Hearing test - Passed!

At Lila's 1 week appointment with the midwives, they did a hearing screen to make sure she could hear. Her right ear passed, but her left ear got a referral. The midwife assured as that this did not necessarily mean anything was wrong, but that her test wasn't sophisticated enough to determine the results. She told us that over 90% of referrals end up with perfectly good result. So she gave us the number to audiology department at The Children's Hospital and recommended we get the test.

We did the test on Wednesday. I found it pretty interesting. I don't know all the details, but I'll explain to you what my understanding is of the test. As you can see in the picture, three electrode things were put on Lila's head - one on her forehead and two behind each ear. Then a probe thing was placed in the ear to be tested. This probe is how the audiologist sent different frequencies of sound into Lila's ear. Now, for this test to work, Lila had to be completely asleep because in order to know if she could hear the sound, the audiologist checked if her brain was responding to it. Anytime a baby is awake, there is already brain activity - this interferes with the test.

It took a good hour to get Lila to fall asleep (yay for having a baby that nurses forever). But once she was asleep, there was no waking her up! We are blessed with a very heavy sleeper (like her mom). Many babies wake up multiple times during the test... not my kid! I actually couldn't help but laugh when the audiologist insisted on whispering. I knew my baby wasn't going to wake up!

Both of Lila's ears passed with flying colors! Since she slept so well, the test went fairly quick - probably around 20 minutes per ear. After this test, the audiologist performed an inner ear test. I honestly have no idea what this test was, but it didn't require the electrode things and it was super fast. She passed! The last test was to see if there was fluid in her ears. Nope, no fluid! The audiologist said Lila's ears were perfect :)

Back up to birth weight!

Yay!! Lila is now 8 pounds 10 ounces, which is a half ounce more than her birth weight :) We reached our goal and now we can stop supplementing the disgusting formula that she hated anyway. Seriously, she hated it. She'd spit it out and throw it up.

Oh happy day.

I need a nap.

Breastfeeding Challenges

One of my biggest fears regarding having a baby was the inability to breastfeed. Thank God that is not the case, but it has definitely been a challenge to successfully breastfeed.

Lila and I didn't not have the easiest of deliveries and as a result, she was not able to immediately try to breastfeed after birth. In addition, the difficult birth resulted with Lila having a pinched nerve in her left cheek which caused it to sag. My lactation consultant and pediatrician both agree that this made it more difficult for Lila to suck.

After I got stitched up at the midwifery, I attempted to breastfeed Lila with no luck. She showed some interest, but never actually had a successful latch. We left that night with a bottle of donated breast milk and a couple syringes. The midwife taught us how to feed Lila with a syringe while she sucked on our finger. This broke my heart, but I was optimistic that it would only take a few more tries before she was nursing like a pro.

This was not the case.

After two days, Lila was done with the bottle of breast milk and still hadn't successfully nursed from me. I was pumping what little I could and feeding her that along with the breast milk. I was really starting to get depressed about it and getting really discouraged. Our midwife gave us another bottle of donated milk and told me to meet with a lactation consultant asap. At this point, Lila had already lost 9.5 ounces and was down to 8 pounds.

I was finally able to get a hold of my consultant, Susan Sullivan, that evening and after learning about the situation and her pinched nerve, she suggested that I try a nipple shield. My parents were able to get one for me that night and to my pleasant surprise, Lila latched on perfectly to the nipple shield! This brought me tears of joy I was so happy. Of course, I would want to eventually ditch the shield, but this was the first positive sign of progress.

We stopped using the donated milk and I fed Lila with the shield on for close to 2 days. I didn't even attempt removing the shield at first because I wanted her to get used to sucking at my breast before changing things on her again. The first time I removed the shield, Lila latched on without a problem. Oh happy day!

At this point, Lila was close to 4 days old. We had paperwork from our pediatrician that said after 5 days, we could stop forcing Lila to eat after every 2-3 hours and let her tell us when she was hungry as long as she didn't go longer than 5 hours without eating. Since we had such a rocky start, we shouldn't have followed this, but we didn't know. As a result, Lila went 10 days without gaining any weight :( Now we are supplementing formula with most feedings until she is back to birth weight. Her next weight check is on Monday, and the pediatrician is confident that she'll be at a good weight by then.

When the midwife first told us that we were going to need to supplement with some formula, my heart sank. I didn't ever want to see that disgusting stuff enter her mouth. I even called the pediatricians that same day hoping that they wouldn't agree with the midwife, but they did. It was such a hard day for me and I'd cry every time she had to drink it. I felt like I failed her. I'm still sad about it, but doing much better. I'm certain that when we go in for a weight check on Monday that everything will be great and that the pediatrician will tell us to stop the supplementing.

On top of letting her sleep too long between feedings, I have also learned that I wasn't properly interpreting many of Lila's cries. I assumed that since I had just finished feeding her, she wasn't hungry. But I've since learned that she'll often act as though she's done, but not really be. Now that I'm feeding her more often and learning when she's hungry, I believe that I could get her weight up without the formula, but we're feeding it to her anyway because it's what the pediatrician recommends. We usually only feed it to her for the day feedings though because all three of us are too exhausted for the middle of the night feedings. I absolutely hate waking her up so often. Many times I have to put a cold towel on her to wake her up and it makes me sad to do it to her. By the time I wake her up, feed her, and Dave gives her formula, it's usually been well over an hour which means the process starts all over again in about another hour. It's brutal on all of us. And since we believe Lila's sleep is also important, we have decided to skip the formula in the middle of the night. She still gained 5 ounces in 2 days doing this, so I'm not worried about her not getting enough.

So yeah, breastfeeding has not been easy, but I believe we'll be pros at it in no time. I'll keep you posted regarding her weight on Monday!

2 Week Check-up

My Lila PIe is already 2 weeks old! I can't believe how quickly that went by.

We had her two week check-up today. Everything is looking good. We've had some issues with weight gain, but she gained 5 ounces in only 2 days so that's great. That puts her at 8 pounds 5 ounces, so she still isn't back up to her birth weight, but she's well on her way. We have a weight check scheduled for Monday and hope that she'll be at least her birth weight of 8 pounds 9.5 ounces. We've been supplementing a little formula after each feeding for the past 2 days and the pediatrician asked us to continue to do so until Monday when we expect her weight to be where we want.

At Lila's one week check-up at the midwifery, they noticed a little signs of jaundice. Nothing to be concerned about, but suggested we give her a little sun each day. The only evidence of the jaundice was in her eyes - they were yellow-ish in color. Now there is only a tiny bit of yellow in the corner of her eyes and the doc said her color looks great. Yay!

Although weight gain has been a concern, growth has not. She has grown 1.25 inches since birth and is in the 80th percentile for height. Even her weight is in the 50th percentile. Her head circumference increased by 0.25 inches and is in the 70th percentile. Here are her specific stats:

Weight: 8 pounds 5 ounces
Height: 21.25 inches
Head Circumference: 14.25 inches

Our next appointment (not counting the weight check) is when she's two months old. That's when we'll start vaccinations.

Lila's Birth Story

My beautiful baby girl was born on August 26, 2010. Her name is Lila Danielle Lofte. I want to share with you the story of her birth.

Warning: very very long.

At about 4:00 am, I woke up because I had to pee. When I got out of bed, I felt some liquid come out. It wasn't huge gush, so I wasn't sure if my water broke or not, but it seemed like it. I took a few steps and some more came out. I checked to make sure it was clear and didn't have a foul odor and continued my way to the bathroom. I still wasn't sure if my water did indeed break, so I went pee and went back to bed. I knew that if my water did break, it wouldn't be long before contractions started. Sure enough, I started having mild contractions within 20 minutes. I woke up Dave to let him know and called the midwifery to let them know as well.

Just as we were told in classes, the midwife told us to try to get rest in between contractions because I was going to need the energy later. This wasn't a problem for Dave :) However, my contractions were already only about 3 minutes apart, so it was rather difficult to get any sleep. But although they were only 3 minutes apart, they weren't real strong and they were only lasting about 30-40 seconds. The "general rule" for first time moms is that they head into the birth center when contractions are 3 minutes apart, 1 minute in length, and have followed that general pattern for 1 hour (3-1-1).

I called the midwife a couple times over the next few hours letting her know the status of my contractions. She assured me that if I was able to make the phone call, I didn't need to come in yet. Dave would be the one making the phone call because I wouldn't be able to. So I continued to keep track of my contractions with BabyBump on my iPhone. I tried to eat some food, but it was making me feel nauseous, so I just made sure to drink a lot of water.

My contractions never did fall into the 3-1-1 pattern. But they got a lot stronger and had a consistent pattern of 4-5 minutes apart and 90 seconds in length. This is when Dave called. Our midwife, Leigh, told Dave that if I felt like I should head in, then we could. Contractions were getting pretty darn powerful and I could feel that Lila was pretty far down in my pelvis, so at sometime between 12p and 1p, we (my parents included) went to the birth center.

This is when I really lost all sense of time.

After spending a few minutes walking around and breathing through contractions, Leigh suggested that I get into the birthing tub. Oh my goodness, it was so warm and wonderful in there. Contractions were a lot more bearable in there. I wasn't in there long before Leigh decided to check how dilated I was... 9 centimeters! Wow, I was basically ready to start pushing. I could have my baby in no time... theoretically.

When the contractions got really bad, Dave hopped in the tub with me so that he could easily put counter pressure on my lower back. It's amazing how big of a difference that made. Before I knew it, it was time to start pushing. But unfortunately, I wasn't making any progress. I guess this can be especially common with first time moms in the tub because the comfort of the warm water slows things down. So when it was clear that I wasn't getting anywhere, Leigh had me move to a birthing stool with Dave sitting behind me.

Moments after sitting on it, meconium comes pouring out. Not. Good. If you don't know, meconium is the first thing babies poop. Sometimes it's only the first poop, sometimes it's the first several poops. Regardless, this meant that Lila had pooped. So now she's swimming around in meconium. Leigh said this wasn't good and needed to double check how long I had to push out my baby before needing to be transferred to the hospital. Great... I haven't even been at the birthing center for that long and there's already talk of the hospital. This made me a little nervous, but I couldn't think about it too much over the pain of the contractions.

Leigh returned a few minutes later saying that it wasn't an emergency and I had plenty of time to get my baby out. The nurse just needed to keep a close eye on Lila's heart rate to make sure she wasn't stressed. Time to start pushing again.

Pushing on the stool wasn't nearly as comfortable as the tub, but I eventually started to make some progress. However, once I was making progress, Lila's heartbeat started to drop. This concerned the midwife and nurse, so they didn't want me on the stool any more. Next up was the bed.

The first position Leigh had me try was for me to be sitting at an incline on the bed. Leigh had me hold onto one of her hands. With each push, I had to try to pull Leigh towards me. This was working great for Lila - her heart rate was great - but I was getting no where. Leigh check how Lila was positioned and how low her head was and determined that she was actually at a weird angle. I don't know exactly how she was positioned, just that her head wasn't coming through in the ideal way. This explained why it was so hard for me.

In hopes of getting Lila to move, Leigh had me get on my hands and knees (still in the bed). Every time I pushed, I was to bring my butt down to the bed. By now, I was extremely tired and it was almost immediately clear that this wasn't going to lead to anything successful. Leigh decided that I needed some rest.

All this time, the nurse and Dave were forcing me to drink some liquid to keep me hydrated. I was offered food, but the thought made me want to throw up. I didn't even want to drink, but like I said, I was forced - and for good reason. So during my resting period of about 15 or 20 minutes, I had to just breathe or lightly push through contractions and Dave was given the lovely task of making sure that two glasses of that stuff went down my stubborn throat. I think this was the only time I got even just a little bit mad at him. There's nothing more irritating than having a straw shoved at your face while trying to survive another contraction.

Once resting time was over, I did some more pushing on the bed while pulling on Leigh's hand. It was at this point that Leigh said I had been pushing for over 4 hours and that if I didn't get my baby out soon, I would have to be transferred. Actually, she specifically said, "if you don't get this baby out in a few more pushes, you'll have to go to Swedish where they'll stick a vacuum in your vagina and pull your baby out".

First of all... 4 hours?!?! I swear it only felt like maybe an hour to me. I couldn't believe it had been that long. And now more hospital talk? And vacuum? No. Thanks.

Leigh and the nurse decided that since I had the best success on the stool, that I should go back there and they'd just keep a close eye on Lila's heartbeat. They also told me that my baby didn't really like it on the stool and that I needed to push her out quickly.

By now, I was so exhausted and all this hospital talk was discouraging me. I was losing confidence in myself and starting to believe that I wasn't going to be able to do it. But I wanted so bad to be able to deliver my baby at the birth center and was terrified of the idea of going to the hospital. I had such a mixture of emotions.

Once I stepped off the bed, the pressure to get Lila out was substantially greater. I remember Leigh asking me to go somewhere or do something and I was like "no, I have to push" and went to the stool and started pushing. After a few pushes, Leigh said she could see Lila's head and that she had a lot of hair. WTF? My baby has hair?! I was totally expecting a bald baby. It wasn't too many pushes before Leigh put my baby in my arms and I heard her first cries. This was at 6:42 pm.

Almost immediately after it was certain that Lila was all good and well, Leigh said that I was bleeding a lot and needed to get to the bed asap. This kinda freaked out Dave (he saw how much blood there was) and the nurse saw it on his face and reassured him that it was ok. Once I was on the bed with my baby, Leigh told me that I had a lot of tearing and was going to need a major stitch job. I was bummed to hear this, but didn't really care because I was too busy looking at my beautiful... wait, do we have a girl or a boy?! Girl! I wasn't surprised, haha. Dave and I just laid there staring at her for several minutes.

When Leigh asked me to push the placenta out. I gave a little push and didn't really feel anything, but she said it came out. Awesome - that was easy. Unfortunately, I had to stay laying on my back until my stitches were done which meant Lila didn't get to immediately try to breastfeed. At least I got to stare at her beautiful face. Once I was given all my numbing shots, Dave cut the cord. Speaking of the cord, Leigh and the nurse were very impressed with Lila's cord - they said it was very hearty. Then Dave followed the nurse so she could show him the placenta and tell him things about it - gross.

To bring the story to end, Lila had all her newborn things done (vitamin K shot, eye cream stuff, measurements, lung and heart checks) and I got my second degree tears stitched up. I also took about a 10 minute bath in some special herb to help with the stitches. Dave took Lila out to the waiting room so that she could meet her grandparents. I wanted to be there when they met her, but I knew they were probably going crazy knowing that she was born and not seeing her. I think it was a good hour after she was born that I told Dave to take her out to them. It was several hours before I was stitched up and ready to have them come in to see me.

About 6 hours after Lila was born, we all piled into my little Honda Civic and took my beautiful daughter home.

38 Weeks, PUPPP, Classes, Pediatrics, Stats

Only 12 more days until due date! ...and it's not soon enough! I'm SO ready to pop this kid out already. The house is ready, all of Baby's stuff is washed, diaper bag is packed, car seat is installed, insurance company is called, and we think we've decided on pediatric care. Now we just need Baby in our arms!

So, it's been awhile since I posted (what's new), so I'm gonna discuss quite a bit in this post - each of which I wish I could've made a separate post.

Let me complain a bit - I have PUPPS

First off... I admit that I am one of the women that do not particularly enjoy the end of pregnancy. A big part of it probably has to do with the fact that it's in the 90s every day right now in Denver. I've already decided that we're having our next Baby in March or April :P So bear with me while I complain for a moment.

Feet. I have sausage feet. They're ugly and I don't like not having ankles. It's not super severe, thank God, but it's definitely uncomfortable. For some reason, my right foot is always worse than my left. It looks like have stubby little toes... but really, I have long skinny toes. Not. Fun.

Comfort is not something that currently exists in my life. It doesn't matter how I sit or lay, I'm in constant discomfort. Getting off the couch and especially out of bed is a struggle. Picking something up off the floor? Forget it! Poor Epsilon doesn't understand why I can't pick up his toys and play with him. I'd sit on the floor with him... but that requires that I get UP at some point.

I know what you're thinking - "Leanna, these are all normal symptoms that pregnant women must deal with. Suck it up." Well, I've recently had a new condition added to the list... PUPPP. What is PUPPP? PUPPP stands for Pruritic Urticarial Papules and Plaques of Pregnancy. Um... what? It's basically a rash that no one knows the cause of. It itches like hell and continues to spread until the baby is born, as delivering the baby is the only way to get rid of it. Luckily, I don't have a severe case. I started developing the rash on the front of my lower belly about 2 weeks ago and it's slowly spread. I now have a couple patches on each leg and on my feet. My midwife noticed it last week and said it was good chance it was PUPPP, and at yesterday's appointment confirmed that it is. I've been taking a liver strengthening supplement 3 times a day for the past week and will continue to do so until Baby is born. The midwife said that some speculate the liver is somehow related to PUPPP, particularly with trying to fighting it off. I'm also lucky for it to not be unbearable... yet. Most of the time I can put the itching at the back of my mind and not think about it. But once or twice a day it gets intolerable and I MUST scratch which I'm sure doesn't help with the spreading. It's spreading much slower than it does for a lot of woman and I'm super grateful for that. I attribute that to the liver supplement. Oh... and no, I will not post a picture - it's hideous.

One interesting fact about PUPPP - 70% of women who develop it give birth to boys. Hmmmm... bah, I still think I'm having a girl :P Also, only about 1% of pregnant women get PUPPP... lucky me.

Ok, I'm done complaining.

Classes

We've been having a lot of classes lately. We took a breastfeeding class from Susan Sullivan at Sweet Beginnings and it went great. She gave us all the benefits of breastfeeding and told us that doctors that turn it to a science and say that the baby must feed every x number of hours for x amount of time are crazy :P Every baby is different and we should allow Baby to eat as much as s/he wants as often as s/he wants. She also showed me great ways to hold the baby for feeding, especially at first when we're both learning. She explained that breastfeeding should never be painful, and if it is, it's because Baby doesn't have good latch, so she gave some techniques to ensure that Baby always gets a good latch. In addition to other things and a giant packet of info, we also picked out a breast pump. I had originally thought I was going to get a Medela because it seems to be agreed to be the best, but Susan told us about Hygeia. It was invented by the same guy who invented Medela, but it's "green". Meaning it can be reused by another mother provided that she purchase her own accessory kit. Dave and I like this idea and since Susan spoke so highly of it, we're gonna get it.

We've also been taking childbirth classes. We were in a 4 week series, but unfortunately missed the last two classes. Dave's mom recently passed away and we needed to be in CA when those classes were held. The first two classes were about birth in general and the stages of labor. They were very informative and we learned a lot. Because we missed the last two classes, the midwifery had us attend a class last night that was actually a "refresher course" for non-first-time moms. It was the only class that was going to work since we're so close to Baby's arrival and they said that a lot of the information is the same. Most of the first half of the class was review of what we covered in our previous classes, but the last half was hands on and pretty cool. We went upstairs to the birthing rooms and practiced various labor coping techniques. This part was mostly for the guys so that they learn how to be good partners. We practiced various positions to help with progressing labor and the pain. We practiced breathing by putting ice on our wrists and breathing through it for 60-90 seconds. Try it... ice on your wrist for that long doesn't feel good. Obviously, it's no where near as bad as a contraction, but it's something. We also got to go rummaging through the birthing center so we know everything that they have and where it is. They have a nicely stocked fridge which is great :)

Yesterday morning we had the "36 week class" (another class we had to reschedule) where we talked about logistics (paper work, waivers, etc...), what happens if we need to be transferred to the hospital, what to do in the event of a quick delivery where Dave has to deliver the Baby, and what normally happens when delivering at the midwifery and the procedures involved.

We have only one more class - Newborn Care. We are scheduled to take it on the 12th. Again, we were supposed to take it sooner, but had to reschedule. If we end up having the baby before the class, then we'll be refunded for our money and they'll make sure that we get filled in on all the important information while still at the birthing center and provide us with a lot of handouts and such. They won't send us home blindly.

Pediatrician

During our breastfeeding class, Susan recommended a group of pediatricians called Partners in Pediatrics. I've checked out their website and I think I'll like it there. I have an appointment scheduled the day before Baby's due date to meet a doctor and learn about their practice (it's free). We kinda procrastinated on this one, but I like what I've read. They have a middle of the ground philosophy when it comes to pediatric care. They are all trained in the conventional practices, but don't agree that they are all best and incorporate holistic health care as well. Dave and I really like this as we've always been of the same mindset. They also believe it is extremely important for parents to be complete informed about vaccines and provide ample information and respect whatever choice you make about vaccines. They have parents who chose the traditional schedule, a modified scheduled, and no vaccines. They are in favor of vaccines, though. Check out their website and let me know what you think!

Stats

So, for today's stats...

Weight: 147 pounds
Waist: 43 inches

Wow... my belly is freaking huge! And even since taking the pictures featured in this post, my belly is lower! I really hope to start feeling some contractions soon! Let's do this!

Sunday Stats

We're at 35 weeks and it's time for some Sunday Stats. I'm actually very pleased with this week's results.

Weight: 142 pounds
Waist: 41.5 inches.

So, in the past week and a half, my belly has grown half an inch and I've only gained half a pound! Woohoo! That puts my total weight gain at about 32 pounds. If I can keep my total weight gain less than or equal to 35 pounds, I'll be stoked. Since I think Baby is coming early, I think I have a good chance :)

So I think I finally felt a Braxton Hicks contraction the other day. Dave and I went downtown to pick up our BOB stroller (thanks again Mom and Big Ricky) from REI. Afterwards, we walked to a bookstore (The Tattered Cover) that was a decent walk... for a pregnant lady anyway. We hung out there for maybe 20 minutes then walked back. Right as we got back to the car I felt a little crampy and my belly was as hard as a rock. It was only for about a minute. Based on what I've read and what the midwives have told me, it sounds like it was a mini contraction... yay! It's perfectly normal for me to be having them; in fact, most women have already been feeling them for over a month, I just haven't noticed. I say "noticed", because even though I can't feel it, my uterus has been practicing contractions for quite awhile. Most women can feel them, but there are a few, like me, who never (or very rarely) feel them.

Well, that's all I've got for now. I've been working hard on setting up Baby's room. I'll share it with you guys once it's done!

(Sorry, no picture today)

Midwife Appointment - 34 Weeks

We had another midwife appointment today. It went really well and really quick. I love quick appointments! Others may be frustrated that appointments are only 15-30 minutes long, but I think it's great!

We talked about swelling a little today. I've experienced some swelling in my feet, toes, and ankles a few times, but not much. The day it was the worst was the day after we moved and I was at the mall for hours to get the new iPhone 4, then spending a lot of time on the computer blogging for TiPb about the new iPhone 4. By the end of that busy day, I had cankles! But they went away later the next day. There's been maybe 2 other times where my toes started to swell and it was when I was sitting or standing still for too long. It's all about keeping the circulation going! My midwife said it's perfectly normal and the swelling is happening for normal reasons, so there is no need to be concerned. I just need to make sure I get up often if I'm going to be sitting for a long time and drink plenty of water.

We heard Baby's precious little heartbeat again and it was between 140 and 150 bpm like always <3

My fundal height normally measures ahead of normal, but this week it was behind! I measured at 32 cm. Generally, it's considered normal for the fundal height to be equal to how many weeks along you are (I'm 34 weeks). However, the midwife assured me that an error of 2 cm in either direction is perfectly normal. There are many variables affecting the accuracy of the measurement like Baby's position and user error.

Speaking of Baby's position, Baby is still head down and ready for delivery. Baby's back is against my right side. I think this is why I prefer sleeping on my right instead of my left.... or maybe Baby's back is to my right because I prefer to sleep on my right... hmmmm. Regardless, Baby is in "optimal fetal positioning" so that's great!

That was most of the appointment. My next appointment is a 2 hour class where we're learn when it's appropriate to call the midwifery and come in for delivery and what happens when we get there and things of that nature. It's the only appointment that Dave is required to attend because they will give him information that is important since he's my birthing partner. After the next appointment, we will have an appointment every week until Baby arrives! All future appointments have been scheduled.

So there we go. That's all I got!

34 Weeks! (and stats update)

Woohoo! 34 weeks today! Only about 6 more weeks to go... wow! I can't believe how soon I'm going to meet my precious baby. So exciting!

So at 34 weeks, Baby is about 4.75 pounds, 17.75 inches long, and the size of an average cantaloupe! Mmmm, I love cantaloupe.

Baby - The waxy protective coating, vernix, is becoming much thicker this week as the lanugo continues to shed and may be almost completely gone by now. Inside your baby, the lungs are continuing to mature in preparation for breathing in the outside world.

Body - You might be feeling just like you did your first trimester, tire, and exhausted. Your body is going through significant physical strain, not to mention the overall discomfort of all that extra weight and difficulty sleeping are playing their toll. As your baby moves lower in the birth canal and exerts more pressures, some women have an uncomfortable sensation that the baby is about to fall out. Other women feel a pricking or tingling sensation in the pelvic area, also common and not something to worry about. The feelings may not go away until after you deliver. If you have concerns, talk to you medical practitioner.

I am definitely feeling tired again these days. Most days I take a pretty long nap... like 2 to 3 hours! I'm always irritated that I lost that much of my day, but glad I was able to get the sleep. As annoying as it is to "waste" so much time, I never try to fight it - if I'm tired, I take a nap.

I never feel like Baby is about to fall out!

Since I haven't done a Sunday Stats in a couple weeks, I'll give you my stats for today.

Weight: 141.5 pounds
Waist: 41 inches

So that's 2 pounds and 1.5" in two and a half weeks. Pretty good! I've been much happier with my weight gain recently. We've been going on more walks lately, so that's probably helping. We just moved and now live next to a nice big park. We take the puppies on about a 2 mile walk about 4 days a week. It's really good for all of us.

I had a nice prenatal massage last week. Thanks again, Mom, for the package! I'll probably get another massage late next week and another at week 37 or so. The massages really help my constantly aching back feel better.

Baby's movements have changed a lot lately. Now that his/her space is getting more cramped, it seems as though Baby is trying to stretch out more. I often feel a strong push on the upper part of my belly and a smaller push lower at the same time. I think the strong one is the heal of Baby's foot, and the small one is Baby's hand. It's a very strange feeling but I can recognize it as stretching.

Well, that's all the updating I have time for right now. I'll finish off with a belly pic I took tonight with a guest appearance from iPhone 4! :)

Sunday Stats

OH MY GOODNESS!! It's been over a month since my last update! I'm sorry :( Life got pretty busy, but I'm back now! My regular weekly posts we return and I also have some other topics to write about, like why we're cloth diapers and choosing a midwife.

Anyway, I'm 31 weeks and 3 days pregnant! Woohoo! (I think I use too many parentheses when I write for my pregnancy blog...) Only 60 days until Baby's due date... less than 9 weeks! It seems so soon. I'm getting excited.

Oh, this is a sunday stats post, isn't it? Ok, stats for today!

Weight: 139.5 pounds
Waist: 39.5''

So in four weeks I have gained 4.5 pounds and grown 1.5 inches. I am glad to have slowed down my weight gain. Even my midwife said during my last appointment that she would prefer if I didn't gain more than 10 more pounds (this was 3 weeks ago). That would mean I should gain less than a pound a week. Even though I've gained a little more than a pound per week over the last 4 weeks, I think I've only gained about a pound in the last 2 weeks, so that's good. I've been trying to walk everyday (my gym membership is expired now that I graduated) and been more careful about what (and how much) I eat. I know I was eating way more than necessary, so I've cut that back and I think it's helping. Don't worry, I'm not starving Baby... not even close! I'm just frequently hungry and was usually eating too much each time I was hungry. Now I just eat until I'm not hungry anymore, instead of when I'm full. I have gained a total of 29.5 pounds. Ideally, I wouldn't gain more than 35 pounds; but since I was on the lower end of my BMI category, as long as I stay under 40 pounds of weight gain, I should be fine.

My total waist growth is 13.5 inches! WOW! I am definitely feeling huge these days and can't believe that I still have 2 more months of growing to do. I'm gonna be huge!

Anyway, that's all I've got for today! Next midwife appointment is on Wednesday. Stay tuned for more pregnancy posts. I promise to write more! And here's another belly pic for you :)

Sunday Stats

Wow! It's been 3 weeks since I posted a Sunday Stats! I didn't really it was that long... sorry :(

Ok, so for this week we've got

Weight: 135 pounds
Waist: 38 inches

So, in three weeks I've gained 5 pounds and grown 1.25 inches. Wow! Baby is growing fast!

I haven't been able to workout nearly as much as I'd like :( but I was able to make it to the gym yesterday, so that's good. I'm gonna try to be extra good this week with going to the gym. It's important and I need to just make the time.

Updates will be more frequent once school is over! Promise!

27 Weeks!

First of all... yes, I know I haven't updated in 2 weeks! :( Sorry, life just got pretty busy and I didn't have time. And with that...

Yay! 27 weeks!! Baby is 14.5 inches long and weighs 2 pounds!! Oh my goodness, Baby is getting so big! Baby's size this week can be compared to cauliflower. Awww.. my cute little cauliflower!

Now lets read in more detail what BabyBump has to say about this week.

Baby - This week your baby looks like a thinner, redder, more wrinkled version of what he will look like at birth, but in the next few weeks more fat will fill out his appearance. Your baby's immune system is continuing to mature as are your baby's lungs which are still practicing breathing amniotic fluid

Body - Just when you were getting used to your second trimester, you may find new uncomfortable symptoms beginning during your third trimester. You may notice more leg craps due to the pressure of your uterus on your veins and nerves running from your torso to your legs. Remember to stretch and move your legs to ease or prevent cramping.

Activities this week - Now is a great time to sign up for a breastfeeding class. If you are a first-time mom and planning to breastfeed your baby, it's a good idea to take a breastfeeding class or sign up with a lactation consultant. Ask your doctor or midwife for a recommendation or call Le Leche League who can help you locate breastfeeding resources in your area.

That's so exciting that Baby is now proportionally correct in his/her development! Now s/he just needs to put on a little fat before coming out :)

Third trimester is almost here! Well, according to some, it already is. And according to my calculations, I am now 67.5% through the pregnancy. So, technically, the third trimester should be the last third of my pregnancy, i.e., after I've passed the 66.7% mark. So based on these facts, I totally say that I'm in the third trimester! :) It definitely feels like I am. Being comfortable is becoming more and more rare. Putting on my socks is a struggle, and my back is almost in constant pain. But it's ok, all the suffering is to bring my precious little baby into the world, so it's all worth it!

Breastfeeding classes! We have decided to take this class at Sweet Beginnings in Littleton, CO but we won't start until after school is over... in two weeks!

Being at week 27 also means that BabyBump has a new belly picture for the next 4 weeks. Looks like Baby is starting to get a little cramped in there!

Midwife Appointment - 25 Weeks

We had another midwife appointment today. It went very well and actually very quickly.

I thought I would be taking the glucose test today, but I was wrong. Instead, they gave me the grape juice that I'll need to drink and directions for the test at my next appointment. I will have to fast after midnight the day of the test and drink the juice quickly about an hour before my appointment. Then they'll draw my blood to see how my body reacts to the sugar. Like I said last week, I'm expecting to "pass" this test, so I'm not worried about it.

We also talked about how Baby has been moving around so much. She said this time in the pregnancy is when I will feel the most movements because Baby is big enough to feel, but small enough to have room to move. As space gets a little more tight, I can expect movements to be less frequent.

The midwife also let me know that I may start feeling contractions and not to panic if I do. There is no reason to be alarmed unless the contractions have regularity and I have 4 or more in an hour. I haven't felt any contractions yet, and I'm not counting down the days until I do! Early contractions aren't supposed to be as painful as labor contractions, but still... I'll be perfectly content if I don't get them! :)

We measured my fundal height for the first time this week. This is the measurement from the top of my pubic bone to the top of my uterus. The midwife was nervous to measure me this early because it's common to measure "ahead" and then moms start to freak out that they're going to deliver a giant baby. Ha! The normal measurement progression would be to be as many centimeters long as I am weeks. Well, I measured at 26 cm, so that's good! She said she was expecting 27. So as of now, I don't think I'm having ginorma-baby. But we'll see how that changes as the due date gets closer.

Lastly, we listened to Baby's heartbeat. It was LOUD! As I was laying down, the midwife pointed out that the right side of my belly was slightly higher than the left and said that meant we'd probably find the heartbeat on the right. Sure enough, we could hear Baby the instant should put the doppler to my belly. No chasing required. It sounded just like it always does, but then the midwife says "we can probably get it better". She moves about an inch and sure enough, Baby's heartbeat gets much louder. It was pretty cool. Baby's heartbeat was about 140 bpm, like always!

Well, that pretty much covers the appointment. Our next appointment will be in 3 weeks and then I'll be back on a 4 week rotation. This one and the next were only 3 weeks because I was on off the "normal" cycle by two weeks and they wanted me to match up with the regular schedule.

Yay for Baby!

25 Weeks!

One week down, only 15 to go! Can you believe that? Only 15 more weeks! Well, I'm thinking more like 12 weeks :)

So Baby is now about 13.5 inches long, 1.5 pounds, and the size of a rutabaga! Wait... what's a rutabaga? Seriously, I have no idea. Here's a picture I found; thanks to Google.

Well thank goodness Baby doesn't LOOK like a rutabaga! Well, this doesn't really help me get the feel for the size of a rutabaga... oh well. I'll look for one the next time I'm at Safeway.

Ok, let's see what else BabyBump has to say.

Baby - Your baby's body parts are continuing to become more proportional to each other. Baby fat is also continuing to fill in your baby's wrinkled skin for a smoother look and more hair is growing, developing texture and color.

Body - Now roughly the size of a soccer ball, your uterus is halfway between your sternum and your bellybutton. All this growing might cause your stretched out skin to feel itchy in places. Try to relieve the itching with lotions and moisturizers. On the flip side, you're probably still enjoying the fullness of your hair, actually caused by your hormones decreasing the shedding process. Unfortunately, this extra hair won't last after you've given birth.

Health Tip - Many pregnant women are concerned about household cleaners, insecticides, and chemicals. Always check with your doctor for his or her recommendations before using any chemicals.

Glad to hear that Baby should be fattening up :) Although, I don't think Baby needs anymore muscles! I've received many painful powerful kicks already! I'm just kidding... well, about Baby not needing muscles, not about the kicks! I really like feeling Baby though. It's such a nice reassurance that everything is going well. I will admit that it's often times uncomfortable though. And it never fails that Baby doesn't like the way I lay when I go to bed. That's when I get the more painful kicks. Everyone says that sleeping your left side is the "best", but Baby generally hates it. Luckily, being on my back isn't uncomfortable yet.

My uterus is only the size of a soccer ball? Dave refers to it more like a basketball :) My belly is definitely hardening up too. My belly does itch a little sometimes too, but not too bad yet. I have my oil and belly butter routine every morning, so that probably helps.

I haven't really noticed much with my hair because I keep it short. My nails grow super fast though. I think if I stare at them, I may actually be able to watch them grow. Seriously, I'm clipping my nails like once a week.

Well, that's all I've got to say! Here's to another good week!

Sunday Stats

I know, I know... I skipped Sunday Stats last week! I was busy making pie and homemade mac and cheese, so I totally forgot. I can't promise it won't happen again :P

Ok, let's just jump strait into the stats.

Weight: 130 pounds
Waist: 36.75 inches

Now, I know what you're thinking. "Leanna, the scale says 130.5. You're cheating and saying you're half a pound lighter!" Well, yes and no. My weight in the morning was 130, but when I took this picture, it was 130.5. I go by my morning weight... don't hate :P

So, that's a 4 pound weight gain and 0.75'' waist growth in two weeks. Weight gain is still more than I'd like; I should only be gaining about a pound a week. But I've been working out now, so as long as I keep that up, I'm not going to stress about my weight. Last week, I only worked out twice, but this week I've already worked 4 times and I'm hoping to hit the gym tonight as well. My goal is to workout 3-5 times per week.

Ok, so now for another belly pic. I'm actually quite proud of this photo and added it to the self portrait albums of the Photography Page and Flickr.

Maternity Self Portraits

I took some silhouette shots of my belly today. I was hesitant to share them because 1. I know some people I know who are a bit more on the conservative side might get all irritated that I'm putting these on the internet, and 2. because some people are just flat out assholes and will have some gross comment to say. Well, if you fall into one of these categories, please just stay quiet. I view a woman's pregnant body as absolutely amazing and beautiful. I like to think God was being artistic when designing women both in their pregnant and non-pregnant forms and there is nothing wrong with tasteful appreciation.

Ok, I'll shut up now. Here's the pics. I've also added them to the self portraits albums on the photography page and on Flickr.

Baby Woke Me Up

At about 4:30a, I was awoken from my lovely slumber by a swift painful kick to my bladder. In a period of about 20 seconds, I received about 3 more of these love kicks. After putting the pain aside for a second, I realized that I actually needed to pee pretty badly. On my short walk to the toilet, I am gifted with a couple more kicks. After I peed, there was no sign of Baby anymore - not even a gentle tap. All the kicking had subsided.

Now, I believe there are two possible scenarios to this story.

1. My bladder gets full and Baby is like "Yay! Check out this sack of squishiness! It's so soft and fun to kick! I mean, really. Look. When I kick it, it jiggles around. How cool is that? I can kick this thing all day long! ...Wait, no, what's happening? NOOO! It's deflating! Come back squishy bag! Come back! Well that's lame. I'm just gonna roll over and suck my thumb now."

2. My bladder gets full and Baby is like "OMG! This stupid sack is full again and invading my personal space! Excuse me... but do you mind? I'm trying to get comfortable here and when you decide to inflate, I can't stretch out my legs. Here... how about I kick you and show you what it's like to have your space invaded. *kick* *kick* Haha! It's not so great now is it?! *kick* *kick* *kick* Take that you space hogging bubble. *kick* *kick* That's what I thought... you best be deflating! Ahhh, much better. Now I can stretch out, get comfy, and go back to sleep. Perfect."

Which do you think it was?

24 Weeks!

24 weeks! That's 6 months! Only 16 more weeks to go! Time seems to be going by fast, but not fast enough. My back has been killing me and it's rather difficult to get comfortable these days.

Baby is about 12.5'' long, 1.25 lbs, and the size of corn! I would assume they mean the length of corn, not width... unless Baby is REALLY skinny!! I hope not... Baby needs some skin on his/her bones!

Ok, let's see what else BabyBump has to say.

Baby - With all the rapidly developing senses in your baby, he should probably be able to sense what is upside down or right side up. Your baby's respiratory system is also rapidly growing, lungs are developing in preparation for breathing, moving amniotic fluid in and out of the lungs. For now your baby still gets oxygen through your placenta.

Body - Your uterus is roughly two inches above your bellybutton. Around this time your medical practitioner may perform a glucose screen test to check for gestational diabetes which affects around 10% of all pregnant women. It can be a risk to you and your baby if left untreated. Gestational diabetes can make vaginal delivery difficult, causing a longer labor due to the baby's larger size, or it might make cesarean delivery required. However, the good news is that this condition often disappears for most women after pregnancy.

Health Tip - Between weeks 24 and 28 your doctor may recommend that you have a glucose screening test to check for gestational diabetes, a condition that can affect the fetus' blood sugar levels causing the baby to grow to large. The glucose screen test is offered to most women, especially if you are obese or have a family history of diabetes.

Um, ok. I think BabyBump went a little overboard with the gestational diabetes. Wish they didn't put it in two sections; it was too repetitive. On that note, I will be taking the glucose screening test at my next midwife appointment, next week. I'm not worried about it. Not only have I never been overweight, but I don't have a sugar eating problem.

I guess that's all I really have to say about this week.

Well I noticed that the picture of the inside of the belly provided by BabyBump actually changed last week, but I just noticed it this week. So here it is.

So it looks like between now and week 26, Baby should be switching positions to head down! I didn't realize that happened so early. I guess it makes sense, because as Baby grows, his/her space becomes more cramped. It would probably be hard to move to head down at the end of the pregnancy. Baby is already so smart! :) I'm sure I'll find out next Thursday if Baby is facing head down. The midwives are so good at being able to tell how Baby is positioned just by pushing on my belly.

And now, because I was a slacker and skipped Sunday Stats last week, I will share a belly pic :)

23 Weeks!

It's been yet another week! 23 weeks pregnant today! I can't believe how quickly the time seems to pass these days. I'm not complaining :)

My precious baby is now 11.5 inches long, 1.1 pounds, and about the size of a large mango. Baby is growing so fast! If I wasn't allergic to mangos, I'd eat one in celebration of Baby's new fruit size.

Now to see what else BabyBump has to say.

Baby - Your baby is probably quite active by now and you should be able to feel movement or kicks in your belly. It might even be possible to see the movements on the surface of your skin. Overall, your baby is now more proportioned from head size to the rest of the body and is looking more and more like a newborn.

Body - In preparation for labor, your uterus may begin to practice by exercising it's muscles. Around this time some women experience warm-up contractions better known as Braxton Hicks contractions or false labor. These contractions are irregular and vary in intensity. Contact your medical practitioner if you have any concerns.

Health Tip - Sodium in your diet. Although sodium need not be restricted during pregnancy, excessive use is not recommended. A diet of primarily natural food can be safely salted "to taste." Pregnant women should avoid processed or "junk" foods that are high in sodium. Excessive intake of salt can cause high blood pressure (hypertension) and may lead to excessive weight gain.

Baby is definitely quite active these days! Sometimes the kicks I feel are even a little uncomfortable. I can't imagine how they're gonna feel at the end of the pregnancy when Baby is a LOT bigger! I love the kicks and movement though, it lets me know that Baby is doing well and having a grand ol' time!

I haven't even been looking to see if I could see Baby's movement from the outside! Now that I know it may be possible, I'm going to start looking :)

Contractions?? Already?! I'm not looking forward to this. I haven't experienced any Braxton Hicks contractions yet, and I'm not looking forward to when I do. Will I even recognize a contraction when I feel one?

It's interesting that sodium was brought up in today's description because I turned down some soy sauce with dinner tonight because of its high sodium content (and I hadn't read this yet). I'm not really a snacker though, so my daily sodium intake is actually pretty low. So that's good :) I don't think high blood pressure is something I need to be concerned about anyway; the midwives always comment on how low my blood pressure is every appointment. It's not too low, but it's at the bottom of the acceptable range.

Well, there you have it... 23 weeks!

Sunday Stats

I can't believe another week has passed! Time for Sunday Stats again!

Weight: 126 pounds
Waist: 36 inches

Yay! Belly has grown 3/4 of an inch! But it feels like it's grown like three inches! I hate my rapid weight gain though. Well, I'm finally not sick anymore so I'm gonna start going to the gym again.. yay! (I will not get thunder thighs, I will not get thunder thighs, I will not...) I tried to go yesterday, but apparently Saturday is the one day a week my gym closes at 7p and I showed up at 7:30p :( They close at 11p tonight, so I'm gonna head over in a bit after my tummy settles from dinner.

Ok. Here's a new pic!

Midwife Appointment - 22 Weeks

This post is a day late, but I was exhausted last night and fell asleep before I could write this up :(

We had another midwife appointment yesterday and it went really well. One thing we discussed was the fact that I've been sick since my last appointment (actually, I'm finally better now!). My midwife recommend I take some special immunity booster for pregnancy (see pic above), so I'm going to. We'll see if it works! I also grabbed some more pregnancy tea since I'm almost out. The tea is supposed to help strengthen my uterus. I generally have about 1 cup a day.

We also got to listen to Baby's heartbeat again which was of course lovely :) Again, Baby's heartbeat was in the 140s which is great. We also got to hear a few kicks, but I couldn't feel them. Yay for Baby!

The main thing we talked about is the classes that we're required to take: childbirth, newborn, and breastfeeding. Our midwifery offers these classes, but we are not required to take them there; we can go anywhere. There is a baby boutique that I really like called Sweet Beginnings and I think I may take a couple classes through them. I'm going to list descriptions and prices here, and maybe you can help me decide! :)

CHILDBIRTH CLASS
There are many different types of childbirth classes out there (Bradley method, hypnobirthing, etc...) but Dave and I have decided to stick with a more general class. So here are our two options:

Mountain Midwifery - Childbirth Preparation (4 week series, $175)
A time to learn and discuss how to ease late pregnancy discomforts, optimal fetal positioning, the progress of labor, navigating the "what-ifs" of birth, relaxation and comfort measures including our birth tubs, how partners can support mom with a variety of techniques.

Sweet Beginnings - Childbirth Education (4 week series, $125)
This class will give you the knowledge you will need to prepare for the choices you'll be making during your childbirth experience.  This fun and interactive childbirth class that meet for four weeknights is an evidence based curriculum that will cover:

• Birth philosophies
• Stages of labor 
• Comfort measures
• Medical interventions and pain relief
• Practical information for your support person
• Newborn care
• Brief look at breastfeeding - we recommend that you attend the Breastfeeding Class offered at Sweet Beginnings for a more in-depth experience.

Participants will also receive handouts and the book "Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn" by Simkin, Whalley, and Keppler. This class will provide you with the knowledge to make informed choices for the birth of your baby.

NEWBORN CLASS
Mountain Midwifery - Newborn care for Parents-to-Be (2 hours, $50)
A big help to new parents, this class covers bathing, dressing and diaper changing and then goes beyond regarding what to expect with the newborn. Includes how to recognize normal and healthy and differentiating it from warning signs in multiple areas of health, including skin tone, cord care, urination, bowel movements and more.

Sweet Beginnings - Newborn Care & Early Parenting (2 hours, $40)
Congratulations on your upcoming arrival! This class covers baby basics such as

• Newborn Appearance
• Cord Care
• Pediatricians
• Holding and soothing your newborn
• Diapering and Bathing your newborn
• Feeding and weight recommendations
• Tips on bonding with baby

Other topics discussed include but are not limited to development and milestones, safety and more!  Come with questions and we will be sure to help answer them for you.

BREASTFEEDING CLASS
I'm pretty sure I want to take this one from Sweet Beginnings because the lactation consultant and teacher of this class is a friend of Rhonda, my pastor's wife from California. But here are the descriptions from both places anyway.

Mountain Midwifery - Breastfeeding for Parents-to-Be (2 hours, $50)
Chock full of helpful tips and techniques for latching, positioning and more. Discusses the value of breastfeeding for the health of baby and mom and the economic benefits for the family. Dads or partners are strongly encouraged to attend.

Sweet Beginnings - Breastfeeding Essentials (1 hour, $50)
This class is designed for pre-birth education.  This class will be kept small, to allow for individual attention and education. Couples are encouraged to attend.  Please bring a Doll/ Teddy Bear to practice with.  Why take a class?  Breastfeeding is natural- right?  Babies know what they need, but how they get it is generally a learned skill for the nursing couple (Mom and Baby).
Are you a WHY person?  Used to knowing just what to do?  Are you wanting to be prepared and confident with this new skill of breastfeeding?  You are in the right place!!  This class will give you practical methods that are easy to learn. For a great start to breastfeeding, enjoy this simple, practical, fun, and evidence-based one hour class and learn all about breastfeeding.  This highly interactive class will give you down to earth information, from an experienced Mom, and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant with over 7000+ hours of practical hands-on experience.
Class Topics Include:

• First steps to breastfeeding success
• The first month of breastfeeding
• Preventing problems
• Maintaining a milk supply
• Optional Supplies, Equipment and Resources

Sweet Beginnings definitely does a better job at advertising their classes, that's for sure. But what do you think? Does any one class seem better at one place or the other?

22 Weeks!

Today marks the 22nd week of pregnancy! Woohoo! Only 18 more weeks to go! Time seems to be going by a lot faster these days :)

This week is a big milestone for Baby because Baby now weighs 1 pound! Baby is getting so big! Baby is also about 11 inches long, so it won't be long before Baby reaches a foot in length. I actually wouldn't be surprised if Baby is already a foot long. Baby's fruit comparison for this week is spaghetti squash. Remember when baby was only the size of a poppyseed? Grow Baby grow!

Ok, now let's see what else BabyBump has to tell us about this week.

Baby - Your baby's senses are really developing this week. Taste buds are forming and nerve endings are developed enough for your baby to experience the sensation of touch.

Body - Now that your baby bump is showing, you may find that you're the center of attention and people around you, even strangers, will take liberties to touch your belly. If you're uncomfortable with all this touch, it's ok to tell them. Around your belly, buttocks, and hips you may notice tiny red lines or streaks, the beginning stretch marks. As a preventative, some women swear by moisturizers, although medical practitioners will tell you that genetic play a bigger roll.

Health Tip - While saunas and hot tubs may feel soothing to your aching body, be careful not to overheat your body. That means avoiding saunas or hot tubs that are maintained at a temperature greater than your own body temperature. Overheating your body for prolonged periods of time can affect the development of your baby. Check with your medical practitioner for recommendations.

I'm excited for Baby to feel touch. I'm hoping that I'll soon be able to poke my belly and have Baby kick in return :)

I like verbal attention like "you're really showing now!" and things like that, but I do not look forward to people randomly touching my belly. Even if I know the person, it'll bug me. I'm tempted to make a shirt that says "ask before touching". Asking is totally fine with me and I will say yes, just don't touch without asking. I already have a plan for uninvited touches - if you reach out and rub my tummy, I will return the favor and rub yours. Not kidding!

So far I have zero signs of stretch marks! Yay! I've been using stretch mark tummy rub and oil by Mama Mio ever since I found out I was pregnant. This stuff isn't cheap, but it'll be worth every penny in my eyes if it works.

Well, that's all I got... yay for 22 weeks!

Sunday Stats

It's Sunday again, which means it's time for Sunday Stats!

Weight: 124 pounds
Waist: 35.25 inches

That's no change in waist, and two pound gain in weight. I'm still sick so I haven't been able to workout again :( That's two weeks of no workout because of this damn cold. It's so annoying. But I think it's almost gone, so I hope to hit the gym by the middle of the week.

What do you think about the above pic with the measuring tape? I may or may not do that every week. It was kind of a pain to take... we'll see. Here's a new belly pic!



Even though the measurements don't seem to be going up, I really feel like my belly has grown a lot. I probably just don't measure right...

21 Weeks!

Today marks 21 weeks of pregnancy! Baby is 10.5 inches long, 12.7 oz, and about the size of a banana! Baby is getting so big! Baby is also kicking quite a bit these days :)

Ok, let's see what my iPhone app BabyBump has to say about week 21.

Baby - As your baby's digestive system develops, he will begin to swallow amniotic fluid and absorb small amounts of sugar. However, most of your baby's nutrients are still delivered from the placenta. Inside your uterus, while there's still room, your baby is actively moving around, kicking and flipping positions. You may be able to track patterns in his movement.

Body - For many women, this period marks the most comfortable stage of their pregnancy. Your first trimester discomforts have subsided and you've grown more accustomed to many of the changes in your body and you're finally beginning to enjoy that pregnancy "glow" you've been hearing about. Other welcome changes by some women are thicker hair, better skin condition, and increased breast size.

Health Tip - Considering breastfeeding? Here are just a few good reasons why breastfeeding is good for your baby, and you. 1. - There is strong evidence that breastfeeding reduces the incidence of diarrhea, lower-respiratory infection, ear infections, urinary tract infections, bacterial meningitis, Crohn's Disease, colitis and other diseases (American Academy of Pediatrics). 2. - There may be a link to a decreased incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome among breastfed babies. 3. - Numerous benefits to mothers include a reduced risk of ovarian and breast cancers, as well as a lower incidence of hip fractures during the post-menopausal periods. 4. - Nursing helps you shed baby weight faster.

I read somewhere else that what I eat will determine how the amniotic fluid tastes to Baby. I wish there was a way for Baby to tell me if s/he doesn't like something I eat! But I definitely need to get some more Ben&Jerry's Mint Chocolate Chunk ice cream because I *know* Baby loves it! IT'S FOR BABY!

Oddly enough... the 1st trimester was more comfortable for me because I didn't have a never-ending cold! Plus, I was blessed to not have morning sickness... so my 1st trimester was pretty smooth :)

As I said before, I can definitely feel Baby moving a lot more these days. I can't exactly "track movements" though. At the most, I can tell the difference between a kick and general movement. Oh, and I can tell if Baby has decided to use my bladder as a bed.

Yay for breastfeeding! I'm definitely planning to breastfeed. I just pray that my milk doesn't make Baby sick like my mom's milk did to me :( I don't think it will. The doctor's actually said her milk had too much nutrients. I swear, that would only happen to my mom! I think the only unhealthy thing she had during her pregnancy was Olvatine. That's just not natural :P I'm eating healthier than when I wasn't pregnant, but I'm by no means eating perfect. I still have pizza, ice cream, chips & salsa, chai... etc. But don't worry, overall I have a healthy diet. And I make sure to consume more protein, calcium, and water than normal.

Well, yay for 21 weeks! Only 19 more to go!

Sunday Stats

It's Sunday which means it's time for Sunday Stats!

Weight: 122 pounds
Waist: 35.25 inches

Not much change in either, but that's ok :)

I wasn't able to workout at all last week because I've been sick :( I was really looking forward to working out this quarter and I've only been able to a handful of times because I have the never-ending cold! Being pregnant and sick is NOT a good combo. It takes forever to get better. I slept a lot today though which makes me think I'm finally getting better. All week, I wasn't getting much sleep because it was hard me to breathe through my stuffed up nose.

Feeling baby's movements has greatly improved this week! Yay for Baby!

Here's a pic. Excuse the hair... I was in bed all day.

20 Weeks!

YAY! We've reached 20 weeks which means we're halfway there! Only another 20 more weeks before I get to hold my precious little Baby.

This week Baby about 6.5 inches long, 10.6 oz, and the size of a small cantaloupe! That's huge! I definitely agree that it seems as though I'm carrying around a cantaloupe in my belly. Keep on growing Baby!

Ok, let's see what else the iPhone app BabyBump has to say.

Baby - This week your baby's skin will become covered with a waxy-like substance called vernix which will protect his skin from becoming scratched or chapped. Your baby is also starting to produce meconium, the result of digestion, which will accumulate in his bowels and eventually pass during delivery or in his first diaper.

Body - You've officially reached the halfway point of your pregnancy! At this stage your uterus is even with your bellybutton and you may have gained 10 to 13 pounds (yep!). You'll likely have your second major ultrasound soon where your doctor will check on your baby's development (did that last week!). If your baby cooperates you may even be able to determine the sex, if you choose to find out (we're keeping it a surprise).

Health Tip - Whenever possible, try to minimize your consumption of processed foods such as hot dogs and cured meats like ham or bacon. These food items contain sodium nitrate, a food preservative, and also may be carcinogenic (cancer-causing).

I've read that Baby's first poop will be tar-like because of that meconium stuff. Weird.

Well, this past week I have definitely been feeling Baby a lot more. Probably at least a few times a day I can feel something that I know for certain is Baby :) Sometimes it feels like Baby is just moving around and rolling, other times it feels like it's probably a kick or punch. It's definitely a weird feeling, but it always makes me smile because I know it's Baby :)

Sunday Stats

Ahh! I once again forgot to do Sunday Stats until I was about to go to bed! My weight is still in the low 120s - I don't know exactly what because I prefer to weigh myself in the morning when I haven't eaten yet. I'll put down tomorrow's weight in the morning.

Weight: 122.5
Waist: 35 inches

Yay! My belly grew half an inch! That's a total of 9 inches of growth. I started working out again this week so I'm hoping my weight gain slows down a bit. I think a few of the pounds I gained were unnecessary. I would've gained those pounds even if I wasn't pregnant! That's what happens when you sit on your butt all day every day doing math! But I have more free time this quarter, so I'm going to make sure I workout regularly. Not only do I not want to gain too much weight, but I want to have as easy of a delivery as possible - which means I need to be in good shape!

Well, Thursday will be 20 weeks which means I'll be halfway there! Yay for Baby!

Here's a pic :)

19 Weeks!

I'm 19 weeks preggers today! That means I'm only a week away from the halfway point :) But I actually really feel like Baby is gonna come early, which means I may already be at the halfway point!

Anyway, let's take a look at what the iPhone app BabyBumb has to say about the 19th week.

Baby is 6 inches long and the size of an heirloom tomato! BabyBump also says that Baby is 8.5 oz, but we learned yesterday that Baby is in fact about 10 oz.

Baby - Many of your baby's senses are developing as specialized areas in the brain are being designated for smell, taste, hearing, vision and touch. Millions of motor neurons are continuing to develop in your baby's brain allowing more controlled and conscious movement.

Body - Your growing belly is probably obvious to others around you and you may feel the physical effects of it too. Most pregnant women experience backache at some point during their pregnancy. You may notice discomfort in your posture as your center of gravity shifts forward putting more strain on your back. Hormonal increasing also contribute to abdominal pain by relaxing the muscles around your waist allowing the uterus to grow.

Health Tip - No one knows for sure what quantity of alcohol is safe to drink during pregnancy. The danger of alcohol consumption during pregnancy is that it may cause Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). Babies born with FAS may grow more slowly, have damage to the central nervous system or have abnormal facial features. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fetal exposure to alcohol is one of the main preventable causes of birth defects and developmental problems in the country.

What's funny about the center of gravity part is that a couple days ago one of my friends asked me if I was limping. I found it odd that I may already be walking a little different since I'm not that big yet. Dave immediately replied that I was just having issues adjusting to my new center of gravity. Ha!

And don't worry friends, I haven't had even an ounce of alcohol!! No FAS for Baby! I can't even sit close to Dave if he's having a beer - the smell disgusts me.

I'll end with a couple more screenshots from BabyBump. The first shows what Baby looks like, and the second one shows what the inside of my belly looks like for the next 4 weeks :) Should I add NSFW to the title of this post since the image shows a nipple? Meh :P

Yay for 19 weeks!

Ultrasound - 19 Weeks!

We had our big ultrasound today! Baby is looking great and is in the 50th percentile for his/her weight :) The pics didn't come out nearly as good at this doctor's office as they did with the previous one, but it's ok... I took video footage this time! First though, let's look at a couple pics.

The one above is (sort of) a profile shot of Baby's head. Baby is facing upwards.

This next one is of Baby sucking his/her thumb. This time Baby is facing downwards.



Next up is Baby waving at us :)



And lastly, we see Baby's adorable little foot!



And here's the video! Well, I had to split it up into two videos because YouTube is lame and has a 10 minute limit on video length. So for the first video, I cut out the part where doc is taking the measurements.



This one is of the measurements taking place. It's not nearly as interesting... borderline boring; unless of course you're me... because, well this is MY BABY and I love all the video :)



Cute huh? I love my baby!

Well, over the last couple days, I'm really feeling like I can feel Baby sometimes. It's light and I'm still not absolutely positive that what I'm feeling is Baby, but I'm pretty sure. To have an idea of what I feel, tap yourself lightly on your hand. Not a poke, but a tap. That's pretty close to what I feel on the inside... like someone is lightly tapping the inside of my tummy. Is that Baby? I think so :) But I can't wait to feel a good solid kick! Then I'll be 100% certain that I'm feeling Baby.

That's all I've got for today. Yay for Baby! Tomorrow is officially 19 weeks.

I love Baby!

Sunday Stats

I still have a few minutes before Sunday is over! (Well, in Denver time). So here it is.

Weight: 121 pounds
Waist: 34.5

That's a 1 pound increase from last week and no change in my waist size.

I know I said I'd post a new picture every time, but I'm gonna be lazy about it this week since I'm sick. If you need a dose of belly pics, revisit this post :P

Midwife Appointment - 18 Weeks

We had a midwife appointment today and it went great!

The first thing we talked about is the fact that I've been sick. The midwife, Sarah, gave us some ideas on how I could feel better and told me to just keep resting and drink lots of water. Then we talked about if I could feel Baby moving around yet (I can't) and how that should happen pretty soon. She also reminded us that we need to start thinking about a pediatrician and look into child care if we're going to need it (which I don't think we will). I also told the midwife about some sharp pains I was feeling in my tummy last night and she assured me that it's just my ligaments stretching and there's nothing to be alarmed about. After our chat, we got to listen to the heartbeat!

Just as before, Baby was obviously very active. The midwife immediately said "well, I can hear Baby moving around, but we need the heartbeat!" :) It probably took a good minute before she could find it, and then almost immediately it was gone. It was a game of cat and mouse to find Baby's heartbeat! She eventually found a good spot and determined Baby's heartbeat was at 140bpm. As always, it was really cool hear. It was also a lot of fun to hear all the kicking and rolling going on - it's like Baby was having his/her own little dance party in there! I'm wondering if this is a sign that I'm gonna have a ball of energy for a child... we'll see!

An hour after the appointment, we had a "healthy pregnancy" class that is required for anyone who chooses to deliver at the midwifery. It was a good class about eating, exercise, and emotional health. Most of it was stuff we already knew, but we learned some new stuff too. I also have on paper that Dave should give me a massage at least once a week... mwahahaha :) I'm glad we took it - it's a great class to have required.

So, as always, a midwife appointment day was a good day and our next one is scheduled in 4 weeks. But on Wednesday, we have our next (and last) ultrasound! I'm REALLY excited for Wednesday!

Yay for Baby!

18 Weeks!

18 weeks pregnant today! Almost halfway there! :) The above is a screenshot of an iPhone app I use called BabyBump. It is packed with features, but these pages are my favorite. Every week, BabyBump has a new screen which tells me Baby's approximate size, weight, and a food item (usually fruit or veggie) that is close in size. There is also a cute little picture of what Baby should look like at this stage in his/her development. Below all that fun stuff is information on Baby’s development, changes to expect with my body, and a health tip. Here’s what it has to say for this week:

Baby - Many of the bones in your baby’s body are starting to harden. Among these first bones to develop is the inner ear which is part of the reason why your baby might be able to hear sounds such as your heart beating or your tummy growling.

Body - As you settle into your second trimester you’ll likely gain your appetite back. Eating healthy and getting enough protein is important at this stage as your body needs approximately 300 extra calories to help your baby develop. Equally important is continuing with exercising; keep moderation in mind and do not begin any new, strenuous workouts.

Health Tip - Dairy is a good source of calcium, important for your developing baby (you need approximately 1200 to 1500mg a day). However, avoid unpasteurized milk often found in soft cheese such as feta, Camembert, brie and Roquefort, a common source of listeriosis, a form of food poisoning.

Pretty cool stuff, huh? I’ve been posting the text included under the Baby heading on Facebook, but I’ll start sharing it all on here.

I think it’s pretty exciting that Baby can hear my heartbeat and tummy growls! But I can’t help but wonder... what does my tummy growling really sound like? Is it scary? If I was a baby I’d probably be thinking: “oh crap, I’m under attack!” At least with the way my tummy growls - it’s pretty damn loud.

Midwife appointment tomorrow! I love my little sweet potato :)