37 Weeks

Sunday, February 24, 2013

How far along? 37 weeks.  Full term.  On the one hand, it’s exciting to have reached this important milestone.  On the other hand, it sort of just reminds me of all the stuff that I have left to do…  

 Due Date: March 17^th

Total weight gain: + 1 pound this week for a total gain of 31.2 pounds.

The funny part is, people keep telling me that I look like I haven’t gained a lot of weight or that I’m small.  But the scale doesn’t lie, and the scale clearly shows that I have no problem gaining weight when pregnant.

Maternity clothes? Yes.  And, by the way, I officially think that after 37 weeks of pregnancy, sweat pants should be considered appropriate work attire.

Stretch marks? Still just a maybe on my side.  None that I can see on my stomach.

Sleep: One pretty sleepless night this week (not as bad as last week’s though).  Other than that, I am still sleeping like a champ.

In fact, I’m starting to think that I’m sleeping too well… Alex gets phone calls in the middle of the night, and I never hear the phone ring.  I hope that I am a bit more sensitive to Lucky’s cries…

Best moment this week: Still getting a pretty full night’s sleep 6/7 nights!

Miss Anything? Not having to hoist myself out of chairs?  And wine.

What’s Baby Like? Baby is the size of a winter melon this week.   Baby is about 18.9-20.9 inches long and weighs about 6.2 – 9.2 pounds (momma is hoping Lucky is at the lower end of that spectrum!)  There isn’t a whole lot of development left, so this little guy or girl is working on getting bigger by gaining about ½ an ounce a day.  And he or she is practicing some skills like inhaling, exhaling, gripping, and sucking.  My little Lucky is so talented!

Movement: Lucky likes to fist pump and poke me with his or her feet.  For the first time this week Grandpa Seger and Great-Aunt Nancy were able to feel some of the fist pumping!  I am now occasionally getting some jabs to my ribs (probably legs) and my right hipbone (probably a fist) but nothing painful. 

Food cravings: Red meat, specifically hamburgers.  Possibly my body preparing for the inevitable iron loss to come… 

Anything making you queasy or sick: Definitely no.

Gender: Lots of people have guesses but no one knows!

Labor Signs: Baby is still head down and in good position.  I think I may be feeling very occasional Braxton-Hicks contractions.  I’m not even certain about that, but when I work out, once or twice during the cardio it will feel like all of a sudden Baby got bigger and space in his or her uterine home gets really tight for about 30 seconds.  Nothing at all painful since I just keep working out right through them, but I can’t imagine what else would cause that sensation.

Symptoms: Most noticeable is the numb/tingly feeling at the top of my uterus.  My lower back aches more consistently, but it is in no way severe.  My legs get tired quickly thanks to carrying around the extra weight.  And a few minor leg cramps again.  Restless legs on the couch in the evening but still not bothering me at all in bed thankfully.  All pretty typical and very minor and overall manageable.  

36 Weeks

Sunday, February 17, 2013

How far along? 36 weeks and exactly one month to my due date.  

 Due Date: March 17^th

Total weight gain: +just under 1.5 pounds this week for a total of 30.2 – just over that 30 pound threshold I was hoping to avoid but still within ‘recommended limits’… As usual, so over this part of pregnancy…  I seem to be rotating between a high gain one week/low gain the next.

Maternity clothes? You bet.  Although today I am wearing non-maternity yoga pants.  Those suckers will apparently fit pretty much any size!

Stretch marks? Getting even harder to get a good look around, but I think I see a few on my left side.  I do not see any on my right side or on my stomach.

Sleep: Overall pretty good but had my first truly ‘sleepless’ night.  It took me a long time to fall asleep initially.  I was up again by 1 am and tossing and turning.  I eventually threw in the towel and headed down to the couch for some TV.  I think infomercials put me to sleep around 4, and I was up again a little after 5…  I have no idea why.  I wasn’t uncomfortable or sore or sick or over-thinking or anything. And I was tired.  I just couldn’t fall asleep.  Let’s hope that doesn’t become a pattern.

Best moment this week: Another long weekend allowing me to feel like a fair amount of Baby stuff got done!  And V-Day flowers from my hubby <3

Miss Anything? Tying my shoes without feeling like I’m suffocating…  And heart-pounding, lung-bursting, sweat-inducing, calorie-burning Jillian workouts.  How many weeks post-baby until I can bang one of those suckers out????

What’s Baby Like? Baby is the size of a honeydew melon this week.  Most of Baby’s systems are in working order, like liver, kidneys, circulation, and immune system.  And he/she may even be able to breathe on his or her own if born now (don’t get any ideas Lucky!).  The scary part here is that doctors won’t do anything to stop labor if it starts now, so I’m hoping Lucky and my body behave for a few more weeks!

Movement: More nudging, pushing, and shoving.  There’s been one little spot on my right side that Lucky really seems to like to push on.  My midwife confirmed that it is his/her foot.  Once in a while when Baby really gets to pushing, I can actually see my belly change shape.  Weird.  But cool. 

Food cravings: Just the desire to be constantly snacking on something.  It’s like I’m never full. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: 30 pounds of weight gain.  Clearly this isn’t an issue for me.

Gender: Not until birth-day!

Labor Signs: Baby is still head down.  Nothing else.  I don’t even feel much like Baby has dropped or anything. Good.  I’m still a fan of Lucky staying put until his or her due date (or March 12^th, which is just early enough to get Mommy out of P/T Conferences…). 

Symptoms: Most of the same symptoms continuing at a pretty minor level: numb/tingly feeling at the top of my uterus, slightly swollen ankles and fingers when I get too hot, slightly restless legs, tired legs, lower back getting a bit more sore but only off and on.  No foot/leg cramps this week.  Still overall feeling really good.

Belly Button in or out? Still in but the little lip at the top is a bit more prominent and shows through some shirts.  So half in/half out?  Is that a real thing?

Wedding rings on or off? On during the day.  Off when I think I might get overheated and swell: at night and when working out.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Quickly overwhelmed when things don’t go my way.  Advantage to this though: crying pregnant women make people nervous and led to my getting Alex’s Valentine’s Day present for free.   

Looking forward to: Enjoying this last month or so of pregnancy.  It just occurred to me that, as excited as I am to meet Lucky, once Lucky is out, I won’t be pregnant anymore.  And I won’t get to feel those sweet little kicks and wiggles and squirms.  And I’m going to miss that.  I feel incredibly blessed to have had such an easy pregnancy and am in no hurry for it to end…  Except that I do want to hold and cuddle and snuggle and love this little one too.  This really is one situation where I can’t ‘have my cake and eat it too,’ so I’ll just have to enjoy this part as much as possible before moving onto the next wonderful phase!

35 Weeks

Sunday, February 10, 2013

How far along? 35 weeks, which the Bump has so kindly informed me is better known as the 35/35 – 35 weeks pregnant and 35 days (!!!!!) till my due date.  Holy.  Crap.

 Due Date: March 17^th

Total weight gain: Up about half a pound this week for a total of 28.8 pounds.  More normal but definitely approaching that 30 pound mark.  Ugh…

Maternity clothes? Yes.  And even a few of those are not working anymore.  Tops getting a little short. Belly panel getting a little tight.  I’m just really hoping to ride this out without buying any more clothes.  I’d rather spend the money afterward on baby clothes.  Plus, I’ve just realized that I’ll probably have to spend even more money on nursing tops and pants that fit for me.  So if you see me wearing the same four outfits for the next 5-7 weeks, you’ll know why…

Stretch marks? Maybe, maybe not.  I’m gonna go with probably, but it is hard to get a good visual of my own stomach and sides right now…

Sleep: Fantastic this week.  I even slept straight through the night once without a bathroom break.  Of course, I paid for it when I did wake up with a very full bladder… But I must have really needed that sleep.  It was a beast of a week.

Best moment this week: Another snow day on Friday!  Hello unexpected long weekend.  Again, I’m telling you, this three-day weekend thing is the key to my feeling human and like I can juggle all the balls in the air and maybe, just maybe feel ready for Lucky to come.

Miss Anything? Being able to help shovel snow.  It drove me nuts waiting all day Friday for Alex to get home. I actually like to shovel snow.  And I felt like I couldn’t go anywhere all day because I didn’t want to risk getting stuck at the end of the driveway.  But I was good.

What’s Baby Like? Baby is the size of a coconut, which quite frankly doesn’t seem all that big in comparison with some other weeks.  But maybe I’ve never seen a full size coconut.  Apparently my uterus has grown to 1,000 times its normal size.  Baby is about as long as he/she will get at between 17.2 and 18.7 inches.  He/she weighs between 4.2 and 5.8 pounds and will put on a pound or more of baby fat before birth.  Lucky’s hearing is now fully developed and will respond best to high-pitched noises. 

Movement: Pretty active this week with the nudging, pushing, and shoving.  Also, based on the position of Baby at my last appointment, Lucky is a fan of the fist pump, and will sometimes party Jersey shore style for 20 minutes at a time.  Alex can feel those the best.  And we can both feel when Lucky’s little butt?  legs? knees?  push really hard against my uterus.  Sometimes Alex can see the movement from across the room now.

Food cravings: Cereal is still sounding like my best option.  I limit myself to breakfast or an afternoon snack though.  And only caved and had cereal for dinner once.  I’m also either constantly hungry or will go eight hours without eating because nothing sounds good or everything sounds like too much work to chew and swallow.  It’s not a good combination. Thank goodness for green smoothies, so I know that Lucky is getting some good nutrients even if Mommy is being a picky pain in the butt.

Anything making you queasy or sick: No.  I just sometimes can’t muster up the energy to actually eat.

Gender: Still a surprise.  I’ve been investigating old wives’ takes hardcore and the latest sign is that Lucky definitely prefers the right side of my belly (I am very lopsided and have been since this bump started growing), which means we’re having a boy.  (To be honest though, we seem split pretty 50/50 on these things… like most people I am sure.)

Labor Signs: Nothing new.  Not a single Braxton-Hicks.  Nothing.  Good.  Stay put Baby.  As tired as I am of this whole weight gain thing, I am not ready… 

Symptoms: This is starting to feel like a laundry list of complaints, so I’d like to begin by saying that I am still incredibly lucky, and I think this has been one of the easiest pregnancies in the history of pregnancies.  Still, I don’t think anyone escapes symptom free.  On that note, lately I’ve been experiencing: an occasionally numb/tingly feeling in a tiny oval area at the top of my uterus (this one is probably the most irritating), slightly swollen ankles and fingers when I get hot, mild foot and calf cramps, slightly restless legs, slightly higher body temperature (sometimes, not constantly), and stiff back / tired legs at the end of the day. 

Belly Button in or out? Still in but there’s a tiny little lip at the top like it’s trying to poke out.  We shall see…  It feels ‘about to pop’ like it’s felt for the last 10 weeks or so with no significant change…

Wedding rings on or off? On during the day.  Off when I think I might get overheated and swell: at night and when working out.  I did have one moment waiting in line at Best Buy on Saturday when they felt tight, and my fingers felt extra swollen. I got the rings off and moved them to my pinky.  As soon as we went outside (coatless because I was HOT), things went back to normal, and I wore them for the rest of the day without a problem.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy for the most part with some moody moments.    

Looking forward to: Admitting this is definitely going to get me the ‘Mother of the Year’ award, but as I was grocery shopping with Alex yesterday, and he was buying himself some beer (jerk), and I was getting carded for the purchase (ha!), and it occurred to me that this summer, I’ll be able to enjoy a Lienenkugel or two.  Light.  Tunnel.

34 Weeks

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Let’s just take a moment to acknowledge that it is February.  Lucky’s due date is March.  That is next month people. Holy.  Moly.

How far along? 34 weeks

 Due Date: March 17^th

Total weight gain: Up almost 2.5 pounds this week for a total of 28.2.  Thank you Maggiano’s, Maggiano’s leftovers, a birthday party, and dinner at the Rochester Chop House.  Yikes.

Maternity clothes? You bet.  But I think I’ll be able to make it without buying a maternity winter coat.  I found a blue dress coat that has actually been too big for me for a couple of years that buttons comfortably, and I have an old leather jacket of Alex’s that is ridiculously huge, but it works.

Stretch marks? Maybe, maybe not.  Hard to get a good visual of my own stomach and sides right now…

Sleep: Actually really good this week.  I wake up twice a night to use the bathroom but go back to sleep right after.  I also may have fallen asleep on the couch Friday night before 8pm… and still slept in until 7:30 Saturday morning.  Don’t judge.

Best moment this week: An unexpected snow day on Monday!  This pregnant momma needed the day off.  Although I probably shouldn’t have used that time to shovel some very wet and heavy ice/snow.  After getting scolded by several people, I’ve learned my lesson and hung up my snow shovel until next year…

Miss Anything? Sleeping on my stomach.  Seeing my ankle bones.  Tying shoes without feeling like I’m crushing my insides.  You know, the little things you never knew to appreciate before…

What’s Baby Like? Baby is, of course, getting bigger.  Can now recognize and react to simple songs and is peeing about a pint a day.  (Out of curiosity, how do they know something like that???)

Movement: Still have the nudging, pushing, shoving going on.  Baby has been pretty active the last few days. And sometimes pushes out so hard I literally think he or she is trying to escape through my side…  My belly gets quite lopsided at times!

Food cravings: This week cereal sounds good all the time.  And sweets, too, unfortunately. Doing my best to curb that last one and get in as many veggies as a can with green smoothies during the day.

Anything making you queasy or sick: No.

Gender: Still a surprise.  But at my last appointment Baby’s heart rate was significantly higher than usual.  It has been pretty reliably in the 140s at every appointment, but this time it was 160.  So maybe a girl.  Or maybe Baby was just really active at the time.  Who knows…  We have an adorable going home outfit for either one, so I’m ready.  On that note, I found an adorable boutique in downtown Utica this week: It’s So Me    And, seriously, if we have a girl, it’s all over.  College is off the table because all our money will be spent on clothes.  Oh boy…

Labor Signs: My midwife confirmed that, as I’ve suspected for the last couple weeks, Lucky is head down and butt in the air.  Smart Baby! 

My mom says I’m starting to nest… basically because I’m freaking out about how much has to get done in a short period of time. You’d be freaking out too if you had only six weeks until your due date.  That’s, like, nothing.  And to make matters even more stressful, babies sometimes come early.  I was three weeks early.  That is not enough time.  I’m excited to meet you Lucky; I’m just not ready.  So please, just take your time in there...

Symptoms: One odd symptom cropped up this week: an occasionally numb/tingly feeling in a tiny oval area at the top of my uterus.  The interwebs world and my midwife confirmed that this is normal and nothing to worry about, but no one really knows what causes it.  I’ve also noticed that my ankles look and feel a bit swollen. Nothing sudden or severe though.  Some mild foot cramps throughout the week.  Slightly restless legs at night lying on the couch.  And my lower back / hips are occasionally stiff/sore when I first wake up.  I think it’s from sleeping on my side.  Oh, and occasionally feeling that warmer body temperature that comes with pregnancy hormones.  Not constantly, but sometimes my hands are slightly warmer than icy, which is unusual for me!

Belly Button in or out? Still in but there’s a tiny little lip at the top like it’s trying to poke out.  We shall see…

Wedding rings on or off? On during the day.  Off when I think I might get overheated and swell: at night and when working out.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy this week, but my mood can turn on a dime.  Forewarned. 

Looking forward to: Seeing how our maternity pictures turned out soon.  I was starting to worry that we wouldn’t be able to get them scheduled in time due to my procrastination.  I kept wanting to wait ‘just a little longer’ because I didn’t feel like I looked ‘pregnant enough’ but we finally got some taken today.

33 Weeks

Sunday, January 27, 2013

How far along? 33 weeks

 Due Date: March 17^th

Total weight gain: Up just over half a pound this week for a total weight gain of +25.8 pounds.

Maternity clothes? Of course. 

Stretch marks? Maybe, maybe not.  Hard to get a good visual of my own stomach and sides right now…

Sleep: Decent this week.  I fall asleep with no problem but am having a hard time getting back to sleep after my bladder wakes me around 1 or 2 am.  It usually takes me an hour or two to fall back asleep, but I’ve found that practicing my relaxation and labor breathing facilitates that process, so I guess that’s a bonus.

Best moment this week: Baby shower on Saturday.  Time with family and friends, amazing food (Maggiano’s!), and baby presents.  What could be better?  Now the organizing, sorting, deciding, washing, and more buying can begin…

Momma also got a new set of wheels!  We decided that putting a newborn in a 10 year-old Blazer with a leaky roof and parts falling off of it would not be a responsible parenting decision, so we upgraded.  Plus, I was not about to mess around with a car seat and a two-door vehicle.  Figuring out my new car has been fun… and I’m not gonna lie, enjoying the heated and massaging seats has been a definite bonus!  Of all the fancy-dancy features though, I may be most excited about that fact that it only needs oil changes every 7,500 miles.  Awesome.

Miss Anything? Having champagne cocktails at a baby shower must qualify as some sort of cruel and unusual punishment.  Just saying.

What’s Baby Like? According to The Bump, Baby is now the size of a durian fruit.  Which is a rather unhelpful comparison as I have no idea what a durian fruit is.  Sounds like something you’d find on Star Trek.  Other, more relevant facts to note: average size is 17.2 – 18.7 inches, average weight is 4.2 – 5.8 pounds, eyes stay open while awake, breathing is starting to coordinate with sucking and swallowing, bones are hardening, and the brain is developing.

Movement: Still moving.  Movement is definitely different though.  Rather than jabs, punches, and kicks, it feels more like Lucky is nudging, pushing, and maneuvering as if to say, “Hey Mom, I’m kinda running out of room in here!”

Food cravings: Nothing that is sticking with me particularly.

Anything making you queasy or sick: No.

Gender: Still waiting to find out.  Lots of predictions this weekend at the baby shower.  Get your votes in now.  You have a 50-50 shot at being right! 

Labor Signs: No.

Symptoms: Some calf/foot cramps, but they weren’t severe.  Slightly restless legs at night lying on the couch.  And my lower back is occasionally stiff/sore.  Oddly though, it bothers me only very late at night if I wake up in bed and first thing in the morning.  As soon as I start moving, I feel back to normal.   I would have thought I’d get more bothered at the end of a long day, but I’ll take it.  Still feeling generally good. 

Belly Button in or out? Still in but there’s a tiny little lip at the top like its trying to poke out.  We shall see…

Wedding rings on or off? On during the day.  Off at night since I seem to get so hot while sleeping.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy this week, but my mood can turn on a dime.  Forewarned. 

Looking forward to: Throughout this pregnancy, whenever I have visualized that after part of pregnancy and getting to hold my real, live baby, I’ve been seeing sort of ‘generic Gerber baby.’  This week I realized that our baby won’t look like a generic Gerber baby.  No one knows what our baby will look like, and I am so excited to meet him or her and find out!