Sunday, December 14, 2008
2 Months Old!?
I can't believe 2 months has passed already! Baby A will be 2 months old on the 8th of this month.
What's Going On With Me
Except for about 20 extra pounds and a stretched out belly (still have that preggy line and my stretch marks), I'm pretty much back to normal. I ordered some jeans 2 sizes bigger than my pre-pregnancy size and they're just right as far as my legs and belly go, but there's a big gap in the back so I'm constantly having to pull them up. This bugs me because the main reason I ordered them was that my pregnancy jeans are no longer being held up by my belly, so I constantly have to pull THEM up. Obviously, I haven't eliminated the problem. I'm enjoying the baby too much to really concentrate on the extra weight. I originally wanted to be back to pre-pregnancy weight by my birthday (6 months from delivery). For now I'm not too concerned though.
I had my 6 week post-delivery OB check-up. I didn't have a physical exam (no fun gown and speculum). The check-up consisted of questions about how I'm feeling and whether or not I feel things are back to normal and what I want to do for birth control. I decided to go with the Mirena IUD. So, for now I'm waiting on my doctor's office to get prior authorization with my insurance. Once that is done I'll make an appointment to have it inserted. After reading about Mirena, my main concern for the OB was whether or not it would affect my milk production. He said no.
I'm still breastfeeding exclusively. It seems like Baby A will lapse into lazy just-want-the-tip mode some days. That's the only time I have any discomfort. Even that is minor compared to the first month of nursing. I prefer breastfeeding to feeding breastmilk in a bottle. I just feel closer to my baby with the skin-to-skin contact. I like the way she'll stare at me and grab onto my shirt or rub my arm with her little feet while she eats.
Speaking of skin-to-skin, I ordered a new sling yesterday. I ordered a Moby-wrap. I can't use my Beco Obi yet and Baby A doesn't like the Hotsling. We'll try both once she has full head and neck control. The Moby looks like a better option until then though; Very supportive and versatile. I like that you don't have to pick a certain size and that the price is so reasonable.
As the baby gets more and more into what kind of resembles a schedule, I find time during the day to take care of business and do little things (like update this site...).
What's Going On With Baby
Baby A is growing and growing. She's already getting ready to move into 3-6 month sized clothing. She just about too big inthe thigh for her Kissaluvs diapers too and has moved up into a bigger size diaper cover. She fits great into her Happy Heinys and BumGenius 3.0's though (both the One-Size). The only problem with those is that they don't hold her BF poo very well. I think it's the microfleece inside. It whicks away moisture, but isn't textured enough to grab onto the mustardy stuff (like the Kissaluvs). I'm going to try to remedy this by getting some kind cotton terry insert or somethig similar to grab onto the messy stuff. Since she fits into the One-Size pocket diapers well now I went ahead and ordered some more. I orderes 3 Blueberry pockets with snaps in Pink and 1 Minky version with snaps in Leopard. :) I'll let you know how they work out and if the inserts help with the poo. If not I might just have to order some bigger Kissaluvs or maybe even buy some Snappis and see if they'll help me use my fitteds more like a contour diaper for a while. We'll see.
On a funner note, my baby is getting a bit more social. She's smiling at me a bit more. She smiles a lot more at the mobile over her crib! I'll put her in her crib while I'm putting away her laundry and catch her smiling and making noises as she stares at the mobile or gurgle gurgling at the baby in her crib mirror. She's not a big fan of tummy time. She uses my shoulder in a similar way though; always lifting her head or pushing herself with her little arms.
There is a lot more time during the day when the baby is awake. So, I have more time to interact with her with toys and stuff. This is most likely the reason why she's sleeping most of the night now. She gets up twice for diaper change and feeding and goes right back to sleep. So, it's not as hard as it used to be to get up with her in the middle of the night and SO much easier getting up with her in the morning. Usually she'll go down between 7:30-9pm until around 2 or 3am. Then she'll wake up again at 6am and we'll come downstairs and take a little nap together on the couch until 8am. After that she's up until the afternoon when she'll crash from around 1-3 pm. Then, she's up again until 7. She'll take little cat naps (15-45 minutes) in between these longer sleep periods; usually after eating. They're very light though. That's pretty much our schedule for now.
The pediatrician thinks Baby A is suffering from some reflux because she scruntching up during feedings sometimes and projectile vomitting sometimes. She gave me an RX for Zantac, but told me to elevate her crib mattress, add a little rice cereal to pumped milk, and just let the gas come up easily after feedings instead of vigorously patting after meals and see how things go from there. I like that she gives me non-medicating options along with an RX. So, I can chose a more natural route to things first.
What We're Looking Forward To
Although I'm not looking forward to her shots here in a few days, I am looking forward to getting her ears pierced. I'm going to cry for causing her baby tears for something so frivolous and more for my benefit than hers. I'm still excited for it. I'm also looking forward to more smiles and interaction from her and head and neck control.
Overall, I'm very happy and excited for each new day with my baby girl. She teaches me so much about myself and how I can be a better mommy to her everyday. It's amazing what a difference such a tiny person can make in a mother's life.
~Jessy
What's Going On With Me
Except for about 20 extra pounds and a stretched out belly (still have that preggy line and my stretch marks), I'm pretty much back to normal. I ordered some jeans 2 sizes bigger than my pre-pregnancy size and they're just right as far as my legs and belly go, but there's a big gap in the back so I'm constantly having to pull them up. This bugs me because the main reason I ordered them was that my pregnancy jeans are no longer being held up by my belly, so I constantly have to pull THEM up. Obviously, I haven't eliminated the problem. I'm enjoying the baby too much to really concentrate on the extra weight. I originally wanted to be back to pre-pregnancy weight by my birthday (6 months from delivery). For now I'm not too concerned though.
I had my 6 week post-delivery OB check-up. I didn't have a physical exam (no fun gown and speculum). The check-up consisted of questions about how I'm feeling and whether or not I feel things are back to normal and what I want to do for birth control. I decided to go with the Mirena IUD. So, for now I'm waiting on my doctor's office to get prior authorization with my insurance. Once that is done I'll make an appointment to have it inserted. After reading about Mirena, my main concern for the OB was whether or not it would affect my milk production. He said no.
I'm still breastfeeding exclusively. It seems like Baby A will lapse into lazy just-want-the-tip mode some days. That's the only time I have any discomfort. Even that is minor compared to the first month of nursing. I prefer breastfeeding to feeding breastmilk in a bottle. I just feel closer to my baby with the skin-to-skin contact. I like the way she'll stare at me and grab onto my shirt or rub my arm with her little feet while she eats.
Speaking of skin-to-skin, I ordered a new sling yesterday. I ordered a Moby-wrap. I can't use my Beco Obi yet and Baby A doesn't like the Hotsling. We'll try both once she has full head and neck control. The Moby looks like a better option until then though; Very supportive and versatile. I like that you don't have to pick a certain size and that the price is so reasonable.
As the baby gets more and more into what kind of resembles a schedule, I find time during the day to take care of business and do little things (like update this site...).
What's Going On With Baby
Baby A is growing and growing. She's already getting ready to move into 3-6 month sized clothing. She just about too big inthe thigh for her Kissaluvs diapers too and has moved up into a bigger size diaper cover. She fits great into her Happy Heinys and BumGenius 3.0's though (both the One-Size). The only problem with those is that they don't hold her BF poo very well. I think it's the microfleece inside. It whicks away moisture, but isn't textured enough to grab onto the mustardy stuff (like the Kissaluvs). I'm going to try to remedy this by getting some kind cotton terry insert or somethig similar to grab onto the messy stuff. Since she fits into the One-Size pocket diapers well now I went ahead and ordered some more. I orderes 3 Blueberry pockets with snaps in Pink and 1 Minky version with snaps in Leopard. :) I'll let you know how they work out and if the inserts help with the poo. If not I might just have to order some bigger Kissaluvs or maybe even buy some Snappis and see if they'll help me use my fitteds more like a contour diaper for a while. We'll see.
On a funner note, my baby is getting a bit more social. She's smiling at me a bit more. She smiles a lot more at the mobile over her crib! I'll put her in her crib while I'm putting away her laundry and catch her smiling and making noises as she stares at the mobile or gurgle gurgling at the baby in her crib mirror. She's not a big fan of tummy time. She uses my shoulder in a similar way though; always lifting her head or pushing herself with her little arms.
There is a lot more time during the day when the baby is awake. So, I have more time to interact with her with toys and stuff. This is most likely the reason why she's sleeping most of the night now. She gets up twice for diaper change and feeding and goes right back to sleep. So, it's not as hard as it used to be to get up with her in the middle of the night and SO much easier getting up with her in the morning. Usually she'll go down between 7:30-9pm until around 2 or 3am. Then she'll wake up again at 6am and we'll come downstairs and take a little nap together on the couch until 8am. After that she's up until the afternoon when she'll crash from around 1-3 pm. Then, she's up again until 7. She'll take little cat naps (15-45 minutes) in between these longer sleep periods; usually after eating. They're very light though. That's pretty much our schedule for now.
The pediatrician thinks Baby A is suffering from some reflux because she scruntching up during feedings sometimes and projectile vomitting sometimes. She gave me an RX for Zantac, but told me to elevate her crib mattress, add a little rice cereal to pumped milk, and just let the gas come up easily after feedings instead of vigorously patting after meals and see how things go from there. I like that she gives me non-medicating options along with an RX. So, I can chose a more natural route to things first.
What We're Looking Forward To
Although I'm not looking forward to her shots here in a few days, I am looking forward to getting her ears pierced. I'm going to cry for causing her baby tears for something so frivolous and more for my benefit than hers. I'm still excited for it. I'm also looking forward to more smiles and interaction from her and head and neck control.
Overall, I'm very happy and excited for each new day with my baby girl. She teaches me so much about myself and how I can be a better mommy to her everyday. It's amazing what a difference such a tiny person can make in a mother's life.
~Jessy
Saturday, December 13, 2008
364 Days To Go
29. That's how old I am as of today. So, I only have about 364 days to be "in my twenties." Then comes the big 3 0. Part of me thinks 'meh, what's the big deal? I'm married. I have a baby. I'm a stay at home mom now. Who cares how old I am?' There's this little voice in the back of my mind though that keeps telling me 30 is a bad thing. Instead of not being able to have a baby because I'm getting older, the voice now says I probably won't be able to have ANOTHER baby. And if I do, it won't be as perfect or healthy next time. The voice tells me it's time to cast aside the converse and T's and start thinking about jeans with heels (heels... cringe. Don't get me wrong I love fashion and think all kinds of shoes are beautiful. I just don't see any of that as being "me."). The voice tells me I better get this baby weight off immediately and aim not just for my pre-pregnancy size, but (better yet) my pre 20's size. If I don't, my husband is going to leave me, and my daughter will be embarrassed by me (or think of me as just her frumpy old mom who she can't relate to at all) when she's old enough to notice. I need to cast off the geeky glasses and start using the contacts I have hanging out for special occasions. I need to stop playing video games and join a mommy and me class with A. I need to get some makeup onto this eye baggage and some polish onto these nails. Like I don't have enough to worry about with the new baby. She's just cutting her first tooth and getting ready to crawl. In addition to those craptacular thoughts, I found out the gift card I sent someone is not useable in her country and exposed a regifter accidentally by posting a picture of what she got me online. Besides all that ugliness though, I've had a great day.
Beauty and Tea Hagglers
Right now Smashingmagazine.com is my homepage. They have so many neat tools, freebies and sources of inspiration for artists. Recently they posted "50 Beautiful Winter Wonderful Photos." Left is an example. Perfect if you're looking for a new desktop wallpaper or trying to get into the holiday spirit among other things.Speaking of holidays, there are some real swindlers out there trying to get your cash as the shopping season approaches it's pinnacle. SNEAKERS! I was at a tea store with my mom the other day and couldn't believe it. The tea they sold was loose tea in these huge tins with big prices on the front. Then, really small next to the price, it says 2oz. The sales ladies quickly explain that you can either buy a 1/2lb or 1lb tin for $6 (for the container) and show the two tins. All this info comes at you at lightning speed and is followed by the question: "how many pounds can I get you?" OK, which means, if you see the price of $12.50 on the big tin, they are trying to actually sell you 4 or 8 times that price; 1/2 and 1 pound respectively. In addition to this trickery, they have all sorts of yummy teas out and presweetened for you to test. Delicious stuff, but they are often actually mixtures of teas they sell. So, when you try to buy this or that tea that you tried, the salesperson explains that it's actually a mixture of soandso and soandso tea. "So," they add, "you can either buy it mixed like that OR (in a more excited tone, like of course this next option is the only one that really makes ANY sense) you can buy a pound of each of the teas used in the mixture. So you have a variety when you get home." The pressure doesn't end there. After asking whether the price on a particular tea set included the cups, the girl answered my question, but directed me to the other side of the store where the cast iron pots were. She explained that they are really the best way to brew tea and add many beneficial properties to the tea the more you use them. Could she "put a set together for me?" So, I went from a $60 tea set to looking at $100 just for a cast iron pot. I had previously bought my mom a whole gorgeous cast iron tea set from a little Japanese store close to my house for only $50. Ah! All I wanted was some yummy tea and maybe a cute tea set. Not car salesman-like heckling.
The teas at Teavena are delicious though. You just have to be wary of all the words thrown at you and avoid the pressure to spend more than you intend. Although they weren't shown to us, they do sell very cute 2oz sized containers. If you have an airtight dark container at home, you can also have them package the tea you pick into a little paper bag to avoid the extra charge for their tin.
Friday, September 5, 2008
3 Months Old
Wow! My DD is already almost 3 months old; just 4 days to go. Time has gone by so fast. At the same time, though, those first weeks and the whole pregnancy seem ages away. I remember worrying about: how long it would take to get pregnant, how long I'd have to deal with the morning sickness, whether or not anything would go wrong with the baby/ pregnancy, labor and delivery, if I could stand breastfeeding any longer etc. Now everyday is an adventure. What will she do next?
What's New
Month number three has been full of surprises. First of all, our DD is in LOVE with her daddy! For example, even though she usually sleeps through the night, last night she woke up around 11pm to my husbands voice and was smiling, squealing, laughing and gurgling all kinds of baby stories to him for what felt like at least 15 minutes. If she hears his voice she automatically starts looking around to see him and once he approaches her and starts talking she just lights completely up and gushes. It's so cute. I know it's really rewarding for my husband too because he really doesn't get to see her awake very much during his work week.
Besides daddy, her other new obsession this month is her mouth. She drools and blows bubbles. She likes to eat her little hands up too. I try to be sure they're extra clean now that she's constantly sticking them in her mouth. DD also tries to bring toys and anything else she can get her hands on up to her mouth. She's not quite coordinated enough to get the objects there exactly a lot of the time. Usually she ends up just sucking on the hand holding the toy etc. One thing I didn't expect about all this is the rejection of her pacifier. This isn't a bad thing at all in my opinion. The only reason I introduced it in the first place is because she was using me to soothe herself on top of the breastfeeding. So, it felt like she was constantly at the breast and I was exhausted. Now, she just wants her fingers instead of the soother and can get to those immediately instead of waiting for me to get her pacifier or put it back in her mouth once it's fallen out.
DD seems to like getting out with mommy during the day now. I remember a couple of attempts to go to the grocery store during the first couple of months that ended up with me rushing through self checkout with a fraction of what I had gone to buy in an attempt to get my baby home because she just wasn't happy. Now though, I can go to more than one store and stay out over an hour without a single peep. She just looks around or sleeps and is totally fine.
I joke now that my baby is going to have abs of steel. She does these little crunches a lot now to try and sit herself up. If she's not eating or playing with a toy, she prefers to sit up now. A lot of the time I sit her up and let her lean against me so she has a nice headrest for when her neck gets tired of keeping her head up.
My DD has really recently started doing two other cute things. She gets "shy" sometimes. A couple of days ago my sister came over and, while she was talking to the baby, the baby would look at her for a little bit and then look back at mommy and snuggle close. Then, she would look back up at her auntie and do it all again. Also, my baby is showing more signs of security and attachment. My mom and sister were crowded around my DD's car seat talking to her while I grabbed the diaper bag and she started to look around for me. Thinking I was gone because she couldn't see me, she got a panicked look and then got her really sad baby frown and started to cry big time. It wasn't as bad as her vaccination cry, but it was pretty heartbreaking so I immediately unbuckled her and held her and talked to her until she felt better again. My sweet baby girl has these little sounds I call her "complaints." They're these little expressions that mean she's hungry or uncomfortable, but aren't quite a cry. Just little sounds that I recognize now. So, when she busts out the big tears, I almost always get teary-eyed too and think about nothing but fixing whatever is making her sad.
It's amazing to realize how important this little person is to me and so fun to whatch her grow and become more social. She's growing so fast physically too (already in 9 month sized onesies). I'm just trying to take in everyday as it comes and savor the love and experience it brings.
What's New
Month number three has been full of surprises. First of all, our DD is in LOVE with her daddy! For example, even though she usually sleeps through the night, last night she woke up around 11pm to my husbands voice and was smiling, squealing, laughing and gurgling all kinds of baby stories to him for what felt like at least 15 minutes. If she hears his voice she automatically starts looking around to see him and once he approaches her and starts talking she just lights completely up and gushes. It's so cute. I know it's really rewarding for my husband too because he really doesn't get to see her awake very much during his work week.
Besides daddy, her other new obsession this month is her mouth. She drools and blows bubbles. She likes to eat her little hands up too. I try to be sure they're extra clean now that she's constantly sticking them in her mouth. DD also tries to bring toys and anything else she can get her hands on up to her mouth. She's not quite coordinated enough to get the objects there exactly a lot of the time. Usually she ends up just sucking on the hand holding the toy etc. One thing I didn't expect about all this is the rejection of her pacifier. This isn't a bad thing at all in my opinion. The only reason I introduced it in the first place is because she was using me to soothe herself on top of the breastfeeding. So, it felt like she was constantly at the breast and I was exhausted. Now, she just wants her fingers instead of the soother and can get to those immediately instead of waiting for me to get her pacifier or put it back in her mouth once it's fallen out.
DD seems to like getting out with mommy during the day now. I remember a couple of attempts to go to the grocery store during the first couple of months that ended up with me rushing through self checkout with a fraction of what I had gone to buy in an attempt to get my baby home because she just wasn't happy. Now though, I can go to more than one store and stay out over an hour without a single peep. She just looks around or sleeps and is totally fine.
I joke now that my baby is going to have abs of steel. She does these little crunches a lot now to try and sit herself up. If she's not eating or playing with a toy, she prefers to sit up now. A lot of the time I sit her up and let her lean against me so she has a nice headrest for when her neck gets tired of keeping her head up.
My DD has really recently started doing two other cute things. She gets "shy" sometimes. A couple of days ago my sister came over and, while she was talking to the baby, the baby would look at her for a little bit and then look back at mommy and snuggle close. Then, she would look back up at her auntie and do it all again. Also, my baby is showing more signs of security and attachment. My mom and sister were crowded around my DD's car seat talking to her while I grabbed the diaper bag and she started to look around for me. Thinking I was gone because she couldn't see me, she got a panicked look and then got her really sad baby frown and started to cry big time. It wasn't as bad as her vaccination cry, but it was pretty heartbreaking so I immediately unbuckled her and held her and talked to her until she felt better again. My sweet baby girl has these little sounds I call her "complaints." They're these little expressions that mean she's hungry or uncomfortable, but aren't quite a cry. Just little sounds that I recognize now. So, when she busts out the big tears, I almost always get teary-eyed too and think about nothing but fixing whatever is making her sad.
It's amazing to realize how important this little person is to me and so fun to whatch her grow and become more social. She's growing so fast physically too (already in 9 month sized onesies). I'm just trying to take in everyday as it comes and savor the love and experience it brings.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
2 Months Old
A lot has happened since my last post!
What's New With Baby
Baby got her first shots yesterday which was horrific. She got to drink one vaccine. She seemed to like it. Once the shots started though, she cried in a way I'd never heard her cry before. It was so high pitched and panicked. I think it was worse for me because after the first shot she was looking at me screaming and she had to go through it 2 more times in her other leg. As soon as the nurse was done I snatched her up so fast and just lost it. I cried all the way out of the office and the whole ride home. Then, I cried more when I walked through the door (even though she was sleeping by then). I still get teary-eyed just thinking about that terrible cry.
On a happier note, baby has become even more interactive. She smiles a lot more when you talk to her. She interacts with toys. One of my favorites is when she's laying in her bassinette while I take a shower. She'll kick her legs and move her little arms until the mobile starts to jiggle and then she'll laugh and laugh. So CUTE! She tries to move her mouth into different shapes as she watches your mouth move and gurgles or makes sounds back.
A miracle that I hope will stick is the babies new sleeping schedule. She's started to take a long nap from around 11 or 12pm until 3-ish and a 7-8 hour stretch at night starting around 8pm. Besides those times she'll take 5 little 45min or hour naps throught the day. So, I'm getting a lot more rest than I was. The only 2 downsides are: I usually don't get to sleep until around 10 so I can't take advantage of the full 7-8 hours at night and I miss her when she's taking these long rests. I've even stole her out of bed at night just to have her next to me while I watch TV or talk to my husband.
What's New With Me
Physically I'm still the same as I was last post. With the long afternoon nap set, I can get out with baby more often now. So, that's nice. I can actually go to lunch with family and bring the baby instead of just rushing out to get groceries missing her the whole time. I'm starting to want to get back into shape again. So, we'll see how that goes.
Besides that I'm just glad everything is getting better day by day. I'm trying to enjoy every minute. :)
~Jessy
What's New With Baby
Baby got her first shots yesterday which was horrific. She got to drink one vaccine. She seemed to like it. Once the shots started though, she cried in a way I'd never heard her cry before. It was so high pitched and panicked. I think it was worse for me because after the first shot she was looking at me screaming and she had to go through it 2 more times in her other leg. As soon as the nurse was done I snatched her up so fast and just lost it. I cried all the way out of the office and the whole ride home. Then, I cried more when I walked through the door (even though she was sleeping by then). I still get teary-eyed just thinking about that terrible cry.
On a happier note, baby has become even more interactive. She smiles a lot more when you talk to her. She interacts with toys. One of my favorites is when she's laying in her bassinette while I take a shower. She'll kick her legs and move her little arms until the mobile starts to jiggle and then she'll laugh and laugh. So CUTE! She tries to move her mouth into different shapes as she watches your mouth move and gurgles or makes sounds back.
A miracle that I hope will stick is the babies new sleeping schedule. She's started to take a long nap from around 11 or 12pm until 3-ish and a 7-8 hour stretch at night starting around 8pm. Besides those times she'll take 5 little 45min or hour naps throught the day. So, I'm getting a lot more rest than I was. The only 2 downsides are: I usually don't get to sleep until around 10 so I can't take advantage of the full 7-8 hours at night and I miss her when she's taking these long rests. I've even stole her out of bed at night just to have her next to me while I watch TV or talk to my husband.
What's New With Me
Physically I'm still the same as I was last post. With the long afternoon nap set, I can get out with baby more often now. So, that's nice. I can actually go to lunch with family and bring the baby instead of just rushing out to get groceries missing her the whole time. I'm starting to want to get back into shape again. So, we'll see how that goes.
Besides that I'm just glad everything is getting better day by day. I'm trying to enjoy every minute. :)
~Jessy
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Newborn/Post Partum Weeks 3-5
Aside from being sleep deprived and having a crazy/unpredictable schedule now with the baby, my laptop totally crashed. So, this took way longer than I was hoping to update
Me-Physically
Things are so much better for me physically. It seemed almost like magic when after exactly 4 weeks breastfeeding stopped hurting completely. I'm not sure what changed or if my nipples are just used to the sensation, but the feedings are so much more enjoyable now; Less about trying to avoid pain, and more about bonding with baby. The swelling in my feet has stayed away. I still have the line, stretch marks, and a lack of firmness in my poor belly. My knees are pretty messed up from the pregnancy too. Any time I have to kneel or walk up the stairs with the baby or a laundry basket etc. it kills. I'm still heavier than I was before getting pregnant too (and wearing pants with stretchy waists until I can fit back into my old size) , but that's expected. Besides all that I'm pretty much back to my prepregnancy self physically.
Baby Sleep
There is a period from around 9 pm to 2 am where the baby gives me a break some nights and has a long sleep. That didn't happen last night though. I tried one of those getting baby to sleep my x number of weeks programs, but it only lasted for a couple of days because I couldn't stand to let her cry herself to sleep for more than 10 or 15 minutes. Ever since then she gets upset pretty quickly when I'm not there right when she wakes up in her basinnette. She has this loud frantic cry reserved just for that that breaks my heart. The program said never to rock or feed your baby to sleep and to never sleep with your baby. I was like "Great!" I was doing all three. We have moved upstairs so I can sleep in my own bed. So, I don't sleep with her on the couch anymore, but sometimes the only way I can get the baby to go to sleep is to sit on the couch and let her lay on my chest.
It'll seem like we've got a steady schedule going on feeding/sleeping-wise. Then, it changes. Baby will decide to skip a nap or two or for shorter periods and everything is off. So, I'm learning to be flexible and just go with the flow.
New Baby Developements
I bought the baby a Baby Einstein playmat for tummy time and she really seems to like it. She smiles more often now when I'm playing with or talking to her. She has been lifting her head and pushing herself up really strongly since birth. Lately though, she seems to be able to keep her head up longer and more steadily. The baby is also taking interest in some toys. She likes the flashing musical star, rattle and mirror that came with her playmat. She is also starting tmake noises in response to some things. It's so fun to watch her grow and interact more with me and her surroundings.
Other Stuff
I'm really glad we went with cloth diapers! I still need to see how it has affected our electric bill, but our water bill has only gone up $3/month and it's so nice not to have to run out for diapers. We do use disposables for her for pediatrician visits. She has to have on a clean diaper for weigh-ins and she always seems to mess a diaper between leaving the house and being seen. I bought a package of Seventh Generation bleach-free disposables. People ask me what they are because of the natural coloring. We're just starting to use the BumGenius and Happy Heiny's I bought her. They're so easy! I love them. As many changes as she goes through in one day, it is definitely more practical to do the Kissaluvs with a cover most of the time (money-wise).
Overall, I'm loving being a mom. Even walking around smelling like baby barf is great. It's wonderful to love and feel so loved day in and day out. Mommy-life isn't easy at all yet, but I look forward to each new day with my daughter.
Me-Physically
Things are so much better for me physically. It seemed almost like magic when after exactly 4 weeks breastfeeding stopped hurting completely. I'm not sure what changed or if my nipples are just used to the sensation, but the feedings are so much more enjoyable now; Less about trying to avoid pain, and more about bonding with baby. The swelling in my feet has stayed away. I still have the line, stretch marks, and a lack of firmness in my poor belly. My knees are pretty messed up from the pregnancy too. Any time I have to kneel or walk up the stairs with the baby or a laundry basket etc. it kills. I'm still heavier than I was before getting pregnant too (and wearing pants with stretchy waists until I can fit back into my old size) , but that's expected. Besides all that I'm pretty much back to my prepregnancy self physically.
Baby Sleep
There is a period from around 9 pm to 2 am where the baby gives me a break some nights and has a long sleep. That didn't happen last night though. I tried one of those getting baby to sleep my x number of weeks programs, but it only lasted for a couple of days because I couldn't stand to let her cry herself to sleep for more than 10 or 15 minutes. Ever since then she gets upset pretty quickly when I'm not there right when she wakes up in her basinnette. She has this loud frantic cry reserved just for that that breaks my heart. The program said never to rock or feed your baby to sleep and to never sleep with your baby. I was like "Great!" I was doing all three. We have moved upstairs so I can sleep in my own bed. So, I don't sleep with her on the couch anymore, but sometimes the only way I can get the baby to go to sleep is to sit on the couch and let her lay on my chest.
It'll seem like we've got a steady schedule going on feeding/sleeping-wise. Then, it changes. Baby will decide to skip a nap or two or for shorter periods and everything is off. So, I'm learning to be flexible and just go with the flow.
New Baby Developements
I bought the baby a Baby Einstein playmat for tummy time and she really seems to like it. She smiles more often now when I'm playing with or talking to her. She has been lifting her head and pushing herself up really strongly since birth. Lately though, she seems to be able to keep her head up longer and more steadily. The baby is also taking interest in some toys. She likes the flashing musical star, rattle and mirror that came with her playmat. She is also starting tmake noises in response to some things. It's so fun to watch her grow and interact more with me and her surroundings.
Other Stuff
I'm really glad we went with cloth diapers! I still need to see how it has affected our electric bill, but our water bill has only gone up $3/month and it's so nice not to have to run out for diapers. We do use disposables for her for pediatrician visits. She has to have on a clean diaper for weigh-ins and she always seems to mess a diaper between leaving the house and being seen. I bought a package of Seventh Generation bleach-free disposables. People ask me what they are because of the natural coloring. We're just starting to use the BumGenius and Happy Heiny's I bought her. They're so easy! I love them. As many changes as she goes through in one day, it is definitely more practical to do the Kissaluvs with a cover most of the time (money-wise).
Overall, I'm loving being a mom. Even walking around smelling like baby barf is great. It's wonderful to love and feel so loved day in and day out. Mommy-life isn't easy at all yet, but I look forward to each new day with my daughter.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Newborn/Postpartum - Birth to 2 Weeks.
Today (06/18/08) was A's due date. She's 10 days old and sleeping soundly in the little bassinette area attatched to her Graco Pack n' Play. That's where she's slept since she came home from the hospital. The Pack n' Play is downstairs in our living room. So, I've been sleeping on our couch since we got home. I think it's mostly because even though we have a regular bassinette in our room, the changing pad is in the nursery. On the Pack n' Play the changing pad is attached to one of the sides. So, everything is just convenient. I want to move her upstairs as soon as possible though. I want to sleep in my own bed and breastfeed in my comfy armchair I have set up there.
When I was moved from labor and delivery to a recovery room at the hospital things were pretty easy. I only had to leave my bed to pee and change the baby's diaper. Everything else was brought to me or done for me. I just had to care for the baby. She mostly slept. I, on the other hand, was somehow wide awake most of the time. I honestly haven't had a full 8 hours of sleep since the Thursday before baby A was born. In the hospital my 2 biggest discomforts were my tear (which was ok as long as they let me sit on these ice packs the nurses would make up for me) and the IV line which was left in just in case I started to hemmoridge (or however you spell it). I kept bumping it on things and it made me feel queasy.
Once I got home though, I got really uncomfortable. My stitches were really sore even with the dermaplast spray and tucks pads I was using. So, I'd take the Lortab my OB prescribed to help, but then I'd end up spacey and irritable. This pain developed in the middle of my back; like nerve pain. My feet suddenly swelled up (supposedly from the IV fluids) and hurt. Lastly, my nipples hurt like crazy from baby A and I still fighting for a good latch. The sleep deprivation didn't help either. I was waking the baby up every 3 hours or so to eat. If I didn't she would just sleep.
I've cried a lot since I've been home. I cried because the baby started crying and I didn't know what to do for her. I cried because my milk came in 4 days after baby A was born and it hurt. I cried because at her first pediatrician's appointment I found out she had gone down to 7lbs 4 ounces which was too much loss. So, I was told to suppliment with formula. I cried when I used the breastpump for the first time. I felt like less of a mom because I felt like all I had done day in and out is feed feed feed and now I had to use the pump and formula because my baby wasn't getting enough to eat. I cried because people kept coming over and I just wanted to be alone with my baby. I cried because I even started to get tired of seeing my own mom (who would bundle the baby up because my house "is cold" or tell me to just pump into bottles and use a pacifier already) and because in-laws that had brought a killer flu a month or so earlier when I was still pregnant wanted to come see the baby after recently having colds. I cried today because I left the house to pick up a couple of things at the store and felt guilty for leaving my 10 day old baby for 30 minutes. I've cried because I could see the "I'm hungry" signs coming and my nipples ached so bad I didn't know if I could bare to even try to breastfeed her (now I see why formula companies send those free cans! There have been so many exhausted nights where I just wanted to break open a can and mix a bottle; give my poor breasts a break.).
Life is great though. The swelling in my feet has started to go down. My stitches don't hurt nearly as much so I can sit.
Update 6/23/08
Things are getting better. The swelling in my feet is completely gone! They are back to normal. I only really feel my stitches in the shower for some reason (maybe the hot water). It's still not a perfect process, but breastfeeding is getting better. We have our good and bad days. My poor right nipple got so mutilated that I ended up just pumping that side for a day or so to give it a chance to heal while I fed her from the left side (which she prefers anyway).
Sleep makes such a difference! Last night my husband had me and the baby move upstairs and he got up to change her diapers. So, I only had to feed her and put her back down when she dozed off. Instead of waking her last night and today, I've just been letting her sleep and changing/feeding her when she wakes up herself. She feeds so much better!!! She still doses off by the end of the first side or the beginning of the second, but she eats continuously for about 15 minutes. So much better than me having to tickle her feet and stuff for the whole 20 or so minutes just to get a few swallows here and there. She seems to be latching better too. I think the extra sleep we both got has really helped. I feel much less bleary eyed and irritable and more able to focus and be patient; such a welcome difference. SO refreshing.
She's on target weight-wise. She had a 2 week check up today and everything is normal. Last Monday she had gone back up to her birthweight with the formula/breastfeeding. Today she has gone up 6 more ounces. So, that's about an ounce a day just on my breastmilk. :) Yay!
Physically I don't have too many concerns. I don't dare look at my stitches. I just take care of the area the best I can and figure the doctor will tell me at my 6 week appointment if anything is wierd. My belly has gone down to nearly my prepregnancy amount of protrudance. It just looks like I had a mini gastric bypass with all the hanging skin. The stretch marks have begun to fade a little bit already, but the linea negra is still pretty dark and there. I'm still wearing my pregnancy belly panel pants for now. With everything else I've been dealing with, I didn't want to add depression to do the fact that I can't pull on my pre-pregnancy jeans to the mix. For now I'm just reminding myself that it's all worth it to have this beautiful little baby here with me. So, the physical changes (which are more uncomfortable mentally than physically) aren't really an issue. There is just too much else to worry about at the moment.
My advice so far:
3 products I really like so far: The Dunstan baby language DVD and Bravado Original nursing bras, and Gerber onsies with the cuffs at the ends (our baby has talons and likes to try to disfigure herself with them! My husband who has scars from this happening when he was a baby insists on keeping her hands covered when her nails are long and the little mitts we had get flung, pulled off or stretched out too easily).
As long as the baby is eating well, gaining weight and producing the right amount of dirty/wet diapers, let her sleep!
Find a way to get some rest! Even if it's only here and there. It makes such a difference.
Accept help and surround yourself with supportive people if you can. 2 of my best sources of advice and support have been a girlfriend with 3 kids who I never see, but who I keep in contact through email and the gals in this online forum I belong to. Even just having my best girlfriend come over and bring coffee and cupcakes was really nice and refreshing. A little piece of life before baby mixed into my new mommy role.
Vent! Last night I vented for like 30 minutes to one of my brothers (who is 2 years younger than me, but incredibly similar in temperment) and it felt so good. Afterwards I could just leave all of the emotional baggage I had been carrying around, that didn't really have much directly to do with the baby, there.
Remember...until 2 weeks ago, this baby was snug in my belly with no ideas about what the world outside was like. She has been thrust quite suddenly into a place where she can get cold, wet, hungry and upset tummies and the only one who can fix things is me. So, it's no wonder she frantically cries for me when she's feeling uncomfortable. My husband comes home from work every night and sees a baby either being fed or sleeping snuggly and gives me a big kiss and says "good job honey." Don't forget to look at the perfect little baby in front of you during those quiet times and tell yourself "good job honey."
When I was moved from labor and delivery to a recovery room at the hospital things were pretty easy. I only had to leave my bed to pee and change the baby's diaper. Everything else was brought to me or done for me. I just had to care for the baby. She mostly slept. I, on the other hand, was somehow wide awake most of the time. I honestly haven't had a full 8 hours of sleep since the Thursday before baby A was born. In the hospital my 2 biggest discomforts were my tear (which was ok as long as they let me sit on these ice packs the nurses would make up for me) and the IV line which was left in just in case I started to hemmoridge (or however you spell it). I kept bumping it on things and it made me feel queasy.
Once I got home though, I got really uncomfortable. My stitches were really sore even with the dermaplast spray and tucks pads I was using. So, I'd take the Lortab my OB prescribed to help, but then I'd end up spacey and irritable. This pain developed in the middle of my back; like nerve pain. My feet suddenly swelled up (supposedly from the IV fluids) and hurt. Lastly, my nipples hurt like crazy from baby A and I still fighting for a good latch. The sleep deprivation didn't help either. I was waking the baby up every 3 hours or so to eat. If I didn't she would just sleep.
I've cried a lot since I've been home. I cried because the baby started crying and I didn't know what to do for her. I cried because my milk came in 4 days after baby A was born and it hurt. I cried because at her first pediatrician's appointment I found out she had gone down to 7lbs 4 ounces which was too much loss. So, I was told to suppliment with formula. I cried when I used the breastpump for the first time. I felt like less of a mom because I felt like all I had done day in and out is feed feed feed and now I had to use the pump and formula because my baby wasn't getting enough to eat. I cried because people kept coming over and I just wanted to be alone with my baby. I cried because I even started to get tired of seeing my own mom (who would bundle the baby up because my house "is cold" or tell me to just pump into bottles and use a pacifier already) and because in-laws that had brought a killer flu a month or so earlier when I was still pregnant wanted to come see the baby after recently having colds. I cried today because I left the house to pick up a couple of things at the store and felt guilty for leaving my 10 day old baby for 30 minutes. I've cried because I could see the "I'm hungry" signs coming and my nipples ached so bad I didn't know if I could bare to even try to breastfeed her (now I see why formula companies send those free cans! There have been so many exhausted nights where I just wanted to break open a can and mix a bottle; give my poor breasts a break.).
Life is great though. The swelling in my feet has started to go down. My stitches don't hurt nearly as much so I can sit.
Update 6/23/08
Things are getting better. The swelling in my feet is completely gone! They are back to normal. I only really feel my stitches in the shower for some reason (maybe the hot water). It's still not a perfect process, but breastfeeding is getting better. We have our good and bad days. My poor right nipple got so mutilated that I ended up just pumping that side for a day or so to give it a chance to heal while I fed her from the left side (which she prefers anyway).
Sleep makes such a difference! Last night my husband had me and the baby move upstairs and he got up to change her diapers. So, I only had to feed her and put her back down when she dozed off. Instead of waking her last night and today, I've just been letting her sleep and changing/feeding her when she wakes up herself. She feeds so much better!!! She still doses off by the end of the first side or the beginning of the second, but she eats continuously for about 15 minutes. So much better than me having to tickle her feet and stuff for the whole 20 or so minutes just to get a few swallows here and there. She seems to be latching better too. I think the extra sleep we both got has really helped. I feel much less bleary eyed and irritable and more able to focus and be patient; such a welcome difference. SO refreshing.
She's on target weight-wise. She had a 2 week check up today and everything is normal. Last Monday she had gone back up to her birthweight with the formula/breastfeeding. Today she has gone up 6 more ounces. So, that's about an ounce a day just on my breastmilk. :) Yay!
Physically I don't have too many concerns. I don't dare look at my stitches. I just take care of the area the best I can and figure the doctor will tell me at my 6 week appointment if anything is wierd. My belly has gone down to nearly my prepregnancy amount of protrudance. It just looks like I had a mini gastric bypass with all the hanging skin. The stretch marks have begun to fade a little bit already, but the linea negra is still pretty dark and there. I'm still wearing my pregnancy belly panel pants for now. With everything else I've been dealing with, I didn't want to add depression to do the fact that I can't pull on my pre-pregnancy jeans to the mix. For now I'm just reminding myself that it's all worth it to have this beautiful little baby here with me. So, the physical changes (which are more uncomfortable mentally than physically) aren't really an issue. There is just too much else to worry about at the moment.
My advice so far:
3 products I really like so far: The Dunstan baby language DVD and Bravado Original nursing bras, and Gerber onsies with the cuffs at the ends (our baby has talons and likes to try to disfigure herself with them! My husband who has scars from this happening when he was a baby insists on keeping her hands covered when her nails are long and the little mitts we had get flung, pulled off or stretched out too easily).
As long as the baby is eating well, gaining weight and producing the right amount of dirty/wet diapers, let her sleep!
Find a way to get some rest! Even if it's only here and there. It makes such a difference.
Accept help and surround yourself with supportive people if you can. 2 of my best sources of advice and support have been a girlfriend with 3 kids who I never see, but who I keep in contact through email and the gals in this online forum I belong to. Even just having my best girlfriend come over and bring coffee and cupcakes was really nice and refreshing. A little piece of life before baby mixed into my new mommy role.
Vent! Last night I vented for like 30 minutes to one of my brothers (who is 2 years younger than me, but incredibly similar in temperment) and it felt so good. Afterwards I could just leave all of the emotional baggage I had been carrying around, that didn't really have much directly to do with the baby, there.
Remember...until 2 weeks ago, this baby was snug in my belly with no ideas about what the world outside was like. She has been thrust quite suddenly into a place where she can get cold, wet, hungry and upset tummies and the only one who can fix things is me. So, it's no wonder she frantically cries for me when she's feeling uncomfortable. My husband comes home from work every night and sees a baby either being fed or sleeping snuggly and gives me a big kiss and says "good job honey." Don't forget to look at the perfect little baby in front of you during those quiet times and tell yourself "good job honey."
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
So that's why they call it labor.
My Labor Experience
Day 1 - I thought my water broke Friday morning. I got up out of bed and there was this huge gush. My contractions were the same as they had been all week though. So, I called my Dr. and he said to get to the hospital. My husband was working so my mom came and drove me. When I got there the nurse hooked me up to monitors and checked me. She said my contractions were 2 to 5 minutes apart, but that the bag was still intact and I was only 1 cm dilated and sent me home.
When my husband got home that night my contractions were really bad so he took me back to the hospital. The nurse that was there this time was SO not gentle. She said I was still 1 cm and that my contractions were most likely from not drinking enough water. So she made me drink a ton of water and monitored me for like 2 more hours before sending me home again. During the night and whole next day my contractions had me close to tears!
Day 2 - So, we waited till I couldn't stand it anymore and went back around 5ish the next night. I kept thinking they'd probably just send me home again, but this time when they checked I was dilated enough to be admitted. Yay! So, they hooked me up to an IV and drew a ton of blood. Then, I got moved to a L&D room. My mom got there right about then. She was pretty excited. During the labor and delivery my husband, mom and sister were there. The epidural took a while to put in, but once it was there and took effect I was pretty happy. I almost fell asleep a couple of times. ( My contractions stayed nice and strong though so I didn't need pitocin or anything like that until after Aria was here and they started it to help deliver the placenta.) They kept having me lay on one side and then they'd check me and have me turn to the other side. I guess it helps the baby move down faster naturally. After turning and being checked one of those times though is when everything got bad. It was like I could all of a sudden feel the catheter (or however you spell it) and that grew until I could feel the contractions really bad in that whole area. So, the anesthesia guy came back and gave me another dose which really helped, but in no time the feeling was back again! So, I kind of freaked out because it was in such an uncomfortable area. The anesthesiologist said we could try another drug in my epidural and if that didn't work he'd have to try taking the whole thing out and starting over. :( Well, the other drug didn't help for very long. So, they had to redo my epidural while I was having full on contraction pain. It was the most painful thing I've ever experienced. I was scared it wouldn't help and I'd have to deliver like that. In the end it did help a lot.
Day 3 ~ 2am - After all that though, when it was time to push, I got Aria down pretty quick. Then she just kind of got stuck and wouldn't decend anymore. I pushed for 3 more hours with no progress really so they had my Dr come in and he helped me with the vacuum. With his help it only took like 2 or 3 more pushes and she was out. It was so cool! The only bad thing is that I ended up with a "second degree laceration" aka yucky hurty tear in a sensitive place! :)~
When the baby came out and they put her on my chest all I could do was stare. It was like all this effort and pain and pushing and exhaustion...and then she was there on my chest and everything else was gone. I kept thinking "I'm done?" "It's over?" "That's my baby?" They whisked her away to dry her off and check her vitals and everything. I was just kind of laying there in shock. I didn't even know my husband had cut the cord until like 2 days ago when I was going through pictures on my mom's camera. I remember seeing the baby nurse put a footprint on a little foam star and sticking it to my husband's shirt with some tape. I remember the Dr. saying something about placenta and massaging my lower tummy. I remember him stitching and thinking it seemed like a lot of blood and a lot of stitching. I know the nurse had me try and breastfeed right away and her instructions on how to care for my tear. Besides all that, my biggest memory was when they had taken the baby away to dry her and she started to cry. That's when I finally started to cry too. I was a mommy and that little cry was coming from MY baby!
Looking back, I don't know how I did it all (even WITH the epidural). I certainly can't imagine doing it again, even though my husband and I want to try for a boy too. But I also can't imagine life without my baby. It's like now my life has been split into all the time before she came and now. Now is pretty great guys. It's not easy, but it's definitely worth it.
~Jessy
Day 1 - I thought my water broke Friday morning. I got up out of bed and there was this huge gush. My contractions were the same as they had been all week though. So, I called my Dr. and he said to get to the hospital. My husband was working so my mom came and drove me. When I got there the nurse hooked me up to monitors and checked me. She said my contractions were 2 to 5 minutes apart, but that the bag was still intact and I was only 1 cm dilated and sent me home.
When my husband got home that night my contractions were really bad so he took me back to the hospital. The nurse that was there this time was SO not gentle. She said I was still 1 cm and that my contractions were most likely from not drinking enough water. So she made me drink a ton of water and monitored me for like 2 more hours before sending me home again. During the night and whole next day my contractions had me close to tears!
Day 2 - So, we waited till I couldn't stand it anymore and went back around 5ish the next night. I kept thinking they'd probably just send me home again, but this time when they checked I was dilated enough to be admitted. Yay! So, they hooked me up to an IV and drew a ton of blood. Then, I got moved to a L&D room. My mom got there right about then. She was pretty excited. During the labor and delivery my husband, mom and sister were there. The epidural took a while to put in, but once it was there and took effect I was pretty happy. I almost fell asleep a couple of times. ( My contractions stayed nice and strong though so I didn't need pitocin or anything like that until after Aria was here and they started it to help deliver the placenta.) They kept having me lay on one side and then they'd check me and have me turn to the other side. I guess it helps the baby move down faster naturally. After turning and being checked one of those times though is when everything got bad. It was like I could all of a sudden feel the catheter (or however you spell it) and that grew until I could feel the contractions really bad in that whole area. So, the anesthesia guy came back and gave me another dose which really helped, but in no time the feeling was back again! So, I kind of freaked out because it was in such an uncomfortable area. The anesthesiologist said we could try another drug in my epidural and if that didn't work he'd have to try taking the whole thing out and starting over. :( Well, the other drug didn't help for very long. So, they had to redo my epidural while I was having full on contraction pain. It was the most painful thing I've ever experienced. I was scared it wouldn't help and I'd have to deliver like that. In the end it did help a lot.
Day 3 ~ 2am - After all that though, when it was time to push, I got Aria down pretty quick. Then she just kind of got stuck and wouldn't decend anymore. I pushed for 3 more hours with no progress really so they had my Dr come in and he helped me with the vacuum. With his help it only took like 2 or 3 more pushes and she was out. It was so cool! The only bad thing is that I ended up with a "second degree laceration" aka yucky hurty tear in a sensitive place! :)~
When the baby came out and they put her on my chest all I could do was stare. It was like all this effort and pain and pushing and exhaustion...and then she was there on my chest and everything else was gone. I kept thinking "I'm done?" "It's over?" "That's my baby?" They whisked her away to dry her off and check her vitals and everything. I was just kind of laying there in shock. I didn't even know my husband had cut the cord until like 2 days ago when I was going through pictures on my mom's camera. I remember seeing the baby nurse put a footprint on a little foam star and sticking it to my husband's shirt with some tape. I remember the Dr. saying something about placenta and massaging my lower tummy. I remember him stitching and thinking it seemed like a lot of blood and a lot of stitching. I know the nurse had me try and breastfeed right away and her instructions on how to care for my tear. Besides all that, my biggest memory was when they had taken the baby away to dry her and she started to cry. That's when I finally started to cry too. I was a mommy and that little cry was coming from MY baby!
Looking back, I don't know how I did it all (even WITH the epidural). I certainly can't imagine doing it again, even though my husband and I want to try for a boy too. But I also can't imagine life without my baby. It's like now my life has been split into all the time before she came and now. Now is pretty great guys. It's not easy, but it's definitely worth it.
~Jessy
She Came Early!
Baby A came 10 days "early" ! She was born June 8, 2008 and weighed 8lbs 2oz. She was 20 inches long. Read all about it and what comes next under the I'm a mog section of my blog from now on. :) See you there.
~Jessy
eta: I've consolidated all the pregnancy stuff into geekygirl 2.0 and todler stuff into little ones FYI
~Jessy
eta: I've consolidated all the pregnancy stuff into geekygirl 2.0 and todler stuff into little ones FYI
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Week 37 & 38 - Waiting Hurts!
What I've Been Up To
I've been trying to get out as much as possible lately. I really want both to take advantage of being able to get out while I can and maybe stimulate labor a bit by being more physically active. My husband and I like to just relax together at home when he gets time off. Recently though, we decided to try and see a couple of movies out while we can. Iron Man was pretty awesome. I'd definitely see it again. Indiana Jones, on the other hand, wasn't one of my favorites. We didn't regret spending the money to see it, but I'd reccomend waiting till it's out On Demand or from Netflix. Besides that I've mostly just been out for lunches with my mom and sister or running small errands.
Besides getting out I've been able to stay semi-active around the house; getting chores done to a lesser extent (there is only so much I can do now with this huge belly). I usually take care of all the home and financial responsibilities for my husband and I. I've had to deal with a couple of irritating/stressful situations on the financial side. I'm still fighting with my insurance company to get the deductable back from the car accident in January. The lady who hit me isn't being cooperative at all. The other bothersome thing is actually because of a purchase I made online. I bought two SIDS preventing mattress covers (one for the baby's crib and one for the bassinnette) from an online company. I purchased the covers in April and to this day I haven't received the covers and can't get anyone from the seller to respond to my emails. So, since I paid using Paypal, I've opened a dipute claim with them for a refund. I waiting to see what happens with that.
On a more positive note, I traded my 2-door VW Rabbit in for their new Tiguan. I should be able to pick it up by tomorrow. They only had the fully loaded models in blue and black available on the lot. So, I'm waiting for a more basic S model Tiguan in gray to be brought from the port in CA to the dealership here. I was suppose to pick it up the end of last week, but the sales person I dealt with got promoted to a different position and the sales department never called to tell me the vehicle delivery would be delayed. Another little irritation!
How I'm Feeling Physically
I'm in the "done being pregnant" phase of my pregnancy. Last week I was having a lot of cramping. This week it's full on contractions. They come and go all day long. The contractions go away if I change position or sit and lay down to relax for a while. They're also not very close together; so not actual labor just yet. I keep hoping though! I want to get my little girl here already and try and get back to some sort of normal physically. I'd also like to be able to shave my legs without accidentally gouging myself :o)~ The heat is making things pretty miserable too. I feel bad because I'm freezing my husband and poor chihuahuas out of the house just to stay comfortable. I can't help it though. If the house gets up to a certain temperature I get headaches and am extremely uncomfortable.
How I'm Feeling Emotionally
Mostly I'm just feeling anxious to be done with pregnancy, labor and delivery. I just want to be past it all and getting into mom-mode already. I think my frustration with not being able to do simple things I used to do around the house makes me grouchy too. I take it out on my husband sometimes which kind of isn't fair because I get mad at him for not doing things I can't do myself when he's not used to having to do them. I'll see a basket full of laundry which I've cleaned and folded, but can't haul upstairs, sit in the laundry room for weeks. In my mind it's obvious that it needs to be taken upstairs so I can empty it, but my husband doesn't seem to notice it until I mention it and even then it's not a priority. So, I get grouchy because I feel like he's not helping me. Then I feel bad about getting grouchy with a husband I barely see. So, that's kind of yucky.
Overall though, I'm happy. I'm just uncomfortable and ready to have my baby girl safely outside the womb and in my arms.
~Jessy
I've been trying to get out as much as possible lately. I really want both to take advantage of being able to get out while I can and maybe stimulate labor a bit by being more physically active. My husband and I like to just relax together at home when he gets time off. Recently though, we decided to try and see a couple of movies out while we can. Iron Man was pretty awesome. I'd definitely see it again. Indiana Jones, on the other hand, wasn't one of my favorites. We didn't regret spending the money to see it, but I'd reccomend waiting till it's out On Demand or from Netflix. Besides that I've mostly just been out for lunches with my mom and sister or running small errands.
Besides getting out I've been able to stay semi-active around the house; getting chores done to a lesser extent (there is only so much I can do now with this huge belly). I usually take care of all the home and financial responsibilities for my husband and I. I've had to deal with a couple of irritating/stressful situations on the financial side. I'm still fighting with my insurance company to get the deductable back from the car accident in January. The lady who hit me isn't being cooperative at all. The other bothersome thing is actually because of a purchase I made online. I bought two SIDS preventing mattress covers (one for the baby's crib and one for the bassinnette) from an online company. I purchased the covers in April and to this day I haven't received the covers and can't get anyone from the seller to respond to my emails. So, since I paid using Paypal, I've opened a dipute claim with them for a refund. I waiting to see what happens with that.
On a more positive note, I traded my 2-door VW Rabbit in for their new Tiguan. I should be able to pick it up by tomorrow. They only had the fully loaded models in blue and black available on the lot. So, I'm waiting for a more basic S model Tiguan in gray to be brought from the port in CA to the dealership here. I was suppose to pick it up the end of last week, but the sales person I dealt with got promoted to a different position and the sales department never called to tell me the vehicle delivery would be delayed. Another little irritation!
How I'm Feeling Physically
I'm in the "done being pregnant" phase of my pregnancy. Last week I was having a lot of cramping. This week it's full on contractions. They come and go all day long. The contractions go away if I change position or sit and lay down to relax for a while. They're also not very close together; so not actual labor just yet. I keep hoping though! I want to get my little girl here already and try and get back to some sort of normal physically. I'd also like to be able to shave my legs without accidentally gouging myself :o)~ The heat is making things pretty miserable too. I feel bad because I'm freezing my husband and poor chihuahuas out of the house just to stay comfortable. I can't help it though. If the house gets up to a certain temperature I get headaches and am extremely uncomfortable.
How I'm Feeling Emotionally
Mostly I'm just feeling anxious to be done with pregnancy, labor and delivery. I just want to be past it all and getting into mom-mode already. I think my frustration with not being able to do simple things I used to do around the house makes me grouchy too. I take it out on my husband sometimes which kind of isn't fair because I get mad at him for not doing things I can't do myself when he's not used to having to do them. I'll see a basket full of laundry which I've cleaned and folded, but can't haul upstairs, sit in the laundry room for weeks. In my mind it's obvious that it needs to be taken upstairs so I can empty it, but my husband doesn't seem to notice it until I mention it and even then it's not a priority. So, I get grouchy because I feel like he's not helping me. Then I feel bad about getting grouchy with a husband I barely see. So, that's kind of yucky.
Overall though, I'm happy. I'm just uncomfortable and ready to have my baby girl safely outside the womb and in my arms.
~Jessy
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Weeks 34-36 1 Month to Go!
Yay! I'm officially 9 months today! I've made it to the home stretch. Weeks 34 and 35 were plagued with the flu of death. I guess one of my favorite little nephews, who was staying with us with his mom and dad for a couple days, was sick and we didn't know. So, my husband ended up sick and passed the sickness on to me about a week later. I was pretty bummed because I had made it so far without really getting sick during the pregnancy. There are so many other things to deal with body-wise when you're pregnant that even a simple cold or flu are extremely unwelcome. Luckily I had a prenatal appointment right after my husband got sick and was able to ask my OB what he reccomended I do if I did get sick. So, I at least felt a little prepared when it happened and knew what to do.
Over the past week, as I started to feel better, I put the finishing touches on the nursery. I also went and got batteries to make sure all the baby stuff that required batteries worked properly. That way, if something is not working right, I still have time to exchange the item. I also picked my baby's pediatrician and went on the hospital tour. To pick the pediatrician I got a list of reccommendations from my OB. I had planned on meeting with a couple, but immediately recognized one of the Dr's on the list from when I was wprking in the pharmacy. She was always the only pediatrician we could count on to call us back almost immediately if there was ever a problem with a prescription. She always called in person too which just doesn't happen very often. I talked to a member of her staff who informed me that they have separate waiting rooms for sick and well children and same day appointments available for sick children. She actually does rounds at the hospital where I am delivering and her office is just 2 streets over. So, she's really close to us proximity-wise. The hospital tour was nice and informative. The only negative was that there were so many people in our group that it ended up getting really warm and clostraphobic in the labor and delivery room with us all crammed in there. My husband had to work so my mom came with me and was light headed by the time it was all over. Poor mommy! Besides all that, I got my hospital bag all packed. Yay! I have a few items that'll be thrown in last minute, but besides those I'm done.
How I Am Feeling Physically
Physically I am having just some minor irritations. I am still having stuffy sinuses. It's yucky because I will get really phlegmy or have a lot of post-nasal drip and both will cause nausea. In addition to that, I am having waves of nausea on and off here and there anyways. So that's not fun. Sleeping through the night is impossible now. I wake up uncomfortable and move to another position or prop myself up on my pillows multiple times throughout the night. Bending over to do anything is a chore. I spend a lot of time preparing for the "trip" down to the floor. :) I have to have the air conditioner on 78 degrees to be comfortably cool. Hot flashes are evil!
How I Am Feeling Emotionally
Emotionally I am really excited, but with a couple concerns. I'm ready to meet my baby already. I just want her here (and to be able to cut my toenails and shave my legs without so much hassle)! On the other hand, I know it's best for her to have more time to grow and develop. I'm not looking forward to labor and delivery. I'm terrified of getting an epidural. I'll try my best to relax and see how I do without pain meds, but I have a feeling I'll end up asking for help and that's the scariest part for me as time goes by.
Overall, I know I've had a pretty complication-free pregnancy so far and am so greatful. I hopr things continue going well.
~Jessy
Over the past week, as I started to feel better, I put the finishing touches on the nursery. I also went and got batteries to make sure all the baby stuff that required batteries worked properly. That way, if something is not working right, I still have time to exchange the item. I also picked my baby's pediatrician and went on the hospital tour. To pick the pediatrician I got a list of reccommendations from my OB. I had planned on meeting with a couple, but immediately recognized one of the Dr's on the list from when I was wprking in the pharmacy. She was always the only pediatrician we could count on to call us back almost immediately if there was ever a problem with a prescription. She always called in person too which just doesn't happen very often. I talked to a member of her staff who informed me that they have separate waiting rooms for sick and well children and same day appointments available for sick children. She actually does rounds at the hospital where I am delivering and her office is just 2 streets over. So, she's really close to us proximity-wise. The hospital tour was nice and informative. The only negative was that there were so many people in our group that it ended up getting really warm and clostraphobic in the labor and delivery room with us all crammed in there. My husband had to work so my mom came with me and was light headed by the time it was all over. Poor mommy! Besides all that, I got my hospital bag all packed. Yay! I have a few items that'll be thrown in last minute, but besides those I'm done.
How I Am Feeling Physically
Physically I am having just some minor irritations. I am still having stuffy sinuses. It's yucky because I will get really phlegmy or have a lot of post-nasal drip and both will cause nausea. In addition to that, I am having waves of nausea on and off here and there anyways. So that's not fun. Sleeping through the night is impossible now. I wake up uncomfortable and move to another position or prop myself up on my pillows multiple times throughout the night. Bending over to do anything is a chore. I spend a lot of time preparing for the "trip" down to the floor. :) I have to have the air conditioner on 78 degrees to be comfortably cool. Hot flashes are evil!
How I Am Feeling Emotionally
Emotionally I am really excited, but with a couple concerns. I'm ready to meet my baby already. I just want her here (and to be able to cut my toenails and shave my legs without so much hassle)! On the other hand, I know it's best for her to have more time to grow and develop. I'm not looking forward to labor and delivery. I'm terrified of getting an epidural. I'll try my best to relax and see how I do without pain meds, but I have a feeling I'll end up asking for help and that's the scariest part for me as time goes by.
Overall, I know I've had a pretty complication-free pregnancy so far and am so greatful. I hopr things continue going well.
~Jessy
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Weeks 32 & 33 - Fun Stuff...and Not So Fun Stuff
What I've Been Up To
7 Weeks more or less to go guys! My baby shower is over. It turned out SO great. Friends I hadn't seen for years, along with the nearest and dearest that I see all the time, all meshed so well despite the fact that they were all strangers to each other. We had five little girls running around; So cute! I'll have to get a post up just about the shower. My 32 week prenatal appointment was another easy quickie. The OB said I was just "showing off." :o)~ I don't feel that way of course, but as long as everything is looking good to him I'm content. I got in with a new dentist to make sure I'll get a cleaning before the baby gets here. My cleaning is next week. The dentist is a woman and SO great. I loved how excited everyone in the office was for my pregnancy. I cleaned all the baby laundry over the course of the last week and my sister helped me hang and sort a lot of it today. I'm just waiting on the Babe Safe mattress covers to come for the bassinet and crib mattresses, for the dresser/changing table to arrive and for the guests I have coming in tonight (who have to sleep on air mattresses on the nursery floor because that's all the room we have right now) to leave so I can FINALLY finish the nursery.
How I am Feeling Physically
My favorite pregnancy symptom is back officially..."morning" sickness!!! Sleeping and sitting nearly upright on lots of pillows helps me keep anything trying to come up down. It's definitely not 100% though. So, now I'm dealing with that along with hot flashes, pain in my back and knees, lots of fatigue and wierd BO. I swear my sweat smells like goat cheese or milk. I don't even eat that stuff! Craziness.
How I'm Feeling Emotionally
I just want to meet my baby and start getting back to normal physically. I know it's important for her to develop her little lungs and put on fat over the next few weeks though. I still have lots to do to get ready for her too. I just don't like feeling so sick and out of control of my body. I'm also conflicted when it comes to all the company we've been having. It's just all coming at a time when I want to be concentrating on myself and my baby. I like being a hostess most of the time. Right now though, I'm tired of it. It seems like the second I finally have free time to devote to the nursery, we get a phone call that family is on the way. The company I have coming in tonight is actually in town to look at houses because they are moving here in a couple of months. I'm excited to see them. I just kind of wish they had gotten a hotel; especially now that I'm back to running to the bathroom. :(
7 Weeks more or less to go guys! My baby shower is over. It turned out SO great. Friends I hadn't seen for years, along with the nearest and dearest that I see all the time, all meshed so well despite the fact that they were all strangers to each other. We had five little girls running around; So cute! I'll have to get a post up just about the shower. My 32 week prenatal appointment was another easy quickie. The OB said I was just "showing off." :o)~ I don't feel that way of course, but as long as everything is looking good to him I'm content. I got in with a new dentist to make sure I'll get a cleaning before the baby gets here. My cleaning is next week. The dentist is a woman and SO great. I loved how excited everyone in the office was for my pregnancy. I cleaned all the baby laundry over the course of the last week and my sister helped me hang and sort a lot of it today. I'm just waiting on the Babe Safe mattress covers to come for the bassinet and crib mattresses, for the dresser/changing table to arrive and for the guests I have coming in tonight (who have to sleep on air mattresses on the nursery floor because that's all the room we have right now) to leave so I can FINALLY finish the nursery.
How I am Feeling Physically
My favorite pregnancy symptom is back officially..."morning" sickness!!! Sleeping and sitting nearly upright on lots of pillows helps me keep anything trying to come up down. It's definitely not 100% though. So, now I'm dealing with that along with hot flashes, pain in my back and knees, lots of fatigue and wierd BO. I swear my sweat smells like goat cheese or milk. I don't even eat that stuff! Craziness.
How I'm Feeling Emotionally
I just want to meet my baby and start getting back to normal physically. I know it's important for her to develop her little lungs and put on fat over the next few weeks though. I still have lots to do to get ready for her too. I just don't like feeling so sick and out of control of my body. I'm also conflicted when it comes to all the company we've been having. It's just all coming at a time when I want to be concentrating on myself and my baby. I like being a hostess most of the time. Right now though, I'm tired of it. It seems like the second I finally have free time to devote to the nursery, we get a phone call that family is on the way. The company I have coming in tonight is actually in town to look at houses because they are moving here in a couple of months. I'm excited to see them. I just kind of wish they had gotten a hotel; especially now that I'm back to running to the bathroom. :(
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Week 30 and 31 - Not Ready, but kinda Ready Already.
Tomorrow I'm officially 31 weeks.
How I'm Feeling Physically
Now that it's getting hot here and the part of my belly that hangs out of my non-maternity tees (usually what I wear just aroung the house) is starting to morph from cute and poking out to stretch-marked and heading south, pregnancy is getting a bit more uncomfortable. Pretty much everytime I have to stand up I also have to pee. If I'm standing for any length of time my back kills me. I bought a maternity support band. The one I bought was made by Medela . I really didn't like it. It did help my back a bit and even the frequent urination, but it wasn't very comfortable. I was always relieved to just get it off. So, I'm going to return it. The belly bands on my maternity jeans are also more uncomfortable now. They kind of squeeze me a bit, just around the top of the band and leave an indention when I take the jeans off. Part of me really wants to buy another pair of jeans and maybe some denim capris, both with either the elastic under the belly or the full belly panel (mine are mid-belly). With only a couple of months left though I'm not sure it's worth it. The Motherhood Maternity outlet by me has them as low as $16 sometimes, but I only ever find the full belly panel in petite sizes. :( The hot flashes are still here. I get up and drink a big glass of water whenever I get one. Leg cramps try to get me every morning too. I just immediately point my toes up stretching out my calves and they stop in their tracks. Evil leg cramps! My hands have started cramping up. Lately I've been sewing a lot, trying to get the crafty projects I wanted to do done for the nursery, and usually my fingers kill the next day for a little while. My lower back will hurt sometimes when I'm sitting, but I've found that putting a small pillow behind me really helps with that. A couple other pregnant body phenomena I'm not exactly loving are a little return of nausea and food aversions and the reaction my body has to vegetables. On this Blue Ribbon Baby diet you're suppose to eat 2 serving of greens a day and a serving of another vegetable. In my particular case, I could probably just do that and ask my doctor to please change me to a prenatal vitamin WITHOUT a stool softener in it. :/ Ewww.
Other Feelings and What I've Been Up To
Lately the people I was so bummed about ditching me during my pregnancy have really seemed to double up their efforts to support me and spend time with me. A nice and welcome surprise. My husband has been supportive the whole time, but instead of just doing it through words he's really been taking extra steps to help me in little ways that I never expected. Also, there were a few friends I invited to my baby shower who I really didn't think would show. They pretty much all either RSVP'd just recently or confirmed that they couldn't be there for whatever reason, but had sent us a gift. It's awesome when people surprise you in a good way.
I've been having definite mood swings. Sometimes I just really don't feel like doing anything but sitting here. I don't want to watch TV or surf the net or eat or anything. I just want to sit here. Usually when this happens I end up spending the whole time sitting here thinking about all I should be getting done and feeling guilty. So, I've started giving myself a time limit on "just sitting." I'll tell myself I can sit here for 30 minutes, then I HAVE to put the clothes in the washer into the dryer and unload the dishwasher, for example. Usually, once I'm up and doing something, I can snap myself out of the fog and stay productive.
I did a bit of shopping lately. I ordered some really cute maternity shirts from Gap. I should get them soon. I really wish they had a maternity store close to me, but at least they offer free returns. I also have a Gap card so I get free shipping. Although Gap and Old Navy are by the same company, Gap is such better quality. The maternity clothing I've purchased from Gap has been constantly comfortable and durable. The shirts I've purchased from Old Navy have not fit as well in the right places, have faded or shrunk, and are just over all not as good quality garments as my Gap purchases. If I did end up buying another pair of maternity jeans I think I'd go with Gap this time. Despite the higher cost, I'd still be saving money over many other maternity jean brands. Besides clothes, I bought some shampoo and conditioner by Aveda. I absolutely love them. My mom is a hairstylist. So, I'm pretty much always using professional products on my hair. Now that I'm pregnant though, I want to be able to look at the label on the products and know exactly what I'm putting on my body. So, I've switched to Aveda and am happy so far. Another recent purchase of mine has been new glasses and contacts. I was due for a check up and figured I better go now or I might not make it in for quite a while after the baby comes. I spent a little more on new frames than usual this time. I have been thinking more about how I am feeling about my changing body now and how I will feel as I transition back into a nonpregnant body and decided that it's ok to spend a little more on the things that I'll be able to continuously use no matter how much weight I gain or lose.
On the subject of body image, I have been a bit down about my body shape lately. I haven't gained any weight since I started this new diet. I will fluctuate up or down a pound, but I always stay within that range. No clear gain. It's been over a month so I'm a bit concerned. I have a prenatal appointment next week though. I'll mention it to my OB. I'm constantly eating and definitely getting all my servings of milk, protein, whole grain, fruits and veggies, and fats every day. The baby is just as active as ever too. My belly is also growing. The scale just isn't moving. So, we'll see what the professional has to say. I wouldn't worry, but I know it's normal to gain around a pound a week in the third trimester, about half of which goes to the baby as she gains weight. So, I just want to know she's growing ok mostly. If she wants to take her little fat stores from mine, I'm totally ok with that. :) I've gained 30 lbs so far and wouldn't mind stopping there as long as the baby is getting 100% of what she needs from me.
I had a little pregnancy photoshoot last week. I didn't like any of the shots with my upper arms in them. I've become a bit self conscious about my arms. My legs were never a favorite part of my body and are now a bit more jiggly. My face is also a bit more round. That really doesn't bother me as much though. I would just love to be prancing around in cute little flowy summer dresses or at least to switch my tops for a cute maternity tank or two and some comfy shorts. Not going to happen though I'm thinking. I bought a maternity bathing suit earlier in my pregnancy that'll most likely never see the light of day. :( I don't like being that way. I'm sure if I'd actually uncover a bit and get some sun on my jiggly parts I'd be able to stand looking at them a bit more. I'm more comfortable covered though I guess. This all definitely motivates me to work hard to get fit again once the baby is here. After I've gotten a bit used to the new-parent daze that is.
On a funner note, my baby shower is the end of this week. I'm so excited. I'm mostly excited to reunite with friends I haven't seen in forever. The presents will be great I'm sure; definitely appreciated. I'll just hate everyone focusing on me while I open them. Part of me wants to peak at my baby registries to see what we got! Bad, I know! But it won't be as fun that way. I paid for and put togther the favors and did the invitations. I figured it was the least I could do. I also found a bunch of ideas for activities online and let my sister pick the ones she wanted to do (that's her part of the shower). My mom is doing the food and decorations. I just need to pick up the little bundt cakes on the day of the shower to add to the favor bags and transport my sister-in-law and her husband from their hotel that day and show up to the party. So, besides figuring out what to wear, I'm not letting myself stress about anything. :)
I'll let you know how everything goes!
~Jessy
How I'm Feeling Physically
Now that it's getting hot here and the part of my belly that hangs out of my non-maternity tees (usually what I wear just aroung the house) is starting to morph from cute and poking out to stretch-marked and heading south, pregnancy is getting a bit more uncomfortable. Pretty much everytime I have to stand up I also have to pee. If I'm standing for any length of time my back kills me. I bought a maternity support band. The one I bought was made by Medela . I really didn't like it. It did help my back a bit and even the frequent urination, but it wasn't very comfortable. I was always relieved to just get it off. So, I'm going to return it. The belly bands on my maternity jeans are also more uncomfortable now. They kind of squeeze me a bit, just around the top of the band and leave an indention when I take the jeans off. Part of me really wants to buy another pair of jeans and maybe some denim capris, both with either the elastic under the belly or the full belly panel (mine are mid-belly). With only a couple of months left though I'm not sure it's worth it. The Motherhood Maternity outlet by me has them as low as $16 sometimes, but I only ever find the full belly panel in petite sizes. :( The hot flashes are still here. I get up and drink a big glass of water whenever I get one. Leg cramps try to get me every morning too. I just immediately point my toes up stretching out my calves and they stop in their tracks. Evil leg cramps! My hands have started cramping up. Lately I've been sewing a lot, trying to get the crafty projects I wanted to do done for the nursery, and usually my fingers kill the next day for a little while. My lower back will hurt sometimes when I'm sitting, but I've found that putting a small pillow behind me really helps with that. A couple other pregnant body phenomena I'm not exactly loving are a little return of nausea and food aversions and the reaction my body has to vegetables. On this Blue Ribbon Baby diet you're suppose to eat 2 serving of greens a day and a serving of another vegetable. In my particular case, I could probably just do that and ask my doctor to please change me to a prenatal vitamin WITHOUT a stool softener in it. :/ Ewww.
Other Feelings and What I've Been Up To
Lately the people I was so bummed about ditching me during my pregnancy have really seemed to double up their efforts to support me and spend time with me. A nice and welcome surprise. My husband has been supportive the whole time, but instead of just doing it through words he's really been taking extra steps to help me in little ways that I never expected. Also, there were a few friends I invited to my baby shower who I really didn't think would show. They pretty much all either RSVP'd just recently or confirmed that they couldn't be there for whatever reason, but had sent us a gift. It's awesome when people surprise you in a good way.
I've been having definite mood swings. Sometimes I just really don't feel like doing anything but sitting here. I don't want to watch TV or surf the net or eat or anything. I just want to sit here. Usually when this happens I end up spending the whole time sitting here thinking about all I should be getting done and feeling guilty. So, I've started giving myself a time limit on "just sitting." I'll tell myself I can sit here for 30 minutes, then I HAVE to put the clothes in the washer into the dryer and unload the dishwasher, for example. Usually, once I'm up and doing something, I can snap myself out of the fog and stay productive.
I did a bit of shopping lately. I ordered some really cute maternity shirts from Gap. I should get them soon. I really wish they had a maternity store close to me, but at least they offer free returns. I also have a Gap card so I get free shipping. Although Gap and Old Navy are by the same company, Gap is such better quality. The maternity clothing I've purchased from Gap has been constantly comfortable and durable. The shirts I've purchased from Old Navy have not fit as well in the right places, have faded or shrunk, and are just over all not as good quality garments as my Gap purchases. If I did end up buying another pair of maternity jeans I think I'd go with Gap this time. Despite the higher cost, I'd still be saving money over many other maternity jean brands. Besides clothes, I bought some shampoo and conditioner by Aveda. I absolutely love them. My mom is a hairstylist. So, I'm pretty much always using professional products on my hair. Now that I'm pregnant though, I want to be able to look at the label on the products and know exactly what I'm putting on my body. So, I've switched to Aveda and am happy so far. Another recent purchase of mine has been new glasses and contacts. I was due for a check up and figured I better go now or I might not make it in for quite a while after the baby comes. I spent a little more on new frames than usual this time. I have been thinking more about how I am feeling about my changing body now and how I will feel as I transition back into a nonpregnant body and decided that it's ok to spend a little more on the things that I'll be able to continuously use no matter how much weight I gain or lose.
On the subject of body image, I have been a bit down about my body shape lately. I haven't gained any weight since I started this new diet. I will fluctuate up or down a pound, but I always stay within that range. No clear gain. It's been over a month so I'm a bit concerned. I have a prenatal appointment next week though. I'll mention it to my OB. I'm constantly eating and definitely getting all my servings of milk, protein, whole grain, fruits and veggies, and fats every day. The baby is just as active as ever too. My belly is also growing. The scale just isn't moving. So, we'll see what the professional has to say. I wouldn't worry, but I know it's normal to gain around a pound a week in the third trimester, about half of which goes to the baby as she gains weight. So, I just want to know she's growing ok mostly. If she wants to take her little fat stores from mine, I'm totally ok with that. :) I've gained 30 lbs so far and wouldn't mind stopping there as long as the baby is getting 100% of what she needs from me.
I had a little pregnancy photoshoot last week. I didn't like any of the shots with my upper arms in them. I've become a bit self conscious about my arms. My legs were never a favorite part of my body and are now a bit more jiggly. My face is also a bit more round. That really doesn't bother me as much though. I would just love to be prancing around in cute little flowy summer dresses or at least to switch my tops for a cute maternity tank or two and some comfy shorts. Not going to happen though I'm thinking. I bought a maternity bathing suit earlier in my pregnancy that'll most likely never see the light of day. :( I don't like being that way. I'm sure if I'd actually uncover a bit and get some sun on my jiggly parts I'd be able to stand looking at them a bit more. I'm more comfortable covered though I guess. This all definitely motivates me to work hard to get fit again once the baby is here. After I've gotten a bit used to the new-parent daze that is.
On a funner note, my baby shower is the end of this week. I'm so excited. I'm mostly excited to reunite with friends I haven't seen in forever. The presents will be great I'm sure; definitely appreciated. I'll just hate everyone focusing on me while I open them. Part of me wants to peak at my baby registries to see what we got! Bad, I know! But it won't be as fun that way. I paid for and put togther the favors and did the invitations. I figured it was the least I could do. I also found a bunch of ideas for activities online and let my sister pick the ones she wanted to do (that's her part of the shower). My mom is doing the food and decorations. I just need to pick up the little bundt cakes on the day of the shower to add to the favor bags and transport my sister-in-law and her husband from their hotel that day and show up to the party. So, besides figuring out what to wear, I'm not letting myself stress about anything. :)
I'll let you know how everything goes!
~Jessy
Friday, April 4, 2008
Week 29 - A Sneak Peek
What I've Been Up To
Another busy couple of weeks have gone by. I went through a mini shopaholic phase the beginning of last week. I bought a belly chime, Glowology lotion and body wash set, 2 sets of books for the baby that I grew up with, 3 movies that I really like and wanted to have on hand for her, and 4 tank tops.
There is actually a Belly Chime website that you can google and find pretty easily. Their chimes are around $40 though plus shipping. They were also out of stock when I visited their website due to some kind of silver problem. I found mine by searching for "Harmony Ball" on ebay. I bought one from a seller named Oakvail. Her store is called "Granny Has One" if anyone else is interested. The pendant ended up being around $27 including shipping. I just went to the craft store and bought a leather necklace kit (came with hardware) for $3 to put it on. These chimes are supposedly based on the Mexican baby bola. They are a little chime (much like those Chinese meditation balls if you have heard the sound those make) that you wear hanging near your belly while you are pregnant. Whenever you move the chime makes a sound the baby can hear while still in the womb. I guess as times goes on the baby associates this chime with comfort and continues to be soothed by the sound of it once they are born. I read about some mothers using them as breastfeeding necklaces too. Something for the baby to play with while they are feeding.
The lotion/body wash set I bought is Glowology's Simply Divine by Noodle and Boo. I love that they are both pthalate and paraben-free. They contain many organic ingredients and are made for sensitive skin. Erbaviva can be a little overpowering scent-wise in my opinion. These 2 Glowology products, however, both have a gentle scent. Like a very light honey/floral mix. The tubes are a nice size and will most likely last me the rest of the pregnancy. The body wash is a bit thin, but does the job. The lotion, on the other hand, is extremely nice and luxurious. Thick enough to hydrate, but not so thick you can't completely rub it in.
The books I ordered were the Little Miss and Mr. Men books by Roger Hargreaves. They are usually around $3 each book and many of the books in each set are no longer being printed in the U.S. I did find them in 2 little 'Library Bus' sets from Amazon.co.UK though. These are books that I loved as a child for bedtime. I remember looking at the back of each one and wishing I could read ALL the books in both sets. So, I had to have them for the baby.
My other must-have was 3 movies by Hayao Miyazaki. I came across them when I first became interested in Japanese anime. They are: Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and Howl's Moving Castle. I own most of the movies I cherished as a child, but these are new additions I'd like to pass on to my kids. I love the character expression and complex feelings embraced by Japanese animation. Some of it is very adult-oriented, but these three films I think are ones that can be appreciated in different ways as a child grows older.
The tank tops I bought on a shopping trip with my sister. They aren't maternity or anything too special. I found them at a store called Styles. They come in some nice bright somery colors, are long enough to cover the belly and have lace with a few sequins along both the top and bottom. I like that the straps are adjustable on them. That way you can shorten them to give a bit of cleavage coverage if you wear them alone or lengthen them if you are using them to add a pretty layer to something.
I've also been reading a couple of good books I definitely recommend. One is Raising Baby Green by Dr. Alan Greene (a pediatrician) and the other is the American Academy of Pediatrics New Mother's Guide to Breastfeeding.
Besides reading and shopping I taught myself how to do Amigurumi. I haven't officially finished my first piece (a blue teddy bear), but I definitely have the hang of it. It's so fast and once you figure out how to start out (I use the magic adjustable ring method) things come together rather quickly. I'll post a picture once I have the bear all situated.
My in-laws were in town the beginning of the week too. It was a nice visit. My mother-in-law really appreciated the 4D ultrasound I had done while she was up. It helped her feel more a part of the pregnancy and attached to the baby. I had hoped it would. It was the funnest ultrasound so far for me too becaue my mom and sister were there with me to "awww." I know some husbands cry during ultrasounds and are extra sensitive to that sort of thing, but mine isn't really like that. He says it's because he comes from such a large family and all his friends our age have children. So, babies are just kind of part of life for him. So there wasn't much mushiness or any tears during my medical ultrasounds.
Lastly, I had my 29 week prenatal appointment yesterday. It was a normal short visit. Everything is looking great. The scheduler made all the rest of my appointments until my due date. Then she said "unfortunately" for me, I probably would be there, still pregnant, for my appointment scheduled on my actual due date. I was thinking I'd rather that than be in the hospital way early with complications or premature labor.
How I'm Feeling Physically
I have to say that this Blue Ribbon Baby diet has helped me immensely. The swelling in my hands and feet that had started went away. I took a little break from it when my in-laws were here, then it started to come back. Once I started the diet full force again, the swelling went away again. So, that was a nice surprise. I haven't had any surprises on the scale. Even though I feel like I'm eating all the time, my weight is in check nicely. I just feel really good.
I have gotten more stretch marks in the past few days. That's not too lovely. My hair, on the other hand, is looking great finally. It's full and shiny and healthy looking. I love it.
I think my main physical complaint would have to be hot flashes. I get SO HOT all of a sudden. Usually I jump up and change my clothes to something lighter or get a drink of water. Whatever I can think of. Then the flash passes and I'm bundled up under a blanket because my house feels cool again.
How I'm Feeling Emotionally
I was a little worried because it seemed like the baby would be way active one day and then I would barely feel her the next. I asked the nurse during my prenatal visit if I should be doing kick counts since it worries me. She told me I could. She said to just lay on my left side and count 10 kicks in an hour each day. She said that the position helps and that I could drink some orange juice before to help. I guess the sugar will get her moving a bit. She also said not to worry too much because babies aren't in very good shape. That's why their heartrates are affected by things so easily. If the baby is way active one day, she may need to just rest a lot the next day. That helped put my mind at ease. I would of course call my OB's office if her lack of movement started to worry me still. For now though, she's been active enough to keep me confident the past couple days.
The 4D ultrasound did help me feel a lot more connected to the baby. It gave me comfort too to see her developed so well. She looks a lot like her daddy in those images. :) We played the DVD for my husband and father-in-law later that afternoon. I think my husband really enjoyed it. He cracked a joke or two, but I can definitely see a difference in his level of interest in the baby since he saw it. It's cute.
So, overall, it has been a very eventful/busy/enriching kind of week for me.
~Jessy
Another busy couple of weeks have gone by. I went through a mini shopaholic phase the beginning of last week. I bought a belly chime, Glowology lotion and body wash set, 2 sets of books for the baby that I grew up with, 3 movies that I really like and wanted to have on hand for her, and 4 tank tops.
There is actually a Belly Chime website that you can google and find pretty easily. Their chimes are around $40 though plus shipping. They were also out of stock when I visited their website due to some kind of silver problem. I found mine by searching for "Harmony Ball" on ebay. I bought one from a seller named Oakvail. Her store is called "Granny Has One" if anyone else is interested. The pendant ended up being around $27 including shipping. I just went to the craft store and bought a leather necklace kit (came with hardware) for $3 to put it on. These chimes are supposedly based on the Mexican baby bola. They are a little chime (much like those Chinese meditation balls if you have heard the sound those make) that you wear hanging near your belly while you are pregnant. Whenever you move the chime makes a sound the baby can hear while still in the womb. I guess as times goes on the baby associates this chime with comfort and continues to be soothed by the sound of it once they are born. I read about some mothers using them as breastfeeding necklaces too. Something for the baby to play with while they are feeding.
The lotion/body wash set I bought is Glowology's Simply Divine by Noodle and Boo. I love that they are both pthalate and paraben-free. They contain many organic ingredients and are made for sensitive skin. Erbaviva can be a little overpowering scent-wise in my opinion. These 2 Glowology products, however, both have a gentle scent. Like a very light honey/floral mix. The tubes are a nice size and will most likely last me the rest of the pregnancy. The body wash is a bit thin, but does the job. The lotion, on the other hand, is extremely nice and luxurious. Thick enough to hydrate, but not so thick you can't completely rub it in.
The books I ordered were the Little Miss and Mr. Men books by Roger Hargreaves. They are usually around $3 each book and many of the books in each set are no longer being printed in the U.S. I did find them in 2 little 'Library Bus' sets from Amazon.co.UK though. These are books that I loved as a child for bedtime. I remember looking at the back of each one and wishing I could read ALL the books in both sets. So, I had to have them for the baby.
My other must-have was 3 movies by Hayao Miyazaki. I came across them when I first became interested in Japanese anime. They are: Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and Howl's Moving Castle. I own most of the movies I cherished as a child, but these are new additions I'd like to pass on to my kids. I love the character expression and complex feelings embraced by Japanese animation. Some of it is very adult-oriented, but these three films I think are ones that can be appreciated in different ways as a child grows older.
The tank tops I bought on a shopping trip with my sister. They aren't maternity or anything too special. I found them at a store called Styles. They come in some nice bright somery colors, are long enough to cover the belly and have lace with a few sequins along both the top and bottom. I like that the straps are adjustable on them. That way you can shorten them to give a bit of cleavage coverage if you wear them alone or lengthen them if you are using them to add a pretty layer to something.
I've also been reading a couple of good books I definitely recommend. One is Raising Baby Green by Dr. Alan Greene (a pediatrician) and the other is the American Academy of Pediatrics New Mother's Guide to Breastfeeding.
Besides reading and shopping I taught myself how to do Amigurumi. I haven't officially finished my first piece (a blue teddy bear), but I definitely have the hang of it. It's so fast and once you figure out how to start out (I use the magic adjustable ring method) things come together rather quickly. I'll post a picture once I have the bear all situated.
My in-laws were in town the beginning of the week too. It was a nice visit. My mother-in-law really appreciated the 4D ultrasound I had done while she was up. It helped her feel more a part of the pregnancy and attached to the baby. I had hoped it would. It was the funnest ultrasound so far for me too becaue my mom and sister were there with me to "awww." I know some husbands cry during ultrasounds and are extra sensitive to that sort of thing, but mine isn't really like that. He says it's because he comes from such a large family and all his friends our age have children. So, babies are just kind of part of life for him. So there wasn't much mushiness or any tears during my medical ultrasounds.
Lastly, I had my 29 week prenatal appointment yesterday. It was a normal short visit. Everything is looking great. The scheduler made all the rest of my appointments until my due date. Then she said "unfortunately" for me, I probably would be there, still pregnant, for my appointment scheduled on my actual due date. I was thinking I'd rather that than be in the hospital way early with complications or premature labor.
How I'm Feeling Physically
I have to say that this Blue Ribbon Baby diet has helped me immensely. The swelling in my hands and feet that had started went away. I took a little break from it when my in-laws were here, then it started to come back. Once I started the diet full force again, the swelling went away again. So, that was a nice surprise. I haven't had any surprises on the scale. Even though I feel like I'm eating all the time, my weight is in check nicely. I just feel really good.
I have gotten more stretch marks in the past few days. That's not too lovely. My hair, on the other hand, is looking great finally. It's full and shiny and healthy looking. I love it.
I think my main physical complaint would have to be hot flashes. I get SO HOT all of a sudden. Usually I jump up and change my clothes to something lighter or get a drink of water. Whatever I can think of. Then the flash passes and I'm bundled up under a blanket because my house feels cool again.
How I'm Feeling Emotionally
I was a little worried because it seemed like the baby would be way active one day and then I would barely feel her the next. I asked the nurse during my prenatal visit if I should be doing kick counts since it worries me. She told me I could. She said to just lay on my left side and count 10 kicks in an hour each day. She said that the position helps and that I could drink some orange juice before to help. I guess the sugar will get her moving a bit. She also said not to worry too much because babies aren't in very good shape. That's why their heartrates are affected by things so easily. If the baby is way active one day, she may need to just rest a lot the next day. That helped put my mind at ease. I would of course call my OB's office if her lack of movement started to worry me still. For now though, she's been active enough to keep me confident the past couple days.
The 4D ultrasound did help me feel a lot more connected to the baby. It gave me comfort too to see her developed so well. She looks a lot like her daddy in those images. :) We played the DVD for my husband and father-in-law later that afternoon. I think my husband really enjoyed it. He cracked a joke or two, but I can definitely see a difference in his level of interest in the baby since he saw it. It's cute.
So, overall, it has been a very eventful/busy/enriching kind of week for me.
~Jessy
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
The Baby Shower Invitation aka Look What I Made!
Finally figured this machine out!
Finished!
Inside! The next page has the shower info. I put the wrong zip code in there though. :( Oh well! Pleased overall.~Jessy
Friday, March 21, 2008
Week 27 - I've Been A Busy Bee
I remember the days during this pregnancy when it felt like the morning sickness would never go away, the first trimester would never end, I would never make it to 24 weeks... Now it feels like the third trimester kinda crept up on me. Before too much longer I'll be graduating from "blognant" to the "mog-mom with a blog" section of this page. It's truly amazing how quickly time is passing. But then again, I've read about and seen on message boards where ladies are just wanting the baby to get here already because those last few weeks are miserable and taking forever. So, we'll see how things change for me as the stretch continues.
What I've Been Up To
I have been incredibly busy this past week. I finally finished the baby shower invites and got them all mailed out. I have one more to hand deliver and the rest are up to my mom and sister to get out to their guests. They turned out really cute. I know I have a lot of pictures to get up for you guys. I want to put up pictures of the invites, belly pics, pics of the nursery as it progresses and some book/product reviews too. This just wasn't the week to do any of that. I took care of the chores I do less often (steam clean the rugs, get my car serviced, the bug guy came, bleach out the sinks and disinfect and scrub all the toilets etc.) in addition to my regular load. I've also had to stay on top of getting things ready for my in-laws to visit in a couple weeks. I installed a Pur water filter on my sink, got a great breastfeeding book from the library and scheduled a 4D ultrasound as well.
Somewhere within that whole mix, a girl I haven't seen since high school myspace messaged me that, if I was interested, she had a bunch of baby girl stuff she was getting rid of. She already has 2 girls and is pregnant with a boy. Whatever she couldn't give away she was just going to donate to charity. So, we made a date and I went over expecting a bag or 2 of baby clothing. Instead I found 2 huge totes of nearly new or new baby girl clothing along with blankets, towels, burp cloths etc. I left with about a tote and a half's worth and an extra bouncy seat she had. I couldn't believe her generosity. Especially since we hadn't seen each other in almost 10 years now. It was pretty amazing.
So it's been go go go for me.
How I'm Feeling Physically
The backaches are still there at night, especially if I've worked hard during the day. My hands and feet swell at night as well. They are slightly puffy during the day now, but you can really see a difference at night. I was a little embarrassed because I don't get to see my feet very often any more and the other day I regretted not making more of an effort to take a close look. I had officially started to grow what Napoleon Dynamite might refer to as "talons!" It was quite a chore, but I took care of that pretty fast. I just kept thinking about how it's been so hot lately and how my swollen feet make my shoes feel tight. S0, I usually slip on some flip flops when I'm running quick errands. I wonder how many people noticed the claws. If I ever see a pregnant lady with not so cute toenails I can now feel her pain. I think I'm actually going to schedule a pedicure with my little sister the month before my due date. I know my toes will probably be at the bottom of my list of priorities once the baby gets here. Plus I've had this gift card burning a hole in my pocket for a nice salon/spa since around Christmas.
The stretch mark fairy came this week. Evil pixie that he is. It's gotta be a guy. I was examining my belly and noticed my first stretch mark. I went to my husband just to be sure because he can get a lot closer to the under side of my belly than I can. I asked him if it was really a stretch mark or just a dark vein. He confirmed my suspicion; stretch mark. I noticed the cream I was using before on my body contained parabens. So, I've started using the stretch mark oil and lotion from erbabviva. I bought this little sample kit of their pregnancy products a while back. I don't really expect the stuff to prevent stretch marks or get rid of them. I do totally believe it's mostly genetics that causes them. But it feels good to be moisturized and paraben-free. Once I run out of the little samples I'll probably buy some Burt's Bees baby lotion to use. It'll give my dogs a chance to get use to the smells that'll most likely be around once the baby gets here. Either that or I'll check out the Belli or Glowology maternity products I've been reading about in magazines.
How I'm Feeling Mentally
I was feeling a bit crappy because my eating this week took a drastic turn downward. I had fast food and frozen yogurt 2 days in a row and made some yummy chocolate cookies to top it off. I feel better about it now though because after reading about the Blue Ribbon Baby pregnancy diet on a message board I decided to give it a try. It looks like a pretty well-rounded diet. No calorie counting or anything like that. It's only been a couple days for me so far, but I'm finding it incredibly easy to follow. At the end of the day I feel good knowing that, if all my little boxes are checked, I've given my baby the best possible nutrition I can. I took the list of foods required daily and weekly and made little tables for each day of the week in Microsoft Word. Then I printed out 13 copies; for the 13 weeks I have left. I guess my only gripe is that I do really crave chocolate now. Unfortunately Dr. Brewer didn't include a little box on his diet for a daily chocolate serving. Oh well. I figure I can just have chocolate milk for a milk serving if I want and maybe be naughty and do chocolate frozen yogurt for one every once in a while. Once I'm on it a little longer and have more feedback, I'll put up a post with links to sample daily meals and the little check lists I made for myself.
I'm excited about a couple of other things. The baby shower for one. I perused through my baby registry one last time before mailing out the invites. I feel a little guilty about leaving the Cariboo Earth Bassinet on my Giggle.com registry, but it's the only all wood, 100% cotton, no-formaldehyde emission bassinet I can find. It's just so pricey. So are the Dwell baby products I put on the same registry. I really like the prints on them though. I figure most people will probably get us stuff from Baby's R Us anyways. Giggle.com just has a lot of cute stuff I like. So, I registered there too. On of my sister-in-laws is coming to town for the occasion. A friend I haven't seen in a couple years is coming with her girls. My best girlfriend is also coming along with the girl who gave me all the baby girl stuff. So, that's mostly why I'm excited; just to celebrate with old friends. I'm happy that they are making such an effort to be there for me.
I get pretty down sometimes because, although I know they love me and are excited about my pregnancy, the ones I depend on the most for companionship and advice really haven't been here for me this whole time. They either are busy with their own lives or are the ones scaring me to death or depressing me with worries I shouldn't have to carry right now. So, I've had to rely more on my little online communities and women I don't usually reach out to, but whose opinions I truly value and whose advice I know I can trust; like my sister-in-law and my old friends. It bothers me because I know I'm going to feel resentful when the people who I wish had been there for me during my pregnancy are all of a sudden trying to break down the door to see the baby. I'm going to be dealing with those feelings as well as all the new mommy stuff. I just keep thinking that this is a very special time for me (I'll only be pregnant with my first baby once), and the people I thought would be there for me through it are missing out. It's unfortunate. But on the other hand, at least I've found a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with friends that had kind of fallen along the wayside of my life. I've also found a great online community of women/mothers who are just as thirsty for knowledge as I am and just as willing to share their experiences/recommendations/advice with me as I am with you.
Overall, this has been a week of getting things done. I feel good about the chores I've done and dietary changes I've made. I'm also so greatful for the new relationships I've been able to build with old friends and online friends. I'm excited to continue my journey through pregnancy and into mommyhood.
What I've Been Up To
I have been incredibly busy this past week. I finally finished the baby shower invites and got them all mailed out. I have one more to hand deliver and the rest are up to my mom and sister to get out to their guests. They turned out really cute. I know I have a lot of pictures to get up for you guys. I want to put up pictures of the invites, belly pics, pics of the nursery as it progresses and some book/product reviews too. This just wasn't the week to do any of that. I took care of the chores I do less often (steam clean the rugs, get my car serviced, the bug guy came, bleach out the sinks and disinfect and scrub all the toilets etc.) in addition to my regular load. I've also had to stay on top of getting things ready for my in-laws to visit in a couple weeks. I installed a Pur water filter on my sink, got a great breastfeeding book from the library and scheduled a 4D ultrasound as well.
Somewhere within that whole mix, a girl I haven't seen since high school myspace messaged me that, if I was interested, she had a bunch of baby girl stuff she was getting rid of. She already has 2 girls and is pregnant with a boy. Whatever she couldn't give away she was just going to donate to charity. So, we made a date and I went over expecting a bag or 2 of baby clothing. Instead I found 2 huge totes of nearly new or new baby girl clothing along with blankets, towels, burp cloths etc. I left with about a tote and a half's worth and an extra bouncy seat she had. I couldn't believe her generosity. Especially since we hadn't seen each other in almost 10 years now. It was pretty amazing.
So it's been go go go for me.
How I'm Feeling Physically
The backaches are still there at night, especially if I've worked hard during the day. My hands and feet swell at night as well. They are slightly puffy during the day now, but you can really see a difference at night. I was a little embarrassed because I don't get to see my feet very often any more and the other day I regretted not making more of an effort to take a close look. I had officially started to grow what Napoleon Dynamite might refer to as "talons!" It was quite a chore, but I took care of that pretty fast. I just kept thinking about how it's been so hot lately and how my swollen feet make my shoes feel tight. S0, I usually slip on some flip flops when I'm running quick errands. I wonder how many people noticed the claws. If I ever see a pregnant lady with not so cute toenails I can now feel her pain. I think I'm actually going to schedule a pedicure with my little sister the month before my due date. I know my toes will probably be at the bottom of my list of priorities once the baby gets here. Plus I've had this gift card burning a hole in my pocket for a nice salon/spa since around Christmas.
The stretch mark fairy came this week. Evil pixie that he is. It's gotta be a guy. I was examining my belly and noticed my first stretch mark. I went to my husband just to be sure because he can get a lot closer to the under side of my belly than I can. I asked him if it was really a stretch mark or just a dark vein. He confirmed my suspicion; stretch mark. I noticed the cream I was using before on my body contained parabens. So, I've started using the stretch mark oil and lotion from erbabviva. I bought this little sample kit of their pregnancy products a while back. I don't really expect the stuff to prevent stretch marks or get rid of them. I do totally believe it's mostly genetics that causes them. But it feels good to be moisturized and paraben-free. Once I run out of the little samples I'll probably buy some Burt's Bees baby lotion to use. It'll give my dogs a chance to get use to the smells that'll most likely be around once the baby gets here. Either that or I'll check out the Belli or Glowology maternity products I've been reading about in magazines.
How I'm Feeling Mentally
I was feeling a bit crappy because my eating this week took a drastic turn downward. I had fast food and frozen yogurt 2 days in a row and made some yummy chocolate cookies to top it off. I feel better about it now though because after reading about the Blue Ribbon Baby pregnancy diet on a message board I decided to give it a try. It looks like a pretty well-rounded diet. No calorie counting or anything like that. It's only been a couple days for me so far, but I'm finding it incredibly easy to follow. At the end of the day I feel good knowing that, if all my little boxes are checked, I've given my baby the best possible nutrition I can. I took the list of foods required daily and weekly and made little tables for each day of the week in Microsoft Word. Then I printed out 13 copies; for the 13 weeks I have left. I guess my only gripe is that I do really crave chocolate now. Unfortunately Dr. Brewer didn't include a little box on his diet for a daily chocolate serving. Oh well. I figure I can just have chocolate milk for a milk serving if I want and maybe be naughty and do chocolate frozen yogurt for one every once in a while. Once I'm on it a little longer and have more feedback, I'll put up a post with links to sample daily meals and the little check lists I made for myself.
I'm excited about a couple of other things. The baby shower for one. I perused through my baby registry one last time before mailing out the invites. I feel a little guilty about leaving the Cariboo Earth Bassinet on my Giggle.com registry, but it's the only all wood, 100% cotton, no-formaldehyde emission bassinet I can find. It's just so pricey. So are the Dwell baby products I put on the same registry. I really like the prints on them though. I figure most people will probably get us stuff from Baby's R Us anyways. Giggle.com just has a lot of cute stuff I like. So, I registered there too. On of my sister-in-laws is coming to town for the occasion. A friend I haven't seen in a couple years is coming with her girls. My best girlfriend is also coming along with the girl who gave me all the baby girl stuff. So, that's mostly why I'm excited; just to celebrate with old friends. I'm happy that they are making such an effort to be there for me.
I get pretty down sometimes because, although I know they love me and are excited about my pregnancy, the ones I depend on the most for companionship and advice really haven't been here for me this whole time. They either are busy with their own lives or are the ones scaring me to death or depressing me with worries I shouldn't have to carry right now. So, I've had to rely more on my little online communities and women I don't usually reach out to, but whose opinions I truly value and whose advice I know I can trust; like my sister-in-law and my old friends. It bothers me because I know I'm going to feel resentful when the people who I wish had been there for me during my pregnancy are all of a sudden trying to break down the door to see the baby. I'm going to be dealing with those feelings as well as all the new mommy stuff. I just keep thinking that this is a very special time for me (I'll only be pregnant with my first baby once), and the people I thought would be there for me through it are missing out. It's unfortunate. But on the other hand, at least I've found a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with friends that had kind of fallen along the wayside of my life. I've also found a great online community of women/mothers who are just as thirsty for knowledge as I am and just as willing to share their experiences/recommendations/advice with me as I am with you.
Overall, this has been a week of getting things done. I feel good about the chores I've done and dietary changes I've made. I'm also so greatful for the new relationships I've been able to build with old friends and online friends. I'm excited to continue my journey through pregnancy and into mommyhood.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Week 26 - Help! I sat down and I can't get up!
According to some resources I've offficially finished the second trimester. Some have me with a week to go. Either way it's come way too soon. Only 14 weeks to go and that's IF the baby comes right at 40 weeks. If I give myself the last whole month to just be pregnant, and pitter patter around waiting to go into labor, I have about 10 weeks left to get everything I want to get done before the baby comes. And to think, 10 weeks used to sound like forever to me.
How I'm Feeling Physically
I thought if I didn't already have it by now, I'd never get it, BUT on the 7th of this month I noticed that I DO have the line negra. I don't know if it just appeared or if I just don't get to see that portion of my tummy that much anymore so I missed it. My is very faint, but it's definitely there. It runs from just under my belly button down. Another less pleasant discovery also has to do with my skin. I noticed just a couple days ago that I had a spot of acne on both sides just under my underarms. Bizarre place. This pregnancy acne is so wierd to me. I mean I get the occasional breakout every once in a while normally. Usually, however, the spots are just little bumps that go right away with treatment. These pregnancy "blemishes" though are gi-normous and look disgustingly like they're about to erupt at any moment. I use burts bees blemish roll-on on them. It's all herbal. So, no salicylic acid or benzol peroxide (my usual non-pregnancy stand-by's). It has a strong smell, but it takes care of business pretty quick. I get a little annoyed once the zits do go away though because they leave dark spots. Something I haven't had happen since high school really. On a happer note, no stretch marks just yet. I know it's not really suppose to help, but I put on lots of this avacado butter cream my mom bought me right before I go to bed at night. I also try to moisturize all my stretching parts right out of the shower.
On a non-skin note, my back aches like crazy at the end of the day. I'll be sitting on the couch for a little while with my husband and when I go to stand up and get myself ready for bed (or get a drink or use the restroom for the gazillionth time) you'd think I'd spent the day liften heavy objects the wrong way. My lower back will just kill me! It's hard to walk very far withought hanging on to something to hold me up. The pain actually does go away though if I stay standing or walk around for a little bit. Just that initial standing up and attempting to walk hurts.
How I'm Feeling Emotionally
The more I talked to other moms about how they "couldn't" handle breastfeeding the more I get concerned about whether or not I'll be able to do it. Every book and breastfeeding website I've found tells me that if breastfeeding hurts it's because you're doing it wrong. I really really want to breastfeed and cloth diaper. So I want to believe that it's possible for anyone to do these things even if everyone doesn't. But I'm trying really hard to accept the fact that, although I'm absolutely determined to give them my very best attempts, things might not happen the way I want them to no matter what some book says. I'm not trying to be negative. I just want to prepare myself mentally in case things don't work out ideally. I don't want to hate myself when I'm at the grocery store, sleep deprived and miserable, buying a package of diapers and a can of formula. You know? From online mothering communities and resources I know that plenty of women are able to make certain situations work with their babies. On the other hand, from a couple books (few and far between) and real life advice from friends and family, I also know that plenty of women don't or end up not being able to do certain things and their babies turn out just fine. So, I want to be as prepared and open to whatever situation arises as I can be.
Overall this past week has been pretty good. Little annoyances here and there, but nothing I can't handle. I would like to be back to my normal self, but if these little blemishes, pains and worries are what it takes to bring a baby into the world then bring it on.
How I'm Feeling Physically
I thought if I didn't already have it by now, I'd never get it, BUT on the 7th of this month I noticed that I DO have the line negra. I don't know if it just appeared or if I just don't get to see that portion of my tummy that much anymore so I missed it. My is very faint, but it's definitely there. It runs from just under my belly button down. Another less pleasant discovery also has to do with my skin. I noticed just a couple days ago that I had a spot of acne on both sides just under my underarms. Bizarre place. This pregnancy acne is so wierd to me. I mean I get the occasional breakout every once in a while normally. Usually, however, the spots are just little bumps that go right away with treatment. These pregnancy "blemishes" though are gi-normous and look disgustingly like they're about to erupt at any moment. I use burts bees blemish roll-on on them. It's all herbal. So, no salicylic acid or benzol peroxide (my usual non-pregnancy stand-by's). It has a strong smell, but it takes care of business pretty quick. I get a little annoyed once the zits do go away though because they leave dark spots. Something I haven't had happen since high school really. On a happer note, no stretch marks just yet. I know it's not really suppose to help, but I put on lots of this avacado butter cream my mom bought me right before I go to bed at night. I also try to moisturize all my stretching parts right out of the shower.
On a non-skin note, my back aches like crazy at the end of the day. I'll be sitting on the couch for a little while with my husband and when I go to stand up and get myself ready for bed (or get a drink or use the restroom for the gazillionth time) you'd think I'd spent the day liften heavy objects the wrong way. My lower back will just kill me! It's hard to walk very far withought hanging on to something to hold me up. The pain actually does go away though if I stay standing or walk around for a little bit. Just that initial standing up and attempting to walk hurts.
How I'm Feeling Emotionally
The more I talked to other moms about how they "couldn't" handle breastfeeding the more I get concerned about whether or not I'll be able to do it. Every book and breastfeeding website I've found tells me that if breastfeeding hurts it's because you're doing it wrong. I really really want to breastfeed and cloth diaper. So I want to believe that it's possible for anyone to do these things even if everyone doesn't. But I'm trying really hard to accept the fact that, although I'm absolutely determined to give them my very best attempts, things might not happen the way I want them to no matter what some book says. I'm not trying to be negative. I just want to prepare myself mentally in case things don't work out ideally. I don't want to hate myself when I'm at the grocery store, sleep deprived and miserable, buying a package of diapers and a can of formula. You know? From online mothering communities and resources I know that plenty of women are able to make certain situations work with their babies. On the other hand, from a couple books (few and far between) and real life advice from friends and family, I also know that plenty of women don't or end up not being able to do certain things and their babies turn out just fine. So, I want to be as prepared and open to whatever situation arises as I can be.
Overall this past week has been pretty good. Little annoyances here and there, but nothing I can't handle. I would like to be back to my normal self, but if these little blemishes, pains and worries are what it takes to bring a baby into the world then bring it on.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Week 25 - Blood sugar test good. Formula bad?
I got weeks 23 and 24 up here kinda late. So I can't believe week 25 has already come and gone. That means only 15 more weeks until my due date. My mom keeps commenting on how big she "knows" my baby is going to be. Finally, a couple of nights ago, I told her that most people who see me say I look small for 6 months so maybe it's just her. She has 4 kids and is a size 1! I, my friends, am nowhere close to a size one. She is this gorgeous tiny Hispanic lady. I got pretty much all of my genes from my father I'm thinking. His family is very white, tall and big. So, people generally don't believe us when they find out I am my mother's daughter. Her pregnancy pictures show her only looking pregnant at the very end. She looks like this super model in her post delivery pictures. There's even one of her lying on the beach looking perfect just weeks after one of us was born! Ah! So, I was getting a little upset thinking that she was trying to compare how she looked during her pregnancies and how I look now. Then, I mentioned something about already being 6 months along and she was like "Oooooh!" I guess because I was so sick for the first 4 months, and wasn't getting out much, we hadn't had much time to hang out together then. So, she still kind of feels like I just got pregnant and didn't realize how far along I was. The light-bulb definitely went on. So, I feel better. She still thinks we'll probably have a big baby because both my and my spouse have big statured families (not including my mom's side of course).
What I'm Up To
This past week I've been busy mostly with little errands. My mom and sister are giving me a baby shower. So, they've asked me to please think of some things I'd like them to have for me. I guess they just want to make sure I have the shower I want. Since I like crafty stuff, they also gave me the opportunity to make the invitations. I think I will. I have so much stuff for scrapbooking that I probably won't even need to buy anything. I guess it's a little strange, but (in my opinion) it's also a good thing. Many of the guests are going to be friends that my mom has known for years and years. I know a lot of them are going to be very generous because they love my mom and to share in her joys. I think that being able to be a part of making sure we've planned a nice event for "my" guests will make me feel a little more comfortable accepting everyone's generosity come present-opening time. I hate being the center of attention though. I always feel a little awkward at Christmas with my family or at my birthday when I'm opening presents. Like "Ah! Stop looking at me!" :o)~
Things that I'm putting on my lists of ideas for the shower are: 1. Food from California Pizza Kitchen. My mom wants to have the shower at her house. She has this gorgeous backyard with lots of grass and a pool. I know she has this canopy type of thing in the garage that's never been set up. So, I think, if they set that up and we do most of the party ouside lighter foods like yummy salads and gourmet pizza would be a good idea. 2. Favors from Nothing Bundt Cakes. I read about this idea for a favor online where you bake a bunch of pillsbury cinnamon rolls and wrap them in pretty plastic wrap with a tag that says something like "So glad you could come, from ___ and her bun." I also read a few comments on baby shower sites where people doing the shower said it's a little silly to just do like a baby themed plastic favor and have the guest throw it away later; Better to do something they can actually use as a thank you. I know my mom and sister aren't going to want to bake a crapload of cinnamon rolls on top of everything else. So, I thought the mini bundt cakes from Nothing Bundt Cakes would be an easy and delicious replacement. They're just over $3 each. I know there are lots and lots of other options that you can make yourself for less. I just think this option is tasteful and what's $3 for someone who is spending let's say $20 at the least on a gift? 3. A Cake from Freed's Bakery. My family has been going here for years for our birthday cakes. This is also where I got my wedding cake. They can make anything. My favorite is their strawberry shortcake cake. The strawberries are always fresh and the cake and frostings never taste too sugary or sweet. I had ideas for the design of the cake and for the colors of the shower. I think I'm just going to let my mom and sister surprise me though. It'll probably be pinks, red and green. I'm pretty sure that's how I'll do the invitations. Those are the colors I plan to use in the baby's nursery to match the cute bedding set I bought her. 4. Games etc: I think for a guestbook type keepsake I found a good idea online. The idea was to take a picture of each guest with me with a polaroid camera. Then, the guest can sign in (with name, address, and email - that way I'll have all the information for thank yous and birth announcements) a book next to their picture. I think it would be neat to have a little envelope or pocket on each guest page. That way, as an activity, the guests can write one wish for the baby, piece of advice etc. on a piece of paper to be put in the pocket next to their picture. Another activity I think would be cool is to have each guest write down a name they like for the baby's middle name (because we don't have one yet) and why we should pick it and put it in a big baby bottle. I've heard of people decorating or signing onesies as a keepsake. Maybe the guests could do this in groups and then we could vote on the best one for a prize. There are lots of other more rowdy fun games. I think I'll leave all that up to them though.
I had a prenatal visit this week too. I had an appointment for 10:40am, but I had to be there at 8am to drink this solution and sit with it. I had read some pretty icky stories about this test. I must've just gotten lucky to be taking the test now. I had to come in fasting from midnight the night before. This was pretty easy for my because I usually sleep in until 9 or 9:30am anyways. So, I'm not used to having food in between midnight and 8am. The sugary solution came in either fruit punch or orange. I chose fruit punch and it tasted...exactly like fruit punch. I had five minutes to finish the contents of a plastic bottle the size of a very small plastic water bottle. I think I did it in less than 2 minutes. Then, I had to sit in the waiting room for an hour. I wasn't allowed to eat anything, but I could drink as much water as I liked. Time went by pretty quick. I came prepared with magazines and watched a little bit of what was on the office TV (Saved By the Bell & Fresh Prince of Bel Air). Then, the lab tech poked her head out of the door and I went back to have blood taken. She took 1 vial. I love the lab tech in my OB's office. She just chats away with you about random things and I (who hate hate hate needles) never feel a thing. Also, unlike when I go for thyroid bloodwork and spend days with a huge purply green area where they've taken blood, all I ever get after she's done is the tiny red dot where the needle went in and that goes away pretty quick. After she took my blood the nurses went ahead and got me back for my appointment. That was nice. I did the usual: weigh-in (ah!!!), blood pressure check (good), fetal heart doppler (138) and questions about how I was doing and if I had any concerns. The OB wrote down what hospital I plan to use and told me I didn't have to register until around week 32. I asked him about those 3D/4D keepsake scans and whether or not they're safe. He said they are perfectly safe. I told him I had read that the machines usually aren't run by medical professionals. He said that is correct, which means they can't really tell me much about the ultrasound.
I had been thinking recently about maybe getting a 3D/4D scan done with my mom and sister. I thought it would be a fun way for them to bond with the baby. Plus, I really want to include my in-laws more. When I set up the baby's website with her ultrasound pictures, they were SO EXCITED. They live in Idaho and Northern Utah. So, we don't exactly get to go for lunch on a weekly basis and talk about the baby together (like I do with my mom and sister). They're also very excited that this baby will be the first female grandbaby/niece on their side. So, I thought making copies of the 4D scan for them would be special. Only if it was safe though. If I do go ahead and get the scan done, I plan on only doing a short scan. They have all kinds of packages with different features and lengths of time. I'd just rather do the shortest possible for my own piece of mind. I trust my doctor's judgment, and that is the only reason I'd even ever consider the scan just for fun at all.
How I Am Feeling Physically
I've felt good this week. I'm finding more and more that vegetables and me just don't get along during this pregnancy though. I'm loving salads. It's just that later I don't love what the salad does to my digestive system. I almost always get gassy or diarrhea. :o( Gross. My nose bleeds have been a lot better since I really started hitting the water and saline nasal gel hard. I still feel and sound a little stuffy a lot of the time though. I get hot flashes on and off. Still having the sweaty-pit syndrome too. I'll get out of the shower, get dressed, and by the time I get downstairs to put shoes on I have underarm wet spots! So, it's light colors and frequent deodorant application for me. My appetite is great. (As in great BIG when I'm hungry. :/) Still not into fish (I had salmon at least once a week pre-pregnancy.) though. I gained 2 pounds instead of one this past week. :( In my opinion, I'm looking a little squishier than I'd like.
How I Am Feeling Emotionally
I know pregnancy is this beautiful natural process. I've just been thinking lately that the women in my pregnancy magazines are more in tune with the "beautiful" part than me. Don't get me wrong, I love love love my belly. I think it's awesome. My legs arms and face seem to slowly be expanding little by little too though and I don't like that. I'm still wearing my prepregnancy size in my maternity styles. I just feel more chunky underneath my clothes. So, my self-image is suffering a bit. I find myself thinking more and more about how to get the weight off ASAP after the baby comes. I want to start getting more exercise in here and there too. Nothing too crazy though. The baby's safety is more of a concern to me than whether I'll look good in my baby shower pictures.
I was so sure I'd be one of those prenatal yoga, speedwalking, gained the minimum weight needed kind of pregnant ladies. My body just wasn't going to let me go that route though I guess. Being so sick the first 4 months kinda started me off on the wrong foot. It doesn't help that, even though I always chose healthy meals, I give in to cravings too. Chocolate custard with heath bar is just the best sometimes. :)
A friend's wife gave me this little book of exercises she used during her pregnancy. This was around 12 weeks. I think I'll finally start using it. At least while I can. Before I'm deciding whether it's worth the effort to try and stand with my gi-normous belly. :)~ I think that, as long as I'm doing SOMETHING active like that, it'll help me feel better about myself and help me transition back into exercising after sleep-deprived new-mommy mode later. So, wish me luck with that.
Another thing I'm trying to do, to help calm this supposed unconscious fear I have of not being able to breastfeed, is learn more about breastfeeding. I bought a book. If it's any good I'll review it when I put up my 26 week post. I'm kind of getting annoyed by the whole 'formula is evil' mentality I keep picking up from different sources. I do plan on breastfeeding my baby exclusively. It does irritate me that I keep getting tons of formula samples and coupons in the mail. I do also wish the "free baby bag" offers I can supposedly get at my hospital after delivery would come with a choice of a manual pump and breasfeeding lotions or pads and coupons instead of more formula and samples. I've read that women who have formula around are more likely to give up breastfeeding and go to the formula. So, I do have my gripes and am aware of the "danger" of having formula around. I'm also aware of the many MIRACULOUS benefits my daughter may or may not receive from breast milk as well as my own physical and mental benefits from the process. The list of these seems to be aplenty and growing. Taking that into account though, I don't feel that it's right to demonize formula companies. If for whatever reason I can't breastfeed, I'm glad I have options and that I'll have a gazillion coupons to make the switch less painful financially. More and more I'm seeing articles in magazines and online that try to include bottle-feeding mothers in their dialogue. It always just seems like that though, an inclusion. The focus is always on how much better it is to breastfeed. I understand fully the benefits of breastfeeding. I think all the information available for mothers who chose to breastfeed is awesome. I just don't see the benefit in telling a mother that can't do it that formula companies are evil. What a way to pour salt on the wound of someone who may already feel like less of a mother. The mother who mixes a bottle of formula or who gets an epidural or c-section is no less of a mother than the one who has a natural vaginal homebirth and breastfeeds. They both still have the same cares, worries, hopes, and love for their baby. So, why make one feel bad for a choice that is hers to make for whatever reason. It just seems like so many resources for pregnant mothers tend to put one mother on a pedastle and look at the other with a kind of sympathy. Like "oh...we know dear...some people just can't do it this ideal way...but it's ok." Anyways, that's my rant about that.
~Jessy
What I'm Up To
This past week I've been busy mostly with little errands. My mom and sister are giving me a baby shower. So, they've asked me to please think of some things I'd like them to have for me. I guess they just want to make sure I have the shower I want. Since I like crafty stuff, they also gave me the opportunity to make the invitations. I think I will. I have so much stuff for scrapbooking that I probably won't even need to buy anything. I guess it's a little strange, but (in my opinion) it's also a good thing. Many of the guests are going to be friends that my mom has known for years and years. I know a lot of them are going to be very generous because they love my mom and to share in her joys. I think that being able to be a part of making sure we've planned a nice event for "my" guests will make me feel a little more comfortable accepting everyone's generosity come present-opening time. I hate being the center of attention though. I always feel a little awkward at Christmas with my family or at my birthday when I'm opening presents. Like "Ah! Stop looking at me!" :o)~
Things that I'm putting on my lists of ideas for the shower are: 1. Food from California Pizza Kitchen. My mom wants to have the shower at her house. She has this gorgeous backyard with lots of grass and a pool. I know she has this canopy type of thing in the garage that's never been set up. So, I think, if they set that up and we do most of the party ouside lighter foods like yummy salads and gourmet pizza would be a good idea. 2. Favors from Nothing Bundt Cakes. I read about this idea for a favor online where you bake a bunch of pillsbury cinnamon rolls and wrap them in pretty plastic wrap with a tag that says something like "So glad you could come, from ___ and her bun." I also read a few comments on baby shower sites where people doing the shower said it's a little silly to just do like a baby themed plastic favor and have the guest throw it away later; Better to do something they can actually use as a thank you. I know my mom and sister aren't going to want to bake a crapload of cinnamon rolls on top of everything else. So, I thought the mini bundt cakes from Nothing Bundt Cakes would be an easy and delicious replacement. They're just over $3 each. I know there are lots and lots of other options that you can make yourself for less. I just think this option is tasteful and what's $3 for someone who is spending let's say $20 at the least on a gift? 3. A Cake from Freed's Bakery. My family has been going here for years for our birthday cakes. This is also where I got my wedding cake. They can make anything. My favorite is their strawberry shortcake cake. The strawberries are always fresh and the cake and frostings never taste too sugary or sweet. I had ideas for the design of the cake and for the colors of the shower. I think I'm just going to let my mom and sister surprise me though. It'll probably be pinks, red and green. I'm pretty sure that's how I'll do the invitations. Those are the colors I plan to use in the baby's nursery to match the cute bedding set I bought her. 4. Games etc: I think for a guestbook type keepsake I found a good idea online. The idea was to take a picture of each guest with me with a polaroid camera. Then, the guest can sign in (with name, address, and email - that way I'll have all the information for thank yous and birth announcements) a book next to their picture. I think it would be neat to have a little envelope or pocket on each guest page. That way, as an activity, the guests can write one wish for the baby, piece of advice etc. on a piece of paper to be put in the pocket next to their picture. Another activity I think would be cool is to have each guest write down a name they like for the baby's middle name (because we don't have one yet) and why we should pick it and put it in a big baby bottle. I've heard of people decorating or signing onesies as a keepsake. Maybe the guests could do this in groups and then we could vote on the best one for a prize. There are lots of other more rowdy fun games. I think I'll leave all that up to them though.
I had a prenatal visit this week too. I had an appointment for 10:40am, but I had to be there at 8am to drink this solution and sit with it. I had read some pretty icky stories about this test. I must've just gotten lucky to be taking the test now. I had to come in fasting from midnight the night before. This was pretty easy for my because I usually sleep in until 9 or 9:30am anyways. So, I'm not used to having food in between midnight and 8am. The sugary solution came in either fruit punch or orange. I chose fruit punch and it tasted...exactly like fruit punch. I had five minutes to finish the contents of a plastic bottle the size of a very small plastic water bottle. I think I did it in less than 2 minutes. Then, I had to sit in the waiting room for an hour. I wasn't allowed to eat anything, but I could drink as much water as I liked. Time went by pretty quick. I came prepared with magazines and watched a little bit of what was on the office TV (Saved By the Bell & Fresh Prince of Bel Air). Then, the lab tech poked her head out of the door and I went back to have blood taken. She took 1 vial. I love the lab tech in my OB's office. She just chats away with you about random things and I (who hate hate hate needles) never feel a thing. Also, unlike when I go for thyroid bloodwork and spend days with a huge purply green area where they've taken blood, all I ever get after she's done is the tiny red dot where the needle went in and that goes away pretty quick. After she took my blood the nurses went ahead and got me back for my appointment. That was nice. I did the usual: weigh-in (ah!!!), blood pressure check (good), fetal heart doppler (138) and questions about how I was doing and if I had any concerns. The OB wrote down what hospital I plan to use and told me I didn't have to register until around week 32. I asked him about those 3D/4D keepsake scans and whether or not they're safe. He said they are perfectly safe. I told him I had read that the machines usually aren't run by medical professionals. He said that is correct, which means they can't really tell me much about the ultrasound.
I had been thinking recently about maybe getting a 3D/4D scan done with my mom and sister. I thought it would be a fun way for them to bond with the baby. Plus, I really want to include my in-laws more. When I set up the baby's website with her ultrasound pictures, they were SO EXCITED. They live in Idaho and Northern Utah. So, we don't exactly get to go for lunch on a weekly basis and talk about the baby together (like I do with my mom and sister). They're also very excited that this baby will be the first female grandbaby/niece on their side. So, I thought making copies of the 4D scan for them would be special. Only if it was safe though. If I do go ahead and get the scan done, I plan on only doing a short scan. They have all kinds of packages with different features and lengths of time. I'd just rather do the shortest possible for my own piece of mind. I trust my doctor's judgment, and that is the only reason I'd even ever consider the scan just for fun at all.
How I Am Feeling Physically
I've felt good this week. I'm finding more and more that vegetables and me just don't get along during this pregnancy though. I'm loving salads. It's just that later I don't love what the salad does to my digestive system. I almost always get gassy or diarrhea. :o( Gross. My nose bleeds have been a lot better since I really started hitting the water and saline nasal gel hard. I still feel and sound a little stuffy a lot of the time though. I get hot flashes on and off. Still having the sweaty-pit syndrome too. I'll get out of the shower, get dressed, and by the time I get downstairs to put shoes on I have underarm wet spots! So, it's light colors and frequent deodorant application for me. My appetite is great. (As in great BIG when I'm hungry. :/) Still not into fish (I had salmon at least once a week pre-pregnancy.) though. I gained 2 pounds instead of one this past week. :( In my opinion, I'm looking a little squishier than I'd like.
How I Am Feeling Emotionally
I know pregnancy is this beautiful natural process. I've just been thinking lately that the women in my pregnancy magazines are more in tune with the "beautiful" part than me. Don't get me wrong, I love love love my belly. I think it's awesome. My legs arms and face seem to slowly be expanding little by little too though and I don't like that. I'm still wearing my prepregnancy size in my maternity styles. I just feel more chunky underneath my clothes. So, my self-image is suffering a bit. I find myself thinking more and more about how to get the weight off ASAP after the baby comes. I want to start getting more exercise in here and there too. Nothing too crazy though. The baby's safety is more of a concern to me than whether I'll look good in my baby shower pictures.
I was so sure I'd be one of those prenatal yoga, speedwalking, gained the minimum weight needed kind of pregnant ladies. My body just wasn't going to let me go that route though I guess. Being so sick the first 4 months kinda started me off on the wrong foot. It doesn't help that, even though I always chose healthy meals, I give in to cravings too. Chocolate custard with heath bar is just the best sometimes. :)
A friend's wife gave me this little book of exercises she used during her pregnancy. This was around 12 weeks. I think I'll finally start using it. At least while I can. Before I'm deciding whether it's worth the effort to try and stand with my gi-normous belly. :)~ I think that, as long as I'm doing SOMETHING active like that, it'll help me feel better about myself and help me transition back into exercising after sleep-deprived new-mommy mode later. So, wish me luck with that.
Another thing I'm trying to do, to help calm this supposed unconscious fear I have of not being able to breastfeed, is learn more about breastfeeding. I bought a book. If it's any good I'll review it when I put up my 26 week post. I'm kind of getting annoyed by the whole 'formula is evil' mentality I keep picking up from different sources. I do plan on breastfeeding my baby exclusively. It does irritate me that I keep getting tons of formula samples and coupons in the mail. I do also wish the "free baby bag" offers I can supposedly get at my hospital after delivery would come with a choice of a manual pump and breasfeeding lotions or pads and coupons instead of more formula and samples. I've read that women who have formula around are more likely to give up breastfeeding and go to the formula. So, I do have my gripes and am aware of the "danger" of having formula around. I'm also aware of the many MIRACULOUS benefits my daughter may or may not receive from breast milk as well as my own physical and mental benefits from the process. The list of these seems to be aplenty and growing. Taking that into account though, I don't feel that it's right to demonize formula companies. If for whatever reason I can't breastfeed, I'm glad I have options and that I'll have a gazillion coupons to make the switch less painful financially. More and more I'm seeing articles in magazines and online that try to include bottle-feeding mothers in their dialogue. It always just seems like that though, an inclusion. The focus is always on how much better it is to breastfeed. I understand fully the benefits of breastfeeding. I think all the information available for mothers who chose to breastfeed is awesome. I just don't see the benefit in telling a mother that can't do it that formula companies are evil. What a way to pour salt on the wound of someone who may already feel like less of a mother. The mother who mixes a bottle of formula or who gets an epidural or c-section is no less of a mother than the one who has a natural vaginal homebirth and breastfeeds. They both still have the same cares, worries, hopes, and love for their baby. So, why make one feel bad for a choice that is hers to make for whatever reason. It just seems like so many resources for pregnant mothers tend to put one mother on a pedastle and look at the other with a kind of sympathy. Like "oh...we know dear...some people just can't do it this ideal way...but it's ok." Anyways, that's my rant about that.
~Jessy
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Weeks 23 & 24 What a pain.
Yay! We've passed the 24 week milestone I've been waiting for. If she is born any day now, our baby will be considered a viable fetus. Let's hope she decides to cook for at least a few more months. It's just good to know that if she did come early now she'd have a fighting chance.
What I've Been Up To
The last 2 weeks I did get out of the house a lot. My outings were mostly just lunch with my mom or little sister or both. Those in addition to little errands to the bank or grocery store made me feel pretty active.
I ended up adding to my maternity wardrobe. I got 6 new shirts from Old Navy during their maternity sale and 2 pairs of pants and a bathing suit from Target's Liz Lange collection. The belly panel on my maternity jeans is starting feel a little binding. So, I bought a pair of khaki pants in a light summery material/fashion and dark grey capris with a panel that sits under the belly. Sooo Comfortable. The bathing suit is a 2 piece. It has black bottoms and a white tankini-style top with a black pattern and red stripe under the bust. The shirts I bought were to add a little color to my maternity stash. They are nice, but I still love my Gap T's the best. I'd like to buy a couple more, but I'll wait to see if they go on a really good sale.
I've rearranged our bedroom to make it a little less thrown together looking and a little more cozy. I still have a lot to do in there, but it's going slow. I haven't done anything with the baby's room.
How I'm Feeling Physically
I've been eating way more candy than I should. :o( It's all these Valentines/Easter displays at the grocery store! On the other hand I've been drinking a lot more water.
I spend most of week 23 and 24 with a horrible headache. I worried my throid levels might be out of whack. My primary care physician said my levels from my most recent bloodwork looked fine though and to just stay on my regular dose of meds. So, I just tried to relax and got plenty of sleep and stayed well hydrated. The headache finally just went away.
I'm still having nightime congestion/nasal dryness which has progressed into nose bleeds. So, I keep water, nasal saline drops and gel and tissues by my bed. Everytime I get up to pee I drink water and add a bit more gel to my nose to keep everything moist and happy. It's really helped.
My weight gain is still at about a pound per week. So, I think I'm doing good there.
How I'm Feeling Emotionally
I've been pretty irritable and short tempered lately. Mostly at my dogs. :o)~ Probably because they're with me all day. Everyone else just sees me a couple hours here or there. Even my husband and I usually only see each other for a couple hours at night between the time he gets home and I go to bed.
I feel like time is still flying. All the little plans and projects I thought I'd take care of during the pregnancy are no where near where I thought they'd be. It all seems to be filed in the "just one more thing to take care of" department of my life. I feel really guilty sometimes, but there are just days when I don't want to do anything but sit here and play video games or surf the net. I do get the daily obligations taken care of. It's just all the little extra stuff that I don't ever seem to get around to.
The baby's kicks/movements are getting a lot stronger. She seems to like it when I hum. I love it! I'm getting more curious about what she'll look and be like. Will she be a little girly girl or a total tom boy like I was? Whose eyes, hair, nose, skin...will she get? Will she be a fussy or easy going baby? These kinds of questions wander through my mind more and more.
I'm having baby dreams more often too. They still have the same general theme. No matter how different the dreams are, it seems like at some point I realize I haven't fed the baby in a LONG time (or ever) and I'll try and get her to breastfeed and she won't! Ah! So, maybe I have some underlying fears that I won't be a successful breastfeeder. I don't know.
All in all I'm doing good. Aside from some irritability and a headache from hades, everything seems to be progressing ok. By the end of week 25 I should have my next prenatal visit and my gestational diabetes test done. So, I'll keep yah posted.
~Jessy
What I've Been Up To
The last 2 weeks I did get out of the house a lot. My outings were mostly just lunch with my mom or little sister or both. Those in addition to little errands to the bank or grocery store made me feel pretty active.
I ended up adding to my maternity wardrobe. I got 6 new shirts from Old Navy during their maternity sale and 2 pairs of pants and a bathing suit from Target's Liz Lange collection. The belly panel on my maternity jeans is starting feel a little binding. So, I bought a pair of khaki pants in a light summery material/fashion and dark grey capris with a panel that sits under the belly. Sooo Comfortable. The bathing suit is a 2 piece. It has black bottoms and a white tankini-style top with a black pattern and red stripe under the bust. The shirts I bought were to add a little color to my maternity stash. They are nice, but I still love my Gap T's the best. I'd like to buy a couple more, but I'll wait to see if they go on a really good sale.
I've rearranged our bedroom to make it a little less thrown together looking and a little more cozy. I still have a lot to do in there, but it's going slow. I haven't done anything with the baby's room.
How I'm Feeling Physically
I've been eating way more candy than I should. :o( It's all these Valentines/Easter displays at the grocery store! On the other hand I've been drinking a lot more water.
I spend most of week 23 and 24 with a horrible headache. I worried my throid levels might be out of whack. My primary care physician said my levels from my most recent bloodwork looked fine though and to just stay on my regular dose of meds. So, I just tried to relax and got plenty of sleep and stayed well hydrated. The headache finally just went away.
I'm still having nightime congestion/nasal dryness which has progressed into nose bleeds. So, I keep water, nasal saline drops and gel and tissues by my bed. Everytime I get up to pee I drink water and add a bit more gel to my nose to keep everything moist and happy. It's really helped.
My weight gain is still at about a pound per week. So, I think I'm doing good there.
How I'm Feeling Emotionally
I've been pretty irritable and short tempered lately. Mostly at my dogs. :o)~ Probably because they're with me all day. Everyone else just sees me a couple hours here or there. Even my husband and I usually only see each other for a couple hours at night between the time he gets home and I go to bed.
I feel like time is still flying. All the little plans and projects I thought I'd take care of during the pregnancy are no where near where I thought they'd be. It all seems to be filed in the "just one more thing to take care of" department of my life. I feel really guilty sometimes, but there are just days when I don't want to do anything but sit here and play video games or surf the net. I do get the daily obligations taken care of. It's just all the little extra stuff that I don't ever seem to get around to.
The baby's kicks/movements are getting a lot stronger. She seems to like it when I hum. I love it! I'm getting more curious about what she'll look and be like. Will she be a little girly girl or a total tom boy like I was? Whose eyes, hair, nose, skin...will she get? Will she be a fussy or easy going baby? These kinds of questions wander through my mind more and more.
I'm having baby dreams more often too. They still have the same general theme. No matter how different the dreams are, it seems like at some point I realize I haven't fed the baby in a LONG time (or ever) and I'll try and get her to breastfeed and she won't! Ah! So, maybe I have some underlying fears that I won't be a successful breastfeeder. I don't know.
All in all I'm doing good. Aside from some irritability and a headache from hades, everything seems to be progressing ok. By the end of week 25 I should have my next prenatal visit and my gestational diabetes test done. So, I'll keep yah posted.
~Jessy
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Weeks 21 & 22 - Mmmm, ice cream.
What I've Been Up To
Nothing too exciting has happened over the past couple weeks. That's way ok though. I've had more time to take care of little chores. I went and got my thyroid bloodwork done. The lady who took my blood was a spunky older woman who made me laugh a lot. She had no reservations about pushing the neck of my t-shirt to the side so she could see the tattoos on my chest (I guess they were peeking out!). I would never dare to do that to someone. She just had this personality, though, that made it seem totally fine to me for some reason. I also had a prenatal appointment last week. It was an easy one; left a urine sample, had my weight and bloodpressure checked, listen to the baby's heartbeat, addressed any concerns, and that's it. My practitioner's office requires that the appointments and Dr's portion of the delivery (the part I am responsible for after insurance is charged) be paid for by the 7th month of pregnancy. So, I made a payment on that. The nurse let me know that, before my next appointment, I will have to come in early to do my sugar test. She said I will have to come in fasting (from midnight the night before), drink a sugar solution, and then sit with it a while. Then, I'll have blood taken. I think she wanted me to be there around 8 am for the test (so I won't be fasting SO long). I'm planning on calling her to double check the instructions she gave me the day before the test. I'm going to have to remember to pack a snack for after. My actual appointment isn't until around noon (they said they'd probably be able to get me in a bit earlier though). I was also busy getting things ready for taxes, which we did earlier this week. Besides that, I've been enjoying time with my husband when he's off and playing my video games here and there. It's been really nice lately because he's really been picking up on helping me around the house. Just little things, like taking the extra time to clean up after himself and having breakfast ready for us both when I get up in the morning, give me that much more time for myself.
How I Am Feeling Physically
My poor face has been suffering throughout this pregnancy it seems. My latest complaint is oiliness. I feel like a big grease-ball by the end of the night. I've also turned into a sweaty beast! :o)~ I get sweaty just sitting on my couch watching tv now. It's crazy. I'm not drenched or anything. My poor armpits seem wet just hours after I've gotten out of the shower though. I hate it. As far as food goes, I'm having both cravings and aversions. My main craving is just dairy. I want milk (I go through SO MUCH milk!), cheese and now ice cream (plain chocolate). I'm loving salads. My favorites right now are the Miso Salad from California Pizza Kitchen and cobb salads (I like the one from Red Robin and LOVE the one from Lucille's). I tried to just make a yummy Cobb salad myself, but it's not the same! I also really like taco salads or tacos (I make them with ground turkey meat yum)! Things I don't want: any veggies or meat (other than ground turkey or turkey burgers) not in a salad. I try and try to eat both in lots of different ways. It just seems like I'll take a bite of chicken (for example) and be instantly not hungry. Then I just get grouchy. So, I try to pick salads with a wide variety of veggies and with protein. I also add nice chunky salsas and lettuces to my taco toppings. My weight is doing well. I gained 2 lbs this past week instead of just 1. So, I'm a lb over instead of a lb under as far as the lb a week this trimester goal goes. My belly is definitely bigger. I feel huge. I'm also having lower back pain when I walk around; nothing major, just noticeable. Lastly, I've had sinuses from Hades lately. I actually wake myself up with the noises my nose starts making as I try to sleep. I even got my very first bloody nose ever yesterday. So, that's pretty yucky.
On My Mind
Right now I don't have too many worries. I'm still counting down to 24 weeks and a little scared of labor and delivery. I have lots to do to get the house ready. So, I keep a running list of all I need to do. Funnily enough, I actually feel less rushed/stressed as the weeks tick by. I've been missing work a little because I don't get that day to day contact with my friends. There's so much I want to talk about and sometimes the email responses just take too long to come back to me. I'm kind of down body-wise because I no longer fit into non-maternity clothes very well. The belly has taken over and sticks out. So, even though I love my belly and the precious baby inside, I feel out of control of the way my body looks. Speaking of baby, I bought one of those BebeSounds prenatal heart listeners after my last prenatal appointment. I wanted to be able to listen to the baby's heart whenever I want. I thought it would be really neat to listen to her kicks when I start feeling them during the night. It hasn't really worked so far. I'll keep you posted though.
Nothing too exciting has happened over the past couple weeks. That's way ok though. I've had more time to take care of little chores. I went and got my thyroid bloodwork done. The lady who took my blood was a spunky older woman who made me laugh a lot. She had no reservations about pushing the neck of my t-shirt to the side so she could see the tattoos on my chest (I guess they were peeking out!). I would never dare to do that to someone. She just had this personality, though, that made it seem totally fine to me for some reason. I also had a prenatal appointment last week. It was an easy one; left a urine sample, had my weight and bloodpressure checked, listen to the baby's heartbeat, addressed any concerns, and that's it. My practitioner's office requires that the appointments and Dr's portion of the delivery (the part I am responsible for after insurance is charged) be paid for by the 7th month of pregnancy. So, I made a payment on that. The nurse let me know that, before my next appointment, I will have to come in early to do my sugar test. She said I will have to come in fasting (from midnight the night before), drink a sugar solution, and then sit with it a while. Then, I'll have blood taken. I think she wanted me to be there around 8 am for the test (so I won't be fasting SO long). I'm planning on calling her to double check the instructions she gave me the day before the test. I'm going to have to remember to pack a snack for after. My actual appointment isn't until around noon (they said they'd probably be able to get me in a bit earlier though). I was also busy getting things ready for taxes, which we did earlier this week. Besides that, I've been enjoying time with my husband when he's off and playing my video games here and there. It's been really nice lately because he's really been picking up on helping me around the house. Just little things, like taking the extra time to clean up after himself and having breakfast ready for us both when I get up in the morning, give me that much more time for myself.
How I Am Feeling Physically
My poor face has been suffering throughout this pregnancy it seems. My latest complaint is oiliness. I feel like a big grease-ball by the end of the night. I've also turned into a sweaty beast! :o)~ I get sweaty just sitting on my couch watching tv now. It's crazy. I'm not drenched or anything. My poor armpits seem wet just hours after I've gotten out of the shower though. I hate it. As far as food goes, I'm having both cravings and aversions. My main craving is just dairy. I want milk (I go through SO MUCH milk!), cheese and now ice cream (plain chocolate). I'm loving salads. My favorites right now are the Miso Salad from California Pizza Kitchen and cobb salads (I like the one from Red Robin and LOVE the one from Lucille's). I tried to just make a yummy Cobb salad myself, but it's not the same! I also really like taco salads or tacos (I make them with ground turkey meat yum)! Things I don't want: any veggies or meat (other than ground turkey or turkey burgers) not in a salad. I try and try to eat both in lots of different ways. It just seems like I'll take a bite of chicken (for example) and be instantly not hungry. Then I just get grouchy. So, I try to pick salads with a wide variety of veggies and with protein. I also add nice chunky salsas and lettuces to my taco toppings. My weight is doing well. I gained 2 lbs this past week instead of just 1. So, I'm a lb over instead of a lb under as far as the lb a week this trimester goal goes. My belly is definitely bigger. I feel huge. I'm also having lower back pain when I walk around; nothing major, just noticeable. Lastly, I've had sinuses from Hades lately. I actually wake myself up with the noises my nose starts making as I try to sleep. I even got my very first bloody nose ever yesterday. So, that's pretty yucky.
On My Mind
Right now I don't have too many worries. I'm still counting down to 24 weeks and a little scared of labor and delivery. I have lots to do to get the house ready. So, I keep a running list of all I need to do. Funnily enough, I actually feel less rushed/stressed as the weeks tick by. I've been missing work a little because I don't get that day to day contact with my friends. There's so much I want to talk about and sometimes the email responses just take too long to come back to me. I'm kind of down body-wise because I no longer fit into non-maternity clothes very well. The belly has taken over and sticks out. So, even though I love my belly and the precious baby inside, I feel out of control of the way my body looks. Speaking of baby, I bought one of those BebeSounds prenatal heart listeners after my last prenatal appointment. I wanted to be able to listen to the baby's heart whenever I want. I thought it would be really neat to listen to her kicks when I start feeling them during the night. It hasn't really worked so far. I'll keep you posted though.
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