital had birthing balls, so I was sort of prepared for that, but not the bar. I didn't like the ball as much as I thought I would, but I did like the prepping for labor exercises and I think I will use it in the early stages of labor, more to relieve back pressure than anything. They also had a station for different postures to use during labor. I think that this will actually be the most helpful because I will want to move around. My biggest fear is being forced to lay in bed to labor, so knowing all of these positions will help me. Also the aromatherapy was cool. I have never been into aromatherapy, putting on the "too hippy" side of life, but I found that some scents did relax me and I plan on getting a few. Will I used them? Who knows, but it can't hurt. Finally was the massage station. By far the best obviously. We got to play with massage toys and rub each other's backs, which felt amazing. Although there was this blue dolphin that creeped me the hell out (thanks Rachel). Whatever. I was thinking that massage wouldn't really help in labor, but I think it will because it will help me relax which is important. Apparently being tense is like the worst thing you can do, so yeah, massage is awesome. Plus Mike is practicing it every night to help me get more comfortable with it. How great is that. Mike was AWESOME for the whole class and even enjoyed quite a bit of it. Even watching the babies being born was pretty neat. Next week we will get coffee on the way in though.

Oh yeah, except at the beginning of class when we were introducing ourselves and I was supposed to say something I enjoyed or disliked about being pregnant and I said the whole damn thing really sucks other than getting a baby at the end and that I don't understand liking the pregnancy part after the super joyfulness of being pregnant wears off. I think this is sort of realistic and people should tell women about all of the awesome side effects, like SCS (swollen clam syndrome) or increased vaginal discharge, or varicose veins in your VULVA, not to mention the *normal side effects of severe heartburn, constant anxiety and hemorrhoids. So, I said all of that, and then every other person but one talked about how awesome it is and how great it is and how much they loved it. Bleh. Fucking liars. Going to the bathroom a gazillion times a day IS NOT the worst part of being pregnant. Neither is canckles. Idiots. People need to be more honest about this shit, that is how you prevent teen pregnancy.

GTT

Today I am doing my Glucose Tolerance Test to see if the elevated blood sugar from the glucose screening test was actually diabetes or just a freak occurrence. We are obviously hoping for freak occurrence, and I really don't think I have diabetes. However, from a lot of what I have read, I can have low risk factors and still develop it. So anyway, the test.

I had to take another day off of work because it is a three hour test, and afterwards you feel really shitty. So, the doctor told me to get here at 8:00 because fasting is really hard for pregnant women. I ate a sensible dinner last night around 7:00, went to bed, woke up and came in for my test. Yeah, KAISER SUCKS. I hate them. They didn't do my initial blood draw or give me the glucose until 9:05. So I sat there, starving and getting light headed. Then I had to drink some vile stuff. The screening test wasn't that bad, and I was assuming I just drank two bottles. No go, it is different. It is the same amount of liquid, twice the sugar. ICK. Then the lady told me I couldn't leave, I had to sit in their waiting room for three hours. Well....

I came prepared for this. I brought my kindle with a book I am reading. However, my kindle decided to suck and not hold a charge, no idea why. I charged it yesterday and then it was on sleep, now it will not wake up. I am going to file a complaint with Amazon and see if I can get a new one. But, I don't have a book and I can't leave to get my charger. So I went to the hospital gift shop. NO WHERE SELLS BOOKS! What the hell? I practically lived in the hospital in NM and they definitely sell books. However, I remembered in the maternity ward that they have a lending library. They also have a computer. Yeah. That is where I am now. I am supposed to be in the waiting room, but screw them. I am sitting in the nice maternity ward with a computer, books and a TV. Take that Kaiser, I will use the hospital facilities since you suck so much. Unfortunately I can only stay here for a little while, because I have to get my blood drawn again, and again, and again. Every hour until 12:05. I am already so hungry, although the nasty drink did actually help me feel less light headed from not eating.

New Family Traditions

One of the best things about having a baby is getting to pass along family traditions. Mike and I actually do a lot of traditions even though it is just the two of us, but I really look forward to doing them with X. So tonight my cousin posted on her page that her twins were making leprechaun traps for school. We started talking about it (well, facebooking) and I have decided it will be a yearly tradition to celebrate St. Patrick's Day at our house. We will of course have corned beef and cabbage at night too, because I like to make it once a year, but this will be a great day tradition (and something we can do the weekend before).

When I was a kid my mom did a lot to make less known holidays special. Like we always got "love gifts" on Valentines Day. The elves came on Thanksgiving and brought treats, Christmas and Easter were CRAZY holidays that involved all sorts of elaborate shenanigans that, at least on Easter, my aunt and uncle contributed to. It was great, and I had an awesome childhood partially due to these traditions, so I am excited to start a new one with X, Mia and Atticus.

So, this is how it will work. Prior to St. Patrick's day, the kids will build leprechaun traps. I need to find a good children's book about leprechauns first...Anyway, the kids will design and build traps. Sort of like Easter Eggs--you can do it before, but they are for use on the day. Then, the kids will set them out on the eve of St. Patrick's Day. In the morning, they will find the traps slightly disheveled or damaged because they *almost* caught the leprechaun, but he got away! However, in his struggle he will drop gold coins (the chocolate kind) and lots of gold and green glitter--maybe even a few small trinkets that he uses to trick people into giving him gold. Plus Lucky Charms for breakfast. I am so excited, this will be a great tradition. The tooth fairy's got nothing on me!

This is Mia's trap. Yes, it is a birdhouse painted green and gold with the words "no free gold" on the side, because "leprechauns do the opposite of what you say." Apparently it can't get out because it is in the dark...or something. Amber kept trying to tell her it needed a trapping mechanism, and she kept getting all humanitarian on me. Didn't want to scare him, he has to breathe, etc.

Atticus' trap. The gold coins lead to the rock painted gold. When lifted the string releases and the cup drops on the leprechaun.

We have a squash!

So, I apparently count my weeks wrong. I am 29 weeks 1 day pregnant, which means I am actually IN my 30th week. Oops. Oh well, no reason to change it now. Just instead of what is happening now, all of these "growing" posts are actually what happened a few days ago. Oh well, no biggie.

I am definitely getting huge, fast. After talking to my cousin-midwife I am once again concerned about my protein intake. I failed my 1 hour gestational diabetes test, which isn't a HUGE deal, but it totally sucks. Even if I pass the three hour test, which I most likely will, it still means I had a spike in my blood sugar which isn't good for anyone. So my awesome cousin sent me this list and said the biggest deal is the protein. F. I hate protein. I am supposed to eat 80 grams per day. After working as hard as I could today to get more in my diet (yogurt, eggs for breakfast, peanut butter snacks, skim milk, etc) I am still only at 63 grams. Oh, and I am not supposed drink juice. Boo. All I am supposed to drink is water, milk and raspberry leaf tea--which tastes like green, not like raspberry at all. It is supposed to make my uterus stronger and prevent hemorrhage later. Awesome. So, I am trying to eat right and getting ready for the three hour diabetes test, which should be super fun. I almost threw up last time, so this should be awesome. I just hope I don't pass out from not eating for 15 hours and getting my blood drawn.

The baby is doing well, aside from him giving me diabetes maybe. He likes to move around a lot, more flipping than kicking. I feel him all of the time, sometimes it is painful, most of the time it isn't. At night it seems to hurt a lot, I am not sure why, maybe he gets stuck and then doesn't want to move, but if I am laying on one side and need to flip over because of hip pain I get intense belly aches. Or if I have to get up to pee, which is about every 3 hours. But it is sort of fun, I can kind of play with him. And when I talk to him, or Mike talks to him, he gets really active and moves around. I still feel him really low, like at my bikini line, which means that he is head up. It is not concerning yet, but I would rather him at least flip to head down sometimes. He mostly is head up or traverse.

In baby news, this is what Xavier was doing last week I guess :)

Baby's now the size of a squash!
Baby's energy is surging, thanks to white fat depositing beneath his skin. And since he's growing so fast (weight will triple by birth), things are getting kind of cramped in the womb. What all this means for you: Get ready for some more kicks and jabs to the ribs.

Your baby is about two and a half pounds and would be between fifteen and seventeen inches tall if he could stand. Your baby's adrenal glands are producing a chemical which will be made into estriol (a form of estrogen) by the placenta. This estriol is thought to stimulate the production of prolactin by your body, and the prolactin makes you produce milk. So even if your baby comes early, you'll still be able to breastfeed. Each passing week improves the likelihood that your baby will be born strong and healthy. His brain can detect rhythmic breathing and control body temperature, so he's less likely to need breathing assistance should he be born early. He's growing eyelashes, adding fat, and developing his brain. Because of brain wave activity, researchers have speculated that babies can even dream at this time!

And in mommy news:

Thanks to your ever-expanding uterus, it's time to welcome back the constant bathroom dashes. And try your best to forget about any emerging varicose veins -- they might be ugly, but they're harmless and should fade after delivery. Until then, avoid standing or sitting for long periods of time and make sure to get some exercise (it'll boost your circulation).

As the levels of prolactin increase in your body, your breasts may secrete colostrum, which can dampen your bra. Prolactin also has a sedating effect, and you may feel the need to take naps the way you did in the first trimester. Your uterus is now in a position where it exerts pressure on your bladder. Your frequent trips to the bathroom may also remind you of the first trimester. If you can, keep up your swimming, walking, yoga, or other non-weight bearing exercise, though you're not feeling as energetic (and as comfortable) as you did last trimester.

Fail

I did not show diabetes who's boss. I don't even want to post. That 3rd tri post was supposed to have words, lots of words. But now, I will probably not even edit it. BOO.

3rd Tri