Mom is nearly here - she's due to land in 45 minutes, and Hubby is waiting for her at the airport. I'm just hanging out, trying to rest, and waiting. So far, the Braxton-Hicks have been happening every day, but nothing approaching regular. Hopefully they'll wait at least another day, so I can have just a little time with Mom before the chaos sets in.
I don't want Bean to wait too long, though, because it would seem that:
THIS BABY IS BIG.
The latest OB that I saw (who wasn't my favourite, if I'm to be truthful), ordered a sizing ultrasound, because she felt I was measuring really big for my dates. Now, I know that sizing ultrasounds are fairly inaccurate, and even moreso the closer to term one gets, but it was still interesting.
Bean is measuring 10lb, +/- 15% (which means a range of 8.5lb to 11.5lb).
HOLY CRAP.
I'm trying not to panic too much, because it is just an estimate. Plus, one of Mom's friends has a new granddaughter, who entered the world three weeks ago at 10lb 3oz with no drugs and only 33 minutes of labour. I'm also told that bigger babies tend to eat better and sleep better sooner ;-)
Either way, the ultrasound was fun, because we got to see lots and lots of movement, detailed pics of the heart and the digestive tract, and little hands and feet. Hubby was enthralled, and it was almost more fun to watch him watching the screen.
The official due date is Tuesday, and I'm hoping to be able to check into the hospital during a weekday... that's not too much to ask, is it?
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Give us this day, our daily contractions.
Well, I'm pretty sure they're still false labour, but this baby is getting quite the workout. What used to happen once every few days is now happening numerous times daily.
These contractions are visible - Hubby says my belly gets more compact and protrudes (like it wasn't protruding to begin with. Ha.). They last quite a while, sometimes 10 or 15 minutes. And, the most fun part is that when they finally release, often I get a boot from Bean, as if to say, "Hey, that wasn't very nice! Trying to sleep in here!"
I know that this means nothing in terms of true labour starting, but I'm hoping they're the harbinger of something. I figure since they more or less started up out of the blue, maybe they're a sign that everything is gearing up for the "really big shew" (a la Ed Sullivan).
Mom's starting to get worried about the possibility of my going early, and how she should deal with that. Hubby's boss was really matter-of-fact about it - "Pay the fee, change the ticket, and don't worry about it!"; that was pretty much my reaction, too. A last minute change is a last minute change, whether or not she decides in her own head now that she'll switch her ticket if need be. I'm trying to be zen about the whole thing - I would really like her to be at the hospital with me for the extra support, but even more importantly, I want her here when we're home for those first few weeks. If I go early and she waits, that means more days with her here *after* Bean is born, rather than lots of days of her keeping her very pregnant daughter occupied and not jumping off cliffs because of being past due date ;-)
I did tell her that if I go early and she's not here, I'll likely be calling her all hours of the day and night, so she won't get any sleep either. I don't know how much Dad will like that, but that's tough ;-)
Whoops, there goes another one. Maybe this one will pass before I have to pack up and go home. Bean seems to be trying his/her damndest to push his/her feet through this one.
These contractions are visible - Hubby says my belly gets more compact and protrudes (like it wasn't protruding to begin with. Ha.). They last quite a while, sometimes 10 or 15 minutes. And, the most fun part is that when they finally release, often I get a boot from Bean, as if to say, "Hey, that wasn't very nice! Trying to sleep in here!"
I know that this means nothing in terms of true labour starting, but I'm hoping they're the harbinger of something. I figure since they more or less started up out of the blue, maybe they're a sign that everything is gearing up for the "really big shew" (a la Ed Sullivan).
Mom's starting to get worried about the possibility of my going early, and how she should deal with that. Hubby's boss was really matter-of-fact about it - "Pay the fee, change the ticket, and don't worry about it!"; that was pretty much my reaction, too. A last minute change is a last minute change, whether or not she decides in her own head now that she'll switch her ticket if need be. I'm trying to be zen about the whole thing - I would really like her to be at the hospital with me for the extra support, but even more importantly, I want her here when we're home for those first few weeks. If I go early and she waits, that means more days with her here *after* Bean is born, rather than lots of days of her keeping her very pregnant daughter occupied and not jumping off cliffs because of being past due date ;-)
I did tell her that if I go early and she's not here, I'll likely be calling her all hours of the day and night, so she won't get any sleep either. I don't know how much Dad will like that, but that's tough ;-)
Whoops, there goes another one. Maybe this one will pass before I have to pack up and go home. Bean seems to be trying his/her damndest to push his/her feet through this one.
Monday, April 7, 2008
38 down, 2 to go
Stats from the OB appt this morning:
Bean grew one more cm (I don't remember the actual measurement).
I put on 1 lb.
Blood pressure was 112/72, but that was interesting. I had a new person take my vitals at the very beginning, and I didn't entirely trust her technique - she said 120/80, and during the appointment, the midwife found that suspicious (since my diastolic is always 70 or less).
The Braxton Hicks are still happening (had a 10 minute run with one last night), but they're still pain-free. I didn't get checked this week, so I don't know if I'm dilated any further, but we'll see next Tuesday at our next appointment.
We had a bit of a re-arranging party last night - I was looking around the room and realized that the crib wasn't in the most efficient space, and Hubby (bless his heart) was willing to start moving furniture at 10pm (don't worry, it all slides pretty silently, so our downstairs neighbors weren't disturbed). Now the room is much more open, and it's easier to walk around. I'm hoping that these urges to do major moving and cleaning are few and far between. In fact, I'd be happy if last night was it ;-)
Other than that, I'm just trying to psych myself up to keep on working for the next two weeks. It's really wearing with the lack of sleep, but I know I'll feel proud of myself for sticking it out. That, and the fact that every additional day I work on this end means another day of leave I get to take on the other end!
Bean grew one more cm (I don't remember the actual measurement).
I put on 1 lb.
Blood pressure was 112/72, but that was interesting. I had a new person take my vitals at the very beginning, and I didn't entirely trust her technique - she said 120/80, and during the appointment, the midwife found that suspicious (since my diastolic is always 70 or less).
The Braxton Hicks are still happening (had a 10 minute run with one last night), but they're still pain-free. I didn't get checked this week, so I don't know if I'm dilated any further, but we'll see next Tuesday at our next appointment.
We had a bit of a re-arranging party last night - I was looking around the room and realized that the crib wasn't in the most efficient space, and Hubby (bless his heart) was willing to start moving furniture at 10pm (don't worry, it all slides pretty silently, so our downstairs neighbors weren't disturbed). Now the room is much more open, and it's easier to walk around. I'm hoping that these urges to do major moving and cleaning are few and far between. In fact, I'd be happy if last night was it ;-)
Other than that, I'm just trying to psych myself up to keep on working for the next two weeks. It's really wearing with the lack of sleep, but I know I'll feel proud of myself for sticking it out. That, and the fact that every additional day I work on this end means another day of leave I get to take on the other end!
Saturday, April 5, 2008
On taking things for granted.
Since the age of 15, exactly once each year I get a monster head and chest cold, often with a sinus infection. Usually I'm laid up for a week, which made things difficult in undergrad; I never wanted to miss class. In grad school, I worked in a lab where it was OK to take a couple of days off to recouperate, but it often still hung on for four or five days.
The worst part of these episodes, though, has always been getting enough sleep. Being propped up on pillows is never comfortable, and only works when my bed is in a corner. With each and every cold, about halfway through I always think to myself, "I'll never ever take a good night's sleep for granted again." That usually lasts about six weeks, and then I don't think about it again until the next time I'm sick.
Now, though, I'm pretty sure I'll never take it for granted again. I haven't slept for more than 90 minutes at a time since last August, and to tell you the truth I'm not entirely ungrateful. I've been able to function at work for the past few months relatively unchanged, and it's pretty good practice for once Bean comes. I'm just looking forward to getting 60 minutes of sleep at a time that's relatively pain-free.
I have both friends and family members who suffer from ailments that involve chronic pain, and while I can't say that I'm anywhere near their level, I've had a taste of it, and they will always have my support and respect for living their lives with dignity. With this pregnancy (which I will admit has been relatively uneventful), I've developed a lot of hip/pelvic/leg pain, and it's really starting to wear me down. Each time I wake up at night, sharp pain works its way from my waist to my knees, and holds on until I get up and walk around. It's more that pain than a constant need to go to the bathroom that's interrupting my sleep, and I can only guess that it's from carrying nearly all of my pregnancy weight out front. I can honestly say I would give up chocolate for a year if I could re-gain the ability to wake up, roll over in bed, and go back to sleep painlessly.
I know that the last time I spent a lazy Saturday in bed, which was about 6 months ago, was likely my last for a few years, and I'm OK with that. I know it'll eventually happen again, and I'm pretty sure that I'll appreciate it wholeheartedly next time :-)
The worst part of these episodes, though, has always been getting enough sleep. Being propped up on pillows is never comfortable, and only works when my bed is in a corner. With each and every cold, about halfway through I always think to myself, "I'll never ever take a good night's sleep for granted again." That usually lasts about six weeks, and then I don't think about it again until the next time I'm sick.
Now, though, I'm pretty sure I'll never take it for granted again. I haven't slept for more than 90 minutes at a time since last August, and to tell you the truth I'm not entirely ungrateful. I've been able to function at work for the past few months relatively unchanged, and it's pretty good practice for once Bean comes. I'm just looking forward to getting 60 minutes of sleep at a time that's relatively pain-free.
I have both friends and family members who suffer from ailments that involve chronic pain, and while I can't say that I'm anywhere near their level, I've had a taste of it, and they will always have my support and respect for living their lives with dignity. With this pregnancy (which I will admit has been relatively uneventful), I've developed a lot of hip/pelvic/leg pain, and it's really starting to wear me down. Each time I wake up at night, sharp pain works its way from my waist to my knees, and holds on until I get up and walk around. It's more that pain than a constant need to go to the bathroom that's interrupting my sleep, and I can only guess that it's from carrying nearly all of my pregnancy weight out front. I can honestly say I would give up chocolate for a year if I could re-gain the ability to wake up, roll over in bed, and go back to sleep painlessly.
I know that the last time I spent a lazy Saturday in bed, which was about 6 months ago, was likely my last for a few years, and I'm OK with that. I know it'll eventually happen again, and I'm pretty sure that I'll appreciate it wholeheartedly next time :-)
Monday, March 31, 2008
37 down, 3 (?) to go
Weekly appointments are SO much fun (at least, they're an excuse to be late for work).
Our 37 week appointment was today, and all is well. The weight issue seems to have settled itself (~1lb this time), and blood pressure was great as always - 118/70. We're in the midst of meeting all possible on-call practitioners, and today's was just as nice as the rest of them. She wasn't quite sure if what she was feeling in the downward position was the head (since I guess Bean's butt, pointing upward, is just as hard as his/her head), so we got a really quick, 45-second ultrasound. Bean is indeed still head down, and quite head down as a matter of fact (my regular OB did tell us this last week, but today's clinician wanted to double-check.
We also determined that I've been having frequent Braxton-Hicks, although they're not at all painful. Hopefully that's a good sign of things to come ;-) No internal exam today, though, which is OK with me. The midwife today did say I would likely know when labour starts for real, and not to worry about examining each and every contraction to determine if it's true or false. (Like that's going to get me to stop paying attention! Ha!)
The hospital bag is packed, I just need a few diapers just in case. The childbirth class from the hospital did say they'd be provided, but I'd rather have extras.
I'm just about ready to get the show on the road. The swelling in my feet isn't as bad as it was last week - I'm really careful to get them up when I'm home. We did spend a good portion of Saturday out walking, before going over to my boss's place for dinner, and it tired me out, but the feet survived. I also got a replacement pair of sandals, since my last pair didn't make it to the move, and I didn't have any last summer :-( They were a treat, they were on sale, and I'm slowly getting used to them. I'm hoping the better support they give will help a bit with the back and pelvic pain that's pretty incessant right about now.
Sleeping also isn't working out too well, but everyone says it's good preparation ;-) I'm averaging about an hour at a time, then I have to get up and walk around to shake out the strain on my left hip. I'm hoping that the hour-at-a-time sleep that will be coming up once Bean is here will be a bit more pain-free ;-)
Ok. I'm thinking that's enough whining for the day. I think I'll catch the next bus home, and figure out some din-dins. I don't know if there's good TV on tonight, but I started the second sleeve on my baby sweater, which should be entertainment enough.
Our 37 week appointment was today, and all is well. The weight issue seems to have settled itself (~1lb this time), and blood pressure was great as always - 118/70. We're in the midst of meeting all possible on-call practitioners, and today's was just as nice as the rest of them. She wasn't quite sure if what she was feeling in the downward position was the head (since I guess Bean's butt, pointing upward, is just as hard as his/her head), so we got a really quick, 45-second ultrasound. Bean is indeed still head down, and quite head down as a matter of fact (my regular OB did tell us this last week, but today's clinician wanted to double-check.
We also determined that I've been having frequent Braxton-Hicks, although they're not at all painful. Hopefully that's a good sign of things to come ;-) No internal exam today, though, which is OK with me. The midwife today did say I would likely know when labour starts for real, and not to worry about examining each and every contraction to determine if it's true or false. (Like that's going to get me to stop paying attention! Ha!)
The hospital bag is packed, I just need a few diapers just in case. The childbirth class from the hospital did say they'd be provided, but I'd rather have extras.
I'm just about ready to get the show on the road. The swelling in my feet isn't as bad as it was last week - I'm really careful to get them up when I'm home. We did spend a good portion of Saturday out walking, before going over to my boss's place for dinner, and it tired me out, but the feet survived. I also got a replacement pair of sandals, since my last pair didn't make it to the move, and I didn't have any last summer :-( They were a treat, they were on sale, and I'm slowly getting used to them. I'm hoping the better support they give will help a bit with the back and pelvic pain that's pretty incessant right about now.
Sleeping also isn't working out too well, but everyone says it's good preparation ;-) I'm averaging about an hour at a time, then I have to get up and walk around to shake out the strain on my left hip. I'm hoping that the hour-at-a-time sleep that will be coming up once Bean is here will be a bit more pain-free ;-)
Ok. I'm thinking that's enough whining for the day. I think I'll catch the next bus home, and figure out some din-dins. I don't know if there's good TV on tonight, but I started the second sleeve on my baby sweater, which should be entertainment enough.
Monday, March 24, 2008
36 weeks and counting.
Well, we had our 36 week appointment this morning, and it was interesting to say the least.
Blood pressure: 120/68. A bit higher than my usual, but moving around is getting a bit more strenuous, and I didn't have my 15 minutes of recovery time that normally comes after hoofing it to the doc's office.
Weight: Well, no numbers for you there, but suffice it to say I don't trust anything anymore. I hadn't found out my weight during the last appointment two weeks ago, because I don't look at the scale and I didn't think to ask. Turns out two weeks ago, I'd lost a pound from the previous appointment, and this week it seems I'd gained nine. Which SO isn't possible, considering I haven't changed my eating habits a whit. I don't believe the loss that was recorded during week 34, and I sure as hell don't believe that gain this time around. The problem is that each appointment is in a different exam room, with a different scale. I'm convinced that there's something that's not agreeing. The bottom line is - I didn't get lectured, and if I can go through the pregnancy putting on around 35 lb, I'll be happy about it. At least it's not 50 or 60.
Bean is doing well, had a nice strong heartrate around 150 and was kicking. We also did the Group B strep test, and I should have the results by the end of the week. Discussion about that led to discussion about my allergies, and whether or not I'm sensitive to penicillin. The bottom line is that I don't know, even though I know I'm allergic to a crapload of other stuff. Either way, if I end up needing the antibiotics, they're administered in the hospital, and I'll be watched very carefully.
The doc also did an exam on my request, since my mom has a history of preterm labour (and I'm sort of hopeful at this point ;-)). Turns out I'm dilated 1cm, and my cervix, although plenty hard, is a bit short. Now, the OB says this means nothing, and I could stay this way for weeks, but a girl can dream, can't she?
I've got my suitcase about 70% packed and we've got pretty much everything we need (with the exception of diapers, but the pharmacy is 2 blocks from work). I'm ready, but I'm not ready. And with my luck, this kid'll go weeks over.
Should be interesting ;-)
Blood pressure: 120/68. A bit higher than my usual, but moving around is getting a bit more strenuous, and I didn't have my 15 minutes of recovery time that normally comes after hoofing it to the doc's office.
Weight: Well, no numbers for you there, but suffice it to say I don't trust anything anymore. I hadn't found out my weight during the last appointment two weeks ago, because I don't look at the scale and I didn't think to ask. Turns out two weeks ago, I'd lost a pound from the previous appointment, and this week it seems I'd gained nine. Which SO isn't possible, considering I haven't changed my eating habits a whit. I don't believe the loss that was recorded during week 34, and I sure as hell don't believe that gain this time around. The problem is that each appointment is in a different exam room, with a different scale. I'm convinced that there's something that's not agreeing. The bottom line is - I didn't get lectured, and if I can go through the pregnancy putting on around 35 lb, I'll be happy about it. At least it's not 50 or 60.
Bean is doing well, had a nice strong heartrate around 150 and was kicking. We also did the Group B strep test, and I should have the results by the end of the week. Discussion about that led to discussion about my allergies, and whether or not I'm sensitive to penicillin. The bottom line is that I don't know, even though I know I'm allergic to a crapload of other stuff. Either way, if I end up needing the antibiotics, they're administered in the hospital, and I'll be watched very carefully.
The doc also did an exam on my request, since my mom has a history of preterm labour (and I'm sort of hopeful at this point ;-)). Turns out I'm dilated 1cm, and my cervix, although plenty hard, is a bit short. Now, the OB says this means nothing, and I could stay this way for weeks, but a girl can dream, can't she?
I've got my suitcase about 70% packed and we've got pretty much everything we need (with the exception of diapers, but the pharmacy is 2 blocks from work). I'm ready, but I'm not ready. And with my luck, this kid'll go weeks over.
Should be interesting ;-)
Friday, March 21, 2008
The latest cliche
(In the interest of full disclosure, I have to say I wasn't going to blog about this, but last night, Hubby said, "Gee, this sounds like something someone would blog about." So, Dearest, I know you know I'm blogging ;-) and everyone else, if you consider this to be TMI, you can blame him!)
The most recent thing that's developed is swelling. And, let me tell you, it freaked me out ;-) One night, I'd spent more of the evening on my feet than normal, and when I finally sat down to catch up on my TV, I looked at my ankles and flipped. Up until this point, I've been wearing my normal shoes, but was considering buying some comfy clogs or sandals for the summer. Now, it looks like I'm going to be forced in that direction. The good thing is, if I prop my feet up (especially while I'm sleeping), it goes back down to nearly normal. I have no facial swelling or severe hand swelling, which I'm told is the kind to be nervous about, so that's good too. My 36 week appointment is on Monday, so we'll double check everything then.
However, there's one huge (no pun intended!) advantage to this whole situation (and this is the TMI part) - no more shaving nicks on my ankles!
Ok, I figured it was time for a picture, although it's not of me. The knitted baby set arrived in the mail yesterday, so I decided to take a pic of it, along with the croched blanket, that have been sent from those family friends. The set ended up including a sweater, pants, a hat, and three pairs of socks in varying sizes. It looks blue in the picture, but it's more towards the lavender end of things; she sent the pattern picture (along with spare yarn, the ball band with washing instructions, and spare buttons) and the baby does look like a girl with a hat on, but it's pretty unisex without it. I'll embroider either flowers or trucks on it depending on the outcome.
The work is beautiful, it's very fine yarn, and I'm just so in love with it. Right now my brain can't handle such fine work, but I'm definitely happy for someone else to do it!
The most recent thing that's developed is swelling. And, let me tell you, it freaked me out ;-) One night, I'd spent more of the evening on my feet than normal, and when I finally sat down to catch up on my TV, I looked at my ankles and flipped. Up until this point, I've been wearing my normal shoes, but was considering buying some comfy clogs or sandals for the summer. Now, it looks like I'm going to be forced in that direction. The good thing is, if I prop my feet up (especially while I'm sleeping), it goes back down to nearly normal. I have no facial swelling or severe hand swelling, which I'm told is the kind to be nervous about, so that's good too. My 36 week appointment is on Monday, so we'll double check everything then.
However, there's one huge (no pun intended!) advantage to this whole situation (and this is the TMI part) - no more shaving nicks on my ankles!
Ok, I figured it was time for a picture, although it's not of me. The knitted baby set arrived in the mail yesterday, so I decided to take a pic of it, along with the croched blanket, that have been sent from those family friends. The set ended up including a sweater, pants, a hat, and three pairs of socks in varying sizes. It looks blue in the picture, but it's more towards the lavender end of things; she sent the pattern picture (along with spare yarn, the ball band with washing instructions, and spare buttons) and the baby does look like a girl with a hat on, but it's pretty unisex without it. I'll embroider either flowers or trucks on it depending on the outcome.
The work is beautiful, it's very fine yarn, and I'm just so in love with it. Right now my brain can't handle such fine work, but I'm definitely happy for someone else to do it!
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