Tuesday, May 31, 2011

31 weeks

 
How far along? 31 weeks

Due Date: August 2, 2011

Total weight gain/loss: 15 pounds

Maternity clothes? Pretty much everything at this point and I may never return to regular pants since maternity pants are so comfortable!

Stretch Marks? Nada

Sleep: Pretty decent, but still nothing like my pre-pregnancy sleep.  We finally took the box springs out of our bed and put plywood under our mattress last night, which made a huge difference for me in the middle of the night.  No more hoisting myself up into bed after my many potty trips!  :)

Best moment this week: We ordered blinds today.  I'm pretty excited about that.  Does that count?  That's about as exciting as my life got this week. 
Movement: Still lots of course!  Today it felt like she was playing a pin-ball machine in there.  I believe she flipped over the course of the holiday weekend.  She was transverse most of the weekend, which was NOT comfortable at all.  When I woke up this morning, I felt like she was straight up and down and today I've felt and seen all kinds of small parts moving in my upper right corner of my belly.  I'm hoping my doctor agrees with my assessment tomorrow at my appointment.  :)

Food cravings: McDonald's, guacamole, Ramen noodles...you know, all the healthiest things in life.

Food aversions: Chicken and eggs
  
Gender: Girl (if not, this little boy is gonna have one brightly colored room and a lot of dresses to wear)

Labor Signs:  Nothing new to report in this area this week.  I'm still contracting several times a day, some days more than others, but nothing that I've felt I needed to call my doctor about.  Some are more uncomfortable and some are just tight.  I have an appointment with Dr. Gaudreau tomorrow afternoon and she will check my cervix again and do another fetal fibronectin, so hopefully that will be reassuring.
 
Belly Button in or out? Still in

What I miss: Not having to roll in and out of bed.

What I am looking forward to: My first baby shower this coming weekend!!
  
Milestones: This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. She weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying 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 probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

Friday, May 27, 2011

30 weeks

 
How far along? 30 weeks (and 3 days)

Due Date: August 2, 2011

Total weight gain/loss: 14 pounds

Maternity clothes? Pretty much everything at this point and I may never return to regular pants since maternity pants are so comfortable!

Stretch Marks? Nothing yet (KMFX it stays this way)

Sleep: A little better lately.  I seem to be getting 2-4 hours stretches of sleep, which I'm loving!

Best moment this week: My mom and my friend, Angie, came and helped paint the baby's room, which is now completely done!  


 

Movement: Still my hiccupping ninja.  I wish she'd use all those movements and get her head down where it's supposed to go!

Food cravings: McDonald's, guacamole, Ramen noodles...you know, all the healthiest things in life.

Food aversions: Chicken and eggs
  
Gender: Girl (if not, this little boy is gonna have one brightly colored room and a lot of dresses to wear)

Labor Signs:  Well, I did have a little excitement in this department in the last week.  Last Thursday (at 29 weeks 2 days) I had worked all day and had way more contractions than I normally do.  By the end of the day, they were getting more intense.  I wouldn't call them "painful", just "uncomfortable."  By this I mean, the worse they got, the more every one made me feel like I had to poop AND pee my pants at the same time and made me wince and want to try to hold my belly up to relieve some pressure.  I put myself on the monitor after work (one of the perks of working in labor and delivery) hoping to just reassure myself that baby girl looked fine and that my contractions were nothing to worry about and I would go home.  It was then that I realized I was contracting every 2-3 minutes and they were feeling worse and worse, not better as I rested.  I called one of the doctors in my group (who happened to be doc in the box that night in the hospital...how convenient) and of course he wanted me to go to triage so he could check me and send a fetal fibronectin.  I protested and did not want to be a patient.  (Nurses are so great at being on the other side of the bed.)  But he convinced me that it was the right thing to do.  I had already taken some Procardia and my contractions were not spacing out, so I agreed to be checked.  I waddled over to triage and was happy to find out my cervix was still long and closed and very posterior (all good signs).  He did a fetal fibronectin and after waiting for awhile, it came back negative (also a good sign that I would not go into labor in the next 2 weeks).  However, I was still contracting every 2-3 minutes and they were getting more uncomfortable, not less, despite laying down on my side and drinking a crap-ton of water and emptying my bladder.  I wanted to go home at this point since everything looked reassuring, but Dr. Cleary wanted me to get some terbutaline.  I protested again.  I didn't want it and I didn't think I needed it, but he was not going to let me go home contracting so frequently and threatened me with staying overnight in the hospital and getting Magnesium, so I gave in.  About 5 minutes after getting the shot of terb, my contractions completely stopped.  It was the most relaxed my uterus has felt in months!  Although it's not without it's side effects for me.....I felt crazy jittery and shaky and my heart rate increased considerably.  Finally he let me go home, but took me off work for the rest of the weekend and told me to take Procardia every 8 hours at home and to follow up on Monday with Dr. Gaudreau in the office.  It was incredibly hard to "take it easy" at home for the next few days and I really didn't want to be off work.  Although it sounds like a dream not to have to work, that only holds true if you can actually be productive and do fun things in your time off.  Also, I didn't want to be using my paid time off at home by myself....I want to use it for my maternity leave once my baby girl is here.  Thankfully when I saw Dr. Gaudreau on Monday, I was still long and closed and posterior and she agreed to let me return to work full time, but still continue taking Procardia 3 times a day.  Here I am, over a week after my initial "episode" and I'm still pregnant and growing our little girl!  Yay!
 
Belly Button in or out? Still in

What I miss: Being able to paint my own toenails.  I got my first pedicure of the pregnancy today.....it was fabulous!

What I am looking forward to: Getting the baby's room all set up!
  
Milestones: Your baby's 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. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

29 weeks


How far along? 29 weeks

Due Date: August 2, 2011

Total weight gain/loss: 13 pounds

Maternity clothes? Pretty much everything at this point.

Stretch Marks? Nothing yet (KMFX it stays this way)

Sleep: Eh....so so.  Getting up a million times a night to pee again.  Oh joy!  And our bed is so incredibly high that I grunt and groan trying to hike myself back up into bed again after I'm done.  I've been begging Matt to get some plywood before he leaves for Vegas to replace our box springs for awhile to make the bed lower.  Hasn't happened yet.....

Best moment this week: I completed painting the baby's closet.  (This was WAY more of a task than I thought it was gonna be!)  I did it solo and it made me so glad I have my friend, Angie, coming to help me paint her actual room next week. 
Movement: Still my hiccupping ninja.

Food cravings: Guacamole, ice cream, Ramen noodles

Food aversions: Chicken and eggs
  
Gender: Girl (if not, this little boy is gonna have one brightly colored room and a lot of dresses to wear)

Labor Signs:  Nothing more than Braxton Hicks.
Belly Button in or out? Still in

What I miss: Not waddling when I walk.  People are noticing.  It's not a good feeling.

What I am looking forward to: Shopping with my sister tomorrow in Indy!!!!
  
Milestones: Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. To meet his increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

HELLO, 3rd Trimester!

How far along? 28 weeks

Due Date: August 2, 2011

Total weight gain/loss: 11 pounds....thank goodness I'm back down again!  Whew!

Maternity clothes? Pretty much everything at this point.

Stretch Marks? Nada...keep working for me, Bio Oil!  And I'm trying out the Burt's Bees Mama Bee Belly Balm too.

Sleep: Not too terrible, but still waking up every 1-2 hours to change positions/pee/etc.

Best moment this week: I've been sick with a bad GI bug for the last 5 days, so today is truly the best day of my whole week!  I'm finally feeling better AND I'm starting my 3rd trimester!
Movement: She's my little ninja with the hiccups.  :)

Food cravings: Seafood and ice cream.

Food aversions: Still chicken.
  
Gender: Girl (at least I hope she still is or I'm gonna have to start returning some things) 

Labor Signs: I'm still having random contractions, but nothing concerning.  I had about an hour and a half worth of stronger contractions that were every 2-5 minutes last week when my GI bug first started, and it was the first time I was really worried that I was going to have to go to the hospital.  :(  I took a Procardia and they finally went away.  I think my uterus was just a little cranky with all the "stuff" that was going on in my GI system.  But since, all has been well.

Belly Button in or out? Innie, although it's getting a lot more shallow and I'm wondering if it will eventually get flat.  The top of it is getting stretched a lot though and it itches all the time!

What I miss: Feeling normal and like myself.  I want this feeling back. 

What I am looking forward to: Hearing the results of my gestational diabetes test today!  (I have a good feeling I passed since I didn't feel bad AT ALL during it or even after all day.)
  
Milestones: By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

Friday, May 6, 2011

27 weeks

How far along? 27 weeks (and 3 days)...I'm a little behind this week

Due Date: August 2, 2011

Total weight gain/loss: 15 pounds...YIKES!  I blame this all on going to my hometown last weekend and eating a crap-ton of delicious, but not good for me food.

Maternity clothes? Pretty much everything at this point.

Stretch Marks? Nada...keep working for me, Bio Oil!  And I'm trying out the Burt's Bees Mama Bee Belly Balm too.

Sleep: Same as last week.

Best moment this week: I went shopping with my bestie, Angie yesterday and we also went to my OB appointment too.  It was fun to share that with her.  I've had some sort of virus the last few days, so there hasn't been much to be excited about this week.  I've been feeling really terrible.
Movement: Still moving a ton!  She gets the hiccups a lot!!!  Every day....sometimes multiple times a day.  Dr. Myers thought she was breech yesterday, but I'm not sure I believe it, to be honest.

Food cravings: Seafood!

Food aversions: Still chicken.
  
Gender: Girl (at least I hope she still is or I'm gonna have to start returning some things) 

Labor Signs: I'm still having random contractions, but definitely less this week than I have been having.  That makes me happy.  :)

Belly Button in or out? Innie, although it's getting a lot more shallow and I'm wondering if it will eventually get flat.  The top of it is getting stretched a lot though and it itches all the time!

What I miss: Feeling normal and like myself.  I want this feeling back.

What I am looking forward to: Getting my gestational diabetes test over with.  I was supposed to do it yesterday morning, but due to my illness, I wasn't able to.  Hopefully it will get done on Monday morning.
  
Milestones: This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.