33 weeks

Another week down!  I imagine every parent-to-be thinks this no matter what, but especially after a miscarriage, I can't help but being thankful for every week that passes and baby still seems healthy and continues to stay put.  Of course, once she's full term I think I'll be ready for her to come meet us any time, but for now I'm glad she's safe, [seemingly] healthy and growing as she should.  Only 4 weeks til full term and 7 until the due date!  We're under 50 days to go now.

We had an appointment on Monday.  Trevor and I got our Tdap (whooping cough/tetanus) shots, ouch.  Baby's heartbeat was 130 and I measured at 31 which is in the normal range.  (fundal height chart here)  We went over my 3-hour glucose screen/gestational diabetes test.  Like I said in my last post, they draw blood at the beginning of the test and every hour for the three hours.  Thankfully, I passed the test with flying colors, passing at each blood draw.  Our doctor said women who fail the 1 hour then pass the 3 hour tend to have bigger babies, but with how I've been growing/measuring she's not very concerned about that.  My mom had me 2 weeks early and I asked the doctor if that was at all hereditary and she said it can be, so let's hope for that; although, I'm certainly not counting on it.

I'm still feeling pretty darn good.  I'm starting to feel like I'm getting bigger, but don't feel huge at all so no complaints.  I think I've just gotten used to my extra mucous/snot.  My lips are so dry-they're bright red, flaky (as in big chunks flaky) and burn.  I've tried Carmex, Vaseline, A&D and regular chap stick.  Someone in a pregnancy forum suggested Aquaphor ointment so I think that's my next purchase.  I'm still getting up 1-2 times per night to go to the bathroom, but I guess some pregnant women have it much worse, so again I can't really complain about that.

Question of the week: hospital bag packing tips? I don't want to go with nothing, especially since I'll be delivering an hour from home, but I don't want a bunch of crap I don't need either.  So, what did you have that you were so glad you had?  What did you really wish you had but didn't bring?  For you? Dad? Baby?  I'm thinking more on the minimalist side.  There are some things the hospital provides (gown) that may be nice to have your own, but let's be realistic, I'm not bringing my own.

32 weeks

So.. it's been a few weeks since my last post and even longer since my last photo.  I had this all written out yesterday, but when I went to add the photo last night the whole post got deleted.  I'm going to try this again...

I'm not sure if I mentioned in the last post or not, but we finished baby classes (minus the breastfeeding class we'll be attending in a few weeks).  I know no one is ever fully prepared for labor/delivery/parenthood, but I think we're as ready as we can be!

We had a doctor's appointment a couple weeks ago (every 2 weeks now).  My fundal height (belly size, basically) is measuring perfect.  They have my weight gain at 24 pounds although I think it's a tad more than that (I think I gained a few before my first visit)-either way the doctor says that's just right, too.  I really don't feel like I've gained weight anywhere but my belly, maybe a little in the love handles/butt, but no complaints.  Baby's heartbeat was 140 which is exactly what it's been the last few visits.  The bad news was...I actually didn't pass my 1 hour glucose test.  The clinic was supposed to call and tell me, but they didn't even though they did call about my iron.  So, this past Monday I went in to take the 3 hour glucose test.  For the first one (1 hour) I just went to the lab whenever, chugged a very sugary drink (it wasn't nearly as bad as what I had heard-I had orange flavor), waited an hour and got my blood drawn.  They want your level to be 140 or under and mine was 141, so I barely "failed."  For the 3 hour test, it's a bit different.  I had to fast, so I went right away in the morning.  They did a finger prick to check my baseline level (81, I believe), did a blood draw, then I drank a sugary drink again (more sugar, though-1 can of Mt. Dew=47 grams of sugar, 1 hour drink=50 grams of sugar, 3 hour drink=100 grams of sugar).  They drew my blood every hour until for 3 hours and I couldn't eat or drink anything until the whole test was over.  Like I said, the first test wasn't so bad, but I really thought this test was awful.  Double the sugar on an empty stomach this time and waiting to eat or drink anything for three hours instead of one-gross.  The first hour I had a very upset stomach and awful gut rot, the second hour I started to get very tired (lack of food and water+sugar crash?) and the last hour I was just desperately antsy, hungry and thirsty.  Oh, and the icing on the cake? I couldn't leave the clinic and was stuck in the waiting room with a guy puking into a bag (poor fella).  Anyway, I survived and took Trevor out to eat at Pita Pit afterwards.  They haven't called me so I'm hoping I did ok this time and it's not another screw up.  We'll find out on Monday, I guess.  As for symptoms, I still seem to have plenty of mucous and my lips have been horribly chapped to the point they're all kinds of flaky.  I was sick last week (as in actually sick), threw up at work and again at home, which is never fun.  It's even less fun when you have a living being inside your belly who just wants to dance.  I think the lack of food/water after vomiting hit me harder than usual, but I seem to be okay now.

Enough complaining.  Good news is I had my second baby shower last weekend.  It was a great day and Trevor and I definitely feel very loved!  We're so excited to bring a baby into this world knowing how many people already care about her.  We have very few things left to get before she arrives (I mean 2 or 3) which I suppose is good since my due date is only 8 weeks away and I'll be full term (37 weeks) in only 5 weeks!  With Christmas and Trevor's birthday in the mix, I imagine those weeks will go quickly.

I think that was all I had in the other post, but who really knows.  More next week!

29 weeks

No picture this week, but I've got quite a few updates.

Last Sunday was my first baby shower.  Everything went very well!  The next day we had a follow-up ultrasound and the first of my bi-weekly doctor visits including the glucose screen (to check for gestational diabetes).  Honestly, the whole day was a bit of a mess.  To start off, Rowdy ate some cocoa powder.  We got that situation under control then headed to Mankato for my 2:30 ultrasound appointment at the pathology center.  I had a 3:30 doctor's appointment with a 3:15 check in time (to drink my sugary drink for the glucose screen).  We didn't get seen at the ultrasound place until 3:40.  Trevor had class at 4:00 so he was barely able to see the scan and get to class on time.  I rushed over to the clinic, ran down to drink my sugar drink then realized I forgot my urine sample in the car.  (I have to bring a urine sample to every doctor's appointment.)  So, I ran out to the car quickly only to find out that the sample had spilled all over the cooler.  I went upstairs to check in at the OB desk and finally caught a break.  All that running behind and waiting would have been annoying enough, but knowing I had to sit for an hour after drinking that stuff so they could take my blood (it didn't taste nearly as bad as what I've heard, by the way) made it worse.  After all that appointment craziness, we rushed home, scarfed down some food and headed to our first night of baby class to learn about labor and delivery.  I've never thought I'd go through child birth without pain meds, but after hearing more about them I'm a tad overwhelmed with the options.  I've had an epidural/spinal block before with surgery so I'm familiar with side effects, just for different pain.  I've come to the conclusion that I'll see how it all goes and decide on pain management as needed.  Anyway, that's all the "bad" news.  The good news is baby girl still looks healthy at 2 lbs 12 oz, she's still a girl and the choroid plexus cysts on her brain have disappeared just as we were told they probably would.  My glucose screen went just fine so I seem to be in the clear for gestational diabetes.  Normal iron levels are 12-16 and in pregnancy it typically drops a little but they don't like to see it below an 11; I'm at a 10.5, so just barely anemic.  Baby is getting what she needs, but that leaves me a little short, so I started taking iron.  No big deal, just have to be sure to be proactive against constipation (side effect of iron supplements).   

I think that's all for this week!

Question of the week: What are your diaper bag must haves?  Diapers and wipes are an obvious, but what other things have you found very helpful to have in your diaper bag?  For example, someone suggested a clean shirt for mom, never thought of that, but what a good idea.

28 weeks

Ok now we're definitely in the third trimester! And we made it to viability time-if baby girl were born now she'd have a good chance of survival (with medical assistance, of course). I'll drink to that! Oh wait...

No new symptoms really. I've felt round ligament pain a few times when going to the bathroom, but felt it for the first time while turning to look while parking my car last week. I'm starting to feel more fatigue again, but not too bad yet. I still have mucous in my throat-I'm guessing that won't go away anytime soon.

As most of you know, I'm not good at asking for (or even accepting) help...at all...not even a little bit. Tonight I asked Trevor to get something off a shelf for me-stretching/reaching up is getting a little tricky. This was a big deal!

I'm officially into my all-maternity clothes wardrobe. I wonder what it will be like to zip my pants again someday...

This weeks picture was taken after a big supper, so I'm about as stretched as I get. I forgot to weigh myself today, but we have a double appointment on Monday so we'll see then. Ultrasound (to check on those Choroid Plexus cysts the radiologist called "likely insignificant") then a regular appointment with my glucose test/gestational diabetes screen. Oh, and my blood pressure has been good all along, too. I generally have very good blood pressure. The Red Cross people always ask if I'm an athlete when I donate blood-ha!

Baby shower #1 is Sunday, looking forward to seeing lots of my pals!

27 weeks

It's getting hard to remember what even happen in the last week...or two. As of today I'm up 20 pounds so far and I can honestly say I don't even feel like I've gained that much. I realize I have some time to go yet though!

We had an appointment about a week ago and got the report on our follow up ultrasound-baby's heart looks good. We're getting another one in a week to check on the cysts but there have been no other markers for anything concerning. The radiologist from the ultrasounds described them as "likely insignificant" because of that and their size (only 2mm). It seems they're fairly common and typically insignificant.

The throat mucous is coming back and now I have diaper rash haha, not sure what else to call it. It comes and goes and I can definitely deal with it. I'm starting to get tired again, taking naps on my days off.

27-28 weeks is the start of the third trimester, varies depending on what book you read. I guess that means baby time will be here before we know it! I'm making progress on cleaning out baby's room-I should probably get moving since shower #1 is next weekend! Then right after that is my glucose screen and the beginning of our every other week doctor appointments.

Question for the week: I'm a big fan of generics (food, household products, whatever) but there are certain things that really aren't the same. Any baby specific things that you would/would not recommend using generic? (I've heard a lot of praise for target and wal mart brand diapers, for example)

25 weeks

Trevor is at drill so you all get another self portrait for this week. Yes, I could use the timer on our camera, but it's so much easier to use my phone and type this/upload the photo with the Blogger app than mess around with getting the photo from the camera. Lazy, I know.

These weeks seem fairly uneventful. I'm feeling great, minimal pregnancy symptoms (maybe I'm just getting used to it by now), and slow and steady belly growth/weight gain. I'm up about 17 pounds from pre-pregnancy weight which is basically right on track.  I've been back on the treadmill regularly, walking with Rowdy (yep, he walks with me on the treadmill!).  Oh, and I think nesting is setting in.  I went cleaning crazy last weekend, scrubbed the shower/tub for over an hour, vacuumed the whole house (got out the attachments for up against the walls/corners) right before Rowdy had a puppy friend come stay the night.  I hear it'll only get worse!

The biggest change in the last week is that I now have to sit down to put on my socks and shoes. I know, this is jut the beginning, but it's different! Oh, and I got asked when I'm due by a stranger, another first.

I suppose I should start looking at the baby name book again. We have a name in mind, and a list, but I'm not completely sold on anything just yet. And, yes, Trevor is very involved in the name stuff, it just seems he prefers to pick from my list rather than a book of 100,000+ names!

24 weeks

Another week down, hard to believe it's October! No big news this week. I'm still feeling good, thankfully. I quit taking my Zyrtec a couple days ago so hopefully I don't get a bunch of throat mucous. I had been slacking on walking, but I'm making it a point to keep doing that regularly. Rowdy and I walked on the treadmill together yesterday and today. It's nice to be able to watch a TV show and stay out of the chilly wind while we walk. Spoiled, I know.

Honestly, that's about all the excitement for the week. I've got some big urges to clean our house top to bottom, but I'm only actually doing it in baby steps.

My photographer is at the farm again this weekend so here's the 24 week self portrait.