Sunday, October 27, 2013

Baby Girl!

It has been a very crazy week(!!) so I'm just now getting to post this:

Baby Girl arrived Monday, October 21 at 10:57 am
(the day before her due date!)


8 Pounds, 12 Ounces
Skin to Skin with Daddy before Mommy could be there

20 Inches Long

Long Brown Hair, Dark Grey eyes (I'm expecting them to turn Brown like Daddy's), Long fingernails & toe nails!  She loves vocalizing about everything - the cutest little squeeks ever! A good Baby, she is already doing great with her schedule and doesn't cry unless there's a reason! Breastfeeding like a champ, especially considering the late start we got with the stay in NICU!

There were some respiratory issues at first, it was scary and such an unexpected issue. Birth was perfect, so for some reason I never anticipated there being any other issues. I never considered the idea of my baby being sick, I only prepared for the various complications I may experience. BUT, she is doing so well! We were able to leave the NICU days earlier than anticipated & we are all home now! We are just very, very in love with our Precious Baby Girl!

I hope that this week will be a little less crazy and we will start settling down into a routine and maybe, just maybe I'll find time for showers for Mommy and a little blogging! I can't wait to share her birth story & how our Natural Birth Plan turned out.

Thank you all so much, so many of you saw our posts on Facebook or Instagram and have reached out and offered support and concern. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! I feel so blessed that Blogging has afforded me the opportunity to meet so many wonderful ladies and make such great friends!

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Bumpdate {39 weeks}

We went to see the Midwife today and while I'm showing progress and could go into labor any time, we could also be weeks away from our Baby Girl joining us.  We're 6 days from our due date and 7 days away from when we would need to switch hospitals & our Midwife wouldn't be able to deliver our baby (explanation here).  She is giving us options for inducing labor as early as Sunday night if we want to. She's confidant that a small dose of Pitocin would be enough to get my body into active labor & it would just take it from there. We agreed to schedule an extra appointment with her for Friday to have my Membranes Swept if I haven't gone into labor before then & hopefully that would get the ball rolling through the weekend. I'm really trying to hold out from the frustration of all the false labor, not knowing when she will come and the possibility of not knowing the doctor that will deliver our child and keep from giving into the offer of Pitocin. Unfortunately my blood pressure is also taking a sudden rise that we're going to have to watch closely. 
So, if you would, please pray that my body takes the hint & we go into labor naturally in the next 48 hours or so!

The Doggies are ready to meet their Sissy!

Date:10/16/13

Due Date: 10/22 - 6 days away

How far along?: 39 weeks 1 day

Weight Gain: I was down 3 pounds from last week, so up a pound overall for the pregnancy.

My baby is the size of a: Baby!

Symptoms: My swelling is pretty under control. I'm very tired and the constant bouts of false labor really don't help this much. My nausea is still here, but I do get some breaks from it so I'll take this over first trimester any day.

Cravings/Aversions:
I'm not really craving anything, but meat in just about any form is pretty revolting this week. I made a beef stew the other day and proceeded to not eat any of it. Everyone else says it was good!
Sleep:
I'm going to bed about 9 or 10 at the latest, but I'm up a minimum of 4 times a night and I have lots of contractions during the night so I'm awake about once an hour. It's really no surprise I'm so tired.


I miss: I can't decide what I want John to go get me first when Baby Girl comes. Sushi sounds really good, but so does a Monster (why don't they sell them in smaller cans?!?) I really miss simple things like bending over & putting on socks & shoes without sounding so pathetic, and getting out of bed with ease. I can't wait!!

I am looking forward to:
Greeting my baby girl, not being pregnant anymore & having the marathon of labor behind us!

I'm freaking out about:
All the uncertainty revolving around our delivery & end of pregnancy.

Emotions:
Nerves, frustration, emotional exhaustion

Milestones:
I'm 3 full cm. Our Midwife said that she would almost consider it 4 cm because we're so close but recorded it as 3.5 cm since we aren't in active labor yet (4 cm marks the point of active labor). My Cervix is ripe & very "stretchy" (attractive huh?). Baby is in a good position & I'm measuring 39 cm.

My Chiropractor said that my pelvis isn't as loose as she sees it with many women ready to deliver, but agrees that Baby Girl is lined up & ready to go!

Exercise:
I'm walking every chance I get & today is a day off for us from work (yesterday was our last major tax deadline of the year!) so I plan to spend the rest of the day on my feet encouraging the contractions & cleaning the house.

Goals for the upcoming week:
Having this baby!!

Bump watch:

 

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

A Day in My Life at 39 Weeks Pregnant

Somedays I can't decide if I want to laugh or cry at what my life has become and the ridiculousness that imitates a "daily routine" - This is a day in my life at 39 weeks pregnant.

5:45 am  John's alarm clock goes off, I reach across the bed {who am I kidding, I'm in the middle of the bed attempting to find a comfortable position, my poor husband his huddled in his corner nugget of bed I still allow him to have} and smack my soundly sleeping husband. After all that annoying alarm is waking me up too and I've been up no less than 4 times during the night to pee the half ounce that my bladder currently holds. 

6:00 am Ugh. It's useless, I have to pee again now that I've been woken up. I loudly grunt and groan as I attempt to sit up in bed while simultaneously roll to the side. Realize that my bladder is about to explode and I have to hurry! Barge into the bathroom where my husband is showering, pee - loudly exclaim "you've got to be kidding me!" because I think I may have expelled a whole two tablespoons. How could that have felt so urgent??
While washing my hands, John and I discuss the night; 
"how many times did you get up hun?"
"I think this makes 5"
"Contractions last night?"
"yup, all night long. At least one an hour that woke me up"

I honestly don't know if he says anything after this, because I've already stumbled from the surface of the Sun that is our bathroom with the lights on and back into our dark, warm bed.

6:15 am I'm finally beginning to nod back of to sleep, John stops by to say goodbye and give my belly & I a kiss. We quickly discuss anything important about the day and he heads out the door. 
I spend the next 3 minutes contemplating whether or not I should get up and pee again, and finally conclude that I'll sleep better if I do; back to the bathroom I go, then back to bed.

{in a Non-Pregnancy World, this is about the time I should be getting up to head out for work}

7:30 am My alarm wakes me up, I do a quick mental check of everything I have on my desk at work and decide if I can go back to sleep or if I must drag myself in. To be honest, it doesn't matter much what work is waiting on me. I can barely hold my eyes open, back to sleep I go.

8:45 am The office has been open for 15 minutes now, my daughter has decided to push on my right hip bone with her hands and my left ribs with her feet. I can feel the bottom ribs displacing again - I'll have to remember to get the Chiropractor to put them back in place later this week. Roll back over, adjust her to somewhere *slightly* less uncomfortable in my too-small belly, go back to sleep.

9:15 am Wake up, realize I'm going to throw up, like right this very second. Barely make it to the toilet. Mentally grumble about the last 8 months of morning sickness but remember that this is so much better than it has been. Clean up, text my office a quick message "alive, no baby, will be in eventually". Go attempt to eat breakfast. Throw that up. Text John a similar message as what I sent to the office because he has sent me no less than 4 texts worrying that I haven't texted yet. 
Respond to the 9 or so texts I've received during the night (aka early morning that I'm still sleeping), assuring everyone that no, the baby is not here. Yes, I'm still showing signs of labor. Yes, I promise that we will let them know when we're on our way to the hospital/certain it's the real thing/baby has arrived.
Drink a bottle of water on John's urging to not let the vomiting let me get dehydrated. Shower and dress while trying to keep the water down. 

9:45 - 11:30 am (Depending on the day & how many times I've thrown up)
Arrive at the office, do a few things before sitting down at my desk beginning my work day. At some point, get up to go out the front to the mailbox (I try to group my work into two categories, sitting and standing so I'm not always up and down). As I'm standing at the mailbox, have a horrible contraction out of nowhere! Realize that there are clients in the parking lot behind me, try to nonchalantly lean on the mail box while breathing through the contraction, all the while thinking please don't notice me, I'm not doing anything strange
Client is leaving, now is my chance. I make a break back for the front door to safely make it to my office. Half way there have these weird stabbing pains down both my legs as my daughters head burrows deeper into my pelvis don't fall, don't fall. Almost to the door.  Of course there are clients around to notice you acting strangely - if you can just make it into the office you can hide before they come in from the parking lot Oh I hope they don't think me rude to not wait & hold the door for them. And just your luck, right about now you feel another strong contraction coming on, you know it's going to be a bad one.
                                                                                                                       
Make it into the waiting area but you have to stop and lean on the front desk because the contraction is here and it mixed with that stabbing pain has you doubled over. On the count of three, you have to move. One, Two, MOVE - clients are coming in the door, you can't scare them! (never mind that it is most definitely only glass between you & them, so they can already see you!) You are lucky enough to stand up *almost* straight and hobble to the hallway, out of sight you can finish being in pain in private here - but wait, you forgot that you work in an office with other people. They see you leaning on the wall attempting those ridiculous breathing exercises. They've gotten mostly accustomed to this, but you still see their looks of concern as they asses whether or not you're about to have that baby here & now.

Afternoon My afternoon continues similarly to the morning. Though I'm careful to stay away from areas that I will likely run into clients. By 3:30 I summon one of the interns or Cora at the front desk to do just about anything that involves standing or walking. "Will you please come here? Can you take this to the stack of out going mail?" "Can you take this to so & so's office". Even I hate how needy I have become but every time I get up, hard contractions start & we have a similar episode to my morning. I attempt to comfort my wallowing self that this is almost over and you can bake cookies or something to make it up to everyone for how needy you've been for the past couple of weeks. Then those far too logical thoughts creep in but remember, Rebekah, prodrominal labor like this can last weeks and you aren't even to your due date yet!

By 4:00, I have horrible indigestion (from water?? Yeah, pretty sure it's from water!) & have to pee (again). Can I hold it? Maybe. Do I really need those tums? Yes - you've already learned (more than once) that if you don't take care of the heart burn you will throw up! No one in the office needs to see me throw up again (most had that pleasure earlier in the pregnancy), so you make a "standing" pile of things to do while you're up out of your chair. I get up, take care of the 4 or so things that have to be done including a Tums expedition to the kitchen & the restroom. Realize you're completely drained, don't possibly have the energy to start another project & start working towards going home.

5:00 You have tried for the last hour to get out of the office, but something always gets in the way. Everyone knows, just like you do, that labor is imminent, so if they need something from you they know it has to happen before you go out the door for the day (unless it could wait 6 weeks...). Did I just pee my pants a little or did my water start leaking?? Oh well, at this point I don't even care. Thank all things good & holy for panty liners!

5:15 You begin your drive home, realize the car is on Empty and contemplate stopping for gas. No way do you have energy for that, and contractions are in full swing again. You know stopping risks having a mailbox episode at the gas station. You give in and stop. It would certainly be worse to run out of gas and you already feel awful for how needy you are to your husband who is so helpful already so you don't want to have to beg him to do it for you.

5:45 - 9:00  
- Get a plate of food & veg out in one of my three rotating spots: the couch, bouncing/rocking/swaying on the exercise ball or in bed.
(Crock pot meals are all my family is eating now, fortunately I compiled the recipes & ingredients before my episodes of false labor were this bad so John or I can have the next days meal in the crockpot waiting to be turned on in about 10 minutes.)
- Pray that labor comes during the night because you just don't know how you can have another day like today.
- Try to spend quality time with husband, after all, this may be the last day just the two of you.
- In bed by 8:30, asleep by 9:00.

Monday, October 14, 2013

Serving in your Church & Community

 
It isn't a secret that I have trouble saying "no" when someone comes to me needing help with something. Usually this takes the form of some leadership responsibility role that quite simply, I don't have time for. I love serving others, I believe it is my Spiritual Gift; so I usually don't mind - it can just make things hard when dates start stacking on top of each other & I look like Mrs. Frizzle from Magic School Bus trying to get it all done.

During my pregnancy, I have had a life lesson and have had to learn to prioritize. I cut back on my responsibilities wherever I could and let things go that I would have really rather not to have lost. I did this for a couple of reasons. While God has blessed us with a healthy pregnancy, I've been quite sick throughout the whole thing. Physically, I just couldn't stand up to the requirements of some of my usual commitments. Many of my commitments that I usually make throughout the year come up in the Fall & Winter, the tale end of my pregnancy and the first chapter of our lives as a family of three. As much as it hurt me to have to say no, I knew that my Husband and my Daughter deserve my attention and I just couldn't make that commitment, it wasn't fair to the project or my family.

Usually I think it's awesome when someone is strong enough to stand up against pressure and say "no, I just can't". A simple concept to some, saying "no" - but obviously a complex issue for me. However, here of late hearing others say "no" has become so frustrating.  People have become so reliant on people like me that when those willing to serve can't there isn't anyone there to take their place. This isn't exclusive to me attempting to get my remaining responsibilities covered for when Baby Girl arrives. This has become an epidemic in our churches and communities. 
When the do-er can't do anymore the project that everyone agrees is great, wonderful and necessary falls apart or is cancelled entirely.

That just isn't fair. It isn't fair to the people who have spent years holding up that project for everyone's benefit, just to helplessly stand aside and watch it crumble when their "can't" is legitimate and no one will step up to the plate & take their place. 

Today I challenge you, next time you are asked to take a role or a responsibility - don't just brush it aside because it will take time. What worth-while cause doesn't take a commitment of time?
If it is time you don't feel you "have", ask yourself what you would be doing with that time otherwise? Does it cut into time you spend serving others or the Lord? Does it conflict with your job? Or is it simply an inconvenience?

Friday, October 11, 2013

Bumpdate {38 weeks}

Don't forget to go enter the Baby Arrival Guess Poll! It closes tomorrow!

I honestly never got it before! Before I was pregnant, before I was in my 3rd trimester and particularly not until I was past my 35th week. I get why people like scheduled inductions & knowing exactly when your baby will be coming!  This past Monday I woke up at about 4 am with contractions. It's pretty normal for me to have contractions these days, even multiple per day. This was different. They had a pattern to them & lasted for hours! I called into work and thought that we'd be meeting our little girl! I knew better than to think it would be soon, I figured we were about a day or so off since the contractions weren't quickly moving together. Boy was I disappointed! By that evening it was obvious that I had just had an entire day of false labor. A day of work lost when we're just 8 days off from the last major tax deadline of the year.  My patience is gone and at this point I'm not sure how exactly I'm going to make it to my due date {14 days away!} much less after that if Baby Girl decides she likes it better inside me than out.

10/8/13

Due Date:
October 22
How far along?:
38 Weeks!!
Weight Gain:
5 pounds since my last appointment. Which is a lot in a week - we're hopeful I'm retaining water! That makes it 4 pounds overall for the pregnancy.

My baby is the size of a:
Baby!

Maternity Clothes:
A necessity and too small for me! I bought a few postpartum nursing camis the other day and just stared at them. It seems so crazy that I should be small enough to fit in normal people clothes again soon! I even bought them for a size larger than I think I'll need & it still seems so foreign to me!

Wedding Ring on or off:
On, but some days it does seem quite tight.

Symptoms:
Really, other than being very large this week has been great! I have contractions and when I'm on my feet too much I'm swelling a little. My appetite is okay, sleep is better than it's been in a long time (I only have to get up and pee twice a night!! Yay for TMI!). I'm just so frustrated and beyond ready to meet my little girl!

Cravings: 
Chocolate! This has been the first time in the pregnancy that sweets have really been my craving, but yesterday I'd have killed for a chocolate chip cookie!
I am loving:
That even if it feels like an eternity, we're only 14 days from her due date!! The nursery is finished! We're *so close* to being a family of three!!
I miss:
Being able to roll over in bed without great effort, really just being not pregnant.
I am looking forward to:
Her arrival!
I'm freaking out about:
Not much, work has me a little stressed. I've learned that if I shut my office door and turn on some music I can manage the anxiety that currently comes with being in the office. I think most of it roots itself in not knowing if I will be back at my desk in the next six weeks or not after I leave for the evening.
Best moment this week:
Hearing that we're progressing!! Our midwife is betting that we will have her by the end of the weekend! She is low and I'm 3 cm dialated and according to the Midwife, my Cervix "looks great!"

Worst moment this week:
All the false labor!

Emotions:
Frustration at not controlling or knowing when she will be coming!
Excitement over knowing that we're so very close to our little girls birth!
Anxiety over work stuff.
Exercise:
I'm walking, a lot! I'd say two or more miles a day on average. I'd walk more but my huge belly is a lot of work for my round ligaments to hold up, so that usually puts the kabosh on that.
Diet:
Pretty good! I don't eat a lot, but we're eating well (except for that chocolate & candy corn craving...). We've been cooking at home a lot since I'm doubling recipes & freezing them for after Baby Girls arrival. It's been really nice to come home to good "real" food and knowing that it will be easily available to me again soon!
Goals for the upcoming week:
We have some things left on our to-do lists, but we got a LOT knocked out last weekend. If she came tomorrow, it would be fine!
Nursery:
It's all finished! I can't wait to show it off soon!

Bump watch:


Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Our Natural Birth Plan




 This is the birth plan that John and I have prepared. We want as natural of a birth as possible and will be having a hospital birth after we labor at home as long as we can. I'm happy to answer any questions about our preferences or why we made a particular selection or decision. 

(Look for my *notes* for commentary on a particular decision or wording)

I know that all over the internet you read that you shouldn't let your birth plan go more than one page. We talked to our Midwife about this - she said she didn't mind a longer birth plan. Particularly since we broke ours out into stages of labor, so if you don't have time to read it all - you can get the highlights of what is relevant at the time. We went ahead and broke out each part onto it's own page so that once we moved past that stage, it wasn't there as a distraction if someone needed to read it quickly.

We wrote our birth plan using several different resources out there - there's no point in reinventing the wheel if you don't have to. Check out some of these other great natural birth plans that we used when researching: Our Biggest Influence - Young Nesters
A great printable Birthplan check list if you'd rather go that route! Ultimate Guide to Mommy Survival
Another great birth plan & some excellent ideas on what you should include - Going Green with the Grizls 
And in regards to what newborn procedures we wanted - Modern Alternative Pregnancy


Our Birth Preferences


Pre-Admission Requests


  • To only entertain the idea of artificial induction of labor if: Labor is unusually delayed & there is medical urgency.
    • If induction of labor is necessary, breaking the sack of waters and wait a reasonable period of time to see if labor can progress without the use of artificial induction medications (such as pitocin).
  • If there are no signs of infection after the sac of water breaks, to delay induction for a reasonable period of time. 

    *We never intend for our birth preferences to be the final word, we recognize that birth is a natural process and at times "going with the flow" is necessary. By phrasing "reasonable period of time" we felt that we were flexible to what the doctors recommend, but still expressing that we'd really like to not use artificial induction if at all possible. I really like that it leaves a wide gap of flexibility to decide in the moment if necessary*
  • To remain at home as long as possible before going to the hospital.


For Hospital Admission & Throughout Labor
We request:


  • For our nurses, doctors and support staff to support our goal of a natural birth and in the absence of medical urgency, not preform any procedures that could unnecessarily prevent or prohibit our desire for the most natural birth possible. 
    • The opportunity to discuss our birth preferences with our assigned nurse.
  • To return home until labor progresses if less than 4 cm dilated and no medical reason to suggest a hospital admission is warranted.
  • To self-hydrate after admission and opt for a Hep Lock rather than the routine IV preparations. 

    *I would have preferred to not have a Hep Lock either, I'm not a fan of stuff in my veins - it's very uncomfortable for me. However, it's our hospitals policy that at least a Hep lock be in place for an emergency situation. I can be flexible & I understand their concern so we conceited on this issue*
  • To have only intermittent monitoring of FHR after admission & To be free of blood-pressure cuff between readings.
  • Maintain dimmed lights and a quiet environment in the room during labor. 
    To be allowed to wear my own gown and be afforded as much modesty as possible.

    *I wish I didn't have to put the part about modesty in here, BUT, after a visit to L&D I learned the hard way that if I don't want to be exposed to a whole host of strangers that I still have no clue why they were in my room, I should go ahead and mention that I'd like my lady bits covered when possible.* 
     
  • To have my husband, John and Doula, Susan present during birth.
  • To respectfully decline to participate in the taking of pain scale information and any offer of medication or labor-enhancing procedures unless requested.
    *This was a hot topic issue for me! I did not want the distraction from focusing on things other than the pain or my coping techniques to have to stop and think about how much pain am I in to answer a question that I think is inaccurate anyway. My pain level 5 may not be anyone elses, the medical staff has nothing in my background to compare what I respond with to my ability to cope with pain and therefore is null in my opinion. I also don't want someone offering drugs because I look like I'm in "pain" or that what I'm doing is "hard". I don't want to be given the options to distract from what I'm working towards. I of course know that the options are there & what options there are so if I decide I need assistance, I know how to ask for it*


During First-Stage Labor


  • To walk and move freely during labor.
  • To change positions and assume labor positions of choice.
  • Minimal number of vaginal exams-with permission-to avoid premature rupture of membranes and increased risk of infection.
  • In the event labor stalls, I prefer to try as many natural methods as possible to stimulate labor.
  • To be fully apprised, consulted and afforded the time to make an educated decision (barring medical urgency) before the introduction of any medical procedure.
  • To enjoy labor tub or shower.
  • The option for music (I will provide).
  • My husband to be allowed to photograph or take video.
                     For Pain Relief I’d like to use:
      • Acupressure
      • Breathing techniques
      • Self Hypnosis
      • Massage
      • Bath/Shower
      • Natural suggestions given by Doula/Midwife.


During Birthing


  • To assume a birthing position of choice.
  • To push instinctively and to be allowed to progress without time constraints as long as Baby & Mom are doing fine.
  • To not have an episiotomy.
  • To allow amniotic sac to rupture on its own.

Following Birthing


  • Immediate skin-to-skin contact, with baby placed on mom’s chest.
  • Delayed Cord Cutting - the cord to be clamped and cut only after pulsation has ceased.
    • Once the cord stops pulsating, Dad cuts cord.
  • Wait for natural placenta delivery without intervention
    • No cord traction, manual removal or use of Pitocin for removal of placenta unless necessary and only after consulting Mom.
     
     
For Baby
We request:


  • To have bright lights temporarily removed at moment of birth and until baby is moved to mother’s chest.
  • All Newborn procedures to be done in our presence:
    • If birth went as planned and Baby is healthy: APGARs & cleaning to happen at my chest.
    • Please only perform PKU, Vitamin K & hearing/sight test on baby after bonding time, no Prophylactic Eye Ointment administered
    • Delay Hep B immunization until after hospital stay
      Option to delay or abstain from bath, or if administered, do so in the room with Mom 
  • That father and baby stay with mother throughout the hospital stay.
  • Breastfeeding several times during the first few hours of baby’s life.
  • Breastfeeding only.  No bottles, formula, pacifier, or artificial nipples.

    *For newborn procedures we opted in for the Vitamin K shot & PKU tests because of our increased risk for Cystic Fibrosis. We would need to know ASAP if baby girl does have CF which would be made known through the PKU, or heel stick, test. As for Vit K; CF patients tend to have lower levels of naturally occurring Vit K, plus newborns tend to be Vit K deficient anyway. We figured it couldn't hurt.*

In the event of a C-Section I would like:

         
To make sure other options have been exhausted
An epidural for anesthesia

In the event that a C-Section is necessitated, that father will hold the baby after C-section birth and bring baby to mom for viewing and eye contact.  In absence of urgency, father continues to hold baby for bonding.

  *For the C-Section part, we put this on an entirely different page to stick behind the rest of the plan. I didn't really consider having an "incase of" plan for Cesarian, but our Doula encouraged it - she is a VBAC mom and never planned on having her own c-section. While I really don't want a C-section and lots would have to go wrong for us to make it to that point, it's still nice to know that the things that matter most to me in the event that it is necessary are noted & that I've given it thought.*

Monday, October 7, 2013

Count Down to Baby {37 Weeks!!}

We are getting a lesson in patience this week. I'm having to work really hard to manage my anxiety (and blood pressure) and just let things unfold as they may and be okay with it.  At our appointment on Wednesday, we learned that our OB Practice is pulling out of one hospital ("plan a") in town and moving to the other ("plan b"). In many ways, this is great news - we wanted to deliver at the "plan b" hospital originally but it didn't work out. "Plan B" has a level 3 NICU (whereas "plan a" has none...) and is a much friendlier hospital for natural birth from what I've heard.

Where this gets complicated is that the last day that the Doctors will maintain privileges at "plan a" is 10/24. The OBs have already established privileges at "plan b", but they have not come through for the midwives in the practice yet.  So what that means for me is, until my Midwife is allowed to practice at "plan B", she can only deliver at "plan a" until 8 am on the 24th. Then, if the privileges still haven't come through, she can't deliver for us at all and one of the random OBs that I don't know will be the attending physician.

We're doing our best to stay calm and do what we can (but we'll see how that is going if nothing has changed by our appointment next week... lol).  I'm pre registering at "plan b" incase we end up there and was able to get squeezed into their Labor/Delivery/Recovery tour this evening.

So, if you would please Pray that "plan B" hospital gives the Midwives rights ASAP. My Midwife said it could be an any day thing, but you never know how long these things can take and of course labor could be an any day thing too!


Date: 10/4/13
Due Date: 10/22/13

Weight Gain: I lost 3 pounds since my last Midwife appointment at 36 weeks, so I'm down a pound overall for the pregnancy.

My baby is the size of a: Baby?!? Pretty sure comparisons are a tad bit silly at this point, but she's the size of a small watermelon (but when was the last time you saw a baby that looked like the size/shape of a watermelon?!?).

Symptoms: Morning sickness is back in full swing, though I am quite grateful that it seems restricted to the actual morning!!

Cravings: CAFFEINE!! Could be the fact that I'm exhausted, can't sleep & work has me quite stressed out. So, when I can physically sleep I can't stop dwelling on payrolls, cash flow and random other stupid junk enough to sleep!

Sleep: (see above...)

I am loving: That the nursery is pretty much finished! Many thanks to the Bestie, Lauren, for coming over and helping out with the last few items that needed our attention.

I am looking forward to: Meeting our baby girl! We have another meeting with our Doula on Monday - I love getting together with her!

I'm freaking out about: Labor & not knowing when I'll go into labor not to mention where we will deliver or who will deliver the baby.

Best moment this week: Hearing baby girls heart beat at the Midwifes office!

Milestones: Baby girl is FULL TERM!!!
Also, I was Strep B negative so we're good to labor at home as long as possible as we planned for in our birth plan (post coming soon)!!

Movement: Poor baby girl is getting pretty cramped, so she still wiggles around and I get the occasional jab or kick; but most movement is quite restricted.

Exercise: We've been walking daily, I'm doing everything I can to speed this process up!!

Diet: I'm eating like I have been all pregnancy, but I really don't have an appetite. Though baby girl has dropped, she is clearly going to be a long one; she is still pushing on my lungs & stomach so there isn't much room for food in there.

Goals for the upcoming week: We still have a few items on our Nesting List & we've made quite a long Hubby To Do list for things around the house.
Get some stuff out of storage: Baby stuff for my Dad's house, Exercise ball, chest freezer, owl night light.
Return duplicate gifts to stores, complete registries.
Shopping Projects: Buy baskets for the changing table & peg board, Order Milestone Stickers for Baby Girl, buy Plastic Drawer storage for last of clothes that don't go in the closet and there isn't room in the dresser for. Get a Slip cover for living room chair.
Mommy needs to: order extra parts for breast pump & boil/sanitize parts. Check that Daddy's bag is packed for the hospital, pack Mommy's postpartum bag.
Daddy needs to: Install the doorbell, vacuum all the carpet, mow the yard, re-hang the guest room curtain, hang a new window shade in the laundry room.

Nursery:
Print/buy and hang wall art for the Peg Board

Bump watch:

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Baby Poll with Prizes!

<<POLL CLOSED>>

This Momma-to-be is ready for Baby Girl to come meet us Earthside!!

I want to know your guesses on when she will come & her sizes - so my first ever giveaway for the most accurate guesses regarding my first ever child!

I will give two $15 Target Giftcards; the first to the closest guess on baby weight (pounds & ounces) and the second for the date and time (hour and minutes) of her arrival!

To enter just leave a comment with your guesses and please make sure that you are not a no-reply blogger! If you are uncertain if this applies to you, leave your email address in the comment section just in case! 

Rules are simple - if your guess is the closest, you win (you can win both cards if your guess is the closest on both weight and date)! I'll email both winners within a couple of weeks of Baby girls arrival to get mailing addresses etc. & I'll post the winners & their guesses on the blog. 
If you're a no reply blogger & you don't leave your email address, I will have to move on to the next best guess.
The Poll Closes Saturday, October 12 at 11:59 pm CST 
-or-
When I announce the birth on the blog if before then!

So that you can make educated guesses, here are some random facts regarding the pregnancy:

- My official due date is October 22, 2013 (according to my sonogram).
- According to my last period date, my due date is October 14, 2013.
- According to the sonogram in week 34 Baby Girl is head down, and at the Midwifes' office she said that the baby is at -2 station already.
-Braxton Hicks are a common occurance for me, so my body is getting ready!
- My mom delivered in the 42nd week with all 4 of her pregnancies.
- As of my 34 week appointment, I was measuring 34 cm for my uterus (so right on track).
At my 36 week appointment, I measured 37 cm (so 1 cm ahead).
- I have only gained 1 pound above my pre-pregnancy weight.

Evidence of my nesting from the last weekend!