This week I'm definitely feeling a lot more kicking/movement. It's getting more and more difficult to wake up as early as I usually do. At work, the women in the office have decided that I am no longer capable of doing manual labor, which is very nice. I'm starting to accept that I can't do everything I used to. It's becoming more uncomfortable. I've also noticed that I'm retaining a lot more water recently. Crossing my legs at the ankles produces an interesting indentation that doesn't go away for quite a while. I suppose I should drink more water, that's supposed to help with swelling.
We're getting closer to being prepared for the grand entrance every week. This week we had a fun lunch at Sonoma Chicken Coop with family and close friends, which was really nice. We got a very nice Babies R Us gift card from my mom and bro, which we used to get a super comfortable glider-rocker for breast feeding. Igor and Vladi did a great job putting it together in our room, which now feels a lot more complete and ready to receive the little dude. Thanks Vladi and Heather for all your help!
We also finished the prepared childbirth class this Saturday. It was really great to learn what to expect during labor and birth, and the lady who was our teacher was super helpful and fun. I started packing bags for the hospital this week, as that was our homework for the class. I researched a lot of different websites and made a spreadsheet with all the stuff I wanted to include. I've got a good start, but there are a few things I still need to find... like a handheld fan and a small back massager. It's a work in progress. :)
Our kid this week:
The little dude is about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies. Getting closer!
Funny comic from this week: a pregnant lady with the caption "I can't sleep, breathe or walk. How am I supposed to find the energy to glow?" Amen!
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Week 33
Caution - this paragraph may contain TMI for some readers, but this is unfortunately pregnancy reality. So skip over if the mere sight of the word hemorrhoid makes you uneasy. Apparently not only sitting for too long can cause them to appear, standing for too long can also do the trick! I guess I stood a little too long during the shower, and for this entire week, I've had issues sitting, getting up from sitting, and anything having to do with moving the lower half of my body - not to mention going #2. The bleeding is disgusting. And confusing if you've been learning about signs of pre-term labor. Bleeding down there is not a good sign while pregnant, especially if you're not sure where it's coming from. Anyway, no worries, no pre-term labor for me.
Not only did this pain in the butt situation hit me this week (yes, the whole week), I woke up one morning at 5am to the feeling of extreme pain where my leg bone meets the hip. My first thought - "Is this a contraction or a pinched sciatic nerve?". Igor made fun of me for that very logical thought. Apparently the more acceptable thought is "OMG, THAT HURTS REALLY BAD." It didn't last too long, just long enough to be very annoying.
We went to a (very crowded) movie this weekend, where I learned that I can no longer sit in one spot for an extended period of time. :-(
I did learn this week at the OB appointment that this little guy is now situated upside down, and will probably not flipping back from this point on. Well, we're progressing. :)
Our little guy this week:
He weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark.
And because I've been so negative in this post, here's a little funny for those of you who made it to the end. :)
Pregnancy survival skill: How to get out of a soft chair
Put your feet flat on the floor and bend from the hips. Push on the armrests with your hands! Use your stomach muscles. If upward motion is still elusive, pick up your magazine and yell for more peanut butter chocolate ice cream. (Standing up is totally overrated anyway.)
Not only did this pain in the butt situation hit me this week (yes, the whole week), I woke up one morning at 5am to the feeling of extreme pain where my leg bone meets the hip. My first thought - "Is this a contraction or a pinched sciatic nerve?". Igor made fun of me for that very logical thought. Apparently the more acceptable thought is "OMG, THAT HURTS REALLY BAD." It didn't last too long, just long enough to be very annoying.
We went to a (very crowded) movie this weekend, where I learned that I can no longer sit in one spot for an extended period of time. :-(
I did learn this week at the OB appointment that this little guy is now situated upside down, and will probably not flipping back from this point on. Well, we're progressing. :)
Our little guy this week:
He weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark.
And because I've been so negative in this post, here's a little funny for those of you who made it to the end. :)
Pregnancy survival skill: How to get out of a soft chair
Put your feet flat on the floor and bend from the hips. Push on the armrests with your hands! Use your stomach muscles. If upward motion is still elusive, pick up your magazine and yell for more peanut butter chocolate ice cream. (Standing up is totally overrated anyway.)
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Week 32 - Baby Shower!
I've been having a lot of back pain this week. What's new? Anyway, I had another interesting baby dream. The baby was born.. not sure how, but Igor and I were waiting at home to see the little guy. My deceased Uncle Jim was on his way to bring him to us. Not sure how he got out of me, but it was interesting.
This week at work we were all dealt a blow (on Tax day), when we found out that they were announcing layoffs, and a (very special) person from our office would be laid off. That was a crappy day for sure. It could've just as easily been me that would be laid off, since I haven't been around much longer, but I feel really terrible for my coworker. Well, a lot can happen between now and July. There is still a chance she may not be laid off after all. Cindy is definitely raising some hell about the situation. Go Cindy!
We had another Transfer Orientation on Friday. I'm still doing ok with walking/standing around, but I wasn't able to stay around the whole day. After check in, I went back to the office. Because Cindy was out this week, they painted her office Friday. The fumes were unbearable! Everyone was complaining. I tried keeping my door closed, but I started feeling pretty bad, and the little guy was squirming around more than usual. It felt instinctual to leave. I just felt like I was somehow hurting the baby by staying there, and by the time I left I was crying. While I hate crying, especially at work, I felt pretty good about displaying some maternal instincts to protect the little one. It wasn't just me, apparently the closed the office at noon because the fumes were so bad.
Saturday we had our second childbirthing class, and today we had a co-ed baby shower! It turned out really well. A lot of people showed up, we had a lot of food (including a cake to die for, thank you Heather!), and Jade did a great job with the decor and games! We got a lot of great gifts as well. :) We had a lot of fun! Thanks to all that showed up and put it together!
Our kid this week:
By now, the little dude weighs 3.75 pounds and is about 16.7 inches long, about the length of a hot pair of above-the-knee boots, of which one day I hope to own a pair. ;)
This week at work we were all dealt a blow (on Tax day), when we found out that they were announcing layoffs, and a (very special) person from our office would be laid off. That was a crappy day for sure. It could've just as easily been me that would be laid off, since I haven't been around much longer, but I feel really terrible for my coworker. Well, a lot can happen between now and July. There is still a chance she may not be laid off after all. Cindy is definitely raising some hell about the situation. Go Cindy!
We had another Transfer Orientation on Friday. I'm still doing ok with walking/standing around, but I wasn't able to stay around the whole day. After check in, I went back to the office. Because Cindy was out this week, they painted her office Friday. The fumes were unbearable! Everyone was complaining. I tried keeping my door closed, but I started feeling pretty bad, and the little guy was squirming around more than usual. It felt instinctual to leave. I just felt like I was somehow hurting the baby by staying there, and by the time I left I was crying. While I hate crying, especially at work, I felt pretty good about displaying some maternal instincts to protect the little one. It wasn't just me, apparently the closed the office at noon because the fumes were so bad.
Saturday we had our second childbirthing class, and today we had a co-ed baby shower! It turned out really well. A lot of people showed up, we had a lot of food (including a cake to die for, thank you Heather!), and Jade did a great job with the decor and games! We got a lot of great gifts as well. :) We had a lot of fun! Thanks to all that showed up and put it together!
Our kid this week:
By now, the little dude weighs 3.75 pounds and is about 16.7 inches long, about the length of a hot pair of above-the-knee boots, of which one day I hope to own a pair. ;)
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Week 31 - Classes start!
I know I said I was finished with taking classes, but there's something different about sitting through hours of lecture/lab when it's about the little squirmy kid inside you. Our childbirth classes started this week on Saturday, much to Igor's dismay (hey, I could've chosen the ones that started at 9:30am rather than 12:30pm!). :-P It's nice being around other women who are due around the same time I am - one couple is even due the same day! We got some handouts, talked about what to expect during labor, how to relieve some pregnancy pains, and learned (and practiced) some breathing techniques and positions to get through those nasty contractions. Lovely.
I hear dreams can get more vivid nearer to the end of pregnancy. While I don't remember any kid dreams, I did have one about being in a haunted house. I remember turning around in this hallway, and for some reason, I felt like I should scream, so I tried. I remember thinking in the dream, why is it that I can't scream too loud? Well, I was apparently screaming through my nose, lying next to Igor in bed. Kinda freaked him out, which I can't blame him for. I don't remember ever doing anything related to my dreams in real life before, so that was kind of weird. I blame the pregnancy. A great excuse for everything! ;)
This week, I start going in for OB appointments every two weeks. I asked why the increase, and apparently they just want to check out the baby more often, as he's growing A LOT from here on out. Otherwise, I guess I shouldn't expect anything too different. They're only about 15 mins, so not terrible. I get to hear the heartbeat, and they measure my belly. Strangely enough, usually the measurement (in cm) is the same number of weeks we've conquered (that's right, survival of pregnancy is an active process and I am conquering. :-P). So this week, the little guy measured 31cm, and I'm at 31 weeks.
Our baby this week:
He measures over 16 inches long and weighs about 3.3 pounds, about the same length as a... miniskirt? He's going to keep gaining about half a pound a week until shortly before he becomes external (I like that better than saying gets shoved through the birth canal). It's about time he started gaining like mommy. ;)
I hear dreams can get more vivid nearer to the end of pregnancy. While I don't remember any kid dreams, I did have one about being in a haunted house. I remember turning around in this hallway, and for some reason, I felt like I should scream, so I tried. I remember thinking in the dream, why is it that I can't scream too loud? Well, I was apparently screaming through my nose, lying next to Igor in bed. Kinda freaked him out, which I can't blame him for. I don't remember ever doing anything related to my dreams in real life before, so that was kind of weird. I blame the pregnancy. A great excuse for everything! ;)
This week, I start going in for OB appointments every two weeks. I asked why the increase, and apparently they just want to check out the baby more often, as he's growing A LOT from here on out. Otherwise, I guess I shouldn't expect anything too different. They're only about 15 mins, so not terrible. I get to hear the heartbeat, and they measure my belly. Strangely enough, usually the measurement (in cm) is the same number of weeks we've conquered (that's right, survival of pregnancy is an active process and I am conquering. :-P). So this week, the little guy measured 31cm, and I'm at 31 weeks.
Our baby this week:
He measures over 16 inches long and weighs about 3.3 pounds, about the same length as a... miniskirt? He's going to keep gaining about half a pound a week until shortly before he becomes external (I like that better than saying gets shoved through the birth canal). It's about time he started gaining like mommy. ;)
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Week 30 - The beginning of the end
30 weeks down, 10 to go. I've heard that the third trimester gets unpleasant again, and I suppose that's correct. OK, this is going to be a list of the badness, so if you're not in the mood, skip over:
-Noticeable nose clicking in enclosed, quiet places (like my office when meeting with students)
-Hips spreading->sore bones when walking
-Lower back pain when walking
-Inability to walk in a fast manner, or for any lengthy period of time (greater than 15 mins)
-TIRED. First time napping regularly since preschool.
-Trouble sleeping in bed on either side due to hip pain. Pretty sure this is in preparation of the several times a night I will need to feed this little dude.
-Very frequent bathroom trips... hasn't been as much of an issue up til this week.
-Little dude has started daily hiccupping - usually accompanied by lots of squirming.
-New favorite place to hang out - using the bladder as a pillow, and complaining when it is emptied.
BLAH!
Yes, it feels like all of this has started THIS WEEK. I've told the pregnant ladies at work to make sure to skip from week 29 directly to week 40. Tomorrow I have another OB appointment, and this marks the start of the biweekly appointments. Next Saturday starts the birthing classes.
Baby in week 30:
Little dude weighs about 3 pounds and is approximately 15.5 inches long, about the size of a Chihuahua. Only cuter :-P When he's awake, his eyes are now wide open and he's whittling away the hours looking around.
What we should be doing this week according to Parent's Connect:
Now's the time to research your different child-care options: day-care centers, home providers or nannies. Because all major decisions in life are better made over food, why not share a mega hot-fudge sundae with your partner to discuss? Extra whipped cream will probably help you make a more informed decision.
To quote a hilarious furry robotic toy from the past - Yummmm...
-Noticeable nose clicking in enclosed, quiet places (like my office when meeting with students)
-Hips spreading->sore bones when walking
-Lower back pain when walking
-Inability to walk in a fast manner, or for any lengthy period of time (greater than 15 mins)
-TIRED. First time napping regularly since preschool.
-Trouble sleeping in bed on either side due to hip pain. Pretty sure this is in preparation of the several times a night I will need to feed this little dude.
-Very frequent bathroom trips... hasn't been as much of an issue up til this week.
-Little dude has started daily hiccupping - usually accompanied by lots of squirming.
-New favorite place to hang out - using the bladder as a pillow, and complaining when it is emptied.
BLAH!
Yes, it feels like all of this has started THIS WEEK. I've told the pregnant ladies at work to make sure to skip from week 29 directly to week 40. Tomorrow I have another OB appointment, and this marks the start of the biweekly appointments. Next Saturday starts the birthing classes.
Baby in week 30:
Little dude weighs about 3 pounds and is approximately 15.5 inches long, about the size of a Chihuahua. Only cuter :-P When he's awake, his eyes are now wide open and he's whittling away the hours looking around.
What we should be doing this week according to Parent's Connect:
Now's the time to research your different child-care options: day-care centers, home providers or nannies. Because all major decisions in life are better made over food, why not share a mega hot-fudge sundae with your partner to discuss? Extra whipped cream will probably help you make a more informed decision.
To quote a hilarious furry robotic toy from the past - Yummmm...
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