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 :)