Beginning of the End?

Nothing major going on here. But there are some signs that may indicate that my body is preparing for Wee3's grand entrance.

[Don't panic Mom- like I said nothing major. It could still be weeks.]

My driving skills are deteriorating. Today I pulled into a tight parking spot and scraped the side of the van on a pole. So dumb. I told Andrew maybe he should get me a driver for the next few weeks. That would be sweet.

I have had a slight backache the last couple of days.

Sometimes when I lay down I feel a little nauseous. That's probably just regular pregnancy stuff that I've been lucky enough to avoid until now. Possibly also related to the giant bowl of cereal I like to have just before bed. ;)

My groin and legs are sore off and on, so I assume my pelvis is loosening and opening up. Sometimes when the baby moves I get these crazy shooting pains down my thighs. It makes me jump!

My Braxton-Hicks contractions can get kind of uncomfortable, but I'm not sure that's a change necessarily. It may just be that I have a little less tolerance for them since I know I'm so close to the end. Also, the night before Micah was born I had semi-regular BHs, and they weren't uncomfortable at all. So it's a bit unexpected. Though the discomfort is largely because of the pressure it puts on my bladder.

In other news. I haven't heard from Lucia this week yet. I'm torn. Part of me wants to call her because I want to get the tub here so I can check it off my list. The other part of me just wants to avoid the whole non stress test thing.

I found out that Rhogam is in stock at a hospital downtown. It's $300 per dose. Nothing I ever thought about when I got it in Canada but yeah, it's not cheap. So that's good to know that it's available if we need it. Haven't had as much luck with the oral vitamin K. I did find something called Hemosin K which is available in syrup, but the lady at that pharmacy said it wasn't for newborns. Hm. I still have to get the stuff on Lucia's list. I should do that tomorrow.

What else.... well I think I have had my fill of comments about how big I am. It's been fine, but now I'm done.

Turning Inward.... or Just Tired

The last few days I've been really pooped! At first I thought it was stress-out recovery. Then I thought it was the humidity. But today I don't have either excuse. AND I had a really good and longer-than-usual sleep last night. It just seems weird that I'd hit 37 weeks and WHAMMO all of the sudden feel different.

But I do. And it's mental too. I'm starting to feel kind of distracted and thoughtful. That isn't much of a surprise. But it does interfere a bit with daily activities.

I remember when I was pregnant with Eva I started my mat leave two weeks before her due date (on which I went into labour). But I felt ready to start a week before that.

I'm still chipping away at my preparations. I just remembered to wash the Boppie nursing pillow (gold, people, nursing pillows are pure gold). I put some garbage bags, a zip lock bag (for the placenta), and a receiving blanket in with my birth day supply stash. And I pulled out the flannel I had bought for making cloth wipes. Haven't done anything with it yet, but it's out and ready to be cut and sewn. Obviously not the end of the world if they're not done before baby gets here, but I can't see myself having much chance to sew after baby arrives. Speaking of that, I should get after that crochet diaper cover I'm planning to make...

Nesting and Pregnancy Brain

I feel a little different at this point in my pregnancy.

The nesting urge is strong and thankfully, it seems to be contagious because Andrew is into it too. Could it be that our house will actually become clutter free (unless you count the storage space and I do not ;) )? I got up this morning and right away did the dishes and started laundry. Baby clothes laundry. Once I'm done this blog post I'm going to tackle the kids' bedroom closet, which is a dumping ground for miscellanea. Tomorrow I'll re-organize and clean my bathroom shelves.

I have almost assembled all my birth day supplies. Now I have my nice pack of Depends. Almost felt uncomfortable having those in the cart and checking them out. But then there's a whole aisle of adult diapers so I'm sure the cashiers check out plenty. I got my 30cm elastic bandage for belly binding after the birth. I have gone through all the baby clothes and located a bunch of onesies and sleepers which I am washing right now. I feel in good shape!

The other thing that is different is how scattered my thoughts can get. These are the first signs of pregnancy brain- well that I have noticed. Andrew might have a different take on it!

Now that the baby is engaged (seemingly head down) I feel kind of stiff after I get up from sitting and I am waddling a little more. But otherwise I feel quite comfortable. Not at all feeling like I want this to be over. I wonder if I will a month from now when I'm 40 weeks?

Mask of Pregnancy

So far I have gotten away with no stretch mark or spider/varicose veins. My linea negra is very faint. But chloasma, also known as mask of pregnancy, is really kicking into gear. I had it with Micah too. The hormone changes of pregnancy, especially paired with sun exposure, cause darker brown areas on the face. I wear moisturizer with sunscreen daily, but don't usually wear a hat. Interestingly, I got much more sun exposure in Canada than I ever do here which I'm sure had something to do with how much more visible it is now than before our trip. The good thing is that after the hormones calm down a bit and with some time and normal exfoliation, it pretty much fades away. At least it did after my last pregnancy! So I'm not going to sweat it too much.

Cooler Weather Makes All the Difference!

The weather has cooled down the last couple of days and I am feeling quite spry and spunky! Here I thought it was the advancing pregnancy that was slowing me down so much, but in fact it was mostly the heat wave! Also I've been sleeping better which definitely helps.

Addendum to 31 Weeks

I forgot to mention that the snoring has begun. When I was pregnant with Eva, my snoring was so bad that Andrew slept in the basement for months. I thought that it was a weight gain thing. Well, apparently that is not the only factor! I actually hear myself snoring as I drift in or out of sleep and I can tell you the situation is not good. I wonder if Andrew will be able to ride out these last couple of months alright!

15 Weeks

Your baby now weighs in at about 1 ¾ ounces and is about 4 inches long. Finally the growth of the body is catching up with the head so that they the baby doesn’t look so top heavy.

The hair follicles begin to make pigment for dark haired babies and their bodies are completely covered with lanugo, fine hairs that protect the skin. These hairs will disappear before birth, usually. Hearing is becoming more sensitive and if you play music or sing your baby can hear it. Loud noises can startle the baby at this point in time. The heart is still pumping away, practicing for the larger volume of blood it will pump when born.

Babies are practicing inhaling and exhaling movements. Fingernails are completely produced and the legs are getting longer than the arms. The skeleton is getting harder and taking in calcium quickly. Muscles are developing, as is the very thin skin.

I definitely have more energy now. Not that I won't take a nap when I can get it ;) But it's not an imperative anymore.

I have been super congested the last few days which is irritating. At first it felt like allergies but now I'm thinking maybe it's a bit of a cold. The only symptom is the nasal congestion which is good, because that last cold knocked me out. I feel like I have blown every organ in my body out my nose already, and I still have a complete blockage. I'm getting tired of being a red, flaky-skinned mouth breather. Plus my throat is a desert every morning!

I find myself waddling a little bit as my connective tissue softens. And also as compensation for the stiffness I'm still working out from Saturday's yoga class.

14 Week Belly Shot

We finally got around to taking a belly shot. We might try to take another one tomorrow morning so you can see just how much of this belly is perogies.



I didn't nap today and I am feeling pretty good. So the fatigue is definitely subsiding. Yay! It will be good to have a chance to pursue projects while Micah is napping and Eva is at school. For instance I would like to make a Mei Tai baby carrier before our holidays later this month.

I am feeling ligament stretching now. Some slight pain and walking feels a kind of different. Things are loosening up. Could be that one day soon I will wake up and my rear end will be twice as big as it was the day before! ;)

Getting Rounder

I'm starting to round out in the front. A little in the mornings, and a lot at the end of the day. Just about time to start taking those weekly photos! I don't "need" to wear maternity clothes yet, though I have started wearing some, just because I like them! My skirts in particular.

I haven't gained any weight yet.

By the mid-afternoon, I feel kind of sick and yucky. I attribute it to all the undigested food waiting around. My system just can't keep up, I guess. I could maybe try eating smaller portions, but for some reason I'm having trouble making that change in my lifestyle. Not that I stuff my face, but the idea of reducing my normal portion sizes seems so inefficient. I suppose as baby crowds out my stomach that lifestyle change will happen naturally ;)

I've been having cravings for sweets! I'm not sure if it's pregnancy, or the fact that I have let myself indulge a little. Last week the kids and I made some gingerbread cookies and I ate more than my share. Andrew made an apple pie on the weekend and I found myself picking at the leftover pie throughout the next day. Maybe the extra sugar re-awakened my dormant sweet tooth?? I've been overall quite good about keeping it at bay with fruit and other healthy snacks but I wish it would go back to sleep!

The other night when I was putting the kids to bed I asked if they'd like to say goodnight to the baby. They both rubbed and kissed my belly and talked to the baby eagerly. Eva said, "Goodnight baby! I love you! I can't wait for you to come out so I can play peek-a-boo with you!". I just about cried. I am so pleased that Eva and Micah are excited about this baby. I wouldn't blame them if they weren't- it's a tough transition! That they are makes me feel so happy inside.

Peeing Machine

I am a peeing machine! Watch folks, as she pours water into the top... and see it all come right back out the bottom, not ten minutes Iater! This marvellous machine can perform this task as often as necessary during the day, and every two hours throughout the night!

Symptom Diminishment?

I'm not positive, but it seems like maybe my first trimestre symptoms are slightly diminished. Not feeling quite the same very low level nausea, and possibly slightly more energetic.

Digestion is still laborious.

A Weird Symptom

Here's a weird symptom I keep forgetting to log: messed up thermostat. I remember with Eva being nice and warm all the time- I didn't have to bring a sweater to work anymore! But with this one I am always cold. So strange. Right now Andrew is wearing shorts and a t-shirt, and I am wearing slippers and a sweater.

Tummy Inside, Tummy Outside

Tummy Inside: Quite gassy. Sometimes painfully gassy. A couple of times seemed to be the repercussion of a sugary desert, other times seems unrelated to quality of food consumed. Hoping this "passes" (ha ha) with the first trimestre. The painful part, anyway. The gassy part is kind of funny.

Tummy Outside: Either I'm bloated from the gassy-ness, or I am started to show a little. I have been trying to remember when I started to show with the other two. I know that with Eva I suffered a few weeks with uncomfortably tight pants before I finally got into maternity pants (sweet relief) at I think around 12 weeks? Maybe even a little sooner. With Micah I was able to wear my "skinny jeans" until almost 4 months, but they were a lower rise and my hips didn't spread as quickly as they did with Eva.

I just looked back on my pregnancy journal with Eva, and by 7 weeks I was poofing out over the top of my jeans and had already gained some weight (I haven't yet with this one). By 10 weeks I was definitely showing. So much for showing sooner with second and subsequent pregnancies!

I've been thinking about 'showing', and realized that in the first number of months, what is showing is actually the other internal organs as the uterus pushes them up and out. It isn't until the pregnancy progresses more that the uterus is the organ giving most of the shape to the belly.

And I think too about how people 'carry' their babies. Obviously part of it is the baby's position, but until my friend mentioned that her placenta was somewhat larger than average, I hadn't considered the impact of the placenta on how big the belly appears and what shape it takes. It makes me very curious.

Speaking of showing, I have been waiting for my bust to blossom.... no change yet! And to think that for many women that is one of the first signs of pregnancy. Not so for me who could use it more than most!

When did you start to show? How did you carry?

Fatigue

I am definitely feeling the pregnancy fatigue now. I'm sleeping better at night now, but feeling more sleepy during the day. Even despite being so lucky as to get a nap most days.

Nausea is very minor. Tastebuds and nose are on high alert, but I'm not turned off by anything in particular. Overall, very similar to my other pregnancies. Interesting, since each pregnancy can be so different. I have heard that breastfeeding can reduce or suppress morning sickness; so perhaps that is a factor. Also, having other kids to look after takes the focus off the symptoms.

My worries about something going wrong have faded a little, yay! A few people are praying for me and I am really grateful that they have been answered so quickly.

Care Situation

I met with a midwife today. I believe she is the only one practicing here in Torreon. She also gives natural childbirth classes. It was a good meeting.

I feel that she is coming from the same place as me in terms of trusting birth and God's design for our bodies. She will attend me, but not as a midwife in the sense that I understand midwifery, because there will also be a doctor there whose role will be the second stage (when the baby emerges).

That said, I haven't met the doctor she recommended yet, so maybe- hopefully- I can have a great, trusting relationship with him! She said that he is fairly sensitive and open. I will make an appointment with him in the next couple of weeks.

I have met the other OB she works with and had a pretty good impression of him. I know a woman who had two babies with him and was delighted with both births. But Lucia also told me a story which disturbed me. At one birth the nurse had forgotten to put the scissors on the instrument tray. And he felt like it was so important to cut the cord quickly that he tore it with his fingers! Eww. He is interested in natural birth but doesn't appear to really believe in it. Perhaps he sees it more as a novelty. Or another angle for getting patients? This despite the fact that Lucia said he has attended some wonderful natural births with her.

We talked about my options for the location of the birth and they seem to be pretty open. She recommended a number of hospitals, including one in which we could have a water birth. I will definitely investigate that option further as I think it can be an opportunity to have a very gentle birth for the mother, and for gentle transition for the baby. It also allows the mother to move around more easily than on dry land and therefore help the baby to move through the pelvis more easily. And of course it is a wonderful comfort measure to many moms.

I would also like to look into the option of home birth. I have some interest in that though I'm not married to the idea either. All the ducks would really have to be in a row for it to be the right choice, I think.

I have so many questions for the OB I choose. I pray he is receptive to my wishes. I am however prepared for some uphill battles. Praying that I can be convincing about those things with which he doesn't agree initially!

Lucia gave me some homemade- from her own trees- orange blossom tea to help me sleep better. I am having a cup right now. We'll see how it goes! Last night went slightly better. I brought an extra pillow to bed and propped my legs up on it and that gave me a bit of relief from the restless feelings I've been having.

I'm feeling pretty tired these last days, but it could be the poor sleep that's getting to me. Having some nausea, but very minor. Overall, feeling good!

Energy

Still feeling quite energetic! Also I have more motivation than I have lately.

When I wake up I feel a little shaky and kind of 'buzzing', but no nausea at all.

We were in Zacatecas this week and so I got lots of walking in. Felt so great to know I was doing something that was so good for my body and my baby! I also went for a power walk by myself this evening. I want to make a point of walking a lot during this pregnancy. Nothing but good can come of that.

I am also very careful about what I eat. I try to combine a protein with a complex carb at every meal or snack. Eat whole foods. Drink lots of water. I did ok with Eva in the diet and exercise dept; better with Micah. I'm looking forward to seeing how this pregnancy will come along with the most exercise and by far the best diet yet.

The Beginning

Christmas Morning we got an extra special gift- in the form of a faint but unmistakable line on a home pregnancy test.

We will become a family of five in early September 2009!

We are thrilled to be welcoming another baby into our home. This is an incredible blessing, an amazing gift, and an honour. I'm so looking forward to everything this pregnancy brings. Especially the baby ;)

I haven't got obvious pregnancy symptoms yet; however I do have some very subtle signs. About 5 days before the pregnancy was confirmed I had some heart palpatations and felt very out of breath from minor exertion. I felt that way fairly often when I was pregnant with Eva and I think it has to do with increased blood volume. Also my tastes have changed very slightly. I had more than the normal monthly bloating, and I feel shaky and weak in the mornings. I also had a stretch of crankiness that kind of surprised me. No fatigue yet; in fact I feel quite energetic! I'm sure that will change in the next week or so.

I am 5 weeks along!