Week 25

Date/Week: September 29; week 25 (12 weeks (84 days) to C/S)


Milestones: I've finished cooking and freezing the food for the post-natal period. I have also prepared the cloth diapers and have washed and put away the baby clothing. Finally, I've attending the first set of childbirth classes that we were signed up for.

Physical Progress: My belly continues to fill out somewhat. Not much else that I see that has changed since last week.

Symptoms: leg and feet cramps; soreness in the pelvic area and round ligament pain; upset stomach; heartburn;

How do I feel about my body: Another good week. I'm enjoying some of my fall/winter turtlenecks with jeans - I feel that I look better than in the maternity shorts.

Food cravings/aversions: artisan italian bread; pound cake

Sleep: The dreams have not been helpful - I feel so unrested when I get up. I really need a few naps...

Energy level: I've had spurts and I definitely overdo it at times. i usually suffer at night because I am not sleeping that well.

Exercise: prenatal yoga; aqua aerobics; walking

Baby Movement: He is moving so much. I had my belly pressed against a table last night and he kept kicking at the table. He is all over the place when I am sitting in meetings - I feel sorry for both of us when he runs out of room in there...

Thoughts and Feelings? Still working towards milestones 2 and 3. I am pretty sure I will make milestone 2 and I am planning to do most things in October (maternal photos, shower and finishing the nursery). Currently, I have not planned anything in November. I'm just a little unsure as to whether planning stuff in November would be tempting fate...

What I am looking forward to: Spa day for the week 28 milestone; finishing up the nursery; doing the maternity shots (need to book a date)

What am I reading / things I’m learning: Still reading 'The Baby Book' and planning to read the LLL book next.

Week 24

Date/Week: September 22; week 24 (13 weeks (91 days) to C/S)


Total weight gain/loss: 188 (18 lbs in 24 weeks - my doctor is happy; me, not so much. Plus, Aidan and I are now the same weight)

Milestones: Milestone #1!!!!! We're 6 months and are viable (not that I want to have to experience that in any way at the moment...); It's also our 4th anniversary today and this is the best anniversary present ever!!! And we've survived our first hurricane as a married couple - and thankfully have electricity again.

Physical Progress: I am a human furnace. When the electricity was out and we had no A/C, I suffered like I've never suffered before... I kept begging Aidan to open a window - which resulted in way too many remedial physics lessons on wind directions and how hurricanes work. I basically slept semi-nude (not totally due to the need for the ever present pantiliner...) and that was hell - I definitely need support for the new boobage. I am so happy we got power back in less than 24 hours - I would have been a monster if I had to make it through another night like that!

Symptoms: leg and feet cramps; soreness in the pelvic area; a little back pain; can't take a deep breath anymore (thank goodness for belly breathing; a bit constipated due to iron supplements; heartburn

How do I feel about my body: Feeling pretty compact this week. I've purchased 2 nursing bras that actually minimise my bust a bit so it has done wonders with dealing with that aspect of my new shape. My belly button is starting to move outward - but only partially thanks to the scar from where they inserted the camera for the laprascopic surgery last December. It's kind of weird looking but it's fine.

Food cravings/aversions: Lasagna... then buffalo wings... followed by an upset stomach...

Sleep: I'm up maybe every two hours to go to the loo. If I'm stupid, I take my iphone with me and then I can't get back to sleep for a while. If I don't I have been drifting off into insane dreamland until the next urge hits.

Energy level: I am walking much slower than I usually do. A walk that used to take me 5 minutes takes 15. I am signed up for a breast cancer walk on Oct 3 but probably won't do it because it would take so long.... plus I am now getting winded easier since I can't get a deep breath anymore.

Exercise: Warm-up at dance class; prenatal yoga; aqua aerobics; walking

Baby Movement: He likes to move late morning/early afternoon. He is up for a while when I get up and before I go to sleep but I have the BabyPlus system and he seems to settle down when I take it off for a while. He's kicking more. Aidan had his ear on my belly and was saying "hello" and got kicked in the head - that was priceless!

Thoughts and Feelings? I'm a little irritated with the insurance company. They told me the 'plan' last Thursday. Apparently if I am having any complications relating to my kidneys at the time that the decision is made to fly me out, I will be sent to different hospital (connected to the children's hospital by an underground tunnel) and the children's hospital will send over a neonatal team for the baby. I can then be transferred back to the children's hospital when I am ok. It all is a little complicated to me - just let me be at one hospital! In any case, the chances of that happening are slim since my kidneys are actually doing quite well at the moment. They have given me the contact details for the coordinator there if I have questions. But for the moment, I am still here and thanking God for each day that I am home. Sure, I realise I would probably have better care overseas in the longrun but I do not know when I would be allowed to come home - and that stresses me out a bit. In any case, my blood pressure has been better and I just wish I could figure out how to get better readings when at the doctor's office.

What I am looking forward to: Aidan is back home in a week. I also need to plan a spa day to celebrate making it to week 24 - and I might do the same for week 28 because there is another spa that I'd like to sample...









What am I reading / things I’m learning: Getting through the LLL stuff slowly. I'll have to admit, it's freaking me out a bit since so many people I know stopped breastfeeding early on. Also started reading 'The Baby Book' but I'm not far enough in to get nervous about anything in that yet.

Week 23

Date/Week: September 15; week 23 (14 weeks (98 days) to C/S)

 
Milestones: We've secured a post-partum doula and have child care pretty much sorted for 3 months onward; I've joined La Leche League and went to my first meeting; I'm scheduled to go to two childbirth classes on Sept 20 & 27 (they're on breastfeeding and bringing baby home); I've officially joined a prenatal yoga class

Physical Progress: I was feeling pretty big but after going to the LLL meting and the prenatal yoga class, I'm actually quite compact at this stage!

Symptoms: some leg cramping and heartburn

How do I feel about my body: I discovered in yoga last week that while I am in pretty good shape, getting through the creakiness is tough. I was sore through Sunday from that class - I even went swimming at a beach on Saturday to get through it. I find that I have started to rub my belly - probably in hope to feel sproglet from the outside eventually.

Food cravings/aversions: nothing really this week. Dried apricots perhaps.

Sleep: It's a crapshoot. Some nights I get through to about 5.45am and other nights I'm up at 3am and that's it.

Energy level: Still in the energy zone but I wonder for how much longer. My to-do list is loosely dated since some nights all I want to do is sit down when I get home...

Exercise: Warm-up at dance class; prenatal yoga; swimming; walking

Baby Movement: He's moving quite a bit. Aidan felt him twice last night but wasn't sure what he was feeling so it wasn't the stellar first time movement experience that you see in the movies... oh well!

Thoughts and Feelings? Just taking it week by week at the moment. I realise we're doing well considering. Our first key milestone is next week and I hope we get to celebrate the other 3 here but I'm now mentally ok with being flown out. We've done a lot in the last week, I've had my BP meds changed again and I'm hopeful that we continue to have a boring pregnancy. And I'm hoping hurricane Igor doesn't screw with my frozen food stash if we lose electricity...

What I am looking forward to: Week 24! Week 28! Week 32! Week 36! Christmas!

What am I reading / things I’m learning: Starting to read through the LLL materials. I have an idea about bottles that we'll need now. Also getting ready to wash the cloth diapers so reading about those. Thankfully the post-partum doula has experience with both!

Picture of Sproglet

I've been bad digitizing the scan pictures from Aug 31. Well, only one scanned well. As for today's picture, it is pretty crappy. Still, it was a good scan experience. Sproglet was sleeping so he was not giving good access to his back but the technician got some pictures. He's bigger and we saw better scans of his face. It's feeling a little more real.... Here's the better picture.

Week 22

Date/Week: September 8; week 22 (15 weeks (105 days) to C/S)


Total weight gain/loss: 185 (+7 since last month; +15 since beginning)

Milestones: We're almost 100 days until c-section; the nursery is taking shape; I've begun pulling things together for my hospital bag

Physical Progress: It feels like my boobs have settled. They're still a bit overwhelming but I am learning to get used to them. My maternity pants with the full panels are finally starting to fit - they're a bit warm though!

Symptoms: heartburn has been a pain; not as many leg cramps; some nausea

How do I feel about my body: I'm liking the pregnant profile somewhat. It's kind of odd that everything is compacted between my belly and boobs. I've done some measurements and my legs and arms are still the same size. My under-bra measurement has increased by 1 inch. All of my expansion is in the torso, which is not that long on me (I'm all legs). It's kind of cool!

Food cravings/aversions: plums; banana bread

Sleep: Some nights I get up at 3am and can't go back to sleep. Other nights I sleep all the way through to 6.30am but have really vivid dreams. Either way, I feel tired in the morning.

Energy level: I have energy but I can't do everything that I need to do. I cooked on Sunday for 3 hours and then I had to take a 2 hour nap to recover. I have a prenatal DVD that I want to try but I don't have enough energy in the evening to do it...

Exercise: Walking and the warm-up at dance class.

Baby Movement: I've felt a few strong kicks but generally I just feel him moving around. I look forward to feeling him move since we've apparently broken our doppler (still don't know how we've done that.

Thoughts and Feelings? We're focused on getting sproglet to December and home for Christmas! I'm a little tired of the emotional rollercoaster of doctor's appointments. I am thankful through that we've had a good pregnancy thus far and that sproglet is growing like a weed.

What I am looking forward to: Continuing to work on the nursery. I also need to work with a friend of mine on a baby shower (I have to give her addresses and phone numbers). I'm nervous about the whole baby shower concept but she knows that I don't handle frou-frou well... Guess I need to put together a registry...

What am I reading / things I’m learning: I have had to read a handbook from a hospital in Halifax and it was actually really informative. I used it to put together my list for my hospital bag. I've also been reading up on the local LLL and will go to my first meeting on Saturday morning.

Week 21

Date/Week: September 1; week 21 (16 weeks (112 days) to C/S)


Milestones: We get our c-section date tomorrow. It will most likely be somewhere between Dec 15 and 22... hope we'll be home for Christmas!

Physical Progress: I have an increasingly rounding belly that generally looks pretty cool - even the boobs don't look so bad since they are now protrude less than the belly. I've been experimenting with various LUSH massage bars to mix up the tedium of moisturizing the bump... great scents!

Symptoms: been pretty tired this week, some leg cramps and a bit of nausea.

How do I feel about my body: It has been a good week. My mom and I had a conversation about the boobs - that would have helped a few months ago. I am growing to not mind the bump but sometimes forget it's there when I feel normal. I am still kind of startled to see it in the mirror when I go into the bathroom in the morning though.

Food cravings/aversions: chicken noodle soup; cheddar cheese on toasted raisin bread with butter (think I'll go get one when I finish this)

Sleep: Much better since Aidan is home. Strangely, the furbabies have been sleeping pretty well so we've both gotten some good sleep. Looking forward to sleeping in on Labour Day (a tiny bit anyway)

Energy level: I've been feeling tired when I get home but since Aidan is doing construction type things to the house (installing the large mirror in my office; putting in a heated towel rack) I've just been crocheting or knitting elsewhere in the house. I do need to organise my office - particularly my desk - but I may do it once he has finished painting that room. Also, once he finishes paining the nursery and moves the furniture, I can start dealing with washing cloth diapers and clothes that I've gotted off of eBay.

Exercise: Walking. Planning to go to prenatal yoga tonight and water aerobics on Saturday.

Baby Movement: He's a pretty active sproglet. He was moving those arms and legs all over the place during the level 2 u/s yesterday. He is stubborn though as he would not move from lying on his back. We've already started discussing where he gets his stubborn streak from...

Thoughts and Feelings? We're viable in 3 weeks and even though we're taking each week at a time, I will probaby breathe my first sigh of relief then. Still, we still need to get to 30 weeks to feel comfortable about delivering early at the hospital here. I just really want my blood pressure to cooperate and for us to get to December safely and healthy.

What I am looking forward to: Seeing my OB on Sept 2nd to book the new c/s date and seeing sproglet again on Sept 13th. I am in the midst of knitting or crocheting 3 blankets - I think I'll be sick of yarn (again) once they're done. I also find that I look forward to Sundays when I make soups and stews and other meals and freeze them for the forthcoming winter. Sure, Aidan cooks but I have a feeling we may have our hands full and he won't be interested in cooking!

What am I reading / things I’m learning: I started reading up on cloth diapering preparations since I have to start washing covers and cloth inserts soon. We're also purchasing some pampers swaddlers sensitive as backups.