I've gotten lazy with my blogging lately. Every time I sign in to write a post it ends up in my drafts and I never go back and finish.
So here's a synopsis of what's in my drafts:
I'm nesting....hardcore.
I didn't realize it until I had a small breakdown about the baby's room. Nothing was turning out how I wanted it and I'll admit, I freaked out. Steve gave me a hug and said, "it's ok babe- you're just nesting." Well I'll be damned, I guess I am.
When I woke up this weekend all I could think about was what we needed to get done before the baby comes. Never mind that we still have the whole month of September and some of October. I need it done now. (I am blaming all of my irrational behavior on the hormones raging in my body.)
The good news is, I haven't taken to cleaning the house from top to bottom with a toothbrush....yet.
Maternity pictures, yes or no?
After a lot of going back and forth, I'm getting some maternity pictures taken. At first I didn't think I wanted to- but now I'm thinking, this could be the only time I'm pregnant, why not get some pictures taken? The best part - I found a photographer I really like, who isn't very expensive, that will come out to my dad's farm (where I grew up) and take the pictures there. I can't wait!
Birth plans are....
Scary, necessary, a wake up call...I could go on but I think you get the point. So many questions.....and they make me nervous, but at least I feel prepared having a plan (what's that saying about best laid plans??)
When I first got pregnant I thought, hell yes I want drugs. A few months in I thought, I should probably find out what all the options are. And now, after reading, taking classes and talking to other moms my thoughts are this....I'm going to try my damnedest to go it all natural. I don't like the sound of the epidural (numbness and inability to move my legs doesn't sound appealing) and the narcotics make me nervous for the baby's sake. I don't want her coming out drugged and having a hard time latching. But, I've obviously never given birth before and I won't rule anything out until I get there.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
32 weeks!
Not much is changing besides the size of my belly (and the rest of my body). Every time I see a picture of myself lately I wonder when the stay puft marshmallow man took over my body.
All of my symptoms are the same and while they aren't the most fun, they are part of being pregnant and I'm grateful for them. Sleep is not the best, but again, I'm happy to have sleepless nights because that will become our "normal" once our little girl comes. It is getting very painful to turn over during the night, shooting pains in your pelvic region are not fun when you're half asleep.
Baby girl has been very active and it reassures me that she's doing ok in there. If I don't feel her for awhile I poke my stomach and wait for her to poke me back.
Instead of people asking me "how far along are you?" they now ask, "how long do you have left?" I'm not going to lie, saying 8 weeks is a little (ok, a lot) scary. I guess we're as prepared as we're going to be, right??
Baby weighs 3.75 pounds (the size of a large jicama- no clue what that is?) and is about 16.7 inches long. I'm supposed to be gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to baby. She'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.
Our appointment with the midwife today went really well. She said she is pretty sure the baby is head down (hopefully she won't do any flips before she's born). And she said it feels like the baby has a good amount of fluid surrounding her and her heart beat is steady and strong- both great things to hear! I'm secretly hoping that the midwife I saw today is the one that will be on call when we deliver- she was so nice.
Pictures:
All of my symptoms are the same and while they aren't the most fun, they are part of being pregnant and I'm grateful for them. Sleep is not the best, but again, I'm happy to have sleepless nights because that will become our "normal" once our little girl comes. It is getting very painful to turn over during the night, shooting pains in your pelvic region are not fun when you're half asleep.
Baby girl has been very active and it reassures me that she's doing ok in there. If I don't feel her for awhile I poke my stomach and wait for her to poke me back.
Instead of people asking me "how far along are you?" they now ask, "how long do you have left?" I'm not going to lie, saying 8 weeks is a little (ok, a lot) scary. I guess we're as prepared as we're going to be, right??
Baby weighs 3.75 pounds (the size of a large jicama- no clue what that is?) and is about 16.7 inches long. I'm supposed to be gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to baby. She'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.
Our appointment with the midwife today went really well. She said she is pretty sure the baby is head down (hopefully she won't do any flips before she's born). And she said it feels like the baby has a good amount of fluid surrounding her and her heart beat is steady and strong- both great things to hear! I'm secretly hoping that the midwife I saw today is the one that will be on call when we deliver- she was so nice.
Pictures:
Monday, August 22, 2011
Did I get hit by a truck?
I've written about my hip, groin, pelvic pain before- but this weekend it hit an all time high....and it's all my fault.
Saturday morning Steve and I took our dog for a walk. On the way, we passed a park and there was the tiniest, cutest puppy you've ever seen. So what do I do? I decide I want to pet this puppy, so I walk over and attempt to squat down....bad idea. Unbeknownst to me, my right foot was in a hole and as I went to squat my ankle rolled- this wouldn't be a problem for a lighter, less pregnant me, but as I tried to step back with my left foot, it hit the sidewalk that was higher than the ground and there was no catching myself. I fell hard, on my ass- ouch.
So much for the adjustment I just had at the chiropractor on Thursday. I knocked everything out of whack and spent the rest of the weekend walking around like a 90 year old lady.
Lesson learned: don't do any sort of squatting without support after 30 weeks of pregnancy.
Saturday morning Steve and I took our dog for a walk. On the way, we passed a park and there was the tiniest, cutest puppy you've ever seen. So what do I do? I decide I want to pet this puppy, so I walk over and attempt to squat down....bad idea. Unbeknownst to me, my right foot was in a hole and as I went to squat my ankle rolled- this wouldn't be a problem for a lighter, less pregnant me, but as I tried to step back with my left foot, it hit the sidewalk that was higher than the ground and there was no catching myself. I fell hard, on my ass- ouch.
So much for the adjustment I just had at the chiropractor on Thursday. I knocked everything out of whack and spent the rest of the weekend walking around like a 90 year old lady.
Lesson learned: don't do any sort of squatting without support after 30 weeks of pregnancy.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Gadgets Galore
ok blog friends I need some help! Video cameras and baby monitors are making my head spin, is there such a thing as too many choices?
I need some opinions on good quality, easy to use, video cameras (that won't break the bank). What brands/models do you love and which ones have you had trouble with?
And....we are trying to find a baby monitor and it is turning into quite the task. There are a ton of differenet options and of course we have no clue. None of the ratings I've read have been very good either.
So here are my questions....
Has anyone tried the movement monitors that are supposed to help prevent SIDS? Like the Angelcare brand? Do they work?
Video monitors? Are they worth the money? Most of the reviews I've read about them aren't good- bad picture quality and so on.
Plain old sound monitors? Are there any brands you love or hate?
Thanks for your help!
I need some opinions on good quality, easy to use, video cameras (that won't break the bank). What brands/models do you love and which ones have you had trouble with?
And....we are trying to find a baby monitor and it is turning into quite the task. There are a ton of differenet options and of course we have no clue. None of the ratings I've read have been very good either.
So here are my questions....
Has anyone tried the movement monitors that are supposed to help prevent SIDS? Like the Angelcare brand? Do they work?
Video monitors? Are they worth the money? Most of the reviews I've read about them aren't good- bad picture quality and so on.
Plain old sound monitors? Are there any brands you love or hate?
Thanks for your help!
Thursday, August 18, 2011
31 weeks
Steve and I have been super busy! Here's a quick run down of what we've been up to...
~ We finished baby girl's dresser and we love it!!!
~ We went to our first child birth class and it was pretty informative. Mostly discussion about contractions, when to call your Dr, the difference between fake labor and real labor, etc etc. The funniest part was when the instructor was talking about who should be in the room during delivery and she said- if they weren't in the room when you conceived, they probably shouldn't be in the room when you give birth. (Kelly- didn't this happen in your class too?) I laughed and told Steve we would have an audience!
And now on to the weekly update...
Size of Baby:
Baby measures over 16 inches long. She weighs about 3.3 pounds (four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. She can turn her head from side to side, and her arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath her skin. She's moving a lot, too, all this moving is a sign that baby is active and healthy.
Sleep: Interrupted. All night.
Movement: I think she's busy remodeling in there. She's really digging in on my left side and I don't know what she's hitting but it is painful. She has been a lot more active and I love her somersaults!
Symptoms: Swelling is back with a vengeance, heart burn, and my lower back has been pretty sore. But for the most part, I think this pregnancy has been pretty smooth and uneventful compared to some blogs I've read.
Best moment of the week: Making it another week, finishing her dresser and getting a ton done around the house!
What I am looking forward to: Right now I'm just looking forward to getting her room put together and continuing this pregnancy without any complications.
Weekly wisdom: From our child birth instructor- get everything ready for the baby by 36 weeks...you just never know when she will decide to make her appearance.
Pictures:
I had to compare the difference in my belly in 10 weeks- wow has it changed!
~ We finished baby girl's dresser and we love it!!!
~ We went to our first child birth class and it was pretty informative. Mostly discussion about contractions, when to call your Dr, the difference between fake labor and real labor, etc etc. The funniest part was when the instructor was talking about who should be in the room during delivery and she said- if they weren't in the room when you conceived, they probably shouldn't be in the room when you give birth. (Kelly- didn't this happen in your class too?) I laughed and told Steve we would have an audience!
And now on to the weekly update...
Size of Baby:
Baby measures over 16 inches long. She weighs about 3.3 pounds (four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. She can turn her head from side to side, and her arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath her skin. She's moving a lot, too, all this moving is a sign that baby is active and healthy.
Sleep: Interrupted. All night.
Movement: I think she's busy remodeling in there. She's really digging in on my left side and I don't know what she's hitting but it is painful. She has been a lot more active and I love her somersaults!
Symptoms: Swelling is back with a vengeance, heart burn, and my lower back has been pretty sore. But for the most part, I think this pregnancy has been pretty smooth and uneventful compared to some blogs I've read.
Best moment of the week: Making it another week, finishing her dresser and getting a ton done around the house!
What I am looking forward to: Right now I'm just looking forward to getting her room put together and continuing this pregnancy without any complications.
Weekly wisdom: From our child birth instructor- get everything ready for the baby by 36 weeks...you just never know when she will decide to make her appearance.
Pictures:
I had to compare the difference in my belly in 10 weeks- wow has it changed!
 |
| 21 weeks |
 |
| 31 weeks |
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
30 weeks!
Finally out of the 20's and into the home stretch! I've heard the last 10 weeks go by the slowest but I'm going to cherish every minute! I can't imagine not feeling her move inside me once she is born but I also can't wait to meet her and see her beautiful face! Last night I looked at the picture when she was only 8 cells, it's hard to believe that is where this all started.
Size of Baby: Baby is about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face.
Sleep: I had a couple of "okay" nights of sleep over the weekend. I've been waking up at 2:30am every day and can't get back to sleep...I predict this going to be a feeding time. It takes a lot of time and effort to roll over in bed- this is the one time I'm glad Steve is such a heavy sleeper or he would be up all night with my groaning and flopping, trying to roll over from one side to the other.
Movement: I love watching my stomach contort- it's my new favorite thing to do. There are times she really gets jumping in there! And yes Michele, it does feel a bit like having an octopus in my belly, there's nothing quite like it!
Symptoms: Thankfully it has cooled off a bit here in the Midwest so the swelling has been tolerable. Other than that, just the normal heart burn, sore hips, and trouble moving around. This morning Steve said- "I bet you can't wait to have your abs back." this is true. I didn't realize how often I use them in a day.
Best moment of the week: We had our 30 week appointment. After a lot of discussion, we have decided to use the midwives at the practice and my appointment was with one of them today. It's amazing how much more time they spend with you just talking and getting to know you, it made me feel like our baby was really cared for. It's also comforting to know that if there are any concerns or issues that come up there are doctors who can be consulted and who will be at the hospital if anything comes up during delivery. The baby is doing great and her heart rate was in the 140's. I go back every two weeks now (exciting!!) and starting at week 36 they will be doing a weekly NST to make sure everything is progressing like it should.
What I am looking forward to: Getting her dresser finished! I was so excited to post before and after pictures and then I realized we forgot to take a before picture....(pregnancy brain) so as soon as it's done I'll post a picture and you will have to imagine what it looked like pre-paint.
Weekly wisdom:
I enjoyed Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. Some chapters are a little (or very) strange, such as the chapter titled- The Basics of Sphincter Law (um weird), but she gives a lot of good information about natural childbirth. This book isn't for everyone but I found it helpful just to know what options are out there regarding labor.
Picture:
Size of Baby: Baby is about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face.
Sleep: I had a couple of "okay" nights of sleep over the weekend. I've been waking up at 2:30am every day and can't get back to sleep...I predict this going to be a feeding time. It takes a lot of time and effort to roll over in bed- this is the one time I'm glad Steve is such a heavy sleeper or he would be up all night with my groaning and flopping, trying to roll over from one side to the other.
Movement: I love watching my stomach contort- it's my new favorite thing to do. There are times she really gets jumping in there! And yes Michele, it does feel a bit like having an octopus in my belly, there's nothing quite like it!
Symptoms: Thankfully it has cooled off a bit here in the Midwest so the swelling has been tolerable. Other than that, just the normal heart burn, sore hips, and trouble moving around. This morning Steve said- "I bet you can't wait to have your abs back." this is true. I didn't realize how often I use them in a day.
Best moment of the week: We had our 30 week appointment. After a lot of discussion, we have decided to use the midwives at the practice and my appointment was with one of them today. It's amazing how much more time they spend with you just talking and getting to know you, it made me feel like our baby was really cared for. It's also comforting to know that if there are any concerns or issues that come up there are doctors who can be consulted and who will be at the hospital if anything comes up during delivery. The baby is doing great and her heart rate was in the 140's. I go back every two weeks now (exciting!!) and starting at week 36 they will be doing a weekly NST to make sure everything is progressing like it should.
What I am looking forward to: Getting her dresser finished! I was so excited to post before and after pictures and then I realized we forgot to take a before picture....(pregnancy brain) so as soon as it's done I'll post a picture and you will have to imagine what it looked like pre-paint.
Weekly wisdom:
I enjoyed Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. Some chapters are a little (or very) strange, such as the chapter titled- The Basics of Sphincter Law (um weird), but she gives a lot of good information about natural childbirth. This book isn't for everyone but I found it helpful just to know what options are out there regarding labor.
Picture:
Monday, August 8, 2011
The dialogue in my head...
Blogging about pregnancy is very different than blogging about IF and IVF (obviously, right?). Now that we are pregnant, there are still a lot of unknowns and waiting. Before pregnancy, I waited to hear how my follicles were doing and how many eggs were retrieved and now I wait for the baby to move and for Thursdays to roll around so that I know another week has gone by successfully. Do we ever stop counting the days and weeks?
I'm anxious for her to get here but I'm also scared of a lot of things. The first being that I will make it to 40 weeks without any problems. I think I wake up at least two or three times a night and wait to feel her move. I'm scared of labor and all the things that can possibly come up during labor. I'm scared I won't know what to do once we have her home with us. Will I know what she needs? Will I be able to breast feed? And the dialogue in my head goes on and on.
We are trying to learn as much as we can before she gets here, but I know there is nothing that can prepare you for a tiny person who depends solely on you to survive. Our first baby class this weekend opened my eyes wide to this fact. It was called baby basics and was mainly about what you need to know after birth. How often they need to eat, how to give baths, how to swaddle, change a diaper, etc, etc. The teacher had a lot of her own stories about her colicky little boy and getting mastitis from breast feeding and I was thinking to myself, do I know enough about all of this?? It seems like I could screw this up pretty easily...
After class Steve and I thought we should head to the store to grab a few things for the baby that we didn't get at our showers. I think every trip to BRU brings on panic. And my mind starts working over time again, so many options....do I really need all of this?...what is the difference between this brand and that brand?....how many of each thing do I need? Thank God for Steve in these situations is all I can say.
Next weekend starts the birthing class series....I'm ready to befreaked out enlightened.
I'm anxious for her to get here but I'm also scared of a lot of things. The first being that I will make it to 40 weeks without any problems. I think I wake up at least two or three times a night and wait to feel her move. I'm scared of labor and all the things that can possibly come up during labor. I'm scared I won't know what to do once we have her home with us. Will I know what she needs? Will I be able to breast feed? And the dialogue in my head goes on and on.
We are trying to learn as much as we can before she gets here, but I know there is nothing that can prepare you for a tiny person who depends solely on you to survive. Our first baby class this weekend opened my eyes wide to this fact. It was called baby basics and was mainly about what you need to know after birth. How often they need to eat, how to give baths, how to swaddle, change a diaper, etc, etc. The teacher had a lot of her own stories about her colicky little boy and getting mastitis from breast feeding and I was thinking to myself, do I know enough about all of this?? It seems like I could screw this up pretty easily...
After class Steve and I thought we should head to the store to grab a few things for the baby that we didn't get at our showers. I think every trip to BRU brings on panic. And my mind starts working over time again, so many options....do I really need all of this?...what is the difference between this brand and that brand?....how many of each thing do I need? Thank God for Steve in these situations is all I can say.
Next weekend starts the birthing class series....I'm ready to be
Thursday, August 4, 2011
29 weeks
11 weeks left- give or take!
Size of baby: Baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. Her muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and her head is growing bigger to make room for her developing brain. This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in baby's hardening skeleton each day.
Sleep: I've given up on sleep...
Movement: She's busy in there, that's for sure! Sometimes when I wake up in the morning she's all curled up on one side making my belly lopsided. Steve thinks it means she'll be a cuddler :) When she kicks it makes my whole stomach jump and I've started feeling her roll around more.
Symptoms: Unfortunately the swelling is back and I feel all around huge....but no one ever said pregnancy was easy right?
Best moment of the week: Our baby shower! It was so much fun and I loved seeing everyone. We also chose her Godparents, I'll write more about that another day.
What I am looking forward to: Starting our baby classes this weekend and more baby room projects! Steve's parents gave us his great grandfather's dresser and we are planning to paint it white and use it in the baby's room- I can't wait to see how it turns out. If anyone has any advice for painting furniture- let me know!!
Weekly wisdom:
“Enjoy the little things in life. For someday you will realize they were the big things."
Size of baby: Baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. Her muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and her head is growing bigger to make room for her developing brain. This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in baby's hardening skeleton each day.
Sleep: I've given up on sleep...
Movement: She's busy in there, that's for sure! Sometimes when I wake up in the morning she's all curled up on one side making my belly lopsided. Steve thinks it means she'll be a cuddler :) When she kicks it makes my whole stomach jump and I've started feeling her roll around more.
Symptoms: Unfortunately the swelling is back and I feel all around huge....but no one ever said pregnancy was easy right?
Best moment of the week: Our baby shower! It was so much fun and I loved seeing everyone. We also chose her Godparents, I'll write more about that another day.
What I am looking forward to: Starting our baby classes this weekend and more baby room projects! Steve's parents gave us his great grandfather's dresser and we are planning to paint it white and use it in the baby's room- I can't wait to see how it turns out. If anyone has any advice for painting furniture- let me know!!
Weekly wisdom:
“Enjoy the little things in life. For someday you will realize they were the big things."
--Robert Brault
Pictures:
Pictures:
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
I am a lucky girl
And this weekend was a reminder of just how lucky I am.
Here's a little run down of events...
Steve's parents came into town on Saturday morning and we all went to take a tour of the birth center. We were very happy to have them with us since my MIL has a great deal of expertise in the hospital arena. It was great to see where everything is and what the rooms look like before the big day.
Sunday my sister Niki threw us a baby shower- it was amazing, I can't thank her enough!! The food, the games, the people- I'm blessed!! It was wonderful to see everyone and we are so appreciative of everything we got (baby girl's room is full of bags and boxes right now!) Thank you so much to everyone who took the time out of their busy schedules to be there (especially those who came from so far away!!). And thank you to my dear friend Tricia who opened her home to everyone. Love you all!
There were so many pictures, here are just a few
While I was out having fun at my shower, Steve and his dad were busy working on the house. We now have a much more functional laundry room in our basement with cabinets and counter tops for all that baby laundry we're going to be doing- it looks so great!
This Sunday we start our series of baby classes. With Steve busy getting his MBA, our schedules have been stretched thin and trying to find a day and time that we could go to classes was looking iffy. Luckily, we finally found classes that are offered on Sundays through September. We will be taking baby basics, childbirth and breastfeeding. I can't believe we only have 11weeks left!!
Here's a little run down of events...
Steve's parents came into town on Saturday morning and we all went to take a tour of the birth center. We were very happy to have them with us since my MIL has a great deal of expertise in the hospital arena. It was great to see where everything is and what the rooms look like before the big day.
Sunday my sister Niki threw us a baby shower- it was amazing, I can't thank her enough!! The food, the games, the people- I'm blessed!! It was wonderful to see everyone and we are so appreciative of everything we got (baby girl's room is full of bags and boxes right now!) Thank you so much to everyone who took the time out of their busy schedules to be there (especially those who came from so far away!!). And thank you to my dear friend Tricia who opened her home to everyone. Love you all!
There were so many pictures, here are just a few
 |
| My wonderful family & friends |
 |
| Aunt Jody & my sister Niki |
 |
| My fantastic mother in law |
 |
| My best friend Courtney- came all the way from Denmark! |
While I was out having fun at my shower, Steve and his dad were busy working on the house. We now have a much more functional laundry room in our basement with cabinets and counter tops for all that baby laundry we're going to be doing- it looks so great!
This Sunday we start our series of baby classes. With Steve busy getting his MBA, our schedules have been stretched thin and trying to find a day and time that we could go to classes was looking iffy. Luckily, we finally found classes that are offered on Sundays through September. We will be taking baby basics, childbirth and breastfeeding. I can't believe we only have 11weeks left!!
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