Overdue, Day 10: A Peek Inside

The purpose of yesterday's ultrasound was to take measurements of various things to make sure Max is still doing well and has plenty of amniotic fluid, etc. to sustain him. Our untrained eyes couldn't really make heads or tails of what we were looking at on the screen. The ultrasound technician said that when the baby gets to be this big it is harder to make things out, and their bones are more developed so it creates more shadows on the ultrasound screen. As she moved the "wand" down toward my right hip we got to see Max's profile! The ultrasound tech seemed surprised and said we were lucky because it is usually not possible to get a good picture at this point. 

While we wait to see him in real life, we thought it might be fun to share this last little peek inside the womb!

Overdue, Day 9: Big Boy

First, the answer to the question I know you're all wondering (read the website address): http://haveyouhadthatbabyyet.com/

Haha!

We had a midwife appointment this afternoon and we did the biophysical profile ultrasound. They said everything looks great, and they estimate that Max weighs 8.8 pounds! The ultrasound technician mentioned that the weight estimates can be off by as much as 20%. In any case, it sounds like we're going to have a big boy. 

Since everything looked good on the ultrasound we were cleared to wait it out a little longer and see if labor starts on its own. We have another midwife appointment and non-stress test (same one I had done earlier this week) scheduled for Monday, September 10 at 3:20pm. If it doesn't seem like labor is about to start then we will be admitted to the hospital on Monday night for induction and Max will be born sometime on Tuesday, September 11. 

Based on an exam the midwife did during the appointment, it unfortunately doesn't seem like I'm making much progress on my own at this point. Hopefully that will change, though, so we can all meet this baby sooner than later! I'd also really, really like to labor at home as much as possible since it's a familiar and comfortable setting, there is no hustle and bustle, lots of privacy, etc. If we end up having to be induced the entire labor will be spent in a hospital room. 

Given that Ben and I are so schedule-oriented you'd think we'd love the idea of knowing exactly when he's going to be born. However, this is one time when we are both craving spontaneity and really hope labor begins on its own. Hopefully we will see some action in the next four days! We'll keep you posted.

Week 41: Still Pregnant

Well, I hoped we wouldn't have to write this post, but here we are at 41 weeks still pregnant! This morning I had a midwife appointment and a fetal non-stress test. They hooked me up to two sensors: one monitoring Max's heart rate and the other monitoring movement and contractions.

Max was not a fan of the monitors at first and he was moving around like crazy. I even felt the top monitor slide a little bit! I guess he got used to it, though, as he calmed down and just moved on occasion in a more normal way the rest of the time.

We hung out with the monitors on for a while (they said it would be about 20 minutes, but I think we ended up with them on longer) and fortunately Ben came with me so I had some entertainment. :-)  They said that everything on the test looked "beautiful" so we got the green light to keep waiting things out! If Max isn't here by Thursday we will go in that afternoon for a biophysical profile (BPP) ultrasound.

My weekly email update I usually receive about the baby's development was informing me about my one week old baby. haha  With that, I don't have a development update to share but I guess it's safe to say he is just working on packing on fat and continuing to develop his brain.

We'll just keep on waiting and hope Max decides to come on his own accord! 

Here is a photo of Max "arriving on his own Accord" (courtesy of Dad):

Overdue, Day 5: Dear Max

Dear Max,

I truly hope you have enjoyed your stay in my belly as you've grown from a tiny ball of cells in to a full sized baby. I've done my best to make it a pleasant environment with lots of movement, good food, laughter, belly rubs, and your Dad has had a blast reading to you every night. All that being said....

Dude. It's time to come out. Seriously.

I think we both know that your accommodations are getting tighter by the day. I can tell it is getting more and more difficult for you to re-position and stretch out your arms and legs; and quite frankly I am getting a little worried that my belly skin may burst open at any given moment. My belly button has turned completely inside out, and strangers are starting to look at me nervously as though I am about to give birth in their presence.

Your Dad and I have been learning about and practicing for labor and delivery for several months now. I promise we'll do our best to work with you and help you as you make your journey in to the outside world. We're more than ready to hold you in our arms instead of just holding up my giant belly. If you push the "eject" button before September 10 we even have a chance to bring you in to the world without any drug intervention which would be awesome for all of us.

You and I have had a good run together since last December. I have enjoyed getting to know you as you've grown inside me, and I am going to miss feeling all your squirms and kicks. Your Dad and I like to call ourselves "Team Lilly" and we are so excited that you have made us a team of three. We've done lots of reading, taken classes, and talked to family, friends, and acquaintances so that we can be as prepared as possible to take care of you. Of course, we will make some mistakes along the way, but you can be assured that we will try our hardest to give you an awesome life.

Please, sweet baby boy, consider this letter a heartfelt invitation to come hang out with us sooner than later. I promise it would be better than having to present you with an official eviction notice on September 10.  :-)

Look forward to seeing you soon!

Love,
Mom

Overdue, Day 3: Full Moon

According to this website, there will be a full moon today at 1:58pm. Even though research shows that there is not really any correlation between full moons and an increase in women going into labor, we're still holding out hope that maybe it will kick things in to gear!

Last night I went to my monthly Bunco group (it's a dice game and basically an excuse to get together with a bunch of girlfriends, eat dessert, and have girl talk). They all joked that maybe Max would hear all the cheering and laughing and want to come out because it's so much more fun on the outside! haha As you can tell, he apparently thought it was just as fun participating from the inside and I am still pregnant this morning. Oh, well!

I came across this clip of an old episode of "Roseanne" where Roseanne's sister, Jackie, is pregnant and three days overdue. Hilarious...  http://youtu.be/apo11Auu65Q 

Overdue, Day 1: Growing and Changing

As we wait for Max to arrive I thought I might do a few miscellaneous posts. It may not be everyday, though, so just because you don't see a post don't assume I'm in labor. ;-)

After I added the 40 week belly photo to the belly photos page I was shaking my head at how much my body has changed over the past nine months! It's like a completely different person's body. The changes are most obvious if you look at them with space between each photo (versus consecutive weeks). Check out these photos shown in ten week increments, for example:

  

  

It's also pretty funny to look back to 20 weeks and recall that I thought I looked sooooo pregnant. Little did I know I was still in the "she ate too many cupcakes" stage of pregnancy! Thus far I've gained about 28 pounds and my waist has expanded by about 13 inches. Let me tell you, I can certainly feel every one of those 13 inches. The skin near my belly button has recently started to sting a little because it is so stretched, and my belly button is non-existent. It will be interesting to see if and how much more Max and I grow! 

Week 40: Due Date!

Today officially marks 40 weeks of pregnancy and it is Max's due date! They should really call it a "guess date" since such a small percentage of babies actually arrive on the "due date". I know I normally post weekly updates toward the end of the week, but I thought I might as well post today since Max will (supposedly) be here soon.

We had an appointment with the midwife this morning and it seems Max is quite content right where he is and is just fattening up for his arrival (I gained about three pounds since my last appointment putting me at 28 pounds gained overall!). I guess with a baby, though, that can change in an instant! If the baby doesn't arrive by the weekend then I go back for an appointment next Tuesday and they will do a non-stress test to make sure the baby is okay (they put a few monitors on my belly and monitor his heart rate and movement for a while). If that looks good I can keep waiting until Thursday when I would go back again to get an ultrasound where they give him a score based on his size, amniotic fluid levels, etc. If we get an 8/8 on the ultrasound test we can wait it out over the weekend. If the following Monday rolls around (September 10) and he still isn't here the midwife said, "we'll need to be having this baby."  Hopefully he will come sooner than later so we can skip the tests and deliver without having to be induced or having a cesarean section! There is a full moon on Friday, so maybe he will come then. haha

Since it hasn't been very many days since the last post, here are a few random updates:

- Over the weekend I froze my gym membership since I won't be able to exercise for four to six weeks post-partum. It feels strange to not have it as an option to go work out! As of last week I have switched my exercise to exclusively walking, so it's not a big deal. A few friends have even accompanied me on walks which has been fun!

- I treated myself to a "real" pedicure on Sunday afternoon for the first time in seven or eight years (these days reaching my toes involves lots of breaks and holding my breath! haha).

- Ben and I made another trip to the neighborhood pool and it felt so good to have my big ol' belly supported by the water.

- I've stopped wearing my wedding rings because my fingers (and toes!) are usually a little swollen by the end of the day and it's really hard to get them off.... super sad about that one.  :-(

- Ben and I were able to attend a few children's consignment sales and pick up (hopefully) all of Max's clothing for the winter months. Each item we picked out was $2 or less and it's all in fantastic condition. The sales are usually held early spring and late summer, so we'll be able to sell some of his newborn and 0 - 3 size clothes in the spring. It should be a great way to keep the cost of clothing down for a growing boy!


Until we have a story of our own to share, Ben and I thought you all would get a kick out of Bill Cosby describing the birth of his first child. It's old, so you may have heard it before... it's still pretty funny, though!

Part 1: http://youtu.be/BYR9xX6DvpM 

Part 2: http://youtu.be/mOP52g_rO24 

It's hard to say for sure how big your baby will be, but the average newborn weighs about 7 1/2 pounds (a small pumpkin) and is about 20 inches long. His skull bones are not yet fused, which allows them to overlap a bit if it's a snug fit through the birth canal during labor. This so-called "molding" is the reason your baby's noggin may look a little conehead-ish after birth. Rest assured — it's normal and temporary.

Here is our (hopefully) final belly photo!

Week 39: Final Preparations

We have pretty much completed our final preparations as we await Max's arrival. He will sleep in our room for a while so we got the pack 'n play all set-up on my side of the bed, and plugged in a nightlight that I can easily flip on for middle of the night feedings and diaper changes. The pack 'n play has a bassinet attachment that flips over and has a wipe-able side that can be used for changing diapers which is a nice feature. We also brought down an initial stash of diapers and wipes so we don't have to go upstairs to the nursery every time Max needs to be changed.

Baby care books reside on my nightstand in case we need to reference something, and we've put swaddle blankets, floor blankets, and burp cloths in our room and the living room. Friends with babies have advised us to always keep something within arms reach that can be used to wipe spit-up. :-)

We've also put the finishing touches on the bags for the hospital and have a note on top with items we need to add at the last minute (stuff we use everyday like my drivers license, hair brush, etc.), and important information we may need while laboring at home.

With everything on our list pretty much complete I am starting to go a little stir crazy trying to find things to do. I have been going to the grocery store more often "just in case" (you'd think we were never going to be able to buy food again- haha), and find myself doing general cleaning more often (I finished "deep cleaning" last weekend).

This week we were fortunate to have two more baby showers! Lots of people sure are excited about Max. :-)  What a lucky boy!

The New Hampshire Heinlein's mailed Max some gifts and we tried to set-up a three way video chat so we could have a long distance shower of sorts. Unfortunately we had some technical difficulties so it ended up as a three way phone call and just two of us on the video chat. Oh, well! It was fun anyway and Max was blessed with more generous gifts from New England.

Later in the week, we celebrated with some of the folks at Ben's office. One of his co-workers is due to have a baby in early September and some people in the office hosted a little shower for us and the other mom-to-be. They were very generous and even Ben's co-workers from Seattle sent a card and gift for the shower! I had fun putting faces with names for those I had not met before, and Ben enjoyed a little casual time with his co-workers. 

The midwife appointment this week went well, as usual. I didn't gain any weight this week (they didn't seem concerned), my blood pressure and Max's heart rate were normal, and he's still in a great position. I can tell he is getting lower in my belly because I rarely get painful kicks to the ribs these days. He is still making lots of movement, but it seems like he is lower than before. Carrying the extra weight in front is slowing me down more and more. We went to our neighborhood pool one evening and it felt so good to be in the water. At one point I even told Ben that it didn't feel like I was pregnant anymore! 

Here is what Max is up to this week:

Your baby's waiting to greet the world! He continues to build a layer of fat to help control his body temperature after birth, but it's likely he already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, a mini watermelon. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) The outer layers of his skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.

On a non-baby note, next Wednesday marks five years since Ben and I went on our first date! On that rainy night in 2007 we would have never guessed we'd be married to each other and expecting our first child five years later. It's been an amazing journey so far and we are so excited to become a family of three. 

(Photo from New Year's Eve several years ago.)

Week 38: The Cupboard is Far From Bare

In between constant Googling of labor signs and over-analyzing every tweak and cramp I have been doing lots of batch cooking and freezing. I've heard the advice to have some foods available that can be eaten with one hand, so much of it was made with that suggestion in mind. Apparently I got a little out of control with the batch cooking as the freezer is now jam packed, but hopefully it will get us through the first few weeks of life with a newborn (and maybe beyond since we won't eat every meal from the freezer!). This picture doesn't do our freezer justice....there are layers deep in there! (If you're wondering, the black thing on the top shelf is Ben's lunch bag with an ice pack inside.)

If you're interested in doing any freezer cooking of your own so you don't have to cook on busy nights, here is what I made (the name of the item is linked to a recipe when applicable and I've noted any modifications I made to the recipe):

Breakfast and Snack Items:

• 20 Blueberry Muffins 
• 14 Portions of Baked Oatmeal (omitted maple syrup, butter, and walnuts and added peaches and will add a spoonful of peanut butter upon reheating- I baked this in regular baking dishes and then cut it into individual servings to freeze)
• 20 Date Balls (omitted date paste and added more peanut butter)

Side Dish Items:

• 5 Dozen Quinoa Veggie Bites (used yellow onion instead of shallot and added Italian seasoning)
• 17 Portions of Mashed Sweet Potatoes (boiled sweet potato chunks and mashed with a little butter and cinnamon and frozen in a muffin tin before transferring to a ziplock freezer bag so it's already individually portioned)

Lunch and Dinner Items:

• 5 Dozen Quinoa Pizza Bites 
• 6 Bean and Cheese Quesadillas (wheat tortilla with cheese and mashed pinto beans-- added jalapenos to half for Ben)
• 12 Bean Burritos (omitted corn, used water instead of vegetable broth, used sour cream instead of yogurt, added jalapenos to half for Ben) I meant to double this recipe and made a mistake at the beginning so I ended up having to quadruple the recipe-- oops! Guess we'll be eating a lot of burritos. haha
• 1 Mexican Casserole (from Peggy- not made by me!)

We've also stocked up on frozen vegetables and fruit, tuna, pasta, spaghetti sauce, apple sauce, peanut butter and cereal. Hopefully this will keep any trips to the grocery store quick so we just have to pick up perishables on occasion.

This week I started taking my workouts down a notch. I have to make so many modifications in the cardio classes (step aerobics and kickboxing aerobics) that I don't feel like I was getting as much out of the class. Instead I have switched to walking. I am still going to the weightlifting classes, but I have lowered the amount of weight I lift. Overall I feel really fortunate that I have been able to remain so active throughout the entire pregnancy. I think it's helped on many levels, and will hopefully help give me more stamina during labor and aid in a quicker recovery!

I had my now weekly midwife appointment and everything continues to look good. I'm up 27 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight (gained two pounds since last week!), blood pressure looks good, and Max's heart rate is great. She felt around on my belly to check his position and he is still head down with his back along the left side of my belly and arms and legs to the right side. Interesting fact-- the midwife shared that 80% of first time moms go past their due date! So, it sounds like there's only a small chance he will be early. Even so, it was fun to hear her say on our way out, "We'll see you next Tuesday unless you go into labor before then!"  :-)

I feel like my belly looks bigger when it is bare for some reason. What do you think? Whomp! (This also shows how stretched out the waistband is on my pants... hopefully I haven't stretched out and ruined all my workout pants by wearing them the whole pregnancy!)

Here's what Max is up to this week:

Your baby has really plumped up. She weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb. Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If she's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)

Just for kicks (no pun intended!) here is a very short clip of a few belly ripples I was able to capture on camera! He tends to stop making big movements (that you can see and not just feel) as soon as I hit record. :-)

Third Trimester Recap

Technically I still have another two, maybe three, weeks left in the third trimester of pregnancy (most likely), but I thought I might as well go ahead and write the recap now. Once this trimester is over I have a feeling I'll be much more inclined to write about our sweet baby boy than my swollen belly. :-)

Click here for recaps from the first trimester and second trimester!


Most exciting moment...

This might sound strange, but it wasn't really until this trimester that it sunk in that we are actually going to have a baby and raise a human being from infancy to adulthood. I have a feeling that my much larger belly, feeling a significant increase in movement, finishing Max's room, taking classes, and having an influx of baby "stuff" after two extremely generous baby showers helped make it more "real".

Most challenging moment...

It's not really a particular "moment", but having to slow down and sometimes let other people do things for me has been challenging at times. I like to be independent and self-sufficient, but sometimes having a big belly with stretched out abdominal muscles and extra pressure on the joints in my pelvis make some activities too difficult.

One thing I'm proud of...

I am pretty sure this has been a theme among all the recaps, but I am really proud of myself for not making pregnancy a time to sit on the couch and eat whatever I feel like eating. Don't get me wrong, I've certainly indulged in my fair share of cookies or picked up a bag of chips "as a special treat", and I have opted to put my feet up and play on the computer instead of doing chores at times, but overall I feel like I have done a good job of staying active and eating healthy foods.

One thing I wish were different...

It sounds a bit self-centered and vain, but I wish I had taken more pictures during the pregnancy in normal day-to-day settings and activities to help remember what it was like throughout these last nine months. We have the weekly "gray shirt and black pants" belly profile photos, of course, but I sort of wish I had more pictures in normal clothes with other people (particularly Ben).

Favorite food...

It's hard to nail down a favorite food. All the summertime fruits and veggies have been really delicious, and I continue to love cheese and plain yogurt (I usually mix in fruit on my own to keep the sugar a bit lower).

Least favorite food...

I continue to not be a huge fan of the texture of meat.

My physical state included...

My biggest discomfort has been related to joint pain in my pelvis due to the relaxin hormone and the increased pressure and weight of carrying the baby. At times it can be pretty uncomfortable to move laterally, go down stairs, roll over while laying down (I have to sit up and keep my knees together to roll over in bed with minimal pain), etc. I've also had a few moments of getting over the top emotional about things that are really no big deal.

Funny story about being overly emotional--

One night Ben and I were watching an episode of "The Wonder Years" on Netflix. The episode was about the eldest daughter, Karen, turning 18 and having conflict with Jack (the father) about whether she'll go to college, travel, etc. Basically the age old "whose in charge?" conflict as a person begins to transition from being a child under their parent's authority to being an independent adult. At any rate, at the end of the episode Karen and Jack make amends and Karen goes off with her friends for the evening despite Jack's wishes (a frequent occurrence throughout the episode). They show Jack standing at the window later in the evening watching for her to come home and the narrator says something along the lines of, "This time it was different. When Dad let Karen go out, he was really letting her go." I suddenly burst in to shoulder shaking sobs and Ben started laughing and said, "What's wrong?" I replied, "Max is going to grow up and leave us one day!" This of course made Ben laugh even harder and say, "Laura, he hasn't even been born yet! We have a little time before he leaves."

Symptoms I (thankfully) didn't have...

Stretch marks (update: a few stretch marks ended up revealing themselves as I approached week 39 of pregnancy... sad!), heartburn, morning/all day sickness, leg cramps, etc. Overall it's been a fairly comfortable pregnancy (compared to what I've heard and read from other women).

One thing that surprised me...

Strangers have surprised me! Based on stories I've heard, I expected to get unsolicited belly rubs and advice from random people but I can only think of it happening a handful of times. One sort of funny thing that has started happening recently is having strangers tell me when they think the baby is going to be born. The conversation usually goes something like this:

Stranger: When are you due?

Me: August 28! Just about xx weeks away.

Stranger: Oh, really? Well I'm rooting for (insert random date).

So weird! I usually just smile and give a polite chuckle and get on my way.

Looking forward to...

Meeting Max, of course! I'm also really looking forward to experiencing childbirth and having Ben as my supporter and coach.

Also, I'm really looking forward to sleeping on my stomach, twisting, getting back in to tough, sweaty workouts (after the recovery period and clearance from the doctor, of course), wearing pants with zippers and buttons, not having to plop down or hoist myself out of low chairs, being able to get things out of low cabinets without grunting and hanging on to the counter to get back up, wearing a seat belt in the car without having to check if it's twisted under my belly, and not answering the following questions every time I go out in public: "When are you due?", "You're having a boy, aren't you?" (people look crushed when they guess it's a girl and I say no- haha), "What is his name?", "Are you excited?".

Week 37: Baby Predictions

We are officially full term! This means that if Max is born before his due date he will no longer be considered a premature baby. It's hard to believe (or maybe not so hard- ha!) there is pretty much a full sized baby in my belly! In preparation for his arrival we installed the car seat this week, I started doing some extra cooking to freeze food so we can have some meals and snacks on hand, just about finished prepping the labor bag and recovery bag for the hospital, and ordered the last few items we want to have on hand before Max arrives. Unexpectedly, we also ended up having to replace the rear brakes and battery in Ben's car! At least it happened now instead of when I call him to say, "Come home now! I'm in labor!"

As we close in on Max's due date we thought it might be fun to record our predictions about his "stats"! We got all the grandparents involved, too, so we can see what everyone has in mind. There are no prizes or awards, of course. Just some fun!

	Mom (Laura)	Dad (Ben)	Grandmommy (Peggy)	Granddaddy (Ben Sr.)	Amma (Nancy)	Grandpa (Bob)	GrammaJoy (Joyce)
Arrival Day	Sept. 3	Sept.2	Sept. 1	August 28	August 22	August 22	August 26
Arrival Time	7:00pm	6:00am	10:59am	8:54am	8:00pm	8:00pm	11:30am
Weight	7 lbs.  8 oz.	7 lbs.  8 oz.	7 lbs. 9 oz.	8 lbs. 7.5 oz.	8 lbs.  5 oz.	8 lbs.  10 oz.	8 lbs. 8 oz.
Length	20 inches	20 inches	20.5 inches	19.5 inches	21 inches	21 inches	21.5 inches
Amount of Hair	Peach fuzz	Full head of hair	Full head  of hair	Full head  of hair	Cue ball	Cue ball	Cue ball
Hair Color	Dark Brown	Dark Brown	Black	Black	Brown	Brown	Auburn
Eye Color	Hazel	Brown	Brown	Blue	Brown	Brown	Blue

Fun guesses! Time will tell what he's actually like, I suppose.

My midwife appointment went well this week and everything continues to look good and remain on track. I had a Group B Strep test done last week which fortunately came back negative (you can read a very basic overview of Group B Strep here: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/group-b-strep/DS01107/). If it had come back positive I would have had to go to the hospital earlier in labor so I could get an IV of antibiotics which would help prevent the baby from getting it as he comes down the birth canal. Having a negative result will allow us to labor at home for a longer period of time which is what we were wanting!

Here is what Max is up to this week:

Your baby is now considered "full term," even though your due date is three weeks away. If you go into labor now, his lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb. (Some babies need a bit more time, though. Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

Week 36: Nursery Tour!

We're excited to share that Max's room is complete! I thought it would be fun to do a little video tour of his room so you can get a better sense of how everything is laid out. Please forgive my shaky camera skills.   :-) Also, if you want to watch it on a bigger scale you can go to the video directly to YouTube by clicking here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEi_cuoV8DA

Believe it or not this is actually the better of two takes. haha  I didn't realize until I was mid-video that one of the dresser drawers got left open a smidge after I did the first take.... totally bugs me. Oh, well!  LAMP! <--- Watch the video to get that joke. ;-)

If you'd like to take a closer look, here are a few still photos of his room (not sure why the walls all look like different colors-- the straight-on photo of the crib is the most true to life for wall color):

As you can see it's not exactly a traditional nursery, but we feel like it fits in with the rest of the house and it will hopefully last him a while. Ideally we'll just have to take out the diapering stuff and crib and add a twin bed when he's a little older, and not have to completely re-do his room.

Speaking of Max being a little older, we were watching the Olympics and realized that Max will be in preschool the next time the summer Olympics occur! That blows my mind. Also, all those "Thanks, Mom" commercials by P&G make me cry almost every time. Maybe my sweet baby will be an Olympian some day! haha Poor Ben feels left out, though, and we've decided they should do a "Thanks, Dad" ad campaign, too. :-)

I had a midwife appointment this week and everything continues to look great. Last week I mentioned that I wasn't having Braxton Hicks contractions yet, but apparently I am according to the midwife. I had read that Braxton Hicks contractions just feel like your belly gets tight and hard all over and that they are not painful. I haven't had any sensations like that, but apparently some other minor cramps and aches I've had are just another version of Braxton Hicks contractions. I just assumed it was from over doing things or moving around too quickly. They are harmless and it's fine that they're happening even though I'm still several weeks from the due date. It's essentially my body's way of "practicing" for real labor. If you're interested in learning more about Braxton Hicks, click here: http://www.babycenter.com/0_braxton-hicks-contractions_156.bc  From now on I will be going to see the midwife every week!

It seems I am reaching the "ready to be done" point of pregnancy. While it's cool to feel Max move around, it's getting pretty uncomfortable because now he pushes hard on my ribs and pelvis because he's so big. I can barely reach the floor if I'm sitting down and trying to bend over (this makes putting on socks and shoes difficult). More and more of my maternity clothes are too small. My belly bumps in to things all the time and I have to scoot my chair back from my desk or the table more than normal to allow it to fit without getting squished. Blah, blah, blah... okay.... Ms. Complain-y Pants is done. :-)  The good news is that we just have a few weeks to go and we get to snuggle our baby boy! We are both so excited.

Lastly, here is Max's weekly update:


Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement. At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) 

Week 35: One Month

Max is due one month from today! I can tell he's working hard to pack on some fat and just grow in general at this point. When he moves I can almost always feel him in multiple areas, and sometimes it's even a bit painful. I've had to push bony feet and legs away from my ribs, and re-position how I am sitting or laying on many occasions. We're reaching maximum capacity over here!

I haven't had any signs of pre-labor or even any Braxton Hicks contractions (i.e., "practice" contractions) which is very good news. I can certainly put up being occasionally uncomfortable if it means Max will come out with less of a chance of having respiratory issues or feeding problems (or other challenges that come with a baby who is even a few weeks early).

Ben and I will be taking care of final preparations in the next week or two just in case Max does decide he's ready for an early exit. It will include tasks like installing the car seat, packing the hospital bag, making some meals that can go in the freezer so we don't have to worry about cooking, etc.

Here's what Max is up to this week:

Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

Week 34: "Oh baby, baby!"

The overall theme of this week has been "Keep Max Alive", as we had four baby related appointments!  :-)

On Tuesday evening we attended a "Baby Essentials" class at the hospital where we learned all about holding the baby, diapering, bathing, swaddling, and soothing a newborn baby (plus a bunch of other stuff). The teacher was a nurse and she had a great personality. Our new joke is to say "Oh baby, baby! What's wrong?!" because the teacher would run over to her doll and enthusiastically say that every time she talked about the baby crying and how to handle the different situations. Maybe you had to be there, but we found it pretty funny. :-)

Here's a photo of Ben demonstrating how not to hold the baby- haha:

(Sorry for the dark and slightly blurry photo! Taken with an iPhone.)

On Wednesday we went to an orientation and tour at Max's pediatrician's office, the Cumming Pediatric Group (http://cummingpediatricgroup.com/). The office is very close to our house (actually across the hall from the midwife's office!) and is on the hospital campus. 

We met Dr. Carter who has many years of experience and a friendly, laid back personality (there is another pediatrician in the group named Dr. Khan, but we didn't get to meet her). Both of us liked that he seems like someone who stays calm and doesn't mind a million questions from new moms and dads. :-)  Another huge bonus of this group is that they do newborn exams at the hospital! This means that Max's very own doctor will do all his initial tests right after he is born, instead of a random pediatrician who happens to be at the hospital. The group was also recommended by our midwife's office and a friend of mine who has two small children. 


Thursday morning I headed back to the hospital campus for a midwife appointment. As you may recall me mentioning in the past, there are three midwives in the practice. Throughout the pregnancy patients have appointments with all three midwives so you have a chance to develop a bit of a relationship with all of them. This is helpful because you never know who is going to be on call when it's time for labor and delivery. At any rate, I've been able to get to know two of the midwives, Breia and Elizabeth, pretty well but have only had one appointment with the other midwife, Susan. I had heard good things about Susan from chatting with Breia, but when I had my first appointment with her she seemed irritated and in a hurry to leave. Because I'd heard such good things about her I was hoping she was just having a bad day and that it wasn't her normal personality. Well, it seems that must have been the case! When I saw Susan this time around she was very friendly, bubbly, and spent plenty of time with me to talk and make sure all my questions were answered. I feel so much better knowing that I'd be comfortable with any of the three midwives when it comes time to deliver Max.

The physical part of the appointment went really well, too. I'm up 22 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight (I should gain 25 - 35 pounds overall by the end of the pregnancy), my belly size is on track, my blood pressure is great, and Max's heart rate is 155 bpm. Susan also felt around on my belly a bit and we learned that Max is already head down! This is great news because it means he is starting to get into position for labor and delivery. Susan said it would be very unlikely for him to flip back around at this point. She also said his back is along the left side of my belly so he is looking toward the right. This all makes sense to me based on where I feel all his kicks and squirms! Hopefully he'll stay right where he is and then rotate to face my back during labor (the ideal position for him to be in for delivery is head down facing my tailbone).

Lastly, on Saturday we attended a breastfeeding class at the hospital, which like the newborn class, was taught by a nurse who is also a lactation consultant. She did an excellent job teaching and was clearly passionate about helping new parents learn to be successful at breastfeeding. Even though we've done some reading on the topic (I read a whole book and Ben's read bits and pieces in general baby care books), this class was extremely helpful and informative. I feel like we have a good grasp of the basics and tips of how to know if Max is nursing correctly. Also, we found out about a free lactation consultant "hotline" the hospital offers, and how to make an appointment with a lactation consultant if we are having trouble and need some in-person help from a pro. We also learned lots of different ways to hold the baby while feeding and burping, hunger cues (crying is the last straw!), and things Ben can do to help out (and much more!). A new-to-me burping position... sitting the baby up and holding his jaw!

(Sorry for the dark photo! Taken with an iPhone.)

Whew! I promise we're almost to the end of this post. :-)  Here is what Max (cantaloupe baby!) is up to this week:

Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which will help regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

Week 33: Sandwich Week

The 33rd week of pregnancy was eventful to say the least! Good stuff on the ends, with some not so good stuff in the middle (hence, "Sandwich Week" :-) ). On Sunday, Peggy's thoughtful and generous group of friends hosted a baby shower to celebrate Max's upcoming arrival. Ben and Peggy have a really great community of friends in Hiawassee. It was wonderful to meet these ladies I have heard so much about over the past few years; and it's nice to know he has 20-something grandmothers ready and waiting! Fun fact: Between all the ladies at the shower there are 98 grandchildren and one great grandchild! 

The other good end of the "sandwich" was Saturday when my Mom threw a surprise, rocket ship themed baby shower for family and a few of my girlfriends. A number of the ladies invited to the shower (mostly relatives) live out of state and weren't able to make the trip, but were very thoughtful to mail something down for Max. He's one lucky baby to have so many people looking forward to meeting him!

(not pictured: friend Julie who had to leave early and co-hostess Chris who was taking the photo)

Ben and I are so thankful for everyone's thoughtfulness and generosity in "showering" Max with love at both showers (and in general, of course!). We've been overwhelmed with all the thoughtful, creative, and practical gifts that have been given and sent, and wish there was a better way to say "thank you" other than sending a note in the mail!

In between those two fun and thoughtful gatherings was probably my worst week of the whole pregnancy. :-(  On Sunday I felt a little headache-y, but it wasn't a big deal. By Monday morning, however, it morphed in to a full blown migraine and I felt like I had a knife in the left side of my head. As the day went on the pain spread to my inner ear and eventually my jaw. Unfortunately, none of my prescription migraine medicines are safe to take during pregnancy, and the strongest thing I could safely take was Tylenol. I've been trying to avoid medicine during pregnancy (even if it is deemed "safe"), but I did take two doses throughout the day. It didn't make it go away, but it at least took the edge off a little bit.

On Thursday I woke up feeling fine, but got really queasy as I drove down to a client in Atlanta (I am prone to getting a little car sick, but it usually only happens when I am a passenger). I ended up feeling queasy and car sick all day, even when I was resting. It happened again on Saturday morning after we got back from a run (well, Ben ran and I walked!), and I just felt shaky and queasy. After taking a cold shower I was fortunately able to take a nap before going to the surprise baby shower which helped me feel a bit better. Both instances made me even more thankful that I haven't dealt with morning sickness throughout the pregnancy!

On a happier note, here is what Max is up to:

This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.