Belly: Week 30
Belly: Week 36
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
journal weeks thirty five and thirty six
wk. 35: (days 1&2) A little more eventful than the previous weeks with our hospital visit. 35wk Hospital Visit
(days 4&5) My night sleep has been greatly reduced due to contractions with every move and actually being woken by the little guy. Any extra daily movement (like standing up from sitting) tends to bring on a contraction, and baby boy is sitting very low. I know that every day counts in this little guy's development, but I pray that I would have endurance if this is how the next four weeks are going to be. I notice, too, how Timothy has needed us and is easily turned to melt downs after our hospital visit.
(day 7) Fortunately and unfortunately, another night of three hour intense contractions (and for the first time including cramping and baby bearing down - all normal at this point), my follow up visit concluded with no more progression and "It might just be like this for the next couple weeks. Sorry." I tried to go into the appointment remembering that I was at 3cm for two weeks with Timothy, but as your body aches through this phase you hope for at least some progress to have been made - that all that "work" wasn't in vain. So, it's difficult to not be a tiny bit discouraged. And I just don't want to be exhausted before the baby even comes; I know there will be enough of that on the other side. But I try to remember every day at this point is very important for growth and development and makes a big difference for our little guy, and I of course want him to be super strong and healthy. So, please continue to pray with me that I can have the stamina to make it the days/weeks ahead. (Praise: No Strep B like last pregnancy.)
Thanks for all your support and love!
wk. 36: (day 1&2) Wonderful night's sleep without contractions, two big chunks of sleep. Still some contractions; you know, it sometimes just feels like I'm breathing heavier, and then I notice that my lower belly is contracting. Better be thankful for less pain. :) (somewhere in the middle of this week) Doing okay; so wonderful to have my husband home over the weekend. He's totally stepped in to pretty much do everything and be super accommodating to my pregnant-ness. And our small group and friends have been right there with us, helping more than we know how to say thank you for. I think we're going to make it to May. :)
(day 7) Doctor visit went well. Nothing to report, and today I'm actually feeling some energy (even with lack of sleep).
(days 4&5) My night sleep has been greatly reduced due to contractions with every move and actually being woken by the little guy. Any extra daily movement (like standing up from sitting) tends to bring on a contraction, and baby boy is sitting very low. I know that every day counts in this little guy's development, but I pray that I would have endurance if this is how the next four weeks are going to be. I notice, too, how Timothy has needed us and is easily turned to melt downs after our hospital visit.
(day 7) Fortunately and unfortunately, another night of three hour intense contractions (and for the first time including cramping and baby bearing down - all normal at this point), my follow up visit concluded with no more progression and "It might just be like this for the next couple weeks. Sorry." I tried to go into the appointment remembering that I was at 3cm for two weeks with Timothy, but as your body aches through this phase you hope for at least some progress to have been made - that all that "work" wasn't in vain. So, it's difficult to not be a tiny bit discouraged. And I just don't want to be exhausted before the baby even comes; I know there will be enough of that on the other side. But I try to remember every day at this point is very important for growth and development and makes a big difference for our little guy, and I of course want him to be super strong and healthy. So, please continue to pray with me that I can have the stamina to make it the days/weeks ahead. (Praise: No Strep B like last pregnancy.)
Thanks for all your support and love!
wk. 36: (day 1&2) Wonderful night's sleep without contractions, two big chunks of sleep. Still some contractions; you know, it sometimes just feels like I'm breathing heavier, and then I notice that my lower belly is contracting. Better be thankful for less pain. :) (somewhere in the middle of this week) Doing okay; so wonderful to have my husband home over the weekend. He's totally stepped in to pretty much do everything and be super accommodating to my pregnant-ness. And our small group and friends have been right there with us, helping more than we know how to say thank you for. I think we're going to make it to May. :)
(day 7) Doctor visit went well. Nothing to report, and today I'm actually feeling some energy (even with lack of sleep).
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Getting Out
(A little late in posting, but hey, pictures!)
As I approach the 35th week of my pregnancy, it's been a little more difficult to get out of the house. Whether it's the preparation or the time travel, I just haven't been as eager. I'm happy to stay close to home and do a little more relaxing here.
But there have been a few fun family/friend trips.
As I approach the 35th week of my pregnancy, it's been a little more difficult to get out of the house. Whether it's the preparation or the time travel, I just haven't been as eager. I'm happy to stay close to home and do a little more relaxing here.
But there have been a few fun family/friend trips.
*Long Grove Historic Village
(Great to walk around even though we got there after all the shops had closed)
*Lincoln Park Zoo
Friday, April 20, 2012
An Update
Since this blog has been a partial pregnancy journal, I'll continue to share our journey - the good, the bad, and the...unexpected.
For those who are more "get to the point" types, we took a visit to Labor and Delivery, but everything is okay, and we're home again.
For those who like the details, here's our adventure:
3:45p: Wednesday afternoon during an hour visit to the library with Timothy, I noticed I had five contractions (meaning full tightening across the lower belly). Thankfully, our little one continued to be very active during this time. From previous recommendation to call if I had more than four contractions an hour, I call our doctor who said to drink three large glasses of water (contractions can be brought on by dehydration), rest, and call back if they didn't go away. I called my husband to give him an update and say, "Maybe you should head home." They didn't. And actually I had six that following hour and a few were more intense than the last our. Note - I am only 35wks. 6p: At this doctor call, I was told to head over to Labor and Delivery. Now, let me tell you, that's a lot more scary than, "Just come in and we'll check you out." At least it's that way for me. L&D has a whole different connotation than just the doctor's office. So, E grabbed snacks for and the three of us headed over there; I have no bags packed at this point, no car seat in the van, pretty much I haven't even thought we'd need to be "ready" until at least May.
The next couple hours followed with being monitored (with legit contractions), reassured that babies do great at this point typically, and that I had not begun to dilate. I was put on IV fluids to keep me hydrated. (Getting the IV has got to be one of my least favorite parts.) I was also being treated for a possible UTI from bacteria (which I learned can also induce contractions). *I know now that the UTI treatment wasn't needed as the results came back negative.* Thankfully, a friend took Tim home for bed, and we thought at this point we'd be heading home because the only thing going on was contractions. 10p: Dang contractions lead to a tiny bit of dilation, 1-1.5cm. Two hours later, I was at the same place, so I was taken off the monitors to rest and that I would be checked in the morning. (Husband ran home for an overnight bag, and my FIL came to stay with our little boy.)
I think I slept for about four-five hours, and my rock star husband had the unpleasant experience of sleeping on a reclining chair. Due to my ability to sleep, I thought the contractions had definitely stopped and that I would be heading home soon. 6:30a: Wrong. I was at 3cm now. At this point, the hubs thought our little guy might actually be coming today. We were sent back down to L&D. 8a: For about an hour, contractions were back in full force about 6-7min apart. 9a: No further dilation. And following this, my contractions chilled out, to the point of barely feeling them and no regularity. 11a: Our little guy and my FIL came for a visit - great to have company there! And E was able to eat some lunch with them in the cafeteria. 1p: My OB was actually on call at this point and brought great news, still at 3cm! The nurses even cheered at that news. And I was told to take it chill and get some rest.
No, I am not on bed rest. No, I have no clue when this little guy will come. You can stay at 3cm for weeks. The original doctor said our baby would come in the next week; my OB said I could definitely make it a few more weeks, even to my due date. She'd love if I could make it till 37wks (but joked about how she could see me back there that evening). Yes, I'm feeling fine just a bit tired.
So...there's life for ya'. We made sure to get those final "wait till May to buy these items" last night and will be preparing for "any day now" while still trying to live our normal lives. :) I'll try to keep you updated if anything changes.
For those who are more "get to the point" types, we took a visit to Labor and Delivery, but everything is okay, and we're home again.
For those who like the details, here's our adventure:
3:45p: Wednesday afternoon during an hour visit to the library with Timothy, I noticed I had five contractions (meaning full tightening across the lower belly). Thankfully, our little one continued to be very active during this time. From previous recommendation to call if I had more than four contractions an hour, I call our doctor who said to drink three large glasses of water (contractions can be brought on by dehydration), rest, and call back if they didn't go away. I called my husband to give him an update and say, "Maybe you should head home." They didn't. And actually I had six that following hour and a few were more intense than the last our. Note - I am only 35wks. 6p: At this doctor call, I was told to head over to Labor and Delivery. Now, let me tell you, that's a lot more scary than, "Just come in and we'll check you out." At least it's that way for me. L&D has a whole different connotation than just the doctor's office. So, E grabbed snacks for and the three of us headed over there; I have no bags packed at this point, no car seat in the van, pretty much I haven't even thought we'd need to be "ready" until at least May.
The next couple hours followed with being monitored (with legit contractions), reassured that babies do great at this point typically, and that I had not begun to dilate. I was put on IV fluids to keep me hydrated. (Getting the IV has got to be one of my least favorite parts.) I was also being treated for a possible UTI from bacteria (which I learned can also induce contractions). *I know now that the UTI treatment wasn't needed as the results came back negative.* Thankfully, a friend took Tim home for bed, and we thought at this point we'd be heading home because the only thing going on was contractions. 10p: Dang contractions lead to a tiny bit of dilation, 1-1.5cm. Two hours later, I was at the same place, so I was taken off the monitors to rest and that I would be checked in the morning. (Husband ran home for an overnight bag, and my FIL came to stay with our little boy.)
I think I slept for about four-five hours, and my rock star husband had the unpleasant experience of sleeping on a reclining chair. Due to my ability to sleep, I thought the contractions had definitely stopped and that I would be heading home soon. 6:30a: Wrong. I was at 3cm now. At this point, the hubs thought our little guy might actually be coming today. We were sent back down to L&D. 8a: For about an hour, contractions were back in full force about 6-7min apart. 9a: No further dilation. And following this, my contractions chilled out, to the point of barely feeling them and no regularity. 11a: Our little guy and my FIL came for a visit - great to have company there! And E was able to eat some lunch with them in the cafeteria. 1p: My OB was actually on call at this point and brought great news, still at 3cm! The nurses even cheered at that news. And I was told to take it chill and get some rest.
No, I am not on bed rest. No, I have no clue when this little guy will come. You can stay at 3cm for weeks. The original doctor said our baby would come in the next week; my OB said I could definitely make it a few more weeks, even to my due date. She'd love if I could make it till 37wks (but joked about how she could see me back there that evening). Yes, I'm feeling fine just a bit tired.
So...there's life for ya'. We made sure to get those final "wait till May to buy these items" last night and will be preparing for "any day now" while still trying to live our normal lives. :) I'll try to keep you updated if anything changes.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
journal weeks thirty three and thirty four
(decided I have more to say in these final weeks, so I'll try to update every two weeks)
wk. 33: I don't feel like I'm counting how many weeks I've been pregnant but rather how many weeks I hypothetically have left. Thankfully we've had another good week of evening sleep, but I'm needing to take it a little more chill than usual - every little thing seems to make me tired. Don't remember this from my first pregnancy...but I do have a little guy that keeps me on my toes. And I've been a bit hormonal, to the point where I hung up on my OB's receptionist because I didn't feel like she was listening to me...
wk. 34: WHAT?! Six weeks....umm, that just doesn't feel like enough time. But really, what am I waiting for? Another 34wks?! I'm so thankful I continue to sleep well especially since this has been another physically hard week - braxton hicks are back and little mister seems to want to just push his little body parts out. I've forgotten to mention one new thing from this pregnancy - all of the sudden I feel like I'm breathing heavy, even while I'm sitting down. I know there's less and less room in there for this little guy, but it is quite an odd feeling. Harder week overall physically, hoping the 35th week brings a little relief. :)
Little buddy, praying for you as your central nervous system continues to form and that your lungs finish up strong! All I ask is that you try to make it to 37wks. :)
wk. 33: I don't feel like I'm counting how many weeks I've been pregnant but rather how many weeks I hypothetically have left. Thankfully we've had another good week of evening sleep, but I'm needing to take it a little more chill than usual - every little thing seems to make me tired. Don't remember this from my first pregnancy...but I do have a little guy that keeps me on my toes. And I've been a bit hormonal, to the point where I hung up on my OB's receptionist because I didn't feel like she was listening to me...
wk. 34: WHAT?! Six weeks....umm, that just doesn't feel like enough time. But really, what am I waiting for? Another 34wks?! I'm so thankful I continue to sleep well especially since this has been another physically hard week - braxton hicks are back and little mister seems to want to just push his little body parts out. I've forgotten to mention one new thing from this pregnancy - all of the sudden I feel like I'm breathing heavy, even while I'm sitting down. I know there's less and less room in there for this little guy, but it is quite an odd feeling. Harder week overall physically, hoping the 35th week brings a little relief. :)
Little buddy, praying for you as your central nervous system continues to form and that your lungs finish up strong! All I ask is that you try to make it to 37wks. :)
Friday, April 13, 2012
Maternity Shots (Sneak Peek)
What a fun experience this was! Alauna was wonderful with directing me and placing me all over the laundromat. And obviously she did a fantastic job with the pictures!! I must be honest that I wasn't the "I must have maternity photos done!" type. But I knew that I would love the pictures because Alauna does great work! (If you are in our area, you need to SERIOUSLY consider her for your pictures. http://www.alaunapetersonphotography.com/)
I'm just giddy about how great they turned out (hoping it doesn't come across as vain!), and I hope you enjoy them too!
Misc. Info:
*Dress: Lent from Erin
*Shoes/Necklace: Lent from Alauna
*Hair/Make-up: Me
I'm just giddy about how great they turned out (hoping it doesn't come across as vain!), and I hope you enjoy them too!
Misc. Info:
*Dress: Lent from Erin
*Shoes/Necklace: Lent from Alauna
*Hair/Make-up: Me
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
journal weeks twenty nine through thirty two
wk. 29: My sleep continues to be pretty good. Not too many contractions this week, thankfully. And baby boy likes to "move it, move it." We are even more thrilled to meet our little boy with the arrival of our new nephew this week!
wk. 30: My belly feels HUGE! Since the weather is changing rapidly here, and I didn't think I'd really need "summer" clothing with our location, I've had to search out some short sleeves and shorts for a prego belly. :) A bit of (unnecessary) nesting as I pulled out all the cloth diapers and got the inserts in. :) And I just discovered that this baby gets hiccups, A LOT! I thought it was just repetitive movement, but I realized that it's too rhythmic to be just "happening." Read it means baby as good lungs. :)
Baby boy, you're getting so big these days. Weighing in around three whole pounds!! And you're somewhere around 15" long...big brother was only 20.5". Think you'll grow as tall as he is? And I hope those little cravings for cinnamon rolls don't mean you're going to be a sweet tooth.
wk. 31: Oh allergies, you have nothing to do with pregnancy (I guess besides limiting the meds I can take), but 'you're killing me smalls!' Some nesting going on this week: Taking stock of what baby clothing we have.
wk. 32: It feels weird to finally have a true craving(s) - sweets! Still love the cinnamon rolls. I think I could eat them at least twice a day, and we don't have near enough chocolate in this house. The only option, which is probably good, is chocolate chips. Bad news bears: found out that some blood work came back that I was low in iron. I need to switch out those sweets for iron-rich foods. And Braxton Hicks are back in full swing. But I've had some wonderful nights of sleep!!
wk. 30: My belly feels HUGE! Since the weather is changing rapidly here, and I didn't think I'd really need "summer" clothing with our location, I've had to search out some short sleeves and shorts for a prego belly. :) A bit of (unnecessary) nesting as I pulled out all the cloth diapers and got the inserts in. :) And I just discovered that this baby gets hiccups, A LOT! I thought it was just repetitive movement, but I realized that it's too rhythmic to be just "happening." Read it means baby as good lungs. :)
Baby boy, you're getting so big these days. Weighing in around three whole pounds!! And you're somewhere around 15" long...big brother was only 20.5". Think you'll grow as tall as he is? And I hope those little cravings for cinnamon rolls don't mean you're going to be a sweet tooth.
wk. 31: Oh allergies, you have nothing to do with pregnancy (I guess besides limiting the meds I can take), but 'you're killing me smalls!' Some nesting going on this week: Taking stock of what baby clothing we have.
wk. 32: It feels weird to finally have a true craving(s) - sweets! Still love the cinnamon rolls. I think I could eat them at least twice a day, and we don't have near enough chocolate in this house. The only option, which is probably good, is chocolate chips. Bad news bears: found out that some blood work came back that I was low in iron. I need to switch out those sweets for iron-rich foods. And Braxton Hicks are back in full swing. But I've had some wonderful nights of sleep!!
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