35 week appointment

Since I'm only 1 day away from 35 weeks, I'm comfortable with titling this post that way.

My appointment today went well. I'm only measuring about a half a week ahead now. So my OB thinks that he just had a really early growth spurt and has slowed down with growing for the moment. That works for me since I really don't want to birth a 9lb kid. My blood pressure looks good. His heart rate looks good. Things are moving right on track. Had my fun Group B Strep test today, which I should find out the results in a few days. If I test positive for it, it just means that I'll get antibiotics during labor.

Since I've basically hit the 35 week mark, it's time to start packing the hospital bags. I need to review the lists that I have made. Also need to wash the PJs that I bought for post delivery and wash the two potential outfits that he could wear home. I think the plan for this weekend is for Mike to install the car seat and bases into our cars so we have that all set. One less thing that we'll have to think about when we are racing to the hospital.

It's hard to believe that there is not much time left before we get to meet our little one.

33 week appointment

Went well. Blood pressure for me was really good. I've now gained about 25 pounds. The little one's heart rate was good. My NP didn't make any mention about if I'm still measuring 2 weeks ahead but I think I still am. I think it's now considered normal for me since everything is fine with him. Also got my tdap booster yesterday. And of course my arm still hurts which makes sleeping fun.

Just another 2 weeks and I'll be starting my weekly appointments. He's being more active lately. We play normally on my drive home. He pushed against the top of my belly, I push on his foot, he moves it and we begin again. He's definitely more active during specific periods of time.

I am definitely getting more uncomfortable though. I can sleep in this weekend though. And I'm pampering myself on Sunday by getting my nails done. We also finally found a temp to take over more of the admin side of my job. So I can stop stressing about that.

Next appointment is in 2 weeks.

A knitted hat I ordered arrived!

On the birth month board (forum) that I occasionally post on, one of the women had a loss about halfway through her pregnancy. To cope with her grief, she started making hats for women on our board. Due to work, I wasn't able to post much around the time of her loss, so I didn't feel comfortable asking for one of the free hats. She did create an Etsy site and I purchased one for our little one.

The hat arrived today and it's adorable! I had some modeling help from Miss Ming, who wasn't pleased but tolerated it.

It has now been put in one of the bags of our Little One's stuff and I haven't decided if it is coming with us to the hospital or not.

If anyone wants to purchase one (either for us or another little one) her Etsy page is here: HensHats

31 week appointment - 4/11

I've been a bit busy with work and the like to actually post an updated.

So last week we had our 31 week appointment, which also included an ultrasound to check on the little guy. He looks good, despite still measuring about 2 weeks ahead. My doctor thinks it's partly the way that I'm carrying him and partly because he also has a big head. I forget the actual percentile that was mentioned but he's ranging over the 50th. It was estimated that he was about 4 pounds last week. They are going to check in another month and give me a better estimate of what they believe his birth weight will be. Right now they are thinking definitely over 7 pounds but not exactly sure how much over. It's still early to tell.

But the good news is that he is already head down. I don't have (right now at least) worry about him being as stubborn as me (was breach for a majority of my mom's pregnancy).

Since we got an ultrasound, I got a few new pictures.

 Profile view!

Creepy face view

I'm definitely feeling him move more often. And he's gotten so much stronger. I was wincing in the car on my way home tonight with some of the jabs I was receiving. I can also now watch my stomach move with his movements.

It's kinda hard to believe that I have less than 8 weeks till my due date. A year ago, we were still trying to figure out exactly what was wrong and why we couldn't get pregnant on our own. I'll try to do better about updating after my appointments. My next one is next week (I've started the every 2 weeks routine and am not that far away from the every week appointments...).

L&D tour

We went on the labor and delivery tour on Wednesday night and also got to meet some of the doctors that might end up delivering our little one. Things are definitely a lot more real.

Both the delivery rooms and post delivery rooms are nice. Both are private! Both units locked. Mike commented that the post delivery rooms have a bit of a hotel feel to them.

It is still hard to believe after all the struggles we have gone through that in about 2 months our son will making his entrance into the world. I purchased an adorable hat for him to wear from a woman who lost her daughter around 20 weeks. She was also due in June and is on the same forums that I'm on regarding baby stuff. She turned to crafting and knitting to focus her grief and help her heal. The hats that have been sent to others on the board have been absolutely adorable! I'll post the link to her etsy site if anyone is interested later.

Also planning on going to pick out an outfit or two for our little one to wear home.

Last week's appointment

It went well. Still measuring 2 weeks ahead. So I now have an ultrasound scheduled to make sure the Little One is okay and to try to pin point why I'm measuring ahead. They know exactly when he was conceived as they assisted so we aren't off on the dates.

I did pass the 1 hour glucose test, which I'm happy about. Although the glucola wasn't as bad as I was lead to believe. Kinda tasted like a sweeter version of the soda Crush.

He's definitely developing a bit of a personality. I had to laugh about a week and a half ago. I brought up the highlights from the Bruins game on my laptop as Mike missed most of the game. He was pretty quiet until I hit play on the video. He started moved around like crazy. I think his French-Canadian ancestry will be showing through.

He's also gotten more active and stronger lately with his kicks/flailing.

Anyways, I figured I should post an update. About 11 weeks left until my due date. It's hard to believe the time has just flown by.

Almost down to double digits!

We have about 102 days left before this Little One is born. It's exciting and scary at the same time.

My last doctor's appointment went well, more or less. His heart rate was in the 150s. He was kicking away like normal. I got to hear him kicking on the doppler at the same time as feeling him which was pretty neat. My blood pressure was really good. It looks like I've finally gotten my nerves under control. My weight gain is normal (about 10-13 pounds total so far).

The only thing my NP is concerned about is when she measured my belly/uterus is that I'm measuring about 2 weeks ahead. On Tuesday, I should have been measuring at 25 weeks but was measuring at 27 weeks. We'll see how I measure at my next appointment. If I'm still measuring ahead, I'll be getting another ultrasound to make sure that I don't have too much fluid. It explains why I've been feeling so big lately.

The good thing is that I'm starting to feel him a ton. I've even seen my belly move outwards when he kicks. Mike was able to see it happen this morning.

My next appointment is in just over 2 weeks (it was moved up a week). I'll have my glucose screening done at that appointment. I also have appointments scheduled through the end of May (also kinda scary).

I've also have a few Braxton Hicks contractions. I've been expecting to start experiencing them so they didn't me by surprise. It's a weird sensation. As long as I don't have 4 or more within a span of an hour, I'm good for the time being. I keep telling our Little One that he isn't done cooking yet and he needs to stay in there until at least the end of April so I can get 12 weeks at home with him.

We've reached V Day!

Also known as viability! I want him to stay in there for at least the next 14-16 weeks. I'm not quite ready for him to come out yet.

From one of my pregnancy website/emails that I get each week:

Your baby's the size of a cantaloupe!

At week 24, your baby's see-through skin is gradually becoming less translucent and is starting to look more opaque, like your own, but with the beauty of a new pink glow, thanks to the small capillaries that have recently formed. Plus, he's getting heavier and now weighs 12.7 to 20.8 ounces. He's 10.5- to 11.8 inches long now, too -- nearly an entire foot!

There's a lot happening inside baby as well, and while his lungs have developed, they couldn't work outside of the womb yet. But the fact that his lungs are fully formed means that he's closer to being ready to survive (and thrive!) in the outside world!

I think I'll continue posting these for the next few months. We'll see. Till next week.

Daycare has been figured out!

Mike and I went and toured our first (and only place I looked into online) daycare facility yesterday morning. We really like the facility and it helps that it is really close to our house. And I know a couple families that send/sent their kids there. I mailed in our registration form this morning, and we should get one of the few spots remaining for the fall. There is a very good chance that friends of ours will have their newest addition to their family with ours.

I've also started feeling him kick a lot more. It has been mostly on my sides or the lower part of my stomach. The problem with the placenta being in the way is it mutes many of the kick feelings. Orange Juice gets him moving a lot more. Mike was finally able to feel him this morning. I was feeling him kick in a few spots so I grabbed Mike's hand and put it on my side. Mike had a surprised look and asked me what was that. He then got to feel him kick a few more times. Mike told me that feeling him makes it feel a bit more real.

He's definitely starting to get stronger with his kicks (course I can't tell what is a foot and what is a hand). I did have to yell at him to stop kicking my bladder this morning. A few of those jabs hurt. I haven't really been able to figure out his waking/sleeping schedule. Hopefully as he gets bigger and stronger I'll be able to tell.

Well, not much else to report. My next appointment is in about a week and a half. It's amazing how quickly the time is passing. June will be here before I know it!

We're officially signed up for all the classes that we want to take as well as the hospital tour/meet the doctors. My OB is one of many potential doctors that could deliver our little one. They are on a rotating schedule so they have a night where you get to meet all of them. We're also taking a tour of the L&D area of Beth Israel after the meet the doctor's part of the evening. This way, we'll know where to go, where to park and have a little familiarity come June.

The classes that we are signed up for are:
-Prepared Childbirth (4 weeks, total of 12 hours of information)
-Caring for your Newborn (1 night, 3 hours). It's been awhile since I've helped take care of a newborn and even then, I was about 10 at the time that Cabe was born.

I also signed up for a Breast Feeding class (1 day, 2.5 hours).They also offer a class after you deliver but everything I've read or heard recommends taking a class before hand.

Everything is slowly coming together. June is going to be here before I know it.