38 Weeks

Well, I am officially miserable and ready for this baby to come out. Pretty much everything I do is either uncomfortable or tiring. Getting up in the middle of the night is one of the worst things ever. I sleep well, but when I have to get up to go to the bathroom it takes a lot of effort to get up. Then my bones crack, because the baby has thrown my spine & pelvis out of alignment. Plus, on top of that the baby is like a dead weight inside of me, so my belly and pelvis feel super heavy. Being at work is also miserable. I can't stand very long because I get hot or dizzy (I've even turned on the air-conditioning in my room a few times!), and then once I sit down the baby sits really low in my pelvis. This means that when I get up I feel uncomfortable and can't walk. I also am so tired and sore by the end of the day that I just want to lie on the sofa and not get up. I just can't win.

The good news is that my doctor's visits have been going well, and I am making good progress towards the baby's arrival. At my last appointment I was dilated to 1 cm, so hopefully at my appointment on Tuesday there will be more progress after all the walking and activity from this weekend. I just really want this baby to come soon, because I am so uncomfortable and also so there is more time between the baby's birth and Christmas. Whenever it happens I am ready. The baby's room is ready, clothes have been washed, my bag is packed. I even have meals in the freezer and bought paper plates & plastic silverware to make things a little easier in the kitchen. So, seriously, this baby is welcome to come out anytime. My next post will either be a miserable, 40 week update or a birth announcement. Let's hope it's the latter!

36 Weeks

Last month (or so) of pregnancy! How crazy is that? Since I finished my grad class, I have been using my weekends to clean and prepare for the baby's arrival (pretty sure that nesting is kicking in). Here are some of the things I have been doing to get ready other than cleaning the apartment:

-arranging, organizing, and setting up the baby's room (don't worry, I just watched while Josh moved the furniture around)

-washing baby clothes, blankets, etc.

-packing a bag for myself and the baby to take to the hospital

-buying cheap pajama bottoms, a nursing bra, and "granny panties" for the hospital

-putting the car seat bases in both of our cars

-filling out the registration form for daycare

-buying a few things here and there for the baby (not too many though, since I have one more baby shower at work this week)

As you can see, I've been pretty busy. I'm starting to feel like we're pretty much ready for this baby to arrive other than a few things here and there that still need to be done. Next weekend I plan on doing one last trip to Babies R Us to pick up any necessities (like a bathtub and changing pad) that we still don't have.

Other than cleaning and preparing, I also attended a breastfeeding class with Josh this week. I don't think he was thrilled about going, but I asked him to since he had the night off. Next week I will go by myself to the second part of the class. Josh and I will also be taking an infant cpr class the week of Thanksgiving, and then we'll be done with our baby prep classes. I definitely recommend taking these classes before having a baby, because I feel so much more prepared and informed now. I think I would be a lot more nervous and stressed out without them.

This week I also had another doctor's appointment, and I had my first internal examination. I am up to 19 pounds gained, and my blood pressure and baby's heartbeat also checked out well. The doctor said I am measuring a little small, but he is not worried about it since the baby has a strong heartbeat and is moving a lot. He also said he prefers his patients to be a little small rather than a little big, which I totally agreed with. When he did my exam, he said the baby's head was down (yay!) and my cervix was softening. This just means that it's getting ready to start dilating and making room for the baby to come out. He said that at my next appointment (the week of Thanksgiving) he will dilate me himself if I'm not dilated on my own. I hope he doesn't need to do that, but it made me feel like he isn't going to let this pregnancy go way past my due date. I'll be seeing him weekly after that next appointment.

After my doctor's appointment I started to notice a few new symptoms that make me feel like I'm getting closer to the baby's arrival. I actually started to feel the baby pressing down more into my pelvis, so he must be dropping lower. This also causes some pain and soreness in my butt and legs, which is not very fun when I'm walking around. I also noticed some intestinal issues, but that's all I will say about that. Then of course, there has been all the nesting and preparing. Hopefully these are all signs that the baby will be here on or before his due date. And with work and Thanksgiving, the excitement and activity may move things along even faster.

When I do my next update I will officially be full term and could safely go into labor. Here's hoping Baby O gets the message and decides to either make an appearance or at least move things along more!

34 Weeks

Thank goodness October is at an end. There has been so much going on this past month that I am surprised I didn't lose my mind. I did end up coming down with a cold this weekend, but otherwise I survived the wedding, birth classes, grad school work, baby shower, and normal work weeks that all happened this month. Now that we are heading into November I feel like I can breathe a little easier and really start preparing for Baby O's arrival.

The past two weeks have been pretty uncomfortable for me. I am still sleeping okay, but when I get up to go to the bathroom it is hard to propel myself out of my bed and my bones creak and crack like an old woman. I am also still having pretty consistent back pain at the end of the workday, but I did buy a Boppy pregnancy wedge which has helped a little with that. I have also had a lot of bloating lately, so it feels like my belly is huge and in the way all the time. Not to mention that fact that it is getting harder to reach down and pick things up when I'm sitting down. If I'm standing I can at least squat down and get things, but when I'm sitting I feel like I'm smashing the baby when I try to bend over. I do have one new symptom to report this week: swelling. On Wednesday my ankles were swollen, and then on Thursday and Friday when I took my socks off my feet were normal and my legs were huge and swollen from my sock line.

I did have another doctor's appointment this week (I now start going every other week), and everything is still looking good. No weight gain (woohoo!), so I'm still at about 18 pounds gained. I'm hoping I can do some exercises at home these next few weeks to keep that number from going up too much more. Everything else checked out good also. Next time I go in they start checking to see if I'm dilated or if the baby has dropped into my pelvis. That is kind of exciting,because I'll start to see how close I am to this baby really arriving. I'm not expecting much at the next appointment, but I can always hope can't I?

Finally, I am happy to say that Baby O's room is starting to come along pretty well. It started out as an empty room filled with boxes and some random baby stuff, and now the crib and dresser are set up. The closet is also filled with lots of baby things after last week's baby shower. I also started putting some clothes and diapers into the dresser and put together the carseat and stroller. Over the next few weeks I hope to get the sheets on the crib, start putting things up on the walls, and wash the rest of the baby clothes that we've gotten. Be on the lookout for some updated pictures of that soon.

32 Weeks!

Well, I'm a little late in updating, but it's been a busy 2 weeks. Josh and I went to Michigan last week for my sister Kristy's wedding and had a great time. Baby O was very cooperative considering the long drive there and back and all the excitement. I got tons of comments from family and total strangers that weekend. I also realized how hard it is to sit for hours when you're pregnant, because we had to make a lot of stops on the long drive for me to get out and stretch. I survived, though! A few days before the wedding I also had another doctor's appointment. This time I did gain some weight, so I'm up to 18 pounds gained so far. This is still pretty good, but I really need to be careful and not let myself go these last few weeks. The nurse said a lot of women put on weight really easily at the end, and that is the last thing I need. Everything else looked really good at the appointment, which was a relief as always.

We also started our childbirth class, and we only have one more week left. It's been really informative and helpful, and I think Josh has even enjoyed it. Yesterday we got to tour labor and delivery, and we saw one little baby in the nursery. It was so cute, and it was exciting to think of our little guy laying there in just a matter of weeks! One thing I really liked about the class was all the relaxation techniques and labor positions we've learned. I'm hoping I can remember them and move as much as possible while we're still at home so that things will move along and keep progressing.

The past two weeks have also left me feeling more and more uncomfortable. I'm starting to feel a lot bigger, and my belly is making it harder for me to reach down for things and get up from the bed or sofa as easily. I've also been having consistent back pain, especially at the end of the work day. Now that my belly is bigger, my back has a more defined arch in it which makes my back hurt. The other symptom I've noticed more is some major indigestion. I've been having it at night, but over the weekend I would have bad indigestion after almost every meal. I'll feel fine for awhile, and then I suddenly feel like I'm going to get sick. Not fun. Even though I haven't been as comfortable, I keep reminding myself that it could be worse. I still don't have any noticeable swelling or stretch marks (woohoo!), and somehow my belly button is still an innie. I swear it's gonna pop out eventually, though.

This weekend is my first of two baby showers. This one is with all my friends and family, and the next one will be at work in a few weeks. I have already starting getting some presents from people who can't come to the shower, and I feel like a kid at Christmas. I'm so blessed by all the generosity of our loved ones, and I am excited to have a fun weekend and celebrate with everyone.

To finish off this week, I thought I would leave you with a comparison of where I started and where I'm at now. The first picture is from 12 weeks into the pregnancy, when I was just starting to see a little bitty bump. The second one is from last night. It's crazy to compare those two pictures, and it helps motivate me to get back into that great shape after the baby comes. Enjoy!

30 Weeks and a busy October

Welcome to October and the last 10 weeks of Baby O's growth and development in utero! This month brings lots of baby preparation and exciting events, but first let's talk about how things are going with me and the baby.

This past week I started developing a few new symptoms. First, I have started to have more aches and pains, especially in my lower back and butt/legs. I'm pretty sure this is mostly due to being on my feet all day, but of course the growing belly doesn't help either. The next symptom is increasing hunger in the afternoon. All last week I was starving once 3:00 hit, and I had to dig into the snacks I have in my classroom. I've also noticed an increase in body temperature. The weather was kind of cold out last week, but I would be sweltering and overheated by lunchtime almost every day. It was not fun. I'm also still having some nausea/indigestion at night, so I have been trying to eat dinner earlier and get in more snacks throughout the day. Otherwise I end up eating hardly anything or resorting to a bowl of cereal for dinner. The final thing I've noticed is that I'm getting more emotional about the pregnancy coming to an end. One day I was driving to work and started crying, because I wanted the baby to be here so badly. I know he'll be here soon, but it seems like there is still so long to go. Still no stretch marks or swelling, and I've had a little more energy at work which has been nice. Overall, I'm pretty lucky that I haven't had more symptoms and that the ones I've had haven't been too bad.

Baby O has been consistently moving, and I've started to notice where he is lying a little bit more. He often seems to be lying on my left side, and I can usually feel a big bulge in that area from his back/butt/head (still not quite sure which one it is). One day I was lying on the sofa next to Josh, and we noticed one part of my stomach sticking up where the baby was. It was kind of funny. Josh has gotten to feel the baby move a lot more also, and I love his reactions. He'll put his hand on my stomach and say, "Woah, I felt that," over and over each time the baby moves. It cracks me up.

Finally, as I mentioned before this month is going to be a busy one for me. This weekend Josh and I make the eight hour drive to Michigan for my sister Kristy's wedding. We are leaving Thursday, so we will be able to take our time driving up and have time to recover from the trip on Friday. I also have Monday off for Columbus Day, so that will help me rest up afterwards. I'll probably have a whole separate post just about the wedding weekend and how Baby O and I did with all the traveling and excitment. Tomorrow I also start my childbirth education class at OSF. This is a 3-hour class every Tuesday in October. That means I'll be exhausted on Wednesdays, but I know the class will be really helpful. Josh can't come tomorrow, so my mom agreed to go with me for the first class. The final event this month is my baby shower! I am so excited about this. It is on the 22nd, and my mom, Josh's mom, and Hannah (my sister-in-law) are all helping put it together. I cannot wait to get lots of things for the baby and start getting everything organized and put away. Last night Josh and I went to Babies R Us to add a few baby clothes to our registry and pick out the crib and dresser before the shower. It made me really excited, and I'm eager to decorate and set up the nursery.

As you can see, I have a lot to keep me busy this month. I guess that's good, because it means the time will go quickly and get me closer to the baby's arrival. I just can't wait to have this precious little one in my arms!

28 Weeks

Woohoo! Third trimester here we come! I'm so close but still so far away. This week I am happy to say that I have been feeling pretty good, but I definitely understand what people have said about just wanting the baby out at the end of the pregnancy.

First off, this week I had another doctor's visit (I now go every 3 weeks instead of every 4), and I had to take my glucose tolerance test. I was a little worried about what it would be like and how it would turn out, but I am happy to say that it wasn't bad at all. My blood results came back normal, so I am not at risk for gestational diabetes. The baby had a good heartbeat (140), I had good blood pressure again, and I still have not gained any weight. I was a little surprised by this, but the doctor said he loves it when his patients don't gain weight. He said then when they have the baby they are pretty much right back at their starting weight. I'm good with that! So far I have gained about 13 pounds, and I only have 12 weeks left. Even if I somehow gain a pound a week I'll be able to lose a lot of that just from the birth, so I'm pretty stoked that I've been doing so well.

There aren't many new symptoms to report this week. I have noticed my lower back starting to get pretty sore when I leave work, and I am having a tough time eating much after 6 pm. Some days for dinner I either eat a tiny portion of what I've made or end up eating cereal, because I just can't stomach whatever I cooked. This may be part of why I'm not packing on the pounds. I am happy to say that my auras are going away, and the few that I've had were due to not eating enough. I basically brought them on myself. Otherwise I've been working hard to chug water all day and make sure I get a few snacks while I'm at work. The past two weeks I've also felt a little more rested, but I did get Labor Day and the day of my doctor's visit to sleep in. This week I don't have that luxury, so we'll see how I feel by Friday. Honestly, I'm pretty lucky that I've only had a few bothersome symptoms, especially when I'm reading "What to expect..." and the list of symptoms gets longer with each month. It feels good to look at that list and only see a few that I've actually experienced. So I guess I can handle some nighttime nausea, backaches, and constant trips to the bathroom.

Finally, I wanted to leave you with some bonus pictures for this week. First, I included a picture of two drawings that some girls in my class made. I thought you would like a kindergarten perspective of what the baby looks like. The other two are from when I tried on my bridesmaid dress for my sister's wedding, which is in 3 weeks. I almost panicked, because at this point the dress is getting dangerously close to not zipping all the way up. The problem is the band that runs right under my chest. Since I'm so short, that's where my belly starts to expand. So when the zipper gets up near the top, there isn't a whole lot of extra room. You can see in the picture how the band doesn't lay flat but starts to pucker and bend from the shape of my stomach. Luckily, the baby is very low, so if I grow a lot in the next few weeks it probably won't cause a problem in that area. Let's hope anyways! Enjoy!

26 Weeks- Part Two

Sorry it took awhile to post this, but it's been a busy week! If you read my last post you know all about all the medical drama I had over the past few weeks, so now I'll fill you in on my symptoms. Obviously, I have been exhausted. Being back at work has been really tough. When I get home I am totally run down, so I have been making up for it by sleeping 10+ hours a night on the weekends and sometimes even taking a nap after that! This is the first time in my life when I actually like taking naps. I also started another online class for my Master's, so this will wear me out even more. Luckily, the class doesn't look too bad, and once it's done I will be taking a break until the end of February to focus on getting ready for the baby, having the baby (of course!), and then getting used to being a mommy. I'm looking forward to that, for sure.

Other than being tired, I haven't been feeling too bad. I'm sleeping okay, but I have started having to get up more to go to the bathroom. I usually make it until 3:00 AM and then get up every 1-2 hours between then and when my alarm goes off. I was also having several charlie horses in my legs, but now that I've been doing more leg stretches and drinking more water that has gotten better. The baby doesn't really keep me up at night, but when I get back into bed he usually moves around a lot. Speaking of movement, he continues to move more and more each day. I can now feel him even when I'm standing up, although he moves the most when I'm sitting or lying down. His movements have gotten bigger and stronger, and I see my belly moving a lot. Sometimes I can even see my belly moving back and forth, which is pretty cool.

That's pretty much it as far as symptoms right now. I don't have any swelling or stretch marks as of right now, and my belly button is still an innie. I just keep watching as my body and belly change and grow and wondering what is ahead for me. When I write my next post I will officially be in the third trimester, so I'm ready for the home stretch!