30 weeks (almost)

So last week we went to the doctor, already pretty concerned that she wasn't going to let us do the Bradley method/natural childbirth stuff that we're planning.  But because I hate change and want to make things work, I went in with some questions that I figured would help us make the right decisions.

Before I was able to ask any questions, my doctor comes in and tells me that I'm anemic (I'm really not, I have thalassemia trait which makes it look like I'm anemic) and that I need iron supplements.  I was surprised that she was saying this, since she had already prescribed extra folate to make up for the fact that I have this trait and can't take iron supplements (risk of iron poisoning, etc.) When I told her that I couldn't take iron supplements, she glared at me and asked "well, do you want a blood transfusion instead? Because that's what we'll have to do if you're anemic." I was shocked for a second and then told her that obviously I'd rather take a pill than have some crazy transfusion, but by the time I said that I think she realized she had made a mistake so was then trying to prescribe the same folate for me that she had already done back in September.  Each of these slip ups made us even more nervous.

Then we went on our hospital tour.  That was the final nail in the coffin.  They don't allow pretty much any deviation from hospital policy, which consists of continuous monitoring, no food or drink during labor, must give birth on your back, etc.  Pretty much everything I don't want. Great.  In fact, the nurse started the tour describing the typical birth scenario there, which is a scheduled induction!! I wanted to scream.

So it looks like we're switching doctors and hopefully going to deliver at a birth center.  It's 45 minutes from my house, but at this point, I'd rather give birth in my pool outside than go to the hospital I'm currently registered at. Yikes.

Other than that, I am very uncomfortable now, especially when I'm trying to sleep.  Baby has run out of space (or so it seems) and is letting me know.  He moves a lot during mass, which I think is funny... maybe it's the choir? They are one of the better choirs I've heard here in town ;) Childbirth classes are going well, though this past week our teacher showed us a baby doll traveling through a pelvis, which made me super nervous for the baby.  I really, really don't want him to get stuck in there... I'm sooo glad I don't remember my own travels through that area!!

28 weeks -- what is he DOING in there??

The www.babycenter.com email that I get every week says that I have 84 days to go now.  That seems like a long time and a short time at the same time! Ah! We have all of the crib components up now, though my mom insists that I need to iron the crib sheets before I can put one on the mattress.  My response is to just not put one on the mattress until after I have my shower and hopefully get a mattress pad. Hmph. :) I registered for a glider... I was pretty disappointed that there weren't more to try out at Babiesrus, but oh well.

Speaking of registries, I'm a little concerned that I'm not registering for everything I actually need.  I know I won't get everything as a gift, but we do get a discount if it's on the registry and isn't purchased for us.  I heart discounts :) I guess I need to add more things to take advantage of that.

We started our childbirth classes this past Sunday.  It was pretty interesting, and now I have this exercises to do everyday to prepare for the birth.  I think it may be problematic, though, that I get a little queasy thinking about what exactly is going to be happening... especially when the lady is talking about pelvic bones and arches, stretching and tearing various pieces of skin and muscle, etc.  I mean, I understand that this happens, but a part of me wishes I could prepare without having to think about the biological aspects of it.  It makes my knees weak. 

As for baby, he's moving around all the time, but I'm pretty sure he's running out of space.  That would explain the weird "elbow pushing along the inside of your stomach" or "pool ball slowly rolling around your skin" sensation I get nowadays.  I've also started to get charlie horse leg cramps, usually around ten minutes before I'm supposed to wake up.  I throw off the blankets, yelping the whole time, and try to walk it off.  When John first suggested that I walk them off, I thought he was being rude, but then I realized that it does in fact work better than trying to massage that terrible cramp out of my leg. 

I suppose that's it for now :) I start going to the doctor every two weeks starting this coming Tuesday.  Super fun.

26 weeks -- Happy New Year!

The past few weeks have been crazy because of the move, but overall it's been a good time :) I felt like a hungover whale after my glucose screening on Tuesday, but I managed to keep that glucola junk down so that I don't have to retake that test (well, no retake for that reason at least.)  Hopefully I won't get a phone call on Monday or so telling me I need to come in for the three-hour test... I will be a very unhappy camper.

Here are two new belly pics -- one with a thick-ish sweater on and one with just the underband covering :) I felt it necessary to take both because the sweater pic makes me look as big as I feel, but I realize that it could be a bit misleading. 

I'm carrying all bajillion pounds of my first pregnancy in my chest and belly... I've now arrived at a 36DD after spending about a month at a 34DD and I'm pretty sure that my stubbornness is keeping me from going up any more.  Sigh.  I get annoyed with the maternity clothes models who have tiny chests and perfectly round bumps.  Oh well.  I should stop focusing on my pregnancy "lows" -- like having to go to the bathroom at pretty much the most random places ever, like Lowe's, or needing help to roll over in bed.  This, too, shall pass ;)

I'm very excited for 2010 :) It's going to be one crazy year, I'm sure! I can't believe I'm considered full term in 11 weeks.  That bit of trivia is what inspired John and I to go ahead and put up the crib.  The mattress and bedding are arriving in a few days.  I'm very grateful to one of John's aunts for her incredible generosity -- she bought us all of those things!

Well, happy new year to everyone! I hope it's the best year you have yet! :)

25.5 weeks

So a belated merry Christmas to all :) We closed on a house and began moving in this week, so it's been pretty crazy around here, but well worth it. I always enjoy "fun busy" over "stressed out busy" :)

Lately I've suffered from what I believe are sciatic nerve pains. They make it hard for me to walk sometimes, which is very distressing, but I try not to pay too much attention to the pain. The other day I had really bad stomach pains and thought maybe I was having Braxton-Hicks contractions (though those aren't supposed to be cripplingly painful) and I started to worry that I wouldn't be able to handle real labor pains, since these faux pains (likely gas lol sorry for the TMI) brought me to some not so faux tears. Ooh well. I'm glad our childbirth classes start soon because I think it'll help with some of the whole "I'm terrified of giving birth" thing I'm going through. Perhaps. Also, I guess it doesn't help that I google things like "what are labor pains like?" and "what if baby doesn't turn head down?" and then spend a good amount of time torturing myself. I'll try to limit that behavior, too :)

Perhaps another TMI tidbit -- I hit a new pregnancy low last night while we were at Lowe's (for the third time this week.) We'd had dinner immediately before and I thought I'd be fine in terms of bathroom breaks, but apparently that was before the baby moved in such a way as to completely trample my bladder as we entered the store. I figured the sensation would pass as it usually does when baby is responsible for my need to go, but it kept getting worse... so I ended up waddling around very quickly to find the ladies' room at Lowe's. I call this a pregnancy low because most people can manage to not have to go at Lowe's, but all I can manage is to only go once at Lowe's. Even though I may have wanted to go again :-/ lol

The crib and bedding have been ordered, and we'll probably order the mattress today. One of John's aunts was very, very generous and has paid for these things :)


I ordered everything online. It's amazing how many places give free shipping and coupons and such! (I'm a big nerd, I know.)

Well, I hope everyone has a great end of 2009! We'll be chatting soon!

23 weeks

Apparently I'm huge. I took both of my grandparents to the doctor today (such a fun event, let me tell you) and as I'm sitting with them in the examining room, the doctor comes in. After saying hello and introducing himself to me, he looks at my belly and asks, "so, are you giving your grandparents a Christmas surprise?" I have no idea what look came across my face when I informed him that no, actually I'd give them an Easter surprise, since I was due in April. His eyes got really wide and he was like "oh wow, well that's great!"

Open mouth, insert foot, Dr. F.

22 week bump

Hi friends. Here's my bump. It seems a lot smaller in this picture than in my mind/in the mirror. Perhaps the black is flattering :) I'll try to get a less upclose-and-personal pic from the husband when he returns home. I figured I'd do this now before I forget and yet another week passes by.

Farewell, Belly Button.

So I've really "popped" in the last couple of weeks, and I've noticed that my belly button is making a gradual disappearance. I (ignorantly) thought that this would be a sudden, overnight kind of thing, but no, it's definitely been gradual. So far I have like 20% of it left as an innie, but I'm sure that'll be over with soon. I'll miss my belly button, and I hope it makes its return post-baby. I've read some stories of women who were left with very misshapen buttons, and that's something I hope to avoid.

We've signed up for Bradley method childbirth classes that will start in January. I figured we wouldn't have to start them until February or so, but apparently then I'd run the risk of going into labor prior to finishing the class (it's an 8 week course) and that certainly would defeat the whole point of taking a class. I've also scheduled my first coach sub... John's out of town one of the weekends of our class, so my mom will step in that day. That got me thinking -- should I see about a real coach sub for the big day? Like, what if John can't make it in time because of something? Should I try to line up a family member who can take his spot for that time? I'm pretty sure if I'm left to my own devices during labor, there will be much destruction in my path. Probably because I'll deny that I'm actually in labor until it's too late and I'll end up having the baby in my backyard or something. Seriously, this is a concern... I hate hospitals. If I'd thought any of this through, I probably would have considered a birth center. Sure, most of them are like a block from the hospital, but at least I would know that I wasn't actually in the hospital. I'm crazy, I know.

Apparently my uterus is measuring a week ahead of schedule. For those who haven't had the pleasure of having their uterus measured on the outside with a tape measure, this highly technical method states that the number of centimeters from your pubic bone to the top of your uterus correlates with the number of weeks you are in your pregnancy. Since I still have trouble finding the top of my uterus, I just figured it was right above my belly button or so at almost 22 weeks. Well, the doctor found my uterus yesterday (and made me feel it too, but I lost it again) and I'm a week ahead of schedule. So that's interesting. John had spoken to the baby a few nights ago and asked him to be born on April 3rd, which is a special day for his family, and it seems like this baby may be doing his best to oblige ;)

Other than that, friends, we're cruisin' along. Probably another 17 weeks or so to go :)