Week 36 Doctor Visit

Just got back from my week 36 doctor visit.

* We listened to the baby's heartbeat -- 140 bpm.

* He did a culture for Group B Strep; I'll know the results of that at my next visit.

* I gave him our Birth Plan, he's going to make a copy of it and send it over to Labor and keep one in my chart.

* He measured my uterus, measured 35cm, exactly where I should be for just having finished 35 weeks.

* He palpatated the uterus to feel the baby (still staying head down - good!) and says she feels around a 5 pound baby (which is where she should be and I am happy about, as I have 5 weeks left and at this stage they are increasing in size around 1/2 pound a week, so no 10 pound baby for me, probably not even an 8 or 9 pound, unless I go over.)

* Took my weight, gained 2 pounds in the last 2 weeks, which is what you are supposed to be gaining at this stage of the pregnancy, a pound a week, and of that 2 pounds I gained 1 pound went to the baby's weight, and the other stuff is in a variety of places - fluid, breast size, fat, etc. I'm doing good on my weight gain. You are supposed to gain between 25-35 pounds (if you started out around average weight, more if you were underweight and less if you were overweight.) And I'll be right in that range, unless I decide to start pigging out on Krispy Kremes, pizza, & chocolate chip cookies like I did in January (& gained too much weight, but it all worked itself out and I am still in the right range for weight gain.)

* Blood pressure still looking great! I am usually around 110/58.

* Talked to him about whether he knew for sure or not if he will be out of town on Memorial Weekend (& if so, when will he be gone, as he thought a while back he may be gone.) That weekend is 1 week past my due date. Well, it turns out that he happens to be on call that weekend. And he said if I don't have the baby by the 21st we can schedule an induction for the end of the 41st week or first thing in the 42nd week, but he doesn't like to wait to the 42nd week. So, if the baby doesn't come on her own, it looks like we'll be parents before Memorial Weekend.

* He checked my cervix and it's very high. The baby has not begun to drop yet, which from what I read usually starts to occur in week 36.

* I had talked to the nurse (before the doctor came in) about the doctor being 99% sure it's a girl. And she said as long as she has been there, she has never heard of our doctor being wrong. She said other doctors in the clinic have been wrong, but he hasn't. She said he just won't tell the parents unless he is 99% sure and has a very clear ultrasound that shows the sex. He was even the one who had typed on the ultrasound pictuer "It's a Girl" So, now I feel a little better, because I have had about 6 people in the last month tell me that they thought they were having a girl (because their doctor told them, not mine) and it turned out to be a boy, and only 1 person who told me their doctor told them it was a boy and turned out to be a girl. I would be just fine with a boy, and the nursery is pretty gender-neutral and I did buy a bunch of clothes that are yellow & green, but everyone else gave me tons of pink stuff. Now sure I want to put a little boy in pink & lace.

* We also talked about the tearing (or cutting) of the perineum. He's a big "studies" kinda guy and said that women who stay within the recommended weight gain are less likely to tear or tear as much because they still have a little bit of stretching room to their skin. Another indiciation of how much stretching room or flexibility your skin has is whether or not you received any stretch marks (none for me so far - let's keep our fingers crossed.) And fnially he said is I continue to keep trying & getting out there and going for walks my skin will tend to be more flexibile and make it less likely I will tear or need an episiotomy. Of course, he can't promise all of this will keep me from tearing or needing one, as the baby may decide to be uncooperative in her positioning or I may not be relaxing as much or they may need to get the baby out quicker and need to do an episiotomy.

* We also talked about full moons and women going into labor. I watched a show about how more women end up going into labor on full moons than any other day. He said he knew of studies being conducted looking at that, but wasn't sure of the results or if they studies were complete, but that in his own experience he did tend to see more women going into labor (& more people in general going to the hospital) on full moons. BTW - the next full moon is Saturday, May 13th (the day before Mother's Day.)

I think that's it. Yup. That's it.

Whew.

Well, as of Sunday we can officially have the baby down here. They don't deliver babies at that hospital that are under 35 weeks, but now that we have finished 35 weeks and are into week 36 and I have not had any problems and am not a high risk pregnancy, we can stay down here. Otherwise we would have had to go to the Cities or Rochester, which we didn't want to do.

The other thing that Sunday marked was now if I go into labor my Short Term Disability through Aflac will cover me through the end of the academic year until my summer pay would kick in (with the exception of the first week, they don't cover the first week and then cover 6 weeks after that for a vaginal birth and 8 weeks for a caesarean birth.)

Today I have another Dr. Appt, then another 2 weeks from today, and after that I will be on weekly appointments until I have the baby.

Cost of Diapering

So, I have been researching the cost of diapering for the last 1.5 hours. Now, there are SO MANY independent variables when it comes to diapering that will change the range on sizes & quantities of # of diapers needed and cost of diapers. I tried to do an average to find out the cost.

Here are the independent variables:
1) How big your baby was at birth? (You may go right into a sz. 1 diaper and not do a NB diaper.)
2) How fast they are growing? (Larger diapers come less in a pack, and hence will cost more per diaper)
3) Can you do cloth diapers all the time? Half-time? (I didn't calculate the cost of cloth diapers, as their are many more variables there based on preferences.)
4) Will you do cloth wipes all the time? Half-time? How wasteful are you with each disposable wipe?
5) Are you breastfeeding? (Yes, this does matter, as breastfed babies need 10-12 diaper changes a day, bottle fed babies tend to need 8-10 diaper changes. Toddlers aged 18 mo.+ use about 6-8 diapers a day.)
6) When will your child (& you) be ready to begin potty training? (Kids are generally potty-trained between ages 18mo.-3 years, some as early as 12 mo. and some after 3 years. But in general kids elimination muscles are fully mature between 12-24 month, and so the average time to begin potty training is around 18-24 months.)

So, those are my variables and I tried to average things. Now, I have to tell you my prices are based on buying Seventh Generation products in cases from Amazon. I did a little research on the cost of going with natural products as opposed to the name brands (Pampers, Luvs, & Huggies) and really there wasn't any difference in cost. But the key here is that I am buying by the case from Amazon (or I could through the Co-op and would get a case discount) and by buying in bulk (& the free super-saver shipping Amazon has been offering for wuite a while now) the cost tends to be the same. Now, if you are buying generic diapers or wipes than these prices will be sligtly lower. So, for the purpose of my costs, consider that these are name brand prices and not generic.

Now if we were to do all disposable diapers & wipes, it would cost us roughly $1000/year.

If we do half/half (dispoable/cloth) diaper and all disposbale wipes, it would cost us $640/year.

If we do half/half on BOTH diapers & wipes, it would cost us $480/year.

We can't do all cloth, because our child will be in daycare and they don't do cloth. So, at a minimum we will be doing half/half. We are not doing flat-folds, as daddy doesn't want to deal with pins, and so I bought a combination of AIO's and pre-made diapers.

Now, those above average costs are only for diapers & wipes. You will have to add in any creams, lotions, & powders you buy.

When you buy cloth there are many factors to consider the will change the price of using cloth diaper dramatically.
* Will you use flat folds with pins & covers? (This is the most economical route.)
* Will you buy pre-made diapers (w/ snaps or velcro) and use a cover & possibly doublers/liners? (next most economical route)
* Will you buy All-in-Ones (it's the diapers w/ waterproof covers in one) and possibly doublers/liners? (This route can get to be as costly as all disposables for your first child, but if you have additional children, that's when you save money.)

The quality of cloth diapers varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. If you really want to save some money and still have pre-made diapers & AIO's, then you should make your own. There are a lot of WAHM's on eBay selling diapers they made. Plus, you can buy/make diapers that grow with the child through various sizes by having more velcro or additional snaps placements, which will allow you to use your same diapers longer. Flat-folds will accomodate all size babies because you just change how you fold & pin them, but with pre-made diapers you may have to buy different sizes, unless you buy/make ones that allow chnages of sizes. Even if you do buy flat-folds, you will still have to buy different sizes of waterproof covers. But with all cloth diapers and waterproof covers & cloth doublers/liner, you cost is all upfront and then you don't have to continue purchasing every week/month/etc. And when you have your 2nd (& subsequent) child, you have already made your investment and you may only choose to replace some that were well worn and your cost is minimal.

For making cloth wipes, here is a simple guide I found:
Cloth Wipes: 8"x8" squares cut from too-small t-shirts, sleeves, and leftover bits make excellent wipes. For t-shirt fabric, sew 2 layers together (serging holds up best, but straight stitch &/or zig-zag does just fine), and for heavier fabrics, one layer will do. Try sweatshirt fleece, waffle knit, heavy rib knit, or french terry for variety. Cloth wipes also make good handkerchiefs.

So, you can recylce those old t-shirts & the wipes cost you nothing or you can go buy some fabric, the choice is yours. Some babies won't be able to tolerate the soaps & scents put in disposable wipes, so you may have to use cloth ones. With cloth ones you generally just wet them with warm warm and could use some soap if you want, but's really not necessary, all you really need is water. I have also ready posts by people who use paper towels (they cut the roll in half) as an economical way for disposable wipes.

You probably didn't care about all of this, but I did a lot of research on it. I can't tell you how much I spent on cloth diapers, as I didn't think to add that up as I was buying. I don't have time to make my own, as I do work, so I chose to purchase the cloth diapers we will use. I am sure someone out there will find this information useful, as I get a lot of hits on this siet from people doing various searches for information. I just needed to crunch the numbers for my own knowledge as we start to figure out our budget.

I plan to breastfeed and hopefully that will agree with the baby. Some babies cannot tolerate the lactose (15% of Caucasians are lactose-intolerant, this percentage is MUCH higher for other ethnic groups) or the protein in the breastmilk (2-7.5% of infants have this problem). If either of those things happen, then I guess there is another cost to add in, and then you aren't buying regular formula either, babies with those issues need special forumla because of those problems and that formula costs even more. Plus, there are always problems the mom may have with producing milk or inability to tolerate pain associated to various causes or any other number of reasons. Since I am already producing colostrum, I don't have any concerns about "my milk coming in", but some moms can't produce enough milk (even though I have read that you just need to pump more often than your baby feeds and then your body will start responding by producing more milk.) So, we'll see. We'd like to think the feeding cost initially will be minimal, until she is starting solid foods and we transition her to milk (I do plan to pump once I get back to work), but until we have the baby and start trying things out, we just don't know how it will work. Here is a website that breaks down the cost of formula feeding.

Baby Shower

Here's a picture from the baby shower.

It was the same day that the pictures below are from, but I think I look puffier in the shower pictures. Not sure why.

Anyways, it was a nice shower. Baby showers are so much different that bridal showers and bachelorette parties. There are no half-naked men, no booze, no penis references.

In the picture with me is Rebecca, Carrie, & Salie (and the little girl back belongs to Evie.)

Hardening & Leakage

Wow. These Braxton-Hicks contractions have been increasing a lot lately. Occuring for longer, or a greater area, and more often. I notice them happening more often in the afternoon going into the evening. I especially notice them when I take a walk. When I take a walk they happen longer and more often. My belly gets so hard when I have these contractions.

And my breasts -- well, they haven't increased in size since early on (thank heavens), but they have begun leaking colostrum. Just a few drops in my bra every day this week.

I definitly have to pee more often.....about every hour now. And when I am on a walk I have these sensation I have to pee, then they go away, then they come back again.....all while I am having Braxton-Hicks contractions.....

Amazing!

Daddy & I watched the video to the book The Happiest Baby on the Block. We heard about it in our baby classes and it was available at our library. So, we watched it last night. And it's just amazing how this guy can get babies to calm in a matter of seconds. I don't think it's any kind of trick filming or anything. I think he really knows what he's doing.

I'm glad we watched the video rather than get the book. The video is just over an hour long, but is split into 2 parts. The first part shows you the techniques to calming the baby using the 5 S's (Swaddling, Side/Stomach positioning, Sshhhhing!, Swinging, & Sucking) and then the 2nd part is most commonly asked questions. So, after the credits role for the 1st part, stay tuned - or come back later. I could see not having that much time to sit & watch once the baby is born and have to do it in separate parts.

But I am glad we watched it now. I do feel even more prepared for a newborn. I am not sure if my MIL, who is a postpartum doula, has read the book or watched the video, but I think I will recommend it to her (actually, I would recommend it to anyone who EVER has any contact EVER with babies.)

Taking Fish Oil Supplements

So, in a recent article I read in a magazine (I think it was Fit Pregnancy), they talked about a study that found that babies born to moms who took fish-oil supplements in pregnancy and while breast-feeding had higher levels of brain activity and scored higher on IQ tests.

I thought I would look up some more information on that and I found this website that lists MANY different studies (7 that they summarized & 9 others that they gave the reference information & conclusion) addressing the benefits of taking fish-oil supplements.

I picked up some at the store today and thought - why not? I did read other websites besides this one and found that I need to be looking for the supplement that contains DHA and are not from fish livers. So, that's what I did. I know it's getting late into my pregnancy, but what I have found says you should take it during your last trimester. So, I figure better late than never. I started tonight. I haven't eaten fish really this entire pregnancy (I think twice total), so this is probably good for me too. The DHA is supposed to help with brain & eye development. And it supposed to also helps the baby grow (although big babies run in the family, so I am not sure that will be an issue and I don't think a lot of fish was eaten by family members either.)

Some of the studies support taking the supplements early in the pregnancy too. And there seems to be a lot of support for taking the supplments and how they benefit pre-term infants (although we are almost past that point.)

This study found that if mom took the supplements during pregnancy, it found that babies had reduced immune responses to allergies (like dust & cats -- I do worry about if the baby could be allergic to the cats, but have read in some studies that babies growing up with cats right from the get go tend to have less allergies to pet dander, as they body adjusted to it right away.) Plus, this stufy found that these babies are 3 times less likely to develop food allergies.

There are some studies out there that also address the benefits that it has on pregnant moms, which include less likelihood of preeclampsia and postpartum depression. This website address that, as well as says that kids who get adequate fish oils are less likely to develop asthma.

And if that is not enough, it helps reduce pain, prevent cancer, helps prevent Alzheimer's, diabetes, ulcers & hyperactivity, provides greater resistance to fighting colds and flu, increases your energy and ability to concentrate & fight and prevent heart disease.

So, again, I ask. Why not? Why not just take it all the time? It's no wonder you read so much about eating salmon (which is a nice fatty fish full of omega 3.)

End of Week 34 Pictures

Sunday marked the start of week 35 and these were taken on Saturday (after the baby shower, which I will blog about later, as I have pictures but have not uploaded those yet.) These are pictures taken my my dear friend Jessi. She took these at our place in the backyard.

The first one you see is obviously the actually belly shot. Look at that round glorious belly. People ask if I am ok with them touching it & I appreciate them asking. I always thought I would hate it because I have never really liked how my belly looked without clothes on. But it's different once it's all filled up with baby. My stomach has never been so hard before. Better let them touch it now, because later it is going to be all soft and squishy again and they won't be allowed to touch it. My sisters & Jessi were very excited to feel the baby move. They would sit there and be patient (well, as patient as they could be, Steph was poking her to get her moving.) It was really very sweet.

This next one is of me & the proud daddy. He's pretty exicted about becoming a dad. I really appreciate that he shares feelings with me & I can with him, about this pregnancy & everything else. Sometimes he has to be a smart-ass in front of others, but he is very into becoming a dad. He has some of his co-workers throwing a shower for us in about a week & a half. He's pretty happy that they want to do that for us. You should see daddy with the baby toys. He's having so much fun playing with them. I am afraid that someday the kids will come running to me saying, "Mom, dad is playing with my toys and won't share."

And finally, the last picture of just of me. Not finally like At last, but finally like this is the last one. So, it's just me holding that glorious pregnant belly. After watching some episodes of Yummy Mummy and having them glorify dressing nicely (& not all frumpy & fat-looking) I decided to go out & buy some new tops that would hug that beautiful belly (they also really give lots of compliments to the pregnany belly). So, this is one of them.


I picked up a few tops & some very nice fitting jeans and have been getting compliments on them, even from the kids I work with who don't give compliments easily. I figure I better enjoy the compliments while they come, because later on when the belly is soft & squishy I am just not going to get them.

A Baby is Born.

No, NOT MINE!

My friend April called to say that they had their 2nd child 3:30am yesterday. They had another boy and named this one Noah James. (When I hear the name Noah, I think of the hottie on Passions.) He was 8 lb. 10 oz. and 20" long. Kallen now has a little brother.

Congratulations April & Jason!

Target Registry is Frustrating

So, we registered at a couple places, Target being one of them. After being told we didn't have much on our registry that was available in stores, we went in and took off stuff that was discontinued and replaced itwith other stuff.

Now, today, I get an email from Target registry saying that about 7 things are discontinued and may not be available for purchase. Arghh!

2 of those things happen to be the highchair (which is also at Babies'r'Us & Shopko has it too and $10 cheaper!) and the Travel System. I had done a lot of research on the travel system and found this one that got very good reviews and was even reviewed in one of my pregnancy magazines. Now I want to figure out where that travel system can be purchased so that I can go get it. And the highchair was one we really liked, but we know it's available at other places, so I am not as concerned about that. Plus we don't need that right away.

Most of the other things were clothes items. But what is frustrating is that it was just last weekend that we changed items because of things being discontinued. Bah! See, this is why I have already bought so many things - because they just won't be available if you want them later.

Questions Answered

I just had a Dr. appt. and I went in there with a list of questions. Now, I have to say that in the last few months I try not to watch any of those baby shows where things go wrong, because that just worries me. But this one show sounded good when you hit info, but after I Tivo'ed it, it just caused me worry. It was about 1st time moms who had low amniotic fluid. Now, the info just said 2 first-time moms deliver their babies. It didn't say anything about low-amniotic fluid or that one was being induced at 33 weeks and the other @ 41 weeks.

So, I had to ask the doctor how he checks for that. He told me he first checks by measuring the uterus. I should be measuring the same cm as I am weeks (give or take 1-2cm)......I just finished 33 weeks and am measuring 32cm. So, I am right on track. Plus he feels by pushing on my stomach to see what kind of movement there is (or not) to tell if there is too much or too little amniotic fluid. If those things didn't check out good, then we would do an ultrasound to look to see what's going on and if the baby is small or what. But, I am happy to say that both those things check out just fine.

Next question.....when do you check for Group B strep? He will check for that at either my next appt. in 2 weeks or the one after that. It's a swab test that they do in the office.

Another question.....should I be couting fetal kicks? Answer: Yes, after 32 weeks you should count fetal kicks at least once a day. You should get at least 10 movements in an hour when she is awake. Babies do sleep in the womb, so there will be quiet times and you make have to check at a different time, but try to do it around the same time every day.

I asked about fetal hiccups and he said some women notice them more than most and there has been no known cause found, it's just some type of disturbance to the fetus' diaphram and hiccups are ok.

And then I asked what the fetal presentation of my little girl is and he said she's presenting head down (good) and then showed me where her head was, her shoulders, butt, and where her legs and arms are. Most of the movements I feel are her hands and feet, and the big ones are her shoulders. So, I gotta wonder, if she is always head down does she get a head rush? It's good that she is head-down and pretty much always has been because we don't want a breech baby. But whether or not she faces my back or my stomach seems to change. But from the things I have read or watched, it's much easier to help change the direction (stomach or back) the baby is facing than it is to change them from breech to head-down.

But things are still looking good....still on track for a May 21st due date....next appt. in 2 weeks.

Daddy is funny.

Ok - this might be one of those stories that you just had to be there for. Because it was funny to me, but re-telling it might not be so funny.

So, it was at one of our baby classes and they were talking about an infant massage class that ECFE offers. They were talking about the benefits of infant massage and one of those being that is the baby is consitpated or has gas it will help get the elimination system working properly again.

So, what does daddy do? He says to mommy, "What is it like a bottle of ketchup?" And then puts his hads in the air as if he were holding the baby under her armpits (or holding a squeeze bottle of ketchup), give the air a couple of squeezes and makes "Pbrrrt! sound." As if the imaginary baby in the air just crapped on the table from his infant massage.

I am laughing so hard typing this that I am crying. Maybe you just had to be there for that one.

Hits for + Pregnancy

Interesting - I get several hits a day of people searching for information about positive pregnancy test results and sometimes for false positive pregnancy test results.

It's just interesting to see what people are searching for.

Pre-registration Complete

At our baby classes they gave us forms to complete ahead of time to pre-register for admission. So I filled those out and got them turned in. Now I don't have to sit there filling out paperwork while I am having contractions.

Nesting?

Someone asked daddy a couple weeks ago is I had started nesting yet....

His response was, "I think she's been nesting her whole life."

I don't think any of my "nesting instincts" have been out of the ordinary for me so far. I guess we'll see in the final weeks when it is supposed to really get kicked into high gear.

Birth Plan

I think I am finally read to have the final draft of our birth plan and give it to the doctor next week at our our appointment. I like this birth plan because it's simple & easy to use. I just printed off the whole thing and made notes on it to ask the doctor whatever questions I had and now I will just go in and fill it out. Actually, if you enable cookies on your computer it will save it for you, but I had done it previously on the laptop and we just put a new harddrive in it. It doesn't take long to check the boxes anyways.

Fuction of Frequent Urination

It dawned on me as I was getting up for the 3rd time in the middle of the night, that maybe the function of frequent urination during pregnancy is to prepapre you for all the times you will need to get up in the middle of the night in the beginning to breastfeed.

We have a daycare now.

Finally - our search has ended. It's not like we were searching for a long time, we just wanted to be very thorough which meant doing a phone interview, home interview, & each of us did observations at the daycare, and following up on references. Overkill? I don't think so. This is my little girl we are talking about.

Anyways - we decided on the one that does Spanish lessons as part of her curriculum.

We signed our contract & gave a deposit to hold our spot. It's just such a relief to have that done.

Back Issues

Ok - we've made it to starting week 33 now. I checked out the link to Pregnancy Week by Week on the sidebar and apparently the baby is supposed to be getting in the head down position this week. I think she was doing it all last night! I had the worst backache last night and no position would get rid of it. I tried sleeping on each side, then back, then back with knees up, and nothing worked. After struggling for several hours to get to sleep and stay asleep I finally had to break down around midnight @ take 2 Tylenol. I really don't like to take anything at all, but I did & it helped. And everytime I got up to go to the bathroom she just felt so low and so heavy (must have been the apple pie I made yesterday, or maybe the rhubarb {frozen} coffeecake muffins I made for breakfast yesterday, or the banana bread I made Friday night {yes, the link is the recipe I used, but with a few modifications, but has to be some of the best banana bread ever!) I guess I have been in baking mode, but I don't think I will today.

Anyways - back to the back issues. So, I was at this conference for the better part of this past week and on the way up to the Cities on Thursday I started getting this awful back pain that resemebled the pain I had when I had Sciatica (which was totally not fun.) I got to my first session, which was my favorite session (the DBT one) and struggled through it. I was NOT going to miss any of this one! After the first session I found some Tylenol to buy and took that, and just like when I had Sciatica, the Tylenol did nothing (Aleve worked wonders for my Sciatica, but can't take that when you are pregnant.) So, I struggled through my 2nd session (which was probably my next fave, Thursday morning had good sessions for me, other sessions weren't as interesting) until I could meet Andy for lunch & move around a bit more. I then called the doctor (out to lunch), but the nurse told me to go lay down for a half hour to try to get the baby to move because her position may be causing the pinching of the nerve. W/O looking too stupid I found some place at the conference to lay down for a half hour before the next session started. Luckily, it's a big hotel with lots of comfy chairs & couches in the bar area. And guess what, she moved and the pain when away. But not last night!

Last night she would move, but it didn't get better. Although I am not convinved it is from her completly. I think it might be a sore back from cleaning & doing laundry. I start to get a really sore back when I mop the kitchen floor (not so much from sweeping or vaccuming, just mopping), so that might have something to do with it. Maybe that means I shouldn't mop anymore during this pregnancy. Hmmmmmm......I don't think daddy would like that. He already doesn't like that he's in charge of trash because he HAS to be in charge of the litter box right now. He was even more helpful the first trimester when I was too sick to do stuff, so he picked up more, did the dishes, etc. But once I started feeling better and was cleaning myself, he stopped helping out.

The only jobs he HAS to do right now are cleaning the litter box & carry in the 5-gallon bottles of water (for the water cooler). Oh, he does have other things he does that I don't ever do, like plowing the driveway (which hopefully doesn't need to be done anymore.) The worst backache I think I got this pregnancy (besides the sciatic stuff the other day) was after I thought it would be a good idea for me to shovel the sidewalk to the dog kennel. I was so sore and exhausted by the end of that. I would have never thought it, but because of the position you are in shoveling you are putting a lot of pressure on that low back and you are bent so that there is even less space for your lungs.

Ok - enough about backaches. Time for some breakfast.

Can't Come up with a Title

I had such a hard time trying to come up with a title for this post. I just wanted to show you something daddy thinks is funny. He likes to go to t-shirthell.com and laughs at the sayings on their t-shirts. They even have a whole section dedicated to t-shirts for the baby. Now, before you click on the link I have to tell you, you MAY be offended. The shirts on this website are not all cute & everything. To give you a sampling of what some of the shirts say: "My daddy drinks because I cry", "I can kick your baby's ass!", "They Shake Me!", (This is the one I think is funny -- "All Mommy Wanted was a Backrub") and it goes on & on. You may get a good chuckle out of it. The daddy really wants to get one of these shirts for the baby to wear, although I told him that the only time the baby can wear it is when she's at home or he is taking her out. Can I help it if I want my baby to be all cute & lovable, not mean & vulgar?

Crying in the Womb

The other day daddy said,"Wouldn't it be weird if the baby cried in the womb?" I remembered reading somewhere that they do and told him that. Then he said, "Wouldn't it be weird if you cuold hear them crying in thewomb?" Yes, I think that would be kinda freaky.

I don't remember where I read it, so I had to do an internet search on it. Here's a study on Discovery. Here's a video of a baby crying in the womb. There is a commercial that plays first. The video describes the chin quivering; I wonder if that is this one movement I feel that I couldn't quite place. It feels just like that - a quiver. Actually, quite often I feel this quiver before she gets hiccups most often. I wonder if this has anything to do with one another. Maybe when she cries she takes in amniotic fluid (which is normal), but in a way that irritate the diaphram. Irritation to the diaphram is what causes hiccups in people. So, maybe the amniotic fluid taken in when she cries then causes her to hiccup. Here's a study on fetal hiccups in baboons that kind of addresses that topic.

Or the quiver could be a sneeze, I guess babies do that in the womb too. Here's a video of a baby sneezing in the womb. Or maybe she takes in too much fluid when she yawns (they do that too). Here's a little video of a baby yawn.

Here's a funny little *fake, I presume* video (with fake sound, of course) that illustrates sometimes what she feels like she is doing. Ok - I am way off topic now.

The only time quadruplets would be fun...

Daddy sent me an email with the above subject line and the following video link. Check it out!

She Totally Kicked Me In the Lung.

So, yesterday I am at this conference and I'm at the afternoon keynote speaker (who is supposed to be motivational, but really wasn't) and she's a very loud woman. I think her loudness scared the baby because I felt this jab, then sharp pain accompanied by a gasp for breath. Ouch! Then the baby decides she wants to leave her foot lodged in there - I don't think so! That hurts. So after applying a little pressure to that spot she moves around and finds a new place to sleep (or try to sleep with the loud woman talking.)

She also hates me wearing a seatbelt for long car rides. Going to work is fine, but once the car ride gets much over 10 minutes long she keep kicking & punching against the seatbelt, no other place, just against the seatbelt. It's not even tight. When I loosen it (so that it is barely providing protection over my lap), she stops, but then it gradually tightens back to by lap/lower abdomen and she starts kicking again. I guess the girl likes her comfort. Like mother, like daughter I guess.

I was hard to sit all day listening to speakers. Each session was 1.5-2 hours long. I got up about halfway through each one to walk around, stretch, and go to the bathroom. And today, I'll go do it again. I was thinking of asking to go to one a month from now, but if I am getting a sore back now (from the awfully uncomforatble chairs & prolonged sitting) and I still have 8 weeks to go, I can't imagine what 4 weeks would feel like on those chairs. Today my first session is on DBT, so I hope I learn something new about working with Borderlines.

Yummy Mummy & Other Baby Shows

You know there are lots of baby shows out there on tv, especially Discovery Health Channel. Some can be scary to watch, like Babies: Special Delivery. Some I have no interest in, like Runway Moms or Baby, Baby (neither is directed towards my target market.) I like watching Birth Day occasionally, it depends what the episode is about. And I haven't really had a chance to watch House of Babies. I am sure there are others out there I havn't checked out either.

I've Tivo'ed a few episodes of Yummy Mummy and I kinda like it. It is certainly very cheesy with it's cartoon background, but the information presented is current, up-to-date, and what young "hip" moms want to know. It really does feel like it's target audience is for the woman in her mid 20's - mid 30's, who is a mom, especially the working mom. Today the show was about teaching your baby sign language before they speak, which is something that interests me, as well as buying a properly fitted bra, handling tantrums, & keepin romance in your marriage after you have kids. Plus the show is only a half hour long, so with zipping through the commercials, it's easy to fit the 20 minutes of show in. In the Midwest it airs @ 11am & 2pm.

Fetus/Baby Hiccups & Tracksy

So, I've been watching how people fnid my blogs through Tracksy. And the most common search that leads them to our baby blog is on hiccups and the baby/fetus.

I know in the beginning when I was noticing the hiccups I did a search too because I was concerned. Was it normal? How often was normal? Why were they hiccuping? Is hiccuping a good thing or a bad thing?

Well, what I found out is that it is normal. Some babies hiccup, some don't, some hiccup often. No frequency seemed to be normal or abnormal in everything I read. Baby girl usually gets the hiccups 2-3 times a day and I haven't really been able to relate it to anything I do. There is no known cause for the baby hiccups and it's neither good nor bad. So, just enjoy the hiccups because it's a chance to feel your precious little one moving inside of you. I also fnid it's a good time to have people feel her moving. Sometimes it feels awkward for people (& me) to have someone sitting there with a hand on your belly waiting for her to move (and of course she seems to know that they are waiting for her to move and she won't do it - but the moment they remove their hand she'll kick) and with hiccups they can feel some movement right away when you start feeling that rhythmic beating.

The Third Trimester (All the Changes)

Ok - here is a "real" belly shot. I must be getting brave to actually put a picture of my belly out for all to see. Although, honestly, I was thinking about how with all the changes that happen to your body while you are pregnant and all the exams (which will now only increase more for me), you just can't be modest anymore.

In the picture you can see my Linea Nigra, which is supposed to run from your belly button to your public hairline, but on me it runs up too. Not sure about that. When I was at my parents' house a 3 weeks ago, my mom wanted to check out my belly and commented that I got it too, not sure if she was referring to the line moving up & down or just having the line. Oh well. It's supposed to go away after delivery. An apparently (if you look at the picture) my line doesn't run exactly straight, not sure what is normal. But I don't really care either.

Baby girl has been moving A LOT today. I think she's trying to make more room in there.

So, the heartburn continues to get worse. Oh joy. But lately the thing that has bee annoying is my sleeping. For over the last 2 weeks I have woke up before my alarm clock. Usually it's only 30-45 minutes early, but today I got up to pee @ 3am and couldn't get back to sleep. Bah! So, I surfed the itnernet, then took a bath, then watched a Tivo'ed baby show and finally fell asleep on the couch @ 6am and stayed that way until 8:30am.

Back aches have become more frequent, & shortness of breath has been kicking in. I really noticed the difference in my breath when I was at the Meditation Center today, I just can't do the diaphramatic breathing I did before - it's all shallow breathing now. Braxton-Hicks contractions are picking up, although I notice them more in the evening.

I noticed some colustrum dried up in my bra one day about a week ago, but none since then.

No swelling yet, but that will probably come in a few weeks. For some reason, my constipation has been better the last week, but I am sure that will come back again. I keep thinking I am seeing the beginnings of stretch marks, but then the next day it's gone. So far the only stretch marks on my body are the ones I got as a teenager going through puberty.

For most of the pregnancy, I believe I have been relatively emotionally stable. But the last couple of days I must have gotten a hormone surge as my body temperature feels warmer, I feel more irritable, and today on the way back from the center there was a sappy love song on the radio and I just cried. I felt awfully silly crying, because I was not sad. I was happy & grateful. And I just couldn't stop the crying until the song was over. I probably should have just changed the channel.

Oh - and the frequent urination has become more urgent at times. Before I was able to know I had to go pee and get there in 10-15 minutes. Now it getting to the point where I have to go NOW!! I've had some leg cramps a few times, but it goes away when I point my toes.

I haven't had an itchy belly lately, but I think that is because I have been using lotion again. It was itchy before and once I put lotion on my stomach it felt better, so now I just keep it lubed up. No hemorroids yet, hopefully this phyical change misses me. I got extra belly hair, it's only fair that I am spared the hemorroids. I have not noticed any changes in skin pigmentation, but fatigue has increased. Any changes I missed?

2nd (of 2) Baby Classes

Today was the 2nd of our all-day Saturday baby classes. We started out the morning learning a bunch of stuff that we need to know about caring for a baby during the first few weeks. We heard about buying a proper car seat & getting it installed properly (we can bring it to the cop shop or the Amazing Newborns Clinic to have them install it if we want to make sure it's done right or we can try to do it ourselves if we are confident we can do it right.) We also learned about the ECFE classes offered & the Amazing Newborns Clinic (every Tuesday). So, that was our morning session.

The afternoon session, daddy became a comedian. He helped liven the mood, as our group is pretty quiet, but I secretly wonder how many people there were taking him seriously and felt very sorry for me. The afternoon session was at the hospital and we learned all about the tools (& got to pass them around & touch them) used to help monitor you & the baby, the help with delivery, to give you medicine, to clean out the baby's mouth & nose, etc. We also learned all about feeding options & spent a lot of time talking about breastfeeding. The instructor for the afternoon session is a ob/gyn nurse & is the lacatation consultant at the hospital.

The we got the tour of the hospital. The birthing rooms are very nice and it's just amazing what that bed can do. There are 4 birthing rooms and 1 c-section delivery room. The C-section delivery room is very sterile & bright, not as homey as the birthing room. The waiting room is just a very short walk down the hallway from the birthing rooms (& you can use your cell phone in the waiting room, so daddy can go there to call whoever he wants to call -- for support, to fetch him a sandwic, or whatever.) We saw the nursery & the after-care rooms. All the babies get a knit hat that some ladies' group in town knits & they have bath&body works products in the rooms for moms to use & keep. Dads don't get any presents.

We went to check out the cafeteria, coffee shop & gift shop. The hours are all of those are not extensive. The food in the cafeteria is cheap and will do the job (I suppose.), but it has been mentioned several times that we can bring in our own food or have pizza delivered. I don't even think the gift shop & coffee shop are open on weekends.

As for visiting hours (in case some are wondering), they are 11a-1p & 3p-8p. (I think it ended at 8p, but I definitly know that visiting hours are not available from 1-3p - except daddies can be there.)

Another Picture

Finally.....I got another picture of my belly taken. Here I am, at the very tail end of 31 weeks, tomorrow I start 32 weeks.

I'm not wearing dark, so there should be no excuse not to tell I am pregnant. If you can't tell now, then I think you need to get your eyes checked.

I just got my hair cut & dyed yesterday, so I wanted to have that in the picture as well. Got my eyebrows done too.

Unmentionables

If you've been reading this blog all along, you know that I really enjoyed Jenny McCarthy's 2 books: Belly Laughs & Baby Laughs. I enjoyed her candidness, even though it may have seemed crude at times. She talked about things people just don't talk about or you won't find in one of your baby books. And for some reason I feel compelled to share some of my own experiences with you, even the ones others won't talk about. Because to be honest, almost everything that would seem odd when you are not pregnant, if pretty normal. I talked about belly hair earlier, but today I am going to talk about nipple conditioning & shaving (legs & pubic hair). **I can't wait to see what kind of searches are brought to my site after this post.**

Let's start with nipple conditioning. What is it? Well, it is rubbing your nipples & airing them in preparation for breastfeeding. Now, I said preparation, so this occurs before the baby comes. I hadn't even thought of this until I bought some of that nipple cream Kristin told me about and I read on the package about conditioning your nipples with the product before the baby comes. Now I have heard some horror stories of breastfeeding, and w/o getting into gory details, let's just say I would like to avoid any pain, cracking, masititis, bleeding, & anything else bad that could happen to my breasts. So, I've been reading. I like to read, especially non-fiction, which I know may make me a little weird, but I learn a lot. So, I'm conditioning my nipples. Actually, I've been doing it for a few days now and I have to say that they have become softer & the dryness has gone away. But I must say, I've read that you should not stimulate/condition your nipple for too long, as prolonged nipple stimulation is said to bring on contractions (something to keep in mind if I hit 40 weeks and the baby seems content staying in there.) So, to help support my choice, here's a study that was done. There is actually a lot of studies out there supporting prenatal nipple conditioning. If you want to check them out, here you go. I feel strongly that I want to breastfeed and I want to make it a pleasant experience.

Ok - next topic - Shaving.

Shaving my legs is getting harder & harder to do. You would think I would have just given up by now, considering that it's winter & no one besides the daddy sees my legs anyways. Well, honestly, I don't like body hair all that much; it kinda grosses me out. And I hate the feeling of when your leg hair gets a little long and rubs on your socks or pants. So, today I attempted to shave my legs. It's only a little difficult to do the front & the inside because you can move your leg out away from your body. It's when you are trying to do the back & outside that it gets tricky. You try turning your leg in and it gets rammed up against your protruding belly and can be quite uncomfortable. I may have to throw in the towel soon on the leg shaving, or buy an electric razor and ask the daddy to help me out (it's for his benefit too, who wants to be scratched by leg stubble in the middle of the night?) I don't think he would be comfortable (nor I) having him go at my legs with a regualr razor.

Now, trimming up pubic hair is darn near impossible. I remember the days when I was younger and the bush was in it's own neatly confined area & I didn't have to do anything. No one tells that when you get older that it starts to spread. Why can't anyone tell you thin stuff? In college I had always wondered why people got bikini waxes, I mean, C'mon, did they really hair hair growing outside their bikini line? Well, the answer to that is apparently YES. Now, get pregnant (a time when your hair & nails grow at a very rapid pace), add 10 years to that college age when things were neatly confined on their own, and you have one hairy mess below. And it's not like you can see it to do anything about it. You can try a trimmer and hope you don't leave too many bald spots from getting too close, or maybe grab a razor & mirror (not that you can really bend over too far to use the mirror anyways) and try to shave back that bikini line. But honestly, it is never going to look as pretty & neatly kept as it did before (even 3-4 months ago, when you could still kinda see & could bend over a little.) Husbands - you're just going to have to deal with the jungle down there, and if you can't, then I just guess you won't get any. And do you really want that considering you are supposed to wait a minimum of 6 weeks after birth to have sex? I think not. You know - you never see birth videos where the mom has a nice tidy area, defintlity to stripper lines or neatly carved out shapes, just full on hairy bush.

Today's Doctor Appt.

Everything looks good. Still on track for 5/21, unlike all my other pregnant friends who keep getting their due dates pushed up.

People have been commenting that my stomach doesn't look big enough for 31 weeks & I asked the doctor about that. His response was that my uterus measure just where it should be right now and that because I am taller than many women I have more space for the uterus to spread upwards rather than outwards. He said there is still some space there to go upwards for a couple more weeks, so I may not see my stomach really sticking out far until after that.

I'm going to appointments every 2 weeks now, for the next 3 weeks. And then after that it will be weekly appointments until the baby comes.

I asked if I get another ultrasound before the baby comes and I heard a "No, unless there are some complications or the baby doesn't seem to be growing anymore, but so far she looks good and is on track so there is no need." So, I just get to hear her heartbeat every time. It was around 130 bpm this time.

Shower Update

Invites are going out. The time was changed to a little bit earlier -- it's @ 2pm now.

Who's Moving In There?

Even though I'm at 31 weeks, the baby still moves around a lot. I think she still has enough room to do flips in there. It's really weird to see my stomach sometimes because you can see her moving all over the place. It's actuually kinda freaky. I keep waiting for Larry (cat) to be looking at my belly and see her moving around and starting chasing her or swatting at her.

Online Codes for Baby Stuff

I have been getting a lot of hits from people searching for information about what they are going through in their pregnancy. So, I thought, I would compile a list of online codes to get $$ off stuff. Thanks to Tim's recommendation of Tracksy, it's been interesting to see who comes to my blogs and how they get there and just what they are searching for when they come. Actually, I got all this stuff from Currentcodes.com . I am not endorsing any of these, just thought it woud be nice to post.

Ababy.com : M101 = $10 off $100, EWS06 = 10% off $100 or more
Babies R' Us : 913689 = $5 off $25, 914996 = Free Safari Umbrella Stroller w/ purchase of $75+
Baby-wise.com: Free shipping on $79+, $4.95 flat fee for under $79
Babystyle.com: FREESHIPPING = Free s/h on $75+ (new customers), CUSOON = $15 off $75+*, BABYJEL = $10 off $35+*, PORTER = $5 shipping w/ purchase of Stuffed Animal Chair
Babies Travel Lite : DHD333 = $5 off
Baby Age : BEDDING06 = Free s/h on bedding $99+, BED0605 = Free s/h on bedding $50+
BargainChildrensClothing.com : FreeShipbc75 = Free shipping on $75+
Bunny Creek : CC10SAVE = Free s/h on $50+, CJSPRING = Free s/h on $60+
Children's Place: SMA36 = 15% off
Disney : DISNEYFAIRIES = 10% off, MICKEY10 = 10% off*
Dreamtimebaby.com : babyship = Free s/h on $99+, wintership = Free s/h on $99+, summership = Free s/h on $99+, freeteddy = Free "2" plush bunnies w/ $99+
Gap.com : FREESHIP = Free Shipping on $50+, FREE100 = Free Shipping on $100+
Greatbeginningsonline.com = gbbaby = 15% off
Jockey.com :BABY5 = $5 off $25+, BABY10 = $10 off $50+, BABY15 = $15 off $75+ (these have to be on baby items)
Jordan Marie : NEWBIE = 15% off (new customers), AFF1 = 10% off 1 item
Old Navy : SPECIAL = Free Ship on $50+
One Step Head : babysave = 15% off $75+
Target : Go Here for link for 10% off
The Baby Outlet : YG05 = 5% off, Currently Free s/h on $99+
Tiny Tot Dress Shop : TT10OFFAF =$10 off $100 or More, TTFRSPAF =Free Shipping on $50 or more, JANTK15 = $15 off $100 or more, TTJUN10DOL = $10 Off $100 or More, TTJUN10PERC = 10% Off $50 or More, TTAFF15S = $15 off $100 or More, JANTK10 = $10 off $75 or more

There are plenty more out there, I just don't have time to put them all in right now. This can ne a starting point, or it could be I typed this all in for nothing. Guess I'll see when I look at Tracksy later.

* Certain restrictions apply

Stomach Hair

The daddy was making fun of me for some excess hair on my belly, some of it quite long. I have to admit I am kinda self-conscious about it, and like other comments I saw posted online, was afraid the doctor thought I was a freak.

I had read that because of the extra hormones during pregnancy, women tend to grow excess hair on their stomachs, nipples & faces. Oh great. But I really didn't think much of it until one night when daddy was laying his head on my stomach talking to baby girl and commented on it.

So, back to the internet to see just how normal this is. It's not like a have a hairy man's chest or anything, just these blond hairs (some are getting long.) You can read others' comments here @ Babycenter. Here's an article about hairy nipples; I'm pretty thankful I don't have that. Here's a blog that someone actually posted a picture of their hairy belly. Here's another blog of someone who struggled with a hairy belly. At babycenter I answered this question about excess body hair and the results were that 67% of people had excess hair (39% belly, 14% all over, 6% chin, 3% nipples, & 1% mustache).

So, why post about it if I feel self-conscious? Well, I figure that in order to get over it I need to face it as an issue and then help others understand that they are not weird or anything, but it is normal and does occur. I am not exactly fond of body hair (except head & pubic areas) on anyone, so it's kinda annoying.

1st Day of Baby Classes

Yesterday we have a 6 hour baby class, our first of 2. Our final baby class is next Saturday.

It was mainly a lot of review and confirmations for us. Although, I have to say that it did cause me to question my thoughts on what medicines to use or not use. I think we'll just go with the flow and do what we want at the time -- maybe I'll need something, maybe I won't, maybe I'll need more. I am not going to set the expectation either way.

We talked about the stages of labor & phases within the stages. Nothing new there for me, as I have been doing a lot of reading. Also practiced breathing & massage techniques for daddy to do on me. And we watched several videos - they were decent & tasteful.

The nurse doing the class was trying to make it more interactive, but no one beside daddy & I were really asking questions or making comments. Actually, no one really seemed all that thrilled to be there, or maybe they were half scared out of their minds that they are going to have a baby soon.

I can't remember what we do for the 1st half of the class next Saturday, but during the 2nd half we will tour the hospital and meet with some staff and also meet with the lactation consultant.

31 weeks today - we're getting there.

Delivery Positions

So, as the days draw nearer & nearer I am starting to prepare myself for labor & delivery. We start our baby classes this Saturday, but we don’t visit the hospital until next Saturday. I know they don’t do water births at our hospital, so that is out.

I’ve been looking up information on positions for a vaginal delivery. I will talk to my doctor more about that next week, but everything I have read says that you are more likely to tear or need an episiotomy when you lie flat on your back. I have also read that delivering flat on your back also can decrease the blood supply to the placenta, it can be harder to breath because of pushing against the diaphragm, and labor may take a little longer because you are fighting against gravity when the baby travels through the birth canal. This one is the best for fetal monitoring.

I don’t really like the idea of hands & knees position, as it makes me uncomfortable to think of my butt hanging there in the air in the doctor’s face. But I understand that they may have to ask me to get in that position if the baby is in the posterior position & they are going to try and move it.

I’ll have to find out if they have a squatting chair or squatting bar there before I even know if squatting is an option. But squatting is supposed to be advantageous because you are working with gravity and your pelvis is able to widen more.

Another option is lying on your side, which is what I am leaning towards trying. Daddy would have to help support my top leg. The advantages of it is that it take pressure off the perineum, helps ease backache, lowers blood pressure, and helps maximize blood flow.

You can also kneel during delivery, although I think I may want more support than kneeling offers.

I would have to find out what my options are with having an epidural. Would that limit my choices on what position I could deliver in?

I wonder why it is that on TV & in the movies they always show a woman lying on her back, or on her back but at a 45 degree angle. You never see the other position options, not even on the baby delivery shows on Discovery.

Upcoming Shower

I have been asked by a few people when the shower is (apparently they haven’t been reading the blog from it’s creation) and thought I better post it again.

It is on Saturday, April 8^th, 2006 @ 2:30pm. My friend Rebecca is throwing it at her house and is working on the invitations. They will be arriving in your mailboxes soon. It will be a dessert tea, so come ready to eat a variety of things that may include a decorated cake, various cheesecakes, tiramisu, and other tasty creations. I am not a games person, but there will be one game that Rebecca will have you play – pretty harmless one.

As for registries, check out the side links on this blog. We are registered at Target, Babies’r’Us, and Baby Because (online vendor).

So, hopefully that clears up any confusion. I am pretty excited for it – not because of the presents – I’m excited to sit and eat desserts and talk. I couldn’t think of any other way I would want to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Any other questions?

Darn Kids!

Baby girl decided it would be fun to do gymnastics at about 5:50AM. And she couldn't do them quietly; she had to make sure she woke mom up. I kept thinking she would settle down, but Noooooooo! She kept at it for a good 45-50 minutes, until I finally got up and decided to do laundry & dishes. Then she quieted down, maybe once she's born either daddy or I will have to wear her around the house (got a Snugli carrier & a sling, we'll see which we like at what time) as we try to keep up on household chores.

Lower back is pretty sore & tired today. I think it's from all the cleaning I was doing yesterday for our fondue party.

We're at 30 weeks now. So, she's about 3 pounds and getting close to being 15 inches long. We won't have our next Dr. Appt until 31 weeks, actually on my birthday. The scheduling desk was like, "Oh, you don't want to come in here on your birthday do you?" And I was like, "Well, I can't think of a better thing to do on my birthday than get to listen to my baby girl."

It's almost 8am now and she's doing her gymnastics again.

Braxton-Hicks & Other Stuff

Ok - I've decided I really don't like "What to Expect When You Are Expecting". I went back to reading it again, as there are some good questions in there that are answered. But I gotta tell you, as a first-time mom I was completly freaked out & worried about how much it talks about death. The first trimester I was so scared of having a miscarriage from how often it was brought up in the book. No other book I have was it brought up so much. I gotta tell you, it scared the be-jeezes out of me. I put that book aside for several months and picked up some other ones, which I liked so much better.

My favorite so far is called From Here to Maternity by Connie Marschall. I thought the information was presented clearly and simply. I have some other good books too.

But I apparently didn't learn from the first trimester and went back to reading WTEWYAE, and it is still to morbid for me, even in the 3rd trimester. It may be a good book for some, as it did answer some really good questions, but I attribute having much more worry that I should have because of reading it.

Anyways - I have been reading about the Braxton-Hicks contractions recently and now that I know how they feel right now, I know that was was going on. I just thought the baby was just pushing against my abdomen for a while. But nope - it was BH contractions.

The baby has hiccups right now......she gets them a couple times a day.

All Prepared for Leakages

Ok - bring in on! I'm prepared for various leakages. I bought several different disposable nursing pads, plus have some cloth ones. Got some of the nipple cream Kristin mentioned I should get, as well as the stool softener she suggested. And bought a A Pea in a Pod sleep bra, which I have worn a couple of nights and seems very nice (I think I'll get another one of these, but I might try another brand to see which I like better), got 1 nursing tank (like this one, but in white - daddy seems to think this is how all tank tops should be made) with the quick release, and bought a bunch of maxi pads. I bought one regular nursing bra online, and I still need to see how that fits with some pads in it, then I'll decide if I want anmore of that kind/size, plus I need to see how big my breasts get when my milk comes in.

Anything else I need for myself to be prepared?

A Baby Book

You know -- I couldn't really find one to register for, but I have one now. My godmother bought us a whole bunch of gifts, which included an Anne Gedes baby book. So, now I don't have to hope I get one or end up rushing out later on to buy one. She also gave us a snowsuit, 2 cute Carter's outfits, a hooded towel & washcloth set, and this eating/drinking set (includes cooler, couple of bottles, a tippy cup, a snack/sandwich container, & a spoon and fork.)

Where has Dad been?

Hey, all -- I'm still here. I haven't made an update in what, 5 months? Ack. Too long, too long.

Mostly, I don't know what to say. It was pretty much my idea to start this blog, because I thought that I'd have all of these great thoughts to put down and needed a venue to do so. But in reality... I'm at a loss for words.

It's not that I'm not excited. I am! Really! How can I explain this? Let's try this:

Remember when you were in high school/college, and you were taking some really difficult class? Let's say Advanced Calculus. The teacher is on the board working through some very complicated problem. You've skipped class the last 3 days, and have no idea what he's doing. You're seeing symbols that you don't understand, and formulas that appeared to be made up. He works through the problem for 30 minutes, and everyone is writing down notes and nodding their heads. They all get it, but you don't.

Afterwards, the teacher stops you on your way out and asks if you have any questions. You don't, of course. Well you really DO, but you can't ask, "Uh, WHAT?"

That's my problem right now... I don't know enough to be scared. I don't know what questions to ask. I don't know how it's going to impact me as a person, nor do I understand the impact on my life. How will I change? How will my relationship with my wife change?

Here's what I do know:

- I can't wait to meet this girl! I feel like I already know her.
- Everyone tells me that having children is the most rewarding thing in the world. I already think they're right.
- I don't really care what happens to my existing lifestyle.


The rest doesn't really matter. I'll figure everything out. There's an awful lot of stupid people out there with babies, so I should be ok. Right?

Right.

Active Baby

Not a lot new to report on the baby front. She's been very active today. I don't think she has slept much today. She's been moving all over the place. She started her beatings on me around 3am. It's sure something when you wake up because the baby is moving around so much. And she's been at it all day. Maybe it's because I've been sitting alot more today listening to others rather than running around going to meetings.

A couple of weeks ago I started to figure out when she has hiccups. That's weird, feeling the hiccups that it. I would say on average that she gets hiccups about twice a day. I tried looking up information about why a fetus gets hiccups and I kept coming up with "cause is unknown", but that it doesn't harm the fetus in any way.

So, there are a couple of pictures on this blog with pictures of my pregnant belly and I've been hearing from people that they couldn't really tell. I look at the pictures I I just see this pregnant belly stick out and can't see how others are not seeing it too. The last week people have been telling me I don't look that pregnant (I'm 29 weeks now) and say it's because "You're tall and the baby has more room to spread out", "You wear a lot of dark colors so no one can really tell", or "You're not really pregnant are you." Other pregnant ladies can tell, but I think we spend so much time concentrating on our growing bellies that we notice the slightest increase. Although, personally, I think it's because I tend to dress in layers (usually a jacket or sweater jacket over my top) and that minimizes the look of your girth.

I should get another picture posted because now the baby is supposed to really start adding weight. She should be adding about a 1/2 pound a week and grow about a 1/2 inch a week. Babies grow length-wise more during the 2nd trimester and weight-wise during the 3rd trimester. So, if she's going to be gaining all this weight, then I should really start to get round.

Daycare Update

Well, I got the list from Rebecca and turns out I had most the names on there already. Only 3 other names I didn't have and one of them quit doing daycare, another doesn't have room, and another I left a message for.

So, looks like just the 4 choices I had already. We've done home interviews on 3 of the 4 and have ruled out one. Her references didn't check out the greatest and things seemed a little off with her anyways. The others are still in contention and I'm checking their references and licenses.

I saw the list of daycares in Owatonna and of the ones that are part of the food program, there has to be about 110-125 on that list. But there are many more people in Owatonna than our little town I figure there is a daycare for every 80 people in our town, and a daycare for every 125 people in Owatonna. So, we have more daycares per capita (like you cared to know all that info).

We still have one home interview to do yet (on the 4th one), so I think by the end of next week we will have a decision and can get our spot held.

The Pregnancy Cult

When you get pregnant, you sort of join a cult. Other pregnant women gravitate towards you, and you towards them. And then there are the people who have fond memories of being pregnant that gravitate towards you (we hate them in the first trimester when you feel like crap, because they don't remember how bad it was and keep saying "It will get better and be worth it.") Those people do nothing for you while you feel like you just want to crawl into a hole & die.

Then there are the people who have not-so-fond memories of being pregnant and feel responsible to tell you every last gory detail of the misery they went through. We grow to hate these people too. I mean - Come'on! We're either just trying to make it through the first trimester, or then we get into the happy phase in the second trimester and they are just making things worth. And if you are a first time mom, the last thing you need to hear about is all sorts of yucky things. Don't these realize first-time moms are anxious enough.

So, us pregnant ladies gravitate towards one another. We provide each other with support and can see each others bellies getting bigger (even if the rest of the world around us thinks we aren't showing). I know I see my belly as getting bigger, but when the NP's (non-pregnants - this includes guys as well) say you aren't, then you just feel like you must look fat. It makes you wonder, how fat did I really look before if they can't see that I am getting a pregnant belly.

It's nice when a multiple-pregnant mom joins your cult (you know, is already on her 2nd or 3rd kid), as she can give you those tips that no one else tells you about. The tips like buying stool softener before you go into labor or the right absorbancy of pads to buy or places to buy nursing clothes/bras, or how medications affected them in delivery.

But as a first-time mom, it's nice to have other first-timers as part of your cult. You are going through this together and can compare notes on what helped (or didn't) with your nausea, which pre-natal exercise videos are decent and which ones blow, when to register for baby classes, having to take that awful glucose drink (although the fruit punch wasn't bad - which came as a recommendation from a first-timer who is just weeks ahead of me), or finding your daycare, starting to get into maternity clothes, and worrisome first-time daddies.

I am not sure what happens to this cult after the baby is born. I suppose some of us may join the same mommy cult. As any single or child-less woman knows -- those cults are out there and you are almost squeezed out of lives because you don't possess membership. I wonder if daddies have these cults as well. I kinda think they do, because daddy has been seeking out support from other parents/pregnant ladies/guys with pregnant wives. Those people without kids sit there looking at you like you are crazy that you could have that much to say about your child. I know - I was there. And those parents just say - "you will know when it's your child or when you become a parent" - that's kind of the parent cult anthem. I am beginning to realize you just don't know - until it's your own. And then you seek out your exclusionary cults for support.

Where was the song?

Well, it was a good appointment. My uterus measure where it should be and the baby is developing at an appropriate rate. So, my due date still stays the same. It seems like eveyone else has been getting their due dates pushed up, mine is staying put.

I didn't get yelled at for gaining too much weight like last month, actually I didn't gain anything, but the doctor wasn't really concerned because the baby is growing at the appropriate rate and is taking what she needs from what I take in. I've actually been tracking my food intake for the last month to make sure I am getting all my food groups in. The month before I was eating everything put in front of me and way too many sweets. So, I needed to monitor my intake a little. I use the current food pyramid. Some people are still stuck using the old pyramid, which they learned years ago in their junior high food class. Actually, tomorrow at my Walking class I am lecturing on Food & Nutrition.

Today was my glucose level test to check for gestational diabetes. I took the fruit punch, as I was told that the orange is awful. So, I would guess it's about 8-10 oz of a sugary fluid that you need to drink within 5 minutes. I've heard bad things about the taste, so I was just going to slam it. I was a little disappointed that there wasn't a ring of people around me singing "Here's to sister Jessica.......she's happy.....she's jolly...." You know the song, and if you don't I am not typing all the words here in my baby blog. Anyways, the Dr. just called with the results and I passed with flying colors -- no 3-hour test for me. Yeah! I got a 96, and normal levels are 60-109. But having to fast and wait to eat breakfast until after the appt. @ 10am kinda sucked.

I also took the time to ask the Dr. lots of questions so that I can finish making the birth plan. I am using a form online where I click boxes and can also enter in information. It seems easy to do and pretty much has everything we need address and has space to add stuff in. Most of my questions had to do with medications & side effects and medical procedures & their purpose.

What to Expect (Warning: Long Post!)

So, I started reading more about birthing and raising an infant and had to start thinking about what I need to bring to the hospital with me. I've been so busy planning and buying stuff for the baby that I forgot about me. I have my maternity clothes, what more would I need?

Hmmmmm....Try pads.....bah! I have to wear pads?!?!?!? Damn it. I totally did not even think of that. That is just not going to be fun. I remember when I got my first period and wore pads -- YUCK! That lasted only the first month and the next month I got out that box of tampons and read the instructions and never looked back at using pads again. Until now..... I kept reading hoping it would say I could use tampons....but noooooooo.....you can't. Bah! Foiled again. Wanna know more about postpartum bleeding, or lochia, then check out the link. But I gotta say -- I am not looking forward to 3-4 (possibly up to 6 weeks) of bleeding. And we're not talking period type bleeding, you are expelling blood clots that can be the size of grapes. Ah hell no! How come no one ever talks about that? No one tells you to expect that. Kinda like the crapping on the
delivery table, people don't tell you that happens. Damn, I hope things don't get runny down there on the day of the delivery.

Ok -so I need pads. I ordered a bunch of Seventh Generation pads along with some SG diapers & baby wipes (we're going to do a combination of disposable & cloth).

But I also need some nursing tops and nursing bras. You are supposed to wait until the last month of your pregnancy to buy a nursing bra, as your breasts will still get bigger as your milk comes in. And apparently the bra size you wear can (& does) change quite a bit in a matter of weeks (making you a band size higher and a cup size or 2 higher) just before & after the birth. So, how the hell am I supposed to know what size I need for sure? I guess about 2-3 weeks after birth your breast size will decrease to the size it will remain at while you are breastfeeding. I think I'll buy some bra extenders and hope for the best, because I certainly do not want to be buying bras of many different sizes that I may only wear for a little bit. What I wanna know is why do most nursing bras NOT have underwire? This is new to me, so is it uncomfortable to have the wire there when you are nursing?

Another thing about nursing bras -- what with the nursing sleep bra (kinda looks like a sport bra in a way). Do I really need one of those? Do I need to wear a bra while I sleep? Are my boobs that heavy & filled with milk that I need stabalization while I sleep? They are actually cheaper than other nursing bras. Maybe I would like to wear those during the day too. They say to get 3 bras: one to wear, one in the wash, & one to have on hand. Maybe one of my 3 (intially) will be a sleep bra and I can see what I think. These aren't the custom (band & cup), so maybe it would work better as my boobs increase in size and then decrease. Who knows.

Ok - so that is the bra thing. But I still need to buy tops. That I suppose I can start getting now because they are the custom fit like a bra. There are so many styles out there, how do I know what will work best for me? And this isn't like the maternity tops where you wear them for 4-5 months. You wear these for however long you plan to nurse. I would like to nurse at least 6 months, but have been thinking about nursing for longer, maybe up to a year. Certainly not longer than that, as if they can walk up to it and ask for it, I just not comfortable with that, time for some whole cow milk at that time.

I got some washable breast pads already, but I registered for some others and will probably play it buy ear to see if need more. I think the pack of washables I bought was 5 sets (10pcs.). They are ones made from organic hemp. I don't know how well I will like them, maybe I should wear a set now for a day and see if they irritate me or not, then I will know that I for sure need a different brand. I have no clue how much my breasts will leak, so I don't know. Any ideas from anyone?

So, I think I will go buy some extras of the toiletries items so start a bag, so that they are already in there and ready to go and I will have minimal other things to remember to pack later on. I know I still have a lot of time being pregnant left, but if you're reading this blog and you know me -- you know I am a planner. I find it's easier on me (& everyone else) if I plan things in advance. Then I know I have things done the way I wanted and I don't have to get anxious about depending on someone else or that I need to inconvenience others.

So, besides the

Maybe planning for this stuff will take my mind off of buying clothes for the baby. I have bought quite a bit already, plus got some bags of stuff from MIL's friend (her daughter was born about a year before our girl is due, so it works out nicely). If people want to buy baby clothes, I would have more use for things that are 9 months & older. I might not get to all the clothes if they are younger than that.

Ok - that's long enough now.

Putting Together the Crib

Blogger is being dumb and didn't load them in the order I intended, so they they are a little out of sequence.

Mommy & Daddy put together the crib today, but mommy was taking the pictures, so daddy got to be the model. We needed some pictures of daddy on here anyways.

Here daddy pretends to be baby girl looking up at her PB animal alphabet (matches the valances) mobile. The crib came with a mobile that had teddy bears on it & a night light & vibrated (needs batteries), but we liked this one better for her crib here. I think we'll bring the teddy bear mobile to maternal grandparents' house and put on the brown crib there, it will match better with that.

We figured out how to lower the railing and it is a pretty swift deal. Daddy had it lowered here so that he could pretend to crawl inside.


Here's another picture of daddy with the finished product. This time the railing is up. I put a PB skirt that is white with 2-tone green ric-rac on the bottom. I have a matching bumper, but the bumper just doesn't work right at this height. Plus, a bunch of stuff I read says you shouldn't use a bumper in the first year anyways, to keep the baby from smothering themselves against it.

So, we'll save it until later.






Here daddy is putting together the trundle that goes underneath the crib. We filled it with sheets and blankets.

This was probably the biggest pain for him to put together. The directions were a little confusing, as some of the comments said, but it took us about 35 minutes to put the crib together, not as long as others on the comments section said it took them. It's a nice looking crib.





Here is a picture that should have been first . Daddy is putting together the crib here. It's a 4-in-1 crib that later can be made into a toddler bed, a day bed, and full-size headboard. There are some extra parts to help convert it later on.

Note the fat cat sitting there that was no help at all. He thought it would be fun to stay laying in the way while we built around him.

Nursery Pictures

This first picture is of the N side of the nursery. Pictured is the changing table, diaper pail, & closet door.














This is a picture of the NE corner of the nursery. The dresser was mine as a kid, with updated paint & knobs.











This is the SE Corner of the nursery, featuring the crib.














And finally, the SW corner of the nursery with the rocker, my boppy, and nightstand (which used to be in this bedroom and got a color update.)

Crib

The crib came in the mail today. My in-laws bought it for us. Hopefully we get it put together this weekend. The reviews I read of it said that the instructions were not easy to follow so it took a little bit of time to get together.

I have a bumper/skirt set & sheets & a mobile already. So once it is set up I will take a picture & post it.

Looking for a Daycare

It just seems strange to be looking for a daycare for our baby when she hasn't even entered the world. But if we want options we need to look in advance.

I talked to 5 daycares today and 4 of them have openings for infants (3 of those for August, 1 for right now but could still in August if they don't fill). I met with one daycare provider today while kids were there to observe and tonight we went back to interview her further and so the daddy can be part of the interview process. We have another interview set up for Friday. I left messages at a bunch of other places. My friend Rebecca is the Executive Director of the Parent Provider Connection, so we'll probably do their referral service. Costs $60 and is good for 6 months (I think that is how long) and they do a computer matching thing based on your requirements.

I made up lists of interview questions for phone interviews and in-person interviews from a bunch of lists of questions I found online. And of course I organized them all and put them in a little binder with tabs.

We liked the one we visited with tonight, but we have nothing to compare it too. So, after talking with and visiting a few other places, we'll have a better idea. Now I have some references to check on from that daycare provider, as well as checking her license with the state to make sure everything is on the up & up.

We mainly want to find a daycare in our town, as it will be most convenient for both of us (since I work S and he works N.) Of the 5 I talked with, only 1 was in a different town (where I work.) So, there are already 3 possibilities in our community.

Guess that's it for now.

27 Week Picture

Ok - here are a couple more pictures. People have been saying they like when I post pictures.

I am now in my 27th week. My stomach now sticks out further than my double D's. Scary huh!!!!?!?!? And it will only stick out further yet in the upcoming 13 weeks.

13 weeks left! Can you believe it?!?!? This now makes it that I am officially in my 3rd trimester. We're entering the homestretch here. So, above is a picture taken just a bit ago, in the nursery. So, you can see the color we painted it. You can kinda see the PB Alphabet Soup valances & sheers on the windows that we put up. The crib mattress is there. MIL said the crib should be here any day. And you can also see the bassinet we got, which will probably be in our room.

The other picture is of this cute little blue & white cheerleading outfit I pickedup at Nike the other day. It's a 12-month outfit (onesie & jumper) that she will grow into, but it was so cute that I couldn't resist. Actually, I have not done much resisting when it comes to buying clothes for her already.

Feeling Good.

I have been feeling pretty good the last few weeks. I am happy about that. My low-back has been a little out of whack -- but nothing painful, just annoying.

I finally feel like I am that happy, glowing pregnant lady.

I am showing to the point where people know I am pregnant and don't just think I have been eating too many krisy kremes. I don't have that white, grey look of nausea anymore. The maternity clothes actually fit decent now and I am not struggling to find some that fits.

I feel the baby kicking, hitting, bumping, hiccuping all the time now and it makes me smile. Smiling suits me.

The heartburn has subsided. I still have some energy, which is supposed to leave again soon, but I'll enjoy it while I have it. I've got pretty much everything I need for when the baby comes, just need a baby (in due time.)

It kinda sucks that I have to pee every hour or two, really sucks when I am trying to sleep. But just learned I need to get to bed even earlier so that I can make up for those interupptions, so it's only mildly irritating.

I'm feeling good.

An Athlete

They say the baby is most active between 24-28 weeks. And she is sure active. Her favorite time to kick the shit of me is when I am falling asleep. She wakes me up with her kicking too.

Actually - I kinda like the kicking. It tells me that I have a healthy, strong baby growing inside of me. Just as long as she doesn't kick me once she gets out.

My parents said I kicked a lot - like A LOT. So, maybe she's taking after mommy already. This will be one girl that won't be able to sit still if that is the case.

We'll have to get her involved in sports early on so that she can get out some of her energy.