Baby length: 17 inches
Baby weight: 4.25 lbs. - the weight of a butternut squash
Bump size: 40.75 inches
Weight: +28.5 pounds (+1.5 lbs. from last week)
Cravings: Chips and salt
Another exciting and busy week! Let's start with my doctor's appointment.
It was my first time seeing the doctor in 5 weeks so I was eager to hear what he had to say. Unfortunately, he was running really late and kept me waiting for an hour.
I was up against a tight deadline at work so by the time he did come to see me, I was in a rush to get out of there and get to work so I didn't ask a lot of questions that I should have.
He did a lot of poking and prodding to my belly and determined that the baby is in the head down position and he acted surprised and happy with how low the baby's head already was. Here is where I should have asked a question - what exactly if anything does that mean that the baby's head is so low already?
He took my measurements and didn't say anything about them. I assume this means I'm measuring on schedule but again, I should have asked.
He then asked me if I was having any signs of preterm labor. I told him no. He said good but then explained that I really only have one week left of the "preterm labor" fear and that if I called his office next week telling him I think I'm in labor, he wouldn't do anything to try to stop it and wouldn't have any reason to be worried.
This was comforting to hear but confusing too since everything I've read says it's considered preterm labor before 37 weeks and he's saying he would let me go at 35 weeks. Another question I would have asked him if I hadn't been so focused on getting out of there.
I did ask him how he decides if and when to induce someone if they go past their due date. He explained his methods but then finished with, "but the fact that the baby's head is already so low is looking good for you." Once again - wish I would have asked him what he meant by that.
Oh well. I see him again in two weeks when I'm almost 36 weeks. I will ask him more questions then.
After that appointment, he wants to see me again every week and will start to check for "progress" at my 38 week appointment. It's getting really close! Ahhh!!!!
On Saturday my SIL's and MIL threw me an absolutely wonderful shower. It was such a special and fun day! It's so overwhelming in a wonderful way to be surrounded by so many people who love you and already love your unborn baby. I left the shower feeling completely and totally blessed (and tired!).
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| The decorations were amazing, the cake was absolutely delicious and look at all those awesome gifts!!! |
If you have any ideas for such an award, let me know and I will be sure to give it to her. Here is a collage she put together of the pictures.
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| Maternity pictures by Julie D Photography. |
And in case you were wondering, it was SUPER easy to make this slideshow so expect to see more of these videos. :)
Baby Movements
As my books predicted, movements are starting to feel less like jabs and kicks and more like "rolling" movements in my belly.
They are also very hard to miss if you're looking at my belly while they're happening. Every now and then some of the movements must push on an organ or something in there and it feels very strange.
Maternity Lessons
We had our second birthing class. We had to watch three videos of real births. I'm pretty sure one video would have been more than sufficient but three videos was absolutely horrific. One birth was a natural birth, one birth was with an epidural and the third birth was with an analgesic (med through an IV).
None of the births happened quickly. Pat and I were both doing the math in our head each time they showed the clocks and trying to figure out exactly how many hours these women had been in labor. Neither of us should have been surprised since we both sat at the hospital during my sister's and his sister's labors. Neither of those were quick either.
My favorite parts of the videos were during the parts of the actual heavy pushing part of the labor. While the women were screaming in pain, they tried to do a "voice over" and narrate as an attempt to drown out the screaming and moaning of the laboring women.
Those clever attempts did not work on me. I still saw and heard the women screaming in agony and wasn't at all distracted by the narrator's voice. Those screams are still haunting me...
On a positive note, at least I don't have to watch my own labor and delivery from the "south end." There will be no mirrors for me and I have no desire to see what is going on down there.
Pat agrees.
Also during the class, we had to practice breathing techniques. They had us sit facing each other and we both had to practice the breathing.
And even though they told us not to look at each other, I couldn't help but see Pat out of the corner of my eye and I started laughing hysterically. I was the only person in the class not taking it seriously.
It was like second grade all over again when you know you aren't supposed to be laughing and that makes it even harder to stop. I'm sure the instructor is now worried about what kind of mother I'm going to be if I'm not even mature enough to practice breathing techniques without laughing.
She's also probably snickering to herself that my payback will come to me when I'm in horrific pain during labor and delivery and am kicking myself for not taking the breathing practice more seriously.
Here's hoping I grow up before next week's class.
Symptoms
My feet and ankles are still big and swollen and unrecognizable by me. I'm getting heartburn a little more frequently but it's not bad at all. I simply eat two tums and it goes away. Pat was absolutely appalled when I ate the tums in front of him and didn't wash it down with water.
Considering I am almost finished with the bottle, I am eating them like candy at this point. And they actually taste somewhat like candy to me now too. Candy with extra calcium - bonus!
It was actually a really good week for back pain. I seem to be having more good days than bad days now and that is a wonderful thing. I'm not sure what has changed - I feel like I am doing everything the same but I won't ask questions. I will just enjoy feeling good!
I'm starting to get the braxton hicks or "fake contractions" where my entire uterus gets really hard and tight. It doesn't hurt at all but it definitely feels uncomfortable and like the skin on my stomach is going to pop.
Because it's been a really hot summer, I just always assumed that when I am burning up, everyone else around me is too. I guess that hasn't been the case. People walk into my air conditioned office (which I am SUPER grateful for, by the way) and comment about how cold it is.
Yet, I am sitting in there still burning up. I'm told this will continue after the baby comes, too, while I'm breastfeeding.
So this is what hot flashes and menopause is going to feel like, huh? Can't wait to experience it again in twenty'sh years from now.
I am definitely noticing a decrease in energy. Starting to feel like the first trimester again but not quite as bad - yet. It just takes me longer to recover from long days/weekends. After my shower weekend and then working at an event all day outside on Sunday, it took me days to get my energy back.
Weight Gain
At my doctor's appointment this week, he told me he thinks I'm doing well with my weight gain. Was not expecting to hear that! He thinks I should be able to stay around the 35 pound weight gain which was his goal for me.
He also told me again that I'm all belly/baby and that should help me after the baby comes when I try to lose the extra weight. Here's hoping he's right!
Gender Prediction
One of my absolute favorite parts of my baby shower was this game we played where I went around to every table and each group picked from the photo props based on whether they think we are having a boy or a girl.
It was so much fun!
Of the people pictured, 12 said girl and 29 said boy! It was really interesting to hear everyone's logic and reasoning behind their selections, too.
Time will tell who was right and wrong!
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| Some of the gender predictions at the shower. |
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